Does Transit Require Customs Formalities?

[hermespan]

I am considering transiting through BKK (Suvarnabhumi) but not actually entering Thailand, just waiting in the departure lounge in between a flight TO BKK and aflight FROM BKK.

My reason are fourfold...

1. Onward flight is only a few hours away from arrival

2. Save THB500 departure tax

3. Other

[hermespan]

International point where I leave from and arrive, none domestic.

[hermespan]

On a related note, does Thailand require customs declarations for transiting flyers?

[Mario2008]

If you only stay in the transit area, you do not go past immirgation and customs. Check with the airline they will tranfer the lugage to the other plane and check you in for the other flight also. (Low cost carriers for example are point to point and will require that you collect your luggage, go through immigration and customs and check in with the airline for the next part of the flight).

If you need a ttransit visa depends on your nationality. As a westerner there is no need for a transit visa if you are in transit for less than 12 hours.

Departure tax is 700 baht, included in the price of the ticket. The days of having to pay cash when leaving are long gone.

[lomatopo]

http://www.suvarnabhumiairport.com/passenger_guide_transfer_inter2inter_noBD_en.php

Assuming any checked baggage is interlined (checked through to your final destination, and an int'l <--> int'l transfer then you merely have to clear the mid-field security check-point. No interactions with Immigration or Customs, no additional payment of the Airport Service Fee.

[hermespan]

If this po st shows up bizarre formatting as a previous brief one, it could be because the cursor is flickering, I can't select and it takes multiple typings to get anything to take. This was true on my Android as well as this public terminal today. Perhaps there is a problem technically with this site today.

To the subject of international connections and Customs at the golden land airport...

Ah, so there appears to be five factors, some of which are relevant, some of which are not...

1. Security check: What does this consist of? Mandatory/optional x-ray, pat down, etc? I don't like strangers in line knowing how much cash I am travelling with (all documented and legal source of course).

2. Customs: Sounds like this one is non-applicable and therefore there is no need to fill out any forms, yes?

3. Immigration: Sounds like this one is non-applicable. Ditto?

4. Checking into connecting flight: Thank you. I forgot about this one. Must check. What is the default? If they don't can one self check in? I have never understood the purpose of this step. Perhaps it is to alert the airline if there is an unused seat they can sell.

5. Luggage: Very good point, I never considered this one. In my experience, some nations (e.g. Japan, USA) require collecting luggage and going through checks (don't know if it is security, customs or both considerations). Other nations permit one to send luggage on through their nation. Even though technically one's luggage has not entered their country, practically it has, and if they don't want to rely on other nation's security checks it might be worth the added costs of a fresh security check. A poster has brought up another factor, the policies of the airline. These vary from company to company presumably.

The bad news for logistics is that I am moving to Asia and also travelling with a huge amount of luggage. I was intending to go from BKK airport to my next regional destination with a low cost airline.

Entering Thailand and closeby countries with a big bag of clothes and a couple of wads of cash and silver is not the end of the world. I just want it to be smooth, cheap and as fast as possible. I have never had any difficulties arriving in Thailand with even what appeared to be military equipment (it wasn't). They just politely asked me to have the box x-rayed and that was easy. I just want to arrange logistics so that I have hassle-free transitions through countries borders and don't break any laws. Singapore doesn't care how much reasonable amount of cash over 10K one brings in as long as you declare it. Malaysia and Thailand I don't know. Obviously I don't want to go through Customs in 2 or god forbid 3 different countries and pay VAT on my precious metal coins.

An additional factor is I am a hobby herbalist and make my own tinctures out of strong proof alcohol. I intend to move my medicine chest too. I don't know if this will be counted as medicine or booze. They are taken by the dropper not glass!

[lomatopo]

I guess we could help if you could share the exact details of your itinerary - no dates of course - what are the carriers? one ticket? two separate tickets?

Depending on the carrier(s), tickets etc. you may be able to check your bags through to your final destination. If you can interline your bags then you will not need to claim them in BKK. This is dependent on the ticket(s), carriers, check-in capabilities at the originating airport. You may also be able to get your onward boarding card for BKK-XXX when you check in, or maybe via on-line check-in.

Again with more details we can tell you what to expect.

Assuming you can remain in the international air-side area, no Customs, no Immigration, you do not have to declare cash. Mid-field security is the standard WTMD (walk through metal detector), bags go through the X-ray.

In general, and I;m guessing here as you've provided no information, you may wish to avoid LCCs ex-BKK as this requires entering the country, clearing Immigration, clearing Customs and perhaps even making a connection to another, nearby airport: DMK.

[lomatopo]

You may also be able to get your onward boarding card for BKK-XXX when you check in, or maybe via on-line check-in. Or at one of the mid-field connection counters.