Delays at airport immigration

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StevePIraq
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Re: Thailand tourist slump continues

Post by StevePIraq »

Arrival numbers may be up but not everyone is happy
Last week it took me 90 minutes to fly the 987 kilometres from Hanoi to Bangkok. It took me another 95 minutes to cover the relatively short distance from the aircraft gateway to my car in Don Mueang Airport’s car park.  
The main hold-up, of course, was at Immigration, where there were long queues, with only half the desks manned.
What greatly aggravated the situation, at least in my queue, were the arriving tourists who had not completed their immigration forms.   When they arrived at the desk, instead of being asked to step aside and complete their forms, they were allowed to fill them out on the spot while the rest of us waited. This happened no less than eight times.
I watched speechless at this inanity while others in the queue grew increasingly restive and impatient.

Last year tourism netted Bt1.56 trillion. The entire Thai tourism infrastructure needs to lift its game if it hopes to continue to profit from tourism, and it needs to start with a very critical examination of the inadequacies of the immigration procedures at all international airports.
I travel extensively in Southeast Asia and it is my observation that other countries are rapidly overtaking Thailand as preferred destinations. Vietnam in particular is racing ahead, thanks to seamless immigration and customs procedures, safety for tourists, a comprehensive and efficient transport network, competitive pricing and service with a genuine smile.
One night in Vietnam I ordered ice for a nightcap whiskey in my hotel room. The bellhop refused a tip, saying, “No thank you, I am happy to do my job.” Can you imagine that happening in Thailand? Yes, perhaps when pigs fly.
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Re: Thailand tourist slump continues

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Standing in the line in Immigration it is also annoying that the desks for Thais have either no line or short lines and they are through in very short time. So on arrival tourist get the first message, you are 2nd class.
VN is working hard at the tourist market. They are cutting into the golf-tourist business with great package deals, this does not hurt HH too much but does hurt other places in Thai. the other area that I have commented on before is the effort that VN is making in improving the teaching of English. I find it amusing that the average uneducated bar girl from Issan speaks better English than Thai civil servants
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Re: Thailand tourist slump continues

Post by Pleng »

oakdale160 wrote:Standing in the line in Immigration it is also annoying that the desks for Thais have either no line or short lines and they are through in very short time. So on arrival tourist get the first message, you are 2nd class.
When my girlfriend came to the UK she her queue took an hour and a half before she was in the front; I was through within 5 minutes. I'm pretty sure it's the same the world over. This is not a phenomenon exclusive to Thailand.
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Re: Thailand tourist slump continues

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Pleng wrote:
oakdale160 wrote:Standing in the line in Immigration it is also annoying that the desks for Thais have either no line or short lines and they are through in very short time. So on arrival tourist get the first message, you are 2nd class.
When my girlfriend came to the UK she her queue took an hour and a half before she was in the front; I was through within 5 minutes. I'm pretty sure it's the same the world over. This is not a phenomenon exclusive to Thailand.
I have to agree, although the queues at swampy can be a bit frustrating, I'm sure I've never waited even 30 minutes whereas at Heathrow the queues for non-EU citizens can be horrendous, which will presumably get worse after Brexit
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Re: Thailand tourist slump continues

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oakdale160 wrote:Standing in the line in Immigration it is also annoying that the desks for Thais have either no line or short lines and they are through in very short time.
So on arrival tourist get the first message, you are 2nd class.
YES, thats it. :thumb:

but Farang as me, as married with thai wife, sometimes my wife and me together we walk through the thai-line desks, and we together were in 1min. on the way to pick up our baggage.
so people married with thai people do have an advantage in immigration lines.
take it easy
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Re: RE: Re: Thailand tourist slump continues

Post by Henry 14th »

HuaHin61 wrote:
oakdale160 wrote:Standing in the line in Immigration it is also annoying that the desks for Thais have either no line or short lines and they are through in very short time.
So on arrival tourist get the first message, you are 2nd class.
YES, thats it. :thumb:

but Farang as me, as married with thai wife, sometimes my wife and me together we walk through the thai-line desks, and we together were in 1min. on the way to pick up our baggage.
so people married with thai people do have an advantage in immigration lines.
I'd guess you as a Farang get told to join the corect line more often than not?



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Re: Thailand tourist slump continues

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No. If you are with your Thai wife then you go with her in the Thai queue. No problem. It's the same in the UK at the airport. If your Thai wife is with you then you both go through the UK passport holders queue. I think it's a pretty general rule.
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Re: Thailand tourist slump continues

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HHTel wrote:No. If you are with your Thai wife then you go with her in the Thai queue. No problem. It's the same in the UK at the airport. If your Thai wife is with you then you both go through the UK passport holders queue. I think it's a pretty general rule.
Yes we do it all the time. The first couple times checked with the officer there and was told "OK"
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Re: Thailand tourist slump continues

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this has nothing to do with tourist slump
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Re: RE: Re: Thailand tourist slump continues

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HHTel wrote:No. If you are with your Thai wife then you go with her in the Thai queue. No problem. It's the same in the UK at the airport. If your Thai wife is with you then you both go through the UK passport holders queue. I think it's a pretty general rule.
Great stuff, never knew that.

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Re: Thailand tourist slump continues

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The fact that a few think there is no issues as they have the "I'm all right Jack" belief does not reduce the fact that Immigration at Swampy is terrible. Hundreds of people arrive on one flight and there is a 2m long desk to cater for everyone filling out their forms.
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Re: Thailand tourist slump continues

Post by Bristolian »

^^ and quite often no Forms!!
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StevePIraq
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Re: Thailand tourist slump continues

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Bristolian wrote:^^ and quite often no Forms!!
Yes then they hand them out while you are lining up at passport control and expect you to fill it in standing up.

A while ago I duly completed my form, lined up and waited god knows how long, form was checked by the usual bimbo before going to a desk and when I finally got to the desk and passport control saw I started my trip from Africa I was sent all the way back to complete a form at the medical desk, then start the entire process over again. It took me over 3 hours to get through passport control.
What a farce
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Re: Thailand tourist slump continues

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^ It's the rice, it has to be the rice. :shock: :mrgreen:
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Re: Thailand tourist slump continues

Post by Bristolian »

^^ agree 100%. As I travel frequently I always keep a stock of pre-completed forms for arrival and departure. Only the flight number needs to be completed.

So many times I am held up in a queue because either someone has not bothered to complete the form or doesn't read Thai or English and can not.

There has to be a more efficient way of processing people.

I must admit I always smile at the gender question as I'm sure in many cases the arrival and departure gender may differ :D
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