Airport immigration chief transferred over flight delays

Airport immigration chief transferred over flight delays

Thai Airways International aircraft at Suvarnabhumi airport. Immigration police have been told to speed up flight departure clearance after unusual delays in late February. (Photo by Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)
Thai Airways International aircraft at Suvarnabhumi airport. Immigration police have been told to speed up flight departure clearance after unusual delays in late February. (Photo by Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)

National police chief Somyot Pumpunmuang has transferred Pol Maj Gen Suwichpol Imjairat, commander of Immigration Division 2, to an inactive post pending investigation into the cause of delays affecting numerous outbound flights at Suvarnabhumi airport in late February.

Assistant police chief and police spokesman Prawut Thawornsiri confirmed the transfer of Pol Maj Gen Suwichpol.

He said it would enable a full investigation into the flight delays. Immigration Division 2 supervises departure clearance at Bangkok's main airport.

It was reported that from 8am to 1pm on Feb 25, 21 outbound flights at Suvarnabhumi airport were delayed by 10 minutes on average due to the slow processing of paperwork for aircraft departure clearance.

Pol Gen Prawut denied reports that the transfer resulted from a conflict between Pol Maj Gen Suwichpol and some staff of Thai Airways International (THAI) at the airport. The reports claimed that a senior immigration officer intentionally delayed flights at the airport after being prevented from seeing his wife off at the aircraft door.

Pol Gen Prawut said Pol Maj Gen Suwichpol had only wanted to greet a senior official who had boarded a THAI plane. Although he had authority to do so, the commander followed procedure by seeking approval first. As there had not been a response to his request, he had walked back, Pol Gen Prawut said.

He also said that past flight delays resulted from strict controls by immigration police and possibly a misunderstanding between immigration police and THAI staff at Suvarnabhumi airport. The flight clearance issue would be solved by having relevant officials submit flight documents and authorise departure clearance online.

The new system would initially be applied to THAi flights next week. Clearance for each departure would take only one minute, Pol Gen Prawut said.

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