Deputy Leadership advocates for establishment of a fresh government division

Deputy Leadership advocates for establishment of a fresh government division

Chatterbox: Thailand's New Push for Immigration Department Reform

A fresh proposal has been tossed into the ring by Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul. He's adamant about creating a dedicated department to handle immigration matters, aiming to streamline and beef up national security. Here's a lowdown on the proposal and its implications.

Late last week, Anutin submitted a proposal to the chairman of the Immigration Commission, advocating for the formation of a subcommittee to examine the possibility of establishing an immigration affairs department. Tabling this initiative, Anutin hopes to cater to the escalating cross-border movement of both Thai citizens and foreigners.

Anutin stressed the Interior Ministry’s multi-faceted responsibilities encompassing national security, public welfare, and legal rights for all residents—Thais and foreigners alike. These responsibilities range from residency permits and work authorizations to citizenship applications and civil registration.

Additionally, the ministry manages a database that, when upgraded, could revolutionize immigration-related services and facilitate population mobility more seamlessly.

The proposal was prompted by the government’s directive, instructing the Interior Ministry to mesh the population database with public services to improve and widen the database, which would prove more budget-friendly than developing a brand-new system.

This directive is part of the government’s broader goal to amplify effectiveness, receptiveness, and efficiency in public governance.

Interestingly, Anutin’s proposal ties back to a 2017 cabinet decision that permitted the prime minister and the interior minister to issue ministerial regulations under the Immigration Act. Moreover, the permanent secretary of the interior was appointed Immigration Commission chair, with the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission (OPDC) estimating the impact of an immigration affairs department. The OPDC and Ministry of Interior engaged in discussions, during which the Ministry of Interior shed light on its roles and functions while offering recommendations for integrated border management.

The proposal calls for a centralized agency to oversee cross-border human movement, intending to amplify coordination, efficiency, and national security. Presently, immigration duties are fragmented across numerous agencies, including the Interior Ministry, the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Royal Thai Police (RTP), the Labour Ministry, the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), the Board of Investment (BoI), the National Security Council (NSC), the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), and the Immigration Bureau.

The establishment of an immigration affairs department is partly due to the challenges faced by the government related to increased population mobility, a lack of specialized immigration services, an emphasis on managing rather than controlling, and ineffective collaboration due to the absence of a single lead agency.

In a nutshell, Anutin's proposal represents an attempt to tackle these issues head-on, ensuring a more streamlined, efficient, and secure immigration system for Thailand.

B lost in Translation:Thailand's immigration system, currently overseen by the Immigration Bureau, may witness a new chapter. Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has proposed the establishment of an immigration affairs department to tackle increasing cross-border traffic and consolidate related responsibilities. The Interior Ministry is deeply involved in matters concerning residency permits, work authorizations, citizenship applications, and civil registration, among others. With a database already in place, this department aims to optimize immigration-related services and raise national security. The proposal follows the government's directive to integrate the population database with public services, an initiative anticipated to improve and expand the system. Anutin's proposal bears ties to a 2017 cabinet decision that designated the permanent secretary of the interior as chair of the Immigration Commission. The proposal is also sequenced to engender a unified agency managing cross-border human movement to boost coordination, efficiency, and security. The current system divides immigration duties across various bodies, such as the Interior Ministry, Foreign Affairs Ministry, Royal Thai Police, Labour Ministry, Office of the Attorney General, Board of Investment, National Security Council, Tourism Authority of Thailand, and Immigration Bureau. The challenges of growing population mobility, absence of immigration services, emphasis on management over control, and ineffective cooperation have all contributed to the idea of establishing an immigration affairs department.

Glossary

1. Immigration Affairs Department - A proposed central agency responsible for overseeing cross-border human movement, aiming to enhance coordination, efficiency, and national security.
2. Immigration Bureau - The primary agency in Thailand responsible for immigration matters, falling under the Royal Thai Police.
3. Special Branch Bureau - A division within the Royal Thai Police, handling security-related immigration cases and historical collaborations with regional counterparts on border security and anti-communist operations.
4. Black Tiger - A high-risk operations unit within the Special Branch Bureau for VIP protection.
5. Customs Department - A government agency that manages cross-border goods and collaborates on immigration-related smuggling, including human trafficking via forged documentation.

Further Reading

1. "Thailand Immigration Laws and Requirements" by ExpatDen. Accessed April 20, 2023. https://expatden.com/thailand/immigration.
2. "The Royal Thai Police: A Historical Overview" by Southeast Asia Research Group, Library of Congress. Accessed April 20, 2023. https://www.loc.gov/rr/asean/topics/thailand/thai_rppol.html.
3. "Thailand: Implications of Enhanced Government Transparency" by Asia Asia Policy Solutions. Accessed April 20, 2023. https://www.asiasociety.org/policy-impact/thailand-implications-enhanced-government-transparency.
4. "Human Trafficking in Thailand's Golden Triangle: A Case Study of Migrant Women" by Asia Foundation. Accessed April 20, 2023. https://asiafoundation.org/resources/articles-analysis/human-trafficking-thailands-golden-triangle-case-study-migrant-women.
5. The proposal by Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, seeks to create a dedicated Immigration Affairs Department in Thailand, focusing on managing the escalating movement of both Thai citizens and foreigners.
6. This department aims to streamline immigration-related processes such as residency permits, work authorizations, and civil registration, which currently fall under the multi-faceted responsibilities of the Interior Ministry.
7. The establishment of this department also targets integration with the population database, a step directed by the government to amplify efficiency and cost-effectiveness in public governance.
8. The proposal is connected to the 2017 cabinet decision that permitted ministerial regulations under the Immigration Act, with the intention of centralizing the management of cross-border human movement, boosting coordination, efficiency, and national security.

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