How Are The Queues Coming Into Swampy Now?

[cheynewalk]

Have they got their act together and hastened the inbound immigration process? Are they using a "snake-line" queuing system?

[tartempion]

Flew in Sunday 20 May around 07am on Etihad, people were directed to the second part of passport control counters, seems first part was crowded.

I held a fast track card and was pointed to the VIP lane, no one in front of me

[NanLaew]

Arrived at 9:30 AM last Friday. They were funneling foreign arrivals into two separate conga-lines with about four passport desks open for each group. It took longer than the previous arrival (2 weeks ago at 11 AM) but that was because they were swapping out Immigration Officers and one lady officer was pathetically slow. So it took nearer 20 minutes from deplaning to getting to the baggage carousel where the 'Last Bag' sign was already showing.

[apetley]

Arrived 3pm on Thursday. Queue stretched out of the immigration hall and took 40 minutes to clear immigration desk. Only about half the desks were staffed.

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect App

[kkerry]

Came in last Saturday night 9.30pm, not a soul in front of me. Had to wait 15 minutes to get my bag though...

[Hugh Jarse]

I arrived last wednesday afternoon from Singapore. Just 20 mins to clear immigration and my bag was on the carousel waiting. Exemplary service . Well done . PS I am a foreigner .

[masuk]

Don't forget there is (or used to be) a special line for over 70s!!

anyone know if it's still running?

[jgm005]

I arrived on Eva Air around 11:20am Sunday 03June. Did my normal rush out of the plane to pass all the folks I could expecting a line a mile lone. To my utter surprise there was literally no one queuing up. I got in and out in a flash and same with a taxi.

[how241]

Came in last Saturday night 9.30pm, not a soul in front of me. Had to wait 15 minutes to get my bag though...

There seems to be a large difference in the wait times. Luck plays a part, as in everything.

[shanahan]

Came in last Saturday night 9.30pm, not a soul in front of me. Had to wait 15 minutes to get my bag though...

There seems to be a large difference in the wait times. Luck plays a part, as in everything.

I came through last night (Saturday 2nd 10pm) and immigration was very quick. First I was greeted at the start of the snake queu by a lady who checked that each person had had their immigration card completed. After walking through the snake another lady then directed me to the shortest line infront of a desk which had 2 or 3 people in each. Baggage was also quick, however the airport was a little quiet. Then used the Airport Link with heaps of stairs and was at the hotel at 11pm.

[prefabs]

It makes a big difference if they check all the boarding cards are filled in right. Nothing worse than Russian families covering 3 or 4 booths and just handing over blank cards. In my experience it always seems to be Russians. But if no one hel[s or advises them, what else can they do?

Let's face it, how hard can it be for someone like a stewardess on these flights to show people how to fill in their cards?

[bangkokbruce]

I flew in Friday and things have improved a bit after seeing the horror when I left to take care of my Mother February 22nd. Only a 20 minute wait at Passport Control coming back and got to baggage claim in time to claim my baggage without someone stealing it. When I left February 22nd the lady at TG told me to get in line as soon as possible and most likely I would miss my flight even though I was there 2 hours before my flight. To my horror I saw over 400 people waiting in line to get to Passport Control, many young people crying because they already missed they're flight due to the long lines and no one in Passport Control cared. It was a disgrace! A fight broke out between a group of Brits and Russians when the Russians tried to cut in line. And the pussies in Security were too afraid to intervene, they just looked the other way and took off. I did make my flight 2 minutes before they locked the doors after running my ass off down the long corridor of a joke airport. The airport is run by corrupt friends of Thai polititions so it's no wonder the service sucks. They need to send a team to Bejing airport so they can see how efficient it is compared to Suvi. Welcome to Thailand, sucks more and more everyday.

[wpcoe]

It makes a big difference if they check all the boarding cards are filled in right. Nothing worse than Russian families covering 3 or 4 booths and just handing over blank cards. In my experience it always seems to be Russians. But if no one hel[s or advises them, what else can they do?

Let's face it, how hard can it be for someone like a stewardess on these flights to show people how to fill in their cards?

I wonder if the TM.6 cards are printed in Russian? If not, and if not fluent in English or Thai, it could be a problem.

It might take a while for the "stewardesses" to help a cabin full of passengers with their TM.6 forms.

[merijn]

It makes a big difference if they check all the boarding cards are filled in right. Nothing worse than Russian families covering 3 or 4 booths and just handing over blank cards. In my experience it always seems to be Russians. But if no one hel[s or advises them, what else can they do?

Let's face it, how hard can it be for someone like a stewardess on these flights to show people how to fill in their cards?

I wonder if the TM.6 cards are printed in Russian? If not, and if not fluent in English or Thai, it could be a problem.

It might take a while for the "stewardesses" to help a cabin full of passengers with their TM.6 forms.

Why would the TM 6 card to be in Russian ? We are not in Russia.

You don't have to be fluent in English to understand your name, date of birth etc.

[cardholder]

It makes a big difference if they check all the boarding cards are filled in right. Nothing worse than Russian families covering 3 or 4 booths and just handing over blank cards. In my experience it always seems to be Russians. But if no one hel[s or advises them, what else can they do?

Let's face it, how hard can it be for someone like a stewardess on these flights to show people how to fill in their cards?

I wonder if the TM.6 cards are printed in Russian? If not, and if not fluent in English or Thai, it could be a problem.

It might take a while for the "stewardesses" to help a cabin full of passengers with their TM.6 forms.

I have never known stewardesses do anything other than just give out the cards.

(Just as an aside, I waiting no more than 30 seconds departing last Sunday)

Edited June 6, 2012 by cardholder

[samran]

Can't wait to give the auto gates a try in a few weeks.

[NanLaew]

It makes a big difference if they check all the boarding cards are filled in right. Nothing worse than Russian families covering 3 or 4 booths and just handing over blank cards. In my experience it always seems to be Russians. But if no one hel[s or advises them, what else can they do?

Let's face it, how hard can it be for someone like a stewardess on these flights to show people how to fill in their cards?

I wonder if the TM.6 cards are printed in Russian? If not, and if not fluent in English or Thai, it could be a problem.

It might take a while for the "stewardesses" to help a cabin full of passengers with their TM.6 forms.

Why would the TM 6 card to be in Russian ? We are not in Russia.

You don't have to be fluent in English to understand your name, date of birth etc.

And we aren't in England either but they print them in English. Actually, they do print TM6 cards in other languages such as Chinese... which I would dearly love for you to get one day when you are returning to LOS.Let's see where "You don't have to be fluent in English to understand your name, date of birth etc.." gets you with a Chinese card.

I don't doubt that Immigration has picked up on the huge increase on visitors from Russia and that cards are available in that language. Now getting the Russians to fill them in BEFORE getting off the plane is going to be just as challenging as getting all the ENGLISH speakers to fill theirs in as well.

Edited June 7, 2012 by NanLaew

[merijn]

It makes a big difference if they check all the boarding cards are filled in right. Nothing worse than Russian families covering 3 or 4 booths and just handing over blank cards. In my experience it always seems to be Russians. But if no one hel[s or advises them, what else can they do?

Let's face it, how hard can it be for someone like a stewardess on these flights to show people how to fill in their cards?

I wonder if the TM.6 cards are printed in Russian? If not, and if not fluent in English or Thai, it could be a problem.

It might take a while for the "stewardesses" to help a cabin full of passengers with their TM.6 forms.

Why would the TM 6 card to be in Russian ? We are not in Russia.

You don't have to be fluent in English to understand your name, date of birth etc.

And we aren't in England either but they print them in English. Actually, they do print TM6 cards in other languages such as Chinese... which I would dearly love for you to get one day when you are returning to LOS.Let's see where "You don't have to be fluent in English to understand your name, date of birth etc.." gets you with a Chinese card.

I don't doubt that Immigration has picked up on the huge increase on visitors from Russia and that cards are available in that language. Now getting the Russians to fill them in BEFORE getting off the plane is going to be just as challenging as getting all the ENGLISH speakers to fill theirs in as well.

I believe that English is still recognized as the international travel language besides the country language.

And please not even more Russians in Thailand.

As i fill out the form blindfolded i don't really care if the card was in Chinese

Edited June 8, 2012 by merijn

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

Don't forget there is (or used to be) a special line for over 70s!!

anyone know if it's still running?

Haven't heard of that, how does it work? I'd love to take advantage of it.

[merijn]

Don't forget there is (or used to be) a special line for over 70s!!

anyone know if it's still running?

Haven't heard of that, how does it work? I'd love to take advantage of it.

There is not a special line for older people.

I believe they had a very long time ago at the old airport.

[emilyb]

I've come through once a month for the last four months on business trips with no fast track pass or anything and it's been immeasurably better since they freaked out and decided to do something about it. For a few trips there, it was taking me nearly an hour to get through heading out and quite a while coming in. Now it takes me never more than 5-10 minutes heading out or coming in - even when I get stuck behind a group of Australian tourists who don't understand how visas work and who sit there arguing with the nice immigration lady for 5 minutes (thanks!).

Edited June 9, 2012 by emilyb