Savarnabhumi airport departure through Electronic Passport Control.

[FRM-BKK]

This morning (Wednesday 20 November) after I checked in with my airline, went through security, all very fast and smooth.

 

The next step may have already been experienced by other members of this site, but was a first for me in my 18 years in Thailand.

 

At the bottom of the escalator entering the immigration 🛂 passport area, I was directed towards the new Electronic Passport Gates.

 

Since I possess an annually extendable work visa & work permit, I had my doubts as to whether I could use this service, as I thought that this was only for tourists on Visa exempt or Thai citizens.

However, I went into the Electronic Passport Gate, where I followed the steps as they came up on the screen, and I was allowed to proceed into the departure area. Took about 1 minute.
 

Obviously this method did not stamp my passport.

 

There were no queues and it all happened quickly and efficiently.

Big surprise  !!

 

I will report back on my return in the New Near, whether getting back into Thailand will be equally as easy !!

 

Well done Thai Immigration congratulations …. a painless experience !!

[treetops]

It's been like that for a while and was expanded with more gates recently.  A couple of posters have stated they returned without issues despite having no exit stamp.

[hotandsticky]

Arrived Swampy 19:30 hrs, self bag drop with Lufthansa , cleared security and Immigration (e-gates) by 19:53 hrs.

 

Nice little shuttle ride to the new building...now just 3 hours to wait until departure....

[Upnotover]

There were reports earlier that there were signs indicating that these channels should not be used if holding a re-entry permit.  Will be interesting to learn if that restriction has now gone.

[msbkk]

On 11/20/2024 at 11:51 AM, FRM-BKK said:

This morning (Wednesday 20 November) after I checked in with my airline, went through security, all very fast and smooth.

 

The next step may have already been experienced by other members of this site, but was a first for me in my 18 years in Thailand.

 

At the bottom of the escalator entering the immigration 🛂 passport area, I was directed towards the new Electronic Passport Gates.

 

Since I possess an annually extendable work visa & work permit, I had my doubts as to whether I could use this service, as I thought that this was only for tourists on Visa exempt or Thai citizens.

However, I went into the Electronic Passport Gate, where I followed the steps as they came up on the screen, and I was allowed to proceed into the departure area. Took about 1 minute.
 

Obviously this method did not stamp my passport.

 

There were no queues and it all happened quickly and efficiently.

Big surprise  !!

 

I will report back on my return in the New Near, whether getting back into Thailand will be equally as easy !!

 

Well done Thai Immigration congratulations …. a painless experience !!

I am in the same situation and was directed to the automatic gates. I pointed out to the staff that I do have a 1 year visa and re-entry. I was told that long visa holders cannot use the automatic gates and was then directed to the normal immigration counter to receive a stamp for departure. 

[rimmae2]

2 minutes ago, msbkk said:

I am in the same situation and was directed to the automatic gates. I pointed out to the staff that I do have a 1 year visa and re-entry. I was told that long visa holders cannot use the automatic gates and was then directed to the normal immigration counter to receive a stamp for departure. 

I have Permanent Residence and last month after using the normal immigration lanes at Thai Airways Business Class I went to the Immigration counter and asked if I could use the autogates and was informed yes. Will leave again tomorrow and ask but not take the risk of using autogates yet. Over the last 2 years I have asked Immigration many times and received differnt answers.

 

Pre-covid I register for the then autochannels and used them about 100 times on departures and arrival.

[msbkk]

3 hours ago, rimmae2 said:

I have Permanent Residence and last month after using the normal immigration lanes at Thai Airways Business Class I went to the Immigration counter and asked if I could use the autogates and was informed yes. Will leave again tomorrow and ask but not take the risk of using autogates yet. Over the last 2 years I have asked Immigration many times and received differnt answers.

 

Pre-covid I register for the then autochannels and used them about 100 times on departures and arrival.

OK, permanent residence might be in another category. The issue for us here is with a missing entry stamp it will be complicated

to fill in that date in the 90 days report and visa extensions. For visa extension we also have to copy the most recent entry stamp. Not sure about the immigration when entering the country.

[Scouse123]

21 hours ago, msbkk said:

I am in the same situation and was directed to the automatic gates. I pointed out to the staff that I do have a 1 year visa and re-entry. I was told that long visa holders cannot use the automatic gates and was then directed to the normal immigration counter to receive a stamp for departure. 

 

 

It seems weird if you can't use it, yet a person who has an annual work permit and visa can?

 

I would have thought the circumstances were similar.

 

Do work permit holders use re-entry permits?

[Scouse123]

17 hours ago, msbkk said:

OK, permanent residence might be in another category. The issue for us here is with a missing entry stamp it will be complicated

to fill in that date in the 90 days report and visa extensions. For visa extension we also have to copy the most recent entry stamp. Not sure about the immigration when entering the country.

 

Don't you mean missing an exit stamp?

 

The OP and other people using the gates were exiting the country, I believe.

[Upnotover]

1 hour ago, Scouse123 said:

 

 

It seems weird if you can't use it, yet a person who has an annual work permit and visa can?

 

I would have thought the circumstances were similar.

 

Do work permit holders use re-entry permits?

I'm guessing the OP didn't point out what he had, whereas the other poster did.  Perhaps the issues will come on the OP's return, hopefully we'll get an update. 

[msbkk]

2 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

 

Don't you mean missing an exit stamp?

 

The OP and other people using the gates were exiting the country, I believe.

Yes, sorry, exit stamp.

[KannikaP]

On 11/20/2024 at 7:06 PM, treetops said:

It's been like that for a while and was expanded with more gates recently.  A couple of posters have stated they returned without issues despite having no exit stamp.

It couldn't be too difficult to say open your passport at a clear page if you want the machine to stamp it, a bit like updating a Bank Book.

[KannikaP]

On 11/20/2024 at 7:06 PM, treetops said:

It's been like that for a while and was expanded with more gates recently.  A couple of posters have stated they returned without issues despite having no exit stamp.

But the Immigration Computer knows exactly when you left. Hey, it saves pages in your Passport.

[AAArdvark]

How long did biometric registration process take?

[mikeymike100]

On 11/28/2024 at 7:34 AM, msbkk said:

I am in the same situation and was directed to the automatic gates. I pointed out to the staff that I do have a 1 year visa and re-entry. I was told that long visa holders cannot use the automatic gates and was then directed to the normal immigration counter to receive a stamp for departure. 

I went thru the fastrack 2 weeks ago and there appeared to only electronic gates, so I asked a IO who was there observing, as I  have a one year 'retirement' extension and a re entry permit,  and was told to use the the  gates and it worked fine, took less than a minute.

Surely the system is 'intelligent' enough to figure out if you can exit using the gates or not, ie if you cannot use them for whatever reason, it would flag you?

[msbkk]

53 minutes ago, mikeymike100 said:

I went thru the fastrack 2 weeks ago and there appeared to only electronic gates, so I asked a IO who was there observing, as I  have a one year 'retirement' extension and a re entry permit,  and was told to use the the  gates and it worked fine, took less than a minute.

Surely the system is 'intelligent' enough to figure out if you can exit using the gates or not, ie if you cannot use them for whatever reason, it would flag you?

In theory the system should be intelligent. The issue is not so much the exit but probably more the next entry I would worry about. Maybe I am overly cautious. But why do they still have immigration exit booths who stamp your passport if you go there instead of the automatic gates?

[AndreasHG]

On 11/28/2024 at 7:34 AM, msbkk said:

I am in the same situation and was directed to the automatic gates. I pointed out to the staff that I do have a 1 year visa and re-entry. I was told that long visa holders cannot use the automatic gates and was then directed to the normal immigration counter to receive a stamp for departure. 

 

I have not encountered any problems with the electronic passport control.

I am staying in Thailand on a multiple entry non-resident Retirement VISA. At the end of October 2024, I left Thailand for a short trip to Vietnam.

At the immigration I was directed to the electronic passport control counter and therefore left the Kingdom without receiving the usual blue oval exit stamp.

When I returned to Thailand a few days later, I went through the usual immigration process and an officer stamped my passport with the regular red, rectangular entry stamp, right under the previous one.

No questions asked and no problems.

 

[Upnotover]

16 minutes ago, AndreasHG said:

I am staying in Thailand on a multiple entry non-resident Retirement VISA

Actually you are staying on an extension of stay (based on retirement) and have a re-entry permit.

[mikeymike100]

57 minutes ago, msbkk said:

In theory the system should be intelligent. The issue is not so much the exit but probably more the next entry I would worry about. Maybe I am overly cautious. But why do they still have immigration exit booths who stamp your passport if you go there instead of the automatic gates?

Well if the system goes down, they are covered?

[sandyf]

On 11/28/2024 at 7:08 AM, Upnotover said:

There were reports earlier that there were signs indicating that these channels should not be used if holding a re-entry permit.  Will be interesting to learn if that restriction has now gone.

There were no such signs when I went out end of Sept, there was an IO looking at passports and directing people to counter or E-gate. No queue at E-gate and straight through. I had no problem on re-entry with re-entry permit at end of Oct.

I use the Thai side on re-entry, only 2 counters now and when I came only one could be used by foreigners. One had a foreigner already at it so I went to the one not in use and told Thai only.

[cormanr7]

I left for Europe mid November. I have a stay permit based on retirement and a re-entry permit. They just checked if I had a non-Thai passport and directed me to the 'foreigner' e-gates of which there were quite a few. Through in two minutes, In fact there were virtually no IO's in sight and there was only one manned counter. No problems/questions on re-entering Thailand. If the system works properly, the data are in the computer. As a back-up I had kept my outbound boarding pass.

[stubuzz]

On 11/27/2024 at 4:53 PM, hotandsticky said:

ived Swampy 19:30 hrs, self bag drop with Lufthansa , cleared security and Immigration (e-gates) by 19:53 hrs.

 

Nice little shuttle ride to the new building...now just 3 hours to wait until departure....

What happened to the biometrics-based system of scanning your face? Not working yet?

[hotandsticky]

2 hours ago, stubuzz said:

What happened to the biometrics-based system of scanning your face? Not working yet?

 

 

Yep....presumably....that is why I sailed through

[treetops]

1 hour ago, hotandsticky said:

Yep....presumably....that is why I sailed through

 

I thnk the face scan system being referred to removes the need to show your boarding pass/passport from check-in/bag drop to boarding as identification is intended to be done by facial recognition.  It's not the camera at the immigration checkpoint.

 

The system was supposed to go live on December 1st but there's been no reports on here of it being operational since then.

 

Did you experience that?

[PJ71]

On 11/29/2024 at 9:50 AM, AndreasHG said:

No questions asked and no problems.

Should it be needed, how would you prove your exit from thailand without a stamp.

 

I travel a lot and have all my old passports and stamps, which in the past i've had to dig out and supply entry / exit stamps for various reasons, hence that's why i ask?

[treetops]

8 minutes ago, PJ71 said:

Should it be needed, how would you prove your exit from thailand without a stamp.

 

Mentioned a few posts up - keep your boarding passes.  Not 100% guaranteed but a good base.

[PJ71]

1 hour ago, treetops said:

 

Mentioned a few posts up - keep your boarding passes.  Not 100% guaranteed but a good base.

A boarding pass is no proof of leaving a country.

[josephbloggs]

1 hour ago, PJ71 said:

Should it be needed, how would you prove your exit from thailand without a stamp.

 

I travel a lot and have all my old passports and stamps, which in the past i've had to dig out and supply entry / exit stamps for various reasons, hence that's why i ask?

Who do you need to prove it to? It's all in the database.

I have been in and out of the egates a few times now. Super fast and easy going out, go to a usual IO on return, stamp, no problem. (On 12 month non O extension of stay with multi entry re-entry permit).

[PJ71]

13 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

Who do you need to prove it to? It's all in the database.

Tax departments.

 

Being on the data base is fine, but who has access to that? Very simple to scan entry / exit stamps from passport pages.

[hotandsticky]

14 hours ago, PJ71 said:

A boarding pass is no proof of leaving a country.

 

It is pretty good evidence to me  -  and probably why Immigration at Swampy often ask to see at arrival. I now show the boarding pass on the app when I present my passsport.