New passenger screening procedures eyed for Thai airports
Airport workers in Thailand reportedly raised concerns after the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) planned to change passenger screening procedures, moving away from handheld metal detectors to manual searches and searches of suspicious bags without prior notice to passengers.
DailyNews reported today, February 23, that CAAT introduced new rules for screening passengers and their belongings. However, the CAAT had not yet published an announcement on its official website or Facebook page.
According to DailyNews, the changes follow recommendations from the United States of Aviation (USAP) aimed at improving aviation safety standards in Thailand.
The report said USAP noted that several countries shifted from using handheld metal detectors (HHMD) to manual searches of each passenger. Under the process described, manual searches are carried out by an officer of the same gender as the passenger.
DailyNews reported that CAAT plans to cancel the use of HHMD from January 2027. Screening would then rely on manual searches, walk-through metal detectors (WTMD) and body scanners.
The report also said airport officers would be given full authority to search any bags and belongings deemed suspicious without notifying passengers in advance.
However, searches of belongings would have to be recorded and shown to passengers if requested, according to the report. The procedure is expected to take effect by October this year.
DailyNews said airport officers were concerned about the impact because the new measures had not been widely communicated to the public. They reportedly worried passengers may complain, as manual searches could cause delays and discomfort due to physical contact.
They also expressed concern that searches of bags without prior notification could lead to complaints and complications, particularly in cases involving the loss of valuables, the report said.
In a separate but related aviation issue, another change has prompted public debate after Airports of Thailand (AOT) announced plans to raise the passenger service charge (PSC) for international flights from 730 baht to 1,120 baht per person.
Some academics were quoted as saying the increase could affect the cost of travelling in Thailand and influence decisions by international visitors. The report also said the revised PSC would be higher than charges at some of the world’s top five airports.
Former Democrat Party leader Samart Ratchaphongsit said the higher PSC should lead to clear and concrete improvements in airport services and facilities, rather than only increasing profits, bonuses and dividends.
AOT has confirmed that the increased PSC will take effect from June 20 at six international airports across Thailand.
Latest Thailand News
Follow The Thaiger on Google News:
