Blatant abuse of entry denials at Phuket Airport

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, Lenny Jones said:

Unfortunately Thai Immigration laws are loose and open to interpretation.  To get around this all local immigration offices are given scope to apply their own interpretations.

In many cases, this is true. However, when it comes to denying or allowing entry to those with valid visas issued at embassies/consulates, the Immigration Act is actually very clear. The problem is that immigration officials at some entry points are now ignoring the law.

 

In the case of the OP, while I think he was unfairly treated, I interpret his story as him being denied a visa exempt entry. It seems he applied for a tourist visa in Phnom Penh, but the embassy voided it after placing it in his passport. Thus, he was arriving without an embassy issued visa. Thai immigration (pursuant to new rules introduced in mid 2014) has discretion on whether to allow visa exempt entry. It does seem they abused their discretion here but, as others have suggested, there may be more to the story that we do not know. Also, although Phnom Penh quite often voids tourist visas, this would be unusual for a first tourist visa application. There must be a red flag somewhere that would cause both a voided visa from Phnom Penh and an apparently unwarranted denial of a visa exempt entry in Phuket.

[Caldera]

39 minutes ago, BritTim said:

In the case of the OP, while I think he was unfairly treated, I interpret his story as him being denied a visa exempt entry. It seems he applied for a tourist visa in Phnom Penh, but the embassy voided it after placing it in his passport. Thus, he was arriving without an embassy issued visa.

May I ask how you came to that conclusion? The OP clearly states coming in with a valid tourist visa, do you think that it was in fact voided and he failed to realize that? If so, I think that's a stretch, considering that the VOID stamp they use is bright red and in capital letters, but only the OP can clear this up by taking another good look at the visa.

[brewsterbudgen]

It seems that Thailand is only interested in short stay package tourists these days. Anyone on a tourist visa who doesn't fit that profile is taking a chance.

I think that's a little unfair. The OP's case seems rare. Most people refused entry on a Tourist visa are refused because it's apparent they are not tourists.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[MRToMRT]

This is what we all have to accept by living in a country where equality under the law and "rights" are not ingrained.

 

My own assumption, is that these assessment and things like TM30s and other BS are just to give the authorities the ability to get rid of anyone of us at anytime should they so decided its necessary.

 

My sympathies with the OP, I would be horrified (as well as angry) if it happened to me, whatever the reason.

[GeorgeCross]

7 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

I think that's a little unfair. The OP's case seems rare. Most people refused entry on a Tourist visa are refused because it's apparent they are not tourists.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

approximately 50,000 people come through phuket airport everyday and although i don't know what percentage of them are international arrivals i would say it is not an insignificant number. 

 

that being said i find it hard to believe there is some kind of 'sweep' going on there as only half a dozen others were caught up in it with him

 

either the OP was one of the unluckiest guys at the airport that day or something else is involved that he is not admitting to (or hiding).

 

i think for now i'll ignore his pleas to tell everyone i know to avoid the airport, at least until i hear of 100s being stopped per day.

 

hope the OP finally got his flight out ok.

 

 

[monkeycu]

14 hours ago, law ling said:

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.

Rejecting the visa  can occur in any countries

Don't bring politics into this

A visa is issued at an Embassy

Immigration don't have to accept it

[tifino]

if OP had earlier completed his temporary residency of 10 months in country

then returns for another 6 weeks as a tourist...

 

well, IM would then simply see his as a tourist, right here right now, has already been in country in excess of 180days in any 12month rolling period...

wouldn't be any more relevant that the earlier mass of days were covered under that earlier valid working visa

[FritsSikkink]

14 hours ago, dtag said:

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

Sounds like a bad situation, did you appeal to the decision?

[overherebc]

11 minutes ago, tifino said:

if OP had earlier completed his temporary residency of 10 months in country

then returns for another 6 weeks as a tourist...

 

well, IM would then simply see his as a tourist, right here right now, has already been in country in excess of 180days in any 12month rolling period...

wouldn't be any more relevant that the earlier mass of days were covered under that earlier valid working visa

180 days in 12 months doesn't exist as a law.

[tifino]

7 minutes ago, overherebc said:

180 days in 12 months doesn't exist as a law.

 but what about period of residency for taxation purposes? and now that he's back as a tourist, his quota was already completed; and comes afeter the fact as a tourist before the 12 months have passed

[buick]

from what i've read here on the TV forum, when you are denied entry at an airport, it is best to refuse to sign any documents (written in thai of course).  by signing these, you end up agreeing to pay for your detention at the airport and go back on the airline that brought you to thailand.  those that refuse to sign, are eventually allowed to buy a plane ticket to a location they choose.  so you can potentially leave the same day you arrived.

 

can anyone confirm my understanding ?  the OP has it particularly bad as he has to wait 3 days as the airline that brought him doesn't have daily flights. 

[overherebc]

14 minutes ago, tifino said:

 but what about period of residency for taxation purposes? and now that he's back as a tourist, his quota was already completed; and comes afeter the fact as a tourist before the 12 months have passed

Pay tax while you're working and when the job finishes then that's the end of it. If anything applies it should be a tax rebate for any uncompleted tax year. Remember they tax you on a complete year rate.

Come back as a tourist then it's start again from day one for time in country.

Trying to tax long term tourists? what would they class as income? add up all your hotel bills, food bills and beer bills that you've already paid VAT on?

VAT stands for very annoying tax by the way. ????????

[Uroller]

I also got caught up in this ridiculous clamp down on farang entry into Phuket. I was lucky that I was only held for 24 hours and the 2 guys in the lockup with me were good guys.

basically I was re entering Phuket on a 30 day visa and pulled aside. Sat in the immigration office for about 3 or 4 minutes when an Australian guy came in. So I had not even spoken to the young cocky immigration guy other to ask what was wrong, no reply. But now the immigration guy talks to the Australian guy giving him a bad time. He had been turned down at a land crossing and told he required specific documentation which he got and had with him. He produced all that including his bank statement but the cocky immigration guy wanted nothing to do with , in fact he seems caught up in his own power and trying to impress his coworkers.when he finish with the Australian he passed both our passports to a guy outside and told us to follow him. I was shocked that he had not asked me any questions. I asked him what the problem was? He just said go. Overnight in a junky room . Forced to pay for an over priced ticket back to KL. Being treated like a criminal I was shocked next day when I got this official letter saying I had been expelled from Thailand for not having any money, I was never asked about anything never mind money. I had 4 priority high value credit cards in my wallet and about 20,000 Baht in cash, plus 2 debit cards, but he had no interest in anything other than denying me entrance. Totally out of control????

[buick]

1 minute ago, Uroller said:

I also got caught up in this ridiculous clamp down on farang entry into Phuket. I was lucky that I was only held for 24 hours and the 2 guys in the lockup with me were good guys.

did you sign any documents that immigration gave to you ?  as i posted a few minutes ago, reportedly, these say you agree to pay for your detention and wait for the airline that took you to thailand to take you out (to where you came from).

[CHdiver]

15 minutes ago, Uroller said:

I had 4 priority high value credit cards

Never heard of "priority high value credit cards". What kind of priority do they give?

[chainarong]

17 hours ago, dtag said:

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.

Yep , follow another path to another country, Cambodia now have ER (Retirement Visa ) no reporting renewable every 12 months, being realistic , one day this path will change eventually as well. 

[ubonjoe]

Some inflammatory posts an replies to them have been removed.

[Essecola]

DON'T SPEND MONEY IN THAILAND

[dtag]

Update:

I flew into Phnom Penh this morning as scheduled. My passport was not given to me but to the airline who took it directly to Cambodian immigration. A letter inside that I had never seen said I was expelled because I had "insufficient funds" . I had submitted this information when getting the visa . I have plenty of funds in both a Thai and US bank account (each one does). This was never mentioned to me by Thai immigration as I could easily just had shown them my bank account balance on a text message from Bangkok Bank. Or brought up the website for my US bank account. It was really sweet of them to give me that extra little challenge to getting a visa back into Cambodia- the place they insisted on making me return to.  The only reason I was ever given as to be denied entry was suspicion that I was really coming back to work illegally. The actual words, said over and over were "you came to work, you came to work" 

I also was never asked to sign anything at any point. My only choice, besides literally running out the door, was to comply with the detention (including paying for my flight back and fees for rooming there). I contacted the only people I thought could help me- the office staff at my former school, and immigration refused to listen to them. Sorry- i never thought to keep an attorney on retainer for such a situation as this.

My visa was valid and had no reason not to be accepted.

To the continuing naysayers- Everything I have said is completely true. You are right though , it makes little sense. The only real sense it makes is they want to appear to be cracking down and they have a quota and they also make a little money on getting people like me to pay.

I'm not sure why people think I would concoct this story and be so eager to dismiss it. But I think they will be eating their own words in the next few months as this becomes a more common story

 

Also- oddly The Tourist visa has no void stamp or any mark on it or anything.

 

 

 

[dtag]

Next reply will be "I think the OP is printing fake Thai Visa just to make his story look more credible " LOL

[dtag]

[natway09]

How many tourists arrive on a Tourist Visa without an onward ticket ?

[CHdiver]

@dtag Not sure if it is a good Idea to show your real name and all the numbers on the visa. I would black them out.

[Canuckabroad]

9 minutes ago, dtag said:

 

A lot of personal info on that visa, I suggest you delete the picture.

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, CHdiver said:

@dtag Not sure if it is a good Idea to show your real name and all the numbers on the visa. I would black them out.

I did it for him.

[Briggsy]

30 minutes ago, dtag said:

Also- oddly The Tourist visa has no void stamp or any mark on it or anything.

Exactly same happened to me. 

 

From Phnom Penh, travel overland to Koh Kong or Pailin and enter Thailand there. DO NOT go to Poipet. Alternatively fly Phnom Penh to Vientiane and enter at Nong Khai. No problem whichever way you do it.

[dtag]

Thanks ubonjoe, I knew it was a bad idea. It is just aggravating to go through something like I just did and  have people just try and act like I am to blame for what was a clearly effed up mess. Or to act like I am being dishonest  I still have fall out to deal with from it- such I have possessions, including a car, in Thailand. I really just came here to explain not only my story , but explain tht I was seeing this situation greatly distress  others while in that room. I don't know if avoiding Phuket immigration is the solution or what. But I posted my story as a legitimate warning in good faith

 

I going stop looking at this now. Thanks for the kind words from most of you

[cerox]

Thank you dtag for posting your story. I feel sorry for what happened to you.

 

It seems to be a pattern; first BKK and DMK denials. Then changes in Vientiane where most long-stayers get their visa. My school recommends me not to go to Vientiane anymore for ED visas and avoid Bangkok when coming back. This was not the case a few months ago.

 

Now Phuket seems to be a no-go too. Every few months they seem to close another door, so many people will ask themselves how long they want to play this game.

 

Will be my last ED visa I do starting around next month. So I have time to sort everything out here. Although I love Thailand, I now think it is best enjoyed with a normal 30-60 days visa-exempt holiday. No visas, no possessions, no stress.

[ubonjoe]

A derogatory/defamatory post has been removed.

[KhaoYai]

8 hours ago, Briggsy said:

It has to be the same airline if possible. The airline must agree and Immigration must agree and the denied foreigner has to pay for it.

That's totally wrong (no, not your post). The likelilhood is that a genuine traveller will already have a ticket booked out of Thailand. So, you're holiday is wrecked, you have a flight you can't use and you have to pay for another? Madness.

 

Oh, and pay for your detention!