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Will I go through immigration in Bangkok or Chiang Rai on my return trip?

ImmigrationBaggage HandlingThai VisaTravel RegulationsChiang Rai AirportBangkok Airport
Dec 18, 2023
a year ago
Jack ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Every previous trip I've gone through immigration at the airport I landed at. And leaving I've gone through at BKK. This time leaving I went through immigration at Chiang Rai even though I connected at BKK... And my bags were checked all the way through where previously I've had to collect and recheck in BKK. Now, returning, my bags are checked all the way to Chiang Rai. Do you think I will do immigration in BKK or CR?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user is inquiring whether they will go through immigration at Bangkok or Chiang Rai on their return flight. Previous experiences suggest that immigration is typically done at the first entry point into a country, and since they are flying on a single international ticket, it's likely they will complete immigration formalities at Chiang Rai after arriving from Bangkok. Comments from other users provide insights based on their experiences with similar travel routes, indicating that travelers often clear immigration in the city where they first land.
Jack ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
The way this worked out was like the worst of all worlds and rediculous. I was directed through the bkk airport directly almost a damn kilometre to the gate to CR where I was stamped into Thailand at a lonely little gate with no people other than the tired immigration lady. Then I was in a tiny little rural gate where I had to take a bus all the way back to actually board the plane. So on BKK I didn't have access to any of the airport services- except that if I wanted to I could've just walked into the airport and mainland thailand with zero security. Then when we got to CR I was separated from wife and forced to go through international baggage claim.

Anyway I guess it's still better than needing to claim my bags in BKK and deal with the small airline baggage Nazis- but remarkably inefficient and poorly run. Oh well, maybe I'll start flying less than would be good.
a year ago
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Bent *************
CR of course.
a year ago
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Bob **********
Does it really matter?
a year ago
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Jack ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Bob *********
 does anything really matter?
a year ago
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Bob **********
@Jack ***************
 some things do
a year ago
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Jack ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Bob *********
 do human connection and curiosity go on your list?
a year ago
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Jack ****************
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Cliff *********
CR
a year ago
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Jo **********
Some comments are correct and some are nonsense. I fly out of Chiang Mai every month I to go to Singapore. I clear immigration in Chiang Mai then I go through a special CIQ lane in BKK. It has been this way for many years.
a year ago
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Leon ****
When you arrive at bkk look for domestic flights transfer. There is immigration desk where you get stamp into Thailand. Then you go to your gate for CR flight.
a year ago
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Wayne *********
Obviously the previous flights were domestic now they are one ticket and international so you stay airside in bkk to catch flight to CR
a year ago
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Jack ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Wayne ********
 sorry Wayne, I'm a little dense. Being stamped.out in CR and then free to wander in BKK was weird and so now I'm no longer confident. It doesn't matter- I'm just wondering about it while I wait for take off.
a year ago
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Wayne *********
@Jack ***************
 free to wander airside not the whole airport. You will be in transit if you did customs and immigration in CR
a year ago
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Wayne *********
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Richard *********
Bangkok: U always clear immigration at the 1st stop entering a country.

since u dont pick up ur bags till u hit CR, u clear customs there

I often fly Phuket-DMK- PP return<>

clear immigration when leaving in Phuket< immigration on arrival in Bangkok.
a year ago
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Wayne *********
@Richard ********
 If you stay airside you don't enter at the first stop in Thailand
a year ago
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Richard *********
ive been living here since 85>

often ( pre covid) flew to Burma and/or Cambodia form phuket

always clear immigration leaving in Phuket, (90 % using air asia)

entering ( on a fly thru ticket) in Bangkok

maybe arriving form oz is different
a year ago
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Richard *********
@Wayne ********
 YERS u do, there is a special immigration for transit passengers>

been doing ikt this way for 10+ years
a year ago
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Wayne *********
@Richard ********
 my arrival and departure stamps always phuket yet I transit through bkk Maybe its just a continuous international flight not switching to a domestic
a year ago
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Jack ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Wayne ********
 this is what I am suspecting I will find... Can you clarify what "airside" means?
a year ago
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Wayne *********
@Jack ***************
 Airside means your staying on the international side of immigration and customs. When you transit say throught Singapore like I do every 2 weeks I stay international airside and just go to my gate for next flight to Thailand. Same when I was flying perth bkk to Phuket stayed international side in bkk and got my arrival stamp in Phuket from immigration
a year ago
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Wayne *********
@Richard ********
 I live here and fly international every 2 weeks so 10 years doesn't mean nothing to me
a year ago
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Wayne *********
@Richard ********
 Airside in transit is not entering the country
a year ago
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Wayne *********
@Richard ********
 I have flown perth bkk to phuket and always done immigration and customs in phuket
a year ago
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Wayne *********
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Jack ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Richard ********
 this is what I would generally assume - but I also thought you would immigrate out at your last stop so my confidence was shaken
a year ago
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Jack ****************
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Michael ********
Most places if not all in world you do immigration and customs at same location. So think you should be able to work that out.
a year ago
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Ivan ************
@Mic****
 it's common enough to have them in different locations, particularly if there's transit. I've certainly gone through immigration and customs in different airports, even in different countries (immigration in country of departure, customs on arrival).
a year ago
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Jack ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Michael *******
 Couple of intuitive leaps in your logic chain there. How about if you have experience or knowledge you help me and if you don't actually know you go do something else?
a year ago
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Braulio *********
@Jack ***************
 Why be angry ?
a year ago
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Jack ****************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Braulio ********
 because I get tired of people being dicks on the internet and I'm not good at just ignoring it.
a year ago
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Jack ****************
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