SET-listed aviation tech company Sky ICT has officially launched its automated biometric identification system using facial recognition technology, allowing tourists to conveniently pass through all check-in points at six Airports of Thailand (AOT) airports.
The system has been available for domestic passengers since Nov 1 and will be available for international passengers from Dec 1.
This is another of the company's efforts to upgrade Thailand's airports to become world class and to support the drive towards becoming a touchless society, according to Sky ICT chief executive Sithidej Mayalarp.
Mr Sithidej said the biometrics system can facilitate both tourists and airport staff.
The system is being used at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Mae Fah Luang-Chiang Rai, Phuket and Hat Yai airports.
Leading airports in many countries have begun to use biometric systems to increase security and facilitate passengers, including Singapore's Changi airport, Dubai airport in the United Arab Emirates, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta airport in the US, Sydney airport in Australia and Haneda in Japan.
Thailand is among the pioneer countries implementing the system at its airports, he added.
Mr Sithidej said a biometric system can facilitate both tourists and airport staff in terms of reducing various steps and increasing the speed as tourists will no longer need to hold a passport and boarding pass to have their identities verified.
Tourists can use their face as a pass card. As well as speeding up the process, the move would also have a direct impact on hygiene as it will help reduce the need to touch surfaces within the airport, Mr Sithidej noted.
"Thailand is a targeted country for tourists all over the world. Last year, there were 100 million tourists travelling in and out of Thailand, and it is expected that this year there will be an increase of 20% in the number of tourists travelling in and out of the country," he said.
Mr Sithidej said the biometric system, which uses the traveller's face as a single One-ID, begins with passengers showing their ID cards or passports and then scanning their faces to verify their identity in the ticketing system at the common use terminal equipment (CUTE) counter or the self-check-in ticketing system, known as the common use self-check in system (CUSS).
After verifying their identity, the system will allow passengers to scan their faces to enter the airport area until they pass through the boarding gate, without having to show a passport and boarding pass.
Sky ICT is the developer of aviation tech systems to facilitate ground travellers under contract with AOT, which has developed the common use passenger processing system (CUPPS) for use in domestic airports in Thailand.
The CUPPS system currently consists of CUTE, CUSS, along with common use bag drop, an automatic baggage drop system, passenger validation system, a passenger screening system, self-boarding gate, an automatic boarding gate system, and, most recently, the biometric or One-ID system.
In a related matter, Sky ICT is set to issue three sets of high-risk bonds with an interest rate of 6.25-7.25% per annum. They will be offered to institutional investors and high-net-worth investors. The booking periods are Dec 12-13 and Dec 16.
The three sets of bonds include set 1 with a one-year term and a 6.25% per annum interest rate; set 2 with a two-year term and a 6.75% per annum interest rate; and set 3 with a three-year term and a 7.25% per annum interest rate. Interest will be paid every three months. They will be offered for booking at a minimum amount of 100,000 baht. The bond representative of the bondholders is DAOL Securities (Thailand).
Mr Sithidej said the biometrics system can facilitate both tourists and airport staff.
