Khon Kaen: Family members of inmates at Khon Kaen Central Prison will now be able to identify themselves when visiting using facial-scanning technology which went on trial yesterday.
In a pilot project by the Department of Corrections, up to five relatives of each inmate at the Khon Kaen central prison can have their faces scanned and then receive a queue ticket dispensed by a face-scanning machine.
The technology is primarily to prevent people, including drug dealers, from posing as family members to visit inmates.
After a one-time registration, visitors will be able to receive a queue number upon the completion of a facial scan to verify their identity each time they enter the prison to visit their relative.
Facial identities will be stored for use on each subsequent visits, according to Wirachai Phetcharat, chief of the prison.
The facial-recognition technology is not only aimed at preventing people masquerading as relatives, but is also to make the visitation process itself quicker and iron out kinks in the process.
The system was formally launched yesterday when a number of relatives registered at Khon Kaen prison.
With the system in place, the prison officials expect to see a better flow of visitors which should help make the waiting room less crowded, said Mr Wirachai.
"In the future, the relatives will be able to walk straight to a facial-scanning machine installed at the entrance of the building," he said.
The length of the visits will also be recorded automatically, making it easier for prison officials to keep track of each one as required by the department.
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