Originally Posted by
jiejie
Thailand changed its connection flight/immigration procedure a few years ago. What you posted from the web site is correct as to current procedure. You will stay airside to do this, but you will pass immigration for connections for these 6 airports in BKK. It is a different checkpoint than the regular immigration areas for entering at BKK. It's pretty well signed once you get there. You will NOT go through immigration at Krabi.
I believe if you already are checked in all the way through to Krabi (i.e. your journey is on one ticket all the way) and have your BP, you probably don't need to go by the Domestic Transfer airline check-in counters. Do stop by if you are on separate ticket and/or don't yet have BP for the onward flight. If your luggage is checked all way to Krabi (check to see if your first airline has an interline agreement with TG), you don't deal with it until Krabi. Pick it up there and you WILL clear Customs there. Yes, it is a split location system Immigration vs Customs, for these 6 airports only.
Your main issue is timing of when to pass through the transfer immigration checkpoint: right after you arrive, or spend some additional time in the better-equipped international airside then go through immigration closer to your onward flight time.
You are spot on as usual, with the one exception your last sentence. As an international arrivee pax are on level 2 where there are a few duty free shops and nothing else.
If you want food/drink etc you'll need to head upstairs to the international departure area (floor 3). While you won't be able to access lounges without a departing int BP you will at least be able to sit and eat.
NB: At the foot of the escalator to the 3rd floor do not, under any circumstances, allow the minder to see a transfer domestic BP (orange stripe on top) or mention anything about a domestic airport. Keep it simple and say 'transfer desk' and keep moving.