Phuket Airport to Install Automated Passport Gates Starting April 22

Installation of automated passport control gates at Phuket International Airport is scheduled to begin on April 22 and is expected to be completed by May 30, according to Thailand’s Immigration Bureau.

The timeline was confirmed following an official visit to Phuket on April 15 by Major General Katathorn Khaimthiang. While the inspection formally focused on managing passenger traffic during the Songkran holiday, the key outcome was the announcement of the rollout schedule for the Automatic Border Control (ABC) system.

The Immigration Bureau stated that the project is being implemented in cooperation with Airports of Thailand (AOT) to enhance airport capacity, improve processing efficiency, and reduce waiting times. The system will be installed in the international departures area, where temporary disruptions may occur between April 22 and May 30. Passengers are therefore advised to arrive at the airport earlier than usual.

Thailand has already introduced ABC technology at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport and Don Mueang Airport. The system allows both Thai and foreign travelers with biometric passports to pass through immigration without direct interaction with officers.

The Phuket upgrade follows earlier discussions held on April 4 regarding improvements to immigration services. These talks came after a technical failure on March 28 caused long queues at passport control and sparked public criticism. While the Immigration Bureau acknowledged the system malfunction and congestion, it denied allegations that officers promoted paid fast-track services during the disruption.

Additional measures discussed include deploying more staff during peak hours (10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.) and encouraging airlines to expand the use of online check-in.

Airport Director Monchai Tanod also provided updated operational figures, noting that the airport currently handles up to 25 flights per hour and approximately 1,500–1,600 passengers hourly. However, the departure area remains a bottleneck, with a capacity of about 1,200 passengers per hour. Expansion of the new passenger terminal is expected to address this issue.

That said, the broader airport expansion project has faced delays. In November 2025, Airports of Thailand confirmed that completion of Phase 2 had been postponed until 2031. One of the project’s primary goals is to increase flight capacity from 20 to 25 movements per hour—a target that, according to recent statements, has already been partially achieved.