Don Mueang launches 24-hour automated passport checks

Outbound passengers at Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport can now opt to use automated passport screening machines installed at immigration checkpoints around the clock.

Deputy government spokesperson Lalida Veeravithayanant told the media that the 24-hour automated passport check service has been officially launched for outbound passengers at the airport since March 5.

She said the e-service had been on a test run, available to passengers from 7am to 9pm daily since mid-February, and has now been extended to fully serve passengers departing from the city at any time.

She said outbound passengers can conveniently use the machines at the airport’s automated border control (ABC) gates, with their journey details legally recorded without a manual passport stamp.

All 31 automated passport screening machines are expected to be installed at the airport by April 2026. However, outbound passengers using the digital service must meet the following conditions:

• Be at least 120 centimetres tall
• Hold passports with at least six months’ validity
• Have suitcases or belongings not exceeding 120 centimetres

According to the deputy spokesperson, the ABC service aims not only to save passengers time but also to reduce congestion at immigration checkpoints and improve the airport’s outbound passenger management system.

She advised pregnant passengers to use the regular immigration counters, noting that the ABC gate is also not available for holders of newly issued passports that are less than 14 days old.