jacko45k Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 11 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said: Too sensible. BTW, back in the supposedly first world country I hail from, the banks make me stand in a q. For 4 hours? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malt25 Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 18 hours ago, tomacht8 said: Standing in the queue for 4 hours is crap. Why not simply place machines where you can draw a waiting number like in any bank. Instead of being in the queue for hours, you could go for food and shopping. Why bring logic & common sense into the situation ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soistalker Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 (edited) There is a priority lane, usually for VIP passenger, but I got a pass last trip and was in and out in minutes. They should have a special lane for trusted visitors; people who own peoperty and/or are long-term regular visitors, those with ED and retirement visas, etc. Those of us dreaming for a creative response to the problem are dong just that, dreaming. The Thais are not very smart and not very creative. Edited December 28, 2017 by soistalker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NextStationBangkok Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 All problems solved, if Thai Immigration issues visas to Chinese charter planes before they depart from China. All Thailand want is the visa fee and stamping, why make chaos here ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaijack2014 Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 (edited) 17 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said: Well, they always seem to be surprised during the holidays, that suddenly so many planes and travellers arrive... This, is a similar question I asked myself many times in December when "suddenly" the winter "starts" in Europe and passengers have to wait hours inside an airplane to be airborn. Or enormous traffic jams on German Autobahns and trains can't drive due to "unexpected" snowfall. Thailand is in that respect not much different from any other country in the world, albeit in another matter. I'm just glad I decided not to go to Europe in december and coming back around this time... I'll wait until the holiday season is over. Edited December 28, 2017 by Thaijack2014 adding some words Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gandtee Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 It won't be just undesirables they will be keeping out, but also people who not want to face this charade. T.I.T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranky Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 "screening measures designed to keep undesirables out of the country" I think this state of affairs is far more likely to deter the 'Desirables' than prevent the 'Undesirables'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmitch Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 The UK has had its Immigration problems at the airports but actually warning of four hours? And after they claim to have improved matters. I was amazed flying into Sydney a few weeks ago that absolutely everything is automated. Ok, I'd paid in advance for a e-visa, a very simple process, but on arrival I scanned my own passport at the gate, stood for an automated photo and that was it. No interaction at all with Immigration Officers. There was a customs form to fill in but even Australia's notorious customs seemed less stringent than I'd anticipated. Of course this wouldn't work in Thailand. E-visas; no stamps in the passport; no arrival/departure card. How would the immigration office function without photocopies of all the above? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffH Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 18 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said: "Immigration officials have said those entering the country could face wait times of four hours or more as agents face throngs of visitors and have increased screening measures designed to keep undesirables out of the country, reported Bangkok Post." And that's, IMHO, is the real reason. In no country I've ever been to, does the IO need that long to stamp a passport; no wait, I forgot that it took the Soviet officials at the Belarus border quite long screening each traveller, when I went there 26 years ago. Other countries 'screen for undesirables' too, but maybe they do a better (and faster) job. Why do Thai IOs need 3-5 minutes for each passport? I had the dubious pleasure of visiting Minsk three years ago. I can assure you that all the bs involved when both entering and leaving the country remains the same, if not worse. Swampy's a breeze in comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidst01 Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 why dont they simply hire more staff. very stupid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasonron Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 They should do more screening at the visa waiver counters so as to stop as many pedophiles and broke scumbags from entering not just look at passport and color.. a simple research would clearly state that all the Chinese Indians and others from Asia stay in luxurious hotels and spend more than 10 times the money spent by many scum bags who live off of weekly and monthly benefits in their native countries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happyman58 Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 20 hours ago, webfact said: ATTA says visa on arrival strands tourists 1-4 hours at airports By Thai PBS The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) has complained of unnecessary waste of time for tourists applying for visas on arrival (VOA) at the airports saying the process take 1-4 hours. ATTA says the time waste could affect the country’s image and tourism and demands relevant state agencies to resolve the problem. It said as the country is now entering the tourism season, the problem needed to be resolved urgently. Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/atta-says-visa-arrival-strands-tourists-1-4-hours-airports/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-12-27 See the immigration bloke on his mobile working his guts out Thats the problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happyman58 Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 1 hour ago, Cranky said: "screening measures designed to keep undesirables out of the country" I think this state of affairs is far more likely to deter the 'Desirables' than prevent the 'Undesirables'. Well at least the Red Bull heir listened to them when they said Undesirables are not welcome He is doing exactly what they are telling him Good boy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonnapat Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 20 hours ago, darksidedog said: I suppose the notion of drafting in extra staff to help cope with the extra influx of passengers has not occurred to them then? You can bet half the booths will be empty as usual. No such thing as planning ahead in Thailand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ossy Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 20 hours ago, samsensam said: flew in last week, waiting in my short immigration queue; two foreigners hadn't completed their forms so stood at the desk completing them, another guy was using his phone so had to be reprimanded by the IO and a thai scout leader decided to start filming and the IO had to leave his booth, the guy wouldn't hand over his phone until another IO turned up and led him away to an office. Good story, but was this 'phoney' guy a queuer or a member of the IP staff? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ossy Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 20 hours ago, darksidedog said: I suppose the notion of drafting in extra staff to help cope with the extra influx of passengers has not occurred to them then? Don't be ridiculous! That would require thought, planning and DOING . . . and this is Thailand, not noted for its 'doing'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ujayujay Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 Pure Incompetence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scouse123 Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 I don't see the point in issuing a warning which is published in Thai media such as Thai visa or The Nation. If they are tourists entering the kingdom, the chances are they will read neither and will know nothing until confronted with a massive queue! A few months ago was my worst delay at immigration and that was 2.5 hours at Don Muang. My longest at Suvarnabhumi in recent times has been about 1.5 hours. The same old story, loads of booths closed at both airports. There were, of course, the usual suspects delaying everybody with forms filled out incorrectly or bits missed and people in wrong queues etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallGuyJohninBKK Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 We took an international flight out of, and then back to, Suvarnabhumi earlier this month -- both departing and arriving around midnight. On the outbound trip, the entire process of going thru security screening and then immigration took about two hours in total, with the longest wait being the security screening part where there was a long backup due to just a few stations operating, much longer than at the more numerous Immigration counters, which were pretty fully staffed the night of our travel. On the return arrival, we rushed ahead of the other passengers on our arriving flight and got to the Immigration counters pretty quickly and got thru in just a matter of minutes. Once again, on the night of our arrival, the Immigration arrival counters were pretty fully staffed. When I passed by the Visa on Arrival area that night, there was basically no one waiting there. But our flight was coming from Taiwan -- not China or India, etc. -- so perhaps it would have been different otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Autonuaq Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 21 hours ago, tomacht8 said: Standing in the queue for 4 hours is crap. Why not simply place machines where you can draw a waiting number like in any bank. Instead of being in the queue for hours, you could go for food and shopping. Why so difficult? Flight number and seat solves all at once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Techno Viking Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 Am flying out midnight Dec 31, I hope it is not too busy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sydebolle Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 Despite Thais no longer fiddling around with TM6 the queues are not getting any shorter. Is the Interior Ministry, under which the police and ultimately the immigration function, on a go-slow? Is the police jealous over the takings of the boys in green? Quite obviously it is an immigration issue and looking at TM6, the ridiculous numbers of (partly) unnecessary visas and the officers inability to read passports (witness that more than once) - gives Thailand the title of "mother of all immigration queues". But it goes in line with the rest of their holidays ............ It is high noon to clear up the immigration and move that dinosaur into the 21st century if you want tourists. The scared Myanmarese issue visas electronically over the internet for USD 50 within one working day, the physical passing through any land-/air border takes literally 10 seconds. The Laotians copied the Thais but have only two possibilities at the border itself, visa free upto a certain period of time or, you need a visa. Through an embassy or consulate it is easier and cheaper than at the border = discourage visa-on-arrival. Even the Khmer issue electronic visas; it is only Thailand in the 18th century - again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suradit69 Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 (edited) 22 hours ago, webfact said: Expectation vs. reality? Visa on Arrival is not something the majority of visitors would be entitled to use or would want to. Comparing the photos is comparing apples to oranges. Visa on Arrival is not the same as a visa exempt entry. Edited December 28, 2017 by Suradit69 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khun Paul Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 They ( Thai Immigration ) do not care one jot for tourists, they simply refuse to change working practices to accommodate the arrival surge at any time , so it will be no change then. You are better off flying to Laos and crossing at Nong Khai easier, simpler and not so damn crowded Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suradit69 Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 (edited) 14 minutes ago, Sydebolle said: Is the Interior Ministry, under which the police and ultimately the immigration function, on a go-slow? Is the police jealous over the takings of the boys in green? 11 minutes ago, Khun Paul said: They ( Thai Immigration ) do not care one jot for tourists Hardly a uniquely Thai problem. For example during the summer holiday period: Quote Holiday destinations such as Madrid, Lisbon and Mallorca affected amid shortage of border staff and tighter security checks Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport, Palma in Mallorca and Paris-Orly airport have been particularly affected. “In Paris it has been a disaster in recent weeks,” Duenhaupt said. “UK passengers in Palma have also been complaining and some have seen three- to four-hour delays in Amsterdam.” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/01/passengers-facing-four-hour-security-queues-at-some-european-airports Edited December 28, 2017 by Suradit69 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suradit69 Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 1 hour ago, Happyman58 said: See the immigration bloke on his mobile working his guts out Thats the problem He's in the Visa On Arrival area ( it's not the same as visa exempt entries). There are no people to serve as you can easily see. Would you prefer he spend his time mopping the floors? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex8912 Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 How about some real reports instead of complaining!!! On my December 9 th arrival at 9 pm I had 1 person I front of me and on my December 24 th arrival at 8 pm I had no one in front of me. This was not at visa on arrival it was regular foreigner line. Any other REAL reports? But then again when I go to get a taxi I tell them where I am going and they turn on the meter and take me there with no issues. Amazing!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happyman58 Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 1 hour ago, Suradit69 said: He's in the Visa On Arrival area ( it's not the same as visa exempt entries). There are no people to serve as you can easily see. Would you prefer he spend his time mopping the floors? Prob be more constructive then playing with your phone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maestro Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 Removed a nonsensical post, ie troll post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiSoLowSoNoSo Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 How's that "Aviation Hub" that they have been boasting about for many years coming along? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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