Where for dinner? International flight into Suvarnabhumi, 3.5 hours later international flight out

[webworldly]

Thanks to my brother's relatively short layover at Suvarnabhumi in a few weeks, I have the opportunity to see him after quite some time apart. I'm really hoping for some information and/or advice here regarding how I can best prepare in order to maximize our time together.

He arrives at Suvarnabhumi via Thai Airways from Melbourne.....and leaves just three and a half hours later via Thai Airways to Frankfurt.

Two questions:

1. Can I....and if so, what is the best way to....meet him as close to the gate where his plane arrives as possible?
2. Since he is coming in on an international flight and then departing on an international flight.....what and where is the best restaurant in the airport that he will have easy access to and that I will be allowed to meet him at?

Thank you for any advice you have.

CHEERS!

D

[lomatopo]

Your brother would normally stay "air-side" in the international transit area between his flights. In order for you to meet him he will have to enter Thailand by clearing Immigration. You could then meet him on level two, outside Customs, and then go up to one of the several eateries on level 3 land-side, or down to the Magic Point Food Court on level 1.

After dinner, your brother will have to clear departing security and Immigration. I am not certain how the Departure Tax (700 baht) fee is handled. Some report having to check back in with TG, where they have to pay the Departure Tax, as it was not included in their original fare. Others have just gone through Immigration - I assume your brother will have his BKK-FRA boarding card from checking in in OZ? It may depend on how the ticket was constructed.

I guess he could check with TG to see what options he has re: entering Thailand?

Edited June 17, 2013 by lomatopo

[fredob43]

A friend of mine arrived a few month's ago on a stop over and was not aloud out of Air side I couldn't go there so we didn't meet up best to check before you make arrangement's. I wasted quite a few hour's trying to sort it out but it was a definate NO.

Edited June 17, 2013 by fredob43

[webworldly]

Hey lomatopo...thank you for the detailed information. Am I understanding correctly that even though the process was expensive, time consuming, and an all around hassle...you have spoken to people who managed to arrive in BKK only for the purpose of a stopover between two international flights, leave the "air-side", meet their friend, then return to the "air-side" in order to catch their departing flight? I realize that my question will come across about the same as this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX5jNnDMfxA

...but I haven't seen my brother for a long time and would love to make this opportunity work for us.

To fredob43, thank you for sharing your experience, and I am sorry to hear that the circumstances made it impossible to meet your friend. Do you recall if your friend would have at least had the option to complete the process and meet you in person if the stopover had been long enough? If so, do you think that a 3.5 hour stopover is long enough?

CHEERS!

D

[songhklasid]

Perhaps in hindsite you should have got him to have a stopover in BKK for a few days, a trip down to dr BJ's in soi 7/1 & he might have cancelled his onward journey.

rgds songhklasid.

[lomatopo]

Am I understanding correctly that even though the process was expensive, time consuming, and an all around hassle...you have spoken to people who managed to arrive in BKK only for the purpose of a stopover between two international flights, leave the "air-side", meet their friend, then return to the "air-side" in order to catch their departing flight?

Yes.

I suspect that your brother's ticket was constructed without the 700 passenger service charge, and that he can enter Thailand on a tourist visa exemption.

Assuming he knows what he is doing, where he is going, arriving flight is on time, arriving Immigration lines are short, there are no issues with the 700 baht fee, departing security and Immigration lines are short, he should be fine.

Worst case Immigration directs him back to TG for payment of the 700 baht fee, and/or he misses his on-ward flight, loses his bag(s) as these will get off-loaded, has to re-fare a new ticket. Good news, you get to spend more time with him.

Agree he should arrange his travel for a longer layover, or a stopover.

[webworldly]

Got it! Thank you again, lomatopo!

[webworldly]

Hi webworldly (haha!)...I received an email from my brother today that provides some pertinent information. He wrote:

Just called Thai Airways and they said they didn't know but I could call the consulate, which I did, and they said it should be no problem to leave the airport without a visa (with US passport) as long as I have proof that I am leaving the country again (my ticket on to Frankfurt). The Thai Consulate website confirms this. So I think it's pretty likely to be OK.

That's great news, though none of us here on ThaiVisa will be surprised if what he is told by airport authorities when he lands in Bangkok ends up being, "same same, but different". That said, I am optimistic and will plan for the best.

So.......final question......which restaurant would you recommend in the international terminal at Suvarnabhumi for an upscale, sitdown, quiet, 60-minute, dining experience? Type of food is unimportant....but the ability to have a nice, quiet meal is paramount.

CHEERS!

D

[lomatopo]

I probably wasn't particularly clear in my response(s) so hopefully that didn't confuse you.

You brother can absolutely enter Thailand on a 30-day tourist visa exemption, it certainly helps that we now know he has a U.S. passport, and he can simply enter "in transit" on the Arrival card, in the address box.

The bigger questions remain:

will he have a boarding card for BKK-FRA?

will he be allowed to exit Thailand without paying the 700 baht PSC?

will he have enough time to clear arriving Immigration, along with departing Immigration and security?

I'm honestly not sure where a quiet meal can be found as an international airport tends to be a busy and loud place. The quietest general location might be on the "B" level, down one level from the ground/level 1, near where you can find the airport rail line station, but there are only limited dining options down there. There is a pre-paid/coupon food court on level 1, near door 9/10 (far right if facing the building) called "Magic Food Point". And there are several eateries on level 3/land-side, with similar chains as you might see in a mall: Black Canyon, S & P. etc. Maybe you could go a bit early and scout out some options that suit your requirements?

[webworldly]

Thank you, lomatopo......for putting up with my unintentional prior omission of facts (brother's USA passport, etc.). I will take your bigger questions under consideration....and will also heed your advice to simply arrive early enough to scout out some dining options.

Thank you to all who contributed to this thread.

CHEERS!

D

[bubba]

There really aren't any very quiet or upscale restaurants in the terminal, but have you thought about one of the restaurants at the Novotel airport? I haven't tried any of them myself, but they would definitely be quieter than anything in the terminal.

http://www.novotelairportbkk.com/restaurants-bars/

[webworldly]

I appreciate the suggestion, bubba....and if time permits (depends on how long my brother's post-arrival immigration process takes) we might go there. Thank you!

CHEERS!

D

[bubba]

No problem, webwordly. You probably already know, but the Novotel is directly opposit the main terminal, and there is a walkway connecting them with perhaps a five minute walk to the restaurant. That should give you plenty of time.

[Thereisnoif]

Go to the Novotel , they have a chinese, japanese and a dinner restaurant

[webworldly]

Hi bubba & Thereisnoif.....regarding your Novotel recommendations:

No problem, webwordly. You probably already know, but the Novotel is directly opposit the main terminal, and there is a walkway connecting them with perhaps a five minute walk to the restaurant. That should give you plenty of time.

Go to the Novotel , they have a chinese, japanese and a dinner restaurant

....I just got back from the airport, and feel compelled to give you a little feedback, and a lot of gratitude.

First, the facts. My brother had no problem with whatever process there was between departing his inbound flight from Melbourne (with a 3 hour stopover here in Bangkok) and then exiting the restricted area in order to meet me. To be specific, the best place for anyone else whose circumstance is similar to tell the person arriving to go to in order to meet is on level 2 by the exit marked #5 ("exit"...as in exit to go outside the airport).

So...that's where I was when I saw him coming through the exit of the restricted area. We saw each other, decided to go eat, took the escalator down to the first floor (I think...but it may have been one level lower than that)....walked for about 5 minute, following the signs "to Novotel" all the way, arrived at the hotel, and 60 seconds after walking in the entrance we were already seated and eating at the buffet restaurant.

The food was ok, but this ThaiVisa thread is much more about confirming to anyone else who wants to greet, meet, and eat with someone who is only at Suvarnabhumi for a 3 hour layover.....that YES, YOU CAN DO IT! WOOHOO!

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this thread, especially bubba & Thereisnoif for being persistent in their Novotel recommendations! Well done!

CHEERS!

D

[Thereisnoif]

My pleasure

[Tomtomtom69]

A friend of mine arrived a few month's ago on a stop over and was not aloud out of Air side I couldn't go there so we didn't meet up best to check before you make arrangement's. I wasted quite a few hour's trying to sort it out but it was a definate NO.

How would they have stopped him from leaving? At immigration they wouldn't have let him pass? How would they even know? My dad has been on many flights on THAI, transiting through Bangkok where he was able to pass through immigration and head into the terminal to meet people to pick up/drop off important documents/luggage etc. Only if the passenger first passes through to the transit lounge would he thus NOT be able to enter the Kingdom although a friend of mine, despite passing through to the transit lounge was forced to enter Thailand as he had arrived on an Air Asia flight who are strictly point-to-point (this was in Feb 2012) - normally you must head directly to immigration if you want to enter.

[Tomtomtom69]

A friend of mine arrived a few month's ago on a stop over and was not aloud out of Air side I couldn't go there so we didn't meet up best to check before you make arrangement's. I wasted quite a few hour's trying to sort it out but it was a definate NO.

How would they have stopped him from leaving? At immigration they wouldn't have let him pass? How would they even know? My dad has been on many flights on THAI, transiting through Bangkok where he was able to pass through immigration and head into the terminal to meet people to pick up/drop off important documents/luggage etc. Only if the passenger first passes through to the transit lounge would he thus NOT be able to enter the Kingdom although a friend of mine, despite passing through to the transit lounge was forced to enter Thailand as he had arrived on an Air Asia flight who are strictly point-to-point (this was in Feb 2012) - normally you must head directly to immigration if you want to enter.