Australians and New Zealanders may soon be able to use Automatic Gates at Suvarnabhumi

[ROGER DUNN]

About Bloody Time Too, Was there a Couple Of Weeks ago There was 4 E Gates with One Thai Person Using it And Hundreds Of Tourists Waiting for Hours To get Through Waiting in Line. This is Unacceptable. Not a Very Good Impression For Visitors To Your Country. After a Long Flight we Don’t Need this <deleted> !!!

[madmitch]

The difference is that Australia has an evisa system, where the visa information is held electronically on the passport. Thailand don't do this yet; the full page stamp or sticker is still required, hence the system whereby an application for a tourist visa is made online yet you heve to go to an embassy or consulate to have the visa inserted into the passport. Surely that system will have to change first.

[kevinmartyn]

Well how wonderful! What a lot of "Croc". I've just returned from the beach in Rayong after spending 3 day's the only foreign there. All i will say it's going to take more than that! Most people plan their holidays 1 year in advance and even though "Australian's" and "New Zealanders" shall be offered this I'm sure they will not have Thailand on the programme! It's too expensive!

[tom in bangkok]

In fairness, Australia allows a huge number of foreign nationals to use the automatic gates at airports, causing aussies to stand in line behind huge groups of tourists only to tap on the screen twice and take a ticket. About time we got some express service IMO.

[NanLaew]

3 hours ago, Geonoise said:

Gates for Non-B and Non-O visa holders ??!!

You mean gates for the wailing, teeth-gnashing, hand-wringing "They don't like us here" crowd?

Edited August 23, 2019 by NanLaew

[DJ54]

And if anyone mentions the untrue POME about OZ in the line might put a wrench in the works (delay) until some knowledgeable 

person submits it for review... could be long wait.. Who do they think started the break it brexit thing...

 

But look at it on the bright side you have fine company in line with

us American. Messing with y’all OZ folks..

[sambum]

5 hours ago, sweatalot said:

Discrimination

Where are the automatic gates for Germans, Americans, Brits?

There won't be enough to warrant them soon - maybe already! (Surprised they haven't been installed for Chinese and Indians!)

 

Australians and New Zealanders may soon be able to use Automatic Gates at Suvarnabhumi

INN News quoted the Wing Commander as saying that the airport was waiting to see if the new nationalities were "appropriate" for using the gates.

I wonder what you have to do to be deemed "inappropriate"? Pee in the queue perhaps?

Edited August 23, 2019 by sambum

[hobobo]

6 hours ago, sweatalot said:

Discrimination

Where are the automatic gates for Germans, Americans, Brits?

No chance, they've got to queue and sweat a lot 

[SunsetT]

6 hours ago, sweatalot said:

Discrimination

Where are the automatic gates for Germans, Americans, Brits?

Or just have 'Falang' gates......lol.

[BestB]

54 minutes ago, sambum said:

There won't be enough to warrant them soon - maybe already! (Surprised they haven't been installed for Chinese and Indians!)

 

Australians and New Zealanders may soon be able to use Automatic Gates at Suvarnabhumi

INN News quoted the Wing Commander as saying that the airport was waiting to see if the new nationalities were "appropriate" for using the gates.

I wonder what you have to do to be deemed "inappropriate"? Pee in the queue perhaps?

I would say have compatible passport chips which allows for the system to work or be connected to some centralized system.

 

But still wondering how would entry stamps work. even for tourists

 

In Oz, you do not go through the gates automatically, when you off the plane, have immigration officer who looks at your passport and arrival card and directs you to either the gates or manual processing.

 

Anyone know how it works with Singaporean and HK now? 

[manitoba]

5 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Whatever it takes to speed things up at Swampy is a good thing. Not sure why they picked these nations, but it barely matters. Good on them. Just get more efficient please. Nobody wants to wait on a one hour line after finishing a 10-25 hour trip. Just do your jobs. Be competent. Man up. 

As every important world leader or their equals, the immigration officers know; To make other people to wait for you, is a sign of significant power! 

 

 

[phkauf]

The situation at Swampy is unbearable. I left today around 9am and the line to go through immigration was backed up all the way to the security checkpoint. No line at security mind you, it was all at immigration.

It was insane and I would guess that 1/3 of the desks were not manned.

Why don't they allow those with METV to use the auto gates? That's the lowest hanging fruit to start with. Absolute morons running things.

[davidst01]

8 hours ago, sweatalot said:

Discrimination

Where are the automatic gates for Germans, Americans, Brits?

TOO LOW CLASS

[Swedenlars]

7 hours ago, Reigntax said:

In the EU !

Wrong. Things have changed completely in the EU. To enter the  EU without any hassles there are some steps to follow. 1) You have to be from Africa or some Arab country. 2) Claim you don't have a passport or ID 3) VERY IMPORTANT: claim your are i.e. from Nigeria but in reality you are from Congo. That means it it will take years to find out the truth or maybe they will never find out. 4) You will be given permanent Asylum status after a short time. 5) Make sure you make a lot of babies during this time and you can stay for ever in the EU. And the good thing about this: You never ever have to work, get free health care for the whole family. But it does not stop there of course: All your kids will get high class and free education. Conclusion. Welcome to paradise. More, please never say again the Thais are dumb or for this matter, any Asian country. They are  much, much smarter than us. OK, OK, when it comes to immigration or illegal stays in their country. The rest, I rather don't want to comment here. This is another story.

[AntipodeanThai]

7 hours ago, Thaifly88 said:

smart choice to allow Australians and NZ'ers to be next in line. They are relatively small in visitor numbers as well as trouble free and law abiding. No need to over scutinize them ????

Your totally wrong get your facts right, Those from oZ represent 30% of inwards tourists 

[dallen52]

7 hours ago, Pungdo said:

Australia and New Zealand are part of the ASEAN Free Trade area, could be why ????

No they are not....

 

Part of APEC yes.

ASEAN no.

 

• ASEAN membership. 10 States ― Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. ...

 

[dallen52]

7 hours ago, ThaiBunny said:

I'd suspect that Australia and New Zealand may well be negotiating opening their own smart gates to Thais

Australian smart gates accept all

e passports now. All nationalities. 

 

Eligible passengers

People of any nationality can use SmartGates. You must also:

• have an ePassport or other machine-readable passport
• be able to follow the instructions without help.

If your children need help to follow the instructions, please do not use the SmartGates. Families with babies or small children will be checked by an Australian Border Force officer.

[dallen52]

 

But Australia didn't create ASEAN. 

Kevin may have moved for Australia to be a state member,  but it was founded way back in 1967 in Bangkok. 

 

 

History

ASEAN was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok by the five original member countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam joined on 8 January 1984, Vietnam on 28 July 1995, Laos and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, and Cambodia on 30 April 1999

 

 

Membership

10 States ― Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. 1 Observer – Papua New Guinea.

 

ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Membership

27 States – Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Canada, China, European Union, India, Indonesia, Japan, Democratic Peoples’ Republic of Korea, Republic of Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Mongolia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Russian Federation, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor Leste, United States, and Vietnam.

[Youlike]

It's always great to see happy aussies at the thai customs, i love the moment when they take their flynet off and are searching for flies which are not there. Some still slap their faces even while waiting for the taxi ????

[Tuvoc]

Selfish opinion - great news if it happens. I currently use my UK passport when I travel, but can switch to using my New Zealand one for travel to Thailand if beneficial. That is the one I'll be using anyway when I settle permanently in Thailand.

[Traubert]

I expect the New Zealanders will be directed to Gate 'Tin.'

 

The Aussies will be sent to 'that fakka there, you fakkinblind mate, jeez.'

[Destiny1990]

When will they finally throw a bone to the Europeans?

[Salerno]

7 hours ago, AntipodeanThai said:

Why don't some here do the most basic of research before they open their stupid mouths.

Have to agree, much better to let people think you're an idiot than confirm it:

 

7 hours ago, AntipodeanThai said:

Yes OZ is actually started and created ASEAN you ill informed idiot, are yet another ill informed member here

 

7 hours ago, AntipodeanThai said:

OZ  created ASEAN under ex PM Rudd. 

 

Please refrain from posting more drivel, you're embarrassing the rest of us.

[PatOngo]

14 hours ago, car720 said:

Well, at least the Thais recognize class when they see it.  

Not so fast! A committee is still determining if they are appropriate or not!

[Sheryl]

several flaming posts have been removed

[ubon farang]

Hooray its about time. How about getting all the booths Automated That will really speed things up. Have a few operated by officals.  1 thai doing the work and 3 watching walking around doing nothing Thailand it is a step forward Do it Don Mueng next

[British Bulldog]

15 hours ago, catch104 said:

They are not member of ASEAN

I'm sorry but ....

 

.... so they are part of the FREE Trade agreement .... but not necessarily ASEAN on the whole !

[hotchilli]

16 hours ago, Thaifly88 said:

smart choice to allow Australians and NZ'ers to be next in line. They are relatively small in visitor numbers as well as trouble free and law abiding. No need to over scutinize them ????

Except the Aussi big biker of course !!

[British Bulldog]

8 hours ago, dallen52 said:

No they are not....

 

Part of APEC yes.

ASEAN no.

 

• ASEAN membership. 10 States ― Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. ...

 

I'm afraid that Australia is part of the free trade agreement but not ASEAN on the whole

 

[dallen52]

14 hours ago, ballpoint said:

I wonder if this will be able to take into account the type of visa, or if it will only be for a standard visa free entry for tourists?  If the latter, then long termers will still have to use the manned checkpoints.

This ties into the Thailand method of physically stamping passports still.

Which consumes pages for frequent travellers.

And obviously creates work, plus delays.

Plus the biometric finger scans, which already exist in the passport. 

And the multiple image facial recognition scan.

 

If my partner travels to Australia with me, NO visa sticker, NO entry or exit stamp. 

E Gates, incorporating the facial recognition scan, and a matter of minutes. 

 

UK still has a visa sticker for most overseas tourists and visitors. 

And arrival queues up to 90 minutes at Heathrow.