No Relief In Sight For Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang Airport Immigration Staff

[Amras]

Apparently

Step 1 - Hire more officers

Step 2 - Train said officers

Step 3 - Make sure all immigration counters are manned, all the time

is too difficult of a plan for these mouth breathing idiots...

This article and other articles I have read indicates it's more a problem of finding staff who want this job as opposed to not wanting to have enough.

I wouldn't want to do it. It is a pretty crappy job having to put up with shitty people who get grumpy of queues after a long flight (and other nationailities that are just plain rude all the time). Especially if the pay is crap as well.

[MILT]

Immigration in every country is always a pain in the ass. I heard that the US immigration is among the worst....

ya, me too. I got told, they taking finger prints from foreigners! General suspicion, to be a terrorist!

Depending where you clear customs/immigration they are one of the worst. They are taking fingerprints and randomly selected people for more searching /questioning. They are not particularly nice to anyone really. In fact they can be down right intimidating if they want.

[KireB]

A few years ago arrived behind a 747 load of Chinese tourist none spoke English or wrote it. They hadn't filled out their cards arriving at immigration backing up the line to over an hour.

They should have all been turned away until their cards were correctly filled in ! i.e. sent to the back of the qeue.

Not everyone is an experienced traveler such as you, a mighty globetrotting sailor! I took my Thai in laws on a trip to Malaysia which was the first time ever for them to travel abroad and yes they were quite puzzled by all the procedures and felt genuinely lost (they are 60 plus). According to your logic, the should be send back in the line!

And according to your logic every one should wait for them to have a immigration officer explain it to them rather than you do it before they get to the immigration officer.

So you are saying it is the countries duty to have enough staff on hand t explain every thing to all arriving passengers so that there will be no more than a 15 minute check in at immigration.

Real logical

It's the countries policy to have these stupid arrival and departure cards, so let's have a little patience for those not accustomed to them! And why such a hurry, just leave home a bit earlier. Are you also annoyed by elderly who walk too slow on side walks and they should stay home or make way for you?

[kblaze]

Reading the end of the article, I thought this was the funniest part...

"Instead of mentally cursing her… Perhaps realise that you both have something in common and, were it not for the Foreigners making her work harder, you could be scanning the belt for your suitcase, and she could be a lot more comfortable doing what she has to do."

[metisdead]

An overly derogatory and inflammatory post has been removed as well as reply.

[puipuitom]

well Survanabhumi has just 2 runways as Don muang has it, also the proceedures are more complicated.

personally i do not see any improovement with the new Airport, since don muang and survanabhumi have the same capacity Don Muang is clearly the winner.

making something "bigger and more shiny" does not make it more efficient.

But.. in building a new airport on soil which was not worth much, MANY rich could gain a HUGE profit.

Thai Taxpayers... just... are only to pay tax.

[Nisa]

We will see how things are after the first but I have been through BKK a number of times this year on both foreign and domestic trips and had noticed a huge improvement in lines. Immigration lines have actually been incredibly fast and would rate them as one of the best given the number of people traveling international.

[Briggsy]

Thank you, frankold.

So I will have to remember to ask upon approach to Bangkok 'cos they never did this last time.

Having received my "fast track pass" on board, I presume I then head to a fast track inbound channel. Would this be correct?

[Nisa]

i remember well the travel's via Don Muang Airport,

abit clumsy but everything worked out somehow, with the opening of the Swamp Airport, everything went worse.

overloaded airport ? well Survanabhumi has just 2 runways as Don muang has it, also the proceedures are more complicated.

personally i do not see any improovement with the new Airport, since don muang and survanabhumi have the same capacity Don Muang is clearly the winner.

making something "bigger and more shiny" does not make it more efficient.

I think you should review your capacity estimates.

Don Mueang - designed for 25m passengers per year - in 2005 handled 38m. (I remember how god-awful crowded it was).

Suvarnabhumi - designed for 45m passengers per year (1st Stage) - in 2011 handled 47m (getting crowded, but nowhere near as bad as 2005 Don.)

Without government interference, (original plan) by now Suvarnabhumi would be at 60m passenger capacity, 3 runways. (nicely ahead of expected growth).

Don't blame the airport, blame the respective Govt's who instructed AOT to delay development.

Cheers

Without the government help it would have never been built and I don't believe the expansion was ever planned to accommodate 65 million people was ever scheduled to be completed by now. Last I read they actually pushed up the time from 2017 to 2016.

But who knows maybe they delayed things because they were listening too much to the expert doom and gloomer brigade here that constantly whine how tourism is down and going to get worse.

[joseph49]

"unaware of the struggle faced by the, perhaps cute, uniformed officer"

What is this sexist drivel?! Is this 2012 or 1962? jeezus H. christ...

he is on about the guy's

[hbullinger]

"In each case the officer has to bring the line to a halt and review the case with a superior".

Why don't they just take the travellers causing these hold-ups to a separate immigration desk?

Is that too simple?

[noob7]

"In each case the officer has to bring the line to a halt and review the case with a superior".

Why don't they just take the travellers causing these hold-ups to a separate immigration desk?

Is that too simple?

You mean, to the superiors desk, maybe?

1. to simple

2. to much work for the superior!

Edited September 26, 2012 by noob7

[thaikahuna]

I recently visited Canada and the US and passport wasn't checked when leaving the country.

it's done by the airline when checking in.

But you receive no stamp in the passport...

[thaikahuna]

And then there are thousands of passengers who have either not completed their boarding cards or have filled them out incorrectly (bring your own Pen!!). In each case the officer has to bring the line to a halt and review the case with a superior.

Therein lies the problem...the front line officer is not allowed to think for themselves to speed the process lest someone's boss lose face.

[takatukaland]

Why check people leaving?

Why check people leaving?

How can they get ur overstay fine if let u go without checking?

[asiawatcher]

The one question that has not been raised is immigration for outgoing with connecting flights internally to DM. If you do not leave about 6 hours between arrival in BKK and departure from the other airport - whichever one - the time to cross town - then clear immigration - could be your downfall.

[RubbaJohnny]

noob& has a deep insight into local customs

[bigbamboo]

One way of getting around this is planning your time of arrival.

Many flights come in to BKK at 10.:30PM. Just remember, if you have only 5 planes arriving at the same time it can mean up 1,500 people to clear customs. If some of the planes are the A380, then you can easily make that number go up to 2,000.

When I used to come to Thailand, before becoming an ex pat, I would pick an airline that arrived in the morning. I usually cleared customs in 10 minutes as there were more customs officials than passengers!

Nobody loves a smartarse!

[MarcoFGianantonio]

The departure/arrival card is a thai non sense. ù

Who reads it? It is just a waste of time and paper

Malaysia has abolished it,

The immigration process takes less than a minute and you get a sticker plus a stamp with 90 i repeat 90 days visa !

Why is it so difficult to do the same in smiling land????

Marco

[LincsLad]

Having received my "fast track pass" on board, I presume I then head to a fast track inbound channel. Would this be correct?

Yes, follow the signs for 'Premium Lane', which is located after the first entrance to immigration.

[blackthorn2005]

No Relief in sight for Airport Immigration Staff, give then a night on Patpong!

Edited September 26, 2012 by metisdead
: Bold font removed.

[lee68]

Why check people leaving?

Theres some naughty boys and girls trying to slip through!

[lee68]

A few years ago arrived behind a 747 load of Chinese tourist none spoke English or wrote it. They hadn't filled out their cards arriving at immigration backing up the line to over an hour.

This is very true. Though I hate to generalize about a nation/cultural group, I have to agree that the Chinese are the rudest, most inconsiderate people on the planet...and NOW they have MONEY! You neglected to mention how they brazenly cut into immigration lines...one has to be alert and use one's elbows judiciously to avoid being pushed back by them.

Unfortunately, within 50 years they will--quite literally--rule the world. We are doomed.

The Russians are worse they are so ignorant,as a frequent traveller,through swampy,i have had to pull a few of them back as they have just walked past and tried to push in.

[garyk]

Get this. I was detained in China, because I did not have a return ticket with me to leave Thailand? I explained and showed them I had a retirement visa in Thailand. That was on deaf ears. One hour later and my last call for my flight the phone rang and I was let aboard? I was amazed. But I go home every year and I am always asked where my return ticket is. Even in my home country. It's like if you don't come back you cannot go?...

Anyway do any of you guys have the same problem?

[Samedeepwaterasyou]

Get this. I was detained in China, because I did not have a return ticket with me to leave Thailand? I explained and showed them I had a retirement visa in Thailand. That was on deaf ears. One hour later and my last call for my flight the phone rang and I was let aboard? I was amazed. But I go home every year and I am always asked where my return ticket is. Even in my home country. It's like if you don't come back you cannot go?...

Anyway do any of you guys have the same problem?

Sorry , but you make absolutely no <deleted> sense.

How can you be detained in China for lack of a ticket to leave Thailand ?

[delh]

I would like to see any of you poster's sit and deal with hundreds if not thousands of people day in and day out. None of you would even consider doing this type of job and with the attitudes that are displayed from the supreme Tv know it all posers. I would hate to be in your cue. Why do travelers and especially from the west think that they deserve some sort of special treatment because they are spending money? Because why? Here let me hand fan you whilst you wait in line to come into our country? Let us trip over ourselves to be extra smiley and nice so that you ca feel good about yourselves. Give me a break! It is what it is. Whether I get a smile or a stink eye glance from them I don't give a sh*t. It is not the officers fault that the system is flawed. They are there to process you as quickly as possible end of story. You all think that the officers are intentionally stalling you and the line that is front of them? I doubt that completely. The system will improve that is what the dialog would suggest. Ever travel to India? US? Europe? South America? Do they all smile and trip over themselves to make a good impression for people? Thailand is awesome! Incredible? Fun! and I for one am extremely grateful to be able to live here.

Well said, I agree totally. I very much doubt BKK is the worst.

[jellykookabanj]

I despair at the lack of knowledge of some of the posters on here. Since 9/11 the USA in the guise of the FAA have introduced an online system of entering information about any passenger that is headed for their borders. This can be completed by yourself online at any time after you have purchased the ticket to fly. It MUST be completed before you are allowed on the aircraft so if you have not furnished the info prior to check-in then the airline agent must input it. Your ability to fly to USA is totally at the mercy of the US immigration authority.

Secondly the airline is legally required now to ensure that passengers have the requisite paperwork and visas needed for entry to USA. If they incorrectly allow a passenger onboard without the necessary paperwork/visa then the airline is fined heavily and also has to suffer the cost of returning the passenger to the point of embarkation.

Thirdly, as a safety feature, to guard against people boarding the wrong aircraft, the passport is checked again at the boarding gate by airline staff before you pass through to the aircraft and board.

All these procedures have been in place since 9/11 and were driven by FAA (USA) and backed up by the CAA (UK).

Even information about cargo is now required to be input electronically and cleared through US customs before it has even been loaded on an airplane.

All these procedures have been introduced in an attempt to prevent any future terrorists from doing anything any more to an aircraft or the passengers.

So it is plainly obvious that nobody could depart a country without the passport being checked, by at the very least, by airline staff.

[jellykookabanj]

I would like to see any of you poster's sit and deal with hundreds if not thousands of people day in and day out. None of you would even consider doing this type of job and with the attitudes that are displayed from the supreme Tv know it all posers. I would hate to be in your cue. Why do travelers and especially from the west think that they deserve some sort of special treatment because they are spending money? Because why? Here let me hand fan you whilst you wait in line to come into our country? Let us trip over ourselves to be extra smiley and nice so that you ca feel good about yourselves. Give me a break! It is what it is. Whether I get a smile or a stink eye glance from them I don't give a sh*t. It is not the officers fault that the system is flawed. They are there to process you as quickly as possible end of story. You all think that the officers are intentionally stalling you and the line that is front of them? I doubt that completely. The system will improve that is what the dialog would suggest. Ever travel to India? US? Europe? South America? Do they all smile and trip over themselves to make a good impression for people? Thailand is awesome! Incredible? Fun! and I for one am extremely grateful to be able to live here.

Well said, I agree totally. I very much doubt BKK is the worst.

well said. BKK is far from the worst. Try London LHR on the many days that immigration are having a "go slow" over something or other. US can be both fast or bloody minded depending on the day and time.

[jellykookabanj]

The departure/arrival card is a thai non sense. ù

Who reads it? It is just a waste of time and paper

Malaysia has abolished it,

The immigration process takes less than a minute and you get a sticker plus a stamp with 90 i repeat 90 days visa !

Why is it so difficult to do the same in smiling land????

Marco

Maybe it is because many other countries make thai's jump through hoops to gain entry. UK for instance requires a visa, europe requires a shengen visa, need I go on.

[Fozfromoz]

It's not just Thailand, many countries, including ultra-modern hi-tech Singapore, still have landing cards.

But in this day and age when all passports are scanned and information readily available, I do wonder why?

Though which other countries make their own citizens fill out these cards? Genuine question, I don't know.

what Singapore does have though, are separate counters for Citizens AND residents. Holders of an employment pass for Singapore don't need the card. They show the pass and passport. It's quicker. If Thailand adopted something similar, such as residents/ WP to use the Thai Passport areas, renamed of course, that would relieve the other queues a bit, and expedite the residents.