Thailand wants your fingerprints
Thailand immigration wants your fingerprints from now on. When you apply for a Visa you now need to give them your finger prints.
I do not really know the reason for this but I guess because people can come back to Thailand with a new name or a new passport even if they have been blacklisted.
I think Thailand should first apply this digital fingerprinting system on their own citizen’s to stop the many unsolved crimes we have in Thailand and then start moving up to foreigners.
I am not really comfortable to give my finger prints to anyone if I have not committed any crime and last time I looked applying for a visa in a country was not a crime. I am sure it breaks a number of international laws and even the laws in Thailand but who cares anyway we are just tourists.
A way of going around this is off course to always do your visa abroad at small consulates or embassies that does not have any machine for finger printing. You can also apply for a 3 month O visa and go out every 3 month and never have to report to immigration since you never stay longer then 30 days.
Mindstream
Well it is not the same system i think. Thai people do not give finger prints. Neither to Thai people travel to another country, maybe to USA but not to other countries. I understand that many countries will be doing this soon but maybe should start with their own population.
Pinaybackpacker
Fingerprints are now required not just for getting visas but also for e-passports. They’re part of what is called biometrics which also include facial and iris recognition.
The ICAO requires this.
Read this page for more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EPassport