My experience has been that Safe Entry cannot/does not get anyone in who cannot legally enter. Won't help if you are banned, for example, or trying to enter visa exempt not eligible for visa exempt entry because of your nationality.

What is does offer is basically a pre-approval. You send them your documents, they show it to an IO who will be on duty on that day and time and get a decision from him as to whether or not he can definitely stamp you in. If the answer is no, you don't pay anything.

Obviously people with no reason to think they might be denied entry would have no need to do this. A first time Western tourist, or a Western tourist without other recent trips/prior long stays, is not going to face any issue getting in.

But there are people who may, even though legally they are allowed to enter. This is the group where "discretion of the IO" comes heavily into play and the exact same person may be admitted by on IO and refused by another, happens all the time. This group of people includes those with prior long stays that some IOs look askance at (eg educations visas, but also sometimes recent prior work visas), frequent entries that some IOs will decide looks like you may be living here long term, and also, regrettably, nationals of some countries who are, in fact being subject to "extra scrutiny" in fact if nto by written policy. Africans, Cambodians and Burmese, for example.

Using this system protects people from the very undesirable situation of paying for and making the trip only to be denied entry, detained at the airport for often a night in uncomfortable and stressful conditions, etc. It also protects people from lengthy questioning which can be difficult and stressful especially for non-English speakers and the elderly/infirm.

The optimal solution would be for Thai Immigration to offer an official, transparent pre-screening/approval process that people could elect to pay for. One would think the mandatory online TDAC would serve that function but it does not.

23 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

What is does offer is basically a pre-approval. You send them your documents, they show it to an IO who will be on duty on that day and time and get a decision from him as to whether or not he can definitely stamp you in. If the answer is no, you don't pay anything

Don't agree.

The agent will ask for recent history.

Most common is frequent visa exempt entry back to back and even including a denied entry.

The agent determines if entry can be guaranteed.

Cost depends on history.

In most cases, it's meet and greet airside prior to immigration.

For some it's assigned eg fast track lane.

4k would be typical fee for frequent visa exempt entry

My personal experience of safe entry, twice since last year. First late 2025, myself and two other elderly farangs at the meeting point mid-morning, about a five minute wait before escorted to a short queue over beside the automated entry gates. Five months later, early 2026 and around the same arrival time, I am the only farang among around 50 Chinese, mostly males but with a few females, all about half my age and younger, at the meeting point. Took about 30 minutes before I was directed to a short queue as above.

I don't think my use of safe entry is the reason for any recent changes to the system.

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

Don't agree.

The agent will ask for recent history.

Most common is frequent visa exempt entry back to back and even including a denied entry.

The agent determines if entry can be guaranteed.

Cost depends on history.

In most cases, it's meet and greet airside prior to immigration.

For some it's assigned eg fast track lane.

4k would be typical fee for frequent visa exempt entry

I don't understand.

You say you don't agree and then agree with everything Sheryl said. What don't you agree with specifically?

4 hours ago, Briggsy said:

I don't understand.

You say you don't agree and then agree with everything Sheryl said. What don't you agree with specifically?

This bit....

"You send them your documents, they show it to an IO who will be on duty on that day and time and get a decision from him as to whether or not he can definitely stamp you in. If the answer is no, you don't pay anything."

6 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Don't agree.

The agent will ask for recent history.

Most common is frequent visa exempt entry back to back and even including a denied entry.

The agent determines if entry can be guaranteed.

Cost depends on history.

In most cases, it's meet and greet airside prior to immigration.

For some it's assigned eg fast track lane.

4k would be typical fee for frequent visa exempt entry

When I have done this, they requested passport face pages and then all pages showing travel in/out of Thailand in the past 12 months.

There was always a wait for the verdict which I was always told was waiting to consult the IO, and they always needed to know exact date and time of arrival to know which IO(s) would be on duty. So I think they do in fact consult the IO in advance, or at least do so if it is not something they can feel sure of on their own. They have also come back asking for addition supporting documentation after talking to IO e.g. proof of medical appointment.

And I have only ever been asked to pay after they came back with a "can do" response.

Certainly many use this for the reasons you indicate but there are other reasons. Personally I have only ever done it because the nationality in question was one being subject to frequent and unpredictable denials of entry irregardless of prior entry history.

5 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Personally I have only ever done it because the nationality in question was one being subject to frequent and unpredictable denials of entry irregardless of prior entry history.

True.

Fact is vast majority of folk using "safe entry services" are those that have been doing back to back visa exempt or eg ED visas etc.

Some even after a denied entry.

Nationals from nearby countries such as Cambodia etc is different kettle of fish