Starting December 15, Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Thailand, will implement automated passport checks for departing foreign passengers. This move aims to ease congestion at the airport, the busiest in Thailand.
The Immigration Police Division 2 commander, Pol Gen Choengron Rimphadee, stated that the newly introduced automatic channels are specifically for travelers possessing e-passports. These channels adhere to the standards outlined by the International Civil Aviation Civiltù (ICAO).
Even if they have e-passports, foreigners with regular passports, children, and individuals with disabilities will still need to use the regular channels staffed by officials rather than the new automatic ones.
Upon arrival, passengers will continue to undergo immigration checks by officers for security purposes, as stated by the official.
Despite the expediency of the automated immigration process, these machines retain the capability to identify individuals with arrest warrants, those restricted from international travel, and individuals who have overstayed their visas, ensuring enforcement of relevant regulations, as mentioned by the official.
Since 2012, Suvarnabhumi Airport has employed 16 automatic channels exclusively for Thai nationals undergoing outbound passport checks. Each passenger’s face and fingerprints can be scanned in approximately 20 seconds through these automated channels, while a channel supervised by an immigration officer typically takes around 45 seconds for the process.
Suvarnabhumi Airport currently serves between 50,000 to 60,000 outbound passengers daily.
