Thai Immigration Tightens Airport Screening Amid Border Clashes
BANGKOK, Dec 15 (TNA) - Thai Immigration Police have implemented enhanced security screening at five key international airports—Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Hat Yai—in response to escalating clashes along the Thai-Cambodian border.
The move is driven by security concerns that foreign combatants could exploit commercial flights and visa-free entry to enter Thailand and engage in activities that threaten national stability.
Immigration Bureau (IB) spokesman Police Major General Cherngron Rimpadee confirmed the new measures, noting that while commercial flights between the two countries continue, it is "abnormal" for Cambodian travelers to be seeking tourism in Thailand during a period of intense conflict. The IB has subsequently denied entry to 185 individuals since early December.
The strict new focus is on two primary groups using visa-free entry: Cambodian nationals and suspected mercenaries from Eastern Europe and Upper Asia.
The IB now requires Cambodian nationals with legitimate business to apply for the correct visa through a Thai embassy for pre-screening at the origin, signaling a shift to more stringent vetting at the source.
This coordination with security intelligence is intended to gather information on the movements of foreign fighters while minimizing disruption to other international tourists, especially during the peak season when Thailand sees up to 80,000 daily arrivals.
Authorities are asking for patience from foreign travelers as the heightened security measures are expected to increase waiting times at immigration checkpoints for non-Thai nationals may extend from a previous maximum of 20 minutes to no more than 45 minutes.
