Why is Thai immigration so <deleted>ty?

[gejohesch]

On 12/20/2022 at 3:13 AM, BritManToo said:

They only want tourists, and you clearly aren't a tourist.

Tourists stay in hotels and don't have Thai gfs when they arrive.

That seems indeed to be the case. What they do not seem to realise is that lots of the guys who "have GF's but are not tourists" bring a lot more cash into the country than the usual tourists. 

[gejohesch]

On 12/20/2022 at 4:20 AM, Photoguy21 said:

Been to the US and those guys are way worse than anything I have experienced here in Thailand.

My own experience going to the USA (most of the time on business) : yes, the IO's question lots, but it was never unpleasant.

[gejohesch]

On 12/20/2022 at 4:45 AM, SunsetT said:

And because Thailand is so corrupt and the IO is well aware of this, as far as he knows the perfectly legit. visa that you have obtained might be fake. And in the current climate, with the crackdown on so many Chinese entering illegally with fake visas, perhaps all IO's have been instructed to check arrivals more thoroughly; especially those with visas not obtained in their home country.

Possibly

[NativeBob]

On the scale of shxxtxness of IOs the most unpleasant was Bulgaria, most pleasant at Thai airport.

US was just messy and very tired officer, HK and SG for some reason uber-professional and cool like robots. Same goes to Taiwanese.
Malaysia. Only good memories - I think they work at Imm. part-time, the main occupation is tandoori chicken and tikka-massalla.
Some flashbacks about sitting in small room at Bet Gurion's, Israel and talking with damn sexy lady in uniform about my family for almost an hour. Decades ago.

[Dan O]

I suspect the first flag was the visa from a country other than your home country passport. Couple that with your travel history and it can be an instant trigger that your not a normal tourist and as a result the extra questions. Immigration agent are not stupid and they've seen every type of shady visitor you can imagine. F that's the case then additional questions are warranted. If you have nothing to hidind then answer the questions and move along. Don't forget there's extra pressure on IO's because of the chinese issue so extra scrutiny across the board

[gascooker]

5 hours ago, gejohesch said:

Ah, that could explain my experience. I agree, "smile,  be polite, answer whatever questions they have and don’t try to go be friends with them"

 

It's not really so much that I was asked questions that irritated me a bit (hence my post) but it's 1) that the IO was at the edge of being unpleasant; and 2) I could not understand why having shown my boarding pass on the plane arriving in BKK, the IO also insisted for "the boarding pass" which eventually turned out to be the one for the plane I had taken to arrive in Dubai (where I transited to BKK). That I find was a bit over the top. Next time they will also ask me to show a receipt for my taxi ride to the departure airport in the EU???

Yes, the immigration officers at swampy tend to be quite abrupt. I dislike engaging with Thai bureaucracy at any level. 

[gejohesch]

9 hours ago, Dan O said:

I suspect the first flag was the visa from a country other than your home country passport. Couple that with your travel history and it can be an instant trigger that your not a normal tourist and as a result the extra questions. Immigration agent are not stupid and they've seen every type of shady visitor you can imagine. F that's the case then additional questions are warranted. If you have nothing to hidind then answer the questions and move along. Don't forget there's extra pressure on IO's because of the chinese issue so extra scrutiny across the board

Good reply, thanks, sums up a good part of the story I think.

[Ali Katz]

On 12/20/2022 at 8:18 PM, lamyai3 said:

The 5 year option is considerably more expensive. Plus you're not allowed more than 90 days per entry and maximum 180 days in a year. 

Don't know where you're getting your info from. I just received my 5 year evisa for the fee of $80US. US, British, Japanese and Canadiens are allowed 180 day continuous stays, other nationalities 90 days. Whether one can return immediately is not quite clear.  Could you please post a link from GOI stating a maximum 180 days per year.  TIA

Edited December 22, 2022 by Ali Katz

[Photoguy21]

18 hours ago, gejohesch said:

My own experience going to the USA (most of the time on business) : yes, the IO's question lots, but it was never unpleasant.

I have never found and IO in Thailand unpleasant. Maybe, and I am not saying this is you, it is the overall attitude and/or way of dressing that makes them not quite as friendly.

[gejohesch]

4 hours ago, Photoguy21 said:

I have never found and IO in Thailand unpleasant. Maybe, and I am not saying this is you, it is the overall attitude and/or way of dressing that makes them not quite as friendly.

I never had an unpleasant experience either (and I cannot count my entries to Thailand anymore!) .... until this time. This is why I'm puzzled and put this post on.

 

Everything being subjective (of course), I can tell you that I look as respectable and as properly dressed as (nearly) everyone else. ????

[Dan O]

21 hours ago, gascooker said:

Yes, the immigration officers at swampy tend to be quite abrupt. I dislike engaging with Thai bureaucracy at any level. 

Probably not a bad as the torid of rude and entitled visitors that the IO deals with every day

[gascooker]

16 minutes ago, Dan O said:

Probably not a bad as the torid of rude and entitled visitors that the IO deals with every day

Possibly, but I’ve come across some inexplicably rude IO in my time, particularly at Samut Prakan immigration.

[lamyai3]

17 hours ago, Ali Katz said:

Don't know where you're getting your info from. I just received my 5 year evisa for the fee of $80US. US, British, Japanese and Canadiens are allowed 180 day continuous stays, other nationalities 90 days. Whether one can return immediately is not quite clear.  Could you please post a link from GOI stating a maximum 180 days per year.  TIA

Apologies, I wasn't aware of the new rules in India. I actually had a 5 year visa in the late 90's during which you could genuinely stay there long term (and get resident permit for cheaper domestic flights etc), but that all went away after the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai. Encouraging to see the country is once again welcoming long stayers. 

[Photoguy21]

21 hours ago, gejohesch said:

I never had an unpleasant experience either (and I cannot count my entries to Thailand anymore!) .... until this time. This is why I'm puzzled and put this post on.

 

Everything being subjective (of course), I can tell you that I look as respectable and as properly dressed as (nearly) everyone else. ????

Exactly. If you look decently dressed, dont come to the desk with an attitude I very much doubt if you will have any problems. Of course you could be unlucky and get an IO that got out of the bed on the wrong side but I have never experienced it and I have lived here with many in and out trip since 1984

[DrJack54]

13 minutes ago, Photoguy21 said:

If you look decently dressed, dont come to the desk with an attitude I very much doubt if you will have any problems.

I read this stuff all the time and just think it's folk repeating "decently dressed" requirement like an echo.

Tourists come to Thailand for holiday where the minimum in most places overnight is perhaps 26. (Obviously not referring to the north) 

Clean shorts and good T is fine along with flip flops. 

 

Obviously there are exceptions for example some government offices etc. 

Agree completely with having a good attitude.

 

What I think is most important is to be well organized, be that applying for an extension or entering the country etc etc.

Edited December 23, 2022 by DrJack54

[lopburi3]

29 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Clean shorts and good T is fine along with flip flops. 

No really - and it used to be spelled out that you would not be accepted in such attire.  Have you actually noticed the average size of us (not just the old) recently?  Not a pleasant picture.  ????

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

No really - and it used to be spelled out that you would not be accepted in such attire.

Accepted where. Spelled out where? 

 

I mentioned that one example attending land office for TDL then long pants and covered footwear is required.

I'm talking about entering Thailand and things like 90 reports, extensions etc etc.

 

Most important is to have required docs in organized fashion and neat and clean appearance.

.....that's it. 

 

 

 

[lopburi3]

6 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Accepted where. Spelled out where? 

Any government office.  Immigration had acceptable dress posted outside office most places.

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Any government office.  Immigration had acceptable dress posted outside office most places.

Seems I've been breaking the rules at immigration office for 10years.

Also dress for the beach when entering the country. 

 

The OP was entering Thailand and didn't initially present boarding pass from original departure.

Just another not aware of process.

In another current thread folk debating providing border pass on arrival and stating this is new requirement due to suspension of arrival card. 

So wrong.

The OP also included the Thai gf in post. 

Why anyone does this amazes me. 

[lopburi3]

8 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

The OP also included the Thai gf in post. 

Why anyone does this amazes me. 

Most feel it nice to have a Thai GF I suspect.  I was saying that in the Summer of 69.

[gejohesch]

32 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Seems I've been breaking the rules at immigration office for 10years.

Also dress for the beach when entering the country. 

 

The OP was entering Thailand and didn't initially present boarding pass from original departure.

Just another not aware of process.

In another current thread folk debating providing border pass on arrival and stating this is new requirement due to suspension of arrival card. 

So wrong.

The OP also included the Thai gf in post. 

Why anyone does this amazes me. 

Sorry but this is wrong:

 

1 - it never says anywhere "boarding pass from all the flights from departure point" (correct me, maybe I'm blind?), so the natural interpretation is " boarding pass for the flight of arrival in Thailand", which would make sense as (already said many times above), the IO needs to put in the record the flight number with which one arrives in BKK.

Imagine the situation where one would take more than 2 flights from initial departure point to arrival in Thailand : would the IO require to see all the boarding passes? Would that not verge on the ridiculous?

2 - I cannot see what was wrong in "including the GF" in the post, as it directly related to where I was going to stay in Thailand - again, another (natural) question from the IO (and no problem with that)

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, gejohesch said:

Sorry but this is wrong:

 

1 - it never says anywhere "boarding pass from all the flights from departure point" (correct me, maybe I'm blind?), so the natural interpretation is " boarding pass for the flight of arrival in Thailand", which would make sense as (already said many times above), the IO needs to put in the record the flight number with which one arrives in BKK.

Imagine the situation where one would take more than 2 flights from initial departure point to arrival in Thailand : would the IO require to see all the boarding passes? Would that not verge on the ridiculous?

2 - I cannot see what was wrong in "including the GF" in the post, as it directly related to where I was going to stay in Thailand - again, another (natural) question from the IO (and no problem with that)

Fact is it worked for you, so all good.

 

My motto is less is best.

I would not have mentioned gf.

To each their own.

I would also have had all the boarding passes at my fingertips.

Not difficult. 

[gejohesch]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

 

I would also have had all the boarding passes at my fingertips.

Not difficult. 

Not difficult, but passes prior to the flight arriving to Thailand : that's not a normal part of the "process", as far as I know.

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, gejohesch said:

Not difficult, but passes prior to the flight arriving to Thailand : that's not a normal part of the "process", as far as I know.

True.

My motto don't give the mugs half a chance. 

 

Edited December 23, 2022 by DrJack54

[gejohesch]

On 12/21/2022 at 3:32 PM, gascooker said:

I dislike engaging with Thai bureaucracy at any level. 

There are 2 types :

- the pleasant ones;

- the ones who seem to wake up in the morning with the idea that they "have to defend the mother country against the undesirable foreigners". When I used to commute on the BTS in BKK, I saw that second type a number of times, usually women in uniform with frowning faces, going to work in some gvt office I guess.

 

Having said that, I think these 2 types can be found in just about any country!

[Photoguy21]

19 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

I read this stuff all the time and just think it's folk repeating "decently dressed" requirement like an echo.

Tourists come to Thailand for holiday where the minimum in most places overnight is perhaps 26. (Obviously not referring to the north) 

Clean shorts and good T is fine along with flip flops. 

 

Obviously there are exceptions for example some government offices etc. 

Agree completely with having a good attitude.

 

What I think is most important is to be well organized, be that applying for an extension or entering the country etc etc.

And to be pleasant to the IO

[gascooker]

On 12/24/2022 at 10:09 AM, gejohesch said:

There are 2 types :

- the pleasant ones;

- the ones who seem to wake up in the morning with the idea that they "have to defend the mother country against the undesirable foreigners". When I used to commute on the BTS in BKK, I saw that second type a number of times, usually women in uniform with frowning faces, going to work in some gvt office I guess.

 

Having said that, I think these 2 types can be found in just about any country!

Funny, it's always the women that are unpleasant, male IO's usually ok in my book.

[Liverpool Lou]

On 12/19/2022 at 6:16 PM, gejohesch said:

So this is where I’m a bit puzzled: with a visa from a Thai embassy, for which I already had to provide all sorts of docs including my GF’s details (bat prachachon, tabian baan etc), why should I get such a barrage at immigration?

Because a visa isn't a guarantee of entry nor a waiver of any questions from an IO whose job it is to do exactly what occurred in your case.   The IO is the person who decides if you're going to be stamped in, not a Thai embassy issuing a visa..

[gejohesch]

3 hours ago, gascooker said:

Funny, it's always the women that are unpleasant, male IO's usually ok in my book.

As a few above shared their experiences in other parts of the world, I will share a recent one I had (or rather witnessed) in Portugal. A friend of mine, citizen of another EU country than Portugal, wanted to register as resident in Lisbon. I happened to be around and I accompanied her to one of the "Lojas da Cidadão" to do the registration. A "Loja da Cidadão" is an office where all sorts of civil services are provided.

In principle, the registration is immediate for any EU citizen. Just have to show an ID and fill a form with some basic info. Now, it happened to be a woman behind the desk and she was absolutely horrible, no idea why.

The process only took some 15 minutes, I sat down with my friend to put the various docs in order (she had brought far more than what was required, to be on the safe side), on the chairs at the back of the office, a few metres from the desks. We chatted a bit of course, not loud at all, but another woman behind another desk told us off in a spurt of very unfriendly words. We could not understand any of it but the feeling was there. We left the office shocked by the very unfriendly attitude of the 2 women.

[gejohesch]

3 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Because a visa isn't a guarantee of entry nor a waiver of any questions from an IO whose job it is to do exactly what occurred in your case.   The IO is the person who decides if you're going to be stamped in, not a Thai embassy issuing a visa..

That's nothing new to me, thanks. ???? I have answered several times already f this sort of comment. I am totally prepared to provide documents and answer questions, and btw I do not have the least fragment of racist attitude (to reply to someone above). I just was not prepared for the unfriendliness of the IO and for the extra request for a boarding pass of a flight before the flight arriving to BKK - as far as I know, that is not normally requested.

Edited December 26, 2022 by gejohesch