Starting November 1, 2023, domestic passengers at six major Thai airports, including Suvarnabhumi, Don Muang, Chiang Mai, Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai, Phuket, and Hat Yai, will be able to use facial recognition technology for identity verification.

The system will become fully operational for international travellers on December 1, 2023.

Kirati Kitmanawat, president of Airports of Thailand (AOT), anticipates that this new biometric system will streamline the identity verification process, giving passengers more time to enjoy airport amenities.

AOT aims to enhance facilities to meet the growing demand, aligning with their vision to become a world-class airport operator.

Between October 2023 and September 2024, AOT reported handling 11.29 million passengers at these airports, with a year-on-year increase of 19.22%.

This included 72.67 million international and 46.62 million domestic passengers.

Flight numbers totaled 732,690, a rise of 14.5%, with international flights accounting for 416,190 and domestic for 316,500.

The top five international passenger sources were China, India, South Korea, Russia, and Japan.

Expectations for October 2024 to September 2025 suggest numbers will continue to rise, predicting 129.97 million passengers and 808,280 flights, marking an 8.95% and 10.32% increase, respectively.

The busiest airports are expected to be Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang with increasing passengers and flights.