Online visas were introduced by the government of Thailand earlier this year, predominantly for those wishing to travel from a list of eligible countries. The government currently uses eVOA (Electronic Visa On Arrival) to allow tourists to apply for a visa online if they wish to travel into the country. The government’s technology supplier will be partnering with ShareRing, an tech startup from Australia, to utilise its blockchain ShareLedger in order to enhance the process for millions of tourists. OneID, a module on the blockchain, has been created to collect data swiftly and will be used to record sensitive data for short-term visa applicants.
Rohan Le Page is currently COO of ShareRing, and has shared that OneID will simplify the process, eliminating unnecessary expenses and tedious applications. He has also added that the inclusion of ShareLedger will increase security measures as the sensitive data cannot be altered or hacked. Further to this, the technology is going to be used to manage several other aspects of the process, including; tracking applications referred to by visa resellers, handling compensation costs and ensuring applications are connected to the appropriate traveler. The start-up considers the adoption of their technology to be a true success, as immigration control is a top government priority and thus demonstrates that their technology is ready for action. Last year Thailand welcomed over 37 million tourists, providing vital opportunity for ShareRing to access a vast market and possibly witness millions of people globally using blockchain technology.