Travel News Exclusive September 2026 / Bangkok Airport Simplifies Entry / By Travel News Reporters

Anyone landing at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport needs strong nerves at peak times: the international airport processes around 70,000 arriving passengers every day.

Capacity is pushed to its limits particularly in the afternoon between 1 pm and 5 pm, when up to 6,000 tourists arrive every hour.

To resolve these bottlenecks in the long term, the Thai government, led by Deputy Prime Minister Suphajee Suthumpun and Tourism Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul, announced comprehensive measures on 17 August during an on-site inspection.

Up to 53 per cent automated entry

The most significant change concerns the expansion of automated passport control gates (‘Auto Gates’). The Immigration Bureau has, in principle, approved access for a further 31 nationalities.

Once the formal decisions have been signed in the course of August, the system will be available to millions more visitors. The selection of eligible countries is based on security considerations, entry refusal statistics and the Henley Passport Index. Swiss tourists are therefore also likely to benefit from the simplified entry process.

The expansion of the system will grant access to the fast-track lanes to around 6.5 million additional short-stay visitors and 900,000 long-stay visa holders each year. Once the transition is fully complete, up to 53 per cent of all arriving international travellers are expected to be able to use the Auto Gates, whilst the remaining passengers will continue to be processed at manual counters.

The roll-out will take place in stages, depending on technical readiness and the collection of biometric data. Travellers who have visited Thailand in the past and are registered in the system are likely to be the first to benefit from this simplification. First-time arrivals may still need to have their biometric data recorded initially.

Further measures planned

Further measures are also planned. Passengers are to be flexibly diverted to less busy arrival areas and the central hall. Counter services will be strictly aligned with current flight schedules and peak times. In the longer term, plans include expanded waiting areas, optimised transit zones and an extension of the airport’s facilities.

In the context of these changes, Deputy Government Spokesperson Lalida Periswiwatana also issued a clear warning to travellers: Whilst searching for the electronic arrival card (‘Thailand Digital Arrival Card’), many tourists end up on unofficial websites that charge fees or pose a risk of fraud.

The spokesperson made it clear that registration via the authorities’ official system is always free of charge, and advised all travellers to check the web address carefully before entering any personal data.