Chaos at Don Mueang as unstaffed immigration desks leave thousands of passengers stranded

[Orton Rd]

Almost as bad in May, took over an hour to get through, most of the mob were Chinese!

[rkidlad]

Have a friend who entered on Friday with a TV and was questioned for 5 mins about why he spends so much time here. He said others were also being questioned like this.

 

If you wanna question people about their tourist visa history, that's your prerogative. Just make sure you have the stuff numbers to do it. It's called 'planning'. 

 

 

 

[theoldgit]

47 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Is there a priority or over 70's lane in DM as there is in Swampy?

I understand there is, but when a septuagenarian pal of mine tried to take advantage of it recently he was simply waved away by the friendly IO, when he pointed to the sign saying he was eligible it just elicited more aggressive hand waving ushering him to the back of the long line.

 

 

[owl sees all]

16 minutes ago, kotsak said:

Didn't I read very recently about BKK being a world class tourist destination? Bwahahahahaha.

Didn't I read very recently about BKK being a world class toilet destination? Bwahahahahaha.

[jspill]

Half the IOs were busy carting off tourists who couldn't produce 20k baht, getting them to buy expensive airfares back to where they came from at a commission, plus 700 baht for their detention cell

[charmonman]

23 minutes ago, connda said:

Why, in God's name, can't the country get its collective act together in regard to the infrastructure necessary to make this a tourist 'go-to' location.  Instead.....this.  I wonder how many of these poor people are planning a scenic holiday on the filthy Pattaya beaches, flooded cities that are flooded year, after year after year, not to mention traveling on mountain road that are constructed with a foot of weak asphate the washes out with the first heavy rains.  
My next vacation?  I'm going somewhere else who can actually cater to tourist instead of herding them like cows through immigration cattle chutes and treating them like human sewage.  This is pathetic.  The first encounter with Thailand should be a well functioning, efficient immigration service.  Not a quarter-staffed, queue of closed immigration terminals staffed with dour-face staff who immediately let you know that you're not really welcome by them, and by extension, Thailand.
This problem is part apathy and part hubris.  The sun, moon, and stars revolve around kon Thai - and everyone else is kon dang, literally "different people."  Not quite human.  Not due even a little bit of respect, especially by immigration who act as gatekeepers but not Thai emissaries of Thai good-will. And I'm speaking directly from my own experiences dealing with immigration inside points of entry.  That's the institutionalize problem.  They have no respect for the "Outsiders."  
Sorta like this -- "Jolly good.  Welcome to Thailand <Pow!>

 

I think the problem is, no matter how incompetent and disgraceful the government behaves, the tourists just keep on coming in droves. If only the rest of the authorities could be as good at their jobs as the people who promote Thailand as the "land of smiles" and other such nonsense.

 

As long as they keep coming they seems to have no incentive to improve anything. They just replace the Western tourists who are increasingly aware of the fact that there are better destinations, with naive Chinese, Indian and Arab tourists.

[impulse]

Excellent article in BP this morning with more gory details and a Thai witness (waiting on his foreign wife) indicating some IO's tried to get more lanes opened up, but were not allowed by higher ups. 

 

Also a link to Skytrax with customer reaction that's bound to cause a stir when people are deciding where to spend their sweaty tourist cash.

 

[phkauf]

DMK has lots of low cost Chinese Charter flights now, probably cheaper landing fees than BKK. Even at off-hours the lines can be insane because of this. 

I had a similar, although not 4 hour wait, at Swampy not too long ago. The lines were down the ramp onto the concourse for both sides. The idiots at immigration were actually closing lines since it must have been break time. It was utterly ridiculous. One of the bosses was walking around surveying the situation but doing absolutely nothing. I would love to confront them, but know better.

It's just ludicrous how the Thais refuse to modernize their systems and follow best practices by Singapore and Hong Kong, neither of which has a "loose" immigration policy. But then that wouldn't be the Thai Way - which is do everything the wrong way until you finally get it. Perhaps Colonization wouldn't have been all that bad in hindsight....

[Rimmer]

Some inflammatory posts and replies have been removed

[KOZMO]

54 minutes ago, overherebc said:

I couldn't afford the price of the passport stamp if that was the case.

Is there a priority or over 70's lane in DM as there is in Swampy?

Just get a Wheelchair,   works for me  !!!

 

[Cadbury]

3 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

I understand there is, but when a septuagenarian pal of mine tried to take advantage of it recently he was simply waved away by the friendly IO, when he pointed to the sign saying he was eligible it just elicited more aggressive hand waving ushering him to the back of the long line.

 

 

I suggest he carry one of those fold up walking sticks and practice limping along like a cripple with rubber legs. Or better still organise a wheelchair from the plane. There are a few ways to skin the cat.

This sort of aggression is a crude expression of the individual's ego. A common trait among Thai officials.

[impulse]

8 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

Have a friend who entered on Friday with a TV and was questioned for 5 mins about why he spends so much time here. He said others were also being questioned like this.

 

If you wanna question people about their tourist visa history, that's your prerogative. Just make sure you have the stuff numbers to do it. It's called 'planning'. 

 

As far out in left field as it may sound, perhaps this snarl was a protest against the increased workload brought on by the new scrutiny that's being reported.  I can't imagine the rank and file, or the line supervisors are happy to carry the brunt of some half-cocked policy from on high.

 

 

[Mark T]

The boss should have handedin the resignation. An unmanned immigration? There should be at least a few operational at any time!

[grantbkk]

14 minutes ago, steven100 said:

Rubbish, why stay if you dont like it, you have choices but you just whinge.

Someone legitimately complains about something that is in the governments control and seemingly simple to fix so Steven100 asks why stay if you don't like it.  Excellent assessment and solid advice from a veteran TV poster.  I assume everything is perfect for you here, nothing needs to be changed and you've never had a problem with any aspect of Amazing Thailand.  Good on you.  What's a "whinge".

[yellowboat]

9 minutes ago, steven100 said:

Rubbish, why stay if you dont like it, you have choices but you just whinge.

Oh please, people urinating in a jammed packed airport because had no way to get to a toilet.  That does not make you feel rage ?  It is unsafe.  The airport should be censored and flights canceled until basic safety standards are met.  One day people will leave should low standards persist.  Immigration is accountable to nobody. 

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

16 minutes ago, steven100 said:

Rubbish, why stay if you dont like it, you have choices but you just whinge.

I am sure of that many of the passengers that waited for 4-5 hours just to get into Thailand will remeber your vise words "why stay if you dont like it"

[TechnikaIII]

The word "incompetence" comes to mind.

The risk of being named and shamed is a very good stimulant, promoting, among other positive attributes, efficiency,  

But as we all know, around the world, the incompetent are protected in all sectors of public service.

We have no say in the matter.

However, this was the case at Don Mueang,  an accidental stuff up due to multiple, unexpected circumstances, one might say. But it does highlight a total lack or preparedness. Not good.

But try this one: Last year I was flying out of Munich, bound for Bangkok. The day happened to be a public holiday in Germany. So the check-in counters were understaffed, ... only about 25% open. I asked if there more coming to clear the enormous backlog, the crowds .. hopelessly growing numbers. One airport staff person said they couldn't get anyone extra to come in, because it was a holiday. This was no accidental stuff up as at Don Mueang. It was blatant negligence. The chaos was unforgettable. Groups of crowds were being redirected to alternative sectors, just to check in, then, once 'airside', find their way back to the sector with the correct departure gate. This resulted in several delays. I can't even begin to imagine what stress this placed on Air Traffic Control, where the margin for error is zero.

So go easy on the "Thai-bashing". 

[bikerbri]

Could it be an"Act of God"?

[Juan B Tong]

Memo to Minister of tourism.

 

Suggest new promotional tag line.

 

"Tourists are so excited to arrive in Thailand they are just pissing themselves."

[madmitch]

They seem to have forgotten to upgrade the Immigration area at Don Mueang as they have with the rest of the airport. It's too small, has pillars in inappropriate areas, uses the choose an individual queue rather than snaking queue system, though with half the booths unmanned how much does this matter? I experienced an hour and a bit wait a couple of weeks ago and that was bad enough. I can't imagine the feelings of passengers who are queuing for four hours.

[chuang]

1 hour ago, Aachen said:

They did not get a time table.

No, even if the do they don't understand what's written....entering Heaven or Hell is even faster...

[soalbundy]

1 hour ago, darksidedog said:

Another success story for Thailand's tourism sector. The incompetence in allowing this to happen is staggering, but no real surprise to those of us who have been here a while. Immigration need to seriously improve their communications with air traffic control. How on earth can you not know that a bunch of planes are coming in, and once they have, how can you not get some bloody staff at posts for four hours?

perhaps the telephones weren't working and even if they were, no one in the immigration office to take the call, HELLLLLP

[Cadbury]

1 hour ago, quadperfect said:

This is unacceptable. 

A classic Thai example of where unacceptable service to the public is completely acceptable to the authorities involved. 

[clarky23]

DMK is alot worse this year,  two short haul international flights I've spent longer in the immigration queue at DMK than in the plane and more recently it took 50mins to clear immigration.  Will try avoid DMK where possible now.

[recycler]

The place is a disgrace, stood there for almost 3 hours last week Thursday and the queue was even longer when we left.

[Tchooptip]

1 hour ago, quadperfect said:

Quote

This is unacceptable. 

 

This is unacceptable. yessss

 .....But there are no means of not accepting it for the people stranded  

[chuang]

Solution ! tell the ATC not to allow too many aircrafts to land.....

[Minnehaha]

2 hours ago, Briggsy said:

I wonder if this is some sort of protest. AoT is a big money-spinner. Immigration (a branch of the police) always looking for ways to "self-fund" and bigger income streams. AoT may be being held to ransom here.

 

i.e. "If you don't want your airports smelling of Chinese pee, you need to pay us more to open more booths."

 

Note how immigration immediately blamed AoT for the problem.

at this level it is definitely people sending a message.

it can happen but there are people to call in middle of the night and get in there in an hour to work and clear this. 

they definitely have plans for catastrophic events, so there is a protocol in place to get competent officials at an airport to handle processing. 

no, I would wager this is a message of workers or authorities not getting the resources they are requesting or need. 

[wvavin]

Close the airport if Thailand is so incompetent to handle the number of passengers. 

[ICECOOL]

I seem to remember talk of a crackdown on Immigration bribes etc and along with the latest strange visa refusals I wonder if its not some kind of work to rules protest to embarrass the govt