Hello--TIA for this basic question---When flying from chiang mai to penang, change planes in Bangkok, where do you get the "stamp out" of thailand?  Do you have to go through some immigration process in bangkok before boarding, or when you deplane in penang?---We have a tight connection in Bangkok, so I am worried that if we have to do a lot of waiting in lines at immigration we will miss our plane to penang.  Also, Is penang still not doing same day turnaround for setv?

If you are flying via Bangkok then your flight from Chang mai will only be a domestic flight where there is no immigration so you will definitely have to go through immigration at Bangkok 

There are too many possibilities which remain open as your question is not specific enough: 

 

Travelling with the same Airline all the way, Different Airlines, checked in Baggage that needs picking up and checking back in at Bangkok, or no checked in baggage? travelling Via Don-Muang and from Don-Munag again, or Into and out of Suvarnabhumi ? (I assume not into Don Muang and from Suvarnabhumi).

 

IF travelling with the same airline and your baggage is through to destination and you have been issued your boarding passes you will transit from Domestic to the International Terminal via bangkok transit Immigration desk (not the main one shortly after checkin).

 

An Airline with an onward flight will not sell you the onward flight if the connection time is too short. 

 

 

IF you are looking for a quick flight out and back (as a Visa Run) it may be possible to fly back on the same plane (I did it years ago to Singapore), it depends how efficient arrival immigration, checkin and departure Immigration is at your destination. 

 

 

Usually, the Chiang Mai to Bangkok flight is a domestic flight, and you clear immigration in Bangkok before boarding your international Bangkok to Penang flight. I think this is always true when flying to Penang. It is possible for the flight to be from Chiang Mai to an international destination, with a stop in Bangkok only to board additional passengers (no one is a Chiang Mai to Bangkok only passenger). In that case, you clear immigration in Chiang Mai. If you tell us the flight numbers, we can confirm that the latter (these days unusual) scenario does not apply.

18 hours ago, newh said:

Do you have to go through some immigration process in bangkok before boarding, or when you deplane in penang

Do you really think another country would be doing immigration departure clearances for Thailand?

If your connection is tight, talk to your airline about possible solutions.

I recently completed a trip Chiang Mai - Suvarnabhumi - Hong Kong and return via Bangkok Airways. Although the first leg was a domestic flight, they had us check in at their international counter, go through immigration there, and hike back via a secured corridor to board at a domestic gate.  On return we went through immigration in Bangkok but customs in Chiang Mai, which makes some sense because that's where we rejoined our checked bags. 

2 hours ago, tlesher said:

I recently completed a trip Chiang Mai - Suvarnabhumi - Hong Kong and return via Bangkok Airways. Although the first leg was a domestic flight, they had us check in at their international counter, go through immigration there, and hike back via a secured corridor to board at a domestic gate.  On return we went through immigration in Bangkok but customs in Chiang Mai, which makes some sense because that's where we rejoined our checked bags. 

 

Interesting. I had not heard of that before. What was the procedure on arrival at Suvanabhumi on the outbound flight?

21 hours ago, newh said:

Also, Is penang still not doing same day turnaround for setv?

 

Apply morning, collect afternoon the following day.

23 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

There are too many possibilities which remain open as your question is not specific enough: 

 

Travelling with the same Airline all the way, Different Airlines, checked in Baggage that needs picking up and checking back in at Bangkok, or no checked in baggage? travelling Via Don-Muang and from Don-Munag again, or Into and out of Suvarnabhumi ? (I assume not into Don Muang and from Suvarnabhumi).

. 

 

 

Thank you for the replies and info--we are flying Thai airways and then Thai airways "operated by Thai smile airways"--both through Savarnabhumi---we are not checking luggage--carryon only.  There is one hour and 15min layover but google flights says the first flight frequently runs late by 30 min. Thank you for your help--Nancy

37 minutes ago, newh said:

Thank you for the replies and info--we are flying Thai airways and then Thai airways "operated by Thai smile airways"--both through Savarnabhumi---we are not checking luggage--carryon only.  There is one hour and 15min layover but google flights says the first flight frequently runs late by 30 min. Thank you for your help--Nancy

Regardless of your layover time or whether you have baggage or not, is your flight one ticket or do you need to check in again in at savarnabhumi.

if it is one ticket then you won't have a problem as you will only need to go through the immigration at the transfer desk.

If it is 2 seperate tickets then you will need to check in again so you will probably not have enough time to make your flight

Edited December 11, 20169 yr by Doiger