Almost refused entry

[Cyclone88]

22 hours ago, Lungstib said:

Unlike other posters, you have my sympathy. Why shouldn't a guy with a good job and plenty of holiday time come here twice a year as a tourist? And surely the country should welcome him with open arms and be pleased. Why should a person in this day and age have a large amount of cash in his pocket? Many of these rules and regulations are just stupid and a decent immigration official should be able to spot a man of means and have the ability to check your funds. With a mindset to catch and deter people they are chasing away good visitors with their endless need for papers and documents. Good luck next time.

I certainly don't regard 20,000 baht as being a large amount of cash.

[alex8912]

2 hours ago, Aerosolist said:

 

I bet, that if you would have heard the conversation you would agree. Almost shouting for no reason, i mean whats the point in asking me 6 times the same question and every time getting a bit louder and more agressive, also she threw the bank statement back at me when i gave it to here. I would understand that if i acted like an idiot, but i just said yes and no and explained short and quick how it is in a very friendly way. Sorry but that is unprofessional indeed.

Almost refused: it was almost, but maybe not the best title, sorry. Didnt want to blow the whole thing up, if this is the impression.


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

You are right and that other poster is a massive Thai apologist! I can tell just the way you write you are polite and Prof. I have not read all pages of this thread so maybe I am repeating this but from reading TVF I now only go to male immigration officers and I also ( as many have pointed out) just started last year having 20K on me and I’ve read this forum for about 10 years. It’s just some habis ( habitual posters) are, to put it EXTREMELY nicely,  not nice people. I think passports after a lot of travel to Thailand look filled up with stamps from here and SOME ( especially female officers ) think it’s some huge deal without really looking throughly  to the dates and years and time between each one. You really didn’t do anything wrong. She was a bitch and the 20k did not matter. She was already trying to hang you. From now on have the 20k. Good luck! Ps EVERY Thai embassy or consulate should tell people about the 20k rule. I think we should all e mail them ( our local one) and tell them this. Not being able to go to an ATM is silly.  Why if I go to KL or somewhere for 2 days should I have to have 20 k for my return to Thailand?  Even more so because I get an METV now so it’s very common and normal for me to have a condo here and have a bank card here. It’s COMPLETELY normal. Not everyone here is in the same situation but if my METV can be good for almost 9 months with as many entries and exits as I want why would I need or want to carry that cash around??? It’s a stupid archaic law. 

[Mansell]

I am sure we could all write of a crappy experience somewhere in the world. But enroute from USA to Afghanistan and changing flights in London Heathrow....are flight to Dubai was delayed and we were all waiting to board except nobody told us the pilot had food poisoning. A chap from the Middle East was ten feet away from me when Special Branch arrived, two men and a woman, they then started to question this guy very aggressively right in front of everybody. This went on for about twenty minutes, even asking him why he bought a car in London. It was like a tag team of questioners each hammering at him looking for flaws in his answers. Eventually they left.

He ended up standing in line next to me and I asked him, "What was that all about?" He responded, "This happens to me every time I come to England." The funny thing is he was leaving the country, not arriving. So it isn't just Thailand or America.

 

[cryo]

Hi all I come to Thailand 2 to 3 times a year for 2 to 4 weeks to pay condo maintenance fees and have never been questioned but last month I was questioned by the lady on the desk who said 'NO VISA?" to which I pointed at the tourist visa I had just given her with my passport and she seemed not as easy as the immigration people usually are. I would say there is defiantly a change in the air as I have never been asked about visa's before and have always presented my passport and tourist visa and had them stamped then walked through. From now I will always carry 20k baht or equivalent which I usually have anyway when I enter Thailand or get a retirement visa from the Thai embassy in the UK to make my traveling life easy.   

 

Ken.

   

[orchidfan]

Hong Kong is not an easy country to enter as a Thai or say Philippine (female) tourist.

But my now wife visited many times so long as she had a return air ticket, nominated place to stay and showed she had valid CREDIT CARDs. .ie.able to pay her expenses.

NO requirement to show cash money! Hiw outdated is this rule!

[seancbk]

19 hours ago, persimmon said:

If I remember correctly the sign on the bridge at Mair Sai states 10 k bt not 20 k - why the difference ?

 

As posted very recently by UbonJoe the requirement for someone on a Visa Exempt Entry is 10K (or 20k for a family).

I doubt the requirement for someone with an actual visa would be double that for a visa exempt.
 

 

[baansgr]

On 10/30/2018 at 6:47 PM, ukrules said:

People who hate foreigners really shouldn't be allowed to be the first point of contact when foreigners arrive in the country.

So where are they going to recruit IO as its just about everyone else as well once you get through immigration????????????

[Ctkong]

On 10/30/2018 at 7:19 PM, scorecard said:

Understand that you had an unpleasant experience.

 

Also happens in many other countries, just from my personal experience watching an Indonesian family being very rudely and frighteningly interrogated at Melbourne passport control and my Thai MBA students, all nicely dressed and groomed all had valid visa from US embassy in Bkk, being very rudely and frighteningly interrogated with nasty comments about 'what Thai girls' do at our arrival airport in the USA. Plus the rudeness from Indian passport officers to my Thai professional consulting team on arrival at New Delhi. 

Guess immigration officers worldwide are of similar attitude attending to ,in their eyes , potential overstayers .it is an everyday affair for them and of course they do racial profiling . They are trained for the job. 

[Ctkong]

On 10/30/2018 at 8:14 PM, moontang said:

I still got a crush on the IO at Maesai....damn near perfect...but I always had my ducks in a row..and I'll bet she is more like an SS Officer to some of the trash Packers.  And that place was just about ground zero for the visa runner crackdown.

Mae sai is one of the most popular staging ground for illegals from Myanmar shan state .There is a thriving business trafficking them straight to Bangkok. 

[Ctkong]

23 hours ago, ozmeldo said:

Travel twice a year... total six months. Under 35. What could be the alarm?

 

Visiting retired parents i think perfect, but your obviously staying to long, coming too often

 

 

23 hours ago, Aerosolist said:

It was even a bit less than 5 months. Everytime with a break of few months. I think it was just the relatively young age and the amount of visas and stamps... i think it's totally ok to ask questions, but in a normal way.

Anyway, i think it won't be a problem anymore when i will carry the 20k Baht. I'll post my experience again next month.

 

A bit less than 5 mths to their mind means you are not having a regular job back home and maybe nothing to hold you back home. Also with a few months break in between Thailand trips might mean you are traveling to neighboring countries to season the travel history like many other travelers.  

[Trevor Collins]

Not being resident in Thailand I don't know all the rules relating to immigration and visas. That said, I had a bad experience with an immigration official at the Khon Kaen office a few years ago.

I needed to extend my tourist visa so I could stay in country to help my Thai wife with her spouse visa application to come to the UK. My wife talked to an official at the counter and then we left the office and she spoke to me outside. It seems the official wanted 1900 THB "tea money" on top of the standard application fee to process the extension to the tourist visa. I went ballistic; never in my life had I experienced corruption like this, and wasn't about to bow to this demand for bribe money.  I think that what our Swiss friend experienced was a cack-handed attempt to illicit money from a tourist who wasn't aware of the rules, ie, I'll let you in if you slip me a few thousand baht.

THAILAND! Get rid of these corrupt officials or move them away from frontline duties and show visitors they are welcome in your country.

Edited October 31, 2018 by Trevor Collins
explain more fully the charges made at the office.

[Ctkong]

1 hour ago, alex8912 said:

You are right and that other poster is a massive Thai apologist! I can tell just the way you write you are polite and Prof. I have not read all pages of this thread so maybe I am repeating this but from reading TVF I now only go to male immigration officers and I also ( as many have pointed out) just started last year having 20K on me and I’ve read this forum for about 10 years. It’s just some habis ( habitual posters) are, to put it EXTREMELY nicely,  not nice people. I think passports after a lot of travel to Thailand look filled up with stamps from here and SOME ( especially female officers ) think it’s some huge deal without really looking throughly  to the dates and years and time between each one. You really didn’t do anything wrong. She was a bitch and the 20k did not matter. She was already trying to hang you. From now on have the 20k. Good luck! Ps EVERY Thai embassy or consulate should tell people about the 20k rule. I think we should all e mail them ( our local one) and tell them this. Not being able to go to an ATM is silly.  Why if I go to KL or somewhere for 2 days should I have to have 20 k for my return to Thailand?  Even more so because I get an METV now so it’s very common and normal for me to have a condo here and have a bank card here. It’s COMPLETELY normal. Not everyone here is in the same situation but if my METV can be good for almost 9 months with as many entries and exits as I want why would I need or want to carry that cash around??? It’s a stupid archaic law. 

Basically news such as foreigners going broke and unable to go home , robbing or stealing do not help matters in the issue of having 20k baht on your person upon entry .... they just want to make sure you have the means to live during your stay and not be a burden on the authorities. Having bank statement which can be forged is meaningless because the money is not on hand when in need. 

[Ctkong]

1 hour ago, Mansell said:

I am sure we could all write of a crappy experience somewhere in the world. But enroute from USA to Afghanistan and changing flights in London Heathrow....are flight to Dubai was delayed and we were all waiting to board except nobody told us the pilot had food poisoning. A chap from the Middle East was ten feet away from me when Special Branch arrived, two men and a woman, they then started to question this guy very aggressively right in front of everybody. This went on for about twenty minutes, even asking him why he bought a car in London. It was like a tag team of questioners each hammering at him looking for flaws in his answers. Eventually they left.

He ended up standing in line next to me and I asked him, "What was that all about?" He responded, "This happens to me every time I come to England." The funny thing is he was leaving the country, not arriving. So it isn't just Thailand or America.

 

That is why when they say the immigration officers are the front line of ambassadors for the country is laughable...  

[Trevor Collins]

3 minutes ago, Ctkong said:

Basically news such as foreigners going broke and unable to go home , robbing or stealing do not help matters in the issue of having 20k baht on your person upon entry .... they just want to make sure you have the means to live during your stay and not be a burden on the authorities. Having bank statement which can be forged is meaningless because the money is not on hand when in need. 

Yeah, but it wouldn't have taken two minutes for the official to accompany the visitor to the ATM and seen that he had a balance far in excess of 20,000 baht in his account. A little bit of common sense wouldn't go amiss.

[Leef]

Having lived in Thailand 9 years and reading Thaivisa on and off for most of those years I had never heard of the 20k rule. 

Edited October 31, 2018 by Leef

[Aerosolist]

Hello OP, how mamy tourist visas and stamps did you have in your pasport? 

I had 6 thai tourist visas
And 5 extensions of 30 days

And that was since 2014.


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Skeptic7]

On 10/30/2018 at 7:17 AM, bbi1 said:

"My passport was almost full, since i travel since 7 years to thailand and of course i had several tourist visas from the past. as im a tourist (i also stay there with my parents which do not speak english at all, so they need help). She asked me to show the 20000 Baht, which i didn't know about it at this time. I had absolutely no money in my pocket."

 

lol.....you've been coming to Thailand for 7 years and many times on a tourist visa and you don't know that you need 20k baht cash on you? What the hell lol

I came here over 100 times over 20+ years on visa exempt entries from the USA...as well as a couple of friends...and none of us ever knew about it, nor were any of us ever asked to show it. Always had it, but knew absolutely nothing about it. 

[Skeptic7]

On 10/30/2018 at 7:47 AM, ukrules said:

People who hate foreigners really shouldn't be allowed to be the first point of contact when foreigners arrive in the country.

Agree wholeheartedly...but that would eliminate most Immigration grunts 'round the globe! 

[Skeptic7]

53 minutes ago, Aerosolist said:

 

I had 6 thai tourist visas
And 5 extensions of 30 days

And that was since 2014.


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

It's those extensions. After I had 3 extensions in 3 years, they told me I needed to get a visa, as I was taking advantage of the visa exempt program. I have to admit that I saw their point, as I was spending 6 months/yr. Also have to say that both male IO's + the female higher up were very kind, polite and professional with me. But those regular extensions set off the alarm bells, IMO. 

[PAWNEESE]

6 hours ago, Aerosolist said:

 

 

What is illegal in renting out condos on weekly or even daily base? I never heard about it. Those things are official and there is mostly always a contract.


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

 

Short term renting of Condos a hot topic in Pattaya a year or so back. It was in the local paper .. that many hotels occupency rate at record low levels as so many were renting condos. Hotels complained to immigration. There was a crack down supposedly.

 

Hotels saying they pay tax and have other expenses and at an unfair disadvantage.

 

Some permanent residence of my 300 room complex had been complaining  (to condo manager) about short term holiday let people. They tend to not care about loud music, loud parties, drunkeness by the pool .. and much bad behaviour. So it was of interest to us. 

 

Immigration officers actually visited our Condo complex to spread the word .. about no short lets to Juristic manager.  Soon after a large "No Short Term Lets" sign was put up at the street entrance. Great we thought. I cant remember the minimum let but it was months. 3 I think.

 

A room in our complex had been seen to be advertised on a nightly basis ... 

 

But its made little difference to be honest.  Some owners have 6 or more condos here .. they ignore permanent residences whining as they openly welcome new guests most weeks .. One russian owner just defiantly insists he will do what he wants. I guess we too soft to let him get away with it.

 

Im lucky .. immediate neighbouring condos not let short term otherwise I would be contacting Immigration daily.

 

Sorry I so long winded ... my point is .. Its not allowed .. you need a hotel license and pay relevent tax. In theory.

 

 

Edited October 31, 2018 by PAWNEESE

[alex8912]

1 hour ago, Ctkong said:

Basically news such as foreigners going broke and unable to go home , robbing or stealing do not help matters in the issue of having 20k baht on your person upon entry .... they just want to make sure you have the means to live during your stay and not be a burden on the authorities. Having bank statement which can be forged is meaningless because the money is not on hand when in need. 

Then why can’t you go to ATM and take out 20k if needed? Even 10k if you have 10k on you?? 

The bummy guys you speak of would not be able to do this ( maybe) and to get METV at least you already proved that you had at least $7000usd or some other currency already. I just came from Turkey for 2 weeks before here and it was a worry to keep the money I needed for there plus an extra 20k ( or any currency ) in addition to that. I hate to carry it around all over Turkey and I hate to put it in some crappy safe in my hotel which is NOT really safe. Even an ATM BEFORE Thai customs would help. Don’t you see what I mean?? I understand what you are saying but...why not at LEAST an ATM before customs ???? It’s absolutely stupid!

[Ctkong]

1 hour ago, Trevor Collins said:

Yeah, but it wouldn't have taken two minutes for the official to accompany the visitor to the ATM and seen that he had a balance far in excess of 20,000 baht in his account. A little bit of common sense wouldn't go amiss.

The onus is on the traveller to provide relevant and complete documents to the IO. Not the other way around. If you are serious about entry, having 20 pcs of 1000 baht notes is not a big burden at all. I have been entering with the said amount each time I visit for more than 120 times. Save me a trip to local money changer too. 

Edited October 31, 2018 by Ctkong
Additional info

[elviajero]

11 hours ago, bbi1 said:

On 10/30/2018 at 11:42 AM, elviajero said:

I suggest you lose the condo contract. Tourists don't rent condos. 

 

Sure they do! In my condo I see some very short-term rentals being done to tourists staying for a week or so. Annoying to see these types of people but they do happen throughout most condos.

No. Tourists stay in hotels/guesthouses while they are holidaying.

 

When IO’s are questioning someone they are instructed to look for pocket money, hotel bookings and an onward flight booking, because that’s typical of tourists. Having a condo contract would not help convince an IO you are a ‘typical tourist’.

 

I know lots of long term visitors (tourists) rent condos, but showing a condo contract is definitely not going to help you, and can only go against you.

[persimmon]

I`ve never been asked to show 20 k on arrival. Maybe its just an excuse they can use to deny entry to people they don`t like the look of.

 

It makes no sense anyway because 20 k would certainly not be enough for a 2-3 month stay.

[JackThompson]

11 hours ago, whitemouse said:

On 10/30/2018 at 6:47 PM, ukrules said:

People who hate foreigners really shouldn't be allowed to be the first point of contact when foreigners arrive in the country.

But who, then, is going to work there? They'd have to hire Cambodians.

 

5 hours ago, baansgr said:

So where are they going to recruit IO as its just about everyone else as well once you get through immigration????????????

I have found the exact opposite to be the case.  Other than immigration and some amphoe-personnel (when trying to get married), I can think of only 2 Thais I've encountered who made me want to cuss, in several years here.  

 

Edited October 31, 2018 by JackThompson

[elviajero]

8 hours ago, seancbk said:

 

As posted very recently by UbonJoe the requirement for someone on a Visa Exempt Entry is 10K (or 20k for a family).

I doubt the requirement for someone with an actual visa would be double that for a visa exempt.
 

 

The requirement is double for visa holders.

[elviajero]

5 hours ago, persimmon said:

I`ve never been asked to show 20 k on arrival. Maybe its just an excuse they can use to deny entry to people they don`t like the look of.

 

It makes no sense anyway because 20 k would certainly not be enough for a 2-3 month stay.

It is not a law/regulation that is generally enforced. They only tend to ask people they are considering denying entry to. And even if you have 20K they could still deny entry.

 

The 10/20K is not meant to be money to live on for 2/3 months. It's considered pocket money.

[Guest]

On 10/30/2018 at 6:17 PM, bbi1 said:

"My passport was almost full, since i travel since 7 years to thailand and of course i had several tourist visas from the past. as im a tourist (i also stay there with my parents which do not speak english at all, so they need help). She asked me to show the 20000 Baht, which i didn't know about it at this time. I had absolutely no money in my pocket."

 

lol.....you've been coming to Thailand for 7 years and many times on a tourist visa and you don't know that you need 20k baht cash on you? What the hell lol

I have been coming here for 20 years and been living here permanently for the last 6 and did not know you needed 20,000 cash on you to come in.

[MARK74]

6 hours ago, JackThompson said:

 

I have found the exact opposite to be the case.  Other than immigration and some amphoe-personnel (when trying to get married), I can think of only 2 Thais I've encountered who made me want to cuss, in several years here.  

 

The wife and mother in law don't count so none have ????

[mstevens]

18 hours ago, whitemouse said:

One thing would save all these people with plastic, but not carrying cash (most Westerners, by far) -  ATMs before passport control. It would be so simple, so logical, it will never work in this country!

At a guess, the banks with their money exchange booths in that area would strongly oppose the idea of ATMs being installed in that area...