"Airport mafia" set to be hit as Fast Track scheme stopped at Bangkok's main airport

[buanmeerugsaa]

4 hours ago, cooked said:

Is this the same as what I call the priority (elite) lane? Being over 70, which I am, let me use this lane for free.

Yes, yes, and yes again. 

What, if any, consideration and support is given to foreign  septuagenarians  in Thailand by Immigration or anyone?

[ThaiBunny]

1 minute ago, buanmeerugsaa said:

What, if any, consideration and support is given to foreign  septuagenarians  in Thailand by Immigration or anyone?

The girls all call out "Hansum man papa" whenever I pass - is that sufficient consideration and support?

Edited June 24, 2019 by ThaiBunny

[Letseng]

5 hours ago, cooked said:

Is this the same as what I call the priority (elite) lane? Being over 70, which I am, let me use this lane for free.

This is this very lane. Would be a good idea to have separate lane for oldies with their entourage instead of clogging fasttrack based on premium tickets.

I'm also over 70. But why should I get priority as a fit and able body traveller? If  folks survive 10 and more hrs in economy they are surely fit enough for immigration queue.

I have not seen priority immigration for seniors anywhere in Europe. You queue like the rest.

I'm not talking about folks in wheelchairs.

[cooked]

1 hour ago, Letseng said:

This is this very lane. Would be a good idea to have separate lane for oldies with their entourage instead of clogging fasttrack based on premium tickets.

I'm also over 70. But why should I get priority as a fit and able body traveller? If  folks survive 10 and more hrs in economy they are surely fit enough for immigration queue.

I have not seen priority immigration for seniors anywhere in Europe. You queue like the rest.

I'm not talking about folks in wheelchairs.

I'll take it where I find it. I have paid enough Farang prices in order not to have a bad conscience about this. 16 hour flight in my case.

[manhood]

Well as i know thais are very creative in finding new ways of scams and illigal money making; and seems the Immigration is on top of it!

[connda]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Tickets that started costing 18 baht were trading for anywhere between 200 and 1,000 baht. 

A business savvy government should pick up on the revenue potential here.  Instead of banning something that people want and are willing to pay 200 to 1000 extra THB for, they should figure a way to implement the process so that it can not be gamed.  But...bureaucrats aren't known for their entrepreneurial skill sets.  Soooo, nevermind.

[Wombo1]

They didn't mention ABTC cards, hope we can still use that line...

[NanLaew]

7 hours ago, ThaiBunny said:

You now need to head to one end of the general Immigration hall where the counters are designated as "senior/families". The downside is you share the queue with mewling infants and ankle-biters

No he doesn't. The original Priority lane on arrival is still there BETWEEN the two main immigration halls. There are also two departure Priority lanes on the check-in level with their own security and immigration and you don't have to go upstairs/downstairs.

 

The 'Fast Track' system that's been short-circuited used the Thai Business Class line in the west immigration hall. The only people that can use that now appear to be either genuine Thai Business Class, those with cards issued by their carrier (and not bought or ordered online), mewling families, old buggers and those with mobility issues.

Edited June 24, 2019 by NanLaew

[GreasyFingers]

7 hours ago, WinnieTheKhwai said:

Is there any reason to call this 'airport mafia' instead of 'the utterly corrupt immigration police' ?

Don't you mean VFS

[GreasyFingers]

7 hours ago, cooked said:

Is this the same as what I call the priority (elite) lane? Being over 70, which I am, let me use this lane for free.

Just cuddle up to a Thai sweety and use the Thai lane.

[Lacessit]

7 hours ago, ThaiBunny said:

You now need to head to one end of the general Immigration hall where the counters are designated as "senior/families". The downside is you share the queue with mewling infants and ankle-biters

AFAIK the priority lane for seniors, pregnant women, monks and the handicapped is unchanged. It is on the right hand side. The "elite" lane is somewhere else.

Having said that, I've seen several able-bodied young people not falling into those classifications use the priority lane by claiming they would miss a connecting flight if not processed quickly.

[SidJames]

I use the priority lane there about a dozen times a year & noticed how much busier they have become in 2019.

Both leaving & entering.

[chama]

Hard to believe someone figured out how to abuse that program! Surely it would have been immune and it was closely monitored to ensure proper execution!

[yellowboat]

4 hours ago, MartiniMan said:

As usual

No one responsible

no one fired

no one named

Business as usual again within 24 hours or so

Exactly, nobody is going to jail.  They must be too close to the top of the food chain.  But some porno being made in Thailand is an insult to the country.  A mafia allowed to run wild in a secure location would be far more worrisome than some blue video with consenting adults.  Interesting set of non priorities. 

Edited June 24, 2019 by yellowboat

[rodpav]

I used to get this fast track with Qatar airways being a  silver member but not anymore, the lines for fast track were slow track heaps of people going through so defo people were making money off it 

[Bangkok Barry]

3 hours ago, Letseng said:

This is this very lane. Would be a good idea to have separate lane for oldies with their entourage instead of clogging fasttrack based on premium tickets.

I'm also over 70. But why should I get priority as a fit and able body traveller? If  folks survive 10 and more hrs in economy they are surely fit enough for immigration queue.

I have not seen priority immigration for seniors anywhere in Europe. You queue like the rest.

I'm not talking about folks in wheelchairs.

 

So don't use it then. You sound like if you don't want it then it shouldn't be provided for those who do. I'm all right, Jack. The very fact that elderly folk have had to endure a long cramped flight is all the more reason to provide it - which is why less selfish people than you do provide it.

[starman_tom]

I do believe us Thailand Elite members will still be using it ????

[TEFLKrabi]

1 hour ago, rodpav said:

I used to get this fast track with Qatar airways being a  silver member but not anymore, the lines for fast track were slow track heaps of people going through so defo people were making money off it 

Why don’t Qatar give it to you on a silver card? It part of their package.

[Sydebolle]

I hope nobody is surprised - there is absolutely nothing in this country where Thais would not try to cheat. We all know how to handle this but Khon Thai is superior to the rest of the planet's creatures so let them deal with it. 

[observer90210]

Last time I bought the Priority Lane card, I felt it a waste of money as immigration on arrival was emplty. Flight arrived around 17h00 hrs which seems to be a very quiet moment. Same for departure, there was a slight queue and a very intelligent immigration supervisor opened up extra counters which usually seemed to be reserved for the chinese and all was processed real fast.

[ThomasThBKK]

1 hour ago, starman_tom said:

I do believe us Thailand Elite members will still be using it ????

 

I think they always drive us to empty/different ones, i never had seen and i travel a damn lot, these so called cramped priority lines with my own eyes - but they get mentioned here often.

Whenever they picked me up there was a max of 2 people in front of me no matter what time i arrived. For sure also helps a lot that you are defininately one of the first to arrive there before the rest of your plane.

[sammieuk1]

It was only last week I learned there were prostitutes working here now "mafia" time for a long overdue crackdown???? 

[ganegon]

I have been speaking with people of https://www.limousine.in.th/ because of this news and they told me that this service is still available to economy passengers. They say that they don’t use the kind of coupons that appear on the news. I don’t know what to believe

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

12 hours ago, darksidedog said:

I somehow suspect the "airport mafia" will find a way round this, or come up with some new scams fairly soon.

 

Where there's a will, there's a way... especially when money's involved!

[gk10002000]

So does this mean that all the various fast track services advertised, some of which get you access to airport lounges, are no longer valid?  Some ThaiVisa members had posted good reviews of some of them

[TonyFernandez]

This is almost certainly fake news. You can still book fast track through the usual online channels for dates in July or later.  

[adammike]

Fast track for security and passport is available all over the world it's not rocket science,I use fast track passport at Manchester airport when I arrive costs £5 and priority security when I leave also £5,last time I used fast track at Bangkok cost 920 or 980 Baht thats around £25.Somebody was making money but the wrong people you know what happens if you mess with somebody's rice bowl.

[adammike]

9 hours ago, ThaiBunny said:

The girls all call out "Hansum man papa" whenever I pass - is that sufficient consideration and support?

When you actually get old it's gran(d) papa.

[Lacessit]

10 hours ago, Letseng said:

This is this very lane. Would be a good idea to have separate lane for oldies with their entourage instead of clogging fasttrack based on premium tickets.

I'm also over 70. But why should I get priority as a fit and able body traveller? If  folks survive 10 and more hrs in economy they are surely fit enough for immigration queue.

I have not seen priority immigration for seniors anywhere in Europe. You queue like the rest.

I'm not talking about folks in wheelchairs.

I'm over 70 too. If officialdom is thoughtful enough to give me a privilege, I'll take it. The relevance of European immigration queues escapes me.

Perhaps you are a masochist who enjoys the cattle crush at Suvarnabhumi.

 

[Pique Dard]

21 hours ago, webfact said:

The airport mafia would be hit by the new regulations...

i'm kinda sceptic because the "airport mafia" will soon find another way to make money!