Originally Posted by
ericande
I'm looking for help on our BKK layover. We're transiting from CMB to ICN and have a 17 hour layover in BKK, scheduled to arrive to BKK at 06:25. We're on Thai Airways, class I and have priority pass. We want to take the train into Bangkok for the day, but before we go in is there an arrivals lounge or someplace we can go to hangout and rest a little longer or once you clear immigration are you pretty much stuck outside until you're ready to check back in for the next flight? Any other suggestions for a spot in Bangkok we can go and nap?
I have not done exactly what I am about to suggest, but have done each piece in other airports...
It appears you are on a single ticket, changing planes in BKK, so you should be able to:
- Disembark your first flight,
- Go through the midfield flight transfer security from arrivals to departures which is fast and easy,
- Visit the departure lounge for a couple hours,
- Leave the secure area when you are ready, go through immigration to enter Thailand, go into Bangkok, frolic,
- Return to the airport and go through immigration to leave the country on your connecting flight.
While I am not sure where you would physically walk to in the departure area to get to immigration when you are ready to leave, there must be a way. I have had to leave the departure areas in both Singapore (ticketing issue required going to desk outside secure area) and Israel (accepted bump offer) and did not have any issue entering the country for a few minutes only to go immediately back through security, and I have entered and left Thailand on the same day several times without issue, so I think the steps listed above should work.
ADDED: Hopefully someone can give direction on leaving the airport from the secure departure area. Also, you may want to check about the departure tax, which you usually do not pay as part of your fare for a connecting flight. Since your layover is more than twelve hours, you may already be paying it anyway. If not, you may need to pay it to leave the airport, although many have reported never being asked.