Hi, anybody made use of fast track services at Bangkok airport? Are the immigration officials friendlier at the fast track counters? 

Yes very friendly. You'll be given a pillow while you wait in detention before deportation

4 minutes ago, LauChan said:

Hi, anybody made use of fast track services at Bangkok airport? Are the immigration officials friendlier at the fast track counters? 

I use it all the time since I am over 70 the officials are the same but as the name says a bit faster and fewer people.

Fast tract at BKK does not equate to io going easy on continuous stay (with short time out) 

 

There are agents do "meet and greet" at fast tract to assist.

 

Suggest a visa is best option. 

53 minutes ago, LauChan said:

Hi, anybody made use of fast track services at Bangkok airport? Are the immigration officials friendlier at the fast track counters? 

I have used the service several times. I would say they are just as friendly as the regular IOs. You are processed much quicker is the distinct benefit 

3 minutes ago, Sumiyoshicho said:

I have used the service several times. I would say they are just as friendly as the regular IOs. You are processed much quicker is the distinct benefit 

Try using a wheelchair you get through fast.

 I have used it many times as I travel back and forth from the USA. However, there are some people that are not over the age of 70 that seem to abuse this privilege for us older folks. Friendly, Yes and quicker.

Where is the FasTrack located? 

15 hours ago, Dan747 said:

 I have used it many times as I travel back and forth from the USA. However, there are some people that are not over the age of 70 that seem to abuse this privilege for us older folks. Friendly, Yes and quicker.

The people you see using Fast Track are not abusing anything. 

"Passengers who can use the Fast Track are: First Class passenger / Business Class passenger / Person with a disability / Infant / Pregnant / BOI and APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) / Smart Visa / Long Stay / Thailand Privilege / Buddhist Monk / Senior Citizens over 70 / Official, Diplomatic Passport / Crew"

49 minutes ago, AAArdvark said:

Where is the FasTrack located? 

on the right side of immigration as you go up the ramp.

1 hour ago, VirgoSG said:

The people you see using Fast Track are not abusing anything. 

"Passengers who can use the Fast Track are: First Class passenger / Business Class passenger / Person with a disability / Infant / Pregnant / BOI and APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) / Smart Visa / Long Stay / Thailand Privilege / Buddhist Monk / Senior Citizens over 70 / Official, Diplomatic Passport / Crew"

Perhaps he was referring to wheelchair use. I've used it. I'm 90, but I've noticed quite a few who seem young and active using it. Mostly it would seem by the Indian travellers. Just an observation. 

29 minutes ago, Gandtee said:

Perhaps he was referring to wheelchair use. I've used it. I'm 90, but I've noticed quite a few who seem young and active using it. Mostly it would seem by the Indian travellers. Just an observation. 

The wheelchair system is abused by some and often overweight Indian women both in Thailand & Heathrow . Mostly just lazy people without any  disablement's .  I also heard a white English woman who told us that she " blagged it " and got a wheelchair because it was a long way to walk ( nothing physically wrong with her ). Also I sat next to 2 British guys on a flight from the UK to Thailand who drank alcohol the entire flight . One said to me that they would get through Thai Immigration quickly because he carries a fake doctors letter which said he had sciatica . Sure enough they passed me in electric buggies . There should be a way of vetting the users of wheelchairs .

18 hours ago, Dan747 said:

 I have used it many times as I travel back and forth from the USA. However, there are some people that are not over the age of 70 that seem to abuse this privilege for us older folks. Friendly, Yes and quicker.

This service is not only for 70-year+ passengers as first and business-class ticket holders can also use it. Disabled and wheelchair users are also eligible and you can pay for it as well. They carefully check your ticket before allowing you in so I don't know how you think it is being abused. On arrival, you can use fast-track immigration if you are with a Thai citizen or have young children but the same does not apply on departure.

Have Long Term Resident visa with multiple re-entry, very quick and at worst one person ahead. IO personal and efficient.

56 minutes ago, Gandtee said:

I've noticed quite a few who seem young and active using it.

One of theses perhaps?...

Passengers who can use the Fast Track are: First Class passenger / Business Class passenger / Person with a disability / Infant / Pregnant / BOI and APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) / Smart Visa / Long Stay / Thailand Privilege / Buddhist Monk / Senior Citizens over 70 / Official, Diplomatic Passport / Crew"

9 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

One of theses perhaps?...

Passengers who can use the Fast Track are: First Class passenger / Business Class passenger / Person with a disability / Infant / Pregnant / BOI and APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) / Smart Visa / Long Stay / Thailand Privilege / Buddhist Monk / Senior Citizens over 70 / Official, Diplomatic Passport / Crew"

Indeed.  If one travels business class one can automatically use the Fast Track or VIP Immigration line.

Some airlines eg Emirates will inform you of that.

 

It  usually has a VERY much shorter queue so one is through in a couple of minutes......

 

Be SURE to keep your boarding card handy as there are sometimes staff waiting at the entrance to the Fast Track area checking that you're eligible. 

(You should be keeping the card anyway but that's another topic!)

2 minutes ago, VBF said:

12 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

One of theses perhaps?...

Passengers who can use the Fast Track are: First Class passenger / Business Class passenger / Person with a disability / Infant / Pregnant / BOI and APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) / Smart Visa / Long Stay / Thailand Privilege / Buddhist Monk / Senior Citizens over 70 / Official, Diplomatic Passport / Crew"

Expand  

If one travels business class one can automatically use the Fast Track or VIP Immigration line.

One knows already.  I was responding to Gandtee who did not appear to be aware.

18 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

One of theses perhaps?...

Passengers who can use the Fast Track are: First Class passenger / Business Class passenger / Person with a disability / Infant / Pregnant / BOI and APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) / Smart Visa / Long Stay / Thailand Privilege / Buddhist Monk / Senior Citizens over 70 / Official, Diplomatic Passport / Crew"

Does this include all Thais? 

3 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

22 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

One of theses perhaps?...

Passengers who can use the Fast Track are: First Class passenger / Business Class passenger / Person with a disability / Infant / Pregnant / BOI and APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) / Smart Visa / Long Stay / Thailand Privilege / Buddhist Monk / Senior Citizens over 70 / Official, Diplomatic Passport / Crew"

Does this include all Thais? 

Apparently not unless they are in those categories but I believe there is a line for Thai passports.

58 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Apparently not unless they are in those categories but I believe there is a line for Thai passports.

I see, so there is the normal line, the fast lane and the Thai line.

Used it several times when work have ponied up the cost of a business class flight, it was very fast compared to the usual lines - the longest wait I had was a bloke got mixed up with which immigration hall he should be using, took 5 mins for he IO in broken English to tell the other gentleman, who also only spoke broken English, to inform him of the ins and outs of proper procedure.

5 hours ago, Mattd said:

on the right side of immigration as you go up the ramp.

This is not the 'main' Fast Track from your explanation but maybe I misunderstood in which case apologies. If for example arriving at C gates, there is a fast track comprising 4 counters on the right of the immigration lanes for Thai Nationals. 99% of the time I use the lanes for Thai Nationals as I have PR and in my experience few if any people queueing and processing of Thai Nationals who don not use the auto channels is quick.

 

Above experience is based on about 100 arrivals since the autochannel for PRs was out of operation in December 2019. 

 

The 'main' Fast Track is about 100m further. Prior to the immigration lanes mentioned in above para there are signs giving the waiting time in each immigration area (main Fast Track and the immigration zones for non Thai Nationals).  

2 hours ago, Neeranam said:

3 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Apparently not unless they are in those categories but I believe there is a line for Thai passports.

I see, so there is the normal line, the fast lane and the Thai line.

 

Yep... pretty much... 4 types of queue / lanes for Thai Immigration upon arrival.

 

1) Fast Track (Thais and Foreigners who meet those requirements).

2) Thai Lane

3) International lane

4) Air Crew

 

For departure there is: 

1) Fast Track 

2) Everyone else

3) Air Crew

 

I could be mistaken but I've not seen a dedicated lane for Thai's on departure. 

 

--------

 

Regarding the Ops question: Are the immigration offers any friendlier ?.... I assume he means any more forgiving of 'borerline cases' where there may be a reason to reject entry on too many back to back visas and / or visa exempt entries etc...

 

... Its possible that those working at the Fast Track lanes are in a better state of mind as they are generally dealing with a better standard of traveller (for want of a better description), thus, that 'could' work in someones favour if they are a borderline case, but much of this comes down to the mindset of an immigration officer more than anything else and there are many other factors which could influence discretion.

 

As far as timing: 

There are many cases where the regular queues are no greater than the fast track queues, there are plenty of other cases when the regular queue is horrific and looks like it would take hours meanwhile the fast track queues are only 2-3 deep.

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

I could be mistaken but I've not seen a dedicated lane for Thai's on departure. 

There is, electrronic gates.

7 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

One knows already.  I was responding to Gandtee who did not appear to be aware.

One is immensely gratified old chap

 

Innit! 😎🤣

Fasttrack is exactly the same. You just avoid the queue snake.

Meet and greet is something else.

On 1/24/2024 at 6:17 PM, Neeranam said:

I see, so there is the normal line, the fast lane and the Thai line.

 

...and the crew line.

On 1/24/2024 at 6:10 PM, Neeranam said:

On 1/24/2024 at 4:32 PM, richard_smith237 said:

I could be mistaken but I've not seen a dedicated lane for Thai's on departure. 

There is, electrronic gates.

 

WRONG...   E-Gates on departure can be used for both Foreigners and Thai's...  so they are not a 'dedicated Thai lane'... 

The only thing I care about, is there a line that says "those with reentry permits enter/exit here"?

2 minutes ago, lordgrinz said:

The only thing I care about, is there a line that says "those with reentry permits enter/exit here"?

 

No, there isn't.