Could eight automated helpers ease the taxi-queue crunch at Suvarnabhumi?
THB23 million has been invested by Airports of Thailand in eight automatic taxi kiosks to open by Aug. 31 in a bid to reduce wait times, according to Airport Director Raweewan Netrakavessana.
The kiosks will be fully operational by August 31 at Gate 4 and 7 on the ground floor.
“This new system will reduce passengers’ waiting time from currently 45 seconds to 20 minutes to only 5 to 10 seconds,” Col. Boonchoo Klinsakorn, a military adviser to the project, told Khaosod.
After the computerised kiosks are operational, passengers will enter taxi booths, select their preferred vehicle and go to the waiting taxi’s location as directed by the kiosk, Boonchoo explained confidently.
There was no indication whether a human helper will be present to assist with the automated helpers. Otherwise, in a world where ATMs and flight check-in machines can take a small eternity, 10 seconds seems impossibly optimistic.
The plan for the redesigned taxi service was devised by the junta and various state agencies.
