They will also be able to monitor demographic details online, thanks to the locally developed LiveScan4ALL software.

Nattida Sanguansin, managing director of Iconcepts, a local software company, said the software was a biometric live-scan fingerprinting system with a cross-matching capability of up to 10,000 records. The software is designed to provide the user with an intuitive and easy-to-handle interface whilst incorporating the latest technology and the commonly used features in the package. Since it is fully scalable and flexible, it can be upgraded when required.

The system takes care of every fingerprint-related necessity, ranging from single-capture prints to ten-prints and palms. Its modern scanners come with a full-optics CCD, designed for continuous use.

"For now we have a distribution channel in the United States and Thailand is the development base. We plan to create a specialised software development house in Thailand with partners based around the world, said Nattida.

She added that the LiveScan system had been approved by the FBI in the second half of last year. The firm has launched an FBI-certified LiveScan product suite. The system conforms to the FBI's integrated automated fingerprint identification system (IAFIS). In Thailand it also won the ICT Award in 2005 in the electronic-government category. It was entered by Thailand for the Asia Pacific ICT Award 2005.

She said that the firm had sold the product in the US, finding customers in the Superior Court of California, the California Department of Justice and the LA Country Sheriff's Office. It plans an Asian expansion.

"The system aims at addressing concerns about security in government departments which need to identify people and check their history and present status for various of reasons, including the issue of electronic passports. It will reduce human errors," said Nattida.

jirapan@nationgroup.com

Jirapan Boonnoon

The Nation