Blatant abuse of entry denials at Phuket Airport

[dtag]

I entered Thailand on a Non Immigrant O for Employment last August. My job was ending in June, but I planned to return to travel for about 6 weeks in the summer. I left before my visa was expired and flew to Phnom Penh to stay for 8 days and get a 60 day tourist visa. My work permit and Non O were cancelled before I returned. I flew in on Tuesday with a valid tourist visa from the Thai embassy and was taken to the immigration office  at Phuket airport. 

A younger immigration officer there who seemed to want to impress his older colleagues told me he "knew" I was coming back into work illegally. I explained my situation, showed him reservations for hotels for the start of my travels, and got my former employers on the phone to speak with him. He basically said he decided already I could not come in.

I had a total of 2 visa in my passport- the 1 Non Immigrant O , which was valid for the year I worked and the new tourist one that I was seeking to use now. I have never had any overstay , etc. He still acted as if I were a serial visa runner, and refused to listen to anything I said.

I was told I had to return to the place I flew in from, which was Phnom Penh. Just leaving the country on the first available flight was not allowed. Since the flight is not daily, I have been detained at the Phuket Airport for 3 days now, basically only leaving the detention room for a couple short meals a day. Keep in mind this is my first ever entry as a tourist.

I have had several different people detained with me for shorter periods during these 3 days to discuss their situations. Some have been what could be described as "visa runners". Others were people on vacation who came in with valid visas that were simply not accepted or were on short jaunts around SE Asia from their home country and just happened to be entering Thailand a second time.

The arbitrariness of it makes it seem as if the immigration officers are just trying to fill a quota of people they refuse entry to. Some chats I have had with some of the people "guarding" me makes it clear they have noticed a sudden escalation in people being refused entry and are finding it strange. 

For now, I would advise any friends coming to Thailand to avoid flying into here. They are likely better off just entering in Bangkok taking a domestic flight down. 

As for me, I'm taking my tourist dollars elsewhere- for good. Bye Bye LOS. You've really hit rock bottom when you won't honor visas from your own embassies.

 

 

[JimmyTheMook]

What's the back story?

 

The hype is real.

[dtag]

That's the full story on my end . I'm living it right now

[KhaoYai]

I don't know if this is possible but can you not engage a lawyer to sort this out - if only to show Thai Immigration that they are wrong? 

 

I understand that you don't want to stay in Thailand now but wouldn't it be satisfying to prove them wrong?

 

I asked a question about being able to appeal on another thread - I seem to remember being told that entrants could appeal but would be detained whilst the appeal was decided. You are already detained so nothing much to lose.

[dtag]

I will be out tomorrow morning as it was the first available flight to PP direct from Phuket. It's just been all rather stupid and silly. Stuck in room accepting your fate is bad enough , but then sharing a room with a regular stream of new , disgruntled people gets really old. Especially when most of them were not even classic "visa runners", who at least have some idea this may happen to them at some point.

This sin't actually "cracking down" on anything. It's just screwing people at random.

[GeorgeCross]

how did you enter with a non-o for employment they don't exist? would be a non-b?

 

or are you married, hence the non-o? (marriage, retirement visa)

 

did you get a work permit during that time or just decide not to "work"?

 

what did they say when you showed them the work permit?

 

 

[GeorgeCross]

hmmm seems you have past history.. new passport maybe the problem?

 

Quote

As a far as being called farang, if you want to live here you just have to let it go. Been here three years, realized after only a few months that for most Thais you will always be thought of first as a farang, with all that entails in thier minds

 

back story..?

 

seems we cannot outrun our past anymore ????

 

 

 

[dtag]

Ok Non- B, forgot the name. I had a work permit and worked. As I mentioned, the work permit was voided while I was in PP, as my job was over. Great sleuthing -  I have worked in Chiang Mai in years past and moved away to China. Since then, I have a updated and expired passport. But the passport I have was issued 2 years ago.  Still never come in as a tourist before. 

The story I just told you is completely true. You can choose to make excuses for this if you want. As it happens , I'm the one sitting in a detention room for days when I had a valid visa and have never broken any immigration laws once.

You can choose to make me out to be lying all you want. But me and a half dozen other people I have had to share a room with these last few days know the truth.

My advice stands- tell you friends to fly  into Bangkok as they could arbitrarily get screwed by the immigration folks here

[sanemax]

Yes, I do think posters should just read  his posts and accept them, rather than desperately trying to find out " what really happened" 

[Traubert]

Did you show him a flight out?

[SteveK]

The question should be "why are IOs becoming more and more militant and trying to refuse as many people as possible?".

 

Do they get a payment for refusing entry to a farang? Is there some kind of quota that they are trying to hit? Has some directive come down from higher up to encourage them to keep farangs out?

 

If I got denied entry then my wife and her family would be up shit-creek fairly quickly.

[ukrules]

It's shocking treatment, you are being turned away due to some morons random opinion.

 

They might as well roll some dice to decide who to turn away.

 

I only hope that this kind of thing destroys the Thai tourist industry to such a degree that nobody will risk getting on a long haul flight to Thailand due to random rejections. The airlines will make this happen if there are enough of them.

[law ling]

Outrageous: refusing entry to a visa holder - apparently on a whim that they may intend to work (although this particular case has not been fully fleshed out yet).

I suspect that, in part, this is a result of the country currently not being governed (and it may soon become ungovernable) as the PM and his clique concentrate solely on their own survival problems.

There is no proper chain of command, so underlings become free to establish their own fiefdoms - a la Poipet, the two BKK airports and now Phuket - without any scrutiny from above whatsoever, it would seem - and if only to be able to pocket the commonly mentioned B800/day "accommodation" charges.

[wisperone]

1 hour ago, dtag said:

As for me, I'm taking my tourist dollars elsewhere-

 

Seems like that was already decided for you.

[dtag]

I have kept in touch with some of the other guys who were here before. One Australian guy detained also came in on a 60 day tourist vista he got from KL embassy. He lived in Aus and had not even visited Thailand in years. He had booked rooms for the whole time, etc.  When returning his passport , it had a letter saying he could not stay because he had "insufficient funds" Well, he had had to show his bank balance in KL to get the visa, and had never been asked here to provide them again. They just essentially made up a reason to boot him. Just like with me- insisting I was going to come back to work illegally with zero justification for saying this.

In the end , they can not allow an embassy to say you are acceptable for a visa , then have different rules here at the airport.

 

Yeah wisperone- I meant  my tourist dollars for life. In the short term, the money I would have spent here will now be going into the hands of Filipinos mostly

 

[KhaoYai]

You can laugh all you want DrJack54. I've read so many posts on here and elsewhere that always claim the 'farang' loses - 'you'll never win, you're a farang'. Obviously I'm not only talking about Immigration issues but whenever I've challenged a situation where I knew I was right in Thailand, I've won. I was told for example, that I had 'no chance' in a case where a major Thai hospital group had lied to me in order to get me to pay my ex-wife's bill. People told me that as a 'farang' I would be laughed at or just ignored. Even my lawyer said I would not win because the hospital could afford to pay high end lawyers - I won the case, got a full refund and my expenses.

 

People say you should just pay the police when you get stopped for some trumped up offence. I have always refused to pay anything when I've done nothing wrong. I've never been locked up nor had my licence taken and I've been stopped many times.

 

I may not always win, I accept that and its also true that even Thai nationals have far less 'rights' than we do in the West but that's not a good reason to let 'wrongs' go unchallenged.

 

From what I've seen people like to moan and groan about life in Thailand but very rarely do I see them challenge situations. Thailand is very sensitive on some issues - tourism is probably one of the most sensitive. How do you think the Tourism Authority would view this if what the OP says happened to him is correct? Do you think they'd want stories about genuine tourists with visas being denied entry to be reported in the mainstream media?

 

I have always believed that when something is blatantly wrong, it should be challenged - its no use just moaning about things. There are ways and means of challenging situations, to stand a chance you have to pick the right way - that's how I won the hospital case.

[Caldera]

That's what happens when a country puts muppets with zero qualifications for the job but huge egos in charge and brainwashes its population to believe in nonsense. A sad state of affairs, really.

 

OP, thanks for sharing, you have my sympathy.

[dtag]

I agree with you Khao Yai in trying fight for things , if I had a longer term plan of living here. Really this just screwed up for me how I wanted to start a much longer trip to other parts of Asia, Aus, and NZ. I was looking forward to this journey starting with visiting parts of the country I have never had time to get to. Because I actually really like Thailand and most Thai people. Losing that is worse than spending 3 days bored and annoyed. But it's ruined now.

And, based on plenty of time to converse, I know this place is now ruined for everyone else I have shared this room with. Those living here will be moving away for good , and the tourists will definitely never return, nor will their friends and family ever come here on a trip.

This hasn't been- oh just get on the next plane out. It's been being locked in a room where you rely on random visits by airline  security employee offering  to take money buy you food and water a few times a day. And having two beds for three complete strangers , etc.  

 

Living quarters , along with a small love seats,  to the side, for 2-3 grown siting together all day and sleeping at night. Go ahead and say "i must be your fault" , But you come do this for 3 days when you had a valid visa issued by an embasy

[Dmitry2222]

1 hour ago, dtag said:

For now, I would advise any friends coming to Thailand to avoid flying into here. They are likely better off just entering in Bangkok taking a domestic flight down. 

I guess, Bangkok airports also too risky at this case.

[Banana7]

What is your passport country?

[jackdd]

Did you submit a TM11? https://www.immigration.go.th/download/1486548054958.pdf

[Traubert]

Yes but did you show them a flight out?

 

By the way, that leg could do with a trim.

[Maestro]

Removed an off-topic post.

[SteveK]

You should answer the question about your passport country - one continent in particular is viewed with extreme disdain and suspicion by the Thais (much like the rest of the world).

[thaitero]

What was the previous job?

If some lowpaid teacher etc job..It is not unthinkable to suspect that both employer and worker decided not to deal with hassle and costs of workpermit anymore and try luck with touriststatus not suitable for working..

 

[DrJack54]

2 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

You can laugh all you want DrJack54. I've read so many posts on here and elsewhere that always claim the 'farang' loses - 'you'll never win, you're a farang'. Obviously I'm not only talking about Immigration issues but whenever I've challenged a situation where I knew I was right in Thailand, I've won. I was told for example, that I had 'no chance' in a case where a major Thai hospital group had lied to me in order to get me to pay my ex-wife's bill. People told me that as a 'farang' I would be laughed at or just ignored. Even my lawyer said I would not win because the hospital could afford to pay high end lawyers - I won the case, got a full refund and my expenses.

 

People say you should just pay the police when you get stopped for some trumped up offence. I have always refused to pay anything when I've done nothing wrong. I've never been locked up nor had my licence taken and I've been stopped many times.

 

I may not always win, I accept that and its also true that even Thai nationals have far less 'rights' than we do in the West but that's not a good reason to let 'wrongs' go unchallenged.

 

From what I've seen people like to moan and groan about life in Thailand but very rarely do I see them challenge situations. Thailand is very sensitive on some issues - tourism is probably one of the most sensitive. How do you think the Tourism Authority would view this if what the OP says happened to him is correct? Do you think they'd want stories about genuine tourists with visas being denied entry to be reported in the mainstream media?

 

I have always believed that when something is blatantly wrong, it should be challenged - its no use just moaning about things. There are ways and means of challenging situations, to stand a chance you have to pick the right way - that's how I won the hospital case.

You are so missing my point. Also using unrelated hospital story. Fact is op was done over and I so agree so unfair. Fact is now is on his way after nightmare experience. You suggest he waste even more time fighting this in court or whatever. Best to move on. Certainly op hard done by. Let it go. 

[dtag]

Ok I guess no respect for basic privacy on this forum. I am an American citizen and properly credentialed teacher with a Masters in Education who has taught only in fully accredited international schools around the world for 15 years. I have never been an ESL type English teacher.  Every position I have taken in the different schools I have worked in has involved recruiting me form another country to work there.  So I have never gone anywhere and gotten a job as a tourist and then changed visa. I always go into a new country  with the full work visa arranged before I get there, That was the case with the job I just left in Phuket.

I planned to take a year off months ahead, so I checked several times with the office staff at my school about when my work visa would cancelled so as I would time out well when to return on a tourist visa. I also researched and felt that the 60 day tourist visa would be the more responsible thing to do as I knew the Thailand portion of my trip would be longer than 30 days, and i didn't want to do any border runs. (as I have never done one before).

Both I and the Thai director from the school I just left told this to the overzealous immigration officer and he refused to listen . I understand enough Thai to know he just told his coworkers that I was putting my friends on the phone and that he was not going to let me in no matter what.

When I showed him a pane ticket from Bangkok to Phnom Penh as proof of exit, he claimed it was more evidence of a future "visa run"

So maybe you keyboard warriors can get off your high horses and maybe , just maybe, admit, that I may have gotten screwed by an a-hole immigration team who laughed while they did it. Because I have just had to spend 3 days hearing about them behaving in quite similar ways  to other people while we have been confined in a small room together. 

[Dexlowe]

8 minutes ago, dtag said:

So maybe you keyboard warriors can get off your high horses and maybe , just maybe, admit, that I may have gotten screwed by an a-hole immigration team who laughed while they did it.

I've read all your posts, and you have my wholehearted sympathy. The ordeal you are going through is starting to become a familiar refrain and does not augur well for future tourists. I myself am about to find out just how welcome I am here. I lived in Thailand for 28 years (work permit) and own my own home. I left 2 years ago but am back now for 5 months - I am on an SETV and will fly to Siem Reap when the extension expires, will stay Cambodia for 10 days then return by land - here's hoping I will be allowed back in.

[PingRoundTheWorld]

7 minutes ago, Dexlowe said:

will stay Cambodia for 10 days then return by land - here's hoping I will be allowed back in.

From what I've been hearing, the Poipet border is just as bad as DMK. Probably best to avoid and fly in to BKK, or if possible go in from a different entry point.

[LongTang]

This is an absolute nightmare, being locked in a room like some dirty criminal for no good reason is just evil.

 

Denying entry of a valid visa holder should be based on solid facts or clear policy, and not some rotten gut feeling mixed with xenophobia.

 

I wish foreign governments will intervene about this plane abuse of their citizens.

 

P.S: This is the Thanks you get for raising the English level of the locals..