24-1-2024 (BANGKOK) Passengers at Suvarnabhumi airport experienced long queues on Wednesday morning due to a breakdown in the biometric blacklist system used by the Immigration Bureau. The issue began at 4:30 am, causing delays in the usual 45-second process, which took more than a minute to complete. Additionally, the automatic passport check channels at the airport were also affected, exacerbating the congestion.
The disruption primarily impacted outbound travelers, with queues extending back to the luggage examination areas, according to Pol Maj Gen Choengron Rimpadee. To manage the situation, immigration officers had to manually check all passengers and rely on the Advance Passenger Processing System (APPS) at Suvarnabhumi airport to assist with the verification process.
After discussions with the biometric system vendor, the service was eventually restored at around 1:30 pm, relieving the congestion and allowing operations to return to normal at the airport.
