I bought a 60 day visa at the Thai consulate in Georgetown Malaysia yesterday, I went to enter Thailand at Hat Yai (as I have done many times) for a  holiday, At the border about twenty people were taken to one side and questioned by a woman officer .There were several senior citizens in

 this group. 

They came to me after 30 min in spite of my complaint which was ignored. They asked all sorts of questions (and ignored my answers as suited which I had answered on my application for visa already) and found fault of course. I have been travelling to Thailand for the last 25 years, the officer flicked through my passport and noticing past visas and stated that I had travelled to Thailand too many times! ! 

 I have never been asked about onward travel but only  departure time as stated. They clearly were looking to see what each person was worth?? They printed some papers??and then suggested if I paid them 20000 Bht I could enter Thailand.

They made sure i was isolated after this and only on protest did I get my luggage as they were anxious that I speak to no one. ( photos not possible)

The officers concerned. one was tall and and the second wore glasses The two women were slim, when I protested this treatment  I was told he was a senior officer and apparently operating the scam.

obviously the visa would not have been issued had there been problems in the first place.

a person working on the forecourt also seemed to be in the scam as he the assured me that if I got there early with the money us$600+ Id be in Thailand.

Further to my complaint against there extortion crime these people are doing I also state I am 80 years old. There were documents they tried to get me to sign. I did not, I am staying here in Malaysia and will not travel to Thailand again.

I have instantly advised people (via the net) as much as possible to avoid Thailand and these  scams, Its not a case of Can it happen to you but when!!

 

Michael Leahy 

 

Penang.

 

Wow.

I think they were asking to see the 20k baht that is required for entry to the country. I am sure they were not asking for a bribe.

Many reports of the Sadao and Pedang Besar crossings wanting to see the 20k baht.

Fly into Thailand next time.if it was me I would go back to the Thailand embassy and complain. Good luck.

Being 80 years old i doubt they thought the op was working. Motive for them stopping people seems to be to have the correct visa, probably trying to push people over 50 to non imm O

You misunderstood, they wanted to see 20K baht because it's the law. Bribe are usually a lot less and probably not requested in your case. 

16 minutes ago, spencer666 said:

Its not a case of Can it happen to you but when!!

No, it´s not. For stating something like this you must be sure. The question is if you understood what they were asking for?

As Ubonjoe explains, they nowadays ask that you show 20k baht when entering thailand on a tourist visa, and 10k baht on exempt entry. That was probably what happened here. That is something that has been informed of and known for long time.

I understand that you see this as strange at the age of 80 years old, but unfortunately things change. It was probably you that did not roll with the changes, rather than the Immigration Officers trying to get a bribe from you. Especially that border has been regognized as a generally friendly border to enter Thailand at.

A visa is not a guarantee that you can enter a country. It's basically a confirmation that you seem to live up to the conditions for that particular type of entry, but the final decision is always made by immigration.

 

And as others have already pointed out, the 20k is likely the amount they want people to have to show they can support themselves.

39 minutes ago, spencer666 said:

They came to me after 30 min in spite of my complaint which was ignored.

 

Seems like they didn't ignore it.  They took retribution.  

 

Rule #2 is "don't hack off someone who can spit in your food".

 

You just learned rule #1.

 

About a year ago, I had an experience with that same bunch where one lady in uniform culled me from a herd in the queue (only white guy in 100+ faces) and told me to to sit in an office.  5 minutes later, a guy in a fancier uniform chewed me out for sitting in his office.  Having learned lesson #1, I didn't gripe.  I apologized profusely and ended up having a pleasant conversation with the guy.  Good thing, too.  Because I was on my 6th or 7th visa exempt entry that year, after my WP expired a year earlier.  He could have easily denied me entry.

 

 

Edited November 5, 20196 yr by impulse

Just realised i recall an article that Immigration were to target high risk tourists who may use hospitals here without paying. Maybe that was their motive as the op was 80

38 minutes ago, spencer666 said:

I bought a 60 day visa at the Thai consulate in Georgetown Malaysia yesterday, I went to enter Thailand at Hat Yai (as I have done many times) for a  holiday,

Hello Michael, have you ever had any problems in the past entering Thailand?

 

40 minutes ago, spencer666 said:

They clearly were looking to see what each person was worth?? They printed some papers??and then suggested if I paid them 20000 Bht I could enter Thailand.

Strongly suspect you were asked to 'show' them 20,000 baht. 

 

A pretty common requirement for repeat visitors and part of the law. 

43 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

I think they were asking to see the 20k baht that is required for entry to the country. I am sure they were not asking for a bribe.

Many reports of the Sadao and Pedang Besar crossings wanting to see the 20k baht.

 

They are asking to show 20k in Sadao?   normally there is some extra accident insurance you buy from the driver (edit: meaning 50-100 baht, not 20k).

 

And the OP @spencer666 could provide more details on which border he entered, what time he entered, did he come with a group (e.g. minivan/bus) and were the other people allowed in?   (from what you could see)

 

Edit: Also, your previous travel history and length of stay into Thailand during past 2-3 years (same or previous passports)

 

edit2:  were you denied entry at Thai border and it was marked in the passport?  Can you upload the image of what they wrote in passport?

Edited November 5, 20196 yr by 4evermaat

methinks the op spat the dummy without understanding the question. 

 

It certainly sounds like it.

3 minutes ago, metempsychotic said:

methinks the op spat the dummy without understanding the question. 

 

It certainly sounds like it.

This is Thailand, everything is possible.

Just now, Youlike said:

This is Thailand, everything is possible.

aye. that it is.

Why oh why are OPs routinely disbelieved over Visa entry issues on Thaivisa

The fella said he was asked for a 20k bung to allow entry. The subsequent isolation tells you everything

 

He's 80 years of age and will well know the difference.

I guess your visa is still valid. I would go there and show them the required 20.000 Baht. But be prepared that they let you enter Thailand - so take your luggage with you. With too many visas it is always a problem. One day they might block you simply because of this. 

5 minutes ago, Chivas said:

Why oh why are OPs routinely disbelieved over Visa entry issues on Thaivisa

The fella said he was asked for a 20k bung to allow entry. The subsequent isolation tells you everything

 

He's 80 years of age and will well know the difference.

one would hope, but what if he doesn't?

there are a large number of posts on thaivisa labelled SCAM that upon closer inspection simply aren't.

Edited November 5, 20196 yr by metempsychotic

Well for one thing, they know the amount to ask you for. 20k. Catch 22. 

A troll post asking for names has been removed

Spencer666

 

Immigration has been getting tough on long term stayers who stay in Thailand on a tourist visa. This isn't a scam.

 

Those immigration officers are obviously corrupt because they asked for a bribe.

 

You're obviously wrong because you should have applied for a retirement visa instead of staying long term as a tourist for the past umpteen years.

 

It's time to go to Philippines or Latin America if you are from America.

 

 

8 minutes ago, EricTh said:

It's time to go to Philippines or Latin America if you are from America.

 

It's time for Thailand to clean up it's act....they shouldn't give a tourist visa if they don't want him in their country.

 

And the immigration should learn how to speak proper english.

Edited November 5, 20196 yr by Youlike

1 hour ago, spencer666 said:

I bought a 60 day visa at the Thai consulate in Georgetown Malaysia yesterday

No, you didn't "buy" a visa, you applied for one that would admit you to Thailand if you met the IB's requirements; visas are not for sale at Thai embassies.

10 minutes ago, EricTh said:

Spencer666

 

Immigration has been getting tough on long term stayers who stay in Thailand on a tourist visa. This isn't a scam.

 

Those immigration officers are obviously corrupt because they asked for a bribe.

 

You're obviously wrong because you should have applied for a retirement visa instead of staying long term as a tourist for the past umpteen years.

 

It's time to go to Philippines or Latin America if you are from America.

 

 

what post were you reading? I fail to see how any of this is unclear:

 

1 hour ago, spencer666 said:

I went to enter Thailand at Hat Yai (as I have done many times) for a  holiday,

1 hour ago, spencer666 said:

I have been travelling to Thailand for the last 25 years,

 

1 hour ago, spencer666 said:

I am staying here in Malaysia and will not travel to Thailand again.

 

where does the op say that he intends to live full time in thailand?

 

why would the op apply for a retirement visa if he is a tourist who intends to stay for only 60 days?

50 minutes ago, Chivas said:

Why oh why are OPs routinely disbelieved over Visa entry issues on Thaivisa

Because most of the time they're <deleted> or a wind up; especially when it's a first post.

 

50 minutes ago, Chivas said:

The fella said he was asked for a 20k bung to allow entry.

Or was he asked to show the 20K he has to have on him by law?

 

50 minutes ago, Chivas said:

He's 80 years of age and will well know the difference.

Being 80, as far as we know, he might not be able to tell what day it is.

 

18 minutes ago, Youlike said:

And the immigration should learn how to speak proper english.

Self entitled English speakers should learn their days of lording over the rest of the world are gone.

12 minutes ago, metempsychotic said:

 

where does the op say that he intends to live full time in thailand?

 

why would the op apply for a retirement visa if he is a tourist who intends to stay for only 60 days?

If it's only 60 days in  a year, do you think he will be pulled aside to one corner?

 

Many people come on a 60 days tourist visa and were not pulled aside, why him?

 

Immigration suspects.....

 

 

Edited November 5, 20196 yr by EricTh

1 hour ago, metempsychotic said:

methinks the op spat the dummy without understanding the question. 

 

It certainly sounds like it.

would seem to be the case

I Think OP do understand now that he made a big big mistake, in not understanding what was going on.. Sometimes it is really good to LISTEN to what people actually are saying to you..

 

glegolo

imo another bs post with an age of 80 thrown in to elicit sympathy from the anti Thai crowd..