THAI Airways International (THAI) has sent out a memo informing its travel industry partners that earlier check-ins are now necessary at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport, due to congestion at all immigration points including departure, arrival, first port and visa on arrival.
THAI has asked its partners to advise their clients on flights out of Bangkok to arrive at Suvarnabhumi “at least three hours prior to departure and immediately proceed to immigration with completed immigration card after check-in”.
Meanwhile, all passengers travelling into Bangkok have been advised to secure their entry visa for Thailand before embarkation at point of origin, and to complete the arrival immigration card prior to entering the immigration area at Suvarnabhumi.
Processing of visas on arrival now takes an average of two hours, the memo added.
According to THAI, the congestion has resulted in many flight delays since the beginning of the year. More delays are expected for the rest of this month, due to construction work on security checkpoints and lack of local immigration manpower.
