Take a number: Phuket Airport immigration still overloaded

[performance]

Like most things here. Bad project management. Missing funds the list goes on.

[yellowboat]

For such a beautiful place, it seems that it only produces bad feelings.  First thing that comes to mind were the invasive questions about a person's social media habits.  Then there are the taxi / tuk tuk mafias.  Now it takes hours to get through immigration.  What are the positive things about Phuket ?

[Thailand]

59 minutes ago, moe666 said:

Actually it appears more are here, hotels in Chiang Mai fully booked

Really, just checking for a friend for the middle of this week to over Xmas on Agoda and nearly every hotel has rooms available,some with discount.

[Mansell]

even the Thais complain about the high cost of taxis in Phuket.....ha ha ha

[Old Croc]

30 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

For such a beautiful place, it seems that it only produces bad feelings.  First thing that comes to mind were the invasive questions about a person's social media habits.  Then there are the taxi / tuk tuk mafias.  Now it takes hours to get through immigration.  What are the positive things about Phuket ?

That form first surfaced in Bangkok.

[cruisemonkey]

It takes time to extort money from tourists.

[kannot]

3 hours ago, Si Thea01 said:

 

Definitely a fair question but requires intelligence to be asked.

and a "higher than you " position

[elgordo38]

18 hours ago, DrDave said:

“If all counters were open, it would help shorten the queues, but some counters still have no computer terminals installed,” he explained.

 

Did the reporter from the Phuket News ask WHY all of the counters don't have computer terminals? 

Seems like a fair question.

 

Your retired in the LOS and not supposed to ask questions its not your country. Quoting one of the previous posters. Reduce your incoming to accepting only sunshine and beer. Overlook absurd things happening around you. 

[Rimmer]

A spelling police flame has been removed, also one reply

[Bangkok Barry]

I'm surprised that food vendors haven't set up their carts to feed the people in the queues. Missed opportunity there . Then there is the taxi mafia to deal with once they emerge from the airport. On the bright side, the arrivals will definitely feel they need a holiday after surviving immigration.

 

But it baffles me why anyone would want to go to Phuket. Why? Plenty of far better places in the region. I just don't get it, how so many people can be so ill-informed about the place.

 

[Si Thea01]

30 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

I'm surprised that food vendors haven't set up their carts to feed the people in the queues. Missed opportunity there . Then there is the taxi mafia to deal with once they emerge from the airport. On the bright side, the arrivals will definitely feel they need a holiday after surviving immigration.

 

But it baffles me why anyone would want to go to Phuket. Why? Plenty of far better places in the region. I just don't get it, how so many people can be so ill-informed about the place.

 

 

It is, other than Bangkok, the best known holiday hotspot for people to visit, given many want a beachside holiday.  But then, maybe it's the way westerners think the name is pronounced. Could lead to all sorts of connotations.

Edited December 12, 2016 by Si Thea01

[Mansell]

1 hour ago, Bangkok Barry said:

I'm surprised that food vendors haven't set up their carts to feed the people in the queues. Missed opportunity there . Then there is the taxi mafia to deal with once they emerge from the airport. On the bright side, the arrivals will definitely feel they need a holiday after surviving immigration.

 

But it baffles me why anyone would want to go to Phuket. Why? Plenty of far better places in the region. I just don't get it, how so many people can be so ill-informed about the place.

 

Nobody is allowed into the Immigration area, so no food.....I assume you were joking.

70 percent of tourists to Thailand come to Phuket....why? Because it is beautiful with jungle, and no where near the traffic of Bangkok, (which is the other huge attraction here) or the traffic and crowds of CHIANG Mai. You pays your money and makes your choice. By the by, when I flew into Osaka in June the immigration lines there were also two or three hours long.....which is surprising for Japan because they usually have their act together. I was between flights and just wanted to have lunch outside with a friend, fortunately he forewarned me. It was mostly Chinese and Koreans coming in to go shopping. The world is changing.....rapidly, get used to it.

[KenKadz]

All the attention is focused in the Immigration officials at the desks and computer terminals.

 

Why has no one asked the people in authority (Aviation Department - Airport Authority - Airlines) to coordinate staggered flights (arrivals and departures) throughout the day so the facilities are not overwhelmed?

 

Aw Sh*#, this is farang logic, again!

[free123]

12 hours ago, Old Croc said:

Happened to look at the flight radar at 0115 this morning.

I noticed 5 Chinese planes lined up for a landing at Phuket. I wouldn't want to be waiting in the queue at that time.

 

 

never go there if u want yo have a quality holiday...first wait for hours inside a chinese growd to get to a rip off taxi that bring u to a hotel that might collapse once u checked in....if u go out u face two options beeing robbed snd shot in broad daylight or if u make it save to he nearest restaurant  passing lines of child hookers u pay double for low quality food....u only survive this by getting maximum drunk quick same like most the other falangs around u....

for the maximum brain damaged ( only to explain because of a lifelong alcohol abuse history ) that want to settle there u in for a real estate rippoff of the finest including all land departement , cops and most other maximum corrupted thai  government officials.... gd luck

[SaintLouisBlues]

6 minutes ago, free123 said:

never go there if u want yo have a quality holiday...first wait for hours inside a chinese growd to get to a rip off taxi that bring u to a hotel that might collapse once u checked in....if u go out u face two options beeing robbed snd shot in broad daylight or if u make it save to he nearest restaurant  passing lines of child hookers u pay double for low quality food....u only survive this by getting maximum drunk quick same like most the other falangs around u....

for the maximum brain damaged ( only to explain because of a lifelong alcohol abuse history ) that want to settle there u in for a real estate rippoff of the finest including all land departement , cops and most other maximum corrupted thai  government officials.... gd luck

Don't hold back free123, let us know what you really think

[thaibeachlovers]

3 hours ago, yellowboat said:

For such a beautiful place, it seems that it only produces bad feelings.  First thing that comes to mind were the invasive questions about a person's social media habits.  Then there are the taxi / tuk tuk mafias.  Now it takes hours to get through immigration.  What are the positive things about Phuket ?

IMO there are no positive things about Phuket, nowadays.

 

I used to be a frequent visitor to Phuket back in the 90s when it really was a nice place. Now, I wouldn't go there if I was paid to do so. I've heard ZERO good about the place in the intervening years and IMO any problems are karma.

 

[thaibeachlovers]

4 hours ago, yellowboat said:

For such a beautiful place, it seems that it only produces bad feelings.  First thing that comes to mind were the invasive questions about a person's social media habits.  Then there are the taxi / tuk tuk mafias.  Now it takes hours to get through immigration.  What are the positive things about Phuket ?

China has a very long coastline and isn't far from Vietnam which also has beaches. That the Chinese ignore their own beaches and head to < deleted > Phuket must mean that their own beaches are REALLY < deleted >.

[Thaidream]

So true about Phuket and also Pattaya and Chiang Mai.   In addition, Hua Hin and probably Cha-Am will suffer the same fate. These places are all becoming over priced; over developed and ruined because of mass tourism and the continuing quest for more. There has to be a limit but even some smaller places that I used to go are starting to see an encroachment of the same development. These developments are destroying what made Thailand a great place for a seaside vacation or in the case of Chiang Mai a cooler more laid back atmosphere. Some people call this development but I call it greed.  

There are still great places in Thailand to visit but for how long. Eventually they will be found and developed unless the Thai Government stops this onslaught on the environment. There is some hope in that the Government has moved against the piers in Pattaya; the corruption in Koh Chang and the illegal resorts in the Phetchabun mountains as well as other illegal dwellings in National Parks.

The development should be in Isan in the form of factories and other industries to be able to employ  Thais instead of concentration on tourism which brings more and more vendors to areas that are already over developed.

[elgordo38]

2 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

I just don't get it, how so many people can be so ill-informed about the place.

Shsssh TAT's secret weapon. Il-informed the world is full of these people. Why do you think so many things are going haywire in the world. The world is full of useful idiots following the "Make Things Great"  mantra. After the party is over and the hangover sets in they suddenly realize they have been conned yet again. Its a wash rinse dry cycle. I have watched it for 5 decades first in awe  in  my 20's and then wonderment in my 40's then by the time I reach 70 I realized what a con game it all was.  

[Thaidream]

I aalso never realized that it was all a con until I got much older and near retirement.  The wealthy will continue to destroy anything everything to gain more and more. Their greed and selfishness is unabated and it is just not Thailand , it is everywhere. Yes- make things great again- but  those who have the wealth and power will determine what 'great' means and how it will be done. Thailand maybe able to save its environment -because when people have to go through Immigration and it takes over 2 hours; then get over charged for everything else or scammed in the process- they will vote with their feet- and go elsewhere.

Edited December 12, 2016 by Thaidream

[marcher]

6 hours ago, Crash999 said:

2.5 hours in line for immigration! What a terrible first impression of Phuket that would give someone. 

Happy to get the warning. I normally fly off to places where i can go direct from Phuket, but maybe book in in BKK and arrive domestic. Probably take far mor than 2.5 hours though

[madmitch]

Turned into quite a Phuket-bashing thread.

 

Phuket has many faults, including the airport, but the vast majority of tourists have a great holiday and many return year after year.

 

I will add a caveat stating that this season is the quietest for some time.

Edited December 12, 2016 by madmitch

[performance]

6 hours ago, Thailand said:

Really, just checking for a friend for the middle of this week to over Xmas on Agoda and nearly every hotel has rooms available,some with discount.

Starving there's no numbers all fake reports

[geisha]

Friends of mine said they'd never go back to Phuket again, problems starting with the 2+ hour wait at immigration, and then the usual taxi scams to follow and less than friendly welcome at the hotels and restaurants. Their last visit was ten years ago which probably explains their surprise at the difference. I keep wanting to go and visit my old friends there, but keep putting it off due to these same problems. I feel quite upset at what Phuket has become, it used to be my favorite winter home. 

[MichaelJohn]

8 hours ago, cnx355 said:

Imagine upgrading the computers programs  !  No arrival card like Vietnam , Hong Kong and Malaysia,,,, Scanning the passport and the computer recognize the country and what stamps or visa are available for this country on his/her  screen; after the  computer issue an entry sticker or the Officer stamps the passport according of the type of entry.

 

Special case a referred to a supervisor officer.

 

About 4-5 minutes max  including photo  and  scanning index fingerprint.... But it is only a dream..

 

It seems that HK and Singapore can deliver your dream ...... maybe one day Thailand will mange too :-)

[millee]

anyone know if Qatarair handing out fast track vaucher to business class passenger??


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

[glassdude007]

19 hours ago, Old Croc said:

That form first surfaced in Bangkok.

Anybody out there have a link so I can download the new Farang Info form ???

90 Day report end of the month want to be prepared

Thanks

[Old Croc]

1 hour ago, glassdude007 said:

Anybody out there have a link so I can download the new Farang Info form ???

90 Day report end of the month want to be prepared

Thanks

Word is that they are no longer asking for it at Phuket Immigration.

It has died an inevitable death, no one is mourning.

[Jennyau]

4 hours ago, millee said:

anyone know if Qatarair handing out fast track vaucher to business class passenger??


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

As far as I know they don't do fast track here. I've flown in on Etihad business and never been offered Fast Track.

We flew in last Wednesday on Etihad...lines weren't too bad. The main hold up was the idiots that hadn't filled in their arrival card. Immigration officers should of sent them off to fill in the form and go to the back of the line. But they didn't and everyone else got held up because of them. Not happy!!! We are flying out tonight so will be interesting to see how the departure side goes. 

I do notice on here a hell of a lot of the Phuket bashers haven't been here for sometime. If they have attitudes about everything being so bad in Phuket...maybe us that are here are the lucky ones they aren't. Nowhere where we live is perfect....just have to weigh up what you can live with. Love it here.

[Phuketboy]

The last time i arrived via an international flight to Phuket the immigration officer in my cue wasn't exactly in a rush to get passengers through.  Slowly looking through passport, looking on his screen and then stamping away.  Being a new airport, they should be using electronic systems, chips in passports and automatic photos.  Then again, Thailand still like to stamp the passports and stuff around.