November 23, 2024, 6:04 am | Read time: 2 minutes
When traveling by plane, the numerous checks at the airport are particularly annoying. Thailand is now showing that there is another way: a new system enables passengers to pass through to the gate thanks to facial recognition.
The eternal rummaging around for boarding passes and passports will soon be a thing of the past at airports in Thailand, too. Following in the footsteps of the city-state of Singapore, the kingdom is also simplifying checks for travelers. This is possible because of a biometric identification system using facial recognition technology in Thailand.
It started at the beginning of November, but the new rules initially only applied to domestic flights. From December 1, the system will also be introduced for international passengers, as the Bangkok Post newspaper quotes Kirati Kitmanawat, Director of the Airport Authority of Thailand.
6 airports in Thailand to introduce facial recognition
A total of six airports will use the new technology: the two airports in the capital, Bangkok, Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Don Mueang International Airport, as well as the airports in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai in the north, and Phuket and Hat Yai in the south.
In order to use the facial recognition system at Thailand’s airports, passengers must allow access to their identification data when checking in at the counter or during self-check-in. The passengers’ biometric data and travel route are then recorded electronically. Passengers can then proceed from baggage drop-off to the gate without having to show their passport and boarding pass again. Each registration is only valid for one journey.
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Passportless travel in Singapore too
Since September 30, passengers at Changi Airport in Singapore have been able to travel without showing their passport (TRAVELBOOK reported). Instead, travelers are identified by eye and face recognition. Initially, however, this will only be possible for residents of Singapore. Tourists and transients from other countries will still need their identity documents to enter the country. When leaving the country, however, everyone can enjoy the benefits of passport-free travel.
Most of the gates in Dubai are already so-called “smart gates”. Experts assume that more and more airports will have such contactless checkpoints in the future.
With material from dpa