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Bangkok Airport Tips?


Digger30

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I watched a YouTube vid a few months ago where the guy said something along the lines of walking past the first bunch of immigration desks where the queues are big and further along there’s a 2nd bunch of desks with much smaller queues. I can’t find the video anymore and i’m not 100% sure if he was referring to immigration or something else.

We’re landing next weekend for the first time, can anyone shed some light or any tips for the airport (I have precooked a taxi to meet us)

Also planning on changing all of our currency in the airport on level 2? Would you advise changing it all in the airport or are the rates better in Pattaya?

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Most of us tend to arrive at gates E, F, G which is why the first Immigration we get to tends to be busier. There’s a second one a little further on. When flying Thai, I’ve arrived at C gates so it’s the first area that tends to be quieter. No guarantees obviously.

 

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I never change cash at the airport as I keep some from previous trips. The rates downstairs near the train are usually pretty good. I’d still just change enough for the first day or so anyway.

The other thing to consider is if you want a SIM card. This can be done just after you exit Customs if you want.

 

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

So remember to “Enjoy every sandwich”

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9 minutes ago, Digger30 said:

We’re landing next weekend for the first time, can anyone shed some light or any tips for the airport (I have precooked a taxi to meet us)

The  video in question was no doubt talking about immigration. Basically two sets, so if first you hit is packed worth having a wander down to the second to have a look. They're only 100 metres or so apart and the first you hit depends on where you're flight landed so when you see videos talking talking about "going to the second" doesn't make much sense, just be aware there are two and they aren't far apart.

9 minutes ago, Digger30 said:

Also planning on changing all of our currency in the airport on level 2? Would you advise changing it all in the airport or are the rates better in Pattaya?

There appears to be evidence that the exchanges at the airport down by the railway are slightly better than Patts but in the great scheme of things I doubt it is the difference between being a two week billionaire as opposed to a two week millionaire so do whatever you're comfortable with. Personally I haven't travelled with cash for decades so can't be more specific but if I did I would think if the rate looks OK I'd probably do it all in one so as not to have to mess around during the trip and just wear it if the exchange gets better.

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rates in pattaya are better than on level2 in airport (but not by much). but there's no reason to change a lot at the airport. just make sure you have enough for the ride to pattaya (and depending on your plans and when you arrive: maybe enough for the first day & night)

edit to answer ru4real's last post: the spread is slightly smaller on most TT booth in pattaya than at superrich airport. 
for example: currently for GDP the buy sell spread at the airport is 41.30 // 41.80
TT is normally slightly tighter... (but as you say, the difference is minimal. assuming you change 1000gbp at once, the difference is maybe 100 or 200 thb between superrich and TT). 

TFMI.WTF : The home of the Thaifriendly Master Index – your invaluable guide if you use Thaifriendly in Pattaya.

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I usually change $200 just as I get out of customs. The rate isn't great but it's convenient. Then stop and get a SIM from which ever queue is shortest  then onwards to exit 3 to meet my taxi driver. Get a drink and a snack from 7/11 then into the taxi,  next stop my Pattaya hotel. It's easy and all on the arrivals level. The hardest thing tends to be spotting your driver with your name on their sign, it won't necessarily be spelt correctly. 

Have a great holiday and try not to fall in love. 

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The Basement level at the airport, to the left as you head into the train station, has better rates than the TTs in Pattaya.  Do not go to the exchange booths on the level 2 Arrivals level, their rate is poor as they have to pay a higher rent.

Pay no attention to the guys on here saying the "airport" rate is bad - they are talking about the rate on the Arrivals level which, yes, is bad, but the rate in the booths on the Basement level on the left just before the train station is amongst the best in Thailand (only bettered by the headquarters branches in central Bangkok).

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here ya go

https://youtu.be/ZLK1YSWFCts

Good thing about 2nd Immigration is you exit baggage claim close to the Taxi drivers and Sim card booth.

I've used 2nd immigration 5 times and only once was it busy. So that's pretty good odds.

I don't change all my money at the airport.

 

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1 hour ago, Ziplee said:

here ya go

https://youtu.be/ZLK1YSWFCts

Good thing about 2nd Immigration is you exit baggage claim close to the Taxi drivers and Sim card booth.

I've used 2nd immigration 5 times and only once was it busy. So that's pretty good odds.

Doesn't where you exit baggage claim depend on which conveyor belt your flight discharges onto, not which immigration you go through?  You go to the conveyor belts after immigration, and not many people travel to Bangkok hand luggage only.

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I've been doing this for the last two years, but have questioned how relevant it is anymore. The amount of time saved is about the same as the amount lost by walking further and the walking back to get your bags.

But, it is still a good tip if you sense that most passengers are flocking to the first immigration line they see and the line looks long. Keep walking, there is another way in.

Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

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In less than 5 weeks I fly business class so I can skip both immigration lines and can use fast track :P. Years ago before I knew about the second immigration line I waited almost 2 hours to get through immigration. So if you see that it is busy at the first line, just walk a bit further.

Last time I changed money at the basement of the airport and the rates are just as good as at the TT’s in Pattaya. I only exchanged at the airport because I didn’t go to Pattaya but had to catch a flight up north.

When I am home I just top up my Thai SIM to keep it alive. No need to buy a new SIM everytime.

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1 hour ago, Marcchr said:

In less than 5 weeks I fly business class so I can skip both immigration lines and can use fast track :P. Years ago before I knew about the second immigration line I waited almost 2 hours to get through immigration. So if you see that it is busy at the first line, just walk a bit further.

I would think that the airport  personnel would wave you onto the second line when it’s necessary?   Maybe not though… 

Business class will get you the fast track but, it won’t allow you the golf cart experience, in that case you will need to pony up the extra money I think.   But if you are young and healthy you don’t really care about using the cart.  :)

https://www.limousine.in.th/fast-track-immigration.html

 

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Just now, ctp2018 said:

I would think that the airport  personnel would wave you onto the second line when it’s necessary?   Maybe not though… 

Business class will get you the fast track but, it won’t allow you the golf cart experience, in that case you will need to pony up the extra money I think.   But if you are young and healthy you don’t really care about using the cart.  :)

I have never seen that airport personnel waived people to the second immigration line.

I’m happy to walk a bit after a 13 hour flight so the golf cart would be wasted on me if that was part of the fast track anyway. The only hurry that I am in is to go to the smoking room. I wish I had some self control to quit that.

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2 minutes ago, Marcchr said:

I have never seen that airport personnel waived people to the second immigration line.

I’m happy to walk a bit after a 13 hour flight so the golf cart would be wasted on me if that was part of the fast track anyway. The only hurry that I am in is to go to the smoking room. I wish I had some self control to quit that.

They don't exist anymore.

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12 minutes ago, Gone-east said:

They don't exist anymore.

Thailand is the place I least expected that to happen. I did read it here somewhere, but I hoped that it was only temporary.

Then it is a good thing to have fast track to get outside quicker and smoke before I get in a Nam’s taxi.

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6 hours ago, SirL said:

Doesn't where you exit baggage claim depend on which conveyor belt your flight discharges onto, not which immigration you go through?  You go to the conveyor belts after immigration, and not many people travel to Bangkok hand luggage only.

Yes, that makes sense. I only have a carry-on.

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1 hour ago, Marcchr said:

get outside quicker and smoke before I get in a Nam’s taxi.

I would tell the nam driver that I'll wait at the exit and smoke. She would take her time to get the car and pick me up just as I finished. I wonder if you can do that anymore?

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9 hours ago, SirL said:

The Basement level at the airport, to the left as you head into the train station, has better rates than the TTs in Pattaya.  Do not go to the exchange booths on the level 2 Arrivals level, their rate is poor as they have to pay a higher rent.

Pay no attention to the guys on here saying the "airport" rate is bad - they are talking about the rate on the Arrivals level which, yes, is bad, but the rate in the booths on the Basement level on the left just before the train station is amongst the best in Thailand (only bettered by the headquarters branches in central Bangkok).

that's not correct. 
i even quoted the current spread that superrich offers at the airport. TT offers slightly better rates in pattaya most of the time. (but as i wrote, the difference is small enough that it really doesn't matter much. saving 100thb when you exchange 1000gbp should not really be a major factor). 

that's all to say: most of the time, it's not worth it to walk down to the basement with all your luggage and wait in line only to then get back up to arrival level again to meet your driver.

TFMI.WTF : The home of the Thaifriendly Master Index – your invaluable guide if you use Thaifriendly in Pattaya.

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1 minute ago, Ziplee said:

I would tell the nam driver that I'll wait at the exit and smoke. She would take her time to get the car and pick me up just as I finished. I wonder if you can do that anymore?

Last September that was no problem. But if they get rid of the smoking rooms I guess it is not allowed to smoke at the entrance of the car park also. 

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16 minutes ago, petehoax said:

 that's all to say: most of the time, it's not worth it to walk down to the basement with all your luggage and wait in line only to then get back up to arrival level again to meet your driver.

What about ATMs? Are they more convenient and is the exchange rate similar to Superrich?

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ATMs: you have a 220thb fee per transaction. 
the rate you get depends on your bank. my limited knowledge: normally it's quite bad. but that differs a lot between your home bank and the country you're in etc...

there are exceptions: as an american, open a specific charles schwab account and you'll get all fees reimbursed and also get the real exchange rate. there are many threads on this specific topic, just search for charles schwab. (iirc there are also 2-3 other banks that started offering a similar deal). 

one general tip: all ATMs offer to "exchange" the currency for you so that your bank account gets charged in your home currency. NEVER do this, that rate is always atrociously bad. it's normally done towards the end of the transaction on the last screen that you need to confirm. 

TFMI.WTF : The home of the Thaifriendly Master Index – your invaluable guide if you use Thaifriendly in Pattaya.

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15 minutes ago, ctp2018 said:

What about ATMs? Are they more convenient and is the exchange rate similar to Superrich?

most ATMS have a 180bht + fee  and exchange rate depends on your bank......  if you can select it of course. Some ATMS /banks make you use a bad exchange rate

If you see a prompt on the ATM asking you if you want to use their exchange rate , you should almost always decline it

 

 

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11 minutes ago, ctp2018 said:

What about ATMs? Are they more convenient and is the exchange rate similar to Superrich?

ATMs are more convenient . But you will be hit by bank charges . All so the queue' at the money exchange's .    are never that long.

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50 minutes ago, petehoax said:

that's not correct. 
i even quoted the current spread that superrich offers at the airport. TT offers slightly better rates in pattaya most of the time. (but as i wrote, the difference is small enough that it really doesn't matter much. saving 100thb when you exchange 1000gbp should not really be a major factor). 

that's all to say: most of the time, it's not worth it to walk down to the basement with all your luggage and wait in line only to then get back up to arrival level again to meet your driver.

It is actually correct.  You can get the exact rates available at the airport basement level on the green SuperRich phone app, and wander around Pattaya looking at the rates at the TT booths and comparing them to the simultaneous airport basement quotes on your phone, as I have done.  The airport basement rates are in fact better than those available at TT in Pattaya. 

Where you seem to be going wrong is you are using the booths on Level 2 Arrivals at the airport, well that's what your post seems to suggest.  For best rates use the Basement level booths at the airport.

Going down to the train station isn't going out of your way if you are heading into Bangkok itself by train for your first night, as I always do.  After a long flight I prefer to head directly into Bangkok rather than do a two hour motorway drive.  Nana and Cowboy are well worth visiting, and it's easy and cheap to take a mid morning bus down to Pattaya next day.

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28 minutes ago, ctp2018 said:

What about ATMs? Are they more convenient and is the exchange rate similar to Superrich?

I see your USA flag, so I will note the Schwab ATM card that is mentioned time and again on PA.  They refund all ATM fees and their exchange rate is competitive with - if not better than - what you get when you exchange cash.  It is one of the things that I cannot imagine traveling Internationally without.

Another USA-based tip is that, IF you travel to Asia on business from time to time AND have Global Entry (another thing I would not travel Internationally without), the APEC Business Travel card is pretty sweet.  I think it costs $70 and is good for 5 years.  Not only do you get to use the Premium Lanes, but you get the "even faster" lane inside of them (the one for diplomats, air crew, etc.).  The only "problem" with it is that I always make it to the baggage carousel before my bags!  5555

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