Caldera

3 hours ago, Joe Mcseismic said:

A visa from an embassy, or consulate does not guarantee the right to entry. The final decision is up to the Immigration department.

This is the same for every country.

At face value, there's nothing wrong with what you wrote. Immigration does need the power to deny entry, at least as a last line of defense.

What differs from one country to the next is how responsibly a country's immigration officers use that power and how well immigration and consular service are integrated. I don't think that the Thai authorities do a decent job in that regard. In the OP's case and similar other cases, I think it's obvious that they've inflicted unnecessary hardship.

6 hours ago, dbrenn said:

I'd have still invited them to a modest lunch as a courtesy, and (if they accepted my invitation) eaten just a token amount myself if I was already full.

 

Would have been a small price to pay for some priceless goodwill, as they tell their colleagues and bosses how nice you were.

I can see why you were a good fit to apply for Thai citizenship. I genuinely don't mean that in a negative way - some of us adapt easier to Thai customs than others.

That said, many Thais I know despise their officials even more than I do. While they wouldn't openly show disrespect for obvious reasons, I think what you've described goes above and beyond even by Thai standards.

Let's hope that they will eventually be tried and punished for their countless crimes. Something major would need to change to make that happen, obviously.

3 hours ago, murraynz said:

and thai immigration, also expect us to wear long trousers etc , to show respect..

I do dress respectfully whenever I visit immigration. I also have politeness in my heart when I arrive there - I just want to get things done smoothly and as long as they don't ruin it, I will be top of the "polite and soft-spoken" class throughout. I would do the same when visiting a government office in my home country or anywhere else in the world. I extend the same basic courtesy to Thai officials, that just comes naturally to me.

Buying lunch or booze for government officials, on the other hand, is not something I've ever done or would ever consider doing. If that ever becomes a problem, I will change countries, not my attitude.

If you look like you genuinely need it, I don't think they will have an issue with it. If, however, you look like you're having a laugh, don't be surprised if they don't find it funny.

So I guess the question is, how old and/or frail are you?

2 hours ago, BritTim said:

While those of us unused to the system find it loathsome, it can be interesting to at least understand the Thai patronage system. Increasingly, Thai officials feel that long stay foreigners should integrate themselves into Thai society, and begin to conform to Thai norms. You can resist, but this will probably become painful as Thai officialdom becomes increasingly intolerant of foreigners unwilling to conform to Thai society and customs.

I agree that you should learn and know about the system. Then you can (and will have to) decide if it's for you. Definitely food for thought for all of us. As it's clearly not for me and as I tend to agree with your prediction, I don't really see myself as a likely candidate to become a bona fide resident one day anymore. Each to their own, of course.

Class, as in class act.

"He said the "Thai Brand" was all about "responsibility" and "quality"."

He clearly doesn't know the product he's supposed to sell. On the other hand, he is that far off the mark that you have to consider the possibility that he's just taking the p.

 

That reminds me of happy times at an IMAX. Not in Chiang Mai though.

5 hours ago, 2long said:

On this list (on PC and app) there appears to be no DMK Don Meaung, which seems very weird. My wife told me to select our local immigration office, which I did, but that's not my point of entry or listed in the stamp.

While immigration stamps from Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) do say Suvarnabhumi Airport, stamps from Don Mueang Airport (DMK) say Bangkok.

Singapore sounds like an excellent idea, with the added benefit that their airport is really nice. Can't say the same about Thai and Lao airports.

35 minutes ago, Arkady said:

When I was applying for citizenship I got even more derisory comments than when I applied for PR. People said things like, "Why would I want a third world passport and have to submit myself to the indignities of applying when I have a super duper US of A, British, Australian etc passport?"

That is a legitimate concern though, at least if it's true that nowadays they force you to actually renounce your prior citizenship, instead of merely asking you to declare that you intend to do that. Do you happen to know what the current situation is?

I'm not in a position to apply for either PR or citizenship, but if I were, I would never give up my current citizenship to become a Thai citizen. If I could have dual citizenship, I would consider it. I'd guess that's a sentiment shared by many if not most potential applicants (unless you come from a country that ranks even lower than Thailand).

He's probably right. I had zero confidence in them before, and now I have none.

I applaud their efforts, but I think this constitution needs to be put through the shredder and rewritten from scratch. It's hard to see how a few amendments here and there can fix it.

1 hour ago, beddhist said:

So, if one wants to avoid the agents and save about 450B you would need to bring a bicycle, get stamped out, cycle across, pay whatever and return. I can see officialdom making problems when their tea money is in danger.

I wouldn't bank on getting permission to cycle across noman's land.

@dtag Out of curiosity, if you don't mind, how did Cambodian immigration handle your return after you had been denied entry to Thailand? Did they cancel your exit stamp, or did you need to buy a new visa on arrival and got a fresh entry stamp? Any "extra payment" for letting you back in under those circumstances?

No appointments are required in Hanoi and HCMC at this time.

Deplorable, there's nothing else to say.

The sooner this utterly inept government will tank the economy, the sooner they will be gone. There's hope.

1 hour ago, acenase said:

 I just booked my bus ticket on Thaisanuan departing Bangkok Bus Terminal at 21.00 and arriving in Mukdahan Bus Station at 6am. I'll be going to the Thai embassy on Thursday morning July 11 for my first tourist visa in Savannakhet (but it will be my 6th total in my passport full of visas. No warning stamps.)

Are you aware that Monday and Thursday are the worst days to apply, due to visa run vans descending on Savannakhet on these days? That has been discussed in a number of threads here recently. If you can still change your plans, you could save yourself a lot of hassle (long queues) by applying on another day instead.

8 hours ago, FredGallaher said:

If you've really been doing this long term, it's bound to end.

It sure is. Let's see how and when.

32 minutes ago, lkv said:

Then you must have short stays, not extended. Either that or maybe you have been lucky. Or you look not in need for work ????They do judge on appearance also, so if you look wealthy enough and you talk firmly, you get through easier.

I've extended each and every stay this year and last year. Plan to extend my current VE entry as well. Before that, I did sometimes leave without extending my visa exempt (30 days) or tourist visa (60 days) initial permission to stay. Funnily enough, it's their airport shenanigans that have had that very effect. If flying into BKK or DMK were still as straightforward as it used to be just a few years ago, I would have spent 6-7 months in Thailand per year instead of 10+ months - in recent years. There are many other cool places to explore, after all.

I have never worked in Thailand, neither legally nor illegally in any shape or form. I think you overrate their profiling skills, but I could be wrong about that. Most likely, it's a combination of luck, passport country and age. Physical appearance might also play a role, many "non-government Thais" I've met have commented that I look as if I've never worked a day in my life (and, surprisingly enough, that's not that far off the mark). Who knows, maybe consular officers and IOs tend to think the same.

2 minutes ago, lkv said:

@Caldera Did they grill you before, and if yes, on what, and what was the story out of interest?

As I wrote, personally I've never been questioned at all. All the way from 2006 to my latest entry last month. I do realize that I've been lucky and I obviously sympathize with everyone "in the same boat" who has been hassled by these clowns.

I'm not prepared to push it, not after I've re-visited some other countries nearby. If and when my day comes, I think I will simply spend more time in Vietnam and on Bali. I've also considered going the ED visa or Elite route, but neither would be my first alternative choice right now. That might change.