Transit To Phuket With Thai Airways On Through Ticket. Immigration In Bkk Or Hkt?

[dubstar]

Hi all, can anyone give me some advice. My wife is flying on a through ticket from London to Phuket on Thai with our 2 year old son in a few weeks, arriving in BKK with 2 hours to catch the connecting flight to Phuket. Does she have to go through immigration in Bangkok and then come back in again to continue her journey, in which case I can't see that 2 hours is long enough, or can she transfer and go through immigration in Phuket as Thai airways in UK are telling her. I am very confused and would be really grateful to anyone who can enlighten me (and calm my increasingly nervous wife!)

Cheers,

Dubstar

[speedways]

if your wife is travelling by thai through to phuket she can transfer airside. make sure luggage is booked through to phuket

if travelling by any other airline fron bkk to phuket she must collect luggage and go through immigration in bangkok

[dubstar]

Hi Speedways, thanks for your reply. But does she do immigration in Bangkok or Phuket? Different websites say different things. Some say there is an immigration desk airside at BKK for passengers transferring to Phuket, but others say transfer only in Bangkok and go through immigration in Phuket.

e.g. From Thai Airways website:

International to Domestic

If your final destination is Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Krabi, or Phuket, you then proceed to Passport Control at the transfer area on the second floor of concourse A/B. The Customs formality will be done at your destination airport. Transferring to other domestic airports or having baggage checked only to Bangkok , you must land, pick up your baggage, proceed through Passport and Customs Control formalities and check in at Row C on the fourth floor of PTC.

e mail from Thai Airways UK:

If you are flying with Thai Airways both flights and transit time less than 24 hours, you can check your luggage all the way through in London and just change aircraft with your hand luggage in Bangkok. Immigration in Phuket.

Kind Regards

Thai Reservations

from Jolly Thai

If you land in Bangkok you will do the immigration bit there as well. If you are connecting with an internal flight, hold a boarding card and your bags have been checked through you will go through a small immigration area on the right and stay air-side.

from Thailand for Visitors

If you are flying on Thai Airways and connecting to a domestic Thai Airways flight, you probably do not need to go through immigration in Bangkok if your baggage is checked through. Instead, go to the transfer desk to find out where to board your flight.

Maybe the £300 difference to go from Singapore is worth it after all!!

[dubstar]

Geez, now I have a CHOICE....

from Khao Lak.net

International travellers arriving in Bangkok, in transit, on Thai Airways flights may choose Phuket rather than Bangkok for Passport and Customs formalities.

Dear oh dear

[ozfarang81]

i think the problem lies in the fact that this process may have changed recently. I have not done it myself, however, I did notice coming on on Friday morning, if you had a TG to TG transfer, you went straight to the domestic transfer area which was airside, BEFORE immigration. there was a security process to go through first, then im not sure if they did immigration after that or not, however, the signs are all very clear for your wife to follow for domestic transfers. and the staff/cabin crew will advise her. And don't worry, 2 hours is PLENTY of time! and even if she misses it, Thai will move her to the next flight

[tw25rw]

How could that work? You would have some that had cleared immigration and others that hadn't mixing. It would be a way in through the back door. I can't see them allowing you into domestic from international without clearing immigration.

[Sturbuc]

...

if travelling by any other airline fron bkk to phuket she must collect luggage and go through immigration in bangkok

Sorry but this isn't really true; the luggage might be checked through always any time. If changing the airline in BKK maybe the boarding pass has to be issued there.

Works with every (international) airport in Thailand where an immigration office occurs (imho BKK, HKT, USM, CNX, HDY, CEI).

Edited January 11, 2009 by Sturbuc

[Sturbuc]

How could that work? You would have some that had cleared immigration and others that hadn't mixing. It would be a way in through the back door. I can't see them allowing you into domestic from international without clearing immigration.

Hy. Here's an example:

arriving in BKK fro VIE, Tourists do arrive in the international section and should proceed to a gate there (luggage should be checked through!). Maybe another boarding pass has to be issued at the transfer desk for the connecting flight) To make it easier for the staff to identify the pax withot clearance, they might get CIQ-sticker. The one's who want to clear customs in BKK might do so, pick up the luggage and check in again for the domestic flight (another gate).

Boarding is separate too but into the same plane. (and sure, here are mixed pax. you might sit beside your Thai girlfriend on the same flight to USM even she's "domestic".

On arrival, the pax are separated (see CIQ-sticker; remeber you're still an "international pax") and the CIQ's should proceed the immigration.

The luggage is to be picked up from the same belt and the the customs have to be passed So if you're smuggling you must be aware that the yours and her luggage might be checked anyway.

On the way back home the procedure is similar: while you have to check in at the international gate and clear our customs, domestic pax should proceed to the domestic terminal / lounge / gate.

Joining in the same airplane but to be separated again on arrival (-> CIQ).

Edited January 11, 2009 by Sturbuc

[Sturbuc]

i think the problem lies in the fact that this process may have changed recently. ...

No, of course not.

[FarangFatal]

Done it both ways..... The Immi desk is right at the Thai Transid Desk. Depends I guess. I always am on the early flight as I overnight in the Airport. Make sure your bags are to HKT. Now, I know of people who just by passed the BKK immi desk for flights w/in Thailand and went thru in HKT. the old way was you got a sticker and in HKT they waived you to the left and down the moving staircase in the North end for Immi and Bags... I have done passport in BKK gone down the South Stair case and then back into the North baggage p/u hall in HKT to p/u my bags etc! You can easily move freely away trom the passport control the by walking to the interestcion of concorse ABC&D, take the elevastor down etc. Either way you have to clear. Sometimes the door is open between the transit pax line and the Thai Transit Pax desk (Thai desk will have a United p[erson at the end.. And some time not? BTW, if you need help wih other airlines take the moving walkway toward the other end of D and you see a big line up of ques for many airlines. What ever you do ask for the right info..... DO NOT enter the Kingdon with out clearing Passport Control.

BEWARE, the transit area by the Thai desk is a bin of people sleeping all over when the desk oprns at 5am.... People I would not liklely to invite to my house! I pay the fee for a bed and bath upstairs in the day rooms from that area and sleep better cause I'm not exposed to those nearly mendicant looking people crashed out all over rthe floor. Have a look over the walk way on D into the area for those who need Visa On Arrival (yuck)

I guess all this gets back to TIT! Same Same but Different!

[dubstar]

My wife who has safely arrived in Thailand reports that there is now a new system in operation:

All inbound immigration in BKK, outbound in Phuket.

PS I'm having a great time !!

[titanix]

My wife who has safely arrived in Thailand reports that there is now a new system in operation:

All inbound immigration in BKK, outbound in Phuket.

PS I'm having a great time !!

Hi, are you able to elaborate more on that statement as I'm about to embark on the same process. Are you saying I must clear immigration at BKK and collect my bag for customs check.

Secondly, to all readers out there.. I'm flying from HKT to HAN via BKK. Do I clear immigration customs at HKT and check my baggage all the way to HANoi. I'm flying Thai Airways.. advice sought as we have about 1.5hrs between connecting flights at BKK.