For those of you planning to usher in 2018 in Bangkok, you might need to take note of this!
Thai immigration officials have recently announced that international travellers heading to Bangkok this weekend will probably have to wait four hours or more due to the number of visitors and thorough security measures that have recently been implemented for visa on arrival applications.
Source: Bangkok Post
Tougher security measures have been implemented at immigration to detect criminals attempting to enter the country disguised as tourists. Deputy immigration police spokesman, Pol Col Cherngron Rimpadee, brought up this issue when asking the public for their patience and cooperation, reports the Bangkok Post.
Ideally, a visa on arrival application takes no more than three minutes, but due to the influx of travellers and added screening procedures, you may be stuck at the airport longer than expected.
Source: Thousand Wonders
To help ease “traffic” at the airport, immigration officials are reportedly considering opening more lanes.
It’s unclear how long the wait may be for travellers from countries that do not require Thai visas like Malaysia. Hopefully, it’s a whole lot shorter than 4 hours, but looking at the sheer size of the crowd they’re expecting at the airport, it’s safe to prepare for the worst!
So, if you’re heading over to Bangkok to celebrate the New Year, travel safe and maybe prepare to camp out at the airport for a little while!
Also read: Travellers Experiencing Massive Congestion at KLIA Departure Hall Due to System Error
