BANGKOK, Thailand – Suvarnabhumi Airport is preparing to allow travellers from 31 additional nationalities to use its Auto Gate immigration lanes by the end of August, a move intended to ease pressure at Thailand’s busiest international arrival point and streamline entry procedures for millions of visitors.

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Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun led a site visit and briefing at the airport, attended by officials from the Tourism and Sports Ministry and the Transport Ministry, with the Immigration Bureau having approved the planned expansion in principle using entry-refusal data, countries’ positions in the Henley Passport Index, and security assessments to select the additional nationalities.

The expansion is expected to create approximately 6.5 million visitors as potential Auto Gate users, in addition to 900,000 long-term visa holders, and once fully operational, officials expect the gates to process 53 percent of arriving passengers, with the remaining 47 percent using staffed immigration counters.

First-time arrivals will still need to go to an immigration counter to have their biometrics recorded before they can use the automated system on later trips, and the gates will open in stages as each part of the system becomes ready and biometric records allow.

Thailand is overhauling immigration at Suvarnabhumi Airport to end peak-hour queues ahead of the high season.

From opening Auto Gates to 31 additional nationalities to tackling fraudulent arrival card websites, Bangkok is moving quickly to streamline the traveler experience.… pic.twitter.com/9kbIy0YaXX

— Thenationthailand (@Thenationth) August 17, 2026

Suvarnabhumi handles around 190,000 passengers a day during peak season, falling to between 140,000 and 150,000 in the low season, with international arrivals accounting for roughly 70,000 passengers daily and immigration busiest from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., when between 5,000 and 6,000 passengers an hour pass through.

Airport authorities said they will immediately use all three immigration zones, redirect passengers, open a central hall, and deploy more officers during the busiest periods to manage the flow effectively.

Suphajee said agencies involved would address immediate problems at Suvarnabhumi, while matters requiring legislation or longer-term investment would be referred to the government level. Deputy government spokesperson Lalida Periswiwatana also warned tourists against filing the Thailand Digital Arrival Card through unofficial websites, stating that such sites may charge fees or pose a fraud risk, whereas the official system is free, and travellers should be wary of third-party arrival-card services and confirm they are using Thailand’s official online system before entering passport or travel details.

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The Auto Gate expansion represents a significant step in modernising Thailand’s immigration infrastructure to accommodate growing tourist numbers and enhance the overall travel experience.

-Thailand News (TN)