Is this a scam at Phuket arrivals?

[kwilco]

I hear that if you pay 300 baht you can get fast tracked avoiding the long queues at arrivals? 

[Upnotover]

42 minutes ago, kwilco said:

I hear that if you pay 300 baht you can get fast tracked avoiding the long queues at arrivals? 

It's only a scam if you pay for it but then don't get it.

[kwilco]

2 hours ago, Upnotover said:

It's only a scam if you pay for it but then don't get it.

I think I could scam you easily then.  the best thing about a scam is people don't realise it is one - all the other passengers are made to suffer longer queues so a few officials can take a bit of extra cash. They're scamming all the other passengers.

[Chelseafan]

Isn't Phuket the ultimate scam ?

 

[Regyai]

God wouldnt have made you sheep......

[mstevens]

14 hours ago, kwilco said:

I hear that if you pay 300 baht you can get fast tracked avoiding the long queues at arrivals? 

 

Scam? Sounds like a bargain to me! I'd happily 300 baht to be fast-tracked if the queue was really long!

[DFPhuket]

Last week, I met two female friends in their 50s who arrived in Phuket on Saturday. At the long immigration queue, they were approached by an official offering a “fast track” service for 200 baht each. They paid and saved about 45 minutes in line. They weren’t sure why they were singled out for the "service", but I suspect their appearance suggested they could afford it.

 

I travel in and out of Phuket monthly and only occasionally encounter long queues. When it happens, this "service" creates a financial incentive to keep desks closed, let the queue grow, and offer paid shortcuts.

[kwilco]

1 hour ago, mstevens said:

 

Scam? Sounds like a bargain to me! I'd happily 300 baht to be fast-tracked if the queue was really long!

all the best scams work because the punters don't know it's a scam.

[Watawattana]

Reminds me of a TV show in the UK a few years ago.

 

Watch the first sketch of this... 🤪

 

 

 

[AustinRacing]

Scam may not be the right word. If the officials do it and pocket the money then it’s corruption. If the officials do it as government policy then it’s fine. 

[cracker1]

If you get a receipt, it is not a scam.

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, cracker1 said:

If you get a receipt, it is not a scam.

 

I'm quite sure the definition of scam has nothing to do with a receipt... 

 

"I have a bridge for sale and can give you a receipt"...   (I think that makes the point). 

 

 

As Kwilco pointed out - IF the 'faster lanes' are kept clear for Immigration Officers to allow fee paying travellers a 'faster track' - then this is at the cost of 'all other travellers' as their lanes are kept slower. 

If this is not and official policy and instead a 'locally employed tactic' for the Immi officers to make extra money, as pointed out by Austin, its not quite a 'scam', but is most definitely corruption. 

[Nick Carter icp]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

I'm quite sure the definition of scam has nothing to do with a receipt... 

 

"I have a bridge for sale and can give you a receipt"...   (I think that makes the point). 

 

 

As Kwilco pointed out - IF the 'faster lanes' are kept clear for Immigration Officers to allow fee paying travellers a 'faster track' - then this is at the cost of 'all other travellers' as their lanes are kept slower. 

If this is not and official policy and instead a 'locally employed tactic' for the Immi officers to make extra money, as pointed out by Austin, its not quite a 'scam', but is most definitely corruption. 

 

    Not necessarily corruption , Immigration could use the money to employ more immigration officers .

   People pay 300 Baht for quick service

   Thais get employed .

   Non paying people get quicker service .

Everyone's a winner , 

[mancub]

24 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

    Not necessarily corruption , Immigration could use the money to employ more immigration officers .

   People pay 300 Baht for quick service

   Thais get employed .

   Non paying people get quicker service .

Everyone's a winner , 

Err. hope you're saying this tongue-in-cheek, as. apart from the obvious, it's a completely flawed logic !

[Nick Carter icp]

7 minutes ago, mancub said:

Err. hope you're saying this tongue-in-cheek, as. apart from the obvious, it's a completely flawed logic !

 

   I was serious , why is it flawed logic ?

[harryviking]

LOL! Phuket is all a SCAM!!!

[norsurin]

One time i arrived Bangkok it was many people in the passport control.I though this would take long time.Suddently a officer came to me and told me to follow him.I get stressed but for some reason he took me to the thai passportholders que.That took only 15 minutes and i was happy.

I asked him why and he just smiled.

[biggles45]

Immig at BKK does have 'priority' lines for certain classes, eg families with kids, disabled and those 70+. Perhaps the helpful immig officer thought you were a senior? 

[black tabby12345]

22 hours ago, kwilco said:

I hear that if you pay 300 baht you can get fast tracked avoiding the long queues at arrivals? 

 

I have heard of the similar tale 15 years ago(in Chiang Mai).

Some of the immigration cops offered the Backdoor Deal(related to the extension of retirement O) to 1st world foreigners.

What he said is, 400B hassle free visa extension. No documents(other than valid passport)/questions asked...

 

I, personally have never met any such man.

Another tenant of the apartment talked about it to me.

[norfolkandchance]

11 hours ago, Regyai said:

God wouldnt have made you sheep......

Calvera. 

[richard_smith237]

2 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

I'm quite sure the definition of scam has nothing to do with a receipt... 

 

"I have a bridge for sale and can give you a receipt"...   (I think that makes the point). 

 

 

As Kwilco pointed out - IF the 'faster lanes' are kept clear for Immigration Officers to allow fee paying travellers a 'faster track' - then this is at the cost of 'all other travellers' as their lanes are kept slower. 

If this is not and official policy and instead a 'locally employed tactic' for the Immi officers to make extra money, as pointed out by Austin, its not quite a 'scam', but is most definitely corruption. 

 

    Not necessarily corruption , Immigration could use the money to employ more immigration officers .

   People pay 300 Baht for quick service

   Thais get employed .

   Non paying people get quicker service .

Everyone's a winner , 

 

You think the 'extra money is used to employ extra immigration officers and not to fund the hole in their pocket ???    

 

Unless its an official Policy where the funds can be traced to an official account etc - with posters etc offering the 'fast track for 300 baht' for all arrivals.... 

... and of course, not eating into the 'Fast Track' lanes of business class passengers.

 

 

IMO - this 300 baht fast track offer is lining the pockets of a handful of officers - thats just the way these guys work, anything to make extra money.

 

 

[Nick Carter icp]

35 minutes ago, black tabby12345 said:

 

I have heard of the similar tale 15 years ago(in Chiang Mai).

Some of the immigration cops offered the Backdoor Deal(related to the extension of retirement O) to 1st world foreigners.

What he said is, 400B hassle free visa extension. No documents(other than valid passport)/questions asked...

 

I, personally have never met any such man.

Another tenant of the apartment talked about it to me.

 

   That still happens , that "man" is now called an agent who processes your application 

[PingRoundTheWorld]

23 hours ago, kwilco said:

I hear that if you pay 300 baht you can get fast tracked avoiding the long queues at arrivals? 

Corruption? possibly. Scam? no. Sounds like an excellent price for the "service" actually.

[mancub]

3 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   I was serious , why is it flawed logic ?

Well, If there are more officers. there would be less queuing, and no need any longer for the Bt 300 fast-track. So no money to pay for those extra staff !

[portisaacozzy]

On 10/11/2024 at 3:19 PM, kwilco said:

I hear that if you pay 300 baht you can get fast tracked avoiding the long queues at arrivals? 

get a wheel chair 

[Nick Carter icp]

10 minutes ago, mancub said:

Well, If there are more officers. there would be less queuing, and no need any longer for the Bt 300 fast-track. So no money to pay for those extra staff !

 

  I doubt whether a few more immigration officers servicing the 300 Baht payers would make so much difference that there no queues anymore

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, black tabby12345 said:

 

I have heard of the similar tale 15 years ago(in Chiang Mai).

Some of the immigration cops offered the Backdoor Deal(related to the extension of retirement O) to 1st world foreigners.

What he said is, 400B hassle free visa extension. No documents(other than valid passport)/questions asked...

 

I, personally have never met any such man.

Another tenant of the apartment talked about it to me.

15-year old hearsay...must be true.

[baansgr]

A service being offered at a reasonable cost for those that wish to take advantage. Price and service offered is clearly stated, so not a scam. For those cheap Charlies that have a chip on their shoulder about how Thailand works, just stand in the queue and wait your turn, isnt travelling about experiencing other cultures, or do you want to impose yours on Thailand?

[kwilco]

1 hour ago, PingRoundTheWorld said:

Corruption? possibly. Scam? no. Sounds like an excellent price for the "service" actually.

Yes maybe everybody who benefits loves corruption - - and 60% of Thai people reckon that this sort of thing "oils wheels of government" - but I'd wager that the money from this is not going into government coffers - more likely there is a share out amongst some people there. the Thai system of government and "civil service" (a misnomer) is particularly open to this sort of thing.

 

THere is a potential problem here - if this "scam" was found out  to be unofficial, ten they could argue that any immigration stamps issued under this system were invalid.

[kwilco]

1 minute ago, baansgr said:

Price and service offered is clearly stated, so not a scam.

or just bare-faced?