I am heading off to Vietnam for a few days from Bangkok and returning back xmas eve to swampy.

 

A couple of years ago I was allowed to use the same lane as my Thai wife as it was busy.

 

Now that fingerprint scanners have been installed for "  all foreigners" will they still allow a non Thai to go through with their Thai spouse?

 

Don't fancy the long ques on Christmas Eve at 2 pm in the afternoon.

 

Thanks 

Not sure when they installed the fingerprint scanners but my last entry with my wife was end of July and I had no problem using the Thai line.

 

Thinking about it again, yes they did have the scanners and I made a complete mess of it not knowing where to put my fingers but yes I was allowed to enter along with my wife.

Edited December 19, 20196 yr by gmac

Used the Thai lane this December without a problem. The lane had fingerprint scanner.

We used the Thai lane in Sept. last without any difficulty.

Just a note:  The regular lines were loaded - Thai line empty.  I asked the lady in uniform at the entry if I could use the Thai line, she said yes.  I was 68 and a single male at the time ASK, you might be surprised!

Edited December 19, 20196 yr by edwardflory
spelling

You mean to say the finger print scanners were working? The last two times I came through this yea they weren't using them as there was no bio metric officer working!

6 hours ago, jimbob333 said:

Now that fingerprint scanners have been installed for "  all foreigners" will they still allow a non Thai to go through with their Thai spouse?

 

Jimbob333 I have in the past several months made two trips outside of Thailand and was allowed to use the Thai lane back with my fiance so I believe the answer is Yes. 

My wife usually asks first as I am in the farang line, then she signals me all good on every occasion, don't know if it makes a difference, we have kids.

Good question, thanks for posting.????

Worked this Monday when my wife and I arrived at Phuket airport, even did the fingerprint thing too... - nobody was in the Thai line and long queue in the "rest-of-world" one.

I fail to see how people's time is so valuable that in Thailand that have to rush about like they are back in Farang land and cannot operate at buffalo speed. Sad.

5 minutes ago, Andycoops said:

I fail to see how people's time is so valuable that in Thailand that have to rush about like they are back in Farang land and cannot operate at buffalo speed. Sad.

There is a difference between taking it easy and wasting time in a queue ???? 

This year when i came back from the UK they asked if i lived in Thailand ,then told me to use the Thai lane ,never been fingerprinted.

At Survanbum there is still a Thai Line?

As I think all thais use the automatic gates which can not use by most foreigners.

4 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

queue jumpers

 

Hardly.. It's the same in U.K, my wife uses the line with me. Why should families be split up going through immigration ?? 

If you are happy to stand in a queue for an hour when you could just accompany your partner, that's your right ????

any one know if this might also apply to border crosings

8 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Another spin is that it's not what the Thai line is for. I have same partner 7 yes up and we travel often. Never once used the "Thai line". I see guys tacked alone with the gf, wife, partner etc in the Thai line..... queue jumpers. 

It makes perfect sense to distribute workload evenly whatever it is

Just arr at Suvarnabumi airport this afternoon and had to wait just 4 mins at Passport. Lots of staff and short queues for Thais and foreigners. Excellent service!

17 minutes ago, Ajarnbrian said:

Just arr at Suvarnabumi airport this afternoon and had to wait just 4 mins at Passport. Lots of staff and short queues for Thais and foreigners. Excellent service!

Finger print scanners still working?

1 hour ago, HampiK said:

At Survanbum there is still a Thai Line?

As I think all thais use the automatic gates which can not use by most foreigners.

 

There are still 2 manual Thai lanes which are right next to the Autochannel lanes. They are necessary because the machines are so unreliable.

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

Another spin is that it's not what the Thai line is for. I have same partner 7 yes up and we travel often. Never once used the "Thai line". I see guys tacked alone with the gf, wife, partner etc in the Thai line..... queue jumpers. 

It's the same in Australia. My Thai wife always goes through the 'Australian citizen' line with me and vice versa. Why not?

I always use the line with my wife.

 

Last time four early 70s entitled Europeans decided they were special enough as well. On top of the fact they shouldn't have been in the line in the first place they were fumbling with their documents. I'd just got off a very long flight and not amused. Neither was immigration blokey.

4 hours ago, HampiK said:

At Survanbum there is still a Thai Line?

As I think all thais use the automatic gates which can not use by most foreigners.

There is still a Thai line as Thai children cannot use the auto gates.

4 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Another spin is that it's not what the Thai line is for. I have same partner 7 yes up and we travel often. Never once used the "Thai line". I see guys tacked alone with the gf, wife, partner etc in the Thai line..... queue jumpers. 

I disagree. The Thai line is for Thai families who can't use the auto gates. I'm a member of a Thai family together with my wife and son. As we approach the passport control we are usually invited to use the Thai line. Disabled people and the over 70s are also allowed to use the Thai and fast track lines so they don't have to stand so long.

6 hours ago, phetpeter said:

You mean to say the finger print scanners were working? The last two times I came through this yea they weren't using them as there was no bio metric officer working!

yes scanner working and used

Edited December 19, 20196 yr by asiaexpat

The wife and I had a couple of pleasant surprises in September.

 

While waiting in line at departures, with Indians constantly queue jumping, a young immigration guy called us over and through to a small door straight into the elite visa immigration departure desks.

 

Arriving back we didn't get a chance to queue up at general immigration as an officer directed us straight to the Thai desks.

 

Give it a shot OP, other users have had successful experiences by just asking. Let us know what happens.

 

For everyone else, if you've arrived at swampy during a particularly busy time and the immigration queue is beyond the "45 minutes" sign, try walking to the next immigration section 100-200m away. Maybe it'll be better -- it usually is for me.

 

Other than that, get an APEC card or diplomatic passport. Or be a pilot/flight staff; you'll get your luggage faster too.

My THAI wife and I went to Vietnam from Chiang Mai about a month ago I used the Thai line with her leaving and returning as I have previously also in Bangkok at both airports.

On 12/19/2019 at 2:25 PM, edwardflory said:

male at the time 

????

On ‎12‎/‎19‎/‎2019 at 7:13 PM, Andycoops said:

I fail to see how people's time is so valuable that in Thailand that have to rush about like they are back in Farang land and cannot operate at buffalo speed. Sad.

Very wrong attitude.  What happens if your Thai partner has to stand and wait 30 minutes or more for you "non Thai" to process through Immigration?

 

Whilst I have never used the Thai line with my long time Thai partner I know those who do and I will certainly attempt this next time if I see a great disparity in the lengths of the queues.