Thailand opens fast lanes for Chinese students and families at key airports
Thailand launches fast-track immigration lanes for Chinese students and families at 4 major airports during China's school holidays to boost tourism.
Thailand’s Immigration Police Division 2 has launched dedicated fast-track lanes at four international airports for Chinese students travelling with their families, in a bid to boost Chinese tourist arrivals.
Pol Maj Gen Choengron Rimphadee, commander of Immigration Police Division 2, said the fast lanes are now operational at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket, and Chiang Mai international airports.
The initiative, called the “Happy Chinese Summer Channel”, is being rolled out during China's school holiday period and will remain in effect throughout the summer break.
Clearance time cut to 15 minutes
Under normal conditions, immigration clearance can take up to 40 minutes. However, with these special lanes, Chinese students and their accompanying family members can pass through immigration in approximately 15 minutes.
Choengron noted that the new lanes would allow officers to process documents for around 5,000 Chinese travellers per day, out of the roughly 20,000 daily Chinese arrivals.
Existing priority lanes remain
He added that Thailand’s immigration service already provides priority counters for children under 12, elderly travellers, people with disabilities, pregnant women, and parents with small children.
Thailand still a top destination
Choengron said that China’s school holidays run from July to September, and more Chinese families are expected to travel during this period.
He also revealed that during a recent meeting with a deputy director-general from the Chinese Consular Affairs Department, he was told that Thailand remains a top overseas destination for Chinese tourists—following Macao and Hong Kong.
