Mendobrew

Thanks for the responses!

The suggestions about looking at the lines makes good sense and is duly noted^

Speaking of Duty Free at BKK... Is there a Duty Free Shop in the baggage claim area at BKK and is it open late night? I am a Cuban cigar fan (the forbidden fruit) and always buy on the way through at TPE, which carries only Montecristo and a few Cohibas. I have seen a much better selection at King Power on the way out, but are they available on the way in?

YVR Cockroach

These shops seem to be before getting to the immigration desks on the arrivals level. It was certainly open at 11p or midnight a few months back.

ddrewboy

The duty free in baggage claim area is open for the midnite inbounds. I know they have cigarettes and liquors. I have never checked for the cubans.

rgds,
drew

transpac

Until you clear Immigration you have the run of International-Airside so feel free to go to any shop. TG has departures until nearly 01:00 so many shops remain open.

Additionally, as you make your way from your arrival gate to Immigration, there will be duty-free stands open on level 2. I honestly can't say if they have cigars on offer nor how good the selection might be.

Once you have cleared Immigration and are in the baggage claim area there are at least two smallish duty-free stands. Again there is a small selection of wines, spirits and cigarettes. Not sure if there are any cigars here. I've seen these stands open at 02:00.

A quick review of some other forums indicates that maybe BKK is not the best place to buy duty-free cigars. KUL and NRT get high marks.

This thread has some detail re: retail shops in Bangkok.

MegatopLover

Yes, the small duty free stand inside the baggage-claim area is open later for midnight arrivals. I honestly cannot remember whether that shop has Cuban cigars. It usually, but not always, has Cuban rum. ^^

Another good place for Cuban cigars is SIN.

UncleDude

ASEAN Bottled Spirits such as 100 Pipers Scotch and Gilbeys Gin, although produced in the UK can cost much less in local Supermarkets than the arrivals Duty Free. Understand there is little or No Duty on ASEAN Products.

By the way there is a Large Spirits Arrivals Duty Free before Immigration
and a smaller store in the Baggage Hall.

dsquared37

No Cubans, I've looked. And no LM's either... (I get asked for them from friends at 'home' alot.)

Immigration has been much better recently. A few weeks ago arriving from KUL it was about 10 min in line and by the time I walked to the carousel my bag was already turning the corner.

One warning about immigration: The lines tend to be the same length for each booth, but some booths only have one person working. Make sure you're in a line with 2 people working. Will be that much quicker.

MegatopLover

Mr. Megatop took a quick trip to Singapore last week. He reported that Suvarnabhumi was "empty" on his return, attributing the lack of visitors to the ongoing political situation. I don't know if it's fair to connect the two, but that may be contributing to short lines. When I went through during the first week of the crisis, around US Labor Day, late-morning inbound immigration had no significant delays, and mid-morning outbound immigration had the usual 6 pax or so in most of the farang lanes, took just 10 minutes or so.

FWIW, one liter of Havana Club rum usually runs about 590 baht at duty free in Suvarnabhumi. For pretty much the same price at Siam Paragon, Central, or other department stores with liquor shops in town, you get just 750 ml of Havana Club.