Single Re-entry Permit Issued at Phuket Airport

[LivingNThailand]

I'm going to take a short international trip and was wondering how easy it is to get a single re-entry permit at Phuket Airport.  Where do you get it at the international terminal, opening hours, ease of issuance, complications, etc?   I'd hate to get to the airport and not get the permit.

 

I just signed up and successfully completed the 90 days online, and then realized I would still have to go to immigration to get the reentry permit.  Ugh.

 

Does anyone have any information or input?  Greatly appreciated.

[DrJack54]

https://aseannow.com/topic/1293770-can-you-always-get-a-re-entry-permit-at-phuket-airport/

[LivingNThailand]

41 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

https://aseannow.com/topic/1293770-can-you-always-get-a-re-entry-permit-at-phuket-airport/

Dr. Jack, there was no date on this post.  2023?

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, LivingNThailand said:

Dr. Jack, there was no date on this post.  2023?

Nothing has changed.

 

Reentry permit at airport is available.

I obtained one at DMK 2 Weeks ago.

It was busy and everyone was having immigration provide and prepare the TM8 including photo.

That service is 200b.

I prefer to do the form myself.

 

[Maestro]

1 hour ago, LivingNThailand said:

Dr. Jack, there was no date on this post.  2023?

 

When no year is shown, the day and month shown are for the current year.

https://aseannow.com/topic/1293770-can-you-always-get-a-re-entry-permit-at-phuket-airport/?do=findComment&comment=18058258

 

3 May 2023

[lickard]

Getting a single re-entry permit at Phuket Airport is usually easy. Look for the counter near immigration at the international terminal, bring your documents, and it should be a smooth process.

[LivingNThailand]

This is a weird question.  but here it goes.  If I go to the airport 2-3 weeks before my flight can I get the single entry in advance.  I just got word from 2 of my friends saying that Phuket immigration is totally nuts right now with Russians extending their visa.  wait time up to 2-3 hours.  Not a pleasant experience.  Part of me doesn't "trust" the same day service at the airport.  Maybe I've lived here too long?  Advise?

 

 

Edited November 10, 2023 by LivingNThailand

[a3tsw]

16 minutes ago, LivingNThailand said:

This is a weird question.  but here it goes.  If I go to the airport 2-3 weeks before my flight can I get the single entry in advance.  I just got word from 2 of my friends saying that Phuket immigration is totally nuts right now with Russians extending their visa.  wait time up to 2-3 hours.  Not a pleasant experience.  Part of me doesn't "trust" the same day service at the airport.  Maybe I've lived here too long?  Advise?

 

 

You can get your re-entry permit at immigration in Phuket City , they have a dedicated desk for the re-entry permit , so even though the office may be extremely busy very few are there for re-entry , so the wait is negligible. I went there 2 weeks ago at the busiest period and as soon as I received my numbered ticket it came up on the screen..

[BritTim]

28 minutes ago, LivingNThailand said:

This is a weird question.  but here it goes.  If I go to the airport 2-3 weeks before my flight can I get the single entry in advance.  I just got word from 2 of my friends saying that Phuket immigration is totally nuts right now with Russians extending their visa.  wait time up to 2-3 hours.  Not a pleasant experience.  Part of me doesn't "trust" the same day service at the airport.  Maybe I've lived here too long?  Advise?

 

You can only get a re-entry permit at the airport on the day you are leaving on an international flight. They would not give you one even if you were just about to take a domestic flight to Bangkok, immediately intending to connect with an international flight out of Thailand.

[LivingNThailand]

An update from my experience getting a single entry at the Phuket Airport.  No problem at all.  Just look for the big sign that says OVERSTAYERS PAY HERE  and there is a group of officers to help you.  There was no one in front of me and it took the officer about 10-15 minutes to process everything.   I had all the forms filled out and photos with me.  A group of airline flight attendants came in after me, but they seemed to process them pretty quickly, passport, photo, fingerprint, and approval, so it wouldn't have been too bad being behind them in line.  There is no need to go to Phuket Town anymore!  Thanks for all your advice.

 

On another note, and this doesn't have to do with my original post, but I have to say something.  The Phuket International Departure Lounge is an armpit.  They keep saying Phuket is a world class destination, but where is the world class service?  It was crowded, we were pushed around like cattle, the "food" servers where rude, the only "food" I could find was a couple of sandwiches and pizza, and there was nowhere to sit.  It was a totally miserable experience.  And they want MORE tourists?  Are they crazy.  The Ho Chi Mihn departure lounge was pleasant, with plenty of seating, sit down dining, and nice, calm people.  Ok, end of rant, but it's going to be a while before I fly again out of Phuket International.    

[oldcpu]

3 hours ago, LivingNThailand said:

On another note, and this doesn't have to do with my original post, but I have to say something.  The Phuket International Departure Lounge is an armpit.

 

Ok - a bit off topic, but I tend to agree, when it is crowded, the Phuket International (and also the Domestic) Departure area can be a zoo.  

 

One can reduce the pain 'a bit' by going to a proper lounge in the air side of the terminal, which may be possible if one obtains free lounge access from their credit card (where some of the more exclusive cards provide a couple of Dragon Pass access per year).  However to obtain such a credit card, one typically needs to have a lot of money in the bank (that issues the credit card) or pay a higher annual fee for such a credit card.  

 

Also, if one flies Bangkok Airways (granted that tends to be more domestic) one can access the very basic Bangkok Airways lounge, which while incredibly basic, is sometimes still preferable to the crowded zoo that Phuket domestic terminal airside (outside of such a lounge) can also be as well.

 

Still - even a lounge doesn't get rid of the last 15-to-30-minutes of pain in the terminal (airside) when one is waiting for the gate to load, which per Murphy's law, tends to be a late boarding of the aircraft when the crowd waiting to board the aircraft is the absolute largest - making one wait longer and longer in the "zoo".

[LivingNThailand]

56 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

Still - even a lounge doesn't get rid of the last 15-to-30-minutes of pain in the terminal (airside) when one is waiting for the gate to load, which per Murphy's law, tends to be a late boarding of the aircraft when the crowd waiting to board the aircraft is the absolute largest - making one wait longer and longer in the "zoo".

I did not know there was a lounge you could pay for at Phuket Airport.  Gladly pay to get away from the crowds.  Man, I wish I had "talked" to you sooner.  If I ever leave this rock again I'm headed straight for the Coral Lounge.  

The ultimate pain we had was that we had to go downstairs, and about 5 flights were waiting to board, and all of them appeared to be late.  The room was packed.  At this point, I whipped out my emergency mask.  Then we had to get crammed into a little bus, bused over to the plane, and climb up the stairs to the plane.   I paid extra to sit in front of the plane to be first in and out.  Anyway, enough of my whining.  As my friend says, I'd like a little cheese with my whine.   I guess it was worth it to find out about the lounge.  thanks.