There seems to be a new (female) immigration boss at Padang Besar. (As in 'new' since I was last there 90 days ago) 

 

I got pulled out of line - and while I was sitting in her office I saw her reject a backpacker. She demanded proof of income (20K), then evidence of somewhere to stay in Thailand - insisting on a hotel booking. He tried to tell her that he was staying with his girlfriend and her family but she was having none of it. Only evidence of a hotel booking would suffice.

 

Take care with this woman - she was hysterical, literally screaming at the poor confused guy, who obviously had no idea of the rules and was happily coming into the Land of Smiles. Every time he tried to ask something, or even opened his mouth, she cut him dead (it was the same for me - she wouldn't listen to anything I wanted to say).

 

Best to head over to Sadao instead - Padang Besar now appears to have an unstable person in charge.

I had same experience with this female Supervisor IO a couple of months before, even with a NON-O Multiple Visa based on marriage. She wanted to see 20k and asked a  lot of absurd questions.  It looks she doesnt like me, and she dont want to discuss with me.  After i showed her the money in cash, she stamped me in and throwed my pasport over to me without any words. It happens on the Padang Besar road border immigration. At the train border immigration at PB i never had any problems.

There are two crossing points at Padang Besar. Did you have this experience at the road crossing or the train station crossing?

Sad to hear of another IO with no self-control / sense of professionalism at any location, but ...

 

If entering Visa Exempt, you may be asked to show 10K Baht worth of cash or travelers checks, plus a hotel-booking**, plus a flight-out leaving within 30-days.

** (maybe a letter from a Thai where you are staying - but I'd make a free booking)

 

If entering with a Visa, you may need to show 20K Baht worth of cash or travelers checks.

 

These actual published rules can be enforced anywhere.  At Malaysian entry-points, one may also need to spend a night out of Thailand before returning Visa-Exempt.

 

CYA, folks - be prepared.  At least they only enforce "real" rules at most points of entry (unlike the Bangkok airports, where there are no rules).

Throwing things and shouting is a big no no in Thai culture. Sounds like this women is a complete nutter.????

Get her name and ID and report her ?

26 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Throwing things and shouting is a big no no in Thai culture. Sounds like this women is a complete nutter.????

Maybe, but I think just a little Hitler, like many in TI.

Did she have reddish long hair ?   Known others who have similar experiences.  If it is the same women and you give what she wants and tell her you will make a formal complaint if she does not relent, she backs down.  

I read many forums of Asean countries about visas etc yet it only seems to be Thailand that has constant complaints and no consistency, this morning about 7 threads already of refused visas and extensions....

1 hour ago, dinsdale said:

Throwing things and shouting is a big no no in Thai culture. Sounds like this women is a complete nutter.????

For people within the anti-foreigner clique, bad behavior is A-OK if the target isn't human (foreigner) - no worse than shouting at a naughty dog. 

Why is it always the women IOs that are the absoloute worst at borders....one at Mukdahan as well ?

There is one at Mae Sai coming back in also that was a nightmare...squashed in that tiny box with the guy. EVERY person had their head chewed off in front for not writing the address clear or their room number if apt./condo. luckily got the guy ???? 

46 minutes ago, vinniekintana said:

A lil something (cough...cough) used to lubricate the wheels ...don't know if it's still on.

 

Doubt they will risk that bait with BJ hovering above and firing IOs.

The old Nimoller as "First they came for the ED visas but I was't a student" comes to mind.

He should have had TM 30 stapled to his passport or maybe a copy of the girlfriends signed blue book and ID card?

 

20 hours ago, JackThompson said:

If entering Visa Exempt, you may be asked to show 10K Baht worth of cash or travelers checks, plus a hotel-booking**, plus a flight-out leaving within 30-days.

** (maybe a letter from a Thai where you are staying - but I'd make a free booking)

 

  If entering with a Visa, you may need to show 20K Baht worth of cash or travelers checks.

Do you think that they would check to see if you had a hotel booking? I doubt it. I'm sure if you just give the name of a hotel you would be OK, but as you say, a booking costs nothing. 

Elections are coming. This female authority does not get votes in courtesy.
She is not able to talk normally.
I accept border formalities but should the debate be disrespectful, idiotic, blaming, etc.?

 

I spent in Thailand as much as 2 months on a tourist visa. I needed 10 extra days. This authority asked me 3 times why I do not have a tourist visa...
foolish questions, why apply for a tourist visa for 10 days?

She did not want to see the money but the airline ticket, of course, when I said that I am in Thailand just 10 days. from the ticket she demanded that it be paid in advance. it was..

asked me what I've done in Thailand and where I've been and with whom. asked if I have children and wife. . asked many times what I do in Thailand and told me I needed a work visa.
So this is after 2 months of stay.
the interview took a long time. I was alone in the booth and there was no queue.
So I got a 30 day stamp.

Thailand's reputation suffers for her.

Is that true about there not being immigration desks in the train station anymore? 

On 3/15/2019 at 7:43 AM, dinsdale said:

Throwing things and shouting is a big no no in Thai culture. Sounds like this women is a complete nutter.????

If a Thai deemed you are of a lower status from them, then all rules goes out of the window. Thailand is a feudal system with a pecking order. Civil rights are not known here. 

On 3/15/2019 at 8:11 AM, yellowboat said:

Did she have reddish long hair ?   Known others who have similar experiences.  If it is the same women and you give what she wants and tell her you will make a formal complaint if she does not relent, she backs down.  

IO rule number one: they have the right to reject any suspicious character from entering Thailand WITHOUT any reason or explaination. That is their prerogative.

On 3/15/2019 at 8:51 AM, baansgr said:

I read many forums of Asean countries about visas etc yet it only seems to be Thailand that has constant complaints and no consistency, this morning about 7 threads already of refused visas and extensions....

It also seems that thailand seemed to have more than her share of overstayers and dubious tourists.  

2 minutes ago, Ctkong said:

It also seems that thailand seemed to have more than her share of overstayers and dubious tourists.  

Do you know the amount of Thais working and staying illegally in S.Korea dwarfs the amount of illegals in Thailand....I think everyone is for border checks etc, its just the inconcistancy and continual changes with the awful attitude of many I.O.s that people are unhappy about

On 3/15/2019 at 9:47 AM, freedomnow said:

Why is it always the women IOs that are the absoloute worst at borders....one at Mukdahan as well ?

There is one at Mae Sai coming back in also that was a nightmare...squashed in that tiny box with the guy. EVERY person had their head chewed off in front for not writing the address clear or their room number if apt./condo. luckily got the guy ???? 

Maybe the lady IOs have a low opinion of foreigners after reading about the sex mongers and deplorable tourist antics thus eyeing every foreigner at land border crossings as mongers visiting Thailand not for her culture and temples... 

On 3/15/2019 at 7:43 AM, dinsdale said:

Throwing things and shouting is a big no no in Thai culture. Sounds like this women is a complete nutter.

Strangely enough that does not apply if they have more status than you - higher on the P-Nong totem pole.

 

BTW - They do not tell you that in those helpful websites and books about Thai culture. Go figure  

17 minutes ago, LomSak27 said:

Strangely enough that does not apply if they have more status than you - higher on the P-Nong totem pole.

I doubt many Thai immigration officers beat many white guys on the status game.

Education, age, wealth, white skin, I win on all counts.

Wai me!

46 minutes ago, Ctkong said:

If a Thai deemed you are of a lower status from them, then all rules goes out of the window. Thailand is a feudal system with a pecking order. Civil rights are not known here. 

Sakdina

26 minutes ago, Ctkong said:

Maybe the lady IOs have a low opinion of foreigners after reading about the sex mongers and deplorable tourist antics thus eyeing every foreigner at land border crossings as mongers visiting Thailand not for her culture and temples... 

Exactly. Can you imagine sitting there day after day dealing with dreadlocked elephants pants wearing backpackers with $50 between them who havent bathed in a month, fat tattooed guys in Arsenal wife beaters and flip flops who dont smell much better, furtive little kiddy diddling geeks, shaven head Russian Vors with pneumatic blonde f***dolls, Burmese laborers, Khmer witch doctors, annoying superiors, imperious agents, loudmouthed know it all farangs who just want to argue, sneaky off the books employed teachers, Ozzie bikers, Pakistani militants.......

1 hour ago, Ctkong said:

IO rule number one: they have the right to reject any suspicious character from entering Thailand WITHOUT any reason or explaination. That is their prerogative.

Yes and it is your prerogative to question their decision and make a formal complaint. I have seen them back down when you are able to produce B20K, bus or plane tickets out of Thailand and hotel reservations for a few nights, and tell them you mean to complain if rejected.    Also if you are an old hand with work permits or current long term visa from nearby countries, they have less room for exercising their prerogatives.    

 

The only immigration troubles I hear about are in Thailand.  If I did not work with such great people there, I would happily not go there.    You are better off in an up and coming country like Vietnam anyway where you can work. 

 

  

1 hour ago, Essecola said:

Is that true about there not being immigration desks in the train station anymore? 

 

I doubt it unless they renovate the entire station, moving it back 1-3km.   There are 3 int'l trains (with more in the future possibly).

 

And how would you do it?  The train station is technically in Malaysia.  Walk and then stamp out of malaysian border office (without an entry stamp)?  Then walk or motorbike to the thai border immigration office?  Stamp "out" of thailand and then walk back into Malaysia?

 

I think @vinniekintana confused the fact that there are in fact two separate border checkpoints at Padang Besar (train and vehicle/foot)

 

-----

I agree with the advice to either take the train, or go via Sadao/Dannok.  No photos allowed inside the Thai Danok immigration arrival office.   (That's a story for another time).

 

 

 

If you must visit Thailand, avoiding DMK and possibly Padang Besar would help not to ruin your journey.  

 

Heard bad things that happened Poi Pet, but have only seen one very odd thing.  An IO spent quite a bit of time looking at this westerner's passport.  She then called over a few others to look at it.  They stood around for a few moments talking amongst themselves.  Looking up and staring at traveler then talking among themselves.  Eventually, the IO stamped the pass port and just handed it back without saying anything.  

The worst part of Thailand is the emboldened, unaccountable civil service backed up by the military government.  Hope that and the army gets marginalized over time.
 

3 hours ago, yellowboat said:

An IO spent quite a bit of time looking at this westerner's passport. 

They did that to me last time I left there ........ no idea what that was about.

Maybe they were envious of all my foreign travel in the past three years.

7 hours ago, Ctkong said:

IO rule number one: they have the right to reject any suspicious character from entering Thailand WITHOUT any reason or explaination. That is their prerogative.

It's also illegal - because the Immigration Act was written in a way to prevent exactly that kind of behavior.  Appeals to the law won't help when dealing with a pack of criminals, however - and it appears those who are supposed to be reigning them to prevent anarchy in are either asleep at the wheel, or their silence has been purchased.

 

That said, the rules for Visa-Exempt entry allow them to ask for the 1) Money, 2) Ticket-Out, 3) Hotel-Booking or Rental Agreement.  Most times, you won't need any of them, but best to have them always at the ready to show.  Per reports to-date, those will get you in and Pedang Besar - plus at least one night out of Thailand.

 

3 hours ago, yellowboat said:

Heard bad things that happened Poi Pet

The Poipet/Aranya entry point is another situation entirely vs Pedang Besar.  Poipet IOs will deny-entry there with a Tourist Visa and the required money, or Visa-Exempt even with the required 3 things (above).  They aren't just "rude" - they are law breakers.