Thailand's Immigration Bureau has approved in principle opening the arrival auto gates at Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) to 31 additional nationalities. The plan was announced on 17 August 2026 by deputy government spokesperson Lalida Periswiwatana, following a site visit to the airport by senior ministers.
Counting Singapore and Hong Kong, whose passport holders already qualify, that would bring the total to 33. For travellers on the list it would mean walking up to a gate instead of queueing for a manned counter, which is where the long waits at Suvarnabhumi happen.
It is worth being clear that this is not live yet. As of late August the formal paperwork had not been signed, and officials described the rollout as phased rather than a single switch, with gates coming online as equipment and biometric checks are readied.
One practical point either way: an auto gate reads the chip in your passport and matches it against your arrival record, so the details on your Thailand Digital Arrival Card must match your passport exactly.