Recent Problems using Automatic gates at Suvarnabhumi

[Spiny]

As I have PR (since 2004) I've been using the automatic gates at Suvarnabhumi for the last few years.

Last trip out (3 weeks ago) they weren't working. So went through the normal channels.

TM6 card was requested by IO. I explained (in my best polite Thai) to him that I didn't need one as I've been travelling in and out of Thailand

for the last 2.5 years (approximately 9 trips) through automatic gates.

As well as avoiding the queues, this avoids filling your up passport and PR document with in/out stamps.

Showed him my PR book and stamp in my passport allowing my use of the Auto-gates. IO requested I fill in the TM6 form.

As I had a few hours before my flight I decided to refuse to fill it out (only the departure portion) just to see what happened

As he was obviously a trainee and never encountered PR documents before he called his supervisor over, a very abrupt middle-aged

Thai lady. I was fingerprinted and photographed and I was stamped out. The lady IO spoke very impolitely (in Thai) to me requesting me to

follow her desk where she filled in the form for me and more or less threw it across the desk to me. I muttered my khob khun khrap and a

gave her a feeble wai. This is my first bad experience in Thai immigration, anywhere, after working in the country since 1975. It was certainly a 'rude" awakening for me

as an older farang it has confirmed what has frequently been reported by other forum members recently.

 

Returned to Suvarnabhumi on Sunday rushed to the auto-gates and made it as far as the photographing section. The facial recognition failed.

Now I know I was probably a bit paler having spent the last 3 weeks in the rain and cold of the Uk but good grief.

This also happened to a Thai chap who was a couple of people in the auto gate queue before me. Perhaps he didn't exit through them?

Anyway I managed to by-pass the auto-gates and was directed to the adjacent empty Chinese channel by a very pleasant IO officer.

Initially he politely informed me that I shouldn't be using the gates but after verifying the stamp in my passport agreed I had a right to be there.

The IO at the Chines channel requested a TM6 form which I said wasn't necessary as I have PR and I showed him my PR book.

He filled one out for me and stamped me in and we had a polite exchange (in Thai) on the foibles of modern technology and implementation Thailand 4.0.

 

It has certainly made me rethink my PR status and the perceived benefits of having it.  

 

 

 

 

[mstevens]

PR in Thailand doesn't sound like "real" PR i.e. the benefits are less than PR elsewhere....not that that should be a surprise, I guess...

[legend49]

The facial recognition failed.

 

OMG bio -metrics let them down again?

[holy cow cm]

Just because of PR status doesn't mean they have to be nice to you or even know the rules. I would get used to more attitude coming everyone's way.

[Ireland32]

Lady IO’s are drama queens to be Avoided

[stevenl]

45 minutes ago, Ireland32 said:

Lady IO’s are drama queens to be Avoided

Firstly I think this is nonsense, secondly the OP avoided female IO's.

[Jaggg88]

4 hours ago, Ireland32 said:

Lady IO’s are drama queens to be Avoided

A female Io insisted my son and wife (both Thai passport holders) fill in a TM6 when we were leaving at swampy. After we had completed them we got in a smaller queue which was manned by a male IO. He asked my wife why she had filled in a TM6 and when she told him he just shook his head and put them in the bin.

[Fairynuff]

1 hour ago, Jaggg88 said:

A female Io insisted my son and wife (both Thai passport holders) fill in a TM6 when we were leaving at swampy. After we had completed them we got in a smaller queue which was manned by a male IO. He asked my wife why she had filled in a TM6 and when she told him he just shook his head and put them in the bin.

Frustrating but not surprising. Awkwardness just for the sake of it seems to be a part of the national personality, particularly when a uniform is involved 

[Pdavies99]

Why make such a fuss!

[jackdd]

I just checked the law (section 18 of the immigration act) and the latest ministerial order (from 2017): http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2560/A/012/54.PDF

The law says passengers have to complete the inspection in accordance with the ministerial order

The ministerial order says passengers have to complete the arrival / departure card (TM6). I couldn't find any exceptions (not even for Thais).

To me it looks like that officially you are not exempt from TM6 and you have to complete it when entering/leaving.

Which means you refused to follow the written law, and now you are complaining that the IO got unfriendly when you broke the law.

You should consider following Thai laws, with your behavior you just make it more difficult for everybody else as well.

Edited October 15, 2019 by jackdd

[rimmae2]

I have PR and have been using the autochannel for more than 3 years. Occasionally on departure autochannel does not work and this was the case 9 days ago. I wasn't the only person who had a problem at this time. Subsequently I found out that there was a problem that day and even the IO was polite enought to advise me. Last night I departed and first time autochannel did not work; second time OK and also Thai person in front of me had a problem.

 

In maybe 100 departures since registering for autochannel, I have not been able use the autochannel less than 5% of the time, but only once have not been able to use the autochannel on arrival. When autochannel does not work on departure it is necessary to complete TM6. On arrival I have never been asked for TM6 when using the autochannel.

 

So I would say much ado abut nothing.

 

All I want is autochannel when departing TG Lane A, as 95% of the time I am flying on TG and apart from 1 hour hops travelling on BC or FC.

[jacko45k]

11 hours ago, gamesgplayemail said:

 

With all their husbands having MIA NOI a lot more beautiful and younger than them, I can understand why they are so bitter.

 

 

 

 

Pondering what he is up to while they are locked in a little box, while being expected to stamp in one  hedonistic tourist after another, must wear their patience thin.

[Spiny]

9 hours ago, jackdd said:

I just checked the law (section 18 of the immigration act) and the latest ministerial order (from 2017): http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2560/A/012/54.PDF

The law says passengers have to complete the inspection in accordance with the ministerial order

The ministerial order says passengers have to complete the arrival / departure card (TM6). I couldn't find any exceptions (not even for Thais).

To me it looks like that officially you are not exempt from TM6 and you have to complete it when entering/leaving.

Which means you refused to follow the written law, and now you are complaining that the IO got unfriendly when you broke the law.

You should consider following Thai laws, with your behavior you just make it more difficult for everybody else as well.

Thanks for the information, I'll definitely comply with the TM6 request then as previously, my bad, if it happens again.

I'm still following up with CW immigration on the lack of facial recognition. More later...………………..

[sandyf]

9 hours ago, jackdd said:

 

The ministerial order says passengers have to complete the arrival / departure card (TM6). I couldn't find any exceptions (not even for Thais).

Lt Gen Sansern made the remark after Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha invoked Section 44 of the former interim charter to revoke the regulation requiring Thais to fill in the white slips, in a bid to shorten waiting times.

He said Gen Prayut has already signed the order. It will be published in the Royal Gazette and will take effect early Saturday morning, he said.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1324395/tm-6-cards-end-for-thais-in-bid-to-cut-queues

[sandyf]

TM6 found to be never to have been used 

The government spokesman also revealed that the government had decided to scrap the TM6 arrival and departures card that every foreigner in Thailand will be very familiar with. He is reported as saying that Thailand will experience 40 million visitors this year and that the cards simply ended up being stored and never used by authorities or security services. 

https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2019/09/18/tm30-immigration-foreigners-thailand-easier-app-reporting-government-kobsak-pootrakool/

[Orton Rd]

18 hours ago, Ireland32 said:

Lady IO’s are drama queens to be Avoided

Normally the fat ugly ones, never had a problem with young slim lookers

[jackdd]

57 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Lt Gen Sansern made the remark after Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha invoked Section 44 of the former interim charter to revoke the regulation requiring Thais to fill in the white slips, in a bid to shorten waiting times.

He said Gen Prayut has already signed the order. It will be published in the Royal Gazette and will take effect early Saturday morning, he said.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1324395/tm-6-cards-end-for-thais-in-bid-to-cut-queues

Yes, this seems to be correct.

The latest ministerial order only exists as a picture on the website of the council of the state, so it wasn't indexed and it didn't show up when i searched for it through the search function. But now i did find it, this is the latest ministerial order from 2018 regarding TM6: http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2562/A/091/T_0001.PDF

With the info from this document it was also possible to find the NCPO order https://library2.parliament.go.th/giventake/content_ncpo/ncpo-head-order42-2560.pdf

So it looks like Thai citizens are indeed officially exempt, but we aliens (temporary or permanent doesn't matter), still have to do the TM6.

[Krupps]

WHat about the e channel BKK for visitors from HK.

Since last year Hongkongers can use them, so I have read.

does this require any pre registration at the airport ?

 

Edited October 16, 2019 by Krupps

[sandyf]

3 hours ago, jackdd said:

Yes, this seems to be correct.

The latest ministerial order only exists as a picture on the website of the council of the state, so it wasn't indexed and it didn't show up when i searched for it through the search function. But now i did find it, this is the latest ministerial order from 2018 regarding TM6: http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2562/A/091/T_0001.PDF

With the info from this document it was also possible to find the NCPO order https://library2.parliament.go.th/giventake/content_ncpo/ncpo-head-order42-2560.pdf

So it looks like Thai citizens are indeed officially exempt, but we aliens (temporary or permanent doesn't matter), still have to do the TM6.

It didn't really matter about any ministerial order, there were notices all over the airport at the time telling the Thais it was no longer required. 

 

[Spiny]

As promised.

A visit from our company's immigration specialist to Suvarnabhumi immigration confirms that if I don't use the automatic gates for in/out

then I need to fill in a TM6 card going through normal channels. Regarding the issues with the auto-gates and facial recognition failure they said that the whole auto-gate system is being "upgraded" and that reliability and functionality should improve markedly shortly.

[BKKBike09]

1 hour ago, Spiny said:

As promised.

A visit from our company's immigration specialist to Suvarnabhumi immigration confirms that if I don't use the automatic gates for in/out

then I need to fill in a TM6 card going through normal channels. Regarding the issues with the auto-gates and facial recognition failure they said that the whole auto-gate system is being "upgraded" and that reliability and functionality should improve markedly shortly.

I suggest keeping a TM6 card, semi-completed (ignore the nonsense about providing an email address, income, etc, or just make it up) with your PR Book. Just don't put in a flight number. Then if the e-gates aren't working you have a form to hand and only need to add flight number. It's happened to me a few times. You don't need to use the PR Book when using the e-gates, but of course you bring it just in case. TM6 falls into the same category to my way of thinking. Refusing to fill it in would be unwise ...

[thedemon]

The facial recognition part of Autochannel does seem to have become less reliable in the last few months. Sometimes 3-4 attempts before being accepted.

 

What works best for me is to ignore the feet placement guide printed on the ground and don't try to do the facial part and fingerprint at the same time. Just stand so that your face is square to the camera, keep still and wait patiently until the message comes to place your finger on the scanner.

 

Another thing that trips the system up is if you have a pull-along handcarry bag, make sure it is pulled in close to your body after passing the first gate. I think there is a sensor intended to make sure there is not another person inside the box while being scanned and it mistakes the bag for a person if it is too far back. 

[Spiny]

30 minutes ago, BKKBike09 said:

I suggest keeping a TM6 card, semi-completed (ignore the nonsense about providing an email address, income, etc, or just make it up) with your PR Book. Just don't put in a flight number. Then if the e-gates aren't working you have a form to hand and only need to add flight number. It's happened to me a few times. You don't need to use the PR Book when using the e-gates, but of course you bring it just in case. TM6 falls into the same category to my way of thinking. Refusing to fill it in would be unwise ...

Yes, that's what I have been doing but this last time I forgot the partially completed card.

 Agreed, it was unwise of me to refuse to complete a TM6 card. This was my reaction to the rudeness of the female IO.

 I can only attribute my attitude to a shock reaction of a first time event. Normally I am Mr. jai yen yen

[5633572526]

On 10/15/2019 at 3:10 PM, Ireland32 said:

Lady IO’s are drama queens to be Avoided

My experiences exactly the opposite. With Lady and younger (new) IO’s I breeze right through but with the older male IO’s they seem to spend a lot of time paging through my passport looking for a reason to deny me.

the last time I had an older man and after the 3rd time paging through my passport I told him no matter how many times he looked he would not find a single tourist visa in their, after which he mumbled something under his breath and stamped me through.