Phuket airport to launch automatic passport control channels on June 13

Phuket International Airport will officially launch automatic outbound passport control channels on June 13 in a move aimed at reducing congestion, cutting processing time and improving service for international passengers.

Airport director Monchai Tahnod said Phuket International Airport is working with the airport immigration checkpoint to introduce the Automatic Border Channel, or ABC, system as part of efforts to ease crowding at immigration areas, especially during peak flight periods.

According to Monchai, the automated system can process passengers in no more than 30 seconds per person, compared with about 45 seconds through manual checks by officers. He said the shorter processing time should help move passengers through immigration more quickly, reduce crowding and improve the travel experience for foreign tourists.

The airport plans to install 21 automated channels in total, with 11 set to begin operating on June 13. Additional channels will be added later until the full plan is completed.

Monchai said the system would also help reduce the workload of immigration police, allowing them to manage other passenger services more efficiently as foreign tourist numbers continue to grow.

Passengers must hold an electronic passport that can link with the immigration system to use the automated channels. Travelers from some countries that still use older passport models or face data-linking limitations may not be able to use the service in the initial phase.

Monchai said services at Phuket airport's immigration area remain subject to the procedures and standards of relevant state agencies, and there is no policy to charge any additional fee for special immigration processing privileges.

Phuket International Airport currently handles about 27,000 to 30,000 international passengers a day, with around 280 to 300 flights daily, despite the current green season, the airport said.

In 2025, the airport recorded 17,474,064 passengers from 106,581 flights. Of those, 10,837,142 were international passengers and 6,636,922 were domestic passengers.