SKL

Agree completely re: unacceptably long waiting times. BKK is supposed to have e-passport scanners at the end of 2011 to help improve passenger flow. It is startling (not?) to watch the airport/government's total lack of initiative of solve this problem.

Somebody with meeting services must have connections to stop any improvements in the waiting time. In Thailand, like anywhere else, just follow the money and you can roughly tell where to problem is.

BKKROP

Last two weeks were a tad busy, but then a lot of learning institutions throughout Asia started up for 2012, this week the air fare wars are heating up so the loads must be disastrous. Flying business class, you will avoid the delays

ScottieFlyer

Fortunately for me I have rarely suffered from this drama except on a couple of international Air Asia flights in from Bali and Saigon in past couple of years. I was somewhat lucky with those too as it was at a time when visitor numbers were down. I do have horrible memories though of outgoing immigration, even when flying J at a time when the Fast Track for nonTG was either nonexistent or inconsistently available. Wherever possible I now always try to arrive and depart BKK on TG J. For me the biggest problem with both the inbound and outbound immigration was which line to pick. When it is busy you cannot tell if there is one officer or two woring at the head of te line. Some were also twice as fast as others, and officers going off or on duty both cause frustration either with added delays or pax rushing to another line. If they cannot do much else it would be nice to see the airport rope off the queue into a single line with somebody at the head of the line to direct pax to the next available immigration officer. At least that would take ou the lottery of choosing a line. All that said, BKK is not unique, I have experienced worse in LHR, NRT, LAX, JNB and ZRH.

BKKROP

The beauty of TG, @ BKK is you have 4 officers looking after the Thai airways business class, it is a walk in the park

ScottieFlyer

Sorry, I think my post was a bit confused. I meant to imply that I usually try to arrive and depart BKK on TG J for the reason you mention. However, when I'm using nonpremium class on likes of Air Asia and have to use general immigration lines then guessing which one to take is something of a lottery...and I usually get it wrong!

dsquared37

Notwithstanding the situations where you can't actually see the immigration desks when needing to choose a line I offer the following advice:

1) Always choose a desk where there are 2 immy officers working (you'd be amazed at how often people won't pay attention to this).

2) Lean toward desks staffed by women.

ScottieFlyer

Also, I used to head for one of the lines far to the left of entrance to hall. I recall being about half way down a line when onme of the two officers went on a break without any replacment, that hurt because it felt like I was right back where I started.

broadwayboy

Could someone please recommend a reliable VIP service that offer fast-track through immigration, other than the yearly service mentioned several posts above? Thank you.

newshound

There was some discussion about this a while back, I think Bangkok Flight Services came out well based on several experiences...

www.bangkokflightservices.com go to the 'our services' tab and then click on the 'premium airport services' option

behuman

Not everybody can fly C or F same you and me and Thailand is just becoming an overpriced third world country with total lack of service culture and efficiency.

ScottieFlyer

I do not agree. while prices are rising like elsewhere it still offers fantastic value, even for the likes of me who has seen my local currency devalue over 30% against Thai Baht in recent years. As regards service culture I would say it is well above average, including most of the well developed countries. As examples, I just wish half the public conveniences and hotel rooms I have stayed in riorth America and Europe came up to the standard of those in Thailand. I have found that if you treat Thais well then you will be treated likewise. Just like anyplace else, if you treat them poorly then you deserve what you get. It is true there are problems in Thailand, but that is true every place else too.

yosithezet

Departing today the immigration desks on the right were right back to the wall while those on the right were about 4-6 deep.

dsquared37

Yosi, this must be a great riddle as both of your observations were were 'on the right'.

pansted00

Suwanapoopoo just now is such a <redacted> hole , if you are not lucky enough to be flying C or F .

It is an absolute disgrace, maybe because of the ongoing immigration relocation , maybe because of cutbacks in immigration staff, but who gives a ..... Thai civil servants, you are supposed to have enough brain cells to <redacted> manage it, but the sad truth is you do not give a damn.

yosithezet

Sorry the left was back to the wall while the right was pretty empty.