Nearly denied entry with valid multiple entry tourist visa

[Markphuket]

I thought I’d share my experience 
 

I have just finished 4 months work back in my home country since my last stay in Thailand, I applied for and had zero problems getting my multiple tourist visa from the UK

 

This was only the second Visa in my current passport. In my passport was only the stamps relating to the entries and exits on my previous multi entry visa.

 

Yesterday I flew and arrived into Bkk Suvarnabhumi airport, normally I fly into Phuket as that’s where I always stayed previous, I never been stopped or questioned, this was first time in many many years I’ve used BKK as now staying in Hua Hin
 

approaching immigration I hand over my passport, the officer looked at my passport asked me what I’m doing in Thailand. I replied fitness bodybuilding/Muay Thai/cross fit, after this reply he said to follow him, he passed me and my passport over to a senior officer.

 

The senior officer gave me what felt like 15-20 mins of questioning. Asking me again what I was doing in Thailand, why I come to bkk and not Phuket this time, what I work, telling me I had the wrong visa if I wanted to have fitness holiday. 
 

I was very polite, I’ve read already horror stories on Thiavisa of people getting turned away and always believe best tact is to answer all the question politely, and not to get angry. I also said many time I understand she has to do her job and why she had to ask me these questions to make sure I’m not working here.

 

I even got to the point of showing the immigration officer my Instagram of all the training I done in Thailand over the the years, I don’t know if it was this or not. But after this she stamped my passport and let in.

 

also it will get asked, it never got to the point of being asked to show funds, I did have £700-800 on me as I have read about people having to show 20k so had this just Incase.
 

I did want to ask what was the right visa, as I’m not working, I am on holiday and as I’m using the visa I was granted stating I would be doing fitness without any problem (I know some poster views will differ on the point and give the I’m not a genuine tourist) but I thought if I ask, she might think I was being confrontational and was best to just be polite, answer whatever she asked and try provide as much supporting information as possible during the questioning.

 

i won’t lie the situation did shake me up alittle and now has me a bit worried will I have problems again in the future. 

But I thought good to share to show how i approached the situation, and how the outcome if you are pulled over it doesn’t automatically mean you are going be refused entry and sent home.

 

[Caldera]

OP, I think you did well not to question her. No idea what kind of more appropriate visa she had in mind for a "fitness holiday". An education visa perhaps in case you're learning, but that often doesn't please them either.

[FalangJaiDee]

You could've gotten an ED visa to learn muai thai, but that would've presented its own host of problems. That being said, whats a good, neutral reason for wanting to visit thailand for 60-180 days? Anyone? :')

[Saddic]

You're probably flagged in their computer for next time...  beware... 

[NCC1701A]

39 minutes ago, Markphuket said:

This was only the second Visa in my current passport.

but not in their computer database which has your whole history.

40 minutes ago, Markphuket said:

approaching immigration I hand over my passport, the officer looked at my passport asked me what I’m doing in Thailand. I replied fitness bodybuilding/Muay Thai/cross fit,

as you know by now this is the wrong answer. You are a tourist. Tourist travel around and take photos and eat and look at the monkeys.

 

Welcome to the new Thailand.    

Please help spread the word.  

[Nakmuay887]

Never say boxing. Ever. They immediately assume you will likely take a fight and get paid which is working illegally. 

 

I'm here boxing and have fought here 30x but when I cross through immigration I am "sight seeing" and seeing my girlfriends and friends. 

 

Unless you have an education visa to box or a work permit to coach it's best to avoid saying that. If they dig deeper and ask you about boxing just say you are here to PRACTICE boxing and nothing more 

[Nakmuay887]

Also the schools giving out visas for boxing are pretty subpar and if you are serious about the sport go find a camp off the path 

[Nakmuay887]

30 minutes ago, Saddic said:

You're probably flagged in their computer for next time...  beware... 

What does this mean exactly? He will be denied entry next time? Needs a different visa for the future? 

[Chivas]

44 minutes ago, Nakmuay887 said:

What does this mean exactly? He will be denied entry next time? Needs a different visa for the future? 

What does it mean ??  Means he's got a marker against his name passport number etc etc. Almost certainly will be questioned in future and almost certainly watching the amount of subsequent entries

[elviajero]

You over complicated the situation by declaring you’re in the country for Muay Thai etc. Keep it simple next time. If entering as a tourist; you’re on holiday.

[SpanishExpat]

18 hours ago, Saddic said:

You're probably flagged in their computer for next time...  beware... 

That‘s one of those rumors which IO‘s love to tell  to scare people. You‘re either denied or not, but no one puts a remark in the system a la „this guy was questioned and shouldn‘t be let in next time on a METV“

[Maestro]

Removed some troll posts and an off-topic post.

[Martyp]

18 hours ago, Nakmuay887 said:

What does this mean exactly? He will be denied entry next time? Needs a different visa for the future? 

The OP made a point of saying he had a new passport however his entire Thai travel history from this and previous passports will be in their computer system. There is a good chance that no one looked deep into his history for this entry but they could in the future. The OP didn’t state his full travel history so it is hard to say whether he would be stamped in again if questioned even if he had a different visa.

[Thingamabob]

Why on earth did you refer to a fitness holiday ? Just say you are a tourist. Don't complicate the issue, and don't offer info you have not neen asked for.

[alex8912]

20 hours ago, Chivas said:

What does it mean ??  Means he's got a marker against his name passport number etc etc. Almost certainly will be questioned in future and almost certainly watching the amount of subsequent entries

Wrong. If he leaves and comes back a couple times on his METV especially in under sixty days, even better if much shorter sometimes that is EXACTLY what a tourist does. OP why in world if you have a tourist visa did you not simply say you are a tourist ? I mean you sound like you are lifting too many weights. Not sure if it’s been mentioned,  but in your initial thread you never mentioned what your history was before the 4 month break. That would be very useful to know. Lastly DON’T go to female IO’s. 

Edited December 19, 2019 by alex8912

[spiekerjozef]

Well done, being polite and patient got you through

[BillyB2008]

Thank you for sharing your experience. 

 

Maybe you should make it your last stay in the kingdom of less smiles and spend your hard earned money in some other country until they feel the heat and beg you to come back. 

 

It will happen very soon - my prediction.

[tabarin]

Good on you to still have gotten in, I would not be happy to stay anymore after that.

[freeman01]

Next time just say you are traveling and going to the islands or something very vague vacation related.

Never ever mention any activities other than snorkling, relaxing at the beach or see the elephants if on a tourist visa.

 

No wonder so many people gets pulled over if you give answers like that.

Learn what they want to hear and appears to be the nice golden little lamb they want you to be and you wont have any issues. 

[Brayka]

SpanishExpat, I would not say that they don’t control you extra next time you enter. They do for sure. Or do you think they have pc’s for fun? I can confirm you they do!

[soalbundy]

See article, "where have all the tourists gone"

[Peterphuket]

22 minutes ago, freeman01 said:

Next time just say you are traveling and going to the islands or something very vague vacation related.

Never ever mention any activities other than snorkling, relaxing at the beach or see the elephants if on a tourist visa.

 

No wonder so many people gets pulled over if you give answers like that.

Learn what they want to hear and appears to be the nice golden little lamb they want you to be and you wont have any issues. 

Especially the last sentence is so true!

[saengd]

Why is that "nearly denied entry", isn't it more like the Immigration officer asked you more questions than in the past? It's a bit like saying you only just avoided being mowed down by a truck whilst crossing the street but the truck was still five blocks away!

[Blackheart1916]

On 12/18/2019 at 3:13 PM, FalangJaiDee said:

You could've gotten an ED visa to learn muai thai, but that would've presented its own host of problems. That being said, whats a good, neutral reason for wanting to visit thailand for 60-180 days? Anyone? :')

Ah, because it's a great place for an extended holiday?

[tabarin]

44 minutes ago, freeman01 said:

No wonder so many people gets pulled over if you give answers like that.

Learn what they want to hear and appears to be the nice golden little lamb they want you to be and you wont have any issues. 

Have to agree with that 100% and I have also heard the weirdest answers with people in embassy / queues of immigration, that actually made them suspicious for real. Why would you over explain what you come to do here by describing sports etc etc instead of saying you are going to chill at the resorts.
Be lazy and spend money as a tourist does.

Edited December 19, 2019 by tabarin

[Peterphuket]

19 minutes ago, saengd said:

Why is that "nearly denied entry", isn't it more like the Immigration officer asked you more questions than in the past? It's a bit like saying you only just avoided being mowed down by a truck whilst crossing the street but the truck was still five blocks away!

Yes, they asking much more than before, I live here for long time, and have for more than 5 years an retirementstamp in my passport.

But the last time I have to explaine exactly where I live, it never happens before.

[thecyclist]

4 hours ago, Thingamabob said:

Why on earth did you refer to a fitness holiday ? Just say you are a tourist. Don't complicate the issue, and don't offer info you have not neen asked for.

I disagree, it is not complicating the issue, rather giving a good reason for the fact that he is coming back over and over again for extensive stays. With most IOs telling them you come here for Muay Thai will make them feel proud of their heritage and might help rather than hurt. 

[Chivas]

4 hours ago, alex8912 said:

Wrong. If he leaves and comes back a couple times on his METV especially in under sixty days, even better if much shorter sometimes that is EXACTLY what a tourist does. OP why in world if you have a tourist visa did you not simply say you are a tourist ? I mean you sound like you are lifting too many weights. Not sure if it’s been mentioned,  but in your initial thread you never mentioned what your history was before the 4 month break. That would be very useful to know. Lastly DON’T go to female IO’s. 

 

To respond to your first line you're wrong. He's been flagged now whether he has a problem or not in the future we'll likely never know but nevertheless he has a marker against him now

Edited December 19, 2019 by Chivas

[Vacuum]

1 hour ago, Brayka said:

do you think they have pc’s for fun? I can confirm you they do!

You're right on this one. ????

[FarangULong]

Why should one avoid female IO officers? I banged one (God bless Tinder), and she wasn't xenophobic at all. Of course that's mere anecdotal and doesn't reflect on the thousands of others, but I am genuinely wondering why it's better (according to one post on page 1) to speak to male ones and avoid the females? On my last entry I was in a male officer's queue, but they switched to female just before I went there. I wai'd, we smiled at each other, I did the finger print scan and the looking into camera + side profile, I said thank you and smiled when getting my passport back, and voila. No questions asked. Upon leaving I was asked to show that I filled out the leaving paper part (I came without visa but did "Upon entry") while waiting in queue by a female, very friendly. Again a female while at the counter, I wai'd, when all was done I grinned and told her "Sueeey mak mak" (Or suaaay or whatever, either way, she understood) she giggled and I left. No questions asked.

 

Again, merely anecdotal. Does make me wonder though, what the supposed issue is with female IO? I don't see one, as long as you don't approach them with <deleted> me eyes/undressing them eyes, or worse yet, asking them "how much for short/long time".....