Bkk Airport Immigration Deploys 70 Female Riot Police To Help Speed Up Lines

[mowgus]

Ironically the longest security delays I've experience were in my own country (Canada) and sometimes the US. However, BKK is starting to catch up. I was wondering if it was due to the recent 'terrorist' attacks in the area but no mention of that. Now I see it's a staff shortage coupled with an increase in passengers.

They really need to streamline things. I've seen countless people get to the booth and have a blank look of "I need to fill out a form". Not stereo-typing but they're usually Chinese and the language barrier did them in. Also, depending on where you're from, you get different tourist visa stays...why complicate things and make it 30 days across the board (or 90 )? I understand the purpose of the form entering is typically to see if your story matches up (lots of countries use them) however, I've never seen a BKK immigration officer look at one.

Incidentally.... has anyone ever seen anyone rejected?!

[TexasRanger]

Are these females from the so called sweet troop that were supposed to be cleaning up the traffic in Bangkok? Someone thought it would be cool to have an all female riot squad to calm people down, Fail. Shift them to sort out traffic in Bangkok, Fail. Now off to sort out immigration, wait for it...........

[khunkeith]

WHen I am arriving or departing either Thailand or the Philippines, I try to find a line with a woman working as an agent. they seem to be faster than the men. Also, I try and not get in a line with a family of Indians in it. they never seem to have their paper work filled out completely. I don't know why and I have nothing against Indians but, they never seem to fill out their immigrations cards correctly.

[americaninbangkok]

So does it mean there wont be any more fast track for Biz and 1st class passenger during rush hours ? but all planes from Europe usually arrived at the same period of time from 6 to 7am .... so , you pay your ticket more than double and you have to queue like anyone else ? how nice is that ..... Now they ask us to arrive earlier to avoid missing flight ... what about arriving one day in advance , stay at Novotel airport hotel..will be be enough time ? This is crazy ...

Just where would you like the coddling -- for the fact that you were able to pay more than I could for a plane ticket (note: it is a plane ticket... not get out of jail free and get keys to the city) -- to end?

[cattoc]

I travel every week for the last 50 weeks.. the problem is rostering.. at the two arsenic hours ... 6-8am in the morning on departures.. average time you need to be there to catch a 7.45am flight is 2.5 hours. (about an hour to queue to get into immigration) there is no fast track for bonafide passengers with early departures.. that is causing aircraft delays. On arrivals - the horror time is 10pm - midnite. Of the 30 booths available in the hall closest to Concourse C only 16 were manned, again about 70-90 minutes to clear immigration.. This has only really got bad in the last 6 weeks.. see my article <snip>.. An effective way to deal with prioritising passengers could be colour coding boarding pases at ticket counter to allow urgent passengers needing to clear immigration to be fast tracked. In the meatime - additional booths are being constructed. This will settle down - but there was little prior awareness of the ooming problem

Edited March 13, 2012 by Tywais
Link to Bangkok Post removed

[asdecas]

So we are to be treated with a whiff of eau de tear gas as we wend our weary ways through the holding pens. So much more pleasant than the great smell of Sombat.

[americaninbangkok]

AOT and the Immigration Bureau are suggesting that the increase in passenger numbers was sudden and unexpected, but aren't airlines required to apply for landing slots at Suvarnabhumi? It's not like they can just say, "We're going to add an extra daily flight to Bangkok starting tomorrow." AOT must have a pretty good idea how many aircraft and of which type will be arriving tomorrow, next week and next month. Did they not bother telling the Immigration Bureau? Or, more likely, did the managers at the Bureau simply choose to ignore the information provided?

Ah, yes... the lost arts of Pre-Planning and Coordinating.

These should be apps on the tablets for the first graders.

[americaninbangkok]

_{How hard is it to become an immigration officer? and what are the requirements needed?}

_{PHD in criminology ? BA in pencil pushing? doctorate in sour faces?}

foreign languages are not necessary....heck languages aren't necessary at all. What I heard from them "grumpf, hmm, pff, ugg". Didn't they find 3 Orang Utans recently? Maybe they can be trained.

They found 3 orangutans that weren't being smuggled through Swampy?!

Amazing Thailand!!!

[falangjim]

Did anyone else out there get stamped 60 days for some odd reason coming into the country? It happened to me last month, and while I'm very happy about this, I am wondering why. I'm usually stamped 30 days upon a return flight from Cambodia. I even double checked with a different officer at the luggage carousel. She looked at the passport and said, "It's for 60 days. Is that enough for you?" I nearly peed in my pants with happiness. "Yes, kap!"

[pdrhan]

i go through the Thai side with the wife, they always let me do that and its always quick

Yep , same same here, works very smoothly every time....

[grahamhc]

i go through the Thai side with the wife, they always let me do that and its always quick

When I came through on the 22nd Feb, they were all open and no separate Thai channel. It still took 20-25 minutes, but I just chilled out and accepted it was all part of traveling these days.

[mrdome]

Facts: I travel about 300km/year ...

Holy cow, that's almost 6K miles a week! You must have a shedload of FF miles I read about one guy who's a Mega VIP on United who practically lives on their planes.

[rotary]

So does it mean there wont be any more fast track for Biz and 1st class passenger during rush hours ? but all planes from Europe usually arrived at the same period of time from 6 to 7am .... so , you pay your ticket more than double and you have to queue like anyone else ?

You paid for a nicer seat on the plane and better food. No reason you should get preferential treatment from immigration at the airport.

Most airlines let Freq Flyers use that 1st class Fast Track line also

[rotary]

Facts: I travel about 300km/year ...

Holy cow, that's almost 6K miles a week! You must have a shedload of FF miles I read about one guy who's a Mega VIP on United who practically lives on their planes.

That would take a strong person to "live" on a United plane if you think about their service and seats. ha ha And gosh their fly attendants. yuk yuk

[billd766]

One way to speed up the lines may be to turn back any person or family who has NOT filled in the arrival card properly.

They should be sent to a desk and wait in turn to fill in the card properly and ONLY then be permitted to join the BACK of the queue.

If they get it wrong AGAIN then start all over again until they get it right.

[saxpirant]

What sort of fool thinks because he paid a 1st or Business class fare he is ENTITLED to be treated with priority on the ground. You pay the airline but the government runs Immigration services.

Maybe the riot police should be deployed as riot police and stop those f****** queue jumpers, the people who have the husband in one line and wife in another, and they ( bot+ half a dozen kids ) all pile onto the one that's moving fastest as they approach the 'line'. Ignorant and arrogant pricks

[Markaew]

Why on earth would you allow employees to transfer out of a position if it is going to reduce the efficiency and functioning of that operation? Probably because customers and customer service are last of the list of priorities....

I think it's a conspiracy to do the opposite of logic just to keep us confused.

[hawker9000]

So does it mean there wont be any more fast track for Biz and 1st class passenger during rush hours ? but all planes from Europe usually arrived at the same period of time from 6 to 7am .... so , you pay your ticket more than double and you have to queue like anyone else ?

You paid for a nicer seat on the plane and better food. No reason you should get preferential treatment from immigration at the airport.

Agree with this COMPLETELY! 1C/BIZ is an airline matter and has nothing to do with immigration, which is a government matter. 'Don't understand why there's no outcry about separate security lines for 1C/BIZ in the US either. (Oh, and just because you can afford an upgraded ticket, you think you're NOT "like anyone else"?) Wow - elitism is certainly alive & well...

[Markaew]

Did anyone else out there get stamped 60 days for some odd reason coming into the country? It happened to me last month, and while I'm very happy about this, I am wondering why. I'm usually stamped 30 days upon a return flight from Cambodia. I even double checked with a different officer at the luggage carousel. She looked at the passport and said, "It's for 60 days. Is that enough for you?" I nearly peed in my pants with happiness. "Yes, kap!"

She let you have 60 days because of that huge bulge in your pants. I mean....the fat wallet. They intend to empty it.

[chainarong]

About time they introduce the auto arrive /dept gates like many good airports around the world , thats for locals , but this would reduce the lines, too easy, sorry.

[Markaew]

Is it just me or is the picture showing the extremely long lines leaving the airport and not arriving. Hmmm.....maybe something brewing. Oh my God! Maybe the tourist are leaving!!!

[xavierr]

Why on earth would you allow employees to transfer out of a position if it is going to reduce the efficiency and functioning of that operation? Probably because customers and customer service are last of the list of priorities....

I think it's a conspiracy to do the opposite of logic just to keep us confused.

I think it just shows the love/hate relationship Thailand has towards farang visitors

[sfbandung]

i go through the Thai side with the wife, they always let me do that and its always quick

Is this expressly permitted or is it a loophole?

Don't know but it works for me also! But sometimes they drag their heals there as well and on our last trip we would have been better off in the Farang ques. The officer did apologise to us complaining of being tied.

It's allowed. Families can stay together.

[finnomick1]

So does it mean there wont be any more fast track for Biz and 1st class passenger during rush hours ? but all planes from Europe usually arrived at the same period of time from 6 to 7am .... so , you pay your ticket more than double and you have to queue like anyone else ? how nice is that ..... Now they ask us to arrive earlier to avoid missing flight ... what about arriving one day in advance , stay at Novotel airport hotel..will be be enough time ? This is crazy ...

I think you pay more than double anyone else for the extra comfort during the flight. Maybe you should remember that you are the same as every other traveller -- a mere mortal.

[jayboy]

What sort of fool thinks because he paid a 1st or Business class fare he is ENTITLED to be treated with priority on the ground. You pay the airline but the government runs Immigration services.

Maybe the riot police should be deployed as riot police and stop those f****** queue jumpers, the people who have the husband in one line and wife in another, and they ( bot+ half a dozen kids ) all pile onto the one that's moving fastest as they approach the 'line'. Ignorant and arrogant pricks

Quite a few fools I should think since in almost every country including the UK First and Business Class passengers have access to fast track immigration facilities.

Actually I don't believe the stated end of these facilities in Thailand will last too long.It simply doesn't compute - how will Thai VIPs (and there are tens of thousands of them - in their own estimation) get the special service that is their god given right.Queue with hoi polloi - you must be joking.

[siamjimi]

Common guys and girls - you have the part about First & Business travel and expedited immigration all wrong - that is part of the travel when you pay 4 times the price for that class of travel.

Darn right I am privileged when I pay for 1st and business class and I consider it fairly simple minded to for anyone to think otherwise.

That class of service is all found - its not just in the air - its the entire airport and aircraft experience - private car pick-up - lounge access - while others who $ave have screaming babies and rude people shouting at each other.

Removing the 1st & Business lines for immigration will be a serious problem for anyone accustomed to or paying for this class of travel - they will not remove the "Fast-track" lines - they will selectively run people through them - that's all.

Those simpleminded statements are just another mouthing by Thai immigration officials trying to impress others they are thinking - mark my words - the airline carriers will not let them remove "Fast-Track" - no way.

[mrdome]

Facts: I travel about 300km/year ...

Holy cow, that's almost 6K miles a week! You must have a shedload of FF miles I read about one guy who's a Mega VIP on United who practically lives on their planes.

That would take a strong person to "live" on a United plane if you think about their service and seats. ha ha And gosh their fly attendants. yuk yuk

I collect my miles on UA as well. Let's face it, no airline and FF program is perfect. You pick the one (alliance) that serves your region and hope for the best...

[americaninbangkok]

Facts: I travel about 300km/year ...

Holy cow, that's almost 6K miles a week! You must have a shedload of FF miles I read about one guy who's a Mega VIP on United who practically lives on their planes.

Actually, 300 km/year is only 5.8 km/week, or about 9 miles/week. Not that much really.

Or was that: 300k m/year ?!

[marstons]

So does it mean there wont be any more fast track for Biz and 1st class passenger during rush hours ? but all planes from Europe usually arrived at the same period of time from 6 to 7am .... so , you pay your ticket more than double and you have to queue like anyone else ? how nice is that ..... Now they ask us to arrive earlier to avoid missing flight ... what about arriving one day in advance , stay at Novotel airport hotel..will be be enough time ? This is crazy ...

your first clast air ticket is with the airline not immigration, so get in line with cattle class. your paying double mfor the seat and service on the plane, not for life

[toenail]

The wait at passport control use to be only 10-20 minutes a few years ago. A few months ago I waited over 45 minutes at "Swampland" which was ridiculous for a country that WANTS tourists to visit the Land of Smiles. I have had to wait 45 minutes -sometimes over an hour in countries such as Saudi Arabia (that couldn't care less about tourists or making ones life less complicated) but a Westerner does expect more "civilized" countries such as Thailand to be more efficient.