Bangkok airport installing new automatic passport check-in counters, some delays expected

Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport installing automatic passport counters

Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport will be installing new automatic passport check-in counters between 15 May and 4 June 2024.

This will cause some delay for passengers departing on international flights.

Suvarnabhumi Airport installing passport automatic channels

On 10 May, Suvarnabhumi Airport said a new automatic passport check-in system will be installed to replace the existing model.

Some conventional passport control counters with immigration officers will also be changed to automatic channels.

This is to increase the “flexibility and speed” of the airport’s passport checking service.

“The first phase of the installation operations will take place at the international departure passport control area Zone 2 on the west side of the 4th floor of the Passenger Terminal Building,” the airport added in its post.

Suvarnabhumi Airport also apologised for any inconvenience caused during this time.

It further requests passengers departing on international flights to arrive at the airport at least three hours before their scheduled departure time.

Counters available to foreigners since Dec 2023

In December 2023, Khaosod English reported that the automatic departure passport control lane at Suvarnabhumi customs, which had been used to check locals, will be accessible to visitors with foreign passports.

This move would allow the airport to inspect around 12,000 passengers a hour, compared to roughly 5,000 previously.

Passengers who have court orders barring them from leaving Thailand, those with criminal arrest warrants, and those who overstay their visa are all still subject to inspection by the officials.

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Featured image adapted from Hotels.com.