It would not have occurred to me a few years ago that you could have an issue with priority immigration at Thailand’s capital if arriving in business or first class, but here we are.
We covered a reader’s case on April 5 (access here) in which they were denied immigration fast track upon arrival in Bangkok on business and were told that no such facility exists.
The issue is that there used to be a completely separate Fast Track immigration that was next to the Visa-on-Arrival.
You needed to have a fast track immigration slip that airlines handed out to premium fliers and elite members, and I usually had a stack of those inside my carry-on (just in case), as I didn’t always use them if the East or West immigration was not busy.
When Fast Track immigration ceased to exist for first- and business-class passengers, it remained available to those eligible; there was a separate area at both East and West immigration that premium travelers could use by simply showing their boarding pass.
Here’s the piece from earlier this month:
Reader Comment: No More Fast Track In BKK With Business Class Ticket
Some comments that were left on the piece and on social media:
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My April 6 Arrival Experience:
I have previously noted that I must have entered Thailand 100+ times (first time in 1992!), as I have considered it my base when traveling in and around Asia, since it is usually a very convenient experience.
My typical arrival at a Sukhumvit-area hotel is within an hour of the plane touching down, and I was eager to find out whether there had been any changes since my last visit in the fall.
The JAL flight pulled up at gate F6, which is about as far away from immigration as possible.
There are always agents in the hallway waiting for those who have paid for the expensive multiyear Thai visa that comes with expedited airport services (buggy + immigration).
I was first out and started to walk towards the closest immigration that was probably more than half a kilometer away.
At this point, the immigration was still 450 meters out.
There is a checkpoint for connecting international flights, as you are at the arrivals level.
These hallways feel endless.
Arrivals are getting closer, only 170 meters away.
Here’s the immigration West (not sure if I have the east and the west swapped), and see that there is a sign to fast-track further; that is the old fast-track that is no longer available for business and first-class passengers. I asked the agent if I could use the Priority Lane, and I was then asked to use the other immigration check point.
So, I walked to the next immigration point and was allowed to enter the Priority lane.
It is basically to the right.
The sign states that this is for Thai Passport holders and priority.
There is then another sign what Priority stands for.
The immigration desk was as smooth as always, no questions, and I was stamped in for 60 days.
Exit Fast Track
The exit is as smooth as ever, and many qualify!
Conclusion
If you go by what is stated on the “Priority” sign, business and first-class passengers are not eligible to use the area immediately to the right at both the West and East immigration checkpoints, but I was allowed to use it nevertheless.
So, I assume that is allowed on a case-by-case basis. There were no lines at the regular immigration when I arrived, so I would have been cleared expeditiously regardless.
But I am not sure what is going on with some of these reports that I have seen, such as hours-long immigration lines at Bangkok.
It really shouldn’t be that difficult for Thailand to install autogates for those entering the country, when even Indonesia has managed to do this, a country in which, previously, you had to pay bribes (expedited immigration) at the arrivals hall to be guided to the front of the immigration lines.
I cannot understand, however, why they would not have an immigration fast track for business and first-class passengers, as they previously did and still do for those exiting the country.
I wish I could say there is priority immigration for business and first-class passengers at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport, but YMMV.
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