Hi,

In July I'm flying into BKK on Singapore Air 976 from singapore, which arrives at 16:55 and trying to connect to Thai Air 140 to Chiang Rai which leaves at 18:20. I know it may be a tight connection depending on immigration lines, but I was wondering about checked luggage. Does anyone know if I would have to clear customs with my luggage at BKK or if the baggage would be checked straight through to Chiang Rai and deal with customs there? Thanks for any info.

For Chiang Mai you clear transfer immigration and then customs in CNX.

For Chiang Rai you'll have to clear customs in BKK, I believe.

CEI is designated an International Airport. Domestic and International passengers are segregated on arrival and there's no problem with clearing immigration there. I did it a couple of weeks ago.
Similarly you can check your bags through from CEI to your overseas destination and clear emigration there on leaving Thailand.

No, you will clear immigration in BKK not CEI. Period.

The question is whether you will clear customs in BKK or CEI. I know you clear customs in CNX (and HKT, etc), was not aware you could do that CEI,

When traveling to CNX, HKT, and a couple of other airports you follow the signs that say those airports on them towards transfer immigration, clear directly into the domestic terminal, and collect your bags at your final destination. International to domestic bags are kept separate from domestic to domestic bags, and claimed at a separate baggage claim area at the final destination, that baggage area has a customs facility.

The question here is whether the procedure is the same for Chiang Rai. I realize that Chiang Rai may be an international airport (at least in name). That's not the issue. I'll have a look next month on arrival into CEI...

Gleff,

Thanks, you have my question spot on. I know I have to deal with the immigration lines at BKK, just want to avoid waiting to retrieve a checked bag if I have to deal with customs in BKK. If I can deal with customs in CEI, i figure the transfer is doable, but if I have to do customs in BKK i figure it would be safest to do so only with carry ons and not checked baggage. BTW I am traveling on SQ in business class, and I know right now they are offering fast track cards for immigration, but not sure if they will continue that. Do you think it would be advisable to book a fast track escort or would that be overkill?


Thanks

I had recalled that if you're connecting to Chiang Mai, Phuket, Krabi, or Hat Yai you'd clear customs at your final destination.

I do see some references to clearing customs in Chiang Rai. I don't recall Chiang Rai on the "CIQ" signs when I've passed through BKK but that could just be my faulty memory. And I won't be passing through BKK until next month to check. Surely someone here must know for sure! I'll be flying into CEI on that trip as well, for the first time.

I'm truly ashamed of my ignorance, the fast track for pax other than TG F is new, so I haven't seen it reported whether this is available for transit immigration as well? Though I've never seen the transit lines particularly backed up personally.

My guess is that if your flight is on time, you don't have to claim bags, you're fine regardless -- and if either of those isn't the case then there's a potential challenge. But that fast track / escort / porter won't make the difference (but might reduce stress).

So the question is, is CEI treated as one of the airports where transit pax follow the CIQ signs to transit immigration?

Yes...I flew HKG-BKK-CEI last year. Immigration in BKK, pick up luggage and clear Customs in CEI.

Does the airline matter? We'll be flying TLV-BKK on LY paper, landing at 14:30, then we have a 17:30 flight to CNX on TG paper (not CEI but I imagine the questions is the same). Should we try to get LY to tag our luggage to CNX and then get our BP at a TG transit desk?