“Fast Track Service is currently inactive for some companies offering it as they are being checked for activities that are wrong and operate without permission,” said the AoT official.
The issue arose when a customer of the service contacted The Phuket News enquiring why he would have received a message from ‘Phuket Airport VIP Services’ apologising for the service’s suspension for seven days.
A representative of Phuket Airport VIP services also confirmed to The Phuket News that their ‘Fast Track Immigration Service’ has been suspended for seven days while they “figure out an immigration-related problem”.
“The service has been suspended for at least seven days. Immigration is having some problems with the service,” said Mr ‘Settasak’ of Phuket Airport VIP Services, who refused to provide his surname.
“The company cannot reveal any further information about the suspension,” he added.
“I am not sure, but it is most likely that other companies running the service are undergoing the same period of suspension,” said Mr Settasak.
“I cannot say if the service will be suspended for longer than seven days. It is not certain at this point,” he said.
Apart from Phuket Airport VIP services, other companies such as ‘The Coral Executive Lounge’ by Andaman Aurora Co Ltd, and Worldwide VIP Services run the service under varying names, such as ‘Meet & Assist, Fast Track’.
A representative of ‘The Coral Executive Lounge’ by Andaman Aurora Co Ltd, who refused to be named, said that their services were not suspended as their service follows lawful procedures.
“We will not name what companies are being investigated, however, we know that Coral Executive Lounge is the only company that hasn’t had to suspend their Fast Track Service because we operate the service correctly,” said the representative.