Phuket airport Immigration "schemes"

[lblake32]

This is a scam invented by "Easy-Jet", a no frills airline in the UK and used extensively at Luton Airport. They keep the queues as long as they can while frequently anouncing the express lane. After a while, take-off time approaching, they panic and open up all lines with no charge. It's a chalenge to avoid all their "extras" to beef up their revenue.

[SeaVisionBurma]

Off topic post removed.

[Andre0720]

This type of thread might put an end to this 'service'.

No need to raise the 'Armageddon' flag, the price for this type of service is typically stable, or disappears.

I was happy to notice this 'fast lane', and was happy to get out of a slow lane and out of the heat... for a mere 100 bahts...

Anytime.

It has been repeated many times, Thailand has some characteristics quite different from more developed countries. I was under the impression that farangs came to Thailand because the good aspects outweighed the bad ones... Let's be coherent...

I am back home for 3 months now, unbelievable the amount of surveillance on the roads to collect the equivalent of 4 to 6 thousand bahts.... 'Your wheels were not completely stopped for more than 2 seconds at the stop sign' or some silly patronizing reason...

Can't wait to go back to the fast lane...

[Flying Clog]

Please, please, please CLOSE THIS THREAD!

This 50 baht 'fast track' payment is the best thing that's happened to Phuket airport in years, and as someone who flies in and out 3-5 times per month due to working overseas, it's an ABSOLUTE GODSEND...

No more worrying about an entire arrival hall (or departure hall for that matter) full of Russians, Chinese and Koreans who haven't even filled out their arrival forms correctly and therefore take FOREVER to get through immigration.

I used to dread arriving or departing HKT, now it's no worries at all. In fact, it's a pleasure.

This doesn't affect the local Thai population as they go through the Thai line, and the frequent fliers who are 'in the know' go through the 50 baht line. Perfect.

I went through arrivals this afternoon and there were about 10 desks open with about 40 people in each line. And the 'fast track' lane on the left was empty, manned by one immigration officer, and I was through in less than 1 minute for the price of a Chang at a beach bar.

I've never seen it before, as a poster mentioned above, that there were several fast track lanes open and immigration were clearly taking the piss.

Now, if you want to sort it properly, have a business class express lane a la Bangkok, Heathrow etc. But failing that, leave this little system alone.

Please.

[steelepulse]

Many people would welcome a legal and legit "fast track" including myself, as I find the immigration people highly inept at processing people at a decent pace. For whatever reason, they want to hold the three minutes of power over everyone, when the average time should be about 45 seconds per person.

Bring on the legal fast track, but in the meantime, get the rude and highly inefficient immigration officers manning the desks when multiple flights arrive. It's not as if they don't know when 5 flights all arrive at the same time.

[Flying Clog]

Steelepulse -

There are already a few 'legal and legit' ways to get the fast track treatment through Phuket immigration. Firstly, there's the APEC card, not too sure how that works, but I believe it would require the sale of a house, vehicle or vital organ for most people to acquire one.

And then there's the Coral lounge VIP method, but that's 2000 baht a pop I believe!

Me, I'd rather contribute 50 baht to the Phuket immigration Christmas fund than 2000 baht to Coral inc.

Again, please let's not spoil this little known method of making airport transits, for once, a relatively straight forward affair.

[falkan]

Steelepulse -

There are already a few 'legal and legit' ways to get the fast track treatment through Phuket immigration. Firstly, there's the APEC card, not too sure how that works, but I believe it would require the sale of a house, vehicle or vital organ for most people to acquire one.

And then there's the Coral lounge VIP method, but that's 2000 baht a pop I believe!

Me, I'd rather contribute 50 baht to the Phuket immigration Christmas fund than 2000 baht to Coral inc.

Again, please let's not spoil this little known method of making airport transits, for once, a relatively straight forward affair.

supporting corruption and i guess you won't mind taken for a ride with our local taxi drivers to 555 you sound like a tourist not someone who is living here all year round..

[hawker9000]

Phuket. Never ceases to amaze.

[Flying Clog]

Yes falkan, I fully support this form of corruption. 100%

No, I would never be stupid enough to be scammed by a Phuket taxi. Anyone who does has it coming due lack of due diligence and/or street smarts.

I work abroad but spend all my days off here, hence I have a car etc. So I'm neither a year round resident nor a tourist.

[lowprofile]

Please, please, please CLOSE THIS THREAD!

This 50 baht 'fast track' payment is the best thing that's happened to Phuket airport in years, and as someone who flies in and out 3-5 times per month due to working overseas, it's an ABSOLUTE GODSEND...

No more worrying about an entire arrival hall (or departure hall for that matter) full of Russians, Chinese and Koreans who haven't even filled out their arrival forms correctly and therefore take FOREVER to get through immigration.

I used to dread arriving or departing HKT, now it's no worries at all. In fact, it's a pleasure.

This doesn't affect the local Thai population as they go through the Thai line, and the frequent fliers who are 'in the know' go through the 50 baht line. Perfect.

I went through arrivals this afternoon and there were about 10 desks open with about 40 people in each line. And the 'fast track' lane on the left was empty, manned by one immigration officer, and I was through in less than 1 minute for the price of a Chang at a beach bar.

I've never seen it before, as a poster mentioned above, that there were several fast track lanes open and immigration were clearly taking the piss.

Now, if you want to sort it properly, have a business class express lane a la Bangkok, Heathrow etc. But failing that, leave this little system alone.

Please.

4 desks operating very slowly, 6 desks operating very efficiently and another 3 or 4 officers canvassing for the cash.

If these 6 +3 had been on normal desks and the slow desks were operating normally, there would be short queues and no problem for anyone.

Encouraging "graft" benefits no one in the end.

[Flying Clog]

Put a sock in it lowprofile. You're going to spoil it for all of us at this rate...

How often do you use the airport? It sounds like you were very unfortunate, and I'm sorry to hear it. I've never seen the situation you describe and I've been going through the airport once a week for the last 2 years. So that's a 100 times plus, and NEVER seen the situation that you are describing.

Maybe the immigration officers have wound their necks in since this happened to you. Surely even they don't want to kill the golden goose by taking the piss, so they will wind back their little scam if and when necessary. I went through yesterday and it was perfect. One line for fast track and about 10 lines for the three planes that had just disgorged about 600 Russians and Chinese, who were, incidentally, running around like headless chickens in the immigration hall.

So, NO THANK YOU, I don't want to get in line with them. I'll spend 50 baht and be in my car within 5 minutes of stepping off the airplane.

[Bulldozer Dawn]

Please, please, please CLOSE THIS THREAD!

This 50 baht 'fast track' payment is the best thing that's happened to Phuket airport in years, and as someone who flies in and out 3-5 times per month due to working overseas, it's an ABSOLUTE GODSEND...

No more worrying about an entire arrival hall (or departure hall for that matter) full of Russians, Chinese and Koreans who haven't even filled out their arrival forms correctly and therefore take FOREVER to get through immigration.

I used to dread arriving or departing HKT, now it's no worries at all. In fact, it's a pleasure.

This doesn't affect the local Thai population as they go through the Thai line, and the frequent fliers who are 'in the know' go through the 50 baht line. Perfect.

I went through arrivals this afternoon and there were about 10 desks open with about 40 people in each line. And the 'fast track' lane on the left was empty, manned by one immigration officer, and I was through in less than 1 minute for the price of a Chang at a beach bar.

I've never seen it before, as a poster mentioned above, that there were several fast track lanes open and immigration were clearly taking the piss.

Now, if you want to sort it properly, have a business class express lane a la Bangkok, Heathrow etc. But failing that, leave this little system alone.

Please.

4 desks operating very slowly, 6 desks operating very efficiently and another 3 or 4 officers canvassing for the cash.

If these 6 +3 had been on normal desks and the slow desks were operating normally, there would be short queues and no problem for anyone.

Encouraging "graft" benefits no one in the end.

No, that is not correct.

It benefits the corrupt.

[Flying Clog]

So Bulldozer Dawn, you're saying this doesn't benefit me? Or any other frequent flyers 'in the know'?

You could have fooled me.

[simon43]

Here's a very good reason why this corruption at immigration has to stop.

The 'fast-track' queue is not 'fast-track' - It is normal speed.

The 'normal' queues are deliberately 'slow-track'.

Last night, an American guest flew in from Manila around 11pm. He related to me how he was amazed to see Phuket corruption in full view at immigration - he thought that the authorities had sorted out problems at Bangkok and Phuket airports years ago.

A female immigration official in uniform went up and down the immigration queues 'touting' for business at 100 baht a shot. My guest tells me that he is in no doubt at all that the officers manning the 'normal' immigration queues were deliberately working slowly, leaving their desks, chatting to other officers etc.

Those who paid 100 baht and chose the 'fast-track' queue were processed in literally minutes, (so quick that their luggage had not yet appeared on the conveyor belt).

I say to you:

If passengers can be processed by immigration at a speedy rate (pay 100 baht), then those passengers in the 'non-paying' track could be processed just as quickly - if the immigration officers were bothered to do their job.

And where does the 100 baht go?

It goes to improve airport facilities ==> NO!

It is donated to a worthy charity ==> NO!

It goes into the pockets of greedy, corrupt, lazy immigration officers ==> YES!!

[NamKangMan]

Yes falkan, I fully support this form of corruption. 100%

No, I would never be stupid enough to be scammed by a Phuket taxi. Anyone who does has it coming due lack of due diligence and/or street smarts.

I work abroad but spend all my days off here, hence I have a car etc. So I'm neither a year round resident nor a tourist.

I'll ask you the same question that I asked KB, who declined to answer. Just how many baht are you prepared to pay, before you refuse to pay?

I guarantee you, they will "push the market" to that price, and like most things on Phuket, they will push the price up until they find what the market is not prepared to pay, and by then, it's too late, the market has gone elsewhere.

Do you really think it will stay at 50 baht or 100 baht?

What a terrible first impression tourist get of Phuket/Thailand - paying for a better Government supplied service.

As mentioned, many tourists will not have any baht in their pocket at this stage, so they have no choice but to wait in the long que, and watch the majority of Immigration Officers sit there and do nothing, but wait for their next 100 baht, although one member has reported they accepted USD. Hardly a nice welcome, is it?

Then, they leave the Phuket Airport and have to deal with the taxis.

On Phuket, you are a victim of corruption before you are even stamped into the country.

It's a disgrace.

[lowprofile]

Put a sock in it lowprofile. You're going to spoil it for all of us at this rate...

How often do you use the airport? It sounds like you were very unfortunate, and I'm sorry to hear it. I've never seen the situation you describe and I've been going through the airport once a week for the last 2 years. So that's a 100 times plus, and NEVER seen the situation that you are describing.

Maybe the immigration officers have wound their necks in since this happened to you. Surely even they don't want to kill the golden goose by taking the piss, so they will wind back their little scam if and when necessary. I went through yesterday and it was perfect. One line for fast track and about 10 lines for the three planes that had just disgorged about 600 Russians and Chinese, who were, incidentally, running around like headless chickens in the immigration hall.

So, NO THANK YOU, I don't want to get in line with them. I'll spend 50 baht and be in my car within 5 minutes of stepping off the airplane.

I'm not trying to "spoil it" for everyone at all. The only way to make the process better for all is to improve it for all.

Another poster reaffirmed what I experienced, flying in and having deliberately slow lanes with "touts" in uniforms for the express service.

This is an appaling first impression to give tourists.

I don't fly every week, more like every 3-4, on average and I can tell you that i dread the thought of immigration queues, not just here, but everywhere.Most countries I travel to have slow service, this is not due to graft, though.

Suggesting that the immigration service would "wind their necks in" at some point is fantastical - the taxi service still hasn't.....

As to being in a line with healess chucks, you wouldn't be, if the Bangkok model was used.

[simon43]

My American guest told me that they only wanted Thai baht and would not accept any other currency.

[Flying Clog]

Sorry, anyone who thinks that if there wasn't a fast lane, and just 10 or so normal lanes that those 'slow' lanes would move significantly faster is deluding themselves. Sure, it might move 10-20% faster. But that's still way too bloody slow as far as I'm concerned.

ie. I will get through in 15-18 minutes instead of 20... Oh great, thanks. I would rather get trough in 30-60 seconds as I do now.

You want to fix the problem? OK, double or triple the size of the immigration hall, and at least double the amount of immigration staff. Then it will be like Bangkok.

Somehow... I don't think that's gonna happen chaps.

[EBlair48]

I bet the same people who are extolling the virtues of this scam are also complaining about dangerous drivers

which is a direct result of this kind of petty scamming.

Simon is right, the lanes are made to move slowly, and by playing along, you enable the corruptive environment.

Is Immigration immune to the new governmental order, being Royal Thai Police?

How would someone complain?

[Flying Clog]

lowprofile - you want to improve the process for all? No, it can't be improved. The airport simply isn't big enough and there's no room for expanding the size of the immigration area. So that's a non starter. Ain't going to happen.

simon43 - that's actually a good thing that they don't accept anything but THB, that means all the people not in the know, i.e. non-frequent fliers will be forced to use the normal system, and leave the fast track for the regulars. Only accepting THB acts as a control, and will stop the system getting out of hand.

I've got an idea simon43, tell your hotel guests to have 50 baht ready on arrival, and they'll have a most pleasant arrival through Phuket airport! Brilliant, they'll probably even thank you for it! I know my visitors have.

Leave the slow line for all the Russians and Chinese. They're welcome to it. If they have a bad experience with Phuket airport arrivals and are such muppets that they get ripped off by the taxi mafia afterwards to boot, then GOOD! Maybe that will keep them away from Phuket in future! Don't tell me you don't secretly wish they would stay away from Phuket as well?

Look at it in those terms then if it makes you feel better - a bad experience for these types of tourists is a good thing for all of us, and Phuket in general. Bring it on!

[steelepulse]

I bet the same people who are extolling the virtues of this scam are also complaining about dangerous drivers

which is a direct result of this kind of petty scamming.

Simon is right, the lanes are made to move slowly, and by playing along, you enable the corruptive environment.

Is Immigration immune to the new governmental order, being Royal Thai Police?

How would someone complain?

Major General Praveen Pongsirin 081 8936083.

[Flying Clog]

OK everyone, I think this is what it boils down to:

A. Thailand as a country, and large swathes of SE Asia are quite corrupt. Some more than others.

B. Point 'A' above is not going to change. Anyone who thinks it is, is EXTREMELY delusional. You're going to be miserable in Asia, so go back to Europe or the USA.

Given point's 'A' and 'B' above, people who choose to live, work, visit or spend a large amount of their days off in Thailand have to accept many negative sides of this corruption.

HOWEVER, along with many negative things, there are a few little nuggets of good corruption that, in fact, make life a little bit easier in many ways.

Paying the price of a beer at a beach bar to pass through immigration both on the way out, and on the way in to Phuket airport in 1 minute instead of 30 minutes is one of those little niceties of corruption.

Let's make it clear, I do not want it to go back to what it was a year or two ago, when there was definitely not a 50 baht fast track, and every time I arrived at the airport I would dread landing behind a Chinese or Russian airplane. Back in those days I would occasionally have to wait for 30-60 minutes to get through immigration. For someone who travels through Phuket airport more than once a week on average, this is a show stopper, and a serious cause of stress in one's life.

It wasn't that the immigration staff were working on a 'go slow' to encourage people to use the 'fast track' lane... there WAS NO fast track lane back then. That is a fact. What there was was an immigration hall that was too small to handle the amount of flights, and not enough immigration staff. Neither of these things is going to change without tearing down the entire airport and building again. Ain't gonna happen sunshine.

(Incidentally, yes, what I'm almost implying is that for visitors who come once a year or once in their lifetime to Phuket, having to wait 30 minutes for immigration actually is not a big deal... it's part of the holiday! And even I am used to that going into the USA, or even the UK occasionally for example. But going through that once a week.... that's a major source of stress)

So. Enjoy this small little perk of living in a corrupt country.

I just wish someone would shut this thread down so the word doesn't get out...

[Archie Pelago]

That's 4 times you have said someone should close the thread.

And every time you post, it bumps the topic back to the top...

It is barely 3 days old, relax it will eventually fall off the page and be forgotten.

[EBlair48]

Some of these posts really illustrates how corruption works. Me me me me me me me me me. Only me, my needs... me me me me

If the officers acted like professionals, then the lines would move in a reasonable manner. Since it benefits them to not to behave as such...

[EBlair48]

Yes falkan, I fully support this form of corruption. 100%

No, I would never be stupid enough to be scammed by a Phuket taxi. Anyone who does has it coming due lack of due diligence and/or street smarts.

I work abroad but spend all my days off here, hence I have a car etc. So I'm neither a year round resident nor a tourist.

Really remarkable post in lack of empathy- what about those without personal transport arriving at 2 Am ? Paying an extortionate price for a taxi is the only choice, has little to do with street smarts.

How nice you are so informed, tourists are not.

[KarenBravo]

No one commenting on the 300 Bt charge for a proof of residence document from Immigration? It's supposed to be free.

[NamKangMan]

lowprofile - you want to improve the process for all? No, it can't be improved. The airport simply isn't big enough and there's no room for expanding the size of the immigration area. So that's a non starter. Ain't going to happen.

simon43 - that's actually a good thing that they don't accept anything but THB, that means all the people not in the know, i.e. non-frequent fliers will be forced to use the normal system, and leave the fast track for the regulars. Only accepting THB acts as a control, and will stop the system getting out of hand.

I've got an idea simon43, tell your hotel guests to have 50 baht ready on arrival, and they'll have a most pleasant arrival through Phuket airport! Brilliant, they'll probably even thank you for it! I know my visitors have.

Leave the slow line for all the Russians and Chinese. They're welcome to it. If they have a bad experience with Phuket airport arrivals and are such muppets that they get ripped off by the taxi mafia afterwards to boot, then GOOD! Maybe that will keep them away from Phuket in future! Don't tell me you don't secretly wish they would stay away from Phuket as well?

Look at it in those terms then if it makes you feel better - a bad experience for these types of tourists is a good thing for all of us, and Phuket in general. Bring it on!

"tell your hotel guests to have 50 baht ready on arrival" - so when the majority of tourist start to arrive with their 50 or 100 baht in hand, and all go to the "express lane" thus making these lanes no longer "express" - you will be waiting in a que, just like you have in the past, and all that will be left is the 100 baht to the corrupt Immigration Officers, if indeed, it remains at 100 baht, which I highly doubt.

I suppose that's when you will suggest they make a "super express lane" for 500 baht.

Wake up.

[NamKangMan]

No one commenting on the 300 Bt charge for a proof of residence document from Immigration? It's supposed to be free.

Most propably because the hundreds of thousands of tourists coming to Phuket will never need a certificate of residence, but all will need to enter, and depart, from Immigration.

[EBlair48]

No one commenting on the 300 Bt charge for a proof of residence document from Immigration? It's supposed to be free.

Yes, another scam to be sure. I don't pay that, I ask for receipt, they make a show about it " have to ask the commander... blah blah lie lie -" pass it to the back desk takes an extra 15 seconds, but I get it free

Of course now maybe that's why my application to extend my visa was denied last week- due to," insufficient profit margin on Co ltd. "

[stevenl]

No one commenting on the 300 Bt charge for a proof of residence document from Immigration? It's supposed to be free.

Yes, another scam to be sure. I don't pay that, I ask for receipt, they make a show about it " have to ask the commander... blah blah lie lie -" pass it to the back desk takes an extra 15 seconds, but I get it free

Of course now maybe that's why my application to extend my visa was denied last week- due to," insufficient profit margin on Co ltd. "

You just have to pay your taxes.