And another issue at airport : w re-entry retirement legit visa

[freedomnow]

2 hours ago, Darkside Gray said:

Must admit that Don Muang is now not a pleasant place to arrive, have been grilled there many times, the worst arrival airport in Thailand.

I think they have a chip on their shoulders losing number 1 airport status and so they go at it doubly so vs Swampy.

[Felt 35]

2 hours ago, Kerryd said:

I have no problem at all if an IO wants to question my travel/activities/address(s). 
IT'S THEIR JOB. If they see something that doesn't look "right", they SHOULD be asking questions.

Far too many people are under the mistaken impression that the IOs are supposed to be "welcoming greeters" that should, upon seeing their mighty foreign passport, immediately drop to their knees and start kissing their feet.
If an IO asked me about being in too many places, I would simply explain that I love hoping on the bike and travelling to different historical parks and ancient temples, and then offer to show them pics of those places on my phone. I've got nothing to hide.
I would also make sure I was presenting myself in a proper fashion, including a polite manner. One doesn't have to kiss @ss to get things done, but being polite and respectful gets things done much easier than being an arrogant *** that thinks others should be grovelling at their feet.

IOs are a part of the Royal Thai Police and part of their job is too look for things (and people) that look suspicious. Maybe seeing someone with a Retirement extension that has numerous entries on the database is something they look for.

(Yes, I know about the regulation that states if you go somewhere for more than 24 hours, you are supposed to report yourself to the local police within 48 hours. I also know that some Immigration offices expect you to file a TM.30 every time you go somewhere (for more than a day) and then return home.)

And if someone was on a Retirement Extension and was changing their "home" address a couple or more times a year - that would probably raise suspicions as well.

 

Then again, I also know that the IOs in Thailand are NOT "native English speakers" and therefore may have some problems trying to ask questions and as a result they may want to ask something but are unsure of how to say it and end up asking something else instead. 

But I don't act like an arrogant prick when that happens. Nor do I look down my nose at them for not being able to eloquently vocabulate their queries in a comprehensive manner as befitting an Oxford professor.

I've travelled around the world (a few times) and have dealt with IOs in North America, Europe, Egypt, the UAE, Afghanistan, India, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand. I never seem to have any problems with them for some reason.

Meanwhile, other people seem to have problems every time they try to do anything, any where. 

 

Rather odd one would think, wouldn't they ?

 

With your signature and travel experience I'm sure you can see where all the latest years with increased Immigration procedures and scrutiny comes from.....here????

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, freedomnow said:

I think they have a chip on their shoulders losing number 1 airport status and so they go at it doubly so vs Swampy.

I just don't get this. As I have posted in many threads....I fly in/out DM EVERY week. That's not a boast, just fact. I never see folk "grilled". I have seen people taken away (perhaps need VOA). Almost always particular nationalities. Why don't I see all these TV reports.

[tgeezer]

So if I were coming in at BKK on a NonO-ME, with my son age 11 (who would be using his Thai passport) is 20k Baht enough or should I pack another 20k equiv. for him as well?

No cash in hand is required for children under 12 years of age.


Sent from my iPad using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, johnwf1963 said:

So if I were coming in at BKK on a NonO-ME, with my son age 11 (who would be using his Thai passport) is 20k Baht enough or should I pack another 20k equiv. for him as well?

Since your son will enter the country as a Thai there is no requirement for the 20k baht to be shown.

[StevieAus]

On 3/5/2019 at 11:22 AM, SammyT said:

An immigration officer's job is to profile people. I.e. ask questions as to their previous and past travel plans and various other related and relevant matters to make a decision as to whether the person is legit in who and what they say they are. Happens to me often when I travel back to NZ - immigration officer questioning why I travel to Asia so much etc. 

 

Didn't realise there were so many precious snowflakes on this board who get so bent out of shape and consider leaving because an underpaid and overworked immigration officer didn't beam a smile at them and asked them too many questions (read: actually did their job). It's not a personal attack on you, it's not because they wanted to make your day more difficult, it's not because there is some directive to make farang feel unwelcome, I can assure you.

 

My advice? Don't dwell on it. There are unpleasant people in officialdom everywhere.  

You are spot on have come across a couple in Aus over the years and in other parts of the world but wouldn’t want their job thanks when you look at some of the crap they have to contend with.

The problem on this site is that some of the posters seem to think that only bad things happen in Thailand.

Either they have been away from their homeland too long or don’t travel enough.

[StevieAus]

3 hours ago, JackThompson said:

Only if you dismiss all the other reports. 

 

While a smile and pleasant demeanor may be too much to expect (though somehow the Philippines manage it), a "civil" tone to a "civil" behaving visitor is not an unreasonable expectation. 

Whilst I accept that some individuals do experience problems out of all of the people who travel through Thai Immigration both tourists and expat residents I would suggest that the figure is miniscule.

In my case even before I retired here I visited many times, my Thai wife and I travel fairly regularly and have used both Bangkok airports, Phuket and Chiang Mai together with visiting adjoining countries via land border posts.

When traveling alone or together we have never had any problem with Thai Immigration.

Unfortunately some people will experience a problem as you can anywhere in the world.

I think it’s called the law of averages.

[balo]

3 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

just don't get this. As I have posted in many threads....I fly in/out DM EVERY week. That's not a boast, just fact. I never see folk "grilled". I have seen people taken away (perhaps need VOA). Almost always particular nationalities. Why don't I see all these TV reports.

With so many retired expats living here you would think there would be chaos on Thaivisa with reports about this.  

 

But we only have one report. Believe it if you want. 

 

I still don't know the nationality of the OP. Maybe he was a target by IO. 

 

 

 

 

[atyclb]

in general i have had better experiences with thai io's than usa tsa agents

[AgentSmith]

3 hours ago, atyclb said:

in general i have had better experiences with thai io's than usa tsa agents

Agree. I only visited an American airport twice and that was on a trip to Costa Rica, going both ways, flying from Amsterdam, almost 20 years ago. Stopover in Miami. We had to wait in a transfer lounge and all our passports were scanned by immigration even though we didn't enter the country. My mobile phone didn't work there (pre smartphone era so no wifi or anything). I was still young and just wanted to call my parents for a quick update on the trip. So we asked the lady at the desk if it was ok for us to look for a payphone somewhere. She said fine and so we went wandering about the hallway there. Found a phone, made the call, until about 5 minutes later just before we made our way back to the lounge an officer appeared out of nowhere, threatening to arrest us if we wouldn't return to the lounge imediately. No need to argue with him, so much was clear. That was my first nasty airport experience. I'm happy to have grown up in Europe. We didn't have that stuff going on back then, and it's still a breeze to get in and out there. Where I'm from we don't get that super authoritarian behavior from officials, apart from a few exceptions here and there. If only countries here copied from the right countries.. Singapore sure as hell could've chosen a different path. Got grilled there once, for no apparent reason. I was literally going there for 3 days to visit a relative who lives and works there. When I asked real polite and in the most neutral way why all the questions, well, if looks could kill I surely would've dropped dead on the spot. Only when I emphasized real calm that I wasn't trying to have an argument things cooled down a bit. I wasn't the only one in the room though. There was a queue that day. I never found out what really went on that day.

 

In stark contrast, the most friendly experience I had in Asia by far was when entering at Shanghai last year. We arrived without a visa because we were applying for a transit visa (something almost no one does but I can highly recommend it, just bring all the official documentation including IATA stuff with you because no one at non-Chinese airports knows!). We found the special transit visa desk all the way at the back where of course we were the only ones. And we were helped by the friendliest staff. All chitchat, welcome to China, have a great time, make sure to see this and that. Perhaps they were just glad to finally have something to do, I don't know. It just felt really great. Although that reminds me of the immigration officer in Miami 20 years ago. He was Chinese American and he was all jokes too, reading my passport info aloud in Chinese and having a blast. Perhaps I should move to China for a while. ????

 

Thailand is ok. It's somewhere between the middle and somewhat closer to the positive end on the spectrum. Despite a few setbacks I mostly had very positive experiences in my 9 years here now (on and off, I think I actually spent about 50% of that time in Thailand). I did have my first real setback last year and got grilled at DMK. Not by the book, that much was clear. This was a young guy who didn't have a good time and he vented it towards me. That's how the whole thing looked like from my perspective. I realized this immediately and even though internally I boiled externally I stayed all calm, like a gentleman, wearing pants instead of shorts as I always do when I know I will encounter officials. All I did was answer in short and only necessary sentences. Then I was offered a solution (book a flight within 30 days). I took it, booked, thanked with a smile and went on my way. It took me about a week to shake it off though but that guy never noticed and secretly hoping that staying polite until the very end would actually make him feel embarrassed a little. Funnily, the couple minutes he left me behind in that room, a colleague of his sitting at the same table very quietly gave me the advice to get a new passport and enter with that the next time. I had already thought about that solution but I nodded and smiled to thank her. They're not all arse holes here, that's for sure. I quietly hope it's people like her that will make a difference as they gain more natural authority over time.

 

That same week I came to this forum to check on what other people had experienced. And of course TV being a melting pot of all possible immigration trouble that's going on it's easy to get dragged along in all this negativity, while in reality it's still a very rare occasion to have such experiences in Thailand. Had a bad experience making you suspicious? Come to TV and all your suspicions will be confirmed, no matter what they are. ????

 

Before you decide to start packing then realize this: other countries in the area can be way worse. In Bali for example they would ask about my whereabouts every time, claiming I was coming to work illegally every time, checking me for drugs on more than one occasion. And every time I had to enter I became a bit more nervous even though I had done nothing wrong. Needless to say this didn't improve the process. No, Thailand has been and will be for a long time a great hideaway in the greater area. Usually no questions asked, and this strange feeling of arriving home every time even though this culture is so wildly different from my own. I don't get that anywhere else, not even in my country of origin anymore go figure.. I get why people want to stick around here. And next time I have a setback I will remember my own post here. ????

Edited March 6, 2019 by AgentSmith

[freedomnow]

14 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

I just don't get this. As I have posted in many threads....I fly in/out DM EVERY week. That's not a boast, just fact. I never see folk "grilled". I have seen people taken away (perhaps need VOA). Almost always particular nationalities. Why don't I see all these TV reports.

Most people have issues at one entry point Cambodia border DM/Swampy and Krabi airport sometimes if coming in from Malaysia. That is what I have see on TV in my time on here. Those are mostly under 50s long-term but not on Elite or less desirably nationalites from surrounding Asian countries/Africa.

I assume you fall into neither category.

Edited March 7, 2019 by freedomnow

[atyclb]

5 hours ago, AgentSmith said:

8 hours ago, atyclb said:

in general i have had better experiences with thai io's than usa tsa agents

Agree. I only visited an American airport twice and that was on a trip to Costa Rica, going both ways, flying from Amsterdam, almost 20 years ago. Stopover in Miami. We had to wait in a transfer lounge and all our passports were scanned by immigration even though we didn't enter the country. My mobile phone didn't work there (pre smartphone era so no wifi or anything). I was still young and just wanted to call my parents for a quick update on the trip. So we asked the lady at the desk if it was ok for us to look for a payphone somewhere. She said fine and so we went wandering about the hallway there. Found a phone, made the call, until about 5 minutes later just before we made our way back to the lounge an officer appeared out of nowhere, threatening to arrest us if we wouldn't return to the lounge imediately. No need to argue with him, so much was clear. That was my first nasty airport experience. I'm happy to have grown up in Europe. We didn't have that stuff going on back then, and it's still a breeze to get in and out there. Where I'm from we don't get that super authoritarian behavior from officials, apart from a few exceptions here and there. If only countries here copied from the right countries.. Singapore sure as hell could've chosen a different path. Got grilled there once, for no apparent reason. I was literally going there for 3 days to visit a relative who lives and works there. When I asked real polite and in the most neutral way why all the questions, well, if looks could kill I surely would've dropped dead on the spot. Only when I emphasized real calm that I wasn't trying to have an argument things cooled down a bit. I wasn't the only one in the room though. There was a queue that day. I never found out what really went on that day.

 

In stark contrast, the most friendly experience I had in Asia by far was when entering at Shanghai last year. We arrived without a visa because we were applying for a transit visa (something almost no one does but I can highly recommend it, just bring all the official documentation including IATA stuff with you because no one at non-Chinese airports knows!). We found the special transit visa desk all the way at the back where of course we were the only ones. And we were helped by the friendliest staff. All chitchat, welcome to China, have a great time, make sure to see this and that. Perhaps they were just glad to finally have something to do, I don't know. It just felt really great. Although that reminds me of the immigration officer in Miami 20 years ago. He was Chinese American and he was all jokes too, reading my passport info aloud in Chinese and having a blast. Perhaps I should move to China for a while. ????

 

Thailand is ok. It's somewhere between the middle and somewhat closer to the positive end on the spectrum. Despite a few setbacks I mostly had very positive experiences in my 9 years here now (on and off, I think I actually spent about 50% of that time in Thailand). I did have my first real setback last year and got grilled at DMK. Not by the book, that much was clear. This was a young guy who didn't have a good time and he vented it towards me. That's how the whole thing looked like from my perspective. I realized this immediately and even though internally I boiled externally I stayed all calm, like a gentleman, wearing pants instead of shorts as I always do when I know I will encounter officials. All I did was answer in short and only necessary sentences. Then I was offered a solution (book a flight within 30 days). I took it, booked, thanked with a smile and went on my way. It took me about a week to shake it off though but that guy never noticed and secretly hoping that staying polite until the very end would actually make him feel embarrassed a little. Funnily, the couple minutes he left me behind in that room, a colleague of his sitting at the same table very quietly gave me the advice to get a new passport and enter with that the next time. I had already thought about that solution but I nodded and smiled to thank her. They're not all arse holes here, that's for sure. I quietly hope it's people like her that will make a difference as they gain more natural authority over time.

 

That same week I came to this forum to check on what other people had experienced. And of course TV being a melting pot of all possible immigration trouble that's going on it's easy to get dragged along in all this negativity, while in reality it's still a very rare occasion to have such experiences in Thailand. Had a bad experience making you suspicious? Come to TV and all your suspicions will be confirmed, no matter what they are. ????

 

Before you decide to start packing then realize this: other countries in the area can be way worse. In Bali for example they would ask about my whereabouts every time, claiming I was coming to work illegally every time, checking me for drugs on more than one occasion. And every time I had to enter I became a bit more nervous even though I had done nothing wrong. Needless to say this didn't improve the process. No, Thailand has been and will be for a long time a great hideaway in the greater area. Usually no questions asked, and this strange feeling of arriving home every time even though this culture is so wildly different from my own. I don't get that anywhere else, not even in my country of origin anymore go figure.. I get why people want to stick around here. And next time I have a setback I will remember my own post here. ????

 

tsa is worse if you are a us citizen as many including myself have been harassed without cause usually by tsa agents that would be turned down for a job at burger king. luckily i never had a thai border io hassle me but i know others have including a friend with an elite visa(moved to vietnam)

 

experiences are different as bali never hassled me numerous times maybe they like surfers?

Edited March 7, 2019 by atyclb

[dallen52]

On 3/5/2019 at 11:04 AM, Briggsy said:

I 

 

Somebody sees to have agitated and riled up some of the officers at Don Meuang about fraudulent practices.

Maybe B J sacking a few and removing the Chinese nest egg 2000 baht they were asking, didn't go down well?

 

[JackThompson]

23 minutes ago, dallen52 said:

Maybe B J sacking a few and removing the Chinese nest egg 2000 baht they were asking, didn't go down well?

 

A Sadao redux?  Similar to asking everyone to show 10K/20K Baht, after their "money in passport" scam was stopped?  At least at Sadao, they just got strict about enforcing the published rules - vs openly breaking the law and stamping lies in people's passports.

 

A loss of "extra revenue" by DM-IO staff could be part of the explanation for the current climate, but even before BJ took over, they were being lawless jerks to visitors entering on Tourist-type entries at that location.

[Derek B]

For re- entering Thailand with a retirement visa multiple entry you could potentially be asked to show your bank book proving that the 800K or 400K required is still available. If you cannot update your bank book after leaving the plane and before passing through immigration you could potentially have an issue.

[Nyezhov]

On 3/7/2019 at 12:43 AM, atyclb said:

in general i have had better experiences with thai io's than usa tsa agents

I have personally never had a problem not caused by me with either

[Nyezhov]

17 minutes ago, Derek B said:

For re- entering Thailand with a retirement visa multiple entry you could potentially be asked to show your bank book proving that the 800K or 400K required is still available. If you cannot update your bank book after leaving the plane and before passing through immigration you could potentially have an issue.

And what do you base that on? Speculation? 

[JackThompson]

1 hour ago, Derek B said:

For re- entering Thailand with a retirement visa multiple entry you could potentially be asked to show your bank book proving that the 800K or 400K required is still available. If you cannot update your bank book after leaving the plane and before passing through immigration you could potentially have an issue.

That would be classic.  And "NO! - you cannot go to the atm machine right there and get a balance-statement from it."  Maybe you can only get in if your agent meets you at the gate?  Kidding, of course.  It's not that bad ... yet. 

 

But if living within the jurisdiction of some offices, you need to report your location upon returning to your same-residence, and may be required to show the bank-book at that time - especially since your conspicuous travels were (obviously) just a clever way of trying to avoid your "90-day money-check" appointment-date.

[SABloke]

On 3/5/2019 at 11:05 AM, balo said:

I have a problem to believe this story . If you really have a normal 1 year visa based on retirement and a valid re-entry , immigration should not ask you any questions. I would call Big Joke directly if this had happened to me.

 

 

I've worked in Thailand for 9 years. Last year, when leaving Thailand I was grilled for having a 21 day extension from CW. I told them that because CW makes up random rules, I was (without warning) required to get a Police Clearance certificate for my new extension. They were "nice" enough to give me the time to complete their random new requirement. I explained everything in Thai, but the IO wasn't happy and took my passport to a supervisor before I was allowed to leave.

 

Upon returning 3 days later, I was asked questions again: Where do you work? (Named place) When does your contract expire? (7 months from now) How long is your new contract? (2 years) Where did you work before? (Named place)

 

I feel that I have even less reason to be questioned since I can't be working illegally, but it shows you that they don't really give a shit whether you're legit or not. 

[warcy]

What's wrong with visiting many  places in Thailand?

 

You mean you  cannot travel around in Thailand on a retirement visa?

 

I'm confused by 'many places'

Edited March 11, 2019 by warcy

[parryhandy]

Its starting to sound like the immigration staff at the airport are on some kind of quota/bonus system for turning away foreigners . 

[manarak]

1 hour ago, warcy said:

What's wrong with visiting many  places in Thailand?

 

You mean you  cannot travel around in Thailand on a retirement visa?

 

I'm confused by 'many places'

probably meant "many places of entry"

[jacko45k]

13 hours ago, Derek B said:

For re- entering Thailand with a retirement visa multiple entry you could potentially be asked to show your bank book proving that the 800K or 400K required is still available. If you cannot update your bank book after leaving the plane and before passing through immigration you could potentially have an issue.

Scaremongering a bit I believe. They could check our 90 day reports and TM30s but of course they don't. Probably busy enough!  

Anyhow, who carries their bankbooks all over the world.