Phuket Thailand - Thai Airways (TG): Implementation of 1st Port of Arrival in Thailand

Coolhand · #1 16-04-2007, 07:08

- All passengers whose 1st port of arrival is BKK airport, as from April 1, 2007 onwards
* Clear immigration formalities at BKK before connecting their onward flights to the C.I.Q. airport (i.e. CNX, CEI, HKT, KBV and USM)
* Baggage can be checked through to their final destination
- All passengers whose 1st port of arrival is any other C.I.Q. airports, as from October 28, 2007 onwards
* Clear immigration formalities at their 1st port of arrival
* Baggage can be checked through to their final
destination

Not sure if this has been posted before, but just received it from my travel agent.

Caerphilly · #2 16-04-2007, 12:54

thanks for re-posting this was posted on 1st April and I think most of us thought it was some kind of April Fool post but you seem to be confirming its "for real". Why do simple procedures always end up getting complicated into unsimple procedures?

Werwolf · #3 16-04-2007, 13:26

I also thought it was an April fool.

But it is real.
Has someone information how long it takes to do all the immigrations for the transit customers???

I hope not so long as the "normal" immigration in Phuket, because I have only 1 hour time for the flight to HKT.
Are there more counters for formalities.

georgelondon · #4 16-04-2007, 13:47

same here...my connecting flight is 55 mins!!!

Nanook · #5 16-04-2007, 14:43

Sorry guys, but what is ment with C.I.Q. airport? Have no clue, really...

capdagde · #6 16-04-2007, 14:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nanook

Sorry guys, but what is ment with C.I.Q. airport? Have no clue, really...

"Clueless in Quickly" ?

shwaygwailo · #7 16-04-2007, 14:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coolhand

- All passengers whose 1st port of arrival is BKK airport, as from April 1, 2007 onwards
* Clear immigration formalities at BKK before connecting their onward flights to the C.I.Q. airport (i.e. CNX, CEI, HKT, KBV and USM)
* Baggage can be checked through to their final destination
- All passengers whose 1st port of arrival is any other C.I.Q. airports, as from October 28, 2007 onwards
* Clear immigration formalities at their 1st port of arrival
* Baggage can be checked through to their final
destination

Not sure if this has been posted before, but just received it from my travel agent.

Hope this link helps, don't know if it's real, I just googled it, will research futher.

Travel News - Index Page

Can't find anything on Thai airways or news.

Still suspecpt on date of the announcement.

I think it's field fertiliser.

Captain · #8 16-04-2007, 15:14

Just checked Thai International website. So much for the news:

Domestic to International

If you board from Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Hat Yai, Krabi, or Phuket, at SBIA you then proceed to International Transfer facility on the second floor of East concourse. Coming from other domestic airports or having baggage checked only to Bangkok, at SBIA you must disembark and proceed to the fourth floor for check-in (Royal Orchid Premium at Row A and B for Royal First Class and Royal Silk Class, Row H and Row J for Economy Class check-in) and through Passort and Customs Control formalities.

International to Domestic

If your final destination is Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Hat Yai, Krabi, or Phuket, you then proceed to Transfer Check-in desk on the second floor of concourse A/B. The Immigration and Customs formalities will be done at your destination airport. Transferring to other domestic airports or having baggage checked only to Bangkok , you must land, pick up your baggage, proceed through Passport and Customs Control formalities and check in at Row C on the fourth floor of PTC.

Werwolf · #9 16-04-2007, 15:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by shwaygwailo

Hope this link helps, don't know if it's real, I just googled it, will research futher.

Travel News - Index Page

Can't find anything on Thai airways or news.

Still suspecpt on date of the announcement.

I think it's field fertiliser.

I did contact Thai Air in Germany and they confirmed it.
They have also a "flyer" - but only in German from March 2007.

If you fly back you have also to do the formalities in BKK and not in Phuket

georgelondon · #10 16-04-2007, 15:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain

Just checked Thai International website. So much for the news:

Domestic to International

If you board from Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Hat Yai, Krabi, or Phuket, at SBIA you then proceed to International Transfer facility on the second floor of East concourse. Coming from other domestic airports or having baggage checked only to Bangkok, at SBIA you must disembark and proceed to the fourth floor for check-in (Royal Orchid Premium at Row A and B for Royal First Class and Royal Silk Class, Row H and Row J for Economy Class check-in) and through Passort and Customs Control formalities.

International to Domestic

If your final destination is Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Hat Yai, Krabi, or Phuket, you then proceed to Transfer Check-in desk on the second floor of concourse A/B. The Immigration and Customs formalities will be done at your destination airport. Transferring to other domestic airports or having baggage checked only to Bangkok , you must land, pick up your baggage, proceed through Passport and Customs Control formalities and check in at Row C on the fourth floor of PTC.

this makes more sense.

capdagde · #11 16-04-2007, 16:57

So that is exactly the opposite of the first post, it's not "first port of entry", it's "destination airport" and baggage is now checked right through??? This being for the new BKK airport and only for the stated destinations.

"Clueless through Quickly" PLEASE!

capdagde · #12 16-04-2007, 16:59

Oh bugger "Clueless IN Quickly"

Werwolf · #13 16-04-2007, 17:04

its

all different infos.
I got the information you can check through the baggage. But you have to do the passport thing in Bangkok. The baggage controll then is in Phuket

I think nobody knows exactly what happen now realy......

georgelondon · #14 16-04-2007, 17:08

im just gonna wait i get to bkk and see what happens. will post result in 2 weeks!

Werwolf · #15 16-04-2007, 17:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by georgelondon

im just gonna wait i get to bkk and see what happens. will post result in 2 weeks!

good one......
I will be in BKK in 2 day´s........

georgelondon · #16 16-04-2007, 17:23

probably run into you on your last couple of days. i arrive phuket on the 1st.

Peter.g · #17 16-04-2007, 18:17

When I arrived I did this. It worked good. Had a waiting time of ca 10 min.
They hv special desks for this between international n domestic.When arriving in Phuket you go to Interntation n pick up the suitcase.
Peter.g

georgelondon · #18 16-04-2007, 18:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter.g

When I arrived I did this. It worked good. Had a waiting time of ca 10 min.
They hv special desks for this between international n domestic.When arriving in Phuket you go to Interntation n pick up the suitcase.
Peter.g

thanks for info peter ,reasurring to know. i found it hard to believe you would have to wait on customs before getting connecting flight...half the people would miss their bloody flights.

dbaron · #19 16-04-2007, 19:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by georgelondon

thanks for info peter ,reasurring to know. i found it hard to believe you would have to wait on customs before getting connecting flight...half the people would miss their bloody flights.

A guy from work flew back from Phuket on Friday just gone.
He flew Singapore airlines and checked his baggage at Phuket.
His next sighting of the baggage was a Melbourne Airport when he collected it.
Same the other way. No problem.
By the way from Australia now maybe other countries also you do not pay departure taxes from Thailand as this is included in the ticket.

Regards

DB

Werwolf · #20 16-04-2007, 19:28

the problem is only if you have a flight via BKK. And its not the baggage which could have problems. Its to get the connection flight if you have only 50 minites time and have to make the Passport things..

But tomorrow a friend of mine arrive from Phuket . He has a fligth with Thai Air. Hope to see him befor I check in for my flight.

Will then give a short info to you all.

faultytowers · #21 17-04-2007, 00:05

How is this ever going to work

You can check your luggage all the way through to your final destination but have to 'clear' immigration at your point of arrival.

So , are they going to have immigration desks 'air-side' , or will you have to go through normal immigration then return to the departure area to get your connecting flight. If it is the second option , what happens if you miss your connection ??????.

Still think this is an "April Fool" , as I'm sure other airlines would have notified passengers about it. Also , have read nothing about it on travel/airline forums , and 'news' about Suvarnabhumi is usually a 'hot topic'.

Anyone else notice that it states BKK airport , so , if you arrive at Suvarnabhumi but your connection is from DMK (Don Muang) would they still be happy to check your luggage through to your final destination.

cybernator_uk · #22 17-04-2007, 00:23

Hope it all works out ok George..... I've got a situation like yours but i have 2 hours and flying 2 different airlines also.... But as part of star alliance i am assuming there will be no problems... but this is Thailand so who knows lol...

Let us know how you get on.

JayBee · #23 17-04-2007, 00:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by dbaron

By the way from Australia now maybe other countries also you do not pay departure taxes from Thailand as this is included in the ticket.

I was wondering about that, as I kept thinking when are they going to collect the bloody departure tax, when I left LOS a week ago. Since they never did collect the 500 Baht, I suspected that they may have had the airline include it in the ticket, because you know they are not going to pass up their chance to nick you for 500. They are always putting off some enforcements on the airlines.

When I tried to have my ticket changed/extended before I left, I was told that it was no longer possible to extend a ticket more than 90 days from the date of entry, because of the new more restrictive visa policy. That seemed totally unfair to me, since I had spent time in Cambodia and still had 10 days to run on my exit stamp, not to mention my figuring I could add at least five more days to that, either by going to immigration for the 7 day extension or paying the 500/day fine for overstay at the airport. But the airline stood hard and fast on the 90 day limit(used to be 6 months), and I was face with the decision to leave that very afternoon or buy a one-way ticket for an extra $700+. That was a very hard decision to make!!