Airport authority announces plan to keep weekend immigration hell from being repeated

By Coconuts Bangkok 

 

Photo: MicheSO6/Twitter

 

BANGKOK: -- After a much-publicized immigration debacle at Don Mueang International Airport that saw tourists waiting four hours on Friday night, Thai airport officials are speaking out about the issue and how they plan to resolve it.

 

Though the airport blamed a few late flights and being understaffed for the shocking queues, these issues are hardly new to Bangkok’s smaller, older airport which has been called “a shithole” and “the pit of hell” by reviewers.

 

This past weekend people in line suffered from dehydration, trouble breathing in the overstuffed area, and one woman required medical attention.  As a result, several new one-star reviews and angry comments were added to the already pathetic reputation of the place, reported Bangkok Post.

 

Full story:  https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/airport-authority-announces-plan-keep-weekend-immigration-hell-repeated/

 

-- © Copyright Coconuts Bangkok 2017-08-08

"The Airports of Thailand (AOT) authority stated that they will hurry along plans to expand the immigration counters at Don Mueang by eight next month... They also say they are already training 48 more officers to work in immigration at the airport."

 

All of that will help zilch when even during rush times only half of the booths are manned because there allegedly is not enough personnel available.

 

The only solution to the problem is to have a relaxation room ON SITE where enough immigration officials are on stand-by AROUND THE CLOCK and regardless of arrival and departure schedules so they can be quickly deployed.

 

Nobody cares what they are doing in the relaxation room - whether picking their noses, watching soaps or slurping Mama noodles - as long as they are IMMEDIATELY available to man ALL booths whenever needed. 

Edited August 8, 20178 yr by metisdead
Oversize font reset to normal.

problem is putting on more staff or even keeping them on standby will remove too much of their profits and in Thailand it is profits that are more important

13 hours ago, Misterwhisper said:

 

 

The only solution to the problem is to have a relaxation room ON SITE where enough immigration officials are on stand-by AROUND THE CLOCK and regardless of arrival and departure schedules so they can be quickly deployed.

 

Nobody cares what they are doing in the relaxation room - whether picking their noses, watching soaps or slurping Mama noodles - as long as they are IMMEDIATELY available to man ALL booths whenever needed. 

   Having I.O.'s sit around doing nothing ?

Wouldnt it be better to have them working the booths, rather than just sitting around doing nothing ?

     Many TV posters constantly critisise Thais and then come up with worse ideas than they come up with

 

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

airport which has been called “a shithole”

 

Prosecute that man to the fullest extent of the....lol.

A Thai solution to the problem is required. Transfer immigration staff from Suvarnabhumi to Don Mueang until everything quietens down and the media find something else to interest them. There, problem solved at no additional cost.  

Worry about Suvarnabhumi later if we need to.

 

I've a better plan. 

 

Get your lazy ass staff to do their job. 

Edited August 8, 20178 yr by Bluespunk

1 hour ago, sanemax said:

   Having I.O.'s sit around doing nothing ?

Wouldnt it be better to have them working the booths, rather than just sitting around doing nothing ?

     Many TV posters constantly critisise Thais and then come up with worse ideas than they come up with

 

 

You obviously misunderstood. What I was saying was that they need enough officials on STAND-BY AT ALL TIMES to man ALL BOOTHS whenever necessary. Currently, they are constantly under-staffed, so when an actual passenger rush occurs they cannot even open all booths because there isn't sufficient staff ON SITE. 

Normally there is a blame in Thailand. Always someone elses fault. 'Not my/our fault'. Something happened. Try planning rather than expecting!!!!

 plan ahead ( any thai word for this concept)

 

Flight Status – Arrivals | Departures

VIP Fast track 1200bt HTH

When any Thai government organisation has a plan, look out ... it might just make it off the drawing board.

It is not really AOT's problem but it has become theirs due to another Government Department not getting their act together

Instigate stiff penalties for any social media user who reports future cock ups !

11 hours ago, maxpower said:

Seem to have summed it up quite nicely......

 

Change the whole system to a system similar to the one Singapore use. It just take too long time if the immigration staff have to look for all old stamps to find a visa stamp.

3 minutes ago, HiSoLowSoNoSo said:

Change the whole system to a system similar to the one Singapore use. It just take too long time if the immigration staff have to look for all old stamps to find a visa stamp.

Not if the respective passenger has his/her paperwork tucked into the corresponding passport page with current visa - they usually figure this out.

13 hours ago, Cadbury said:

A Thai solution to the problem is required. Transfer immigration staff from Suvarnabhumi to Don Mueang until everything quietens down and the media find something else to interest them. There, problem solved at no additional cost.  

Worry about Suvarnabhumi later if we need to.

 

The Thai solution would be to have a lady with a portable toilet available at the qeueu's. And to charge all tourists 1$ extra for that extra service.

10 minutes ago, Thian said:

The Thai solution would be to have a lady with a portable toilet available at the qeueu's. And to charge all tourists 1$ extra for that extra service.

 

21 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

 

And 5 THB for all Thais!

46 minutes ago, HiSoLowSoNoSo said:

Change the whole system to a system similar to the one Singapore use. It just take too long time if the immigration staff have to look for all old stamps to find a visa stamp.

The system employed is a tertiary concern, primary issue seems to be the lack of competence. 

 

Singapore Changi Airport's system works despite the relative small arrival hall is only in part due to the automated/self-serve system employed, the level of competency as well as its citizen's willingness to self-serve for most services allows for better efficiency and a better quality of life.

 

Change comes from within. 

14 hours ago, sanemax said:

  Having I.O.'s sit around doing nothing ?

Wouldnt it be better to have them working the booths, rather than just sitting around doing nothing ?

 

Put some games on their computers: problem solved, they will stay in their booths and never leave again. 

Simple. Rename Airport to King Rama. Now try complaining ..... Lese Majeste ..........

9 hours ago, Dave67 said:

VIP Fast track 1200bt HTH

And the price for Falangs ????? lol

4 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

And the price for Falangs ????? lol

I am a Farang and get fast track every time I come into Thailand 

 

Here I'll help you out, just book fast track not a limo if you have 1200bt to spare

 

https://www.limousine.in.th/fast-track-immigration.html

Edited August 9, 20178 yr by Dave67

16 hours ago, Cadbury said:

A Thai solution to the problem is required. Transfer immigration staff from Suvarnabhumi to Don Mueang until everything quietens down and the media find something else to interest them. There, problem solved at no additional cost.  

Worry about Suvarnabhumi later if we need to.

 

Lol.... the "something else of interest", will be long queues at Suvarnabhumi airport!

4 hours ago, zzaa09 said:

 

Doctor Who's Tardis has been updated for the modern Thai age ?

4 hours ago, zzaa09 said:

Not if the respective passenger has his/her paperwork tucked into the corresponding passport page with current visa - they usually figure this out.

I do this every time, and ninety nine percent of the time the officer takes the passport, pulls out the card, checks the passport details, then thumbs through every page looking for the visa. I have even put a small yellow post-it sticker on the edge of the page with the visa.........occasionally that sinks in.....