Chaos Early Morning 24Th Jan

[prefabs]

Checked in at 7am for a Dubai flight, then the Emirates girl took me to the immingration control line and squeezed me in between some Chinese students. The passport control queues actually started at the check in desks, never seen so many people. Although the line moved along, it was painfully slow. Every now and then frantic airline reps would come along with "final boarding etc." and pull people out the line. As the line got shorter, we noticed that out of 18 passport control desks available, only 9 were manned. Didn't seem to be any particular worries either at the desks. Dunno if this is a weekly event for Mondays, but the knock on effects were such that the planes were all loaded late and there was a tailback on the runways. I wondered why the passport control officers sould tahe so long checking passengers LEAVING the country

The thought struck me that when I leave my home airport in UK for an EC country, nobody checks my passport after the airline check in, Why don't they do it this way for ASEAN people? Would cut out a pile of useless stamping exercises.

Might just be simpler to bring in the other 9 officers. I wondered if they were all away getting new medal ribbons on their jackets, then wondered again what the medals would be for?

[drumournie]

Always wondered myself what all the ribbons were for

Must be for achieving / passing something . . .

Changing the date on your stamp, one ribbon

Another ribbon for changing the date without assistance!

or something like that …

[NanLaew]

Something is patently wrong with Immigration these past 2-3 months. Apart from 50% manning of desks which isn't unusual for early morning I don't recall my 'check-out' taking any longer than before but I have observed certain random individuals, usually Asians seem to take longer to get stamped out. All this seems to have arisen after they plastered those stickers proclaiming 20-odd minutes maximum waiting time. If I was a Union man, I would suspect disaffected staff.

[prefabs]

Something is patently wrong with Immigration these past 2-3 months. Apart from 50% manning of desks which isn't unusual for early morning I don't recall my 'check-out' taking any longer than before but I have observed certain random individuals, usually Asians seem to take longer to get stamped out. All this seems to have arisen after they plastered those stickers proclaiming 20-odd minutes maximum waiting time. If I was a Union man, I would suspect disaffected staff.

Whatever it is, it needs fixed. Airlines will be bitching cos planes waiting on runways lose money. Tourists complain about it, regular travellers really bitch about it. Worst is, like I said before, looked like no one in authority gave a toss about the lines

[Xangsamhua]

It was very bad when I was there last on January 15th. There are entrances to Immigration labelled VIP, I think, that they were turning people away from. A friend suggested this might be a privilege you can get at a price - a privilege card or something - but I couldn't see anything on the airport website. Does anyone know anything about this?

[yermanee]

It was very bad when I was there last on January 15th. There are entrances to Immigration labelled VIP, I think, that they were turning people away from. A friend suggested this might be a privilege you can get at a price - a privilege card or something - but I couldn't see anything on the airport website. Does anyone know anything about this?

Check this : http://www.thaifasttrack.com/index.php?p=1_10_Fast-Track

Hope to have helped.

Yermanee

[PoorSucker]

Check this : http://www.thaifasttrack.com/index.php?p=1_10_Fast-Track

Hope to have helped.

Yermanee

Bad service as a business plan.

[ExpatJ]

It was very bad when I was there last on January 15th. There are entrances to Immigration labelled VIP, I think, that they were turning people away from. A friend suggested this might be a privilege you can get at a price - a privilege card or something - but I couldn't see anything on the airport website. Does anyone know anything about this?

VIP section is for people with diplomatic passports or business class tickets, plus airline staff- im lucky enough to use it every now and again and there is never a queue (infact there is normally only 1 or 2 other passengers going through when ever i use it).

[yermanee]

Check this : http://www.thaifastt...1_10_Fast-Track

Hope to have helped.

Yermanee

Bad service as a business plan.

I've used it on 2 occasions. Saved me a lot of hassle. Well worth the price.

Yermanee

[MaiDong]

Check this : http://www.thaifasttrack.com/index.php?p=1_10_Fast-Track

Hope to have helped.

Yermanee

'Normally, the processing time for a visa on arrival is approximately 1-2 hours. But with fast track service, this procedure will take a maximum of 10-30 minutes.'

Cheeky bastards, the only time it takes 1-2 hours to get a visa on arrival is when the queues areright out into the check-in desks

[yermanee]

Check this : http://www.thaifastt...1_10_Fast-Track

Hope to have helped.

Yermanee

'Normally, the processing time for a visa on arrival is approximately 1-2 hours. But with fast track service, this procedure will take a maximum of 10-30 minutes.'

Cheeky bastards, the only time it takes 1-2 hours to get a visa on arrival is when the queues areright out into the check-in desks

So what's your problem ?

Yermanee

[MaiDong]

Check this : http://www.thaifastt...1_10_Fast-Track

Hope to have helped.

Yermanee

'Normally, the processing time for a visa on arrival is approximately 1-2 hours. But with fast track service, this procedure will take a maximum of 10-30 minutes.'

Cheeky bastards, the only time it takes 1-2 hours to get a visa on arrival is when the queues areright out into the check-in desks

So what's your problem ?

Yermanee

My problem is that they are charging for a service which should be a standard service in the first place i.e. 10-30 minutes processing on arrival.

Edited January 28, 2011 by MaiDong

[yermanee]

My problem is that they are charging for a service which should be a standard service in the first place i.e. 10-30 minutes processing on arrival.

So seeing a business opportunity is being " cheeky bastards".

And for your information the poster to which I give the information was asking about this service, so as a good TV-member I gave the info he was seeking.

The situation is what it is and if someone does not want to stand in line for long periods of time, and is willing to pay to escape that, I don't see anything wrong with that on the contrary.

Yermanee

[smokie36]

My problem is that they are charging for a service which should be a standard service in the first place i.e. 10-30 minutes processing on arrival.

So seeing a business opportunity is being " cheeky bastards".

And for your information the poster to which I give the information was asking about this service, so as a good TV-member I gave the info he was seeking.

The situation is what it is and if someone does not want to stand in line for long periods of time, and is willing to pay to escape that, I don't see anything wrong with that on the contrary.

Yermanee

Might as well just privatise immigration and have half a dozen touts chasing you from the moment you step off the plane.

Aaah competition doncha just love it!

Edited January 29, 2011 by smokie36

[MaiDong]

My problem is that they are charging for a service which should be a standard service in the first place i.e. 10-30 minutes processing on arrival.

So seeing a business opportunity is being " cheeky bastards".

And for your information the poster to which I give the information was asking about this service, so as a good TV-member I gave the info he was seeking.

The situation is what it is and if someone does not want to stand in line for long periods of time, and is willing to pay to escape that, I don't see anything wrong with that on the contrary.

Yermanee

So let's all just be rolled over and tickled then.

[theoldgit]

Have to agree with MaiDong on this one, if, and I say if, the Immigration Department are purposefully reducing the number of desks to encourage passengers to use their paid for fast track service it's not a business opportunity it's extortion. I'm however I'm not convinced that it is the case, I think it's just poor management.

Certainly the speed they process passengers passports is beyond belief, though it's a pretty mind numbing job, but the queue management is also pretty dire, why they cannot introduce a snake system I don't know, much more efficient.

All that said I flew out early last week and was through Passport Control in about 15 mins, midday on Tuesday, I flew back in last night at 23.15 on a packed Airbus A380 and though a few passengers stayed on board there were numerous other aircraft arriving, I was through in 10 mins, there are two halls, one was chock a block whilst the other one was relatively empty so I plumped for that one, this is an example of poor management. In fact after touching down at 23.15, I managed to catch the Airport Link and then a taxi to my home in Thonglor, total cost 90 Baht, and made it to my door a tad before 00.30.

Edited January 29, 2011 by theoldgit

[endure]

Check this : http://www.thaifasttrack.com/index.php?p=1_10_Fast-Track

Hope to have helped.

Yermanee

'Normally, the processing time for a visa on arrival is approximately 1-2 hours. But with fast track service, this procedure will take a maximum of 10-30 minutes.'

Cheeky bastards, the only time it takes 1-2 hours to get a visa on arrival is when the queues areright out into the check-in desks

A Visa On Arrival is not the same as a Visa Exemption. It's only applicable to 19 countries and it costs 1900bt.

[MaiDong]

Check this : http://www.thaifasttrack.com/index.php?p=1_10_Fast-Track

Hope to have helped.

Yermanee

'Normally, the processing time for a visa on arrival is approximately 1-2 hours. But with fast track service, this procedure will take a maximum of 10-30 minutes.'

Cheeky bastards, the only time it takes 1-2 hours to get a visa on arrival is when the queues areright out into the check-in desks

A Visa On Arrival is not the same as a Visa Exemption. It's only applicable to 19 countries and it costs 1900bt.

I simply copied and pasted from the website - highlighted in red 'Visa on Arrival', their words, not mine.

Edited January 29, 2011 by MaiDong

[whybother]

A Visa On Arrival is not the same as a Visa Exemption. It's only applicable to 19 countries and it costs 1900bt.

I simply copied and pasted from the website - highlighted in red 'Visa on Arrival', their words, not mine.

I think what endure was trying to say, is that what most of us get when we come into Thailand is NOT a "Visa on arrival".

We actually get a "visa exemption".

[endure]

Check this : http://www.thaifasttrack.com/index.php?p=1_10_Fast-Track

Hope to have helped.

Yermanee

'Normally, the processing time for a visa on arrival is approximately 1-2 hours. But with fast track service, this procedure will take a maximum of 10-30 minutes.'

Cheeky bastards, the only time it takes 1-2 hours to get a visa on arrival is when the queues areright out into the check-in desks

A Visa On Arrival is not the same as a Visa Exemption. It's only applicable to 19 countries and it costs 1900bt.

I simply copied and pasted from the website - highlighted in red 'Visa on Arrival', their words, not mine.

When you arrive in Thailand you get a Visa Exemption which, as you say, is simply a stamp in your passport. If you were a citizen of one of those countries that needed to get a Visa on Arrival it would normally take 1-2 hours as the website says because it's a completely different thing.

[preahko]

This was exactly the situation I encountered on my recent (5+ week) trip, which, though I was mostly in Bangkok, included flights out to neighboring countries (Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia). I had NEVER seen a line extending out from the main immigration area back into the check-in lines. I chalked it up to tourist season, and on my final departure from BKK back to the US (Jan. 11), the lines were "normal," and did not extend outside the immigration queuing area. I'm kind of surprised to hear the problem is still going on...?

[lucjoker]

It was very bad when I was there last on January 15th. There are entrances to Immigration labelled VIP, I think, that they were turning people away from. A friend suggested this might be a privilege you can get at a price - a privilege card or something - but I couldn't see anything on the airport website. Does anyone know anything about this?

I have a silver-card for Etihad,on check -in they give me 2 papers:

1 paper to pass trough the vip immigration (no waiting) and 1 paper

for the vip-lounch ( verry good food and service)

[Xangsamhua]

It was very bad when I was there last on January 15th. There are entrances to Immigration labelled VIP, I think, that they were turning people away from. A friend suggested this might be a privilege you can get at a price - a privilege card or something - but I couldn't see anything on the airport website. Does anyone know anything about this?

I have a silver-card for Etihad,on check -in they give me 2 papers:

1 paper to pass trough the vip immigration (no waiting) and 1 paper

for the vip-lounch ( verry good food and service)

Do you fly Business or Economy with them? It sounds like if you have access to both the VIP gate and the lounge you have a Business Class ticket.

[FarangBuddha]

When you arrive in Thailand you get a Visa Exemption which, as you say, is simply a stamp in your passport. If you were a citizen of one of those countries that needed to get a Visa on Arrival it would normally take 1-2 hours as the website says because it's a completely different thing.

I wonder why in Bali, where most visitors require a visa on arrival, the process you through and paste the visa in your passport in 10 minutes max.

[theoldgit]

I wonder why in Bali, where most visitors require a visa on arrival, the process you through and paste the visa in your passport in 10 minutes max.

Interestingly when I went to Bali last year they didn't paste a visa in my passport, just a slip of paper from the VOA on arrival desk and a stamp from the IO, they did paste a visa in the year before, so presume this is something new. But as you say 10 mins max, in fact I was the first off the plane and it only took seconds.

I'm at a loss to understand what has caused this problem off late though it does seem very hit and miss, lets see if things improve following the media interest.

Edited January 31, 2011 by theoldgit