Suvarnabhumi Airport opens automated channels to foreign travellers

[snoop1130]

 

The Immigration Bureau (IB) announced that Suvarnabhumi International Airport’s automated channels are now accessible to foreigners to alleviate congestion for outbound travel. This decision, effective from December 15, aligns with the Prime Minister’s directive, enforced by Srettha Thavasin, to enhance the outbound immigration system.

 

The move is aimed at reducing the density of passengers who need to rush to catch their flights, echoing the government’s tourism promotion policy.

 

The 61 year old Thai prime minister had previously given orders during a sub-committee meeting related to tourism at Suvarnabhumi Airport. This move was implemented before his departure to attend the APEC meeting in San Francisco, USA, in mid-November this year.

 

Today, Lieutenant Police General Itthiphon Itthisanronnachai, Chief of the Immigration Bureau, divulged that the IB has developed an automated channel or an automatic passport control system for departures at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Initially, it could only check Thai passport holders, but from December 15, it will also accommodate foreign passport holders.

 

The automated channel system for departures at Suvarnabhumi Airport, in operation since 2012, comprises 16 machines primarily used to check Thai passengers. The process, which includes cross-checking faces and fingerprints, takes approximately 20 seconds per person. In comparison, manual checking by officers takes about 45 seconds per person.

 

Suvarnabhumi Airport currently handles between 50,000 and 60,000 outbound passengers daily. It experiences peak congestion when over 20 flights depart within the same hour. Passengers must go through check-in, security scanning, and immigration processes, risking missing their flight if delayed. Hence, the IB is striving to streamline various steps to expedite the processing of large numbers of passengers, to avoid any impact on flight schedules.

 

By Nattapong Westwood

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2023-12-11

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

[richard_smith237]

This is an excellent idea... 

 

It makes perfect sense to allow regular visitors the freedom to move in and out via Automatic Gates. 

 

For those on Non-Immigrant Visa's it would be easy to register their biometrics with these machines and register them with these Auto-gates - they could even combine it with an ID card (as many other countries do) to remove the ambiguity of having to carry your passport or not.

 

I've been entering Dubai and Doha for years using these Auto-gates - its so much more efficient and it helps from a dual approach.

Cutting down the queues for those using normal lanes, and allowing regular visitors a faster option. 

 

 

An outstanding issue maybe the 'permitted to stay' stamp would no longer be present - but, the extension dates on a non-imm visa take care of that anyway so they don't really need a departure and entry stamp. 

 

 

 

[bamnutsak]

Looking forward to some real-time reports on/after 15 Dec.

 

I guess the minimum requirement is that your passport be an ePassport (biometric with chip).

 

For the U.S. I think this is designated on the front cover, middle bottom with a symbol that looks kind of like a SIM card. 

 

 

[ezzra]

I came in 2 weeks ago at 8pm on a Saturday and having to walk like a mile from the arrival gate only to find like a 1000 arrivals already queuing for the passport control ahead of me, thinking i'm probably going to sleep at the airport tonight, i was pleasantly surprise that i was all done and in a taxi within one hour of our landing and to that my kudos to the boys and girls of the immigration's ...

Quote

 

 

[samtam]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

For those on Non-Immigrant Visa's it would be easy to register their biometrics with these machines and register them with these Auto-gates - they could even combine it with an ID card (as many other countries do) to remove the ambiguity of having to carry your passport or not.

 

Do you think this is feasible? I expect the Non-Imm visa holders, (the soon to be newest tax group in Thailand), will not have this benefit. But if the queues are reduced by a large number of foreign tourists, then it may help the process, the nightmare of which I experienced in my first in a long time non Priority Pass/Lane when exiting Bangkok in September, (when I took economy). Coming back was of course dire. Shall revert to Business Class when I travel next. 

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, samtam said:

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

For those on Non-Immigrant Visa's it would be easy to register their biometrics with these machines and register them with these Auto-gates - they could even combine it with an ID card (as many other countries do) to remove the ambiguity of having to carry your passport or not.

 

Do you think this is feasible? I expect the Non-Imm visa holders, (the soon to be newest tax group in Thailand), will not have this benefit. But if the queues are reduced by a large number of foreign tourists, then it may help the process, the nightmare of which I experienced in my first in a long time non Priority Pass/Lane when exiting Bangkok in September, (when I took economy). Coming back was of course dire. Shall revert to Business Class when I travel next. 

 

It works in other countries... I can enter both Dubai and Doha through the e-gates (cos I hold residency (temporary though work)...

Its a very simple matter of the Immigration officer registering your passport the first time you depart (under that visa / extension of stay). 

 

There is no reason this can't work for any Non-Imm O and B visa holders - and extensions of stay related to that visa. 

 

The only 'tripping point' will be in the minds of those who may seek to limit the Options and who can use such a system.

 

 

 

 

 

[Danderman123]

So, no more exit stamp?

 

If you are worried about how long you can stay in Thailand without incurring tax resident status, you won't have a record in your passport of departures from Thailand.  And so, you will need Immigration to coordinate with the Revenue Department to tally your time in Thailand.

[webfact]

New self-service immigration exits twice as fast and allow for tighter incoming security checks at airport
by James Morris and Son Nguyen

 

Commander-in-chief of the Immigration Bureau Police Lieutenant General Itthiphon Itthisanronnachai and Commander of Immigration Bureau Division 2 Police Major General Choengron Rimphadee, along with other officers, inspect the self-service exit points at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Monday.

Suvarnabhumi Airport ushers in a travel revolution! Effective Dec 15, automatic exit lanes for foreigners. Twice as fast, it’s new from the Immigration Bureau. Passport control, whittled down from 45 to 20 seconds, speeding up operations and aligning with Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s plans to boost tourism with better security.

The Immigration Bureau’s plan to allow foreign tourists to use automatic exit channels at both Suvarnabhumi Airport and Don Mueang Airport will proceed as planned from December 15th. The new regime will apply to foreigners with e-passports from approximately 70 countries. It will cut the processing time for passengers exiting the country through an Immigration checkpoint from 45 seconds to 20 seconds thus helping to speed up operations at the country’s two main airports.

 

In a groundbreaking move set to change its operational dynamics to make things easier for travellers, Suvarnabhumi Airport is ready to open an automatic exit lane for foreigners, effective December 15, aiming to alleviate congestion and expedite outbound travel.

 

Undeniably, the initiative aligns with Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s tourism-centric policy, emphasising the need for efficiency and a seamless airport experience.

 

Full story: Thai Examiner.com 2023-12-12

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

[hotchilli]

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The Immigration Bureau (IB) announced that Suvarnabhumi International Airport’s automated channels are now accessible to foreigners to alleviate congestion for outbound travel.

I guess this is the digital age.. however at my provincial immigration office you can still witness a truly mountainous stack of paperwork for every foreigner.

[wpcoe]

Hopefully this is only the first phase.  A nice second phase would be automated channels for arrivals.

[PJ71]

6 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

So, no more exit stamp?

This is a very good point, we all know that the Thai beurucracy love photo copies of passport pages and stamps as evidence of something or another...

[ThaiFelix]

What are the chances of these machines tearing off arms or legs as we have seen with other machines at the airport?

[ikke1959]

My passport has biometric chip for some years already. However I went several times out Thailand and came back, and everytime they need my fingerprints and photo.. Should i believe that these machine are working? Even with renewal your visa they need new pictures at the office every year and of course a paper pic,,  

[ezzra]

The quick exit system has been implemented in Australia for several years already where you slide your passport into a machine while your picture is take and away you go, Aussies and non Aussies alike...

[Smokey and the Bandit]

14 minutes ago, ThaiFelix said:

What are the chances of these machines tearing off arms or legs as we have seen with other machines at the airport?

This is Thailand, anything can happen?

[Tarteso]

Do they turn off the metal detectors ? 🤔I see more medals, badges & insignia than guys. 

[daveAustin]

15 minutes ago, ezzra said:

The quick exit system has been implemented in Australia for several years already where you slide your passport into a machine while your picture is take and away you go, Aussies and non Aussies alike...

Same in UK, though I don’t remember any scans of passport going out other than a glance at check-in and boarding gate.

 

Good to see Thailand moving forward on this and the smiling donkey actually pushing something through that is tangible.  

[JMT42]

Good luck with the new system

[Drumbuie]

7 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

So, no more exit stamp?

 

If you are worried about how long you can stay in Thailand without incurring tax resident status, you won't have a record in your passport of departures from Thailand.  And so, you will need Immigration to coordinate with the Revenue Department to tally your time in Thailand.

They are almost certainly doing this because your exit and entry date and time will now be added to your file in Immigration's database.

 

Thailand's government has  come late to the potential of national databases compared to (say) the UK and US, but they're catching up fast. 

 

[Srikcir]

13 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

freedom to move in and out via Automatic Gates. 

It's an exit from Thailand channel.

[Srikcir]

1 hour ago, PJ71 said:

This is a very good point, we all know that the Thai beurucracy love photo copies of passport pages and stamps as evidence of something or another...

For some Thai visas (O, OA, LTR) the exit date stops the residence reporting date clock (typ. 90 days) and re-entry date resets the reporting date. Not an issue for foreign tourists. But there is international airport Fast Track exit & entry for some Thai resident visas (Elite, LTR).  

[mikebell]

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

IB has developed an automated channel

No they haven't.  They've copied the ones used in many other airports round the world.  Judging by the photo, Immigration officers have all got fat off the process.

[jacko45k]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

The quick exit system has been implemented in Australia for several years already where you slide your passport into a machine while your picture is take and away you go, Aussies and non Aussies alike...

That might be the same one that has caused Mayhem at UK airports after the system fails!

[impulse]

1 hour ago, ikke1959 said:

My passport has biometric chip for some years already. However I went several times out Thailand and came back, and everytime they need my fingerprints and photo.. Should i believe that these machine are working? Even with renewal your visa they need new pictures at the office every year and of course a paper pic,,  

Seems pretty reasonable that they want to make sure it's your passport, whether by matching fingerprints or facial recognition, obviously every time...

[willr]

14 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

This is an excellent idea... 

 

It makes perfect sense to allow regular visitors the freedom to move in and out via Automatic Gates. 

 

For those on Non-Immigrant Visa's it would be easy to register their biometrics with these machines and register them with these Auto-gates - they could even combine it with an ID card (as many other countries do) to remove the ambiguity of having to carry your passport or not.

 

I've been entering Dubai and Doha for years using these Auto-gates - its so much more efficient and it helps from a dual approach.

Cutting down the queues for those using normal lanes, and allowing regular visitors a faster option. 

 

 

An outstanding issue maybe the 'permitted to stay' stamp would no longer be present - but, the extension dates on a non-imm visa take care of that anyway so they don't really need a departure and entry stamp. 

 

 

 

At the moment it's only for departures.

[Danderman123]

27 minutes ago, Drumbuie said:

They are almost certainly doing this because your exit and entry date and time will now be added to your file in Immigration's database.

 

Thailand's government has  come late to the potential of national databases compared to (say) the UK and US, but they're catching up fast. 

 

My point is:

 

The dreaded day when the Revenue Department comes to my door, demanding a tax return because they think I'm a tax resident (in Thailand more than 179 days)  my passport stamps can't be used as a defense.

[Enzian]

Doesn't this say somewhere that the first time I exit (as an American with a chip in my passport which was issued in 2018) under this new system I will still have to see a live IO to enter certain things in a certain way in their system so that the NEXT time will really be the first time I can exit through the automated machine? I have a 5 PM flight on Feb. 3 to the US, and one reason I selected that flight was so I can go to BKK around 1 PM and have lots of time for everything, and then be looking at my laptop which I would be doing at home anyway.

[Sydebolle]

Wonder how they deal with all those Middle Eastern and hand-written third world country passports. What happens with TM6 if someone arrived overland (via Laos, Cambodia or Malaysia) and leaves through BKK by air, where TM6 is no longer required. 

Lets cross the bridge once we get there, for the time being I would still plan ample time for Thailand's departure bureaucracy which, best case scenario, will allow you to have a nice, stress-free, cool farewell beer the airport 8-)  Bon voyage ;-) 

[SunsetT]

15 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

It works in other countries... I can enter both Dubai and Doha through the e-gates (cos I hold residency (temporary though work)...

Its a very simple matter of the Immigration officer registering your passport the first time you depart (under that visa / extension of stay). 

 

There is no reason this can't work for any Non-Imm O and B visa holders - and extensions of stay related to that visa. 

 

The only 'tripping point' will be in the minds of those who may seek to limit the Options and who can use such a system.

 

 

 

 

 

3 times now when returning to the UK I have tried to use these machines which I know are pretty straightforward. The problem is the machine asks me to remove my glasses and then I cannot read the following steps. Then i do something wrong and I am immediately directed by an assistant to a manned booth. So I never discover what I am doing wrong...lol. I suppose I should insist that the assistant tell me what I do wrong but being very tired, jetlagged and having a train to catch I just want to get through ASAP.

Edited December 12, 2023 by SunsetT

[crazykopite]

11 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

So, no more exit stamp?

 

If you are worried about how long you can stay in Thailand without incurring tax resident status, you won't have a record in your passport of departures from Thailand.  And so, you will need Immigration to coordinate with the Revenue Department to tally your time in Thailand.

I’m from the U.K. who have an agreement with Thailand when it comes to Tax issues and as I pay U.K. Taxes I don’t see a problem Al my income from the U.K. comes from a U.K. savings account I retired some 19 years ago