Paperless customs procedures at new Bangkok Airport
Suvaranabhumi International Airport claims that customs procedures will become paperless by January 1st as part of their larger plan to develop the new Bangkok Airport into a logistics hub for SE Asia.
The web-based information technology is saving a huge amount of paper, time, hassle and money normally spent on imports, exports and trans-shipment of goods through Bangkok’s new airport.
Aside from the convenience, the system will quicken the normally tedious customs process and speed up the flow of goods through Suvarnabhumi.
The technology will cut the customs processing time from about three hours per transaction to no more than 30 minutes, though in practice it will only take 10 minutes, according to Customs director-general Sathit Limpongpan.
Furthermore, the adoption of ”world-class” e-customs fits into the Customs Department’s transparency policy, which aims to eradicate brokers, who make a living by helping importers and exporters navigate complicated paper-based customs procedures.
Emphasis ours. Perhaps someone should have consulted those “brokers” who make a living clearing merchandise through Thailand’s current paper-based (and corrupt) system. Although I don’t care how “automated” or “user-friendly” a new system would be, there is no way it will eliminate the need to hire a customs broker to assist with the process.
As with the opening of the new airport, expect delays and annoying problems to occur once the new system is actually implemented. Hopefully they have studied Australia’s example and will avoid similar mistakes.
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