Singapore is extending its SG Arrival Card trial that will allow visitors to submit an electronic arrival card in advance to speed up processing at border checkpoints

The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority has announced the beta trial of the SG Arrival Card project last week. The trial has been ongoing since last year and will phase out the paper arrivals card for a more efficient e-arrival process. The plan is to phase out the paper arrival system by 2021 by eventually extending the electronic arrival card system to all travellers.

The announcement says foreign visitors travelling with “selected transport operators” can now submit the electronic arrival card up to 14 days ahead of their arrival in Singapore. Singapore’s Today news service identified the selected transport operators that are participating in the beta trial version.

Airlines
AirAsia, Jetstar Asia, Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines

Bus
Transtar Travel

Ferries
BatamFast Ferries, Bintan Resort Ferries, Horizon Fast Ferry and Majestic Fast Ferry

This means that they will only need to produce their passports for immigration clearance upon arrival, as ICA’s immigration system will already have the electronic arrival cards, which they submitted in advance.

The SG Arrival Card e-Service and Mobile Application is available as an e-Service at the ICA’s website HERE.

It can also be downloaded as a free mobile application from Apple App Store and Google Play.

Users of the mobile application will have the option of scanning their passport biodata pages and enjoy the convenience of not needing to key in the information manually. The mobile application will also save previously submitted information for use on subsequent trips to Singapore.

SOURCE: ICA and Today

PHOTO: Thai PBS World

Following a collision between an articulated truck and a passenger van killing 11 people and injured 4 yesterday morning, the Transport Minister is calling for an investigation. The accident happened in Sa Kaew province, about 200 kilometres east of Bangkok.

Thai PBS reports that the van driver was among those killed, crushed to death behind the steering wheel. While the GPS system showed he was not speeding, investigators speculate he may have fallen asleep at the wheel.

The crash totally destroyed the front of the van, although the truck was not badly damaged. The passengers were all from Laos, travelling to Bangkok from Svannakhet provice for visa renewals.

Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob says unroadworthy vehicles account for 2.9% of accidents, with unfit drivers being the cause of 72%.

The minister said that the Land Transport department has been instructed to strictly enforce the law on the road worthiness of public transport vehicles and the fitness of drivers. Vehicles found to be unsuitable should not used and unfit drivers should have their licences revoked.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World

PHOTOS: The Nation

Eleven people have been killed and four others seriously injured after a chartered van carrying Lao workers collided with an 18 wheel truck in Sa Kaew province, east of Bangkok on the Cambodian border, early today (map below).

The Nation reports that they were travelling to the Chanthaburi immigration checkpoint to renew their visas.

Police suspect the Thai van driver, Sansern Sathongkhan, might have dozed off behind the wheel, and driven the passenger van into the opposite lane where it crashed head-on with the oncoming 18 wheel truck.

Police and rescue workers rushed to the scene at 4.15am on the Sakaew-Chanthaburi Road section of the highway near the entrance to the Wang Somboon District Office.

They found the dead bodies of the van driver and Lao passengers, many of whom were crushed in the wrecked van while others were flung out of the van with the force of the impact. Rescue workers were able to remove four seriously wounded people from the wreckage, including three Lao passengers and the truck driver, Subin Pengmoo, to rush them to the district hospital.

SOURCE: The Nation