Almost denied at Don Muang airport

[amykat]

8 minutes ago, EricTh said:

Buying duty free good for immig. officer when he/she has already passed the gate? What guarantee does officer has that the foreigner will return?

 

Wouldn't it be better just to slip some cash under the table?

 

More 'denied entry' stories please. This seems to be a daily event nowadays.

Well if they are at their booths in front of everyone and don’t take you to a back office or somewhere, and there are cameras, it might be too difficult and obvious to just ask for money.  One other poster had to go to a bathroom and put it in his passport.  So you can’t just openly hand it to them in the airport.  

 

This officer could show a photo on her phone, that looks like nothing over the camera ...then the tourist goes and buys a small gift and drops it off ...if she was questioned later she can say ...idk what happened he liked me and dropped off this small gift?  He was free to leave after? But even if you are free to leave you never know, if you are coming here again what will happen if you don’t pay up.  

 

Then the officer gets many many small gifts like this, returns them to the shop for cash ...good idea??  No cameras can take photos of her getting cash.

[MichalPL]

 

G950 - That was not a bribe. (In the same way, as the is no prostitutes in Pattaya’s Walking Street according to the Police).

But it is still very very common in Asia. But there are not called bribes. 

Once in 2018, I needed a residency certificate from CW Immigration in Bangkok. Learned that standard processing time is two-week, but if I really want fast, I can pay the express fee. So I give her 1000B with my passport and in 20 minutes I had the residency certificate. In the meantime reading on the internet that there are no such things like the express fee for this...

 

lkv - First time I was in 2014. I lived in CM and Bkk. I often read stickmanbangkok (I recommended) and thaivisa (full of people with a lot of free time, who has nothing constructive to say but still comment). 

I was aware that I could be denied. When the IO took me to the Immigration office and give me form to fill, I know that they looking for a reason to deny me.

They couldn't deny me for not having enough money with me because I show them real currencies, not a credit card. They couldn't accuse me of stealing a job from Thai people or working as an English teacher. I told them that I am working online to a company in my country as a contractor and I can show them my monthly invoices if they want. And we know that 120 day or 180 day per year is not a law but just top-down recommendation recently being enforced. 

I didn't mention that I was in Thailand on my previous passport. I didn't mention that I understand basic Thai language already. They weren't hurried. That was about 6 am in the morning. They had time for chatting. I was for them like another naive/stupid farang who come the first time to Thailand, met girl on the Internet, shortly rent and paid a house for one year and after few months break up. They comment this in Thai with amusement.

racket - You are wrong. Before I went to the consulate in Bali I check the thaiembassyjakarta.com/en/consular-services/tourist-visa - there is: "Single-Entry Tourist Visa: Bank Statement showing at least IDR 8,000,000 per person and IDR 16,000,000 per family (equivalent to USD 700 per person and USD 1,400 per family)". So there are requiring a Bank Statement. 

 

Caldera - Sparkling wine Bottega - the price for one was 650 and similar for 1050. I wasn't sure which one she said and I bought the cheaper one.

 

jacko45k "Well they could ask for cash directly but that is a good point." - maybe If she asked for cash, that would be a blatant bribe. I bought her wine after I got my passport. So I did it voluntarily at that time - technically not a bribe. I could just walk away and later avoid Don Muang for a few years. 

[EricTh]

1 hour ago, MichalPL said:

 

 

jacko45k "Well they could ask for cash directly but that is a good point." - maybe If she asked for cash, that would be a blatant bribe. I bought her wine after I got my passport. So I did it voluntarily at that time - technically not a bribe. I could just walk away and later avoid Don Muang for a few years. 

 

So you could understand their conversation in Thai? That means you're not at basic Thai level which is just about ordering food and asking how much. 

 

The camera would catch you giving a gift to her and her superior would suspect it is a bribe. 

 

I doubt any tourist would give gifts to immigration officer during their working hours and just right after talking to her at her counter, if tourists really liked the IO, they would have gotten her phone number and meet later.

 

It's very obvious that it's a bribe. 

 

 

 

 

[RAZZELL]

1 hour ago, MichalPL said:

I told them that I am working online to a company in my country as a contractor and I can show them my monthly invoices if they want.

So you are working illegally then? ???? 

 

RAZZ

[Caldera]

3 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

No worries the time that you can work here without a proper visa and work permit are ending soon. 

Truth to be told, I'm more worried about what they do to people who DO have a proper "visa". In many reported cases, they don't get much better treatment and their status can swiftly be in jeopardy for even the slightest issues. Having such an unprofessional and overly cocky immigration force ultimately isn't in any foreigner's best interest.

Edited September 2, 2019 by Caldera
Clarity

[rott]

3 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Yes, there are Thais wo pay tax like many foreigners who work here. 

Your other comment is not even worth talking about.

No worries the time that you can work here without a proper visa and work permit are ending soon. 

 By working here, do you mean the digital nomad type?

 

And do you know this for a fact? And if you do can you state the information this fact is based on?

 

Not having a go, just curious.

 

[Langkawee]

52 minutes ago, EricTh said:

 

So you could understand their conversation in Thai? That means you're not at basic Thai level which is just about ordering food and asking how much. 

 

The camera would catch you giving a gift to her and her superior would suspect it is a bribe. 

 

I doubt any tourist would give gifts to immigration officer during their working hours and just right after talking to her at her counter, if tourists really liked the IO, they would have gotten her phone number and meet later.

 

It's very obvious that it's a bribe. 

 

 

 

 

It's not a bribe, it's traditional Thai culture, you are so naive to call it a bribe, go to any government office, drivee licensing etc, and you will see people bringing basket gifts, you know the type you see in supermarkets, you are trying to change the foundation of this culture, licking boots to get favours. You really are not welcome here if you are trying to neo colonise the country with thoughts of doing your job out of a calling. And you're likely to die mysteriously if you try, and end up in a morgue for a week as your body slowly decomposes with no hope of an autopsy that your throat was cut. The East is East and the West is West and nor the twains shall meet. 

[Dnyy]

15 minutes ago, Langkawee said:

It's not a bribe, it's traditional Thai culture, you are so naive to call it a bribe, go to any government office, drivee licensing etc, and you will see people bringing basket gifts, you know the type you see in supermarkets, you are trying to change the foundation of this culture, licking boots to get favours. You really are not welcome here if you are trying to neo colonise the country with thoughts of doing your job out of a calling. And you're likely to die mysteriously if you try, and end up in a morgue for a week as your body slowly decomposes with no hope of an autopsy that your throat was cut. The East is East and the West is West and nor the twains shall meet. 

For a non-Thai this is counting as a bribe.

Edited September 2, 2019 by Dnyy

[MichalPL]

In addition to the main topic - I do not recommend anyone to try to offer a bribe to anyone. In the last few months, I read many reports of how people were denied at the airport so I wanted to share my experience.

 

Why do ThailVisa people hate digital nomad?
You can say that I am a digital nomad. I am legally registered in my country as a contractor and I'm offering my services to another company in B2B form. I don't need to be on-site. I only need a laptop and a good internet connection to do my work. So I travel and work together, not only in Thailand.
I don't do business in any form with Thai people. I'm not stealing their job nor offering.
RAZZELL - As far as I know, is not illegal to be in Thailand as a digital nomad.
Usually, I don't mention my work to avoid additional questions and misunderstandings.

 

But don't understand why do ThailVisa people hate digital nomad?
Digital nomad benefits the Thai economy bringing foreign money, and spent it here. 
Of course, they pay taxes - things you buy from the shop have VAT. If you stay in a hotel, the price also includes VAT. Alcohol has an excise tax. If you rent a motorbike or car and drive on public roads - you pay excise tax buying petrol.
Farangs also pays for Visas and sometimes the 'special' price at tourist attractions or when taking a taxi.

 

Langkawee - I totally agree with you. Thai and western culture has a lot of differences. In Western don't have to deal with saving face concept, social hierarchy (Sakdina), and avoidance of direct confrontation.

 

Maybe one reason why Thailand doesn't want long-stay expats is that they spend less than average. According to Wikipedia "Thanasak expects daily tourist spending to increase to 5,200 baht per person in 2017, up from 5,100 baht in 2016".
So according to this data average expat who stays on a retirement visa (The requirement is 65,000 baht per month, around $2000) spent only half the money the average tourist spends. And we also have many backpackers who write blogs on how to stay in CM for $500 a month. And Thai primarily like money...

[JayBird]

Time for people to start discreetly recording these events. Would remove all uncertainty.

Then submit to a non Thai news organization after leaving.

[JayBird]

In addition to the main topic - I do not recommend anyone to try to offer a bribe to anyone. In the last few months, I read many reports of how people were denied at the airport so I wanted to share my experience.
 
Why do ThailVisa people hate digital nomad?
You can say that I am a digital nomad. I am legally registered in my country as a contractor and I'm offering my services to another company in B2B form. I don't need to be on-site. I only need a laptop and a good internet connection to do my work. So I travel and work together, not only in Thailand.
I don't do business in any form with Thai people. I'm not stealing their job nor offering.
RAZZELL - As far as I know, is not illegal to be in Thailand as a digital nomad.
Usually, I don't mention my work to avoid additional questions and misunderstandings.
 
But don't understand why do ThailVisa people hate digital nomad?
Digital nomad benefits the Thai economy bringing foreign money, and spent it here. 
Of course, they pay taxes - things you buy from the shop have VAT. If you stay in a hotel, the price also includes VAT. Alcohol has an excise tax. If you rent a motorbike or car and drive on public roads - you pay excise tax buying petrol.
Farangs also pays for Visas and sometimes the 'special' price at tourist attractions or when taking a taxi.
 
Langkawee - I totally agree with you. Thai and western culture has a lot of differences. In Western don't have to deal with saving face concept, social hierarchy (Sakdina), and avoidance of direct confrontation.
 
Maybe one reason why Thailand doesn't want long-stay expats is that they spend less than average. According to Wikipedia "Thanasak expects daily tourist spending to increase to 5,200 baht per person in 2017, up from 5,100 baht in 2016".
So according to this data average expat who stays on a retirement visa (The requirement is 65,000 baht per month, around $2000) spent only half the money the average tourist spends. And we also have many backpackers who write blogs on how to stay in CM for $500 a month. And Thai primarily like money...

There is a couple flaws in this argument:

1) expat would be regular inflow of money, not seasonal.

2) need to consider rent or housing they purchased

3) this argument suggests that it is not possible to have *both* expats and short time visitors.

To say no to expats is to say no to free money.

[BritTim]

12 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Its been a while since I've been to DM, but isn't there a booze shop in the baggage hall?

Well, King Power's page on Don Muang duty free does not suggest this: http://story.kingpower.com/en/store-don-mueang-en/. The page could be wrong, but I do not recall any shops in arrivals other than those before immigration. In fact, I would be surprised if you are allowed to buy duty free after entry into Thailand.

[jacko45k]

3 minutes ago, BritTim said:

I would be surprised if you are allowed to buy duty free after entry into Thailand.

There certainly is a shop in the baggage hall at Swampy. Prices suggested it was duty free.....

[BritTim]

6 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

There certainly is a shop in the baggage hall at Swampy. Prices suggested it was duty free.....

It appears you are correct about Suvarnabhumi. King Power's page on that airport lists BC213 (in international baggage claim) as selling a selection of duty free items (http://story.kingpower.com/en/store-suvanabhumi-en/). Possibly, their page on Don Muang arrivals could be wrong, and there is a shop there also, but I do not recall one.

[lkv]

.

Edited September 2, 2019 by lkv
Waste of time

[jondoe18]

2 hours ago, MichalPL said:

Why do ThailVisa people hate digital nomad?

Jealous grandpas who have the world's weakest currency in their wallets...

Or a Thai on the contract to spread the divisions.

[Tayaout]

Thaivisa don't like digital nomad for the same reason my step father told me there is no future with computer. 

 

In their mind a proper job is one where you sweat and do 9-5 to eventually get a pension and maybe travel if you are not dead yet. 

[MichalPL]

57 minutes ago, BritTim said:

It appears you are correct about Suvarnabhumi. King Power's page on that airport lists BC213 (in international baggage claim) as selling a selection of duty free items (http://story.kingpower.com/en/store-suvanabhumi-en/). Possibly, their page on Don Muang arrivals could be wrong, and there is a shop there also, but I do not recall one.

I've googled for you Bangkok Don Muang Airport map.
You can check on:
http://ontheworldmap.com/thailand/city/bangkok/bangkok-don-mueang-airport-map.html
or:
https://huahincab.com/don-mueang-airport-meeting-points/
That there is a duty-free shop in the baggage hall just after the immigration, before the customs.

[MichalPL]

17 hours ago, racket said:

I'm on my 5th METV and stay in Thailand for 8-9 months per year, I have never been denied entry, questioned or interrogated with a passport full of stamps and visas. I have listened to advice to carry 20,000 baht "just in case" and never been pulled over so far. I just find it curious that people who've stayed here for so long never heard of Thaivisa.com. Besides, when applying for a tourist visa or a visa on arrival in Bali, you never have to show any bank statements, so I'm not sure where that is coming from. 

 

Stop trolling us dude, just like the other "denied entry post" earlier. 

You are wrong about Bali.
Check the requirements from Thai Embassy in Indonesia for Thai tourist visa
http://www.thaiembassyjakarta.com/en/consular-services/tourist-visa/ 
there is: "Single-Entry Tourist Visa: Bank Statement showing at least IDR 8,000,000 per person and IDR 16,000,000 per family (equivalent to USD 700 per person and USD 1,400 per family)". 
So there are requiring a bank statement.