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

[metisdead]

A post containing overly derogatory comments toward Thais has been removed:

7) Not to post slurs or degrading comments directed towards any group on the basis of race, nationality, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

8) Not to post extremely negative views of Thailand or derogatory comments directed towards all Thais.

[surangw]

Why check people leaving?

tradition ?

[Seismic]

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.

Unfortunately this doesn't always work, I arrived and departed the US three times in the early 2000's on a C1D visa, the visa was legitimately extended each time at Galveston Immigration. The following year I was pulled up every time I entered the US as having been 'overstay'. Why??, because the visa extension was never disseminated throughout the US immigration computers. Cost me a couple of missed flights and no hours of fun explaining things in the "naughty boys" room. Even to the extent of explaining to US immigration that there was indeed an extension to the C1D visa, via the "offshore lightering" clause that most of these people didn't actually seem to know existed. I could probably have avoided all this if the US had in place exit checks on passports, rather than rely on the airlines to do it.

regards

[hellodolly]

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?

I have gone home to the states and Canada. I always had my return ticket as I never planned on staying there just visit family.

Never was I asked by any country to show my return ticket. Even the time I came here on a one way ticket so I could do all my bookings here in Thailand. Mind you I have a retirement visa.

[hellodolly]

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.

Agreed well said. Swampy has it's problems but they are far from the worst.

I wonder if they had the budget to do it if they could find enough qualified staff to fill thee empty booths and stay there rather than working a while and moving on to supposed greener pastures. It would be costly initially but when the word spread how easy it was to get in to Thailand the tour companies would definitely be looking at Thailand a little harder than they had before.

The longest time I ever spent waiting to get into the passenger area for a international flight was when I flew from San Jose California to Vancouver Canada.

[Bpuumike]

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

And herein lies the problem. If someone shows up and there are anything other than very minor errors (such as forgetting to date or sign the immigration form), the individual should be removed from the line and sent to a side office where he/she can wait their turn to be dealt with by immigration officials. This way the line is not held up by those who have issues.

Also, a single line that allows the next person in line to go to the first available immigration officer would also help speed things up. No more guessing which line is going to move the fastest.

But I suppose that this would be asking too much of Thai authorities.

Last time I left, about 2 weeks ago, departure cards were being checked before you were allowed into the Immigration queues. It's a start.

[GreenSnapper]

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

And herein lies the problem. If someone shows up and there are anything other than very minor errors (such as forgetting to date or sign the immigration form), the individual should be removed from the line and sent to a side office where he/she can wait their turn to be dealt with by immigration officials. This way the line is not held up by those who have issues.

Also, a single line that allows the next person in line to go to the first available immigration officer would also help speed things up. No more guessing which line is going to move the fastest.

But I suppose that this would be asking too much of Thai authorities.

Last time I left, about 2 weeks ago, departure cards were being checked before you were allowed into the Immigration queues. It's a start.

Yep, they check it now. And there is only one queue now. The system get's more efficient.

[noitom]

Why don't they just hire more university graduates and train them properly?

"In each case the officer has to bring the line to a halt and review the case with a superior." This usually mean 10 or 12 minutes of Kha ing around for permission to speak and repeating the situation 15-20 times, So they should all learn to cut to the chase. Thailandia doesn't work the way that it disfunctions now.

[Nisa]

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

Clearly this is an editing issue in terms of where this sentence was placed in the article as we all know (who have been through immigration numerous times here) that there is no reason to involve a supervisor for "passengers who have either not completed their boarding cards or have filled them out incorrectly " I think the supervisor quote was meant to appear after ... "Hundreds arrive with expired visas, passports that are not actually their own or with other complications that mean they are not qualified to enter or leave the kingdom. "

Edited September 26, 2012 by Nisa

[airconsult]

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.

Original Stage 2 expansion was due to commence in 2007 and complete in 2012 Nisa. Still got the plans tucked away somewhere.......

But..... after the coup, first the interim Govt. did not give permission for AoT to go-ahead, then successive cabinets had other issues on their mind.

(Though the word "original" has many meanings - back in 2004, stage 2 was meant to be the expansion of freight facilities, but in 2006, it was decided that stage 2 and 3 (passenger expansion) should be swapped around.)

At the end of the day, it *has* allowed more time to collect revenue, so now instead of another Japanese loan, AoT plans to fully-fund the expansions - though like all State-owned entities, even when self-funding, it must be cabinet approved.

Cheers

[Thai at Heart]

Why check people leaving?

They are checking for over stays which brings fine of 500 baht per day or 20,000 baht maximum.

They input all the info. Just check the visa dates. Plus, they input all the thai passport holders out and in. Masses of useless data.

[djlest]

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.

not if we dont let them - i think our children and childrens children will be furious with us for allowing it to happen otherwise.

Stop buying junk products just because they are cheap, we only have ourselves to blame, they got rich because we made them rich!

And now we make them richer because we want to be rich by using their slave labour system...

we are to blame!

[noob7]

I left LOS in August. The wait at the Swampy VAT refund was longer than the wait at immigration. But both staff were relatively efficient. Probably the only time I'll ever receive money from a Thai.

Immigration paid you, to leave?

[nahkit]

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.

Couldn't agree more. Had 2 Chinese sat aside me on a flight to Singapore last year. Both of them where eating noodles and burping aloud and eating like 2 Soi starved Soi dogs....no disrespect Mr Soi dog....I really wanted to vomit.

Now I have a rule anybody who resembles Chinese on any flight on Emirates I asked to be moved, if that fails I get the Airmiles out and book Business Class.

A horrible bunch of peasants who really need to learn some human manors and Etiquette.

Sorry, I don't quite follow this, asked to be moved where? How can you know where they are sitting before you even get on the flight?

[JulesMad]

Best Solution:

- 1 queue dedicated to TV members and their families (stops the endless complaining in the forum)

Wouldn't that be the Thailand Elite queue already?

I wish.... that would mean I am Thailand Elite . Quite a promotion!

And I think (hope for sure!) that most TV members have not fallen for that trick