Bangkok, World’s Most Tiresome Immigration

Did quite some friend-dropping and picking up of buddies these days at Suvarnabhumi airport. And am wondering each time why Thailand is calling itself a tourist’s haven. Because holidays start and end with those longish waits at immigration.

The other day my dad waited 70 (!) minutes to enter the country and days later 55 minutes to exit. It goes without saying that about a third of the immigration counters were closed. Because it makes sense in these difficult economic times to save on those highly paid immigration officers …

I’ve waited in old Sowjet and medieval African immigration queues – nothing comes close to the Thai experience. Ok, when you live here for some time you may have residency papers or travel with your Thai family and can enjoy the privilege of the mostly shorter queues for Thais. But as an alien – as they call foreigners here – better be prepared for a long wait arriving in and departing from Thailand.

And not that the immigration officers welcome you with a broad smile. The oh-so-famous Thai smile you better don’t learn from an immigration officer. They may think you’re a queer or stash some drugs under your shirt.

Just endure.

Be polite.

Learn the Thai way.

Don’t complain, just enjoy the scenery of the grand architecture. And be assured, nothing will be changed next time you’re arriving in Thailand.

Thai immigration gives you enough time to contemplate on this and that and other unnecessities.

For heaven’s sake just don’t let the immigration officer know how pissed off you are. To wait in line will teach you one of the most basic Thai virtues. Respect the authorities.

A fun game while waiting is to count how many counters are closed. If you really enjoy the waiting, chose a queue with many Indians in it.

Just don’t expect, when you arrive for the first time in Thailand, to be welcomed as a hero.

Or you seriously thought Don Mueang was a pain?

Suvarnabhumi immigration lets you know that you’re an alien.

If you can live with that, most welcome to Thailand.




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May 8, 2008 | Filed Under Being Farang, Travel & Tourism, Truly Bangkok 

Comments

8 Responses to “Bangkok, World’s Most Tiresome Immigration”

  1. JJ on May 9th, 2008 8:34 am

    Spot-on.

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  2. Thaigolfer on May 9th, 2008 12:25 pm

    Tell me about it, I seem have a gift for choosing the wrong lane too. Some free advice: Avoid queues with turbans and other Middle Eastern dresses, Indians and Africans. Don’t mean to be racist but go with the whites …

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  3. Jay on May 20th, 2008 8:14 am

    30 years traveling around the world and the longest wait have always been either Newark or JFK. I consider myself lucky when I can get through in one hour.

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  4. BangkokDan on May 20th, 2008 11:41 am

    Jay:

    Is it that bad? I remember back in the 80’s when you could easily enter and stay in the U.S. with a tourist visa.

    All you had to do is to send in the entry-form. And wait for an approval or refusal. Neither of which ever arrived. So according to the law you were legally in the U.S. until you received written word …

    Seems to have changed drastically that laissez-faire immigration policy.

    But still, compared to its regional neighbors Bangkok immigration is a disgrace. Singapore and Hong Kong let you in within minutes. Even Indonesia’s a piece of cake.

    BangkokDan

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  5. TRYUTAPAO on December 2nd, 2008 2:31 pm

    Above report might be outdated. In the meantime situation has improved tremendously. Arrived last Sunday at U-Tapao – feels like paradise – 5 minutes to clear immigration, another 10 minutes until luggage arrives – within 15 minutes I passed through the airport. We should make this airport a permanent solution …

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  6. WTF on February 16th, 2010 4:46 pm

    U-Tapao is completely different than Soowanapoom.

    And not many flights go there.

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  7. ChuckWow on February 16th, 2010 5:50 pm

    Over the past 21 years, while traveling into and out of Thailand through both the Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports, I have found that my most arduous journey through immigration awaits me when I return home to the United States!

    I have to admit that entering Thailand through U-Tapao in November 2008 when PAD closed both of the Krung Thep airports has to be my all time favorite immigration experience.

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  8. dr.k.conor on February 24th, 2010 8:23 pm

    Details: IPB Thai immigration enacts the “ideas” of Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The last injection of “mininisters” to the MFA was by PM Thaksin Shinawatra … who is very anti-foreigner.

    When the Thai drug suppression “ended” their northern campaign against “suspects,” a notable amount of DSP police transferred into immigration. As for the “new” director of IPB, also from DSP, he is looking for criminals “entering Thailand.” I would suggest that if IPB or DSP want a nano of respect, deal with your own first.

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