Powertrippin' immigration Cops at DMK

[Mr Dome]

I didn't want to post this at first but I'm still a bit upset about this, so here we go.

 

I thought I had seen it all as I used to live & work in Thailand but it turns out the country can still surprise you but not in a good way.

 

Arrived at DMK on a flight from a neighboring country. I and two other pax from same flight found a completely empty section for immigration check and proceeded down the zig-zag path (of course, they won't be flexible and open a straight lane all the way down). After I went all the way left and right 4, 5 times, I decide to duck under the stretch tape, after all there is nobody and I'm not cutting the line. One of the other lads does the same. I do this one more time and then she appears:

 

A female immigration officer with her face contorted into a rage, like this is the worst day of her miserable life. I wonder why, the section was open, I think. "GO BACK!" she shouts now. Again, I have zero comprehension. Go back to the plane? The country I just flew in from? My home country?

 

Frustrated that none of us went back, she demands our passports. We then get taken to the room. I keep asking what the issue is. I am given the form that is the one step process in denying someone entry and realize that they are serious. Another officer demands to see my ticket out of Thailand. I have to write down how much money I have (I make a mistake here, misremembering how many 10K Yen notes I have, which gets rubbed in later, even though I have the required equivalent of 20K baht). My US$ notes are picked up and thrown back on the table in disgust by the first officer (they had gotten humid & stinky while in storage and I had put them in baby powder not knowing you can't fully get that out ever again and a residue remains, giving them a different feel also. Was fully worth it, since it grossed Officer Tom out). They are really going out of their way to be rude. It finally transpires that this was due to the two of us ducking under the stretch tape. I keep saying "but there was nobody there" several times but it doesn't matter. "You only answer what we ask you!"

 

Agent #2: "Do you do this at other airports too?"

Me: "Yes, I have. Around the world (truthful answer)."

Agent #2: "Well, every airport is different."

Me: "Yes, and you have the option of informing passengers about the specific rules here at Don Muang."

 

This officer softened considerably after she found out what I was visiting for. Didn't appear she agreed with the trumped up drama **** show her boss (?) was staging.

 

In the end, they had to stamp me in - done by 0fficer #3, also treating me like a criminal - as they couldn't find a valid reason to deny me. I remained calm throughout but kept asking questions like "Why is she (officer #1) so angry?"

 

So, there you have it. Don't duck under the stretch tape even in a completely empty section.

[IraqRon]

perfectly predictable reaction by the IO, you lived here and worked here so you should/could have remembered that Thai officials and many citizens follow some rules in these situations, and expect you to do the same.  Of course this is not true on the roads of course!!!!  You were lucky to get in.

[Mr Dome]

How to follow rules you don't even know exist, is the question, no?

 

The fact that they had to dig around to find something (else) shows that even for official Thai standards in their little fiefedom this would not have sufficed and isn't an officially recognized rule.

 

If you're prepared and know the real rules, you have ruled luck pretty much out, I would say.

[ukrules]

52 minutes ago, Mr Dome said:

This officer softened considerably after she found out what I was visiting for.

You don't explain why or what you were visiting for so there's no context.

[Mr Dome]

8 minutes ago, ukrules said:

You don't explain why or what you were visiting for so there's no context.

I was there for a Buddhist course but this is just a minor detail here, hence me leaving it out.

[daveAustin]

Seems a bit OTT... some do tend to go off on a tangent if you break 'the rules' and the farang is not in their good books at the mo. Weren't tempted to give her the finger then. ????

[Nyezhov]

Pass Security Tape in a Western Airport and you will see what overreaction is......

[melvinmelvin]

8 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

Pass Security Tape in a Western Airport and you will see what overreaction is......

I think you might experience <deleted> sheit then? at several airports in Europe,

 

I would fully expect similar IO attitudes if this happened in the US

 

[yogi100]

They do not wan't us here, that's obvious by the increasingly aggressive attitude and surliness of IOs in Thailand's airports. 

 

A pal of mine was given the same treatment by an angry loud mouthed female IO for no reason. She tried repeatedly to get him to admit he was working in the LOS. 

 

She let him in eventually but it shook him up. People wanna relax on holiday not have to keep worrying when they are going to be the target of some rude, jumped up petty official. But it's at the discretion of these people and their word is final. You can do nothing about it.

 

They can pick on anyone any time. I don't even know if they'll even let me in next time and I have an O Visa that runs out just after my next trip. 

 

It will make many folk think twice about forking out thousands of Pound, Dollars or Euros on fights and hotels if they don't feel welcome let alone if they don't even let you leave the airport. Little wonder tourism is down.

[yogi100]

2 minutes ago, melvinmelvin said:

I think you might experience <deleted> sheit then? at several airports in Europe,

 

I would fully expect similar IO attitudes if this happened in the US

 

I wouldn't be surprised if they'd shoot you there given the disgusting behaviour of the rude ignorant pigs they've got working at Miami Airport.

[melvinmelvin]

1 minute ago, melvinmelvin said:

I think you might experience <deleted> sheit then? at several airports in Europe,

 

I would fully expect similar IO attitudes if this happened in the US

 

 

In my experience, IOs are not hepful, they represent potential problems, all over the world.

In the US; genuinly unhelpful - they probably use part of their free time to hone their unhelpfullness.

Africa; <deleted>. South America; can be awfully difficult.

 

only places I have received helpfull guidance from IOs are Australia and Thailand

 

[JHolmesJr]

I did not know this....I am sure I have done the ducking under tape to save walking....no repercussions.

[Salerno]

^ Me too, luck of the draw I guess.

[cornishcarlos]

12 minutes ago, melvinmelvin said:

 

In my experience, IOs are not hepful, they represent potential problems, all over the world.

 

Singaporean IOs and the Arab countries that I've visited are generally the opposite. Smiling and courteous !! 

Strange but true ????

[ThomasThBKK]

27 minutes ago, yogi100 said:

They do not wan't us here, that's obvious by the increasingly aggressive attitude and surliness of IOs in Thailand's airports. 

 

A pal of mine was given the same treatment by an angry loud mouthed female IO for no reason. She tried repeatedly to get him to admit he was working in the LOS. 

 

She let him in eventually but it shook him up. People wanna relax on holiday not have to keep worrying when they are going to be the target of some rude, jumped up petty official. But it's at the discretion of these people and their word is final. You can do nothing about it.

 

They can pick on anyone any time. I don't even know if they'll even let me in next time and I have an O Visa that runs out just after my next trip. 

 

It will make many folk think twice about forking out thousands of Pound, Dollars or Euros on fights and hotels if they don't feel welcome let alone if they don't even let you leave the airport. Little wonder tourism is down.

 

"THEY" are just a bunch of badly paid angry stuck in a <deleted>ty job gov workers that have not much in their lives and need to vent their frustration at everyone they can.

 

As my friend Mr Google predicts, this seems to be a worldwide phenomenom.

 

 

 

PS: Yeah the ones in singapore are nice, and the ones in Dubai - you can make a guess what they earn there to know why. 

 

 

[Mr Dome]

39 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

Pass Security Tape in a Western Airport and you will see what overreaction is......

Maybe what you are referring to as "security tape" and what was only crowd-flow tape here are two different things?

 

Anyway, as stated I've done this in Western & Japanese airports plenty of times when there was nobody waiting in line, never had an issue.

[jackdd]

48 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

Pass Security Tape in a Western Airport and you will see what overreaction is......

I've skipped those things at different airports across the world, also at suvarnabhumi, never had somebody tell me that i can't do it.

 

The problem seems to be this tom boy IO, who was mentioned in several previous posts when people had problems entering Thailand.

[evadgib]

Methinks age might have been a factor too.

[FritsSikkink]

1 hour ago, Mr Dome said:

How to follow rules you don't even know exist, is the question, no?

 

The fact that they had to dig around to find something (else) shows that even for official Thai standards in their little fiefedom this would not have sufficed and isn't an officially recognized rule.

 

If you're prepared and know the real rules, you have ruled luck pretty much out, I would say.

So you don't follow the path, have you money in baby power, blame the IO for not telling you the rule, which you should have know anyhow. Just another cocky visitor blaming it on the IO. 

[Nyezhov]

12 minutes ago, Mr Dome said:

Anyway, as stated I've done this in Western & Japanese airports plenty of times when there was nobody waiting in line, never had an issue.

Well guess you ran out of neverhavinganissues at this airport ????

 

 

[Mr Dome]

5 minutes ago, jackdd said:

 

The problem seems to be this tom boy IO, who was mentioned in several previous posts when people had problems entering Thailand.

 

Aha! I think we're onto something here.

Her ridiculous display was such a bizarre overreaction, I had never encountered anyone in my life like this. This can't have been her first time pulling something like this.

[Mr Dome]

10 minutes ago, evadgib said:

Methinks age might have been a factor too.

Hers or ours?

 

The other two were in their 20's, I'm in my 50's, long sleeves & pants, no tats, look like a nerd ... I doubt it was our appearance.

[EricTh]

1 hour ago, Mr Dome said:

How to follow rules you don't even know exist, is the question, no?

 

 

The problem with most foreigners in going to Asia is that they know zilch about their culture.

 

Don't always assume that just because you can do it in country A, that it is fine to do in country B. Usually, European, American and Australian culture is considered the same.

 

From what I found out, Asian culture are quite different.

 

1. Do not cross Zebra crossing when there is a car coming, they won't stop for you. Wait for cars to pass first before crossing.

 

2. Do not disrespect the Buddha statues or the temples by wearing indecent clothing such as shorts or revealing dresses.

 

3. Don't write graffiti on public property. There is one foreigner who is behind bars for doing that.

 

4. Thailand is not the land of 'smiles' as painted in western media. The immigration and government can be quite strict and rude. I have dealt with many government officers (car registration, immigration, income tax etc) and these people can be quite rude with not a single smile.

 

So now you know the reality.

[jackdd]

3 minutes ago, Mr Dome said:

 

Aha! I think we're onto something here.

Her ridiculous display was such a bizarre overreaction, I had never encountered anyone in my life like this. This can't have been her first time pulling something like this.

Just some of the posts where she was mentioned, there are many more:

On 8/24/2019 at 8:35 PM, Tayaout said:

You will eventually meet the tomboy io at the airport and she will yell to you: "why you never go back your country?". Your plan is fine as long as you don't go to Thailand more than once a year. 

On 8/23/2019 at 6:53 PM, BuckBee said:

was this don muang airport ? have a seriously bad higher ranking tom IO at that airport .
Can be very unpleasant as they hard to deal with due to poor mental attitude and no sensible reasoning or deduction .

On 8/31/2019 at 4:28 PM, Seano88 said:

The lesbian officer counted how many days I had been in Thailand in one year as maximum is 180 mine equaled 256.

They also stamped not to enter Thailand as alien, only with a pre purchased visa. 

 

[Mr Dome]

11 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

So you don't follow the path, have you money in baby power, blame the IO for not telling you the rule, which you should have know anyhow. Just another cocky visitor blaming it on the IO. 

I understand the wish to blame posters for their misfortunes is strong on social media...

 

I didn't blame anyone, I gave a helpful hint ????

 

Thanks for the laugh about the "money in baby powder" mention. Right another "rule" I violated and everybody knows you have to be prepared to hand over your cash in Thailand at the airport for inspection. Tell me how many times you had to do it?

[Happy Grumpy]

I hurdle them.

 

Never had a problem. 

[Mr Dome]

7 minutes ago, EricTh said:

 

The problem with most foreigners in going to Asia is that they know zilch about their culture.

 

Eric, none of the things you mentioned here apply or were done by me. It doesn't fit here.

 

This is about ducking under the crowd-flow tape leading to the immigration booths, which in this case were 100% deserted. Nothing else.

[holy cow cm]

Yeah, just remember they already don’t like  us and they deal with so many rude people already. Chinese are some of the worst in my book, but westerners it is known are on the way out of who is who now. 

[Dumbastheycome]

Would  you want their occupation? At times  dealing  with  obnoxious hordes  from wherever? And then you  come at a time of quiet and not  unjustifiably  do same as but are "corralled" by the  ability  to inflict personal authority . You provided an opportunity for  human nature to express itself. ???? Bad  doggy ! lol

[LomSak27]

13 minutes ago, ThomasThBKK said:

"THEY" are just a bunch of badly paid angry stuck in a <deleted>ty job gov workers that have not much in their lives and need to vent their frustration at everyone they can.

Yes but they did not do that in the past.  They are really going over the top.

 

BTW I was insulted, or made  snarky comments to in northern dialect when getting my reentry two months back. My long time G is form C Rai but she was sitting down and I was by myself at the counter. He figured hey just a little fun with the farang, who won't know. I said nothing, tight smiled but I stepped back from the counter and waited. It of course made him even more surly, BUT HEY. I'm actually dressed nicely, acting polite etc. and this is what I get.

One of my New Year Resolutions - Make sure you have an exit strategy/plan lined up, as we are on a downward spiral.  Better safe than sorry.