TravellingChris

Automated Passport Control is being introduced at Bangkok Suvarnahumi International Airport. E-gates will be installed for departing passengers.

However, this initiative raises a number of questions.

Will the service be available to departing travelers from all countries? Even at airports which already have e-gates for departure immigration--there are a number in Europe--only select countries' nationals can make use of the system.

Why is the system being installed for departures only? In my experience flying into both of the Bangkok airports, the lengthiest and slowest-moving lines are on arrival, not departure. The UK, for example, has made arrival e-gates available to citizens of more than three dozen low-risk countries.

If arrival immigration must still be performed by a human officer and passports stamped with date of arrival, will passengers using e-gates and departing without an exit stamp have problems in the future?

kaspars

Not sure they will be successful to install it by 15 December... maybe by December 2024

As part of the ongoing developments, the Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT) is set to procure new Automated Channel systems. These state-of-the-art systems will replace the aging 12-year-old machines at both Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang Airports. At Suvarnabhumi, the installation will feature 40 new machines for international departures, a significant upgrade from the current 16.

BinSabai

a lot of questions....

I understand that the trial is for a few nations only...we will know more after the trial

Actually at the outbound process, security (which is in front of the immigration booths) is the bottleneck, the queues (even at the fast track) are on front of the security, hardly any wait at the immigration...therefore I agree that automatic doors at arrival would be more helpful, but I have not seen any, which also places a stamp into the passport...

here a link to an article with more info:
Thailand's immigration introduces automated passport control at Suvarnabhumi Airport - TravelDailyNews Asia & Pacific

SKT-DK

Automated gates on arrival for all nationalities, and thus eliminating stamps will be more difficult given the fact that different passports and visa types are granted different durations of stay.

I do too find, that outbound has longer wait times - at least, as BinSabai said, at fast track security queues can take forever and be the bottleneck, but immigration can too. Too many people have access..!

I still wish the AOT would limit fast track to F and J only….

TravellingChris

I wouldn't recommend the e-gates for all nationalities on arrival, only a small handful of low-risk countries. For example, to use the UK e-gates on arrival it is limited to UK citizens, EU, Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, Japan, South Korea, USA, Canada, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand. In Thailand's case I would suggest the same countries plus Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau.

BinSabai

add ASEAN countries would probably be a must...

I guess they have a bit other priorities here than in Europe...
largest influx of tourists in Thailand are from China, Russia, India...
do you consider all 3 as high-risj countries?

TravellingChris

ASEAN wouldn't qualify as you would have to open the e-gates to nationals of Myanmar, which is currently in the midst of something resembling a civil war. Countries which operate e-gates and the like generally only want citizens of politically stable, non refugee producing nations to use them.

Yes, Russia is a high-risk country. It's currently in the middle of invading one of its neighbours and is producing refugees left right and centre.

I doubt mainland Chinese nationals would qualify for the e-gates but citizens of Chinese territories like Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan certainly would.

SKT-DK

The UK example is easy to cite, but one has to keep in mind that the allowed countries (eg EU) all have the same length of stay requirements. What you are proposing do not.

Also, knowing Thailand, stamps and paperwork is never going away, so for instance, my passport has 30 day visa waiver but I also have an LTR visa - how would you make sure I get admitted on the latter rather than the former? - I perfectly know that tech wise it is easy to fix, but I would still be very hesitant to use anything but a manned desk to enter, to be honest.

FindingFoodFluency

The arrivals card went away

BinSabai

temporary...

but more documents and conditions for visa and extension of stay, for the latter during last couple of years every year something new....

TravellingChris

Thailand would probably have to adjust its regulations to give nationals of affected countries the same length of stay. Again, the affected countries are all low-risk in terms of migration issues--it is unlikely travelers will attempt to claim asylum or work or overstay in Thailand, so the risks to the overall system are low.

As to your second point, with the UK situation, certain arriving passengers are directed to manned desks instead of the e-gates. There is signage indicating that ordinary short-stay travelers from participating countries can use the e-gates but anyone arriving on a visa for study, or work purposes should see an officer. The same could be done in Thailand for anyone on a longer-stay visa, or someone with a work permit, etc.

YVR Cockroach

I think you'd be surprised by how high the numbers could be. It's rich/white country entitlement.

SKT-DK

I am sure they will happily oblige based on…. Your say-so

BinSabai

Thailand has contracts with Korea, Brazil, Peru, Argentina, and Chile to grant citizens 90 days visa exemtion. So Thailand would then have to grant all the other nationalities, who can pass through those automated gates as well 90 days....

your second proposal would mean that people with permanent residence, long term visas, expensive elite visas etc., who should actually get priority in the immigration process, would have to queue in front of the manned desks, while tourists can pass quickly....

TravellingChris

I'm disappointed by the racism you display in your post.

A person who criticizes the views of others by suggesting they are entitled due to the colour of their skin, is himself a racist. By uttering the words "white country" you reveal your underlying racism towards others of different background than yourself.