Ranking Airport Immigration by Strictness/Friendliness

[CaptainKiiNiaw]

With all the recent reports of regular visitors to Thailand being rejected over the last few months, I think it would be useful to share info about which airports have immigration officers who regularly deny entry.

My impression:

 

Don Mueang: One of the worst.

Suvarnabhumi: Quite bad but better than DMG

Phuket: Quite bad. Maybe as bad as DMG

Chiang Mai: Quite good.  Few rejections

 

I'm interested in reports about Hat Yai and Pattaya.  Feel free to share your experiences.

[BritTim]

Indications are positive as far as Pattaya is concerned, but there is limited data.

There have been some negative reports about Krabi.

Would be interesting to know about Chiang Rai and Samui, as well as Hat Yai.

Surat Thani would almost never be used by posters here, as it only seems to have flights from China.

[cornishcarlos]

Krabi is my regular airport since working in Singapore. Twice arrived on visa exempt and twice pulled aside by the super friendly, smiling lady boss (sarcasm alert). Both trips I was here for less than 10 days and had return tickets and cash on me. 

This time, 2 days ago, arrived on a Non Imm O. Not pulled aside but took forever as the guy scrutinized every page of my passport !! Never seen one of them smile but I think that's standard in LOS ????????

[mr_lob]

Krabi is my home airport also. There is a sign above the immigration desks "Lively town, lovely people". Don't know who they are referring to...surely not the mardy ogres seated underneath

[jacko45k]

15 minutes ago, mr_lob said:

Krabi is my home airport also. There is a sign above the immigration desks "Lively town, lovely people". Don't know who they are referring to...surely not the mardy ogres seated underneath

You should point to the sign and ask 'khun jai-dee yu nai?' and get yourself some special treatment.

[Teenie]

I arrived yesterday morning at Suvarnabhumi traveling from Yangon.  Arrived in the immigration Queue at 10:45 and collected luggage and was out through customs by 10:59 an efficient service throughout. 

[3stan]

"Chiang mai : few rejections"

 

Is that just random/shoot from the hip kind of assessment. How many rejections do you know of?

[OJAS]

22 hours ago, BritTim said:

Indications are positive as far as Pattaya is concerned, but there is limited data.

Presumably you're referring to U-Tapao Airport?

[VBF]

5 hours ago, OJAS said:

Presumably you're referring to U-Tapao Airport?

U-Tapao being as small as it is, isn't really comparable to DM or "Swampy" - most, though not all of the flights in and out of UTP are national anyway so Immigration isn't an issue.

[PJPom]

Krabi is far from the most friendly, lots of checking and very few smiles.

[bbi1]

On 5/14/2019 at 11:08 AM, BritTim said:

Indications are positive as far as Pattaya is concerned, but there is limited data.

There have been some negative reports about Krabi.

Would be interesting to know about Chiang Rai and Samui, as well as Hat Yai.

Surat Thani would almost never be used by posters here, as it only seems to have flights from China.

They have a Pattaya International airport where you can enter Thailand from? 

[VBF]

2 minutes ago, bbi1 said:

They have a Pattaya International airport where you can enter Thailand from? 

Did you not bother reading the comments about U-Tapao above?

[bbi1]

Suvarnabhumi for the 1st time ever asked a number of questions a few weeks ago when I arrived with a visa. 1st commented if it was a new passport which I said yes (old one expired). 2nd commented "tourist visa" and I said yes again. Then said wow you stay here very long based on based on the 60 days I put on the departure card. Then asked where I will fly to next and I told him. Then he finally stamped me in. Never ever been questioned before in the past or had any comments.

[JackThompson]

3 minutes ago, bbi1 said:

They have a Pattaya International airport where you can enter Thailand from? 

It's between Pattaya and Rayong - called U-Tapo.  I recall one report w/ TR Visa and no problems - a year or so ago, and a one-off - so no way to know the "general" policy.

[White Christmas13]

6 minutes ago, bbi1 said:

They have a Pattaya International airport where you can enter Thailand from? 

Pattaya has an airport? why do I have to fly to Suvarnabhumi when I come from overseas

[VBF]

Just now, White Christmas13 said:

Pattaya has an airport? why do I have to fly to Suvarnabhumi when I come from overseas

You don't! Depends WHERE you start your journey though.  Google "flights to utapao"

[bbi1]

3 minutes ago, VBF said:

Did you not bother reading the comments about U-Tapao above?

I did, after replying to BritTim's post and scrolling down further. But anyway, it wasn't BritTim that commented about U-Tapao was it?

[White Christmas13]

I am lost I know that airport U-Tapo but I am coming from overseas

and I have to stop at Suvarnabhumi I am much faster taking a taxi

the wait for a connecting flight

[VBF]

1 minute ago, bbi1 said:

I did, after replying to BritTim's post and scrolling down further. But anyway, it wasn't BritTim that commented about U-Tapao was it?

So? I didn't say it was - I replied to YOU. Suggestion: start at the beginning of this thread and read it all, then you'll understand why I said what I did.

[VBF]

8 minutes ago, White Christmas13 said:

I am lost I know that airport U-Tapo but I am coming from overseas

and I have to stop at Suvarnabhumi I am much faster taking a taxi

the wait for a connecting flight

Exactly!  That's WHY most of us don't fly from our home countries to U-Tapao.

The choice of flights and airlines is very limited if you fly direct from, say, UK to UTP

So flying to BKK and getting a taxi IS definitely faster and possibly cheaper than connecting.

 

I believe that quite a few of the Russian charter flight do go to UTP, and you can certainly fly to other parts of SE Asia from there. So...it is international but very small and limited in which airlines use it.

[White Christmas13]

9 minutes ago, VBF said:

You don't! Depends WHERE you start your journey though.  Google "flights to utapao"

well I fly with Thai which only goes to Suvarnabhumi

[VBF]

11 minutes ago, White Christmas13 said:

well I fly with Thai which only goes to Suvarnabhumi

And I with Emirates, the same. I was merely outlining what can be done though UTP not what I necessarily do.

What exactly is your point?

[White Christmas13]

8 minutes ago, VBF said:

And I with Emirates, the same. What exactly is your point?

My point is posters tell me Pattaya has an airport no it has not U-Tapo is about 40 km

of Pattaya Suvarnabhumi is about 85 so why should I change planes in Bangkok and wait for the connecting flight for maybe hours if I can get a taxi and drive to Pattaya for about 90 minutes

[NanLaew]

12 hours ago, Teenie said:

I arrived yesterday morning at Suvarnabhumi traveling from Yangon.  Arrived in the immigration Queue at 10:45 and collected luggage and was out through customs by 10:59 an efficient service throughout. 

Yeah... but you're a newbie.

[VBF]

1 minute ago, White Christmas13 said:

My point is posters tell me Pattaya has an airport no it has not U-Tapo is about 40 km

of Pattaya Suvarnabhumi is about 85 so why should I change planes in Bangkok and wait for the connecting flight for maybe hours if I can get a taxi and drive to Pattaya for about 90 minutes

OK - UTP is 40km from Pattaya so is local to and serves Pattaya and is popularly known as Pattaya airport.  It's a small international airport.

Suvarnabhumi is local to Bangkok and also serves Pattaya

Suvarnabhumi is a BIG international airport and you have MUCH more choice of flights. Got it now?

[White Christmas13]

5 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Yeah... but you're a newbie.

What newbie ? I lived in Thailand for many years

[NanLaew]

5 minutes ago, White Christmas13 said:

My point is posters tell me Pattaya has an airport no it has not U-Tapo is about 40 km

of Pattaya Suvarnabhumi is about 85 so why should I change planes in Bangkok and wait for the connecting flight for maybe hours if I can get a taxi and drive to Pattaya for about 90 minutes

Watch my avatar.

 

Closely.

[NanLaew]

Just now, White Christmas13 said:

What newbie ? I lived in Thailand for many years

Yes, and you're not Teenie either.

 

Are you watching my avatar yet?

[White Christmas13]

4 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Watch my avatar.

 

Closely.

no need to

[VBF]

1 minute ago, NanLaew said:

Watch my avatar.

 

Closely.

Couldn't have put it better ????????