BANGKOK, THAILAND – Immigration at Don Mueang Airport shifted more strongly to automated ABC-Gates for departures, aiming to ease passenger flows with 31 machines by April 2026.
What the new ABC-Gates changed in daily operations
The automated control gates allowed travelers to clear departure immigration without a manual passport stamp from an officer. The system processed passengers electronically and removed the need for the traditional stamp-at-the-counter step.
The stated aim was faster throughput because more passengers could be handled in parallel. As a result, queues at the regular immigration counters were expected to shorten noticeably.
The timeline – 31 machines by April 2026
The airport planned to have all 31 scheduled ABC-Gates installed by April 2026. The rollout was designed as a gradual expansion within the departure area.
With the full set of gates in place, Don Mueang aimed to base departure processing on a system that could scale better with rising passenger numbers. The airport expected that the expanded network of machines would support long-term growth.
Who could use the gates – clear minimum rules
Access to the ABC-Gates was restricted to passengers at least 120 centimeters tall. Travelers also needed a passport with at least six months’ remaining validity.
In addition, their baggage had to stay within a size of 120 centimeters. The criteria were deliberately standardized because the technology worked reliably only with clearly defined measurements and documents.
Who should still go to the counter – pregnancy and new passports
Deputy government spokesperson Lalida Veeravithayanant pointed out that certain groups should continue to use the regular counters. These travelers were advised not to rely on the automated system.
Among the exceptions, the government named pregnant passengers. It also listed travelers with a newly issued passport that was less than 14 days old.
Government and airport – fewer bottlenecks, more control
According to Lalida Veeravithayanant, the ABC service was designed to improve passenger flow, reduce waiting times and streamline the management system for outbound travelers.
“The ABC service is intended to improve passenger flows, cut waiting times and simplify the management system for departing passengers.”
said Lalida Veeravithayanant, deputy government spokesperson.
The airport expected the automation to ease typical bottlenecks during peak hours. It aimed to set a new efficiency standard for processing at Don Mueang.
Looking ahead – expansion as an ongoing project
The introduction of ABC-Gates was understood as one element in an ongoing modernization program. Further updates and expansions were announced as part of this broader effort.
Thai PBS reported on the plans and linked them to expectations of a noticeably more seamless journey for many passengers. The broadcaster highlighted that the measures were meant to make travel through the airport more consistent and predictable.