This came up in another topic, and i was wondering if such a ministerial order was really issued.

I was able to find it, from 39 years ago: http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2523/D/103/7.PDF

But i couldn't find if this was ever rescinded. Does anybody know if it ever was?

If this is still valid and immigration police ever notices it there is a chance that it could cause problems for some backpackers who still like to dress like this today.

 

Their English was better back then, wonder if any got turned away for wearing sandals?

Alien with hippy characteristics .. 

 

No4 .. Silk pants .! Are they saying they want to see your undies with that one .. 

The bit at the bottom about Alien must carry a minimum amount of dosh .. Will Amex do as that's universally accepted .. 

 

Wish the exchange rate indicated by the sign's numbers would be made law.

This does not apply to human hippies. It's for those alien hippies. The big-spending ones the TAT is trying to attract to Thailand.

The Hippie trail to Bangkok was on a slow boat from Calcutta to Penang. Then overland. Was Penang that last chance , to get a haircut and buy some cheap clothes, and bathe, In order to facilitate entry?

 

Those days nobody had intricate piercings or massive tattooesa. Everybody wore sandles anyway.

 

Singlet or waistcoat (without inner wear?)

I thought singlet is British English for a

sleeveless t-shirt (wifebeater) ?

 

 

 Will they shut down Ko Phanghan now?

1 hour ago, jackdd said:

If this is still valid and immigration police ever notices it there is a chance that it could cause problems for some backpackers who still like to dress like this today.

 

many people here will tell it does not ,but it does. it is extremely important how you dress at immigration.

you are disrespecting Thai people by dressing like a slob. You should dress like you are going to a important business meeting.

Same for conducting any business at the bank.

 

3 hours ago, Justgrazing said:

The bit at the bottom about Alien must carry a minimum amount of dosh .. Will Amex do as that's universally accepted .. 

That applies on entry, is definitely still in force, and must be in cash or travellers' checks in a freely convertible major currency.

If they rolled the dress code out for the bars then the toilet would really hit the fan

Not a single answer to to the topic, great reading guys..

 

glegolo

8 hours ago, jackdd said:

But i couldn't find if this was ever rescinded. Does anybody know if it ever was?

 If this is still valid and immigration police ever notices it there is a chance that it could cause problems for some backpackers who still like to dress like this today.

I doubt it was ever officially rescinded though it is obviously not routinely enforced today. It can affect the decisions of some immigration officials, I believe. Especially some of the older officials are deeply offended by those they view as attired in an "impolite" manner. They take it as an insult. If there are other reasons to give such individuals a problems, these officials will be happy to use them.

Coming from the south the old hippy trail went through Singapore where they did make some get hair cuts.My favourite was that passports were allegedly stamped 

SHIT Suspected Hippy In Transit. 

10 hours ago, jackdd said:

If this is still valid and immigration police ever notices it there is a chance that it could cause problems for some backpackers who still like to dress like this today.

Given they've started to enforce the rule on 24 hour reporting, nothing would be surprising. And the alarming resurgence of elephant pants being sold on every corner suggests anyone might be soon denied entry for being a hippie... 

Is that sign new or did someone photoshop IT  ????

 

That sign could be in from many places,  BUT - looks like the Nongkai plaque. It was STILL up in the 80's, when of course no one went there, but boats were still crossing in fact there was quite a trade going on between thailand and Laos. But no one was permitted, no westerners that is, to cross and visit. When they opened up you still could not cross from Nongkai - 89-93 you had to fly from Bangkok to Vientiane to start your two week "tour"

 

I have a picture of it somewhere. That would have been for the Lao loop people from pre 1975. Same trip they do today. Take the bus from Chiang Mai to Chiang Khong, cross to Huey Xai then boat to Luang Prabang. After a stop , down 13 to Vang Vieng and finally Vientiane. Exit by taking the ferry cross the mekong to Nongkai

 

That plaque or one just like it was in the old customs house on the river, now part of the big riverside Nongkai market. No freaking hippies !! ahh those were the days!

 

Now no skint sex/ex/ pats - no alcoholics -  

Edited July 22, 20196 yr by LomSak27

4 minutes ago, lamyai3 said:

And the alarming resurgence of elephant pants being sold on every corner suggests anyone might be soon denied entry for being a hippie... 

If it is purely based on wearing the awful elephant suits most Chinese would be having problems.... yeah!

Coming from the south the old hippy trail went through Singapore where they did make some get hair cuts.My favourite was that passports were allegedly stamped 
SHIT Suspected Hippy In Transit. 

Even visiting Japanese students in the 1980s were sometimes given forced haircuts by Singapore Immigration. In the states you could not get into Disneyland. NO LONGHAIRS!

3 hours ago, adammike said:

Coming from the south the old hippy trail went through Singapore where they did make some get hair cuts.My favourite was that passports were allegedly stamped 

SHIT Suspected Hippy In Transit. 

I remember getting off the train in Singapore and walking through what seemed to be a wire-mesh cage that funneled you to the passport check. There were German Shepherd dogs all along the walkway, drug detection dogs, I imagined. My long hair and full beard got me one of the famous S.H.I.T. stamps in my passport. Badge of honor!

I remember that sign.... Notice under "notice" it requires 10,000 bath Guess they didn't want dirty hippies, maybe clean ones okay

8 hours ago, BritTim said:

I doubt it was ever officially rescinded though it is obviously not routinely enforced today.

Sure not or how can these disgusting backpack beggars/"street artists" make it to the streets of Bangkok.

A shame.

16 hours ago, Date Masamune said:

The Hippie trail to Bangkok was on a slow boat from Calcutta to Penang. Then overland. Was Penang that last chance , to get a haircut and buy some cheap clothes, and bathe, In order to facilitate entry?

 

Those days nobody had intricate piercings or massive tattooesa. Everybody wore sandles anyway.

 

Singlet or waistcoat (without inner wear?)

I thought singlet is British English for a

sleeveless t-shirt (wifebeater) ?

 

 

The boat was from Madras to Penang. 

17 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

Their English was better back then, wonder if any got turned away for wearing sandals?

    I wear sandals when in southeast Asia... including Thailand. My men's Teva Holliway sandals. (They don't make them anymore... glad I bought two pair.)

     And as a matter of fact... it was a Thai GP doctor and a Thai Podiatrist foot specialist doctor in Chiang Mai.. who together told me not to bundle my feet up in socks and shoes/boots in hot tropical climates unless walking in the jungle or somewhere like that. 

    They told me that it's healthier to go barefoot in a good pair of sandals in tropical climates and/or back in North America during hot summer months.  

  Are those doctors breaking the laws of the Kingdom by giving this advice to people?   Am I breaking the law when I'm in Thailand wearing my sandals ? I refuse to wear socks and shoes anymore in the tropics or during the Summer months back in Canada.

Edited July 22, 20196 yr by Catoni
addition

If, in the interests of the country or for reason of public order,good morals or culture, or for the happiness of

the people, the Minister considers that anyalien or group of aliens should not be permitted to enter the Kingdom, the Minister shall

 

Section 16 of the Immigration Act is a "catch all" that gives the minister the right to bar anyone from entering the Kingdom for the good of public morals and the happiness of the people.  It doesn't specify anything about hippies or dress codes.  This notice is just a police interpretation which could be either local or national but they do have a lot of power to interpret the law because there is usually no judicial appeal.  You are just put on a plane out and that's that.

13 hours ago, BritTim said:

That applies on entry, is definitely still in force, and must be in cash or travellers' checks in a freely convertible major currency.

   I took a Giant Ibis bus from Siem Reap to Bangkok two years ago in 2017... passing through Thai immigration at Poipet... 

  They never even asked me to prove I had enough funds to support myself.  Apparently they can choose to ask if they don't like the way you look, I guess.  If something about your appearance bothers them... there will be more questions and they can give you a hard time.

         But then I was polite and respectful, dressed nicely with long pants and long sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up... and...(I was barefoot in SANDALS..oh no..) , and I'm older with shorter hair. 

   They stamped my passport with no problem, smiled at me,  and wished me a good time in the Kingdom.    

26 minutes ago, thecyclist said:

The boat was from Madras to Penang. 

Any further info,?

 

Which shipping line

How long did it take

Fare

How many to a cabin

Passengers mostly western or not

Which years did the service operate

 

Sounds interesting

 

 

39 minutes ago, Arkady said:

Section 16 of the Immigration Act is a "catch all" that gives the minister the right to bar anyone from entering the Kingdom for the good of public morals and the happiness of the people.  It doesn't specify anything about hippies or dress codes.  This notice is just a police interpretation which could be either local or national but they do have a lot of power to interpret the law because there is usually no judicial appeal.  You are just put on a plane out and that's that.

This notice is not a police interpretation, but a translation of a ministerial order (from the ministry of interior), which i also included in my first post: http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2523/D/103/7.PDF

The translation on this sign looks about right to me.

I remember seeing that in Don Muang Airport

18 hours ago, Justgrazing said:

Alien with hippy characteristics .. 

 

No4 .. Silk pants .! Are they saying they want to see your undies with that one .. 

The bit at the bottom about Alien must carry a minimum amount of dosh .. Will Amex do as that's universally accepted ...

IIRC isn't it still law here making it illegal to leave the house without wearing underwear?

So be prepared for underwear inspection next time.

 

I can see it now: My mother was mortified when I had an accident and the hospital reported me for not having clean underwear.

It was me that mentioned it on the other post,as i said they took it down about 5 years ago,i always had a broad grin on me face looking at it,i would see it about 5 times a year