Five Country Conference looks at Immigration Fraud
(first row L-R) NZ Ambassador Bede Corry, US Ambassador Eric John, UK Ambassador Quinton Quayle, and Ambassador Ron Hoffmann with members of the FCC Bangkok Task Force. First Secretary (immigration) Dareck White is pictured back row far right.
The Embassy of Canada co-hosted a one-day workshop on Fraud and Forgery in Immigration Crime. The workshop focused on document and identity fraud and the wide variety of immigration crime seen in Thailand including visa abuse, people smuggling and human trafficking.
The workshop drew 120 participants who shared experience and expertise in detecting fraud and forgery in relation to these crimes and discussed strategies to prevent fraud at the source - also known as “upstream intervention” - with the immigration law enforcement community in Bangkok. The sessions played an important role in:
- Raising awareness among foreign embassies in Thailand so as to better identify and tackle immigration-related crimes.
- Increasing understanding of the types of fraudulent documents used in Thailand in visa-related crimes and human trafficking through data collection, analysis, and joint research initiatives.
- Strengthening partnerships by building networks between embassies, law enforcement agencies, and NGOs in Thailand.
- Discussing the utilisation of new global technological initiatives (e.g. Biometrics) in disrupting immigration crime.
- Reducing document fraud affecting the foreign countries' visa systems in Thailand.
Ambassador Hoffmann speaking with members of the press after the workshop.
The workshop was run in conjunction with the Embassies of Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as members of the Five Country Conference (FCC) Bangkok Task Force. FCC Representatives reinforced the need for co-operation and collaboration amongst organizations present to disrupt the organized syndicates perpetrating these crimes.
“The workshop sends a clear message: the member countries of the FCC in Bangkok strive to be a serious contributor to the fight against immigration crime in the region. By sharing knowledge and expertise on the use of fraudulent documents in immigration crime we will strengthen enforcement capabilities and disrupt organized crime groups at the source.” - Canadian Ambassador Ron Hoffmann
A host of local and international experts made presentations on topics ranging from document fraud management systems in Thailand to the advent of new global technologies at the forefront of the fight against immigration crime.
The well attended workshop was the first official event hosted by the FCC in Bangkok since its inception in June 2008 The FCC countries are working together in this region along with Thai law enforcement, non-governmental organizations, and the United Nations to stop travellers from entering Canadian borders illegally and committing crimes.
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