Thailand introduces national ID with biometric technology
15 April, 2005
category: Biometrics, Government
Thai authorities have hired Precise Biometrics to license their Precise Match-on-Card(TM) technology in the initial phase of Thailand’s new national ID card project. The order has been taken in collaboration with Smart Card Systems International Co. Ltd, the company’s local integrator and service partner. An estimated 12 million ID cards will be delivered, each carrying Precise Match-on-Card(TM) technology, as well as 36,000 fingerprint scanners equipped with Precise BioCore(R) technology. During the coming three years, Thai authorities are planning to issue national ID cards with Precise Match-on-Card(TM) to each of Thailand’s approximately 64 million citizens.
Prior to awarding the order, evaluations were made to compare Precise Match-on-Card(TM) with all competing Match-on-Card solutions, as well as other biometric alternatives using a server or PC for matching. Matching on card proved to be far superior in major ID card projects in terms of economy, personal integrity, security, scalability and reliability.
Precise Match-on-Card(TM) was the clear choice as the best product based on biometric performance and compatibility with leading smart cards. Another contributing factor was the fact that the solution is already available on the market, and is backed by documented performance. “Precise Biometrics’ products are well proven and reliable,” notes Dr. Sangchai Apichatthanapath, the CEO at SSI. “This is essential for such a major and nation-wide project. The software integration has been perfectly smooth, and we’re looking forward to a mutually successful project.”
“Right from the start, our project has been ambitious, and the
specifications for Match-on-Card biometry were very demanding,” says Mr Suwitt Khunkitti, Thailand’s Minister of Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (ICT). “Precise Biometrics and Precise Match-on-Card(TM) have fully met and even exceeded our expectations.”
“The selection of Precise Biometrics is concrete proof of our leading position in the market of smart cards,” claims Christer Bergman, President and CEO of Precise Biometrics. “Our Precise Match-on-Card(TM) technology is available to all leading smart card manufacturers and meets the very highest performance demands.”
