Claude22france

Today I will tell you in details what  happened to me last October when I wanted to come and spend a few months in Thailand.

I had a ticket from Paris to Bangkok on Qatar airline, on 16 October 2019 – return on 8 April 2020, and a second ticket from Pukhet to Penang (Malaysia) on 16 November 2019, because I can stay only 30 days in Thailand when arriving without a visa.

I planned to take a visa in Malaysia, because it is easier for me than going to Paris and stay 2-3 days there waiting for my passport.

I did that last year and went to Vientiane to get a visa without any problem.

But this time, when I arrived at Suvarnabhumi, the immigration officer asked me why I did not have a visa.

I told him that I wanted to go to Malaysia, showed him my Air Asia ticket and was not anxious at all since I was pretty sure that everything was in order.

But then the officer called a colleague and gave him my passport and copy of my tickets, and I was taken to a table where a few people were sitting.

I waited there for about one hour and nobody asked me anything. In the meantime, I could watch a team of immigration agents screening and netting passengers and taking them to my table.

When we were about 20 people, we were transferred to a distant office where we had to wait about one hour more.

Then an officer came with a bunch of passports and we were requested to sign a document stating that we were denied entry for “unclear purpose of travel”…

When I wanted to clear the situation and told them that I had a right to 30 days visa-exempt, a plane ticket to Malaysia from Phuket 29 days later and 3000 euro in cash on me, they told me that could not do anything, the decision was taken and could not be changed.

When I told them that I wanted to take a ticket to any country in South-east Asia, they refused and told me that I would go back to Paris on the next flight.

The same day, I was deported on a Qatar flight like a criminal, they kept my passport until arriving in Paris where the French police was waiting for me and gave me my passport back…

In 50 years travelling by plane in many countries in all continents, I have never had any problem with immigration, I always complied with the rules and I never had any problem in Thailand, never overstayed even one day.

I got a new passport in August 2018 with only the stamps and visas of my last trip in Thailand and Laos between November 2018 and April 2019.

When they stopped me at the immigration desk, I thought I would be asked a few questions and waited quietly. But nobody asked me anything and I do not know why : they forgot me ?

On the paper, the reason of the denying was “Unclear purpose of travel”, and on the blue stamp on my passport, in Thaï : ไม่มีปัจจัย = does not meet the requirements.

My purpose of travel was clear : tourism (riding a bicycle from BKK to Malaysia and back)

I was perfectly meeting the requirements. (visa exempt + ticket out of Thailand)

And I was very sad and upset to be deported from a country I like and respect very much.

So, I could not visit Thailand and went to Djerba in November-December. Next Monday 13 January, I will fly to Colombo (Sri Lanka) and spend 3 months there.

I plan to buy a bicycle and ride it around the Island.

First time I visit this country, I hope I will like it but I know it will not be so easy and comfortable as Thailand.

Maybe this will help

" I am looking for a relaxing couple nights in Vientiane"

Then, why not get a visa ?

The online visa application makes it easier than before.

Very easy to register and you will be able to choose your time : 9-10 / 10-11 / 11-12 h

The following day you will get your passport back from early afternoon.