200 more immigration officials deployed at Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports

[webfact]

200 more immigration officials deployed at Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports

By Thai PBS

 

 

BANGKOK: -- About 200 immigration officials from immigration offices throughout the country have been mobilized and deployed at the Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports to cope with increasing number of arrivals.

 

Hundreds of arriving passengers were held up for more than four hours at the immigration checkpoints at Don Mueang airport in the last couple of days due to shortage of immigration officials to cope with a surge of arrivals.

 

Pol Maj-Gen Sitthichai Lokanpai, commander of Second Division of the Immigration Bureau, inspected immigration officials performing their duty at Don Mueang airport on Saturday night (Aug 12).

 

He reportedly told his men to attach importance to security in screening incoming passengers and, at the same time, providing convenience and being polite to the passengers.

 

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/200-immigration-officials-deployed-don-mueang-suvarnabhumi-airports/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-08-14

[tomyummer]

I guess I shouldn't feel so bad that a week ago I spent ONLY 45 minutes in the outgoing immigration line. Nice of the airlines to send a rep to escort me from immigration and hold the plane for me. I literally had to do an OJ Simpson Hertz commercial running half a kilometer with luggage in hand to the gate.

Ridiculously slow those immigration officers are. Absolutely no expediency in their demeanor. They love playing god while poor passengers wait.

[leeneeds]

Mostly I look for a lady in the booths as they are,  in my opinion are so much more efficient,

1 hour ago, webfact said:

He reportedly told his men

 

[nev]

So their is 200 being dragged away from immigration's up and down the country so expect long delays renewing you visa's and doing extensions.

 

[colinneil]

Amazing how they can suddenly find 200 officers.

So what were they all doing before? Sleeping/ playing on their phones maybe.

[BasalBanality]

So those "in service to their superiors" are relieved of those duties and reverted to their actual paid jobs within Immigration?

 

I can't imagine the kerfuffle at the various offices, who's running the errands now?

[darksidedog]

While this move is good news for travelers through Bangkok's airports, I hate to think how much drama it will cause nationwide. Queues at other borders are probably now going to face nasty delays. Maybe actually recruiting a significantly higher number of staff might be a good idea, especially since High Season is approaching.

[mtls2005]

49 minutes ago, BasalBanality said:

I can't imagine the kerfuffle at the various offices, who's running the errands now?

 

Proper Burmese slaves servants, of course.

[jacko45k]

1 hour ago, leeneeds said:

Mostly I look for a lady in the booths as they are,  in my opinion are so much more efficient,

 

Yes I do too, they seem to have less attitude too.

[mtls2005]

1 hour ago, colinneil said:

Amazing how they can suddenly find 200 officers.

So what were they all doing before? Sleeping/ playing on their phones maybe.

 

They were "in service to their superiors". wink-wink-nudge-nudge.

 

The national police chief last week ordered them back to their real jobs.

[Thian]

15 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

While this move is good news for travelers through Bangkok's airports, I hate to think how much drama it will cause nationwide. Queues at other borders are probably now going to face nasty delays. Maybe actually recruiting a significantly higher number of staff might be a good idea, especially since High Season is approaching.

Thailand 4.0...you come by air or we'll let you wait. 

 

Why not change the whole visa-system which makes all foreigners travel over borders just for a silly stamp. Can they not give the stamp at an office in BKK or so? I'll be happy to pay for it and it saves the immigration a lot of work at the airports/borders.

[Misterwhisper]

Hm, I truly hope this isn't just knee-jerk patch work and that lines of applicants for marriage and work visa applications, visa extensions, re-entry permits, residence certificates and similar documents at immigration offices up and down the country won't start spilling out onto the streets so one problem could be fixed while creating another one in its stead.

 

It seems quite suspicious that these 200 officers could be mobilized so suddenly. They must be missing somewhere else now. 

[Thailand]

On the job training or do all 200 know how to do the work they have been sent to do?

[steven100]

ahhhh ....    isn't it amazing how TV farang can only see negativity in any solution ...

[ChrisY1]

1 hour ago, leeneeds said:

Mostly I look for a lady in the booths as they are,  in my opinion are so much more efficient,

 

Almost always, the women officers are more efficient

[PatOngo]

Everyone loves Thailand!

[lucjoker]

1 hour ago, leeneeds said:

Mostly I look for a lady in the booths as they are,  in my opinion are so much more efficient,

 

I always look for ladyboys......they are even more efficient  when they have boots on ........

[IamNoone88]

Left Singapore yesterday using just a thumb print and quick scan of the passport. Less than 1 minute. 

[Straight8]

48 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Yes I do too, they seem to have less attitude too.

Yet they are probably the one who are most likely to scrutinize tourists and reject entry.

 

Every time I hear someone on TV getting refused entry, it's almost always a female officer.

[Chang_paarp]

1 hour ago, leeneeds said:

Mostly I look for a lady in the booths as they are,  in my opinion are so much more efficient,

 

Great idea when you are close enough to see the counter.

 

Not always an option unfortunately.

[RichardColeman]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

200 more immigration officials deployed at Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports

I presume 190 of them holding buckets !

[jaltsc]

" About 200 immigration officials from immigration offices throughout the country have been mobilized and deployed at the Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports to cope with increasing number of arrivals."

 

So...Are there also going to be 200 more booths the facilitate the processing...or...Just 200 more officials trying to look important?

Edited August 14, 2017 by jaltsc

[masuk]

2 hours ago, nev said:

So their is 200 being dragged away from immigration's up and down the country so expect long delays renewing you visa's and doing extensions.

 

I sincerely hope they have not subtracted staff from Chiang Mai International airport.

The waiting area is not all that large, and when three aircraft arrive simultaneously from overseas, it is total bedlam!

The Immigration officer who donned a pair of industrial ear guards had the right idea.

[visarunner]

would be a good idea to look at obsolete work they are doing, TM30, 90day reporting and get them to do some real work.

Would be easy to change the rules.... 

[hobz]

1 hour ago, darksidedog said:

While this move is good news for travelers through Bangkok's airports, I hate to think how much drama it will cause nationwide. Queues at other borders are probably now going to face nasty delays. Maybe actually recruiting a significantly higher number of staff might be a good idea, especially since High Season is approaching.

I love indulging in conspiracy theories... One off the wall theory is that police and army are like two different mafia families. 

Right now the army is attacking the police. Giving them smaller budgets and stopping them from hiring is a way to hurt them. Another way would be to make up laws that prohibit police to own night clubs..

On the other hand, for police to slowly remove personnel from the major airports is a way to embarass the leadership of the country.

 

Im almost convinced that the police and the mafia is the same people in thailand.

Army I dont have much info about...but wouldn't be extremely suprised ......

Edited August 14, 2017 by hobz

[wvavin]

Did the news reported wrongly? Are they really trained immigration officials or the Air Force personnels deployed in accordance to the beloved Prime Minister's order?

[yimlitnoy]

I have a one year extension due to retirement on my visa and a re-entry permit, can't they let me re-enter via the Thai side automatic door for expediency?

[steven100]

2 hours ago, leeneeds said:

Mostly I look for a lady in the booths as they are,  in my opinion are so much more efficient,

 

I'm always looking for a ladyboy in the booths as they have always given great service ...  imo. 

[realenglish1]

I get it You do not want to open the Thai lanes to Non O vista holders such as retirees and  Students

 

Too logical for you to do and would not look like you are trying to solve the problem

 

These visa holders have already been vetted so what's the problem ?

[bkkcanuck8]

Oh great....  You have just added 200 people who thought they had paid their dues and were no longer required to work in a place that most immigration officers would like to avoid.... the airports in a congested boonie area.... 

 

Basically, you just added 200 disgruntled officers who will either take it out on tourists -- or try and make it pay 

 

Have a nice nap in the detention area