Bangkok's Don Mueang International Airport now offers 24-hour automated passport screening for outbound passengers. This new service, officially launched on March 5, aims to ease congestion and improve efficiency at immigration checkpoints. Previously, the automated service was only available from 7am to 9pm in a trial phase starting mid-February.

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The automated border control (ABC) gates allow passengers to pass through immigration without needing manual passport stamps, expediting their journey. By April 2026, the airport plans to have all 31 machines in place. Eligible passengers must be at least 120 centimeters tall, have passports valid for six months, and carry belongings not exceeding 120 centimeters in size.

Deputy government spokesperson Lalida Veeravithayanant highlighted that the ABC service is designed to enhance passenger flow, reduce wait times, and streamline the airport's management system for outbound travelers. However, pregnant passengers and those with newly issued passports less than 14 days old are advised to use regular counters.

Looking forward, the implementation aims to provide a seamless experience for travelers and anticipates a reduction in congestion. With the ongoing improvements, Don Mueang aims to set a standard in passenger processing efficiency. Further updates and expansions of the service are expected as part of the airport's continuous development efforts, reported Thai PBS.

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  Adapted by ASEAN Now · Thai PBS · 10 Mar 2026

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For all nationalities??? and how about people with re entry visa???

But immigration still requires stamps... as I asked and was informed by numerous officials at Chaengwattana.

3 hours ago, CecilM said:

But immigration still requires stamps... as I asked and was informed by numerous officials at Chaengwattana.

I've used them at Suvarnabhumi with no stamps and then re-entered without issues.

I'm going out from DMK International this Saturday, so I will check, but I can't see any problem.

7 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

For all nationalities??? and how about people with re entry visa???

Ah, I don't know about that one!

I'm on DTV

3 hours ago, CecilM said:

But immigration still requires stamps... as I asked and was informed by numerous officials at Chaengwattana.

Sorry,

Are you referring to re-entry?

If it's just normal exit, then there are no issues, at least I didn't have any.

10 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

I've used them at Suvarnabhumi with no stamps and then re-entered without issues.

I'm going out from DMK International this Saturday, so I will check, but I can't see any problem.

It will be interesting to hear from you as to how you get on- fingers crossed for you

Great, I hope the auto gates are not corrupt! 😁🤑😁

21 minutes ago, lch said:

Great, I hope the auto gates are not corrupt! 😁🤑😁

They appreciate a small tip.

6 hours ago, lch said:

Great, I hope the auto gates are not corrupt! 😁🤑😁

They may be AI controlled and learned from human immigration so they should be OK, from my experience anyway.

A holiday flight currently costs €3200 euros – concerns about a tourism crisis

Lufthansa and other airlines have significantly increased their ticket prices for flights to Asia. Thailand is already reporting a sharp drop in tourist numbers and fears the consequences.

This is currently evident in the case of Thailand : Lufthansa is charging extra for a round-trip ticket from Munich to Bangkok.

Currently, economy class tickets cost more than €3200 euros. That's an increase of around 160% percent compared to the ticket prices the company charged for the same travel period shortly before the war began, according to Google data.

Even during the Easter holiday period, the unusually high ticket price of €3200 euros applies. This is 225% percent higher than the prices charged for the originally cheaper travel period before the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.

The expensive tickets are due to the ongoing problems at air traffic hubs in the Gulf states. Airlines such as Emirates , Etihad , and Qatar Airways used to carry a large proportion of European tourists traveling to Asia.

Source:

https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/international/thailand-urlaubsflug-kostet-aktuell-3200-euro-sorge-vor-tourismus-krise/100207131.html