Can I collect my luggage and check-in for a flight from BKK to Vientiane without going through immigration if I have two separate tickets?

Are you sure you will arrive at the Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) and also depart to Vientiane from the same airport?

If you choose a cheap budget carrier to Vientiane, they all depart from Don Mueang Airport (DMK), except Thai Airways and Bangkok Airways and Vietjet.

A shuttle bus between the BKK and the DMK can take up to 1,5 hours for the trip, and you will have to enter Thailand through the “normal” Immigration, and pick up your baggage from the belt, if you need to use the shuttle bus.

If the trip is on one ticket, your baggage will be checked through. And even if it is on separate tickets, you have the chance of getting your baggage checked through, if both airlines have a “codesharing” agreement. You must ask the crew at the check-in at the origin airport, if it is possible to get the baggage checked through.

If your baggage doesn’t get checked through, you will have to enter Thailand through the “normal” immigration. Depending on your passport country, you will receive a 30 days visa-exempt stamp. Pick up your baggage from the belts, and move upstairs to the departure level, check in again and move on to the international terminal.

If your baggage gets checked through, and your flight to Vientiane departs from the BKK, you will remain airside in the transit level of the BKK. For a transit which takes no longer than 24 hours, you don’t need a transit visa.

If you want to leave your luggage at the airport, luggage storage is at the same level as arrivals. It’s in the middle of the front hallway. I think it’s next to airport security office.

Ask agent at origin if the 2 airlines in question have an interline baggage agreement, if they do, show her your confirmed itinerary and she should be able to tag them thru. Good luck..

See if the airlines have an interlink agreement. This way you can get your luggage checked through to the destination. If not, you will need to clear immigration, then pick up your bag, clear customs, make your way up to the top level and check in for the second flight. As a safety buffer, allow three hours for this process

You need to ask this when you check in on your original flight. If the tickets were booked separately the chances are very low. If the flight to Laos is a budget airline like AirAsia the chance is zero.

If these are separate tickets then you must exit passport control, collect your bags, check-in for your next flight and cross security and passport control again.