Laos plans to introduce the Advanced Passenger Processing System at international airports in the country at the end of this year to increase security and ease the passenger arrival and departure process.
The new system, known as the “Advance Passenger Processing system project” (APP) aims to respond to the rapidly increasing ease with which people travel between countries and the increase in international terrorism threats which require governments to respond accordingly.
Director General of the Immigration Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security, Lieutenant Colonel Saisaming Sivilay spoke to Lao media yesterday on the importance of using of this system.
He addressed the media on the issue after the conclusion of a Memorandum of Understanding with Thailand’s Somapa Information Technology Public Company Limited (SOMAPA IT) to implement the system in Laos.
Lieutenant Colonel Saisaming said the information gathered by the system is passed directly to the Immigration Police Department in Laos and to immigration officials in the passenger’s destination country. The high security system is particularly aimed at preventing terrorism.
The software used can check whether any passenger is blacklisted, and is therefore a potential security risk, when they check in.
“We think that it is very important to have security information on passengers before they board a flight or transit through a destination country,” he stressed.
This year, there have been some 30 passengers who have arrived at international airports in Laos but have subsequently been denied entry to the country, Lieutenant Colonel Saisaming added.
Using this system will prevent suspected terrorists or criminals from entering the country, he said.
Chief Executive Officer of SOMAPA IT, Mr. Namchoke Somapa said the APP allows Immigration, Customs and other border control agencies such as National Security Agencies and the police to make national security decisions about travellers before they arrive, depart or transit through a country.
He said the APPs facilitate the automated pre-screening by Immigration of passengers and crew travelling on aircraft prior to arrival, departing or transiting through a country.
This system is an important area of national security and border protection which includes border control and management systems, auto-gate immigration systems, advance passenger information systems, advance passenger processing systems, and passenger risk profiling systems, he said.
According to the company, Laos is the third country that will introduce this system in Asean after Myanmar and Thailand.
Thai media reported recently that the system has been in use in Thailand since December last year, with the aim of preventing terrorism and other crimes.
Source: Vientiane Times
