Officials silent on Phuket Airport immigration mess

[Redvic]

5 hours ago, johnno2 said:

I arrived at 8PM at swampy 2 weeks ago. I was third person in the queue and got my bag and out of there in less than 30 mins after touching down

Try arriving at 12-00 in sept - dec then you will see what thai customs is all about. Joke. 

[thaiowl]

4 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

 

 

It will never happen, as the so called 'Elite' do not want an educated population.   Keep the men dumb and the women barefoot and pregnant is the way forward for the foreseeable future.

Agreed. Been here 26 years. Keep the population docile, subservient, ignorant and frightened and you can get away with anything.

Edited October 29, 2016 by thaiowl

[louse1953]

33 minutes ago, sendintheclowns said:

On just about all my return trips back to Thailand, over the past 20 years, the airplane crew said they did not have the Thai Immigration forms. We had to wait, disembark, and rush to find counter where forms were available.  Stressful when you are trying to make a domestic connection. Why not allow incoming international passengers the option of filling in these forms, whilst aboard the aircraft.? Would not help if not enough officials  there to process them promptly. Perhaps this is all leading to a big push to sell VIP/ Fast Lane cards. I'd pay.

 

Sorry clown,that was probably my fault.I usually grab 5 forms at a time and fill them out as needed.I don't do rushed.

[graym]

5 hours ago, The manic said:

You have never travelled much. Try Tripoli or Dharan or Jeddah.....to name but three.

...555 and my current posting - Luanda...!

[spacemand]

7 hours ago, exalll said:

 

Try Beijing

Or LAX or San Fransisco, I always plan for a min. 4 hour stop over arriving from out side the US in hope of catching my connection.

 

Edited October 29, 2016 by spacemand

[masuk]

8 hours ago, 1337markus said:

So it taking about an hour at Phuket. Compare the equivalent at Chiangi, Singapore I have cleared immigration many times on average in 3 minutes with a smile and free mouth freshening lozenge.  Why the difference, same process?

Malaysia's much the same.   Less than 30 seconds to stamp in a visitor.

[UTH001]

8 hours ago, exalll said:

 

Try Beijing

Don't know about Beijing but Guangzhou is fine, been there several times, maximum 5 minutes... And FAST LANE at Suvarnabhumi only works well when there are not hoards of Chinese, who should not really be there. But nobody checks entry to the FAST LANE system, so even if you have a FAST TRACK card, sometimes it also takes 20 minutes until you get through Immigration!

[Lokie]

Amazingly no one has mentioned; the only thing that does appear to work well in Thailand is corruption

 

So with the new International terminal, has Phuket immigration now done away with the 'Express' (cost 150-300 Bhat) special immigration desk then, the one that never existed lol... 

[leggo]

You think Thailand is bad - try Vietnam. last week I went to Hong Kong for a quickie and when we arrived at immigration departure there was only one counter open and it was manned by a very surly looking guy who really couldn't be bothered. He kept scowling at the queue and barking at the cleaners and airport staff who were coming and going. Then the next thing right in the middle of checking a man in front of us passport he just got up took his coffee and whatever and just marched off leaving the rather confused guy standing at the desk with no passport stamped. Luckily a superior arrived and opened a few more counters but it took them a while to realise that we in the original queue who were the first to arrive had no officer at our counter, the guy was still standing there looking dumbfounded -they finally sorted it out but I think it is without doubt the worst behaviour I've seen at any immigration anywhere in the world by a public servant. In most countries he would have been fired ( I say that but probably not -the unions to-day would say it wasn't his fault, poor dear!!!)

Edited October 29, 2016 by leggo
spelling!

[ardokano]

20 hours ago, Redvic said:

No different to swampy. Thai customs is probably the worst i've ever passed through. 

I think you have very little travel. you do not understand even what About you talking. What does the Customs to check documents at the border?

Thai custom it's fine.

Edited October 29, 2016 by ardokano

[DSJPC]

just another reason why Phuket is a Thai hellhole!!!...arrive tired after 27 hours traveling from USA, then wait in line for hours, then jump in a way-overpriced taxi, then try not to get mugged...nah, not for me!!!...PHUKET SUX!!!...and they wonder why tourism is declining???...nearby countries offer much better...

[dominique355]

10 hours ago, 1337markus said:

So it taking about an hour at Phuket. Compare the equivalent at Chiangi, Singapore I have cleared immigration many times on average in 3 minutes with a smile and free mouth freshening lozenge.  Why the difference, same process?

And I recently flew to Osaka, Japan and had to wait 2 hours in line to clear immigration. That never happened to me in Thailand.

[Psimbo]

39 minutes ago, DSJPC said:

just another reason why Phuket is a Thai hellhole!!!...arrive tired after 27 hours traveling from USA, then wait in line for hours, then jump in a way-overpriced taxi, then try not to get mugged...nah, not for me!!!...PHUKET SUX!!!...and they wonder why tourism is declining???...nearby countries offer much better...

71 posts before a 'Phuket sucks' one- must be a record!

[titanio82]

22 hours ago, Redvic said:

No different to swampy. Thai customs is probably the worst i've ever passed through. 

 

I do NOT agree. On my last five arrivals at Suvarnabhumi, immigration queues were never any longer than 10 minutes.

[Dante99]

12 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

 

Agree re Singapore, many day trips no baggage at all, off the aircraft in a taxi  10 minutes.

Comparing Thailand to Singapore is absurd.

[ardokano]

5 hours ago, titanio82 said:

 

I do NOT agree. On my last five arrivals at Suvarnabhumi, immigration queues were never any longer than 10 minutes.

Dude. You do NOT see his tal about CUSTOMS.

Maybe he looks so suspicious customs officers, and they make it searches in his bags?

[captspectre]

On 10/28/2016 at 8:53 PM, Redvic said:

No different to swampy. Thai customs is probably the worst i've ever passed through. 

I do not feel one bit sorry for them! who told them to come over here in the first place with all the problems foreigners are having? they are just like charlie tuna! glutton for punishment!

[AloisAmrein]

They complain about falling tourist arrivals, and then this. This year in Saigon, Vietnam: immigration clearing 2 minutes. About same in Vientiane, Laos.

Edited October 30, 2016 by AloisAmrein

[bluemoonpattaya]

 on my last visit to  Suvarnabhumi  airport on 23rd Oct, the  immigration queues were 45 mins. never see it this bad before.

[Canceraid]

Farangs , they like to whine and complain and yet, there still come here for holidays and some come to retire, work or stay here. Pathetic! If they had any self-respect, they would simply boycott coming here and encourage all others to do the same.

[nasa123]

Replace the entire Management at Phuket airport, and take also Transport Minister Lt Gen Arkhom Termpittayapaisith in the process they are all totally useless.Better this people get a work in 7/11 or Lotus. + We ned this fast lane whit Immigration 100 Bath in passport and you was finish on 2 min.
 

[sendintheclowns]

On 29/10/2016 at 3:30 PM, louse1953 said:

Sorry clown,that was probably my fault.I usually grab 5 forms at a time and fill them out as needed.I don't do rushed.

grabbing multiple copies of Government forms - living on the edge, eh? :)

[geriatrickid]

On 10/28/2016 at 9:53 AM, Redvic said:

No different to swampy. Thai customs is probably the worst i've ever passed through. 

 

Obviously you have not traveled much because if you had you would know that BKK is one of the better airports for these delays. Airports that are often much, worse are;

Manila, Beijing, Los Angeles, Miami, London-Gatwick, Toronto, Nairobi, Paris (CDG), New York (both EWR in New Jersey and JFK) and depending upon the terminal and season , London LHR.

 

 

[sandmike]

Dubai DXB can have huge queues and 90 minute waits at immigration too .. especially at the weekends .. and that's with all of the 30 or so immigration gates open ...

[Redvic]

On 29/10/2016 at 11:52 AM, ardokano said:

I think you have very little travel. you do not understand even what About you talking. What does the Customs to check documents at the border?

Thai custom it's fine.

 

[Redvic]

Just now, Redvic said:

 

I have travelled all over the world my friend so know what i am talking about. If you are saying Thai customs is fine you are either thai or plain stupid. 

[NamKangMan]

On 31/10/2016 at 8:42 AM, bluemoonpattaya said:

 on my last visit to  Suvarnabhumi  airport on 23rd Oct, the  immigration queues were 45 mins. never see it this bad before.

 

 

On a recent visa run, through Bangkok, they didn't have a staff member at the top of the elevator at immigration to stop people getting on the elevator, until there was sufficient space for more people in the queue at the bottom. 

 

The immigration queue filled up to the bottom of the elevator, with people still getting onto the elevator at the top.

 

I had progressed in the queue enough to be out of harms way, but heard the screams, turned around, and saw the people on the elevator getting pushed by the elevator into the last people on the backed-up queue to the ground.  Quite a few fell to the ground, and we obviously distressed when they got to their feet.

 

It appeared to me there were no serious injuries, but those involved included elderly Thai's and foreigners, women and children.

 

Absolutely disgraceful, and who is held accountable for what could have caused broken bones and head injuries, but luckily only caused soft tissue damage - NOBODY. 

Edited November 6, 2016 by NamKangMan

[madmitch]

Came in tonight on the Emirates flight. Closely followed a Chinese flight but interestingly they had the Chinese in one queue and the Emirates passengers in another. I was quite near the front and queued for no more than five minutes. 

 

A short wait for bags and although being stopped by customs after the x-ray machine revealed quite a number of British foodstuffs, I was out of the airport 25 minutes after the plane landed, and that is good by any standards.

 

But the queue behind me grew quickly and there weren't enough immigration booths open, five or six for each queue.  

 

 

[Redvic]

On 29/10/2016 at 11:52 AM, ardokano said:

I think you have very little travel. you do not understand even what About you talking. What does the Customs to check documents at the border?

Thai custom it's fine.

 

On 29/10/2016 at 11:52 AM, ardokano said:

I think you have very little travel. you do not understand even what About you talking. What does the Customs to check documents at the border?

Thai custom it's fine.

 

[Scott]

Post and reply about grammar and spelling have been removed.