Stopped 2hrs at bkk airport immigration + wrong stamp / feedback

[NoshowJones]

7 hours ago, Thian said:

They should make it clear and just write on the website how many VOA one can get in a year and how many visa's.

 

For the stamp i would just act like i hadn't seen the mistake...why would this have to cost another day at the immigration?

 

It seems they are tired of farang who come often, maybe they only want westerners who come ones on a holiday and not every year. I also am always stressed when i need a new visa even when i know i can easy jump all the hoops.

I know the feeling, I'm even too frightened even to go and do my 90 day report in person.

[ToddinChonburi]

To many Farangs playing the Visa game and they are stepping down hard. I am waiting to hear that they really crack down on 30 day exempt. I think it's coming. 

[SunsetT]

Was this Swampy or Don Muang? I suspect the latter where people seem to get more hassle from immigration.

I have been coming for 12 winters to Suvarnabhumi with tourist visas and all the in and out 60 and 90 day stamps. Quite often I return for a mid-summer 30 day tourist exempt visit but have never had any bother or questioning. Last time last year I waited patiently as the IO leafed through my passport then he said 'where is visa?' I said 'no visa' and he irrately stamped me with a 30 day visa exempt. I, of course, should have told him so he wouldnt have wasted his time looking for one. Maybe u did similar and he was angry about it which resulted in your problems.

[Briggsy]

28 minutes ago, ToddinChonburi said:

To many Farangs playing the Visa game and they are stepping down hard. I am waiting to hear that they really crack down on 30 day exempt. I think it's coming. 

It has been a slow squeeze rather than an overnight bombshell. I expect this tightening to continue but just bit by bit. I don't expect a "crackdown on visa exempts". I also don't think they "are stepping down hard". If they were, the thousands of visa exempt entry attempts every day would result in hundreds of denials of entry. It is just a continuation of the squeezing and tightening of immigration rules that has been going on for at least two decades. There are a million ways of doing this by increasing fees, restricting the number of tourist visas or entries, making conditions harder to obtain visas or entries, chipping or tagging those who enter more than three times, etc.

[Sheryl]

OP you tefer to having a VOA.

Was it actually a VOA or a visa exempt arrival? They are 2 different things. Doubt a farang would need or qualify for a VOA.

Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Snow Leopard]

Maybe someone could shed some more light on this than me with a lot more experience. I made about 30+ entries on a tourist visa on arrival. 2015 to 2018. No issue. But!! No overstays and no in country extensions. 

 

As Tanoshi mention about oil & gas workers no issue. Many entries. I am one. But they don’t overstay or extend. 

 

Maybe the in country extensions have something to do with it. 

 

 

[Pepper9187]

11 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

OP you tefer to having a VOA.

Was it actually a VOA or a visa exempt arrival? They are 2 different things. Doubt a farang would need or qualify for a VOA.

Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Woups sorry for the confusion ;

 

When i said VOA i meant the "30 days (or 29) visa exempt.

Edited August 4, 2018 by Pepper9187

[Pepper9187]

1 hour ago, SunsetT said:

Was this Swampy or Don Muang? ....

It was suvanambhumi airport ! never had any issue before until yesterday ?

[balo]

11 hours ago, Tanoshi said:

The bigger question and not one that I expect the OP to answer, but will almost certainly be an issue to Immigration, will be how someone so young can spend so much time visiting Thailand if he has a full time job in his home Country.

Simple , by being a digital nomad.  Plenty of younger and older people here working from a laptop . 

That shouuld come as no surprise by immigration . It's been a lot of discussions in media about this and immigration officials even agreed , up in Chiang Mai .

 

 

 

 

 

[The Theory]

12 hours ago, Pepper9187 said:

i was well dressed (no cheap charly 

I should inform you that there are many “cheap Charlie” living in this country as retired and helping the economy even though they don’t spend much. 

Prhaps they won’t let you get in next time since you don’t look one. 

Edited August 4, 2018 by The Theory

[rhodie]

And we wonder why there are so many "I am leaving Thailand after xx many years". Good luck OP, it is becoming a nightmare!

[balo]

10 hours ago, Pepper9187 said:

I was working in Thailand like 4 years until, not sure, i think the end of 2015 and I've been sitting in between France and Thailand ever since.

Of course it was with WP and visas, no fancy illegal stuff.

That explains it for me , why you were checked.  

 

They have you registered as working in Thailand  with WP so naturally when you stay here over a longer time with that history , they will ask you a lot of questions. 

 

For foreigners who never worked in Thailand and always had the proper visas I think immigration will not care much about it.  

As an example in another post  we have the oil rig workers , on 8 weeks , off 4 weeks , and no questions asked after 10 years. 

 

 

 

[jspill]

My visa history was work permit (TEFL teacher lol), followed by 2 year overstay, followed by Ed visa, followed by 2 year overstay, followed by 2 years of visa exemptions and SETVs, followed by Ed visa, still never been denied or even pulled aside for questioning yet in 9 years, except once to be warned of the new overstay rules and sign the form about that. Then got let in with visa exemption lol. 

 

I think it just comes down to whether the IO is a jobsworth or not. Never choose lines with female IOs. Usually I pick a laid back looking guy who I see isn't sending anyone aside for questioning who looks roughly like me (early 30s farang). If I see that happen I switch queues. Use visa agencies that take you through land borders, Laos border IOs don't seem to give a toss.

Edited August 4, 2018 by jspill

[Thian]

7 hours ago, possum1931 said:

Buy an Elite Visa, that will keep them happy, then it won't matter if any IO gets out of bed on the wrong side.

Ohh that one, for which they claim it's valid 10 years but in fact it's only 5 years. No thanks i don't like to be cheated.

[BritTim]

4 hours ago, Thian said:

11 hours ago, possum1931 said:

Buy an Elite Visa, that will keep them happy, then it won't matter if any IO gets out of bed on the wrong side.

Ohh that one, for which they claim it's valid 10 years but in fact it's only 5 years. No thanks i don't like to be cheated.

The Thailand Elite program is expensive, but I do not understand your point. There are currently 5-year, 10-year and 20-year options under TE. (Previously, there was a lifetime option. )If you choose the 10-year or 20-year option, you get a 5-year easy access visa in your passport, but they put another one in your passport when the initial visa expires. This is documented.  I am unaware that anyone has ever received a lower number of years than was promised under the program.

[RickG16]

18 hours ago, Tanoshi said:

The bigger question and not one that I expect the OP to answer, but will almost certainly be an issue to Immigration, will be how someone so young can spend so much time visiting Thailand if he has a full time job in his home Country.

That will raise suspicion he may be working in Thailand to finance his stays.

Surely saying that you work online answers that one satisfactorily? 

Edited August 4, 2018 by RickG16

[BritTim]

20 minutes ago, RickG16 said:

Surely saying that you work online answers that one satisfactorily? 

I think most immigration officials would find that a satisfactory answer, but some would still object to young rich guys staying a year or two in Thailand without buying a Thailand Elite visa.

[vinegarbase]

As I have mentioned before elsewhere, all Farangs anytime they get some unreasonable hassle or denial by just following the law need to be fiercely complaining to their home embassies, state department, or whatever government agencies they can to protest this treatment. Yes, Thailand can do what they want because it is their country, but you also have the right to protest this to your government who should take steps to represents it's citizens interests diplomatically. The more Farangs just let these things happen the more we enable them to do it. The only solution is government intervention and diplomatic solutions. Believe me, China does it all the time and they are starting to get their way around the world. 

[Pepper9187]

Not working online ;

Why do you guys think I've spent 10 of the last 14 months in France !?

[JackThompson]

On 8/4/2018 at 9:14 AM, Pepper9187 said:

... it was my first visa on arrival in years, the last one was somewhere in 2016 ....

 

On 8/4/2018 at 12:04 PM, Pepper9187 said:

I got it, if they can kick you out of Thailand because you used to stay too long a couple of years ago, it's probably their right, i thought it would be more focused on the "recent activity" and not some period of stays 3 years earlier.

Actually, "used to stay too long a couple of years ago" is not a legal reason to deny entry - even if "too long" had ever been defined, which it has not.  Even the special rules for Visa-Exempts do not include anything that would apply to deny entry in your case - you were not making a "visa run" in/out, clearly aren't holding down a job here, and they could not get any info from your GF to use against you.  But, of course, they don't need a "true reason" when they can simply lie and get away with it. 

 

Perhaps, they don't like it that you have a GF here - putting down roots.  You might get married someday (though that is more difficult, lately), and who knows what THAT could lead to.  Maybe the IO whom another unfortunate fellow encountered was involved...

 

Quote

... "if you have Thai GF and you love her, take her to your home country and stay there, you are not wanted here" from another elderly female officer.

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978329-denied-entry-tr-at-suvarnabhumi-no-stamp-options/

 

... That fellow was denied entry.  Clearly, the IO involved wasn't concerned about him "illegally working," "not having support-money," or some-such silly excuse.  That verbal-exchange exposes the real face of what is waiting at some airports and Poipet - and it has absolutely nothing to do with the wording of the denial-stamps being issued.

[JackThompson]

4 hours ago, vinegarbase said:

The only solution is government intervention and diplomatic solutions. Believe me, China does it all the time and they are starting to get their way around the world.  

 

23 hours ago, Proboscis said:

Patience patience. When they are totally sick of the millions of Chinese taking over the country and the falang have stopped coming, they will change their tune. This will happen sooner than you think. Fast-track lanes for Chinese visitors at the airport will just speed up the process.

Not if the Chinese have bought-off numbers of immigration-personnel.  Consider the open-advertisements for "money-free" retirement-extensions for sale.  How hard would it be for a well-financed intelligence-network to purchase influence?  I wish Western intelligence would quit propping up leftists via front-groups, and get to work buying off Thai-immigration for us, instead.  The Thai citizenry would thank us.

 

Speak to any Thai people in areas with large-scale tourism - from the moto-taxi to the restaurant owner - and they will tell you - overwhelmingly - that they prefer Western  tourists to Chinese.  But when you have an agency who works with those who openly assist in providing extensions based on fraudulent financials, to the extent that the actual purpose of the agency is even a factor in their actions, is an open question.

 

On 8/4/2018 at 11:20 AM, Briggsy said:

33 years old. (Big negative)

4 months in Thailand last year (Big negative)

Coming in on a visa exempt (Big negative)

Previous long stays in Thailand in earlier years (Big negative).

 

This is the new normal.

Fortunately, this "new normal" - regardless of the intents and purposes of those pushing it - only applies at some airports and the Poipet border.  This type of profiling and harassment has not been reported at any other land-border in years.  I would fly to Penang, and enter by land next time - even if I had a Tourist Visa - and most certainly if entering visa-exempt.

 

[Pepper9187]

7 hours ago, JackThompson said:

 

Actually, "used to stay too long a couple of years ago" is not a legal reason to deny entry - even if "too long" had ever been defined, which it has not.  Even the special rules for Visa-Exempts do not include anything that would apply to deny entry in your case - you were not making a "visa run" in/out, clearly aren't holding down a job here, and they could not get any info from your GF to use against you.  But, of course, they don't need a "true reason" when they can simply lie and get away with it. 

 

Perhaps, they don't like it that you have a GF here - putting down roots.  You might get married someday (though that is more difficult, lately), and who knows what THAT could lead to.  Maybe the IO whom another unfortunate fellow encountered was involved...

 

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/978329-denied-entry-tr-at-suvarnabhumi-no-stamp-options/

 

... That fellow was denied entry.  Clearly, the IO involved wasn't concerned about him "illegally working," "not having support-money," or some-such silly excuse.  That verbal-exchange exposes the real face of what is waiting at some airports and Poipet - and it has absolutely nothing to do with the wording of the denial-stamps being issued.

 

I know, it's what they ended up telling me, get married, do a non O visa or next time you won't go through (the good thing is that they didn't stamped any kind of warning on my passport)

 

They cornered me, so far i could handle my girlfriend regarding the "getting married situation" but now i'm fighting against the immigration AND my girlfriend, i'm SO done ?

 

I just saw another post where a guy was just sent back to his country, just reminds me how close i was to be shipped back to FR, very glad they didn't.

 

[Pepper9187]

22 hours ago, jspill said:

My visa history was work permit (TEFL teacher lol), followed by 2 year overstay, followed by Ed visa, followed by 2 year overstay, followed by 2 years of visa exemptions and SETVs, followed by Ed visa, still never been denied or even pulled aside for questioning yet in 9 years, except once to be warned of the new overstay rules and sign the form about that. Then got let in with visa exemption lol. 

 

I think it just comes down to whether the IO is a jobsworth or not. Never choose lines with female IOs. Usually I pick a laid back looking guy who I see isn't sending anyone aside for questioning who looks roughly like me (early 30s farang). If I see that happen I switch queues. Use visa agencies that take you through land borders, Laos border IOs don't seem to give a toss.

Damn !! you lucky **** !!

 

It was a female officer, indeed, and you'r not the first person to tell me to avoid female IO, i thought that was nonsense... until yesterday where everything started to make sense !

 

So i'm adding on my never again list :

1) Female immigration officers

2) Visa exemption even if you have a valid outbound ticket matching the dates

Edited August 5, 2018 by Pepper9187

[HAKAPALITA]

Yes but you were stopped and questioned because of your frequency and length of time spent in Thailand.
 
On the other hand there are those who frequently visit on Visa exempt entries and spend several months a year in Thailand and never get stopped or questioned. There appears to be no consistency with Immigrations policy of entry.
 
It could be the colour of your skin, your nationality, or your attire that draws more attention, not simply the amount of entries.
Many Thais do discriminate on grounds of ethnicity, religion etc.

And rightly so.!.


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[RickG16]

As with all these threads, we typically only here from OPs having problems with visa exempts, not the 100s who go through ok every day. For this reason I think it's a bit misleading....

 

The typical advice on here about a year ago was that a visa exempt by air is pretty much safe....

[Thian]

23 hours ago, BritTim said:

The Thailand Elite program is expensive, but I do not understand your point. There are currently 5-year, 10-year and 20-year options under TE. (Previously, there was a lifetime option. )If you choose the 10-year or 20-year option, you get a 5-year easy access visa in your passport, but they put another one in your passport when the initial visa expires. This is documented.  I am unaware that anyone has ever received a lower number of years than was promised under the program.

I didn't know they also have 20 year options. But if one buys the 10  year elite i think he should get one for 10 years, not first 5 before getting another 5.  You never know if you really will get the other 5, anything is possible in Thailand.

 

Also i don't even know if ones with elite visa have to go to immigration yearly or not.

 

Myself i prefer to use the money to do visaruns, spending a week in another asian country with my wife is great....3 months in row in BKK is long, it's great to be out for a while.

 

 

[BritTim]

4 hours ago, Thian said:

I didn't know they also have 20 year options. But if one buys the 10  year elite i think he should get one for 10 years, not first 5 before getting another 5.  You never know if you really will get the other 5, anything is possible in Thailand.

The reason for the renewable 5-year visas, rather than a 10-year visa is because of the wording of existing laws. It was just easier for them to do it this way (and minimally inconvenient for the recipients) rather than amending the laws.

[Pepper9187]

Just back form immigration.

 

All good (wrong stamp) took 1hr, gona renew my passport and eat the old one now :d

[The Deerhunter]

On 8/4/2018 at 10:00 AM, Thian said:

They should make it clear and just write on the website how many VOA one can get in a year and how many visa's.

 

For the stamp i would just act like i hadn't seen the mistake...why would this have to cost another day at the immigration?

 

It seems they are tired of farang who come often, maybe they only want westerners who come ones on a holiday and not every year. I also am always stressed when i need a new visa even when i know i can easy jump all the hoops.

They will not put stuff like that on the official website.  And if they did, it would make no difference.  They cannot stop individual branches, entry ports and officers making up the rules as they go along now!!!

[The Deerhunter]

18 minutes ago, Pepper9187 said:

Just back form immigration.

 

All good (wrong stamp) took 1hr, gona renew my passport and eat the old one now :d

Wonderful!!!!  Load off your mind.