currently stuck in Phuket airport (denied entry)

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, novacova said:

Why not fly into Vientiane and walk across the border.

 

Next flight with Air Asia from KL to Vientiane:   6:35am....   

 

Its a long wait - this is just getting shi££ier and shi££ier for the Op... and all because of some power crazed psychopath who should never be in that position... 

[Digitalbanana]

41 minutes ago, siwiek said:

the official policy is that I can't pass into Malaysia for 1 week apparently.

What policy is that? Never heard of it.

[Chris Daley]

It's fairly normal treatment.  I usually just wave my British passport at them and they run away saying 'sorry sir have a nice day'.

[ukrules]

52 minutes ago, siwiek said:

I can't overstate how crazy this IO was acting literally running around screaming at various people. He must be the supervisor because he was not at a booth.

 

This is why they don't want people videoing them.

 

We should all video them and expose this kind of behaviour.

[siwiek]

27 minutes ago, Digitalbanana said:

What policy is that? Never heard of it.

 

I also wonder because Google says differently, maybe KL police are just spooked and told me this. Now Air Asia is babysitting me at the T2 transfer counter.

 

Flight to Bali is cheapest option with AA. Next is BKK like you guys said. I can't do border crossing from Laos or Cambodia because I used 2 already at beginning of 2023 (also, ironic both require transfer in Bangkok).

 

I'm chatting with a visa "agent" who has friends at BKK allegedly to see if they can check my status in the computer. Times running out, might have to flee to Bali and pray I can see Thai family during Christmas for a least a few days.

 

Yah I wish I had a GoPro spycam on my chest that experience was nuts. Another lady IO ran up to a Russian mom comforting her baby and starting screaming at her to say "sorry" for standing in the wrong place. The mom could not even understand her. Phuket is absolutely out of control it's unbelievable...

[scottiejohn]

22 minutes ago, ukrules said:

We should all video them and expose this kind of behaviour.

And when you are caught for breaking the law what will you do?

There are big signs in all Immigration departments stating that it is illegal to use any cameras on the IO premises!

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, scottiejohn said:

26 minutes ago, ukrules said:

We should all video them and expose this kind of behaviour.

And when you are caught for breaking the law what will you do?

There are big signs in all Immigration departments stating that it is illegal to use any cameras on the IO premises!

 

And now we know why.... Its so they can act with impunity and its wrong. 

 

 

[scottiejohn]

45 minutes ago, Chris Daley said:

It's fairly normal treatment.  I usually just wave my British passport at them and they run away saying 'sorry sir have a nice day'.

They probably run away because of your anti social behaviour in that you believe you should have special treatment rather than the colour of your passport.

[ukrules]

12 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

And when you are caught for breaking the law what will you do?

There are big signs in all Immigration departments stating that it is illegal to use any cameras on the IO premises!

 

Is it really illegal though, I know there's a sign but that's just a printed piece of plastic?

 

I was in a bakery in a large Hua Hin mall and took a couple of photos of the bread rolls so I could remember their size and the price and some woman who worked there came over waving me off and pointing at the 'no photos' sign. I ignored her and her stupid sign.

 

 

[riclag]

5 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Sounds like strange story.

Even statements such as "show all previous boarding passes" 

That's weird as not possibl.

 

In similar situation, I would be asking for advice .

The first piece would have been "don't sign anything" 

 

First post ever.

Bit unusual to to ask important advice first time ever. 

You just lost my respect , you were my

UbonJoe go to .First time posters need more help and less , should of could of’s BS.

[novacova]

6 minutes ago, riclag said:

You just lost my respect , you were my

UbonJoe go to .First time posters need more help and less , should have could have’s BS.

He does have some good points, though often loses composure and takes a wiz on a help thread in this section 

[Caldera]

1 hour ago, siwiek said:

Flight to Bali is cheapest option with AA. Next is BKK like you guys said. I can't do border crossing from Laos or Cambodia because I used 2 already at beginning of 2023 (also, ironic both require transfer in Bangkok).

 

I'm chatting with a visa "agent" who has friends at BKK allegedly to see if they can check my status in the computer. Times running out, might have to flee to Bali and pray I can see Thai family during Christmas for a least a few days.

 

An international transfer in Bangkok wouldn't be a problem as long as you can do it airside (e.g. using AirAsia's "FlyThru" service) without having to enter Thailand.

 

As you've already used up your overland visa exempt entries for 2023, you could consider applying for a tourist visa at the Thai embassy in Vientiane, which would allow you to enter overland. You'd need to check when they have appointments available though.

 

If the visa agent you're in touch with has contacts at airport immigration, they might also be able to facilitate your entry in Bangkok. 

[JimTripper]

No sign and let the process unfold by itself. Say as little as possible. If they stop you from entering get a ticket out.

 

Try Cambodia or Vietnam and fly into Bangkok again. Flights are cheap.

[riclag]

Op

What about getting a visa to accompany your Thai spouse ?

https://hochiminh.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/non-immigrant-o-accompanying-thai-spouse-and-family-members
 

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, riclag said:

First time posters need more help and less , should of could of’s BS.

Fair call.

The initial post sounded weird to me.

Comments such as "called out of line" etc.

Very unusual especially with not over the top given recent history to be refused entry. 

 

Think op better off chatting with AirAsia (again) to see if another option to KL.

Saigon would be an option depending if he has visa exempt entry status for Vietnam. 

[richard_smith237]

43 minutes ago, riclag said:

Op

What about getting a visa to accompany your Thai spouse ?

https://hochiminh.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/non-immigrant-o-accompanying-thai-spouse-and-family-members
 

 

That would be an option - the Op mentioned Thai Family...  So if he married he has the Non-Imm O option and no further entry issues.

 

 

[oldcpu]

This is puzzling.

 

Did the OP mention their nationality?

 

Would that make a difference? (ie could OP be from a country where Visa exempt on arrival is not provided, and the OP's previous entries to Thailand were with a Visa)?    Or was that possibility covered and I missed some detail.

 

Its puzzling.

[richard_smith237]

11 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

This is puzzling.

 

Did the OP mention their nationality?

 

Would that make a difference? (ie could OP be from a country where Visa exempt on arrival is not provided, and the OP's previous entries to Thailand were with a Visa)?    Or was that possibility covered and I missed some detail.

 

Its puzzling.

 

It might, as Imm officer can be somewhat racists or pick issues with those from nations they may consider poorer etc - although the Op seems to think he was randomly picked out of queue.

 

Given the standards of the Ops language, I assumed Western... the name suggests he could be Polish.

 

Its a delicate point - but given the circumstances not a daft question. 

 

 

 

[Chris Daley]

They only let Hell's Angels gang members in now.  They always have proof of funds.

[Dan O]

9 hours ago, siwiek said:

I haven't been to Thailand for 5 months already, spent a few months in my home country and then other countries. Came back to Thailand for Christmas, absolute nutjob IO picks me out of the line because I was checking my phone off to the side and says to follow him. He asks for my boarding passes from prior flights to make sure it's not "fake" (they were not) but then comes back after 30 minutes and has a young girl hand me a form agreeing to be denied entry for lack of funds despite never even asking me for proof of funds (I have lots of money).

 

The same IO was screaming at several Asian tourists who were trying to take a photo to "stop being Chinese!!!!" (they were not Chinese).

 

I hadn't been in Phuket for over a decade, and now I remember why I never transfer here. What an absolute third world shet hole, might be my last trip to Thailand. I guess that's what they want, anyways?

 

And before trolls come, no I didn't have drugs, no I'm not lying about anything, and no I didn't do back to back border runs. I was in Thailand for several months early in the year, followed all rules and laws, that's it....

 

 

Phones are not suppose to be used in the immigration area with signs posted although sounds like something else was happening. Not sure about why the funds form but you didn't have to sign it. You could have tried to file an appeal but they generally try to strong arm you not to or claiming you can't. Bottom line they have the discretion (rightly or wrongly) to deny entry.

[ChrisP24]

I wonder if in this situation (while not signing anything) you can just buy a two-stop ticket through Manila, Hong Kong, Taiwan or somewhere else nearby with a modern airport in a country where you can get a visa on arrival, with Bangkok as your final destination.  Maybe use two airlines so that you claim/recheck your luggage at the intermediary airport. 

 

Then fly to Phuket as a domestic flight where you don't go through immigration.  

 

Good lesson here on what can happen as an extreme if one gets too comfortable in the immigration queue.

 

Edit:  I see that others had already suggested something similar and that OP is flying to Bali and then BKK.

[StayinThailand2much]

31 minutes ago, ChrisP24 said:

Maybe use two airlines so that you claim/recheck your luggage at the intermediary airport. 

 

Then fly to Phuket as a domestic flight where you don't go through immigration.  

 

IF Phuket Immigration put something in the computer, then Bangkok Airports' Immigration will read that too, which might open another can of worms...

[CanadaSam]

9 hours ago, TroubleandGrumpy said:

9 hours ago, OJAS said:

Which I believe he can do by submitting a completed TM11 form:

https://www.immigration.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/8.อุทธรณ์คำสั่งของพนักงานเจ้าหน้าที่ที่ให้เดินทางออกนอกราชอาณาจักร-ตม.11.pdf

Definitely a form which he should sign IMHO!

I think that only applies to someone already in Thailand that is being thrown out.

 

No, about 3/4 of the way down it says that he is being "denied entry" into Thailand.

 

I think this is a hell of a form (which I had never heard of) and the mention of him wanting to fill up "Form 11" may see a change in the immigration officers concerned!

[siwiek]

Thanks everyone.  After 4 hours finally heard back from the visa agent with friends in BKK Immigration. They checked my profile and it says in the computer that I shouldn't be allowed into Thailand for the rest of 2023 because I've been coming too often on tourist stamps. But apparently in 2024 it resets and I'm not blacklisted. So this IO decided to keep me away from my family for Christmas for a few weeks before the 2024 reset, even though I haven't been in Thailand for 5 months, and then lied to scare me saying I was blacklisted for up to a year. 

 

Absolute hero visa agent, she saved me a pointless trip to BKK for Christmas. I actually already paid for a ticket for tomorrow but the booking failed (luckily) and they will refund me tomorrow. I still have no idea why KL police told me to not leave the terminal. Air Asia has gone home already, and I have my passport with no "deportee" warning or anything so pretty sure I could pass immigration out to the streets of KL right now but I won't, to avoid problems.

 

No food, water, or otherwise here. I can't go upstairs without a boarding pass. I also still don't understand why they said my outgoing flight must be Air Asia. I could book any flight and walk upstairs right now to the gate, I don't know what's stopping me from choosing any good flight.

 

Nothing makes sense. 2 days without sleep. Canceling the Bkk option now and aiming for Laos instead otherwise it will be Bali...

[siwiek]

Update: booked a morning AA flight to Indonesia successfully, waiting to board (hopefully).

 

The visa agent's "IO friend" at Suvarnabhumi wanted 25,000 baht to get me into Thailand but didn't say how many days and said I'd have to hurry to switch to a long-term visa (during Christmas and New Year apparently) so I turned down the offer.

 

No idea what 2024 holds, I'm kind of over Thailand but still have family here. I will probably try to enter LOS from Laos border as a precaution and if any red flags I'm probably not going to waste any more time applying for Thai visas or dealing with their insanity anymore, it's just too insulting, and stressful and unpredictable once you're getting older. Very happy that other nearby countries are getting better and better....

[ChrisP24]

Thanks for posting the follow up on how this turned out.  I, for one, have made a mental note to have my phone secured out of site until complely through immigration. immigration. 

[TaoNow]

This interesting post (and the follow-ups) brings up some important points:

 

1)  OP wasn't pulled out of the line because of his passport -- since he hadn't even reached the PP Control desk.  So, the content of his PP was not the reason for the initial harrasment.

2) OP had his cell phone out and, presumably turned on -- that is something we can all take note of and be careful to avoid.

3) Based on the later communication with the Immo staff in Bangkok, OP would have been denied entry at any Thai border crossing due to history of "too many" (land-border?) visa-exempt entries.

4)  While that does not excuse the unprofessional behavior of the Phuket Immo officer, it does point to an important fact:

5)  Thai Immo staff are not a welcoming committee.  They are there as gatekeepers. And the officer who screens your passport can deny entry if they suspect you are abusing the visa-exempt entry system.

6) Yes, you can appeal to a higher-up -- but that still does not mean they have to grant you entry.   Ex-pats need to understand that entry to Thailand is not a right -- it is a privilege.

7)  Finally, OP says he has family inThailand.  So, the question is why he (I presume OP is a "he") did not have a family-friendly visa that easily allows entry to visit wife, child, etc.

8)  In sum, Thai Immo seems to be saying:  "Get the proper visa the best suits your reason for being in Thailand --- and keep visa-exempt entry to a minimum."

 

'Nuff said.

[2baht]

16 hours ago, Andre0720 said:

But try appealing to him, with deep 'wai's, otherwise, you might at least be at this airport for a while...

Good luck...

Tell them to jam it where the sun don't shine, Sunshine, they don't deserve tourists with the appalling attitude they displayed, total inferiority complex, hiding behind a uniform!

[asf6]

My guess is that the IO only wanted to see the OP's boarding passes so he knew (and had evidence of) exactly which flight the OP had arrived on, so presumably Immigration could then return the OP from where he came. 

[2baht]

10 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

They probably run away because of your anti social behaviour in that you believe you should have special treatment rather than the colour of your passport.

Misguided speculation!