PHUKET, THAILAND – Phuket Airport has introduced a new automated passport control system to significantly reduce wait times for departing passengers.
E-Pass Opens the Gate in Under 30 Seconds
Phuket Airport Director Monchai Tanod announced the official launch of the Automatic Border Channel System, which features 21 automated gates for departing passengers with electronic passports. This new system is designed to alleviate pressure on conventional counters and drastically shorten queues. Travelers with e-passports linked to immigration databases can now clear departure checks in under 30 seconds. This is a significant improvement from the current average of 45 seconds at traditional counters.
Older Passports Remain at Counters
Passengers holding older passport versions or those from countries with limited data exchange will continue to be processed at the conventional counters. Airport officials highlighted that the new gates will notably reduce the workload for immigration officers, allowing them to focus on other service tasks. There will be no additional fees associated with using the automated gates; the expedited processing is now part of the standard offering for compatible international departures.
17.4 Million Passengers Increase Pressure
Phuket Airport handled over 17.4 million passengers last year, with more than 10.8 million being international travelers. Even during the off-peak season, the airport processes between 27,000 and 30,000 international travelers daily. A peak load of 280 to 300 flights per day necessitated the urgent implementation of the automated control system.
Eleven Gates Launch Tomorrow, Rest Follow Gradually
Initially, eleven automated gates will become operational on June 13th, with the remaining gates being installed in phases. Successful live tests of the system were conducted on June 2nd. The airport aims to specifically mitigate bottlenecks at departure gates with this new rollout. Phuket Airport is a critical tourism hub in Thailand, and increasing passenger numbers required an urgent modernization of departure processing steps.