Visa on arrival BKK or Samui
Jul 1, 2009, 10:18 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 182
Visa on arrival BKK or Samui
We r arriving from India on TG and are going to Koh Samui on Bangkok airways. Do we have to do the visa on arrival at BKK itself or do we have to do it in Koh Samui airport? I am trying to plan my BKK transit time based on that.
Jul 1, 2009, 10:36 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: NE & SE Asia, N America
Programs: TG ROP Gold, Lifetime OZ Diamond Plus, BA Gold
Posts: 3,105
All immigration formalities are now done in BKK for transfer passengers, so you will need to get your visa before going to the immigration counter at the transfer point.
Jul 2, 2009, 12:28 am
#4
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: NE & SE Asia, N America
Programs: TG ROP Gold, Lifetime OZ Diamond Plus, BA Gold
Posts: 3,105
It's never taken me more than 20 minutes to be processed at BKK and to the domestic gates. I have seen some long lines at times when I was exiting at BKK, so if you're unlucky I guess it could take 30 to 40 minutes, though I can't see it taking any longer than that. I don't need a visa on arrival, just the visa waiver stamp in my passport. I don't have a clue as to how long it would take to get your visa on arrival.
Jul 4, 2009, 11:22 am
#5
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: TK*G (E+), IHG Plat Ambassador
Posts: 7,884
Are you sure you really need a Visa on arrival? Or you just mean Passport/Immigration control?
At 5 AM, I would not expect long lines at Passport/Immigration control - 10 minute wait max. But, if you really need a visa - well, welcome to the world of Thai bureaucracy - I believe you would need to have a picture and would have to exchange money first as payment used to be only in THB. I believe visa processing time used to be 20-30 minutes. But it was still at Don Muang, when I was travelling with my associates from our Moscow office (when Russians had to have visas to enter Thailand).
At 5 AM, I would not expect long lines at Passport/Immigration control - 10 minute wait max. But, if you really need a visa - well, welcome to the world of Thai bureaucracy - I believe you would need to have a picture and would have to exchange money first as payment used to be only in THB. I believe visa processing time used to be 20-30 minutes. But it was still at Don Muang, when I was travelling with my associates from our Moscow office (when Russians had to have visas to enter Thailand).
Last edited by TPJ; Jul 4, 2009 at 12:02 pm Reason: gramar
Jul 5, 2009, 6:50 am
#7
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Diemen, NL
Posts: 303
1.one should use CLEAR terms and give FULL inormation re this-only telling you fly from India does say nothing about your nationality=the all important thing.
2.INDIAN nationals DO need to get a visum on arrival (though it seems it is free if prearranged for a sort time agian to boost tourism), this simply means paying 1000 THB at a separate office IN the airport/airside, before queing up for immigration.
3.flights FROm India-notably if these are on Indain airlines-are very, very often late to very late.
4.most bookings on BKK-air are very, very easily changeable, just like any full-fare ticket in the past was. Contact them at the transit desk would be best-then you have the clearest idea about timings then-they can see if it would be wiser to rebook you. does NOT hold for teh low-priced tickets they sometiems sell - like for the first or last flight of the day.
2.INDIAN nationals DO need to get a visum on arrival (though it seems it is free if prearranged for a sort time agian to boost tourism), this simply means paying 1000 THB at a separate office IN the airport/airside, before queing up for immigration.
3.flights FROm India-notably if these are on Indain airlines-are very, very often late to very late.
4.most bookings on BKK-air are very, very easily changeable, just like any full-fare ticket in the past was. Contact them at the transit desk would be best-then you have the clearest idea about timings then-they can see if it would be wiser to rebook you. does NOT hold for teh low-priced tickets they sometiems sell - like for the first or last flight of the day.
