Cambodia on April 22 put into use the Global Travel Assessment System (GTAS) aiming to improve, among others, customs-related work efficiency at airports and prevent transnational crimes.

GTAS is a web application for improving border security that enables government agencies to automate the identification of high-risk air travellers in advance of their intended travel. The system allows for an effective collection and analysis of the so-called advance passenger information (API) and passenger name record (PNR).

Minister of Economy and Finance Aun Pornmoniroth said at the launch that Cambodian authorities have received support from the World Customs Organisation (WCO) for GTAS to be used in collecting API and PNR from domestic and international airlines through Cambodia Data Exchange (CamDX) for analysis.

Pornmoniroth said GTAS will improve the work efficiency of the General Department of Customs and Excise and contribute to reducing transnational crimes, promoting trade and facilitating the flow of tourists, without having an additional burden on state budget. It is also expected to uplift the tourism sector during and post-pandemic era.