Netizens debate: Why are people in Thailand still being asked for so many photocopies?

[chilly07]

When I started work computers and photocopiers didn't exist so we made blueprints which were sent to a print shop for replication. The blueprint was the only master and had to be checked and altered for reprint. With the advent of easy copying blueprints became redundant and nobody knows which is the actual original.

Transpose this to modern day Thailand where nobody trusts a copy and definitely nobody trusts a computer. It is too easy for officials to just nod through a computer screen with very little checking hence making them read every page in a pile of copies as well. The only way round this is to only scrutinize original documents and not accept copies. If officials can be trusted to do this copies would become redundant! Possible?

[AgMech Cowboy]

On 1/27/2021 at 1:31 PM, WineOh said:

It's an easy money maker for everyone involved.

Yes, I think Taksin is still in the paper business.

[OneeyedJohn]

88 copies and 176 signatures, nah, I have to disagree.

When my wife and I went the officer made us sign the ones she marked in blue for me, and the ones marker in red for my wife, I definitely signed more than she did, so there was some discretion being displayed.

Agh, the whole thing was just too comical, hard to stop myself from bursting out laughing at the complete sham of people in uniforms trying / pretending to do a responsible job.

A schoolchild could do it.

[DPKANKAN]

On 1/27/2021 at 2:50 PM, 4MyEgo said:

I just applied for my annual marriage extension, 2 x 72 docs, funny thing is they have all of this information on file.

 

I guess it would be too hard for them to accept a letter from the bank with an updated bank balance, recent photos of me for the TM 7 application, photos of the wife in and out of the house, an updated Kor Ror 2 from the local Amphur, a letter from mayor and pay the 1,900 baht fee.

 

I suppose with technology, it's one thing to have a scanner, but its another to know how to use it and think outside the square. 

 

So will keep the repetitive annual thing going until someone actually thinks outside the square, but won't hold my breath. 

As I have said many times before, why don't they give us expats a Thai ID card chipped with all the information on. Then update it as and when anything changes... Like a passport once every 10 years.

Too simple and would make half of the 'Irritation' staff redundant!!????????????????

[ThailandRyan]

23 minutes ago, OneeyedJohn said:

88 copies and 176 signatures, nah, I have to disagree.

When my wife and I went the officer made us sign the ones she marked in blue for me, and the ones marker in red for my wife, I definitely signed more than she did, so there was some discretion being displayed.

Agh, the whole thing was just too comical, hard to stop myself from bursting out laughing at the complete sham of people in uniforms trying / pretending to do a responsible job.

A schoolchild could do it.

Sometimes I get writers cramp signing all of the forms redundantly time and time again.  Same forms yearly until like this year they added the extra 3 forms for the extension of stay.  You would think that with having a Thai DL and such that all of our information would be available.  I as well as others are still waiting for the DLT App that will display our license information....one day in the future...

 

Thai Electronic Driving License on smart phone App from today | The Thaiger.

[OneeyedJohn]

That's hopeful, the driving license photo is probably the wrong size for immigration, in fact not probably but definitely.

So that's a difficult one, how do we get round that.

No idea.

 

C'mon, get real, if immigartion need to scan a driving license, photocopy something, and operate a big blue stamp, surely ur asking too much. It will require a total upgrade of immigration staff to a level of incompetence never seen before.

Edited January 28, 2021 by OneeyedJohn

[oznomad]

Drivers license. Copy front and back, and hand them to the organisation that issued it.

Cert of Residency. Copy visa, entry stamp, TM6, old expired visa, and hand them to the organisation that issued them.

 

Pure logic.

[Glaswegian2]

On 1/27/2021 at 3:31 PM, AndyFoxy said:

It also gives some officious bureaucrat a chance to assert their authority by asking for extra copies/copies you don’t have yet. Gives them a sense of importance when all they really are is a boneheaded paper pusher.

 

This is closest to my own view, watching the facial and body language when they make their demands.. Requiring extra photocopies is an expression of their self-perceived importance - making one jump through hoops, while being simultaneously being able to claim "it's regulations - nothing whatever to do with me", although they often exult in it. This explains the frequently encountered omission to tell you anything about the requirement for extra copies...

 

It especially applies with foreigners but more broadly with anyone. Same as the impetus Thais have for joining  the police force, the miltary or the government, in however lowly a position - hence the ubiquitous pseudo-military uniforms, replete with wings and ribbons.

 

Life in Thailand is largely dependent upon face and relative social status. Child-like in it's pettiness I agree, and in some cases kind of charming, but you ignore it at your peril.

 

 

Edited January 29, 2021 by Glaswegian2

[Pedrogaz]

I/Os have a pathological hatred fro trees.

[AgentSmith]

On 1/28/2021 at 1:24 AM, richard_smith237 said:

On the other hand Thailand was quick to adopt PromptPay (linking a mobile number to a Bank account for easy payment) and QR codes, and also quick to adopt cashless ATM’s (using your Mobile app to get a code). 

 

This indicates that putting something new in place is much easier and more efficient than changing something which has been around for a while. 

That's spot on! They've come up with all these alternative payment systems here but they seem to fail at upgrading the existing ones. In my home country I can pay with my phone using its NFC chip and the classic existing payment terminals in every store. I simply create a virtual debit card in my banking app, type in a PIN code, and then use it everywhere I like. Every time I reach a cumulative of 50 euros I need to type in the PIN code on my phone and then scan it again. Otherwise no PIN needed. And no need for Google Pay or Samsung Pay or Line or whatever 3rd party app at all. This all works straight from the bank itself and every bank in my country supports it and have been for quite some years already. Of course not on iphone because well Apple..

 

Paying digitally there takes 2 seconds: hold card or phone next to the terminal, beep, done. Here in Thailand it's quite a hassle and often holds up the line at cash registers. Oftentimes I need to type in my pin code and sign as well. I mean why?? Paying should be quick. Why still have these paper bank rolls inside machines when in other countries those are a thing of the past?

Edited January 29, 2021 by AgentSmith

[NoshowJones]

On 1/27/2021 at 1:31 PM, WineOh said:

It's an easy money maker for everyone involved.

Yes, including the unelected "PM" and his soldiers.

[Glaswegian2]

Paranoia, fear of making a mistake.

[wasabi]

1 hour ago, AgentSmith said:

That's spot on! They've come up with all these alternative payment systems here but they seem to fail at upgrading the existing ones. In my home country I can pay with my phone using its NFC chip and the classic existing payment terminals in every store. I simply create a virtual debit card in my banking app, type in a PIN code, and then use it everywhere I like. Every time I reach a cumulative of 50 euros I need to type in the PIN code on my phone and then scan it again. Otherwise no PIN needed. And no need for Google Pay or Samsung Pay or Line or whatever 3rd party app at all. This all works straight from the bank itself and every bank in my country supports it and have been for quite some years already. Of course not on iphone because well Apple..

 

Paying digitally there takes 2 seconds: hold card or phone next to the terminal, beep, done. Here in Thailand it's quite a hassle and often holds up the line at cash registers. Oftentimes I need to type in my pin code and sign as well. I mean why?? Paying should be quick. Why still have these paper bank rolls inside machines when in other countries those are a thing of the past?

There is more and more NFC available in Thailand. Tesco, Topps and Big C have it now. Even the vending machine in my condo building has it. Not as widespread as the USA but making progress.

[AgentSmith]

8 hours ago, wasabi said:

There is more and more NFC available in Thailand. Tesco, Topps and Big C have it now. Even the vending machine in my condo building has it. Not as widespread as the USA but making progress.

Does that work with every phone then? I haven't seen NFC support in my Thai banking apps yet I think.

[wasabi]

11 hours ago, AgentSmith said:

Does that work with every phone then? I haven't seen NFC support in my Thai banking apps yet I think.

 

I did get it to work with my phone at Big C a few times, but I found using my Credit Card itself which supports NFC works every time.

[connda]

Went to Bangkok Bank to get a new passbook.  What I found fun to watch was the gal at the desk stamp one photocopy with 9 different stamps then sign the form back and front then had me sign the form back and front. 
ink ink - Stamp  ink ink - Stamp  ink ink - Stamp

ink ink - Stamp  ink ink - Stamp  ink ink - Stamp

ink ink - Stamp  ink ink - Stamp  ink ink - Stamp

That was amusing.

[AdamRich]

And why do I have to go check in at Pattaya immigration right after I checked in with immigration at the airport? 

[wasabi]

4 hours ago, connda said:

Went to Bangkok Bank to get a new passbook.  What I found fun to watch was the gal at the desk stamp one photocopy with 9 different stamps then sign the form back and front then had me sign the form back and front. 
ink ink - Stamp  ink ink - Stamp  ink ink - Stamp

ink ink - Stamp  ink ink - Stamp  ink ink - Stamp

ink ink - Stamp  ink ink - Stamp  ink ink - Stamp

That was amusing.

You didn't mention the redundancy and lack of necessity for the passbook itself. Why is it needed? I have one connected to my Thai Bank Account but I have never used it once. I have had to do some in person banking where I will bring it and they frantically update it with a bunch of dot matrix  squiggles and then after that time and effort has been done for nothing we resolve the original matter.

[AgentSmith]

On 1/30/2021 at 9:36 PM, wasabi said:

You didn't mention the redundancy and lack of necessity for the passbook itself. Why is it needed? I have one connected to my Thai Bank Account but I have never used it once. I have had to do some in person banking where I will bring it and they frantically update it with a bunch of dot matrix  squiggles and then after that time and effort has been done for nothing we resolve the original matter.

Same here. Never used it. Of course for certain visa stuff it's required to show a bank statement.

 

I also have a high stack of monthly credit card statements from the last 2 years or so, all in unopened envelopes. I still plan to bring those to the bank to emphasize I don't need all that paper and that it's all just a waste..

[briansbiology]

On 1/27/2021 at 1:25 PM, shady86 said:

Easy answer. To keep the paper factories running and create jobs for messengers, photocopy shops, ink and copy machines manufacturers. Many would lose jobs if paper consumption are reduced. 

Yes and when you add their numbers to all the unemployed chimney sweeps and cobblers it  will get out of hand ????

[mtls2005]

On 1/30/2021 at 4:41 PM, connda said:

Went to Bangkok Bank to get a new passbook.  What I found fun to watch was the gal at the desk stamp one photocopy with 9 different stamps then sign the form back and front then had me sign the form back and front. 
ink ink - Stamp  ink ink - Stamp  ink ink - Stamp

ink ink - Stamp  ink ink - Stamp  ink ink - Stamp

ink ink - Stamp  ink ink - Stamp  ink ink - Stamp

That was amusing.

 

Yes, the new passbook process at BBL is quite amusing. Plus you've got to sign at least five times.

 

Try changing your mobile contact number with BBL. Equally "garuda-stamp" intensive.

 

Regarding paperwork, take a look around Immigration at CW, stacks of paperwork from floor to ceiling. Amazing the floor hasn't given way. Not sure how they'd find anything if required to search for it?