Suvarnabhumi airport, 2010

[NamKhaeng]

What a difference on previous years at the airport (don Muang included).

Not a single guy or girl on my back trying to sell me a taxi or a limo at the luggage carousel and nobody tried exiting custom, the same outside. WOW! Never seen that in 15 years coming in Thailand.  

Since I was flying business class I got a fast track pass for immigration, don't be fouled when coming to the immigration desks, the sign say foreign passport on the left and Thai passport on the right but the first desk on the Thai passport side is the fast track desk. Took only 30 seconds to pass immigration, nobody was waiting there. wait 5 minutes for my luggage (suitcases 3 and 4 on the carousel) so under 10 minutes from immigration to get outside, 2 cigarettes  later I was in the taxi to Bangkok.  

[Bravo]

Got to be a first. I think the new airport is a disaster, had the same hassles as at the old airport with taxi touts etc. and of course there are now the scams in duty free on departure where it is claimed people have stolen items.

[Snick]

He is right, they really cracked down on the Taxi touts.

[katoeylover]

The fast track through immigration makes this as painless an airport as any

[paulj92]

has
been posted before but there are three ways out walk past the first one most times the secound is shut but the third one is open ahd no one there

[rxpharm]

When I visited last year October, I noticed it was much better - however, are they still x-raying all bags incoming at customs? They are looking for anyone with items over limit and will be confiscating and fining anyone who brings over limit items in.

[Bumpa STIKKA]

(Bravo @ Feb. 24 2010,21:24) ...are now the scams in duty free on departure where it is claimed people have stolen items...

What a load of rubbish.

There was ONE incident of a couple accused of stealing from a duty free shop... King Power released the video proving that in fact they were actually stealing stuff, then racing off to the toilets to get changed before handing the stolen goodies off to each other...

The airport is much better than what it was when it first opened.

[NamKhaeng]

(rxpharm @ Feb. 25 2010,07:48) When I visited last year October, I noticed it was much better - however, are they still x-raying all bags incoming at customs? They are looking for anyone with items over limit and will be confiscating and fining anyone who brings over limit items in.

Did not have my luggage x-rayed. I tried to declare a bottle of single malt whisky that I purchased at the duty free World of Whiskies at the Heathrow airport but the guy at the custom ask me if I have only one bottle and I told him only one and he ask me to go to the nothing to declare exit where I pass without any problem. If you buy something at a duty before coming to Thailand don't put it in you luggage. It was the second time I tried to declare something at the Thai custom and with the same result, they don't want to have anything to do with me and they told me to go to nothing to declare exit.

[NamKhaeng]

(Bumpa STIKKA @ Feb. 25 2010,07:52)

(Bravo @ Feb. 24 2010,21:24) ...are now the scams in duty free on departure where it is claimed people have stolen items...

 What a load of rubbish.

There was ONE incident of a couple accused of stealing from a duty free shop... King Power released the video proving that in fact they were actually stealing stuff, then racing off to the toilets to get changed before handing the stolen goodies off to each other...

The airport is much better than what it was when it first opened.

I can see 3 incidents like that only on this web page: Bangkok Airport duty free scams

[Tomcat]

(NamKhaeng @ Feb. 23 2010,16:32) Took only 30 seconds to pass immigration, nobody was waiting there.

I paid for the fast track extra , worth every penny if a big queue is forcast like around Xmas time..and if your on Holiday its a stress free no brainer.( if you got 1200 to burn). I think mine ws a CIP pass

ys, 30 seconds is all it takes and i wont be using the snail paced desks any more.  Some girl told me you can get a CIP fats track pass for 500 baht.. but where i dont know where. the guy next to me bluffed his way through with a EVA bus class ticket and there are a quite a few bluffers by all accounts he told me... sob stories, tears etc etc, although how many get through i have no idea

Maybe buy a Pilots blazer and just tip your hat as you approach the desk with a smile and that high air of authority written across your face that all these guys seem to have   .

[TTChang]

Suvarnabhumi is a lot better these days.  I remember once queueing for nearly an hour, and tried to treat it as my 'Buddhist test' for entering Thailand with 'jai yen-yen'. But the pull of Nana, after months pining for LB action, makes that quite a stern test  

I assume that all business class flyers get fast-track immigration, and that's my usual choice these days too. A completely hassle-free experience both arriving and departing (still no smiles though ). They usually hand out the inward pass as you get off the plane.  My last trip, fast-track was shut - but as there weren't many flight arrivals at the time, I sailed through

[seamus]

Flew into The new airport 5 times now & have never taken more then 10 minutes to get through immigration. Never had a problem flying into the far eat, get loads of shit every time I fly to the states
The taxi touts are no great problem, just ignore them & they go away, nothing I wouldn't expect from a 3rd world country, no big deal !

[whore]

(Tomcat @ Apr. 03 2010,16:15)

I paid for the fast track extra , worth every penny if a big queue is forcast like around Xmas time..and if your on Holiday its a stress free no brainer.( if you got 1200 to burn). I think mine ws a CIP pass

Tomcat how or where do you pay for the fast track extra?

I seem to always arrive at a mad busy time. Last trip I spent about 20 minutes queing.

[guydesavoy]

(whore @ Apr. 03 2010,19:31) I seem to always arrive at a mad busy time. Last trip I spent about 20 minutes queing.

 

On my last 6 trips it was usuallly plain sailing. Arriving early or late, never waited more than 20 mins or less to clear Immigration. No Jacket Required  

As for taxi touts..what's the big deal ? Just brush them off like flies and laugh loudly when they quote you 500    I either go to Arrivals and negotiate a reasonable fare or pay the ticket for a meter taxi if the queue's not too long.

[Tomcat]

(TTChang @ Apr. 03 2010,17:17) I assume that all business class flyers get fast-track immigration,

With Thai airlines yes and maybe some others but as far as i know EVA dont give it out , i was flying business class but didnt have a VIP/CIP pass issued , i had to buy it, not did the bluffer who walked through with me unless the seat coupon is the pass. he as in the kiosk next to me and had to engage in conversation while mine was a silent affair. EVA never mentioned this to me and i am a Gold Card holder with all the trimmings and benefits that comes with it. I will ask them now that you mention it

Whore, my friend, you can buy the VIP pass on the internet but i bought mine through the Hotel booking for 1200 although i think you can get it for less but i havent searched that much.

This is one site but maybe there are many others
http://www.thaifasttrack.com/index.p..._10_Fast-Track

Actually i buy the whole Limo service as well....

...there aint no pockets in a shroud, as they say.