Parliament Committee Urges More Staff for Suvarnabhumi Monk Service
A parliamentary committee has warned that the monk verification rooms at Suvarnabhumi Airport are understaffed for 24-hour operation and urged the National Office of Buddhism to increase personnel. The panel found that the planned two to four officers cannot adequately cover the two verification rooms that serve monks on domestic and international flights. Lawmakers stressed that proper shift scheduling and headcount are essential to maintain continuous service for the Sangha.
The House Committee on Religion, Arts and Culture is concerned that staffing for the monk verification rooms at Suvarnabhumi Airport is insufficient for round-the-clock operations and has urged the National Office of Buddhism to review personnel levels to match the workload.
On November 6, 2026, Thiwannarat Angkhanan, chair of the committee, revealed that the panel had discussed the problem of assigning officers to the monk verification rooms at Suvarnabhumi Airport. The current plan calls for hiring two staff members, but after evaluating the duties and service areas, the committee found this inadequate and recommended that the National Office of Buddhism urgently consider appropriate staffing levels to facilitate and serve the Sangha comprehensively.
Thiwannarat explained that the monk verification rooms are vital for Sangha travel, both individual and group, covering domestic and international flights. During peak periods, such as trips to India for religious events, large numbers of monks travel together, necessitating proportionate verification space and dedicated officers. Two rooms require staffing: an airside room in the departure waiting area and a landside room before the passenger screening checkpoint, both operating 24 hours a day. Hiring only two officers does not match the continuous supervision required; even increasing to four would mean each person working an average of 12 hours a day to cover both rooms around the clock. Both headcount and shift scheduling must be adequate and appropriate for actual service delivery.
Previously, the committee met once with Airports of Thailand PCL, the National Office of Buddhism, and the Samut Prakan Provincial Buddhism Office to discuss solutions. However, the issue of sufficient staffing remains unresolved, so the committee is urging the National Office of Buddhism to accelerate recruitment and workforce management to support both verification rooms.
