Several foreigners pulled out of Phuket Airport Immigration lines and interrogated.

[TDCNINJA]

I want to state from the beginning of this post that I don't have much time on the ground in Thailand compared to most people here, so, any factual errors I may make in my recall is simply due to ignorance and not an attempt to mislead.

 

From Aug 2015 to June 2016 I stayed briefly in Ko Samui - with the majority of my time in Phuket, doing a weight loss and fitness program at Tiger Muay Thai. My first two ins and out were visa waivers and the rest were single entry tourist visas obtained from the Royal Thai Consulate in Penang, Malaysia.  Following this, I spent 9 months in the Philippines and returned to the United States on 3 March 2017 due to serious illness. 

 

On july 3 of 2019, I returned to Phuket on a visa waiver. I left one month later to Penang, but misplaced/lost my Non immigrant 'O' visa paperwork somewhere in the security area of gate A1A at Phuket International. As a result, I returned to Phuket two days later, arriving again on just my passport. The last time I was at Phuket immigration, a month ago, the officer whose desk I was assigned, grunted something to me in unintelligible English and basically told me to get away from his desk - denied. I talked to one of the immigration volunteers and told him that I had just been summarily dismissed from the I/O and he said he would ask to see what the problem was. On the day I left for Penang, I changed residences. Despite assurances from the resort I moved to, the owner/manager failed to notify immigration of my new residence. The immigration volunteer informed me that when the I/O had brought my information up on the computer the addresses didn't match and was showing my first residence. After a long talk, the immigration volunteer told me to pay 600 baht tea money and that the problem could be resolved rather quickly. I wont say if I did or did not pay the money, I will just say that I left Phuket immigration with my extended passport and my address corrected. 

 

This past Monday, September 30, I departed Phuket again for the Thai consulate in Penang. I carried with me:

2 passport photographs

A completed passport application

An income statement from the United Stated Army Defense Finance and accounting service (DFAS).

An Income statement from the US department of Veterans Affairs.

1 calendar year's worth of bank statements from my US bank - USAA.

1 photocopy of my last departure date from Thailand in my passport. 

 

I arrived at about 9AM and joined the line. Wound up No 7 in line, entered the consulate and submitted my passport and paperwork to a gruff Thai gentleman at the desk. He told me 300 Malaysian Ringgit, handed me my receipt and told me to come back the next day at 2pm. 

 

The next day I showed up just before 2pm, entered and received my passport with a bright, new, shiny 90 day single entry Non-immigrant 'O' visa. 

 

I went back to my airbnb rental, packed and headed to Penang Airport.  Upon arrival to Phuket, yesterday evening,  it was the largest line I have ever experienced at Phuket. It was so bad it reminded me of the lines at Swampy. The lines were chock full of Chinese. I had a fellow Tiger Muay Thai tourist/fighter who left with me on Monday and was only on his 2nd ever entry to Thailand. He entered on his passport - visa waiver.  I also saw a Danish guy from a bar in Rawai and we had spent some of the time in Penang airport chatting about all the changes in immigration. 

 

The fighter is in front of me he crosses the line and enters the I/O's desk. The Danish friend enters the desk to my immediate left. My fighter friend is there for a long time and he starts talking in a low voice. The I/O is animated picking up the fighters' passport and putting it down and making many types of gestures with regards to his passport. The I/O exits the desk goes three desks down with a big smile on his face and asks another immigration officer. He then goes the opposite direction and finds a female I/O and gestures for the fighter to follow her. I remain standing on the line until the same I/O calls me forward. I present my passport, the guy enters my information and his face changes immediately. He then begins to rifle back and forth thru my passport looking at all my Filipino stamps and then focuses on my entries to Thailand in 2015/16. He looks at me and tells me "You come Thailand too many times." I keep my cool and tell him that I have had a 3 year absence from Thailand - only returning on July 3. I can't say for sure but I don't even think he even noticed that my visa was an O and not a tourist visa, but that's purely conjecture on my point.  We go back and forth briefly and he motions to his left and I couldn't make out exactly what he was trying to say but I thought I heard the number 4. 

 

So now, all the arrivals and some of the I/O's are giving me the stink eye and I start to walk in the direction of desk 4. When I get to number 4, there is no way I can enter the desk. The line is stacked. WIthout knowing what to do I just keep walking to my left until I get to the very end of the rows and there is a beautiful female I/O in a sideways facing desk that says ASEAN. I walk right up to her and give my best and deepest Wai and Sawasdeekap. And then my mouth starts moving like a rapid fire machine gun. As I'm talking, I now see my friend from Rawai and the fighter in an interrogation room with an officer who looked like a higher level supervisor. I'm babbling at this point and I say something to the effect of "I'm a military retiree who is training at tiger muay thai for health reasons. I'm not working nor have I ever worked in Thailand. And I quote my pension amounts greatly exceeding 65k a month. I then pull out my retired military ID, not because I think it will mean a hill of beans but because I'm shook up and grasping for straws. To my surprise she looks at the ID and tells me to follow her. She goes to a nearby desk close to hers, and talks to the I/O. She tells me to cut in front the line and go next. The I/O also gives me the stink eye and follows the same procedure, looking at all my stamps from 2015/16 plus all the Philippines and Malaysia stamps. It seems like we are getting no where, he's saying i have too many entries and as a last resort, I tell him that on my last extension, I was told that I needed to procure a non-o if I wanted to remain in Thailand. I mention that I gave Penang all my pension documents including a years worth of bank statements. I wai very deeply and I say "I've always followed the rules and I treat Thai's with dignity and respect.  I don't get in trouble with the law and I always follow the law, please help me, sir."  He stops. He actually looks at my non-o with its associated stapled receipt and he says to me, "Ok I let you in but I want to tell you that had you entered with another tourist visa (Which I haven't had since 2016) or another visa waiver, I would have sent you home. "  Again, big wai and khop khun na khop. And I am out of there with sweat rolling down my face. I later found out that the fighter got through immigration and my Danish friend, who has a Non B work visa and owns a company, I never found out what happened to him though I can find out soon enough. 

 

I post once in a while on this site. I mostly lurk. I've read a thousand guys on this website consel other posters and tell them that if you want to stay in Thailand, get the proper visa.

 

Well folks, I HAD the proper visa this time and I almost didn't make it. I am never disrespectful to Thai officials and always speak and act and dress appropriately. 

 

Again, I admit I'm kind of a newbie, and don't know squat about Thailand compared to you guys, but fellas, I don't think they want us living in their country anymore. For what's it worth, I didn't see any Chinese or other Asians get pulled out of line. 

 

[neeray]

Geez. My life is so boring compared to yours.

[Denim]

37 minutes ago, TDCNINJA said:

I wont say if I did or did not pay the money, I will just say that I left Phuket immigration with my extended passport and my address corrected. 

 

....and 600 baht lighter.

[quadperfect]

Sorry gave up after the first chapter. Hope alls well that ends well

[Tayaout]

I read all your story. It could be explained by the fact that they did not notice the non-o and to save face made it like they were doing you a favor and let you in. The other explanation would means that I need to convert my non-o to an extension ????

[aqua4]

On 10/3/2019 at 6:05 AM, TDCNINJA said:

Again, I admit I'm kind of a newbie, and don't know squat about Thailand compared to you guys, but fellas, I don't think they want us living in their country anymore. For what's it worth, I didn't see any Chinese or other Asians get pulled out of line. 

 

I have said that for the past year as it is becoming more obvious. 

[steve187]

38 minutes ago, quadperfect said:

Sorry gave up after the first chapter. Hope alls well that ends well

sorry same here

[mngmn]

1 hour ago, Tayaout said:

I read all your story. It could be explained by the fact that they did not notice the non-o and to save face made it like they were doing you a favor and let you in. The other explanation would means that I need to convert my non-o to an extension ????

Highly likely. When I was traveling in and out of Thailand on a Non Immigrant O, I must have been stamped in three or four times on a 30 day visa exemption. Always having to go back and get it corrected. IO always implying it was somehow my fault in spite of filling out the visa number on the TM6.

[ubonjoe]

Some inflammatory off topic posts and replies to them have been removed,

[BritManToo]

I always write '90 days' on the top of the form.

Only Arunyaprathet I/O ever wanted to talk about it.

[Cloudy]

Talk about dragging out a story about how you neatly didnt get in.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Peter Denis]

43 minutes ago, mngmn said:

Highly likely. When I was traveling in and out of Thailand on a Non Immigrant O, I must have been stamped in three or four times on a 30 day visa exemption. Always having to go back and get it corrected. IO always implying it was somehow my fault in spite of filling out the visa number on the TM6.

My passport contains lots of stamps and Visas, and hence the risk of getting stamped in wrong.

So I always provide my passport to the IO opened on the page with the appropriate Visa together with the TM6.  Invariably they take out the TM6 and close the passport.  Having me worried during their processing that I would be stamped in wrongly, even with the TM6 referring the correct Visa.
I still do same, but now use a heavy paperclip on the page with the Visa.  When opening the passport randomly as the IOs do, it will now open on the paper-clipped page. 
I even have the impression that the IO likes that as it saves him/her the time to find the latest Visa/stamp in my busy passport.

 

[mngmn]

25 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

My passport contains lots of stamps and Visas, and hence the risk of getting stamped in wrong.

So I always provide my passport to the IO opened on the page with the appropriate Visa together with the TM6.  Invariably they take out the TM6 and close the passport.  Having me worried during their processing that I would be stamped in wrongly, even with the TM6 referring the correct Visa.
I still do same, but now use a heavy paperclip on the page with the Visa.  When opening the passport randomly as the IOs do, it will now open on the paper-clipped page. 
I even have the impression that the IO likes that as it saves him/her the time to find the latest Visa/stamp in my busy passport.

 

Used to tuck the TM6 into the visa page but as you say IO always pulls it out and closes the passport so stopped doing it. Always checked the stamp and went back to be scolded if wrong.

 

Would never use a heavy paperclip on my passport after being warned by Australian IO that they could sieze my damaged passport.

 

Would never write anything like '90 days' on the TM6 for fear of being sent back to do a new form by an IO having a bad hair day.

 

It's a dangerous world out there ????

[NanLaew]

2 hours ago, aqua4 said:

I have said that for the past year as it is becoming more obvious. 

And yet you are STILL here.

[Ratt Thai]

4 hours ago, TDCNINJA said:

He actually looks at my non-o with its associated stapled receipt and he says to me, "Ok I let you in but I want to tell you that had you entered with another tourist visa (Which I haven't had since 2016) or another visa waiver, I would have sent you home. " 

Hi OP, 
I could not find your age or what kind of Non-O you have, so it would be speculation to say anything...
It was either that the IO did not recognize your visa as a Non-O or that you don't have a Non-O but again, i am speculating...
Is your age above 50, and your visa a Non-OA ? then you should not have been questioned as stated in your posting...

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

Some inflammatory off topic posts and replies to them have been removed,

And now another one plus a couple of nonsensical posts.

[steven100]

4 hours ago, TDCNINJA said:

so, any factual errors I may make in my recall is simply due to ignorance and not an attempt to mislead.

I stopped reading after this exemplary statement.

[RubbaJohnny]

Very odd title only foreigners could be pulled out of line, Thais would not be in the queue ?

 

It takes a while to swallow your pride and realize you always be regarded as inferior, by the authorities at least,, your money may be welcome, to those of us from colonies or ethnic minorities it is no surprise, those who seem to find it hardest are those who seem to have notions they are equal or superior to our hosts.

[SteveK]

I had an incident recently where the IO started to get snarky and doing all kinds of hand gestures, then she suddenly stopped and stamped me in - I strongly suspect that she thought I was trying to come in VE when I had a non-O. I can well imagine that if she had gone further and tried to cause a problem she would not have backed down due to saving face. 

[Caldera]

OP, thanks for your report.

 

It's getting silly. Maybe they should start hiring immigration officers who can (1) hold a basic conversation in English and (2) read.

[ChipButty]

15 minutes ago, RubbaJohnny said:

Very odd title only foreigners could be pulled out of line, 

 

 

I can confirm it goes on pulling people out of the line my friend came last month they pulled 4 guys from the line from what he said all single guys maybe travelling alone as my friend was, 1 of them was an Indian guy who started kicking off my friend said to him Thats not how it works here keep your mouth shut

[mockingbird]

Phuket airport's a known difficult entry point if you have a history of being in Thailand on tourist visa's/visa exempts.

Best to avoid it, if you fall into the above category.

[mngmn]

7 minutes ago, Caldera said:

OP, thanks for your report.

 

It's getting silly. Maybe they should start hiring immigration officers who can (1) hold a basic conversation in English and (2) read.

Where would they find someone like that willing to work for peanuts plus bribes?

[ThomasThBKK]

58 minutes ago, Ratt Thai said:

Hi OP, 
I could not find your age or what kind of Non-O you have, so it would be speculation to say anything...
It was either that the IO did not recognize your visa as a Non-O or that you don't have a Non-O but again, i am speculating...
Is your age above 50, and your visa a Non-OA ? then you should not have been questioned as stated in your posting...

 

Well he said hes retired mil., has a pension over 65k thb per month, so it's safe to assume he was on a retirement visa. 

[MaxLee]

Well let me guess,.... they asked "Where are your TM 28 / TM 30 forms?

[Langkawee]

Exactly, have seen on the Malaysia border how they only ask farang to show the 20,000. The Asians are never asked and they are most likely working illegally, especially the Cambodians and Burmese I saw passing immigration with no problems at all. No Asians were asked to show the money. Foreign embassies in Thailand need to intervene and tell Immigration to stop this uncalled for prejudiced behaviour. 

[Nip]

4 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

My passport contains lots of stamps and Visas, and hence the risk of getting stamped in wrong.

So I always provide my passport to the IO opened on the page with the appropriate Visa together with the TM6.  Invariably they take out the TM6 and close the passport.  Having me worried during their processing that I would be stamped in wrongly, even with the TM6 referring the correct Visa.
I still do same, but now use a heavy paperclip on the page with the Visa.  When opening the passport randomly as the IOs do, it will now open on the paper-clipped page. 
I even have the impression that the IO likes that as it saves him/her the time to find the latest Visa/stamp in my busy passport.

 

I use a slim pink fluorescent sticky postit extending beyond the passport and indicating the relevant page in my paspport so the IM does not have to trawl through the pages and another underlining what type of visa Im entering on. Makes it easy for them and myself. 

[Peter Denis]

1 minute ago, Nip said:

I use a slim fluorescent sticky postit extending beyond the passport and indicating the relevant page in my paspport so the IM does not have to trawl through the pages and another underlining what type of visa Im entering on. Makes it easy for them and myself. 

Thanks!  That's indeed better than the paperclip-method I am using, and it avoids any damage to the passport.

[atyclb]

3 hours ago, Caldera said:

OP, thanks for your report.

 

It's getting silly. Maybe they should start hiring immigration officers who can (1) hold a basic conversation in English and (2) read.

 

 

often the root issue is they simply lack critical thinking (connecting the dots) as i have noted this while conversing in thai (can read/write and speak quite clearly)

 

critical thinking is a problem across society

[MaksimMislavsky]

7 hours ago, aqua4 said:

8 hours ago, TDCNINJA said:

I don't think they want us living in their country anymore. For what's it worth, I didn't see any Chinese or other Asians get pulled out of line. 

 

I have said that for the past year as it is becoming more obvious. 

It has been becoming more and more obvious for the last five years at least, I reckon.