[Anonymous]

[PrakashMehta]

Next week I’ll be taking a leisure trip to Thailand, flying biz class on Thai. The routing is Bom-BKK-CNX on the outward leg with a 3 hour layover in BKK – changing from international to domestic.

Where would I do immigration and customs? I am assuming immigration would be at BKK, but would customs be in BKK too or would that be at CNX?

If customs is at BKK, would I have to collect bags in BKK and drop them off again even if it is a through check in? If customs is at CNX, would I land at domestic and then go to international to collect bags and clear customs?

Any info on how it works is much appreciated.

[StephenLondon]

Check with TG staff on board, but in the not too distant past the drill was to follow signs at Suvarnabhumi domestic transit. You will clear Thai immigration and have a security scan, and be given a sticker that says CIP, which denotes you as an international connecting passenger. Since TG will have tagged your bags through, when you land at CNX, you have to find your bags on an international baggage belt and clear customs in CNX.

On your way out of CNX, you will clear exit immigration in CNX.

This is how it was not that long ago, but double check with TG staff on board.

[PrakashMehta]

Thanks Stephen. Pretty much how I thought it would be. Will check with TG staff to be sure. Just seems funny to land at domestic and go over to international to retrieve bags. Hope they are close by.

[JohnHarper]

IIRC when you leave the plane at CNX you go left for domestic baggage claim and right for international. One is as convenient as the other. The system works really well.

Given the length of your stopover, if you wanted to you have plenty of time to claim your bags in BKK and check in again. The domestic lounge is OK but not three hours worth of excitement!

Anyway, good luck and have a great trip.

[PrakashMehta]

Thanks John. It sounds simple enough. I’ll anyway check with TG staff on check in as to the best way to go about it. Mostly will through check-in to avoid claiming bags at BKK and re check-in.

[PrakashMehta]

Stephen / John – it was as you described above, and it was a breeze.

Checked luggage through to CNX, immigration at BKK, and then through to the domestic side. At CNX, one went left for domestic and right for international. I found my bags on the international side and cleared customes in a jiffy.

John – the domestic lounge was pretty ordinary, but had sofas and at the crazy hour of 5am, when we were in transit, it was nice for my kid to get a little sleep.

On the way back from HKT-BKK-BOM, immigration was at HKT with CIQ stickers given which were checked at BKK for just security check / no immigration. Bags checked through all the way.

The system worked well. Thank you both for your replies earlier.

[JohnHarper]

Thanks PrakashMehta, I’m glad it all worked out for you.

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