Suvarnabhumi Airport To Get Automatic Passport Check System

[foxteen]

So... we can expect computers that show up late?

Hahahaha i like that

[Jimjim]

I suppose the USA passport I got 2 years ago would work. Interesting...

Amazing Thailand.

[wandrinstar]

More Administration. Don't worry Folks, anyone who gets laid off by this Gadget ,will be moved to an Inactive post for a while, then into a Job n Pension for Life Scheme in Local Government ..It will only work for Thai Passports,and considering less than Half of One Percent of Thais have ever been to the Any Airport, yet alone been on a Plane.Its all rather sad,this abuse of Ethnic Thais by the Elite Few. And " NO No", I'm not a Socialist.. If anything needs Improvement its the Visa Dept,and the non use of Computers,and Xerox Copies that get chucked away,after a week.........How the Hell will they cope with Overstays, a National Sport here, Nab a Dole Mole Brit ,and win a Bonus.

[OZinBKK]

I also can't see this benefitting anyone but locals and when I arrived they were the only people through the gates quickly.

It was only the internationals that had to wait over an hour.

I've only had the experience once mind you so I'd appreciate an honest flaming if I'm wrong.

[maxman71]

45 seconds per person for standard passport inspection without this system??? Who are they kidding. I have personally timed PP inspection at Immigration Arrival at Swampy and it is more like 120 seconds/person.

[Jayroo]

Whilst this is good news for everybody I'm not very confident that "the system will go live at the end of the year" is a very realistic time scale. They are only just drawing up the terms of reference and Technical specifications for the bidding process, the prospective bidders have then got to put together their bids, a bid team will need to assess the bids, looking out for such things as competence and reliability, cost of installation and running costs and tea money, a preferred bidder will need to be selected and then further negotiations will take place. No way is all that going to happen in seven months, that said, I wish them well.

I suspect this will mainly benefit Thai passport holders, though his should free up more Immigration Officers to deal with none Thai passport holders.

Other countries have automatic passport controls which foreigners can register for, lets hope they go down this route, though there would be many hurdles.

This is one of the Thai announcements that I hope will actually come to fruition.

[stanley2550]

Sounds like a much more soiund investment than that Submarine

[bdenner]

You have all cued up behind Thais at ATM machines so imagine the frustration of cueing behind them at an AIO (Automatic Immigration Officer)!!

[blabla1]

Replacing some of the Immigration Officers with machines.

Sorry,this left an opening, I love it, they should do it outside the airport too, musicians will be happy, oh and a replacement machine for the BIB,would be even better!!! :lol: :lol:

I haven't been to the new airport yet, so please excuse this question: Will this be 'installation' or 'replacement' ?

Replacing some of the Immigration Officers with machines.

[scorecard]

I appears it only checks the bio-metrics. After that a person then stamps the passport. If this is correct? where's the time savings?

I have seen two systems:

- The China sytstem, already described in this thread

- The Singapore system, which is fully automatic; no stamp / no immigration officer at all. This sytem started a good 10 years ago and works quickly and efficiently. In it's early stages it was for Singapore passports only, i'm not sure if it now handles other passports.

[hwt]

- The Singapore system, which is fully automatic; no stamp / no immigration officer at all. This system started a good 10 years ago and works quickly and efficiently. In it's early stages it was for Singapore passports only, i'm not sure if it now handles other passports.

It used to read only smartcards. But ICAO-compliant electronic passport holders who have long-term passes in Singapore have been able to use it since a couple of years ago. Many countries have similar systems. A frequent user should be able to go through a gate in 15-20 seconds, if the system does not malfunction, and the finger is neither too wet nor too dry. I use such machines four times a day, in two countries, so I have used them thousands of times.

Edited May 26, 2011 by hwt

[FOODLOVER]

I'm amazed that a country with some of the lowest salaries in the world is bothered to spend that kind of money on a computer system that probably won't work in the foreseeable future anyway.

Have you heard about the used submarines and the aircraft carrier?

[007]

So... we can expect computers that show up late?

Or computers which, between checking the data of two travellers, casually chat with each other for five minutes about why the canteen lunch was 'phet maak' or 'nid noi"..

[samran]

A couple of issues.

- those who have applied for a Thai passport, or those who have seen their family apply for a Thai passport will attest to the fact that it is probably one of the fastest and efficient government offices they will find, IN THE WORLD. The 'application' form is a three lined small piece of paper + ID card. Take a photo and your passport is ready in 3 days. Very little waiting. All digital as the data is taken from your ID card which is linked to the passport database.

- The technology already exists. Personally have come across it in Australia and UK where it seems to work fine. In OZ Australian and NZ citizens can use it, and in the UK I was eligible to use it as I had a 'green card' for the UK, but never bothered to register.

Seen it in Singapore too. Even Cambodia has one at PP airport, for entry an exit.

- I've seen the machines installed at BKK Airport on the way in the other day. I asked if I could use it (I have a Thai PP) but was told it was only open to test candidates now.

I was told there were some technical issues with the data, however given that the Thai passports DB is pretty good, I suspect that the end of the year might be a realistic opening date.

[MILT]

Don't know what all your complainers are whinning about.

Never thought BKK Airport was overly hot (maybe just a little too warm, but still ok considering the openness of it).

Only once was I annoyed that I had to line up for 45 mins to get through passport control leaving Bangkok airport. The other times it has been 5-10 mins.

They have definitely increased the number of immigration staff. Hardly different to any other airport. Seen the line for non nationals at Melbourne airport? Same same...long lines.

Stop bashing just because you can. Every post on TV about something that comes up in the news, someone or many people HAVE to say something negative (in a non-constructive way). I'd hate to meet some of you guys in real life, you must be really negative individuals.

You act like Thailand is the ONLY place in the world with corruption, infrastructure issues etc. Wake up. It's not. It's just more blatant to everyone in Thailand and the media does a much better job of covering it up and brain washing the masses in the West to make them believe the same 'shyt' doesn't go on.

I agree. I was thinking that for every Thai basher posting I will bash all the western countries that are most likely represented here on TV. Never go to the barbecues myself just because that's what would be happening whilst stuffing the bellies. Thai bashing at it's glory.

Edited May 26, 2011 by MILT

[JulietLima]

<FONT size=3>Very good idea. But, what if, to decrease the operation costs, IMM cuts off eight officers at the arrival and eight at the exit ?<BR></FONT>

[bobinthegulf]

I have been travelling in an out of GABON, Africa ( slightly behind Thailand tech wise!!!!! ) and they have biometric readers installed...but as an aid to the Immigration Officer....it has reduced waiting times dramatically....their officers are of varying intelligence ( sound familiar ) all they do now is the stamping of the passport as long as the scanner clears u through!! Should be interesting to see how our lovable immigration officers cope.. mind you the biometric readers will probably have more personality than the human kind!!!!

[SteveLynch]

they have a system similiar in Australian airports sadly its only for australian passport holders <br>i think it only works on entering the country but i could be mistaken<br>all the expats and foreign nationals living in thailand will still need to Q up<br>that said the Airport authorities need to emply more staff and look at the flight schedules then they will know when the busy times are <br><br>

[sausageandmash]

You won't need enroll in the program (whatever that means). There will be the new automatic lanes for biometric passport holders and other lanes for non-biometric passport holders. I also don't see how this only benefits Thai and ASEAN passport holders. Surely you just walk through and that's it.

I'm amazed that a country with some of the lowest salaries in the world is bothered to spend that kind of money on a computer system that probably won't work in the foreseeable future anyway.

This issue of lack of immigration staff was on Thai channel 3 three months ago. The problem was: there was literally not enough immigration staff. Why can't they recruit more? Because the Thai government no longer allows for extra immigration staff and it does not allow sub-contractors to do this immigration work for some reasons.

And their ultimate solution is that it is easier despite costlier to install automatic immigration machines.

For me I think it will only benefit Thai and ASEAN passport holders. I just hope that they will let frequent passengers enroll into the program similarly to Hong Kong Airport.

[sausageandmash]

Then I assume 16 people either look for other jobs or are transferred to other departments at the airport. Who cares anyway.

<FONT size=3>Very good idea. But, what if, to decrease the operation costs, IMM cuts off eight officers at the arrival and eight at the exit ?<BR></FONT>

[samran]

You won't need enroll in the program (whatever that means). There will be the new automatic lanes for biometric passport holders and other lanes for non-biometric passport holders. I also don't see how this only benefits Thai and ASEAN passport holders. Surely you just walk through and that's it.

I'm amazed that a country with some of the lowest salaries in the world is bothered to spend that kind of money on a computer system that probably won't work in the foreseeable future anyway.

This issue of lack of immigration staff was on Thai channel 3 three months ago. The problem was: there was literally not enough immigration staff. Why can't they recruit more? Because the Thai government no longer allows for extra immigration staff and it does not allow sub-contractors to do this immigration work for some reasons.

And their ultimate solution is that it is easier despite costlier to install automatic immigration machines.

For me I think it will only benefit Thai and ASEAN passport holders. I just hope that they will let frequent passengers enroll into the program similarly to Hong Kong Airport.

At the beginning, I am sure this will only be for the use of Thai passport holders, as they are the only ones who can enter Thailand visa free and can be matched against the exisiting biometric database which already exists (ie passport application photo's, finger prints + ID card number all of which appear on the passport).

Perhaps at some point it will roll out to those who have PR and work visa's, but unless their is datasharing amongst ASEAN nations like there is between Australian and NZ for their automatic entry gates (unlikely) then ASEAN nationals won't see any real benefit.

[ableguy]

I'm amazed that a country with some of the lowest salaries in the world is bothered to spend that kind of money on a computer system that probably won't work in the foreseeable future anyway.

Think of the kickbacks, it is not important if it works or not.

[ableguy]

I'm amazed that a country with some of the lowest salaries in the world is bothered to spend that kind of money on a computer system that probably won't work in the foreseeable future anyway.

Have you heard about the used submarines and the aircraft carrier?

No am still thinking about the balloon.

[daiwill60]

Maybe the chaos won't be so bad with the declining numbers of visitors coming to scamming thailand. Maybe also the new Gov't ??? which wins the up and coming election will also have an effect on the number of visitors arriving, or rather the rioting that will follow the election of any new gov't will have an effect on the number of visitors coming to LOS. Oh well at least the reduced numbers will give the immigration people time to get it working smoothly in the meantime.

Edited May 26, 2011 by daiwill60

[Sailfish1]

Wilaiwan also said that the airport authority is currently drawing up the terms of reference for the bidding process for the installation of an air conditioning system.

I haven't been to the new airport yet, so please excuse this question: Will this be 'installation' or 'replacement' ?

The airport currently has an air conditioning system and it seems to work fine. Therefore, this must mean replacement of a portion or possibly all of it.

[whybother]

You won't need enroll in the program (whatever that means). There will be the new automatic lanes for biometric passport holders and other lanes for non-biometric passport holders. I also don't see how this only benefits Thai and ASEAN passport holders. Surely you just walk through and that's it.

I doubt that the Thais will have a record of the all of the worlds biometric passports. Although all the information will be in the passport, there would still need to be some verification that it is actually a valid passport.

[webfact]

Suvarnabhumi Airport to install automatic passport checking machines

BANGKOK, 26 May 2011 (NNT) – Suvarnabhumi International Airport will install an automatic passport inspecting system in an effort to reduce time for passengers spent on immigration process.

According to Suvarnabhumi Airport Spokesperson and Deputy General Manager Vilaiwan Nadvilai, the Immigration Bureau has invested 76 million baht to install 16 automatic passport inspecting machines in the airport in order to solve delays at the immigration process in the long term.

Eight machines will be installed at the arrival terminal while eight others will be put up at the departure terminal. Passengers will be able to have their passports checked by themselves conveniently without supervision of immigration officials.

The scanners will help shorten the time used in the immigration process from 45 seconds to 25 seconds per person. Initially, only Thai citizens will be entitled to use the scanners. The machines are expected to be ready for service by the end of this year.

Meanwhile, Suvarnabhumi Airport General Manager Flying Officer Anirut Thanomkulbutra reported that on average about 100,000 passengers are using Suvarnabhumi International Airport each day this month with about 700-800 daily flights.

-- NNT 2011-05-26

[djvolak]

Whilst this is good news for everybody I'm not very confident that "the system will go live at the end of the year" is a very realistic time scale. They are only just drawing up the terms of reference and Technical specifications for the bidding process, the prospective bidders have then got to put together their bids, a bid team will need to assess the bids, looking out for such things as competence and reliability, cost of installation and running costs and tea money, a preferred bidder will need to be selected and then further negotiations will take place. No way is all that going to happen in seven months, that said, I wish them well.

I suspect this will mainly benefit Thai passport holders, though his should free up more Immigration Officers to deal with none Thai passport holders.

Other countries have automatic passport controls which foreigners can register for, lets hope they go down this route, though there would be many hurdles.

This is one of the Thai announcements that I hope will actually come to fruition.

I believe the time quote was for the installation of the new air conditioning.

[Sailfish1]

The Thai government should hire more immigration officers instead of buying these "automatic" machines. These machines will probably only process local Thai passports and will probably require a lot of maintenance. Most importantly, it will provide more jobs for the Thai people.

[kimamey]

I appears it only checks the bio-metrics. After that a person then stamps the passport. If this is correct? where's the time savings?

"This will reduce the immigration processing time from 45 seconds per person to 25 seconds"

Saves 20 seconds that presumably is the time taken to check passport.