Thailand: Changes coming to airports

Traffic congestion outside the departure halls of Suvarnabhumi airport, where clusters of cars and taxis vie for parking spaces to drop off passengers, has become the norm for travellers starting their outgoing journeys from the biggest airport in the country. For arrivals, long queues at immigration checkpoints and baggage claims have become expected, as broken kiosks and lack of staff have yet to be properly fixed. In response to tourist complaints, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin made an unannounced visit to Suvarnabhumi airport earlier this month, after which he instructed authorities to shorten required procedures at the airport to 30 minutes or less for each passenger. Last month, Thailand tallied 3.03m foreign visitors, an increase from 2.1m year-on-year. Last month, Thailand tallied 3.03m foreign visitors, an increase from 2.1m year-on-year.<br/>