Starting tomorrow, travelers to the US are to undergo security interviews at check-in counters, with possible additional questioning prior to boarding, the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) said yesterday, advising people flying to the US to arrive at airports as early as possible to avoid missing their flight.
The administration said the interviews are part of enhanced security measures requested by the US Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration, which issued an emergency amendment on June 29 that applies to all flights heading to the US.
The measure first intensified inspection of electronic devices larger than smartphones, including tablets, laptops, electronic reading devices, DVD players, games machines and cameras, which has been enforced since July 17, the CAA said.
The second part of the measure requires US-bound travelers to be asked security questions, CAA officials said, adding that the requirement applies to passengers of all airlines offering flights to the US.
According to a forum on flytalk.com, the questions could be divided into two tiers.
The first, usually asked by airline staff at check-in counters, includes questions such as: “Who packed your baggage?” “Has your baggage been in your possession since it was packed?” or “What electronic devices are you carrying?”
Passengers subject to secondary questioning might be asked to provide detailed information about themselves and their travel plans through questions such as: “What do you do for a living?” “What company do you work for?” “Where are you staying in the US?” and “How many children do you have?”
The behavior of passengers while responding to questions would be observed, the forum said.
Passengers who fail to provide the requested information or refuse to answer questions could be asked to undergo more extensive security procedures, the forum said, adding that travelers who have “SSSS” marked on their boarding passes are expected to be subject to heavy screening.
As the security interviews could significantly delay the boarding process, the CAA advised travelers to arrive at their boarding gate as early as possible after checking in their luggage to avoid missing flights.
Travelers should consult their airline if they have further questions about the security measure, the CAA said.
In related news, travelers to Thailand this week might experience reduced service hours at department stores, convenience stores and bars, as the nation is scheduled to hold a five-day ceremony for King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died on Oct. 13 last year.
Leaders and politicians of more than 50 nations and an estimated 3 million Thais are scheduled to attend the ceremony, which is to begin today.
The late king’s cremation at a newly completed royal crematorium is to take place tomorrow, and many stores are to start closing at 2pm.
To allow more Thais to pay tribute to the late king, the Thai government has made tomorrow a national holiday and public transportation in Bangkok is to be free, while traffic into downtown Bangkok is to be restricted.
Strict security measures are to be enforced around the Royal Plaza, with a number of roads to be closed. Air and sea spaces around the Grand Palace are to be inaccessible.
No drones are to be allowed within 19km of the Grand Palace and Royal Plaza, with violators facing fines of 40,000 baht (US$1,206) or one year in prison.
The consular section of the Thailand Trade and Economic Office in Taipei will not provide any services tomorrow, as it is to hold a sandalwood flower offering ceremony to commemorate the king’s cremation.
Tropical Storm Usagi strengthened to a typhoon yesterday morning and remains on track to brush past southeastern Taiwan from tomorrow to Sunday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was approximately 950km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost point, the CWA said. It is expected to enter the Bashi Channel and then turn north, moving into waters southeast of Taiwan, it said. The agency said it could issue a sea warning in the early hours of today and a land warning in the afternoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was moving at
DISCONTENT: The CCP finds positive content about the lives of the Chinese living in Taiwan threatening, as such video could upset people in China, an expert said Chinese spouses of Taiwanese who make videos about their lives in Taiwan have been facing online threats from people in China, a source said yesterday. Some young Chinese spouses of Taiwanese make videos about their lives in Taiwan, often speaking favorably about their living conditions in the nation compared with those in China, the source said. However, the videos have caught the attention of Chinese officials, causing the spouses to come under attack by Beijing’s cyberarmy, they said. “People have been messing with the YouTube channels of these Chinese spouses and have been harassing their family members back in China,”
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said there are four weather systems in the western Pacific, with one likely to strengthen into a tropical storm and pose a threat to Taiwan. The nascent tropical storm would be named Usagi and would be the fourth storm in the western Pacific at the moment, along with Typhoon Yinxing and tropical storms Toraji and Manyi, the CWA said. It would be the first time that four tropical cyclones exist simultaneously in November, it added. Records from the meteorology agency showed that three tropical cyclones existed concurrently in January in 1968, 1991 and 1992.
UPDATED FORECAST: The warning covered areas of Pingtung County and Hengchun Peninsula, while a sea warning covering the southern Taiwan Strait was amended The Central Weather Administration (CWA) at 5:30pm yesterday issued a land warning for Typhoon Usagi as the storm approached Taiwan from the south after passing over the Philippines. As of 5pm, Usagi was 420km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost tip, with an average radius of 150km, the CWA said. The land warning covered areas of Pingtung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春), and came with an amended sea warning, updating a warning issued yesterday morning to cover the southern part of the Taiwan Strait. No local governments had announced any class or office closures as of press time last night. The typhoon
RSS