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

[TDCNINJA]

3 hours ago, KhunFred said:

The welcome mat has been withdrawn. The Thai government wants big spenders who can park tons of money in a bank account and not use it to live on. Lots of luck on that. Vietnam is a very solid option for many expats right now. Another case of "ready.....FIRE.....aim" by Thai Immigration.

Yeah, I am looking at Da Nang and Saigon very hard right now. 

[sunnyboy2018]

17 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

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

A paper clip does not damage paper.

[sunnyboy2018]

9 hours ago, Felt 35 said:

I think you mix busy with tourist with extra traffic which always get worse every year at around this time because of local residents with white clothes celebrate vegetablestarian festival????

The Phuket vegetarian festival is one of the most exciting festivals in the world. Absolutely brilliant.  Its the best thing about Phuket. Amazing Thailand. Regarding the tale of the OP: what is a visa waiver?

[sunnyboy2018]

1 hour ago, LukKrueng said:

From your 4 replies on this thread it is obvious you don't like Thailand at all, and in 1 of the replies you mention you only "fly over Thailand" so if I understand it correctly you don't live in Thailand nor visit Thailand anymore. So why the obsession with the forum?

Some posters offer nothing but bile and discontent....for all the usual reasons.

[sunnyboy2018]

2 hours ago, Alainpm said:

I'm not English native language speaker and i could read that in less than 3 minutes. No issue.   

Its not a case of ability. Its a case of willingness. Brevity is king. Laconic is queen.

[TDCNINJA]

1 hour ago, FredGallaher said:

If your friend wants a professional fight I believe that's working and requires a work permit. That's even if he loses. 

That's his problem not mine. And you still haven't explained why I was at fault, as you stated in an earlier post, for being subjected to such bizarre treatment at the airport when I had a valid Non O visa?

[TDCNINJA]

1 hour ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

The Phuket vegetarian festival is one of the most exciting festivals in the world. Absolutely brilliant.  Its the best thing about Phuket. Amazing Thailand. Regarding the tale of the OP: what is a visa waiver?

I'm not very knowledgeable about this topic, I think Ubonjoe would be a better source. It is my understanding that If you are a citizen of certain counties, you are allowed to enter the Kingdom without a visa, with just your passport. For my country, you are allowed a stay of 30 days and may extend your stay once for an additional 30 days. 

[RichardColeman]

On 10/3/2019 at 7:29 AM, steve187 said:

sorry same here

Me too, read a few lines and then said "ah, phuket"

[thaibeachlovers]

On 10/3/2019 at 12:05 PM, TDCNINJA said:

For what's it worth, I didn't see any Chinese or other Asians get pulled out of line. 

The Chinese or Asians would have been on a holiday. I don't know off hand if they get 30 days visa exempt, but whatever they had they were not staying long time, and as such would not have a problem. Tourists that arrive for the first time on a visa exempt entry ( most of them ) have no problem.

I don't know if there is a new policy to harass farangs, though it does seem like it, but for every one like the OP there must be thousands of farangs on non O visas that don't have a problem.

 

BTW, I know the OP is a newbie, as he says so, but does he know how to wai properly? Perhaps by doing it wrongly he insulted the IO.

Personally I never wai, as I don't know how to do it properly, depending on the person being wai'd.

[thaibeachlovers]

38 minutes ago, TDCNINJA said:

That's his problem not mine. And you still haven't explained why I was at fault, as you stated in an earlier post, for being subjected to such bizarre treatment at the airport when I had a valid Non O visa?

It's getting quite normal to be treated to bizarre treatment at immigration. Chiang Mai is fraught with pitfalls. They just make it up.

[Old Croc]

17 hours ago, MikeRing said:

18 hours ago, Langkawee said:

Immigration is doing these guys a favour. Most are suffering from Thai addict syndrome, they need to get on the road and find nicer places and hospitable people. They won't be disappointed. Think it as a blessing. 

Like where?

A closer look at his name might give a clue as to his likely answer.

[holy cow cm]

Long story from the OP or not, the moral of his story is it does seem the welcome and come on in is being retracted for many now. I myself have never had a problem from any IO upon coming back in, and I have been here a long time.

[Old Croc]

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

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

Why a passport application?  

 

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

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 fail to understand why such a detailed description of a visit to the consulate is required. Is there some significance with the position in line?

 

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

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.

Were you hoping to find the lost paperwork at gate A1A?

 

 

A tip - if you had entered your "O" visa number on your arrival card the IO probably wouldn't have missed the fact you held one and simply let you enter.

[Langkawee]

13 minutes ago, FredGallaher said:

Just like everywhere in the world, if you start with an attitude you'll get it back. If you are nice you'll generally get nice treatment. 

BTW a wai tells a lot. If you don't know a friendly smile or nod will do.

Many Chinese running guest houses and hotels in Chiang Mai. They can blend in better, obviously. You are making wild assumptions. No problem working illegally or running hotels as long as you are Chinese. Many are also employed in banks. This has been going on for a century. Chinese are very welcome in Thailand. Same rights as Thais. 

[ubonjoe]

13 minutes ago, Langkawee said:

Many Chinese running guest houses and hotels in Chiang Mai. They can blend in better, obviously. You are making wild assumptions. No problem working illegally or running hotels as long as you are Chinese. Many are also employed in banks. This has been going on for a century. Chinese are very welcome in Thailand. Same rights as Thais. 

There are many Chinese whose family have been here for decades if not a century. They are Thai citizens from birth.

Same for many Indians you see here.

[Caldera]

49 minutes ago, Langkawee said:

Many Chinese running guest houses and hotels in Chiang Mai. They can blend in better, obviously. You are making wild assumptions. No problem working illegally or running hotels as long as you are Chinese. Many are also employed in banks. This has been going on for a century. Chinese are very welcome in Thailand. Same rights as Thais. 

It's a bit more complex than that. There have been several waves of Chinese immigrants to Thailand, many of them obviously Thai citizens for many generations by now. There have also been periods in Thai history when Chinese immigration has been seen as a threat, leading to a backlash.

 

Chinese working illegally in Thailand can and do get arrested. Others get away with it, probably less a question of blending in than knowing how to grease the wheels.

[the guest]

... and you wonder why other Asian countries are becoming very popular ?

[TDCNINJA]

2 hours ago, FredGallaher said:

It appears you fit the profile as an undesirable. Then they saw all the visas. To shorten things you could have quickly pointed out the Non O and you would have been done. But then you wouldn't have to write a long winded response. 

I told the officer that I had an O visa. You stated earlier that I caused this problem. Specifically, what did I that was wrong?

[TDCNINJA]

1 hour ago, Old Croc said:

Why a passport application?  

 

I fail to understand why such a detailed description of a visit to the consulate is required. Is there some significance with the position in line?

 

Were you hoping to find the lost paperwork at gate A1A?

 

 

A tip - if you had entered your "O" visa number on your arrival card the IO probably wouldn't have missed the fact you held one and simply let you enter.

I did enter the visa number on my arrival card. As for saying passport application, my mistake, I meant visa application. 

 

I apologise for the lack of brevity. I included the background of my Thai immigration/consulate experience because I have noticed from time to time people will complain of a situation with Thai officials and fail to tell the complete story - good and bad. I wanted to tell the complete story - warts and all. 

[TDCNINJA]

2 hours ago, FredGallaher said:

Just like everywhere in the world, if you start with an attitude you'll get it back. If you are nice you'll generally get nice treatment. 

BTW a wai tells a lot. If you don't know a friendly smile or nod will do.

Fred, I am many things, but impolite is not one of them. I always greet people with a smile and am known to friends and associates as a 'polite' person. I am firm believer that a smile and a positive attitude go a long way. 

 

I've travelled to over 60 countries in my life. I've never been stopped by an immigration official ever. I've never even had my bags checked. 

 

It was an experience I hope to never encounter again. 

[Felt 35]

Why do people continue to hack on someone who clearly had legal visa and documentation to prove this? One should think that people who have lived here for a while not only know what immigration is trying to portray and present themselves as today, but would be interested to look a bit into their recent history which clearly shines trough as the reality when reading stories similar to the OP on a regular basis on Tv.

[TDCNINJA]

On 10/4/2019 at 10:18 PM, Felt 35 said:

Why do people continue to hack on someone who clearly had legal visa and documentation to prove this? One should think that people who have lived here for a while not only know what immigration is trying to portray and present themselves as today, but would be interested to look a bit into their recent history which clearly shines trough as the reality when reading stories similar to the OP on a regular basis on Tv.

Maybe they thought I was attacking Thailand. I'm not. I Love Thailand. The folks at Phuket immigration as well as friends and people on this board told me that if i wanted to stay in Thailand I needed to get a Non-O. So, I did. I entered the visa number on the arrival card and presented it with my Non-O. The I/O went ballistic on me - like I was some kind of criminal. Oh well, least I wasn't sent back like so many others have. I will go thru the process of getting my Non-O extended on the basis of retirement at immigration. 

 

I hope that the extension process goes smoothly. I have been advised to hire an agent. 

[Tayaout]

 

12 minutes ago, TDCNINJA said:

I hope that the extension process goes smoothly. I have been advised to hire an agent. 

The process for retirement extension is easy. You should use an agent only as a last resort since this is a gray area. If you don't want to freeze 800K in a bank account then they can be usefull but you might be stuck using them forever. 

[fruitman]

On 10/3/2019 at 1:51 AM, quadperfect said:

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

Me too, OP can you warn us the next time so we can order lunch before starting to read?

[TDCNINJA]

1 hour ago, FredGallaher said:

You must be a very insecure person to post these comments or perhaps a troll (or both). You write thing to get comments for no other reason than to stir the pot and get attention. 

You have a good day, Fred. I hope things in your life improve to the extent of improving your outlook on life. 

 

God bless,

[TDCNINJA]

1 hour ago, FredGallaher said:

Be careful. You might vomit after reading on a full stomach. 

Don't pay attention because it's just another troll about unfair Thai IO asking questions that the OP wasn't prepared to answer. 

After all he's visited 60 countries so he should know all about how immigration works. He did however show his US military ID, but it failed to empress the Thai IO. 

 

That's funny, because I never was asked a question. 

[Scott]

Inflammatory post reported and removed.  

 

[Langkawee]

On 10/4/2019 at 9:11 AM, FredGallaher said:

It appears you fit the profile as an undesirable. Then they saw all the visas. To shorten things you could have quickly pointed out the Non O and you would have been done. But then you wouldn't have to write a long winded response. 

An undesirable. You are so funny. Do you belong to the Amish religion by any chance 555

[Langkawee]

On 10/4/2019 at 10:23 AM, ubonjoe said:

There are many Chinese whose family have been here for decades if not a century. They are Thai citizens from birth.

Same for many Indians you see here.

That is obvious. I am talking about Chinese citizen obviously. 

[Langkawee]

On 10/4/2019 at 11:01 AM, Caldera said:

It's a bit more complex than that. There have been several waves of Chinese immigrants to Thailand, many of them obviously Thai citizens for many generations by now. There have also been periods in Thai history when Chinese immigration has been seen as a threat, leading to a backlash.

 

Chinese working illegally in Thailand can and do get arrested. Others get away with it, probably less a question of blending in than knowing how to grease the wheels.

Tea money works well for Chinese citizen hoteliers in Chiang Mai. I've got nothing against it. Generally a friendly bunch. Ive enjoyed chatting with them in the past. The point I was making is that it is a croc of sh*t to deny entry to farang allegedly entering Thailand for working illegally with no evidence when Chinese citizens, not Thai Chinese citizens openly run hotels and youngsters openly check in guests, telling me they are Chinese. 10 million Thais have Chinese blood according to Wikipedia. What does it really matter if they allow another million in to service tourists. Good luck to them. For all the tea in China 555.