New rules allow Thai airport staff to open checked luggage without owners present

BANGKOK – The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has implemented rules which authorise airport staff to open checked bags immediately without waiting for their owners to be present.Deputy government spokeswoman Ploythalay Laksameesaengjan announced on Oct 16 that the notification issued by the CAAT on the inspection of aircraft checked baggage took immediate effect.The aim is to strengthen aviation security in line with international standards and practices used in many countries.Bags will be opened only where there are reasonable grounds for suspicion, under strict procedures that allow inspections to be reviewed afterwards.The provision for opening bags without advance notice does not extend to passengers’ baggage in general.It applies only when X-ray screening detects suspicious objects or items that could affect aviation safety.Inspections will be conducted in designated areas, with images captured and evidence retained at every stage so that it is possible to establish who carried out the search and what was found.Passengers must subsequently be informed that their baggage was opened under the prescribed procedures.This approach is an aviation security standard used in countries including Singapore, Japan and South Korea, as well as many countries in the Middle East and Europe and the United States.It aims to prevent potentially dangerous items from being taken aboard aircraft, improve flight management efficiency and reduce delays caused by having to locate baggage owners to open their bags before departure.Key provisionsIf screening detects an irregularity or raises suspicion that a checked bag contains prohibited, dangerous or suspicious objects, staff may open it immediately for inspection without the passenger being present.Whenever a bag is opened, a visual record must be made of the inspection and a notice of inspection placed inside the bag.If prohibited items are found, staff may seize them and take action under the law.Advice for passengersPassengers should use locks or locking systems that meet recognised standards, such as locks approved by the US Transport Security Administration, so staff can open bags for inspection without damaging them.However, if a bag cannot be opened, staff may break its lock or locking mechanism, with no compensation for the damage.Before checking in a bag, passengers should therefore check not only its weight but also whether its contents are allowed in checked baggage, to avoid problems and travel delays. THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK