Suvarnabhumi Airport is at or above capacity. Plans are there for expansion and this will surely
happen but will take time. The old international airport Don Muang is being upgraded and is used for
budget and in-country flights. Since there is no fast link from the new to the old airport, at one point this
may create problems with incoming international passengers, who need connecting flights.
Visitors not likely will see the logistics behind an airport working at full capacity, except notice that the
airport is a busy place. What is a bit related, though not fully are the poor immigration services. On
repeated occasions, this has made headline news locally. Long queues are created for both outgoing and
incoming passengers. What is most disturbing is that visitors can notice long queues on the one hand,
and empty immigration boots on the other hand, that is, not enough immigration officers are working at
busy times. The immigration officers reportedly also complain about a stressful situation. At one time, a
'fast track' for paying visitors was heavily promoted, which really was borderline ridiculous, but we
understand is also a practice at other locations.
It has to be said that immigration procedures have changed over the last few years, and are a bit more
time-consuming. Photographs are taken, and it won't be long before everybody gets fingerprinted.
At present, the problem seems to have improved, less complaints in the Thai English-language media.
The advice: arrive at the airport well on time.