Non-Thais in Thai only line

[floridaguy]

So my friend said that she was told by Immigration officers at Swampy that a small group of travelers (no more than 4) travelling together may all go to the Immigration line for Thai Passport holders if at least 1 person has a Thai passport. She and her companion, who was not a Thai, were waved over to the Thai line and processed that way.

Does anyone have any experience with this? I frequently travel with 2 business associates who don't have Thai passports (I do) and this would be great, as last week I was through in less than 1 minute and then had to wait nearly an hour for them to be processed.

If no one knows for sure, I may try calling Immigration at the airport, but this method seldom gleans good information.

[Crossy]

It's certainly been no problem going through with my wife in the past.

There has however, been the odd report that even this wasn't permitted, try it and see is all I can suggest.

[stubuzz]

I always go through the Thai lane, but i speak Thai and have a work permit to show.

[irishken]

i go through with the wife and kids, no issues at all but i wouldn't try it without being with at least a thai partner

[draftvader]

Have been ushered through a number of times with my wife and little girl. We're all English and as white as you like. Last time we were ushered through with a large British Pakistani family as well. The policy appears to be that they will allow families with young children through if they are quiet. Not a bad policy at all as it speeds things up for everybody and stops children being fractious (which they really are after a LONG flight).

[draftvader]

Reading your OP I doubt they cede to your requests as they will probably view that these businessmen should pay for a fast-track service.

[SimonD]

I've read reports on here over the years of people 'associated' with a Thai passport holder using the 'Thai only' line without problems.

Being with a Thai in other places opens doors, so why not immigration doors as well?

As Crossy suggests, try it anyway. What have you got to lose?

[floridaguy]

Yeah, we will be flying out in a week. I will try it and report back on my success or lack thereof of trying to get 2 tall white-as-white foreigners through the line. I ask because last week when we arrived at the airport, there were 5 or 6 people ahead of me in the Thai line, and they were kicked out because they were not Thai. So I will just give it a go and let you all know.

[Satcommlee]

I always go through Thai line with Thai wife and Thai kid... not a problem.

Also PR holders can go through Thai lines too...

But wait... there is some hope for the rest..

Pregnant Men can go through too.. now what I've seen of Pattaya Lately, most could pass as pregnant!

[gamini]

It's certainly been no problem going through with my wife in the past.

There has however, been the odd report that even this wasn't permitted, try it and see is all I can suggest.

as a PR I always had to go in the Thai line.

[Suradit69]

I even entered one time using the queue for people with diplomatic passports and a couple of times using the lane for Thai people when I was alone.

The first one happened long ago when I was a tourist and met at the plane at Don Muang by a rep who just shepherded me to the officer who handled diplomats. No problem.

The other times when there were long queues for foreigners and only few people in the queues for Thai nationals, I just made eye contact with the person manning the Thai desk or a supervisor walking about and he/she waved me over to the Thai line.

It's not that big a deal.

[tso310]

Always go through with the wife. Really love it when when other 'farangs', particularly Russians, try and join the queue because of its length and get bounced out.

[mogandave]

To their credit, the immigration lines have improved significantly in the last few years. I came through Friday morning and only had one person n front of me.

[cocopops]

A few times my partner and I have joined the non-Thai queue and staff have called out to her that a Falang and Thai wife/girlfriend can go through the Thai passports queue together. Which might be a special case of the general "small groups with at least one Thai" rule. Presumably the logic is that if you're accompanied you are less likely to have a problem that holds up the queue...

Edited November 29, 2014 by cocopops

[IMA_FARANG]

It is not absolutely true that non Thais will not be allowed in the Thai Passport only queue.

For one thing, foreigners with Thai wives are allowed (sometimes) to go through immigration with their wives, and more often their family if they also have children.

I have personally seen cases where the foreigners passport queue was crowded, and the Thai passport queue was almost empty.

A female immigrations supervisor then took a section of the foreigners queue, and instructed the Thai passport queue clerk to process them.

He didn't look happy, but as she was his supervisor, he had no choice.

That is unusual, but does happen.

Also, as a slightly disabled person, (minimally limited in mobility is the classification the doctors gave me) it isn't unusual for me to be wheeled into the "fast track" row, or even the "priority" row by the person who wheels my chair through immigration.

I suggest that if you have business clients, and you want to impress them, there are services that will do a "fast track" meeting service at the airport for a fee.

That's what they do for a living.

If you have clients you want to impress, contact one of these services to impress the clients and arrange for a "fast track" airport pickup service for your clients

Anyhow, it can't hurt to try.

[mogandave]

And if you work for a BOI company you can use the fast track...

[canuckamuck]

Did it last week, Had my wife and daughter with me.

[Tomtomtom69]

It is not absolutely true that non Thais will not be allowed in the Thai Passport only queue.

For one thing, foreigners with Thai wives are allowed (sometimes) to go through immigration with their wives, and more often their family if they also have children.

I have personally seen cases where the foreigners passport queue was crowded, and the Thai passport queue was almost empty.

A female immigrations supervisor then took a section of the foreigners queue, and instructed the Thai passport queue clerk to process them.

He didn't look happy, but as she was his supervisor, he had no choice.

That is unusual, but does happen.

Also, as a slightly disabled person, (minimally limited in mobility is the classification the doctors gave me) it isn't unusual for me to be wheeled into the "fast track" row, or even the "priority" row by the person who wheels my chair through immigration.

I suggest that if you have business clients, and you want to impress them, there are services that will do a "fast track" meeting service at the airport for a fee.

That's what they do for a living.

If you have clients you want to impress, contact one of these services to impress the clients and arrange for a "fast track" airport pickup service for your clients

Anyhow, it can't hurt to try.

Whenever the queues are long in the "foreigner" queues, which should be re-named "visitors", "non-citizens" or something similar as the word "foreigner" sounds quiet unwelcoming, unfriendly, rude and even racist, non-citizens are ushered over to the Thai queues.

The issue is merely when non-Thais try to use the Thai queue without being directed over. I have used it in the past but generally don't anymore even when travelling with Thais mainly because Thais have access to the automatic gates now, which non-Thais don't. Eventually I would expect manual stamping of Thai passports to cease altogether (it should).

[whybother]

I've been through the Thai queue on my own when the wife went through the Thai electronic process.

I think they're more lenient on farangs in the Thai queue (without a Thai) when leaving than when arriving

[bim]

Ive been coming through the Thai channels for 8 years now always with my Thai wife no problems. However last year 2 young back packers from UK followed us maybe thinking it was OK and politely got told they couldnt go through.

[Goong Ying]

Anyone watching this any more?

My Thai wife will be an Australian passport visitor to LOS and does not have a current Thai Passport.

Which lane would be best for her?