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Suvarnabhumi to add 122 automated passenger gates

Suvarnabhumi Airport plans to install 122 additional automated gates for arriving and departing passengers, taking its total to 228 from the current 106.

Airport director Kittipong Kittikachorn said the extra gates are intended to cut waiting times and improve efficiency at Thailand's main international gateway, which is handling increasing numbers of flights and passengers.

The announcement comes as the airport approaches its third decade of operation and continues work on infrastructure, technology, passenger services and security.

Gate numbers set to more than double

The planned installation would more than double the number of automated gates at Suvarnabhumi. Mr Kittipong did not give a timetable for the work.

For foreigners arriving in Thailand or leaving on international flights, shorter processing queues could be a practical benefit, particularly during busy travel periods. However, passengers will still need to follow airport instructions and meet the relevant travel and document requirements when using automated facilities.

Suvarnabhumi is Bangkok's main international airport and a key arrival point for tourists, long-stay visitors, business travellers and expatriates returning to Thailand.

More charging points and passenger areas

The airport is also planning a series of upgrades to passenger service areas. These include improved information counters, renovated toilets and more than 200 new electronic charging stations.

New dedicated areas are also planned, including a children's zone, relaxation area, co-working space and digital park seats.

The additions may be particularly useful for travellers facing long connections, early arrivals or flight delays, as well as remote workers who need a place to use electronic devices before departure. The airport has not provided dates for the new amenities to open.

Passenger and flight traffic rises

During the first 11 months of fiscal year 2026, up to September 27, Suvarnabhumi served 118 scheduled airlines and handled 346,905 flights.

That represented a year-on-year increase of 1.83% in flights, Mr Kittipong said. Passenger traffic reached 59,626,075 over the same period, up 2.43% from a year earlier.

Mr Kittipong said the airport would continue to expand its infrastructure, technology, service standards and security as it seeks to build passenger confidence and strengthen Thailand's position as a global aviation hub.


Related story

Suvarnabhumi-e-gates-open-to-33-nationalities


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29 September 2026

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HolmesEquivelant Gold Member

HolmesEquivelant

Advanced Member

Anyone have recent wait time experience at Swampy around 0930 incoming. Weekdays. I arrive Thursday.

Can use fast track but nice to know.

wensiensheng Ruby Member

wensiensheng

Advanced Member

Presumably these new gates are for visa free entry nationalities who are previous visitors to Thailand only.

I believe that was the criteria for the existing gates.

Brettoj Advanced Member

Brettoj

Member
1 hour ago, HolmesEquivelant said:

Anyone have recent wait time experience at Swampy around 0930 incoming. Weekdays. I arrive Thursday.

Can use fast track but nice to know.

I arrived 1030 Thursday a couple of weeks ago and no queues, through in 5 minutes.

khunjeff Gold Member

khunjeff

Advanced Member
45 minutes ago, wensiensheng said:

Presumably these new gates are for visa free entry nationalities who are previous visitors to Thailand only.

I believe that was the criteria for the existing gates.

Or perhaps they'll expand eligibility to other countries and to visa holders - which would definitely require a lot more gates. I guess we'll see.

superal Platinum Member

superal

Advanced Member
2 hours ago, redwood1 said:

Exactly what I was going to say...

More rooms for smoking is the most important upgrade they could make....

I have yet to use a decent smoking room . They are always badly vented and I am in and out asap . They also smell bad . Smoking rooms , because of the frowned upon habit , have no regulations or standards which result in poorly designed / not fit for purpose facilities . I mostly avoid them and hold out until I can find a place to smoke away from the airport .

Jumbo1968 Gold Member

Jumbo1968

Advanced Member

Lots of redundant immigration officers then ?

Smokey and the Bandit Gold Member

Smokey and the Bandit

Advanced Member
3 hours ago, khunjeff said:

Or perhaps they'll expand eligibility to other countries and to visa holders - which would definitely require a lot more gates. I guess we'll see.

The problem with expanding eligibility, is that the e gates cannot give you a stamp..obviously. So if you are other than 'visa free' that is 30 days or whatever, which I assume is some kind of default, will the e gates users only get 30 days, even if they are on a long term visa?

I am just asking the question, not stating that will happen!

mikeymike100 Platinum Member

mikeymike100

Advanced Member
15 minutes ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

The problem with expanding eligibility, is that the e gates cannot give you a stamp..obviously. So if you are other than 'visa free' that is 30 days or whatever, which I assume is some kind of default, will the e gates users only get 30 days, even if they are on a long term visa?

I am just asking the question, not stating that will happen!

I suppose the majority of people are on a short 'visa free' entry, so it should free up the immigration booths for people on long stay ?

Maybe that's the idea?

diveasia666 Senior Member

diveasia666

Member
5 hours ago, redwood1 said:

Exactly what I was going to say...

More rooms for smoking is the most important upgrade they could make....

smokers are a dying breed... :-) Wasted money.

bristolgeoff Platinum Member

bristolgeoff

Advanced Member

I know like the phillipines you have to register online 5 mins. The auto lane is useful and maybe quicker,from my experience it is not hrs waiting anyway.So another option for tourist

Patong2021 Diamond Member

Patong2021

Advanced Member
17 hours ago, lapamita said:

a smoking room would be good for long overlays or waits.

all international airports have ( minimum outside us and aus)

No, they do not. Some of the world's largest airports are smoke free now. They include the largest airports of China, Shanghai and Beijing. China intends to fully implement a ban at all airports.

Most UK airports including; London Heathrow Airport (LHR),London Gatwick Airport (LGW), London Stansted Airport (STN), London Luton Airport (LTN), London City Airport (LCY), Birmingham Airport (BHX), Edinburgh Airport (EDI), Exeter Airport (EXT), Glasgow Airport (GLA),  Durham Tees Valley Airport (MME), Manchester Airport - Terminal 3

Bangkok is joined by major airports like Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS), Oslo International  (OSL), Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD) and Bogota (BOG).

Multiple airports have closed or have reduced smoking areas with plans to close the remaining solitary rooms; The closings will eventually be implemented at Frankfurt Airport (FRA), Adolfo Suárez Madrid, Barajas Airport (MAD), Copenhagen Airport (CPH), Dublin Airport (DUB) and Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS).

The smoke rooms are expensive options requiring extensive HVAC investment. Smoking is decreasing in the general population, so there is no need to expand the option.

jacko45k Star Member

jacko45k

Advanced Member

So we are back to having something like the old TM6 card you have to retain until your departure, and could never find. Progress, love it!

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