Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus - The circus at the BKK arrival fast track continues

Well, just been refused service at the "fast track" immigration counter TG C boarding pass in hand :mad::mad:, I write regrding the counter on the very right hand side where TG also escorts its F passengers.

This post does not concern the new central "Premium" service for which reputable airlines ^^ hand out fast track passes to their premium passengers.

So sad that each time TG is getting a little bit better they manage once more to disappoint their premium passengers. Just one reason more to book with the competitors.

Can others comment on recent experiences arriving at BKK in TG C ?

A couple of time recently I've used my months-old purple FastTrack cards with no problem. Interestingly enough both times were not arriving from a TG C segment.

No, it is so easy arriving in Bangkok, I think we have to make it better for you, can't be that hard!! Now if you are not prepared to get status with Thai which would be the easiest, how about LHW, they do fast track as does SPG. Upgrade your American Express card to Plat, they do it too but if you are doing work in this area, get yourself an APEC card. Otherwise take a flight to Yangon and pick up some cheap first class tickets

You need to be (perm) resident of a specific group of countries (pacific rim I think) to get an APEC card.

BKKROP - any thoughts on the specifics of the OPs comment that he is being refused fast track even with a C boarding pass?

You need to be (perm) resident of a specific group of countries (pacific rim I think) to get an APEC card.

BKKROP - any thoughts on the specifics of the OPs comment that he is being refused fast track even with a C boarding pass?

Yes, my first thought was that the OP may think the fast track is open 24/7, whereas it is closed for at least half the day, so it would be interesting to know what time it was. I noticed the OP said it was a BP not a fast track voucher that he was refused on, so I would double check that and thirdly stated that access was next to First class which it isn't. Finally, you may have heard about the person that thought, I would double check your facts about the APEC card.

Well, just been refused service at the "fast track" immigration counter TG C boarding pass in hand :mad::mad:, I write regrding the counter on the very right hand side where TG also escorts its F passengers.



If I remember this correctly , the counter is for " Diplomats and Officials " whatever the latter might be . Therefore you have possibly been rejected because you do not look like a diplomat or an official .

I have never been rejected from using any counter at BKK airport , it just needs a friendly smile . This is Thailand .

Can others comment on recent experiences arriving at BKK in TG C ?

Yes, I came in from MNL on Monday afternoon and there was no queue for the regular immigration line so I didn't bother seeking out the Fasttrack line.

Same experience coming in from SIN a week ago and from MNL again about two weeks ago.

I'm under the impression (though 3 observations is hardly statistically significant!) that the changes Suvarnibhumi implemented in the last month or so (at least for inbound pax) have really made a difference, in a good way of course.

No, it is so easy arriving in Bangkok, I think we have to make it better for you, can't be that hard!! Now if you are not prepared to get status with Thai which would be the easiest, how about LHW, they do fast track as does SPG. Upgrade your American Express card to Plat, they do it too but if you are doing work in this area, get yourself an APEC card. Otherwise take a flight to Yangon and pick up some cheap first class tickets


It was not a drama indeed. The purple TG fast track cards are not distributed anymore and so TG appears, unlikely other airlines, not to offer fast track upon arrival anymore for its C passengers. Given this, I will use other carriers offering such benefits. Even UL gives you the new premium passes....

And yes, I have an Amex Platinum, but stay on my own in BKK, so no hotel assistance. Just canceled my TG C reservations and will fly with SQ, UL and LX, all offering the fasttrack passes. Tired of the circus :td:.

And no Dear BKKROP, I will not go to RGN because of this :). Just fed up very very much about the TG inconsistencies.

I'm under the impression (though 3 observations is hardly statistically significant!) that the changes Suvarnibhumi implemented in the last month or so (at least for inbound pax) have really made a difference, in a good way of course.

The high season is over now. So the Thai system worked again. Just wait and the problem will go away.

The high season is over now. So the Thai system worked again. Just wait and the problem will go away.

Two weeks ago we arrived at 10PM on a Thursday and the lines were out to the carpeted walkway. This is one of the times I used my old purple FastTrack passes without the corresponding TG C stub.

I arrived last Friday night (actually early Saturday morning) about 01:00 and it was the busiest I've ever seen it at that time night. Their roped off snaking queue area wasn't long enough, and there was a large group of passengers waiting to get in and absolutely no organization. Just every body for themselves, fighting to get in. Given that this was a normally very slow time at night, I'm afraid the place is still completely mismanaged and will be a real madhouse even in the off-season. They simply do not have enough immigration officers to handle the loads. And whoever they have to look after that area where passengers arrive into the hall do absolutely nothing! They just stand around and watch the disorganization. This is the second time I've seen this.

Unfortunately, even though I've sworn off BKK, I was forced this time to use it. But if I can at all avoid it, I do these days. I prefer the direct flights to HKT and CNX where so far I've not had any issues with long queues.

It's not just a lack of staff. It's the lethargy combined with the cumbersome process. Time to do away with the landing cards and capture the information another way, such as when checking in.

I arrived on Sunday at 1250 PM local and the queues were spinning all arround.

Even on the premium counters on the right of the main queues (diplomatic/first class) we had to wait 15 minuntes as they had pulled out families with children from the large regular queues and put them into the premium counters and one counter was busy processing passports of a group of VIP's that got uniformed escorts through the area.

http://www.thaiairways.com/thai-services/on-the-ground/en/suvarnabhumi-arrival.htm

Does a website constitute a legally binding offer in Thailand and how could such offer be enforced.

It reads: "Royal First and Royal Silk passengers are invited to use Fast Track Immigration service." But is not specific regarding which Fast Track service :confused: .

I think we should not let them get away with it that easy. What do you think?

It is the lack of clarity and enforcement of rules that drives people crazy about Thailand.

http://www.thaiairways.com/thai-services/on-the-ground/en/suvarnabhumi-arrival.htm

Does a website constitute a legally binding offer in Thailand and how could such offer be enforced.

It reads: "Royal First and Royal Silk passengers are invited to use Fast Track Immigration service." But is not specific regarding which Fast Track service :confused: .

I think we should not let them get away with it that easy. What do you think?

It is the lack of clarity and enforcement of rules that drives people crazy about Thailand.

Well, you can elect to stay home and not visit Thailand..... :)

Well, you can elect to stay home and not visit Thailand..... :)

What has an offerered benefit (fast track arrival) from an airline which is not honoured to do with your remark :td::td: ? Please elaborate.

I don't wish to you being stuck because promised perks are refused to you anywhere in the world. The point is how we can obtain that TG does deliver what they promise or alternatively just remove the benefit from their website.
And yes, it is only about TG. Any reputable airline into BKK offers the new golden premium passes to their F and C passengers without one having to ask for them.

What has an offerered benefit (fast track arrival) from an airline which is not honoured to do with your remark :td::td: ? Please elaborate.

I don't wish to you being stuck because promised perks are refused to you anywhere in the world. The point is how we can obtain that TG does deliver what they promise or alternatively just remove the benefit from their website.
And yes, it is only about TG. Any reputable airline into BKK offers the new golden premium passes to their F and C passengers without one having to ask for them.

As a TG first customer I still have fast track with an escort in the same area that I always had.

And I wonder if in your eyes TG is not a reputable airlines than why in the world would you even care what they do to their customers because for sure, if you rate them as not reputable than you don't fly them and this is not an issue for you.

This is Thailand after all, if you don't like it I fully agree with kapitan, nobody forces you to come to Thailand.

In comparison:

KUL in - on Wednesday - done with Immigration (C-class Fast Track) in less than 3 minutes

KUL out - today - done with Immigration (C-class Fast Track) in less than 60 seconds

As a TG first customer I still have fast track with an escort in the same area that I always had.

And I wonder if in your eyes TG is not a reputable airlines than why in the world would you even care what they do to their customers because for sure, if you rate them as not reputable than you don't fly them and this is not an issue for you.

This is Thailand after all, if you don't like it I fully agree with kapitan, nobody forces you to come to Thailand.

Krop Khun Krap.... :)

Regular plain jane immigration line

Arrived 4/30 2300 5 min wait
Left 5/2 1400 2 min wait
Arrived again 5/4 1900 5 min wait (although there were only 2 agents on and the flight stacked up behind me... 2 more agents came on while i waited.

seems like it's working ok...

I love(d) Thailand but Thais are really shooting themselves in their feet with the immigration procedures and lethargy. All the recent incidents of the past few years have not been missed by Asian tourists. But my local friends are increasingly avoiding Thailand because of the mess at the airports. How come that SGN improved so much (fast immigration, luggage delivery) while BKK is increasingly bad. Sure other airports have periodic immigration queues, but they move fast while in Thailand the system takes a very long time to clear any pax and lines take forever. To take one of BKKROP's favorite airport, i.e. Hong Kong: there is a single long waiting line that seems horrendous, but it moves very quickly because many counters are open for the single line and officers are fast with efficient IT.
Please improve immigration IT and give some vitamins to an increased number of officers. It is crucial for Thai leisure economy.

Well, you can elect to stay home and not visit Thailand..... :)

This is Thailand after all, if you don't like it I fully agree with kapitan, nobody forces you to come to Thailand.

Two bad opinions get two :td: :td:.

I agree with behuman on this; if TG is going to market Fasttrack service for its own First and Business passengers, it needs to follow through with clear and consistent locations and procedures. TG cannot control the Immigration situation at BKK, but they can alleviate the shortcomings for at least some of their passengers, as do other airlines. As they promised.

PS: The "This is Thailand after all" wears really thin and especially coming from other foreigners. It's not cute, it's not charming, it's not a good rationalization or excuse. It's just pathetic and frankly, it's also patronizing to the Thais, as if they were all a bunch of schnooks and imbeciles.

In comparison:

KUL in - on Wednesday - done with Immigration (C-class Fast Track) in less than 3 minutes

KUL out - today - done with Immigration (C-class Fast Track) in less than 60 seconds

KUL also fingerprints everyone now and if you arrive on certain airlines you need to take a train to get to immigration first. Hardly a good airport. Suvarnabhumi still trumps KUL.

No, it is so easy arriving in Bangkok, I think we have to make it better for you, can't be that hard!! Now if you are not prepared to get status with Thai which would be the easiest, how about LHW, they do fast track as does SPG. Upgrade your American Express card to Plat, they do it too but if you are doing work in this area, get yourself an APEC card. Otherwise take a flight to Yangon and pick up some cheap first class tickets

SPG does not help with FastTrack.

SPG does not help with FastTrack.

Don't know about other SPG properties in BKK but I booked a RT airport transfer service with St.Regis once and they did meet us at the gate and walked us through FastTrack (one of the advertised perk) - didn't really need it and rather exchange that with a buggy service.

And I wonder if in your eyes TG is not a reputable airlines than why in the world would you even care what they do to their customers because for sure, if you rate them as not reputable than you don't fly them and this is not an issue for you.

This is Thailand after all, if you don't like it I fully agree with kapitan, nobody forces you to come to Thailand.

Mr Sven ,

you got to realise that many comments on flyertalk or any other forum are made by people who are of great importance to themselves though not to Thailand . Who does really spend his/her precious time complaing about totally unsignificant issues like the length of queues at immigration or behaviour of flight attendants , ridiculous . The number of tourists to Siam is constantly increasing which naturally excludes transit subjects travelling on award tickets :D .

I was refused by the fast track booth when I showed my C boarding pass, she told me I need the envelope.
The lines were all the way to the end of the carpet area, so I walked down to the next immigration area where there was almost no line.

<redacted deleted post>

A Thai apologist ? Not me, sir.

This place has so many issues I could ..... about it for weeks without taking a break.

Just sayin' that in South East Asia, BKK isn't all that bad and KUL has other time-wasting inconveniences such as arbitrary fingerprinting.

http://www.homelandsecuritynewswire....g-all-visitors

http://www.phuket-info.com/forums/ma...n-kl-lcct.html

http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+...05-277334.html

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntre...readID=2066572

http://www.relax.com.sg/relax/news/6...eaks_down.html

I love(d) Thailand but Thais are really shooting themselves in their feet with the immigration procedures and lethargy. All the recent incidents of the past few years have not been missed by Asian tourists. But my local friends are increasingly avoiding Thailand because of the mess at the airports. How come that SGN improved so much (fast immigration, luggage delivery) while BKK is increasingly bad. Sure other airports have periodic immigration queues, but they move fast while in Thailand the system takes a very long time to clear any pax and lines take forever. To take one of BKKROP's favorite airport, i.e. Hong Kong: there is a single long waiting line that seems horrendous, but it moves very quickly because many counters are open for the single line and officers are fast with efficient IT.
Please improve immigration IT and give some vitamins to an increased number of officers. It is crucial for Thai leisure economy.

My additional bolding

Everyone has different experiences -- I find arriving and leaving into HKG to now be quite a horrendous experience, I am astounded that a so called world class airport does not offer any premium immigration.

Example: God forbid you try and leave on a Sunday evening when there are bucket loads also trying to escape at the same time ? Be prepared to stand in line for a very long time, fighting your way through snaking lanes that often back up into the terminal and are further clogged with people overloaded with purchases being taken on as hand luggage (admittedly very nice purchases LV, Prada, Mont Blanc etc). And in my experience, it doesn't move very fast

Even though BKK sometimes struggles on execution, at least they have the foresight to offer the service which (to be fair) works well most of the time -- HKG is the complete opposite and it is a shame as it could be so much better .......

My additional bolding

Everyone has different experiences -- I find arriving and leaving into HKG to now be quite a horrendous experience, I am astounded that a so called world class airport does not offer any premium immigration.

Example: God forbid you try and leave on a Sunday evening when there are bucket loads also trying to escape at the same time ? Be prepared to stand in line for a very long time, fighting your way through snaking lanes that often back up into the terminal and are further clogged with people overloaded with purchases being taken on as hand luggage (admittedly very nice purchases LV, Prada, Mont Blanc etc). And in my experience, it doesn't move very fast

Even though BKK sometimes struggles on execution, at least they have the foresight to offer the service which (to be fair) works well most of the time -- HKG is the complete opposite and it is a shame as it could be so much better .......

+1:td:

My additional bolding

Everyone has different experiences -- I find arriving and leaving into HKG to now be quite a horrendous experience, I am astounded that a so called world class airport does not offer any premium immigration.


I am half and half with you on this one.

I totally agree with you regarding HKG not having a premium/fast track line. But they do make up for it with other options, well, for the locals and frequent travelers. If you can go through those (e-channels, etc.), you never have to wait more than 2 minutes - 95% of the time I experience no line at all (both departure and arrival).

Is your post missing? Posts deleted used "unnecessary roughness" and violated TOS by attacking another member, or replies to same. ;) /JDiver, Senior Moderator

Is your post missing? Posts deleted used "unnecessary roughness" and violated TOS by attacking another member, or replies to same. ;) /JDiver, Senior Moderator


Thank you !

Let's formulate it as following: Airline X is advertising fast track arrival service for its C passengers at its homebase, but this service is denied.

What can we do ? No answers like flying F, APEC card, hotel pick up, sweet talking, fly another airline etc... please.

I will recheck the issue again next week and should I be refused hire a local law firm to sue airline X for wrong advertising.

Thank you ! Why this topic can not be discussed without strong emotions by some Thai apologists ?



Quit the idiotic apologist vs 'injured' individual. Please.

You didn't get what you should have. We understand. Most of us have not had this problem but you did. Its unfortunate you had to deal with this. Yet to claim that those who haven't had this problem are emotional apologists and you aren't emotional is a stretch.... at best.

I'd say AOT is at fault more than TG in this. Not that it does you any good.

I am finding the Fast Track in BKK simply superb. Fortunately I use a hotel that has a rep to meet and greet at the aircraft and a good supply of spare Fast Track vouchers.

Life is very good in BKK -stop Grumbling...

I am not judging life in BKK nor am I using a hotel representative.

I am a simple TG C passenger who expects the advertised benefits and it would not surprise me if at my next arrival I would be miracoulosly granted fast track immigration. I might have been unlucky and others like dsquared37 did not encounter this problem.

Should it however not work, I guarantee that TG will not get away with it this time. Most of you might not know that Thais LOVE to sue people and companies for more nonsensical stuff - and I fully agree that fast track is not a matter of death or life ;) .

It's the inconsistency that makes Thailand a place that can become unexpectedly dangerous in some cases. To all of you making a joke of my post I wish that you never encounter something more frightening in Thailand.

I also have spare fast track cards, the new golden ones (the previous ones are not accepted anymore :td: ) and of course I could use the central premium lane with them. These cards I have from so called reputable airlines ;) .

Thank you !
Let's formulate it as following: Airline X is advertising fast track arrival service for its C passengers at its homebase, but this service is denied.


Denied by the airline or AOT? My opinion is the latter.


I'd say AOT is at fault more than TG in this. Not that it does you any good.

I'm with you on this one.



Most of you might not know that Thais LOVE to sue people and companies for more nonsensical stuff -

Really? I didn't know that :confused: I thought it was just the Americans!!! ;)

Not wishing to labout the point, but if you have spare Fast Track vouchers, why not carry them use them when TG do not provide.

First rule of travel - expect the unexpected and you wont be dissappointed!

Simples really!

It seems strange that TG boarding passes are not being accepted for fast track arrival - clearly a communications cock-up between TG and the immigration dept. Probably worth raising with the flight attendants next time you are on board.

My usual meet and greet service failed to turn up on a recent SQ arrival, I happened to have one of the old TG purple invitation cards so flashed that at the immigration officer and found no problems going through fast track at all. Best of all he let me hold on to the card so I can use it again should the situation demand :)

I have a question for those of you who regularly connect through BKK.

My family and I are traveling on *A TG award tickets to HKT later this year. We are arriving at BKK on F tickets, connecting to a TG C class flight to HKT. Our departure is the reverse (TG C HKT -> BKK and TG F BKK -> onwards).

From reading this thread it looks like we will get the Fast Track vouchers since we are arriving in TG F. Is that correct?

And on departure, we will be checking our bags through to HKG at HKT. I assume that we will go through the passport check in HKT and just do a normal transfer at BKK. Again, is that a good assumption?

My apologies for a potentially stupid question, but this thread make me a bit paranoid.

From reading this thread it looks like we will get the Fast Track vouchers since we are arriving in TG F. Is that correct?

Better than that! You'll get a buggy service that will take you from the gate to the lounge, or immigration (if you are going to HKT some other day)

And on departure, we will be checking our bags through to HKG at HKT. I assume that we will go through the passport check in HKT and just do a normal transfer at BKK. Again, is that a good assumption?

Yep, you'll get a sticker (that easily falls off) to put on your shirt to identify yourself upon arriving at BKK. You won't have to go through immigration again, not even carry-on baggage screening! I guess someone else will have to answer you about the buggy service, don't have that experience of domestic C/F -> Intl F.

I have a question for those of you who regularly connect through BKK.

My family and I are traveling on *A TG award tickets to HKT later this year. We are arriving at BKK on F tickets, connecting to a TG C class flight to HKT. Our departure is the reverse (TG C HKT -> BKK and TG F BKK -> onwards).

From reading this thread it looks like we will get the Fast Track vouchers since we are arriving in TG F. Is that correct?

And on departure, we will be checking our bags through to HKG at HKT. I assume that we will go through the passport check in HKT and just do a normal transfer at BKK. Again, is that a good assumption?

My apologies for a potentially stupid question, but this thread make me a bit paranoid.



Arriving in F will get you a buggy transfer to, and an escort through, immigration (no vouchers needed). Alternatively, if you have sufficient time before your HKT departure, pax are beginning to re-gain F lounge access during the layover.

For your departure you have it correct. Check your bags in HKT through to destination. Go through passport control and enjoy the international lounge (modicum of additional food and alcohol). Upon arrival in BKK you'll need to still go through transfer security but that is all.

It's likely that you'll be met by TG staff upon arrival in BKK no matter if arriving at a gate or by the bus.

Yep, you'll get a sticker (that easily falls off) to put on your shirt to identify yourself upon arriving at BKK. You won't have to go through immigration again, not even carry-on baggage screening! I guess someone else will have to answer you about the buggy service, don't have that experience of domestic C/F -> Intl F.

That is not correct.

Immigration is indeed taken care of HKT, but to gain access to the international departure level all pax must pass through transfer security at either the D/E/F/G confluence or the D/A/B/C confluence.

[bolding mine]

Denied by the airline or AOT? My opinion is the latter.
I'm with you on this one.


You raise a very interesting point kittiyut.

It could well be AOT wanting to force TG to BUY actually the new golden premium vouchers (for the central premium fast track immigration). TG until now used the "diplomatic" counters on the far right and still does so for their escorted F arrivals.

Some internal feud going on to the detriment of the paying TG C passengers.


(And to reassure all fellow FTalkers: I always carry the new golden vouchers with me and can switch anytime to the central immigration lanes, my thread is about principles and advertised perks - and last but not least in the interest of FTalkers who arrive in BKK for the first time with TG C.)

That is not correct.

Immigration is indeed taken care of HKT, but to gain access to the international departure level all pax must pass through transfer security at either the D/E/F/G confluence or the D/A/B/C confluence.

[bolding mine]

Hmmm, maybe what I experienced was an exception?? I just returned home from HKT to HKG via BKK on the 3rd. My sticker did fall off (and I lost it), I didn't have to go through baggage screening, just a guy looking at my passport and boarding pass (and he was rude about me losing my sticker). Maybe that was the immigration "again" part? BTW, I was bused in to the terminal - maybe the procedure is different if you got a gate?

You raise a very interesting point kittiyut.

(And to reassure all fellow FTalkers: I always carry the new golden vouchers with me and can switch anytime to the central immigration lanes, my thread is about principles and advertised perks - and last but not least in the interest of FTalkers who arrive in BKK for the first time with TG C.)

I do the same, have both the golden and TG's purple ones handy. Never had problems using just the boarding pass though.

Well, I just went through immigration, absolutely a breeze, this morning at 7nish... immigration counter were quite empty with one line of about 4 persons, ... I could have just gone through the normal counter, but no, I chose to go to Fast Track, which was empty and closed, but the diplomatic counter was opened, went there, didnot even need to show boarding pass and got through, no problems.

Hmmm, maybe what I experienced was an exception?? I just returned home from HKT to HKG via BKK on the 3rd. My sticker did fall off (and I lost it), I didn't have to go through baggage screening, just a guy looking at my passport and boarding pass (and he was rude about me losing my sticker). Maybe that was the immigration "again" part? BTW, I was bused in to the terminal - maybe the procedure is different if you got a gate?

There are three possibilities when arriving into BKK on a domestic flight and transferring to an international flight.

1) Get a domestic gate: Walk toward B1 and you will see the transfer area. Go through security to gain access to the escalator to the 3rd floor.

2) Get an international gate: While purely domestic pax will be shunted down the stairs to a waiting bus you will be directed into the terminal. This will put you on the 2nd level where you still need to go through transfer security either at the ABCD or DEFG confluence.

3) Get a bus which drops you near D3: Upon reaching the top of the escalator (2nd floor) you will be directed to double back upon yourself where there is a door leading to the international arrival area. Here again you will need to go through transfer security at either ABCD or DEFG conluences.

I'm not sure what happened with you but I've never gained access to floor 3 without passing through security.

2) Get an international gate: While purely domestic pax will be shunted down the stairs to a waiting bus you will be directed into the terminal. This will put you on the 2nd level where you still need to go through transfer security either at the ABCD or DEFG confluence.

I'm not sure what happened with you but I've never gained access to floor 3 without passing through security.

What happened to me was I had a brain fart. I did have to go through security and baggage check again!!! For some reason that part was temporarily erased from my memory when I was replying. My bad, my bad :(

After reading your 1) 2) and 3) it popped right back into my head. I got the 2)
and I wasn't even coming from HKT, but rather CNX - was mixed up with another trip. The worst part was getting a nice new 777-200ER for the 1 hour domestic but crappy old 330 for the BKK-HKG :(

Thanks for your replies. I was afraid that we wouldn't get the full treatment since it was an award ticket.

Also, it will be my son's first international F trip and I wanted to make sure that he will be totally ruined on coach travel from that point forward :cool:

What happened to me was I had a brain fart. I did have to go through security and baggage check again!!! For some reason that part was temporarily erased from my memory when I was replying. My bad, my bad :(

After reading your 1) 2) and 3) it popped right back into my head. I got the 2)
and I wasn't even coming from HKT, but rather CNX - was mixed up with another trip. The worst part was getting a nice new 777-200ER for the 1 hour domestic but crappy old 330 for the BKK-HKG :(

My bolding

What a brilliant phrase !!

:D:D:D:D

I'm a first time BKK visitor arriving Sunday at 1AM on TG from ICN on an award C ticket with my wife, and we have an early morning so I want as much sleep as possible. Fast track will be closed at that time?

What's my best bet for breezing through? Is there usually no lineup at this time of night? From the sounds of the thread, I should just go to the diplomatic line without asking permission? I'm a little concerned I'll waste time in that line and then I'll be told to PFO once I get to the front. Is the diplomatic line closed as well?

I'm a first time BKK visitor arriving Sunday at 1AM on TG from ICN on an award C ticket with my wife, and we have an early morning so I want as much sleep as possible. ............. Is the diplomatic line closed as well?

You have an " early morning " with your wife ? I support your idea to assemble as much sleep as possible for the purpose but what does it have to do with the diplomatic line ?

You have an " early morning " with your wife ? I support your idea to assemble as much sleep as possible for the purpose but what does it have to do with the diplomatic line ?

Thank you somkiat, the quality of FT is declining rapidly with all this OT stuff posted where we discuss an issue which I (very) stupidly thought would be of interest to all.

I should have shut up and used my new golden passes. But no, I will try to be a good FTalker and soon report back from the diplomatic line war front.

You have an " early morning " with your wife ? I support your idea to assemble as much sleep as possible for the purpose but what does it have to do with the diplomatic line ?

If he and his wife need to get up early for a tour they'd want to arrive at the hotel quickly. What's so odd?

You have an " early morning " with your wife ? I support your idea to assemble as much sleep as possible for the purpose but what does it have to do with the diplomatic line ?

Maybe I should have been more clear.

We will be arriving late at night and we have to wake up early in the morning, so we would like to know the fastest way through customs, given the current "circus" at fast track for incoming business class passengers. Others in this thread have used a diplomatic line, I would like to know more about it.

Thank you somkiat, the quality of FT is declining rapidly with all this OT stuff posted where we discuss an issue which I (very) stupidly thought would be of interest to all.

I should have shut up and used my new golden passes. But no, I will try to be a good FTalker and soon report back from the diplomatic line war front.

I'm not getting your point. Are you suggesting that I'm off topic?

ride red,

let me try to help you. i go through bkk several times a year. the fastrack thing is truly a circus, it seems to change everytime i go. so be ready to have option B, C, etc... first of all, you are arriving towards the end of a busy period, arrivals 10pm to 12pm. even sunday can be crowded but probably less btwn may and nov. are you checking bags ? if so, my guess is your bags won't be on the carousel for at least 30 minutes. if you have to go through the normal immigration channels (assume no special line for C boarding pass), you won't wait more than 30 minutes. my guess is no more than 15. i don't recall immigration lines being the hold up in bkk when you check bags, it is usually the wait for the bags that kills you. yes, the lines can seem long but then you just wait for your baggage.

i almost always arrive at the C concourse using TG. the immigration hall near the C concourse has had a lane for fastrack/diplomatic in the past. due to circus, you have no idea if it will be there tomorrow (or even now, etc...). so take a look at the first immigration hall you come to. you can (i) try the fastrack lane with the boarding pass, if such lane exists (ii) get in the regular line if it doesn't look very long.

if that doesn't workout (no fastrack, overcrowded), walk towards the E concourse and you'll pass immigration hall #2, which is the real diplomatic/premium passenger area. i don't think they'll take your boarding pass but you could try. i went through there once with TG but i think TG can't go there anymore (but again, who knows what the deal will be tomorrow or next month......).

if you are shut out at the first hall and the second hall, then you end up at the last hall near concourse E. if you are lucky, the lines there will not be as full as they were at the first one. they may or may not have a fastrack.

i've had pretty good luck bypassing the hall near C concourse for the hall at E concourse (when traveling economy, no premium lane access). i think one reason is the people who bus in from the planes get directed to the C concourse. they get dropped off and go up an escalator, then keep walking straight to the immigration hall in front of them. what they don't know is there is another hall behind them and they can make a u-turn at the top of the escalator to get to it. so they bus in 400 people and all those passengers go to same immigration hall. very few go up the escalator and take a uturn at the top and go to E concourse immigration.

when you land and get inside the terminal, verify which concourse you are in. if you are in C, great. if you are in E,F, or G, then you do your first check in the immigration hall next to E, and do the above in reverse.

Others in this thread have used a diplomatic line, I would like to know more about it.


I don't think you will get anywhere near the diplomatic line, security will pick you off, but if you are arriving after 1am, transferring or exiting BKK at this time is easy. Once you have picked up your bags, walk through the "nothing to declare" doors

I'm a first time BKK visitor arriving Sunday at 1AM on TG from ICN on an award C ticket with my wife, and we have an early morning so I want as much sleep as possible. Fast track will be closed at that time?

What's my best bet for breezing through? Is there usually no lineup at this time of night? From the sounds of the thread, I should just go to the diplomatic line without asking permission? I'm a little concerned I'll waste time in that line and then I'll be told to PFO once I get to the front. Is the diplomatic line closed as well?

Up until two weeks ago I would have said you wouldn't have any problem arriving on that flight, even if you cannot use the fast track lane. I've used that very same flight extensively and never even bothered with fast-track when I did have it because there was never any waiting to speak of in all the times I've arrived at that time. But two weeks ago when I last flew that flight, it was a madhouse at that time. I made a brief report of that earlier in this thread. Not that my one-time experience means anything statistically, so you might end up breezing through. But I wouldn't count on it if I were you. Sorry I don't know how good your chances of using Fast-track are. I was in economy on my last flight so didn't inquire, and forgot to bring some of my surplus cards I had from the past.

After an unhappy experience 10 days ago, I investigated the situation at BKK for the benefit of fellow FTalkers yesterday and can report the following:

At the arrival immigration checkpoint nearest to the C gates I noticed that on the far right, even more right than the diplomatic counter, there is now a counter where a large golden sticker "premium" is affixed.

I showed my TG C boarding pass at that counter and engaged the officer in a conversation regarding actual procedures (yes, I can speak Thai). He explained to me that the central "Suvarnabhumi Premium" counters have now a counter here too and all arriving passengers have to show the new golden premium cards if they wish to be served there (he had a nice stack beside him), EXCEPT for TG C (and the anyway escorted TG F) passengers who can show the TG boarding card instead. It appears that TG finally made a deal with "Suvarnabhumi Premium" which is not too early and a good thing.

Please report your experiences. For the moment it appears that we are all OK, except for that there is no signage and the flight crews are clueless. The only hint is the published benefit on the TG website.

Very useful post, thank you!

He explained to me that the central "Suvarnabhumi Premium" counters have now a counter here too and all arriving passengers have to show the new golden premium cards if they wish to be served there (he had a nice stack beside him), EXCEPT for TG C (and the anyway escorted TG F) passengers who can show the TG boarding card instead. It appears that TG finally made a deal with "Suvarnabhumi Premium" which is not too early and a good thing.

Would that mean TG C passengers are entitled to use both the rightmost counter in the C gates area AND the central Suvarnabhumi Premium counters, or only the former?

Very useful post, thank you!



Would that mean TG C passengers are entitled to use both the rightmost counter in the C gates area AND the central Suvarnabhumi Premium counters, or only the former?

As per my investigation ANY "premium" counter, but NOT the diplomatic counters. But this being Thailand things can change, but were like that 2 days ago. I will write TG trying to get more information.

It seems there is a fundamental issue here - in Asia there are those that expect to be able to pay for faster immigration services. Sure this does not happen in Americas, Europe or Australasia.

Putting things in perspective, there are certain countries where citizens take longer than non-citizens to make it though the passport control (like Canada for instance). At least the likes of Thailand / Malaysia / Hong Kong got it right - citizens are able to breeze through passport control, albeit that visitors may endure a very long wait.

Back to the topic, I am not sure which immigration control (near C concourse or near E concourse) is faster, if there is no fastrack. I arrived on a E concourse flight and walked into the C concourse passport control instead and was out faster than anybody else on my plane. My suspicion is that C concourse passport control is faster given that E/F/G concourse people all crowd into the E concourse passport control area. I guess the exception is when people are bussed in - how often does that happen ?

zhaobao,

the buses take people from plane to terminal frequently. at many times of the day, the hall next to one concourse (C/E) is busier than the other (C/E). but you can never be sure which will be the busy one. if the one you come to first is overwhelmed with people, it is worth the 100 meter walk to the next one. you did the best thing, bypass the first one (where all your plane mates went) and go to the next one. it is a gamble, next one could be worse, but i've taken the gamble many times and it pays off every time.

one time when i went to the next one due to overcrowding at the first one, i asked a gal near the entry if it was open. that is how empty it was. i thought they had it closed and that is why the other one was so bad. this was in the afternoon. one hall was in complete disarray and the other one didn't have any people at all.

ps. it took me about 10 r/t flights into bkk before i even knew they had two immigration halls !!!!!! (not counting the middle one for premium/diplomats)

To remain OT, could people actually really flying TG C report about their experience with fast track upon arrival ?

To remain OT, could people actually really flying TG C report about their experience with fast track upon arrival ?

+1^

We could restart the whole thread by answering the most honourable boardmember somkiat's question where this f*#§%&" fast track counter is , I have never noticed anything other than the diplomat system which Thai uses for arriving F passengers . And which I also use if arriving for example on award ticket from Mongolian Airways with a seat in the last row economy .

The interesting question is what would happen if white man approaches a counter for Thai nationals , never tried this .

I have in the meantime been supplied with the coordinates of the Fast Track , sorry for any inconvenience caused .

Same source recommends usage of Thai nationals counter if accompanied by Thai national . The idea has something I must say .

I went through BKK immigration, the counter opposit gate D4. Normal lines was packed, but moving, I turn right and went to the Fast Track counter, which was not manned, so went on to the diplomatic counter, showed my boarding pass and was processed. the Fast Track counter officer came back after my passport was stamped.

I used the premium counter (i think, signs for Emirates etc around it..) with my TG Royal Silk boarding pass a couple of weeks ago without a murmur from either the girl guarding the entrance or the girl behind the counter. The main immigration was busy but not diabolical... however I think all i managed to do was swap a 20min wait for immigration into a 30 min wait in the luggage hall... ;)

Fly C class on TG regularly. Once (maybe January) they were giving out Fast Track passes and there was a TG Fast Track area on the RH side of the RH immigration hall. Subsequently, no cards have been given out, but a 'C' class boarding pass seems to allow entry to Fast Track. This week, no queues in the main immigration area!!

Life is so much simpler with Cathay.

Life is so much simpler with Cathay.

How so?

In mid-May, coming in on TG 432 DPS-BKK, once again no Fast Track passes. We pulled in mid-way out Concourse C, so it was a bit of a hike to Immigration. Didn't take long to get through the regular lines. Didn't try any special lines.

Friday I had no problem in the center Fast Track queue using just a TG C BP.

Last week coming off TG659 ICN-BKK around 1pm saw middling queues in the main C immigration area, went to the rightmost counter (not the 'priority' one which is for the elderly and families with babies), showed C BP, and was landside before the flight's scheduled arrival time.

Life is so much simpler with Cathay.

Cathay always give out passes for the Suvarnabhumi Premium Fast Track in the middle section between the two immigration halls (to Biz Class passengers).

Having said that, I have never been refused access to the other Fast Track line with a TG Biz Class Boarding Pass.

I have been able to use the fast track lane on my last 2 arrivals at BKK and did not even have to show my TG boarding pass...

yes it is very quick, once they checked every page now all they do is stamp and write the arrival detail. I can do the plane door to the carpark in 15 minutes sometimes.