Got some questions at BKK (at departure)

[Noper]

Hello everyone! It is common practice to get questions at departure? IO asked me what I'm doing here, tried to speak Thai to me. I got non-o visa with extension to 01 of June and re entry permit. Also she marked my departure stamp with "p12" (by hand), I think it is mean to check me according section 12 of immigration act on return? Anybody has marking like this? I think it is better to return by land? Thanks.

[ubonjoe]

Not sure what the P12 might mean but I am sure it does not mean section 12.

Maybe permit 12 which would indicate the 12 month extension of stay you have.

[jacko45k]

14 minutes ago, Noper said:

Hello everyone! It is common practice to get questions at departure?

In my experience absolutely not. 

[Tarteso]

Don’t be worry

 

The same thing happened to me years ago, with a Non inmigrant visa and reentry permiss, but in these time , she (Inm. Police), after checked in computer, asked to me if I had gf or had intention to marry with Thai lady [emoji23]. I couldn’t believe it and also couldn’t answer the Kafkian interrogatory!. Finally, she allowed me to leave.

 

I guess, becouse

to be hansum man.

 

[Nong Khai Man]

17 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

In my experience absolutely not. 

Same Here, Never had a Problem at BKK....

[Nong Khai Man]

2 minutes ago, Tarteso said:

Don’t be worry

The same thing happened to me years ago, but in these time , she (Inm. Police), after checked in computer, asked to me if I had gf or had intention to marry with Thai lady . I couldn’t believe it and also couldn’t answer the Kafkian interrogatory!. Finally, she allowed me to leave.

I guess, becouse
to be hansum man.

asked to me if I had gf or had intention to marry with Thai lady.....Maybe She was Husband Hunting ??

[SammyT]

I'm always bemused by these types of threads. It's an immigration officer's job to be vigilant and curious and ask questions. I get asked questions in Western countries all the time (i.e. why do you spend so much time in SE Asia, what do you do for work etc) because it helps them profile people who might not be who they say they are. 

 

I wouldn't overthink it. 

[JustAnotherHun]

19 minutes ago, Tarteso said:

Don’t be worry

 

The same thing happened to me years ago, with a Non inmigrant visa and reentry permiss, but in these time , she (Inm. Police), after checked in computer, asked to me if I had gf or had intention to marry with Thai lady . I couldn’t believe it and also couldn’t answer the Kafkian interrogatory!. Finally, she allowed me to leave.

 

I guess, becouse

to be hansum man.

 

She might have been looking for a wealty farang saving her out of this boring job in a little box.

[Caldera]

2 hours ago, SammyT said:

I'm always bemused by these types of threads. It's an immigration officer's job to be vigilant and curious and ask questions. I get asked questions in Western countries all the time (i.e. why do you spend so much time in SE Asia, what do you do for work etc) because it helps them profile people who might not be who they say they are.

You seem to mistake members of the Thai police farce for properly trained law enforcement professionals such as the ones found in Western countries. That's quite bemusing, too.

[NancyL]

I've accompanied elderly people who are repatriating to North America and sometimes we're questioned at departure about why the elderly person doesn't have a re-entry permit.  That's actually a good service since they don't want someone to void their retirement extension by mistake.  Unfortunately, in a few cases the person I was escorting was under the delusion that somehow they were "going to get better" and be able to return to Thailand in the near future, so we had to veer off and acquire a re-entry permit.  

[Noper]

Yep, I understand when questions is asked in friendly matter, like in Western countries. But here I got something like - "<deleted> you are doing in Thailand" with angry expression. 

[bkk6060]

36 minutes ago, Noper said:

Yep, I understand when questions is asked in friendly matter, like in Western countries. But here I got something like - "<deleted> you are doing in Thailand" with angry expression. 

Bogus comment.

I have been confronted and had all my bags searched "not friendly" in the US several times all because I arrived from Thailand.  Much more confrontation in the US then here from my experience.

 

 

[murraynz]

4 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Bogus comment.

I have been confronted and had all my bags searched "not friendly" in the US several times all because I arrived from Thailand.  Much more confrontation in the US then here from my experience.

 

 

i have had the same treatment 3 times when returning to nz.. absolutely infuriates me..even had my phone and laptop taken from me..4th generation kiwi, lived there until i was 66yrs old..

i havent had the same treatment  in recent trips back to auckland...i think, because the flights were from guangzhou  or KL ...lots of people have some very strange 'ideas' about thailand ??

[twocatsmac]

10 hours ago, SammyT said:

I'm always bemused by these types of threads. It's an immigration officer's job to be vigilant and curious and ask questions. I get asked questions in Western countries all the time (i.e. why do you spend so much time in SE Asia, what do you do for work etc) because it helps them profile people who might not be who they say they are. 

 

I wouldn't overthink it. 

Yes but here on thaivisa we like to know what the f#&k they are up to and try to out think them by combining our experiences and knowledge. 

Only by doing this can we outsmart the immigration Orcs’

[jspill]

In almost every report like this it's a female IO. Pick a line with a guy 

[Noper]

6 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Bogus comment.

I have been confronted and had all my bags searched "not friendly" in the US several times all because I arrived from Thailand.  Much more confrontation in the US then here from my experience.

 

 

Do you even got this attitude at DEPARTURE from Western country? I understand this on arrival if IO suspect something illegal. But I have this experience at departure, like IO want to show how she hate Westerners.

[DoctorG]

18 hours ago, NancyL said:

I've accompanied elderly people who are repatriating to North America and sometimes we're questioned at departure about why the elderly person doesn't have a re-entry permit.  That's actually a good service since they don't want someone to void their retirement extension by mistake.  Unfortunately, in a few cases the person I was escorting was under the delusion that somehow they were "going to get better" and be able to return to Thailand in the near future, so we had to veer off and acquire a re-entry permit.  

When I had decided to give up my retirement in Thailand, and was departing from Phuket, I was asked about not having a re-entry, which I assumed was that the lady IO was concerned that this might cause a problem for me.

[Searat7]

12 hours ago, jspill said:

In almost every report like this it's a female IO. Pick a line with a guy 

That applies to USA too...lady kept asking me how I supported myself and finally sent me to an area where they invaded my privacy looking at every little thing in my suitcases and laptop. Almost missed connecting flight and they could have cared less. 

[4MyEgo]

13 hours ago, murraynz said:

i have had the same treatment 3 times when returning to nz.. absolutely infuriates me..even had my phone and laptop taken from me..4th generation kiwi, lived there until i was 66yrs old..

i havent had the same treatment  in recent trips back to auckland...i think, because the flights were from guangzhou  or KL ...lots of people have some very strange 'ideas' about thailand ??

I found that every time I returned to Oz with the Mrs, our bags would searched. Then one day, I had a bag of peanuts that I didn't eat on the plane and was going to throw them in the bin, then said, nah, I will put them down on the questionnaire and tell IO as I am checking through, the guy circled the card and said see one of the other guys once you get your bags, I did just that, he sent me to a bay number and I saw the guy there, who said do you have anything else to declare, I said no, off you go then, straight out, and have been doing it ever since.

 

I think it's because if you show them you have something to declare, your honest, I don't really know, all I know is that we get through with ease every time I do this, so its peanuts on every trip ????

 

[Mansell]

Flying through Canada to USA. Taken aside and questioned and searched for child pornography......went through my iPad. So I showed her videos of baby whales and said, here is your child pornography....she laughed.

[SammyT]

13 hours ago, murraynz said:

i have had the same treatment 3 times when returning to nz.. absolutely infuriates me..even had my phone and laptop taken from me..4th generation kiwi, lived there until i was 66yrs old..

 i havent had the same treatment  in recent trips back to auckland...i think, because the flights were from guangzhou  or KL ...lots of people have some very strange 'ideas' about thailand ??

That's quite interesting (and horrifying). I've generally found NZ Immigration Officers to be the friendliest I've come across. About every third trip using the smart gates I get redirected to an actual customs officer who asks me little more than "what takes you to Thailand, do you live there?" and then a friendly smile when I explain that I do. Never had electronic devices taken or searched. 

 

You're right about the strange ideas re Thailand. If I were working on factual stereotypes, I'd be far more concerned about single males travelling to other Asian countries instead of Thailand. 

[mstevens]

13 hours ago, murraynz said:

i have had the same treatment 3 times when returning to nz.. absolutely infuriates me..even had my phone and laptop taken from me..4th generation kiwi, lived there until i was 66yrs old..

i havent had the same treatment  in recent trips back to auckland...i think, because the flights were from guangzhou  or KL ...lots of people have some very strange 'ideas' about thailand ??

I have flown between Auckland and Bangkok more times than I care to remember and never once been hassled by Immigration or Customs at Auckland Airport. If you've had the treatment a few times, I'd suggest you either look suspicious or there's something more going on. NZ border officials are friendly and professional.

[alex8912]

18 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Bogus comment.

I have been confronted and had all my bags searched "not friendly" in the US several times all because I arrived from Thailand.  Much more confrontation in the US then here from my experience.

 

 

The topic is leaving the country. Now let’s hear your ( fake ) story of what happened when you left the USA? Your bags also were not searched JUST because you arrived from Thailand. It is also NOT possible ( for many years now) to arrive to anywhere in the USA non stop from Thailand. They often asked where your flight was from. The answer would be Dubai , Doha, Hong Kong, Tokyo , Istanbul etc. Not Thailand. All countries have a habit of searching your bags and most are not smiling at you. 

[Jaxxper]

Been stopped all over the world both inbound and outbound. Not frequently but it does happen. Should be grateful for the vigilance of the IO, wherever you are.

[Bangkok Barry]

On 4/10/2019 at 10:19 AM, ubonjoe said:

Not sure what the P12 might mean

 

And you didn't think to ask her?

[Tony125]

11 hours ago, Noper said:

Do you even got this attitude at DEPARTURE from Western country? I understand this on arrival if IO suspect something illegal. But I have this experience at departure, like IO want to show how she hate Westerners.

I have had that at the departure in USA. Lost passport a few years before, was rushing a little because I did not arrive 2 hrs  ahead of departure time. Had me remove shoes (before they started doing it automatically now) scanned me and turned around to see dog with State Police officer following me up walkway to plane. I stopped so dog could sniff me and my bag, officer told him come on then I left  got on plane.

[murraynz]

21 minutes ago, SammyT said:

That's quite interesting (and horrifying). I've generally found NZ Immigration Officers to be the friendliest I've come across. About every third trip using the smart gates I get redirected to an actual customs officer who asks me little more than "what takes you to Thailand, do you live there?" and then a friendly smile when I explain that I do. Never had electronic devices taken or searched. 

 

You're right about the strange ideas re Thailand. If I were working on factual stereotypes, I'd be far more concerned about single males travelling to other Asian countries instead of Thailand. 

some customs officers are very arrogant...when my bags were searched, nothing has ever been found, my laptop and phone were returned later-nothing found...they refused to disclose what they were looking for..at one stage-somebody said they suspected i had 'objectionable material'.. not so..

i dont like answering their mindless questions about why i go to thailand and what i do there---its my own private business-i dont do 'small talk'.. they dont like that attitude..??

ive travelled to many countries over past few years...recieived worst treatment from nz customs than from any other immigration -anywhere...had  several minor hiccups with thai imm, nothing major...

[tassieman]

On 4/10/2019 at 10:40 AM, Tarteso said:

"asked to me if I had gf or had intention to marry with Thai lady . "

Undoubtedly ????. But, on a slightly more serious note....more and more I am sensing the Thai GF reason/explanation for regular visits to Thailand (which is the case for me) may not be viewed with much sympathy @ immigration? Thoughts/experiences pls?  I visit to see my partner 4-5 times a year for periods of 10-28 days and have done a couple of hops to Cambodia and back again for another 28 days etc...back to Oz for a couple of months. Haven't had any problems yet, but feeling like it's increasingly only a matter of time ????

 

 

[Tony125]

On 4/10/2019 at 11:03 AM, JustAnotherHun said:

She might have been looking for a wealty farang saving her out of this boring job in a little box.

Exactly !  Had a cute IO ask same question a long time ago. "You have Thai GF or wife?" I said no , she said do you want one ? And smiled  we both laughed.

[murraynz]

32 minutes ago, mstevens said:

I have flown between Auckland and Bangkok more times than I care to remember and never once been hassled by Immigration or Customs at Auckland Airport. If you've had the treatment a few times, I'd suggest you either look suspicious or there's something more going on. NZ border officials are friendly and professional.

i dont think i 'look suspicious'--ive done over 20 trips into auckland since then--NO  flights direct  from thailand--maybe that was the problem..

many people in nz have seriously weird ideas of what 'goes on' in thailand---ie. underage sex, sex slaves, drugs etc.... after 12yrs i havent encountered these things as part of 'everyday life' in thailand-even pattaya...

i cant help how other people minds work.....its their problem...