Thailand's Suvarnabhumi Airport opens new security checkpoint

BANGKOK, June 16 (TNA) - In an attempt to facilitate departing passengers, Thailand's main Suvarnabhumi International Airport has opened a new security checkpoint to boost its capacity of passenger checks at more than 3,600 persons per hour. Airports of Thailand Public Co., Ltd. Director Somchai Sawasdipol, who is also director of the Suvarnabhumi International Airport, said Saturday that the new security checkpoint has been in operation since early Friday. Located on the eastern side of the Suvarnabhumi International Airport, the new security checkpoint has the total area of 1,600 square metres and is equipped with 14 X-ray baggage scanners and eight body scanners. From now on, Somchai acknowledged, departing passengers for international flights will, therefore, have to undergo through the new security checking system after check-in and then have their passports checked. On another development, Danuj Bunnag, managing director of Thai Airways International (THAI)’s Ground Business Unit, said that the national airline's planes are now prepared to land at Bangkok's Don Muang Airport or at any other airports in the country to assist passengers in case its planes cannot land at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport, where a runway has been temporarily shut down for a maintenance from June 11-17. (TNA)