Business Wire

Thales High Tech to Offer Thai Citizens One of the World’s Most Secure E-Passports

Share

Even though the COVID-19 health crisis has been severely disrupting the global travel industry, in the past few months the DGM Consortium has continued its close collaboration with MOFA. Global teams were working remotely to deliver the project, supporting the Thai Government’s ‘Thailand 4.0’ vision to develop an innovative, digital economy.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200806005034/en/

To view this piece of content from mms.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.

Thai passports (Photo: Thales)

The new Thai e-passport project was delivered on the 8th of July to MOFA and launched in an official inauguration ceremony conducted on the 5th of August in the presence of Minister Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand.

The Thai e-passport project is one of the largest passport programs for Thales worldwide, as it aims to provide Thai citizens superior technology and the highest possible level of security in a travel document.

The newly designed 64-page biometric travel document includes an e-Cover and a thin, flexible data page made of polycarbonate material. The reverse side of the data page features a high definition, true color UV picture of one of Bangkok’s most iconic landmarks, the Wat Arun temple. The security features visible on the data page include an additional secondary image of the citizen perforated in the semi-transparent window; as well as the traditional Thai four-petal lotus symbol, the line-pra-jum-yam, embossed using Thales’ Secure Surface technology.

Designed to counter new types of forgeries, Thales Secure Surface provides optical elements with light reflective and animation effects revealed by tilting a document in different angles. This visible security feature allows fast and efficient verification by border authorities.

An additional perceptible feature is the tactile signature of the citizen embossed on the data page. Biometric data is securely embedded into the passport chip using Thales’ secure embedded software. This software provides strong security for identification and protection of citizens’ privacy.

The technological features of the passport ensures secure and fast border crossing, while complying with all relevant data protection laws in Thailand and is fully compliant to the highest security standards recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

Since the project’s inception, Thales has trained 250 local experts in its passport issuance technologies. Over the next seven years, Thales will be operating know-how transfer and upskilling more than 500 Thai nationals in its technologies, thus significantly contributing to the local economy.

Thales has been a dedicated partner to Thailand for almost 50 years in industry sectors ranging from defence to air traffic management and ground transportation. Aligning with this vision Thales will henceforth be providing its digital identity and biometrics expertise to the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, making the Group their trusted partner as they deliver a highly-secure and modern passport for their citizens.

“I am delighted that Thales has successfully delivered this new generation passport to Thai citizens and helped the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) strengthen homeland protection and safeguard their citizens’ identities. Throughout the last few months amidst the global COVID-19 pandemic, we have continued our close collaboration with MOFA and worked tirelessly to deliver this milestone. Thai citizens now possess one of the world’s most sophisticated e-passports that integrate biometrics and other high-security features that will provide a seamless and secure travel experience. We will continue to build local expertise in passport issuance with training and transfer-of-technology aligned with our commitment to upskilling the Thai workforce as Thailand moves towards a digital future.” Massimo Marinzi, Country Director, Thales in Thailand

About Thales

Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global technology leader shaping the world of tomorrow today. The Group provides solutions, services and products to customers in the aeronautics, space, transport, digital identity and security, and defence markets. With 83,000 employees in 68 countries, Thales generated sales of €19 billion in 2019 (on a pro forma basis including Gemalto over 12 months).

Thales is investing in particular in digital innovations — connectivity, Big Data, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity — technologies that support businesses, organisations and governments in their decisive moments.

PLEASE VISIT

Thales Group
Download HD photos

To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.

Contact information

Thales, Media relations
Digital Identity & Security
Vanessa Viala
+33 (0) 6 89 73 25 47
vanessa.viala@thalesgroup.com

Thales, South East Asia Communications
Serene Koh
+65 6594 6898
serene.koh@asia.thalesgroup.com

About Business Wire

For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.

Subscribe to releases from Business Wire

Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Latest releases from Business Wire

The Blind Sailor Takes the Stage at WEF: "HIRO’s CHOICE" Project to Set Sail13.1.2026 06:00:00 EET | Press release

“Blind Sailor Single-Handed Pacific Crossing Project 2027” is a world-first initiative in which Mitsuhiro Iwamoto, a completely blind Japanese yachtsman (blind sailor) based in San Diego, will attempt a solo, non-stop trans-Pacific crossing in the spring of 2027. Sailing a 28-foot yacht single-handedly, he aims to cross the Pacific Ocean from San Diego on the U.S. West Coast to Amakusa, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, without making port. Iwamoto will speak about this project at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026, to be held in January 2026. Project URL: https://hiros-choice.com/ This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260108087321/en/ Hiro Iwamoto / Global Keynote Speaker, First Totally Blind Sailor to Cross the Pacific The message he most wishes to convey at the WEF is the power of choice. He lost his sight at the age of sixteen—a moment when he nearly gave up on life itself. Nevertheless, he chose to live. In

MarkLines Gen-AI Beta Version Released for Automotive Industry13.1.2026 02:00:00 EET | Press release

MarkLines Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Makoto Sakai; TYO:3901) announced its launch of the "MarkLines Gen-AI Beta Version," the new feature for B2B users in the automotive industry. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260112383839/en/ "MarkLines Gen-AI Beta Version" can take questions in natural language and instantly give highly reliable, relevant data drawn from MarkLines’ extensive automotive database (Image: MarkLines Co., Ltd.) This AI-powered feature enables users to ask questions in natural language and instantly receive highly reliable, relevant data drawn from MarkLines’ extensive automotive database. Moreover, the system analyzes this information by leveraging the rich content across its platform and delivers clear, concise, text-based insights. By combining trusted data with advanced analytical capabilities through generative AI, this service represents a first-of-its-kind

Australian Defence Force Secures Satellite Communications on SES IS-2212.1.2026 23:30:00 EET | Press release

Satellite communications solutions provider SES will provide secure uninterrupted satellite communications to the Australian Defence Force (ADF) for a minimum of 16 years thanks to a new extended agreement. The service will be provided via the SES Intelsat 22 satellite and an ultra-high frequency (UHF) military communications payload. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260112137182/en/ Assistant Secretary Space Systems Branch, Michael Hunt, formalizes contract negotiations for the through-life support of the IS-22 satellite with Rory Welch, senior vice-president of service delivery at SES Space and Defense. Photos: Corporal Annika Smit Under the renewed arrangement, SES will reposition the IS-22 satellite to a new orbital slot specified by the ADF, continuing a mission that has been the cornerstone of Australia’s secure military communications since IS-22’s launch in 2012. SES will build a dedicated ground segmen

NetApp Appoints Paul Fipps to the Board of Directors12.1.2026 23:05:00 EET | Press release

NetApp® (NASDAQ: NTAP), the intelligent data infrastructure company, today announced that Paul Fipps, President of Global Customer Operations at ServiceNow, has joined its Board of Directors. The board now has ten directors, nine of whom are independent, and 50% of whom have been appointed within the last five years. Fipps brings more than 20 years of experience driving technology-enabled growth and customer transformation. At ServiceNow, he currently leads global sales, customer success, partner ecosystems, and field operations. He previously served as EVP of Worldwide Sales at ServiceNow and as President of Under Armour Connected Fitness and Chief Experience Officer at Under Armour, overseeing global direct-to-consumer, connected fitness, and digital experiences. He also previously served on the advisory board of Quantum Metric. Fipps holds a B.S. in Information Systems, an MBA from the University of Baltimore, and is a graduate of The Wharton School’s Advanced Management Program. “P

FDA Accepts New Drug Application for Pimicotinib for the Treatment of Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumor12.1.2026 21:00:00 EET | Press release

Merck, a leading science and technology company, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the company’s new drug application (NDA) for pimicotinib as a systemic treatment for patients with tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT). The application is based on the primary results and longer-term follow-up of the global Phase 3 MANEUVER study, which demonstrated deep and durable tumor responses and meaningful improvements in clinical outcomes with pimicotinib. “With pimicotinib, we have an opportunity to significantly advance care for people living with TGCT, a painful and debilitating disease that has few effective and well-tolerated treatment options beyond surgery,” said David Weinreich, Global Head of R&D and Chief Medical Officer for the Healthcare business of Merck. “Based on clinical trial results showing not only a reduction in tumor burden, but also the ability to help alleviate symptoms like pain and stiffness in the global Phase 3 MANEUVER study

In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.

Visit our pressroom
World GlobeA line styled icon from Orion Icon Library.HiddenA line styled icon from Orion Icon Library.Eye