BKK Suvarnabhumi Airport Update

[JohnK]

Well that just totally sucks. This Thailand trip is getting suckier and suckier for me. One of things we were looking forward to was taking mrs sim to the lounges.

Its not like its just for a week or two either - its three months.

Unless you are really desperate for a shower, which you can have in hotel prior to departing for flight, there will be plenty to see and do in the new airport. Also don't forget that from the time you clear immigration to the time you reach your gate to allow at least 30 minutes possibly more as the gates are not as close as they used to be at the old airport and also gates close 20 minutes prior to departure. So unless you were planning to get to the airport 4 hours early you will not have had much time in the lounge anyway.

There are bars you can sit down and have a quite drink for a fraction of the price you expect to pay in Australia. There is also nothing stopping you walking in to a 7Eleven and buying a Heineken (35baht) or Singha beer (30baht).

It is a shame the joint QF/BA lounge will not be ready until December but remember that "This is Thailand". There are also other lounges that are not ready. If you visit Thailand often enough you will realise that it is always a minor miracle when anything is completed in Thailand. This airport should have been completed 2 years ago and I don't think anyone expected that it would open so soon. Most thought it would not open until December at the earliest.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[NM]

I cant imagine (showing my ignorance here) that it is a major business destination for a lot of the QF fliers? As such is it more likely that anyone flying through who is WP/SG is travelling for fun? Maybe its just me who doesnt go to Thailand for business

It is a major transit destination for QF and BA flights to/from London. And yes there are a a lot of Emerald and Sapphire members who travel in Y/WT/WT+ on that route. Many will be very disappointed to find no lounge access at BKK.

 

[simongr]

Also don't forget that from the time you clear immigration to the time you reach your gate to allow at least 30 minutes possibly more as the gates are not as close as they used to be at the old airport and also gates close 20 minutes prior to departure. So unless you were planning to get to the airport 4 hours early you will not have had much time in the lounge anyway.

There are bars you can sit down and have a quite drink for a fraction of the price you expect to pay in Australia. There is also nothing stopping you walking in to a 7Eleven and buying a Heineken (35baht) or Singha beer (30baht).
Enjoy your trip.

But not a fraction of the price that I would pay in the lounge

This is a bit of a forced trip and I wanted to maximise the side benefits - especially for mrs sim. Me I couldnt give a frack so long as I have a cold beer and the screaming kids are muzzled.

 

[Alan in CBR]

It is a major transit destination for QF and BA flights to/from London. And yes there are a a lot of Emerald and Sapphire members who travel in Y/WT/WT+ on that route. Many will be very disappointed to find no lounge access at BKK.

Yes, done it many times myself, and a shower in the middle of a SYD-LHR trip in Y is a real life-saver. I hope those affected are able to reroute via SIN or HKG.

 

[NM]

Yes, done it many times myself, and a shower in the middle of a SYD-LHR trip in Y is a real life-saver. I hope those affected are able to reroute via SIN or HKG.

Indeed. SIN and HKG are my preferred transits to/from Europe.

 

[Yada Yada]

Well that just totally sucks.

That's QF/BA loyalty for you! :-|

 

[simongr]

I am guessing a disappointed email wont get much response from QF...

 

[clifford]

Most thought it would not open until December at the earliest.

Enjoy your trip.

Yes John, not sure why you are such an apologist for Thaksin, but in reality, we didn't need the new airport at all.

Not sure why I am saying this? Feel free to PM me.

 

[wandering_fred]

Along with the opening of the new airport, the Thai authorities are also changing the rules on the "no visa required" entry rules. Probably to be expected, given the abuse of the process over the last 10-15 years by expats using the rules to obtain residence.

Essentially travelers will be limited to 3 no visa entries in a 6 month period.

While I understand (sort of) the reasons for the change, the new rules will seriously limit the usefulness of BKK as a hub for the purposes of exploring SE Asia. On my current trip to CMB, I am stopping in BKK for no more 60 hours each way. I would therefore be entitled to one "free" entry in the next 5+ months. And considering I was (but not now) thinking of visiting Angkor Wat via Thailand I would have been in big trouble.

I hope that they quickly come up with a multiple entry transit (less than 72 hrs) visa soonish..... Having to visit a consulate seriously reduces my interest in visiting (and spending money in) a country.

(Un)happy wandering

Fred

 

[meloz]

My understanding is you are allowed 3 "back to back" 30 day tourist visa's if you depart the country (read border run) or a total of 90 days within the country over any 6 month period. I don't believe there is any limit on the number of times you can enter the country.

Meloz

 

[Mal]

Along with the opening of the new airport, the Thai authorities are also changing the rules on the "no visa required" entry rules. Probably to be expected, given the abuse of the process over the last 10-15 years by expats using the rules to obtain residence.

Hmmm Interesting.

Anyone have any further details on this?

I really want a web reference to read the changes/rules for myself. While it may be 3 entries or 90 days or something like that, I don't want a suprise next time I am in BKK.

 

[meloz]

Royal Thai Police
Order No. 608 / 2549
Subject: An authorization for permission to foreigners that are exempted from the Visa requirements to stay temporarily in the Kingdom of Thailand.
----------------------------------


As the Interior Ministerial Regulation has stipulated the criterions, practices and conditions regarding the verification, exception and the changes in the Visa requirements B.E. 2545 (2002) dated on 16th August B.E. 2545 (2002) and the Ministerial Regulation (Volume 2) B.E. 2546 (2003) dated on 28th March B.E. 2546 (2003) prescribed the criterions, practices and conditions regarding the exception in the Visa requirements pursuant to the Article 12 (1) of the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979).

For supporting the approval permission to the foreign nationals who are exempted from Visa requirements when entering to temporarily stay in the Kingdom of Thailand to be in order pursuant to the intention of the Thai Government, under the virtue of the Article 35 of the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979) and the Article 11 (4) of Royal Thai Police Act B.E. 2547 (2004), the authorized Immigration Officer shall be lawfully appointed and authorized to permit the foreign nationals who get the exemption of Visa requirements for entering to temporarily stay in the Kingdom of Thailand in accordance with the following types of exemption:

1. Passport holder of the country that has made an agreement with the Thai government, according to the Interior Ministerial Regulation which stipulated the criterions, practices and conditions regarding the verification, exception and the changes in the Visa requirements B.E. 2545 (2002) dated on 16th August B.E. 2545 (2002), Article 13 (1), shall be permitted to have the right to stay in Thailand according to the period which is mutually agreed between the government of Thailand and the government of the passport holder.

2. Passport holder from the country which has no Royal Thai Embassy or the Royal Thai Consulate located in that country as the Minister of the Interior has stipulated under the consent of the Cabinet, according to the Interior Ministerial Regulation which stipulated the criterions, practices and conditions regarding the verification, exception and the changes in the visa requirements B.E. 2545 (2002) dated on 16th August B.E. 2545 (2002), Article 13 (2), shall be permitted to stay in Thailand not exceeding to 30 days from the arrival date.

3. According the Article 13 (3) of the Ministerial Regulation which stipulated the criterions, practices and conditions regarding the verification, exception and the changes in the visa requirements B.E. 2545 (2002) dated on 16th August B.E. 2545 (2002), within six months period, the holder of passport or substitutive documents which issued by any country that is approved by the Minister of the Interior, under the approval of the Cabinet, to enter to temporarily stay in Thailand for tourism purpose, shall be permitted to enter Thailand several times. Each permitted time shall not be exceeding 30 days period, and the total period shall not be exceeding 90 days from the first day that the passport holder arrived in Thailand.

4. According the Article 13 (4) of the Ministerial Regulation which stipulated the criterions, practices and conditions regarding the verification, exception and the changes in the visa requirements B.E. 2545 (2002) dated on 16th August B.E. 2545 (2002), the holder of passport or other substitutive documents who enter to temporarily stay in the Kingdom of Thailand for the conference or the international sport contest shall be permitted to stay in the Kingdom not more than 30 days from the day arrived in the Kingdom of Thailand.

5. According the Article 13 (5) of the Ministerial Regulation which stipulated the criterions, practices and conditions regarding the verification, exception and the changes in the visa requirements B.E. 2545 (2002) dated on 16th August B.E. 2545 (2002), the holder of passport or other substitutive documents of the country that is the member of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and holds the APEC businessman passport who enters to temporarily stay in the Kingdom of Thailand for business purpose shall be permitted to stay in the Kingdom not more than 90 days from the day arrived in the Kingdom of Thailand.

6. This Order shall be supersede to all other rules, regulations and orders that are conflicted with this Order.


This Order shall be in full force commencing from this 1st day of October 2006

Order dated on 8th September 2006



Signed Signature

(Police General ---------)

Royal Thai Police Commandant

 

[wandering_fred]

On the other sites I have been looking at the consensus is that the number of days you stay in the country will be immaterial. Three visits will be the limit.... You then will need a "real" visa.

See Thai Visa Thailand, work permit, residence permit, Thailand immigration
Immigration Confirms The End Of Border Runs From Oct 1, 2006 - Thailand Forum
Now at 53 pages.......

And the following contains - as post 1 - quote Meloz has provided.
See Foreigners That Are Exempted From The Visa - Thailand Forum

As always the devil is in the detail..... and how the detail is read by the passport control officers.......

I hope that your interpretation is correct. That is, as long as your stay totals less then 90 days (less the time for the current visit) in any six month period you will be permitted entry.

Happy wondering
Come back in 60 days and we will probably have a correct interpretation.

Fred

 

[turtlemichael]

While I am not a Thailand expert, I am aware of a long history in the country of crackdowns on various activities be it by the police or other authorities. When there is economic pain caused by the crackdown, the rules sometimes get very quickly relaxed. It might be the same with visas because Thailand gains great economic benefit from its pool of illegals even though a small proportion of them may be undesirables. The Thais are very pragmatic people. I would not read too much into all this just yet. JMHO

 

[Yada Yada]

Yes John, not sure why you are such an apologist for Thaksin, but in reality, we didn't need the new airport at all.

Not sure why I am saying this? Feel free to PM me.

Clifford - OK, I'll bite... I'm not sure why you are saying that. Please do tell!

 

[mileagemax]

I am guessing a disappointed email wont get much response from QF...

It is clear that Qantas want to minimise the cost of using the other airline's lounge.

I am guessing it is Thai Airway's lounge because that is the only one likely to be ready in time. Thai apparently wants to charge airlines US$45 per passenger for access.

If Qantas is not willing to pay that for Qantas Club members flying Economy, then a free food, drink or dutyfree vouchers or some other form of compensation should be given.

Afterall, some people pay alot of money for Qantas Club access, and it is not our fault that Qantas hasn't been able to build it's own lounge in time.

 

[NM]

It is clear that Qantas want to minimise the cost of using the other airline's lounge.

I am guessing it is Thai Airway's lounge because that is the only one likely to be ready in time. Thai apparently wants to charge airlines US$45 per passenger for access.

If Qantas is not willing to pay that for Qantas Club members flying Economy, then a free food, drink or dutyfree vouchers or some other form of compensation should be given.

Afterall, some people pay alot of money for Qantas Club access, and it is not our fault that Qantas hasn't been able to build it's own lounge in time.

I thought the problem was one of capacity more than cost. There just is not the lounge capacity at the new BKK for all premium passengers and all high status FFs across all of the airlines. This is not just a problem for QF and BA, but for all airlines until their new lounges are completed. QFs new lounge will be completed around December, providing them the capacity to once again offer the standard access benefits.

 

[vt01]

Afterall, some people pay alot of money for Qantas Club access, and it is not our fault that Qantas hasn't been able to build it's own lounge in time.

IMHO at least people who have paid for QP membership should be able to get access. They have paid for a service which is not being delivered.

If I do have to pass that one some time before the new QP opens I think I'll be going via HKG or SIN

 

[Yada Yada]

Latest news... Bangkok Post Breaking News

Jetstar set for Suvarnabhumi opening

(TNA) – Jetstar Asia’s chief executive officer Chong Phit Lian is confident that everything will be ready when the company lands the first international commercial flights at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Friday.

“During test runs, the luggage claim took only 10 minutes, which was quite fascinating, and we are certain that our flights will run smoothly on Friday,” said Chong.

Jetstar will begin operating three daily flights between Singapore and Bangkok on September 15, becoming the first airline to offer international commercial service at Suvarnabhumi Airport. National carrier Thai Airways International (THAI) also begins domestic flights from the new airport on Friday.

 

[simongr]

Latest news... Bangkok Post Breaking News

10 mins for baggage? maybe someone from sydney airports corp needs to take a trip to Thailand (Y class of course)