Hi - hope some one can help - I have a 5 hour transit in Bangkok on the way to Samui from UK. Luggage will be booked all the way through to Samui from departure airport. Even though I will be a transit passenger am I allowed to go through Immigration at Bangkok and leave the transit area and then go back through security to catch my connecting flight? Reason for asking got a friend in Bangkok I would love to meet for a coffee and a chat while waiting for connection.

simply use brains. It would be the very same if you flew say Glasgow-LON-onto BKK. First flite is domestic-so you canNOT even ''stay'' in transit area- you need to pass passport control-and new security check, at BKK.

simply use brains. It would be the very same if you flew say Glasgow-LON-onto BKK. First flite is domestic-so you canNOT even ''stay'' in transit area- you need to pass passport control-and new security check, at BKK.

How is London -> Bangkok -> Samui the same as Glasgow -> London -> Bangkok?

One has the domestic leg at the end, and one has the domestic leg at the start.

I see no reason why you cannot go land-side at BKK to meet your friend. Normally you would clear mid-field Immigration, and proceed to Concourse A, as a CIP passenger, possibly stopping to get a boarding card at one the the transfer desks. But you could exit out after mid-field Immigration (I think), or just use the normal Arriving Immigration Hall (east, VIP, West), and exit out onto Level 2.

If you did not get a boarding card, for BKK-USM in the U.K., then you will have to check in with your carrier on Level 4, then clear security to get into the domestic air-side area/Concourse A.

http://www.suvarnabhumiairport.com/passenger_guide_transfer_inter2domestic_noBD_en.php

If you can depends on your nationality as that determines if you will need a visa to leave the transit area or not.

If a UK national you should have no problems, just need your passport, arrival/departure card and boarding card. But check with ground staff at the airport first.

The OP's final destination is USM/Koh Samui; as this is a domestic location he will have to leave the transit area at some point.

If he doesn't have a valid visa, or is not eligible for a tourist visa exemption, he would probably be denied boarding in the U.K.

Edited August 27, 201312 yr by lomatopo

simply use brains. It would be the very same if you flew say Glasgow-LON-onto BKK. First flite is domestic-so you canNOT even ''stay'' in transit area- you need to pass passport control-and new security check, at BKK.

Not actually always true here. Customs and Immigration may be done at the final airport in some cases.

If you do want to leave the aarea for transit you would need to enter thailand at BKK and re enter at BKK. You may find that you have to pay airport taxes if you wish to do this as they differ from tranist passengers.

Edited August 27, 201312 yr by harrry

Customs and Immigration may be done at the final airport in some cases.

Customs, yes, if at one of the six (6) eligible domestic airports. Arriving Immigration, no, that must be done at BKK.

Edited August 27, 201312 yr by lomatopo

Customs and Immigration may be done at the final airport in some cases.

Customs, yes, if at one of the six (6) eligible domestic airports. Arriving Immigration, no, that must be done at BKK.

Yes...When I came from perth and had to catch a flight to Chiangmai in the morning I stayed in transit and Immigration checked me into Thailand as I went to board the Chiangmai flight.

simply use brains. It would be the very same if you flew say Glasgow-LON-onto BKK. First flite is domestic-so you canNOT even ''stay'' in transit area- you need to pass passport control-and new security check, at BKK.

Not actually always true here.  Customs and Immigration may be done at the final airport in some cases.

If you do want to leave the aarea for transit you would need to enter thailand at BKK and re enter at BKK.  You may find that you have to pay airport taxes if you wish to do this as they differ from tranist passengers.

He is transiting to a domestic location, so taxes would be the same.

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There is a slim chance that 100 baht domestic PSC might be collected, assuming it wasn't paid on the original itinerary, if using the land-side check-in, vs. the mid-field transfer counter. I might try to get my BKK-USM boarding card at the transfer counter, then exit out? A few years ago, some carriers were collecting the 700 baht int'l PSC for people who exited at BKK, on an int'l connection. Lately, with so many automated check-in procedures, it can be challenging to collect this if it wasn't part of the original ticket.

simply use brains. It would be the very same if you flew say Glasgow-LON-onto BKK. First flite is domestic-so you canNOT even ''stay'' in transit area- you need to pass passport control-and new security check, at BKK.

so condescending with your reply - I have always stayed in transit in Bangkok when luggage booked all the way to Samui, may have cleared immigration while still flight side but never gone non flight side - what I was asking was although I'm booked all the way to Samui can I go out of Transit to non flight side - thanks for the replies - think I probably can and no extra cost as all airport taxes included in flight ticket.

I see no reason why you cannot go land-side at BKK to meet your friend. Normally you would clear mid-field Immigration, and proceed to Concourse A, as a CIP passenger, possibly stopping to get a boarding card at one the the transfer desks. But you could exit out after mid-field Immigration (I think), or just use the normal Arriving Immigration Hall (east, VIP, West), and exit out onto Level 2.

If you did not get a boarding card, for BKK-USM in the U.K., then you will have to check in with your carrier on Level 4, then clear security to get into the domestic air-side area/Concourse A.

http://www.suvarnabhumiairport.com/passenger_guide_transfer_inter2domestic_noBD_en.php

TY - that's what I hoped I would be able to do

I see no reason why you cannot go land-side at BKK to meet your friend. Normally you would clear mid-field Immigration, and proceed to Concourse A, as a CIP passenger, possibly stopping to get a boarding card at one the the transfer desks. But you could exit out after mid-field Immigration (I think), or just use the normal Arriving Immigration Hall (east, VIP, West), and exit out onto Level 2.

If you did not get a boarding card, for BKK-USM in the U.K., then you will have to check in with your carrier on Level 4, then clear security to get into the domestic air-side area/Concourse A.

http://www.suvarnabhumiairport.com/passenger_guide_transfer_inter2domestic_noBD_en.php

TY - that's what I hoped I would be able to do