Is this a scam at Phuket arrivals?

[baansgr]

Just now, kwilco said:

or just bare-faced?

Price and service offered is clearly stated, so not a scam..It's easy really if you don't like it, don't pay it, or better still don't even come here...feck me...5 minutes of the plane and Johnny foreigner is trying to dictate the rules... unbelievable 

[kwilco]

It's not out of character....

Recent corruption scandals involving the Thai police and immigration authorities have been making headlines, particularly regarding their involvement with Chinese criminal syndicates and other illegal activities. One case involves over 80 immigration police officers, including three generals, who were accused of facilitating the entry and stay of about 5,000 Chinese nationals,. It seems many were tied to criminal activities e.g.  triad operations.

The officers were allegedly issuing illegal visas in exchange for bribes, enabling the Chinese nationals to engage in illegal businesses in Thailand, particularly in the Northeast and North regions. The scheme has been linked to criminal kingpins like Chaiyanat "Tuhao" Kornchayanant, a Chinese businessman who became a Thai citizen and was later arrested

Scandals have led to a major crisis of confidence in  Police and Immigration. Investigations are continuing as ever,the involvement of senior officials suggests the scale of  corruption and the challenge of reforming the authorites.

[mancub]

42 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

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

It won't , but "a few more " makes it a futile exercise and hardly a "win- win " then, as you state .

[kwilco]

27 minutes ago, baansgr said:

Price and service offered is clearly stated, so not a scam..It's easy really if you don't like it, don't pay it, or better still don't even come here...feck me...5 minutes of the plane and Johnny foreigner is trying to dictate the rules... unbelievable 

you are just posting jibberish and false assumptions - I think you are trying to cover your ignorance with cynicism and false assumptions,,,,but not very well

[Nick Carter icp]

1 hour ago, mancub said:

It won't , but "a few more " makes it a futile exercise and hardly a "win- win " then, as you state .

 

   That would depend on how many people take up the offer , hire as many new I.O as required 

[kwilco]

4 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   That would depend on how many people take up the offer , hire as many new I.O as required 

A dozen or so gates at immigration - if you take an officer or 2 off that the queue are 10% longer.

I think it's more likely they are doing during a break or off duty.

[ChipButty]

All scams start at the airports, 

[baansgr]

1 hour ago, kwilco said:

you are just posting jibberish and false assumptions - I think you are trying to cover your ignorance with cynicism and false assumptions,,,,but not very well

I bet you're great fun at parties telling everyone how great Tucson or Dallas is in the US...try travelling a bit more, you may understand to learn from and treat other people's cultures with a bit more respect, just a heads up

[OneMoreFarang]

11 hours ago, DFPhuket said:

“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.

 

How does someone look like who can afford 200B?

I want to make sure I dress correctly next time I come to Phuket.

 

 

[Regyai]

5 hours ago, norfolkandchance said:

Calvera. 

 

Correctomundo - Give that man a kewpie doll 

[kwilco]

1 hour ago, baansgr said:

I bet you're great fun at parties telling everyone how great Tucson or Dallas is in the US...try travelling a bit more, you may understand to learn from and treat other people's cultures with a bit more respect, just a heads up

A hallmark of someone with nothing to say is "I bet you're great fun at parties " - 

How are you now trying to connect my travelling (about which you know nothing) or my behaviour at parties with the topic in hand. You are just showing everyone how daft you are.

I suspect you are the kind of drunk that goes to parties and doesn't understand what anyone is saying - so you just laugh in the wrong places and everyone stares - 

[baansgr]

8 hours ago, kwilco said:

A hallmark of someone with nothing to say is "I bet you're great fun at parties " - 

How are you now trying to connect my travelling (about which you know nothing) or my behaviour at parties with the topic in hand. You are just showing everyone how daft you are.

I suspect you are the kind of drunk that goes to parties and doesn't understand what anyone is saying - so you just laugh in the wrong places and everyone stares - 

Read your posts...you call a scam when it clearly isn't and then start trying to change the whole immigration system...it's Thailand Buddy, embrace the corruption and all Thailands quirks, because that is how it is here. I really don't understand people like you, nobody forced you to come here and nobody is forcing you to stay, just go somewhere else if you don't like it. Maybe your find a party where someone will listen and talk to you

[georgegeorgia]

10 hours ago, baansgr said:

I bet you're great fun at parties telling everyone how great Tucson or Dallas is in the US...try travelling a bit more, you may understand to learn from and treat other people's cultures with a bit more respect, just a heads up

And  you Sir ( sorry if thats not your pronoun ) are telling people how great Alice Springs is  

 

[baansgr]

1 hour ago, georgegeorgia said:

And  you Sir ( sorry if thats not your pronoun ) are telling people how great Alice Springs is  

 

"That's a. Real cow of a town" Alice 😊 

[Celsius]

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? 

 

Does it make you upset you poor thing?

[georgegeorgia]

3 hours ago, baansgr said:

"That's a. Real cow of a town" Alice 😊 

Lol...I love you 

[richard_smith237]

16 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   That would depend on how many people take up the offer , hire as many new I.O as required 

 

Of course - thats the simple solution to keep the 'immigration counters full.

 

There was an article a year ago on hear following yet more reports of complaints about long immigration queues which have been going on for decades...

 

... With Immigration stating that it takes too long to hire and train the staff to man the immigration counters..     the same excuses have been used for a long time now - If they wanted to resolve the long immigration queues - they would have been resolved with more staff years ago... its not a sudden issue or sudden or a new demand.

 

I suspect Immigration have been playing a game for a long time...  Expecting some 'increased funding from AOT' and then they'll supply more officers to man the counters, in the meantime their attitude is 'people can wait, not our problem' !!! 

 

 

But, a few industrious officers may see the 'opportunity' to make some extra on the side.

 

 

 

 

 

[kwilco]

8 hours ago, Celsius said:

 

Does it make you upset you poor thing?

what an utterly facile comment.

[kwilco]

9 hours ago, baansgr said:

Read your posts...you call a scam when it clearly isn't and then start trying to change the whole immigration system...it's Thailand Buddy, embrace the corruption and all Thailands quirks, because that is how it is here. I really don't understand people like you, nobody forced you to come here and nobody is forcing you to stay, just go somewhere else if you don't like it. Maybe your find a party where someone will listen and talk to you

...and the con continues - you are a putz!

[kwilco]

I think people should bear in mind that if this is not an official operation, there entry stamps my be invalid.

[geisha]

On 10/12/2024 at 8:29 AM, richard_smith237 said:

 

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.

 

 

No, in the past in Phuket but mostly BKK I’ve taken fast track options dozens of times. I’d apply online to the company, they meet you as you leave the plane, walk you through passport check  which is a separate lane closed off from the huge queues, and used by airport staff , crew, and the over 70s. Then they take you to the baggage belt. Extra option is a buggy, or/ and a airport limo. I don’t know if this still exists as I’m now over 70 and can use that lane freely. 

[kwilco]

1 hour ago, geisha said:

No, in the past in Phuket but mostly BKK I’ve taken fast track options dozens of times. I’d apply online to the company, they meet you as you leave the plane, walk you through passport check  which is a separate lane closed off from the huge queues, and used by airport staff , crew, and the over 70s. Then they take you to the baggage belt. Extra option is a buggy, or/ and a airport limo. I don’t know if this still exists as I’m now over 70 and can use that lane freely. 

None of which appears to be happening at Phuket.

[richard_smith237]

7 hours ago, geisha said:

No, in the past in Phuket but mostly BKK I’ve taken fast track options dozens of times. I’d apply online to the company, they meet you as you leave the plane, walk you through passport check  which is a separate lane closed off from the huge queues, and used by airport staff , crew, and the over 70s. Then they take you to the baggage belt. Extra option is a buggy, or/ and a airport limo. I don’t know if this still exists as I’m now over 70 and can use that lane freely. 

 

I think the Immigration officers were in cahoots with some websites and ended up getting a rollocking for the corruption..   

 

Then the BiB announced all such 'services were a scam - lots of face saving going on.

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1323497-immigration-says-“fast-track-service-at-bangkok-airports”-are-fakes/

 

Ultimately, its corruption...   companies paying Immigration a cut so their customers can use the 'fast track lanes'....      (more on that below).

 

https://www.thailand-business-news.com/travel/72285-airports-of-thailand-denies-premium-lane-cards-corruption-scheme

 

 

A perfect example of how Thailand operates...  someone in a position of relative authority sees an opportunity...  so long as everyone gets their cut, everyone is happy....   

 

.... Except the other waiting passengers who end up in longer lines as the 'fast track lanes' get busier with paying 'fast trackers' and they add another 'fast track lane' which eats into the regular lanes.... 

 

 

 

 

[kwilco]

On 10/12/2024 at 4:21 AM, cracker1 said:

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

you really are gullible!

 

[couchpotato]

On 10/11/2024 at 6:34 PM, kwilco said:

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.

You must be a real peach of a guy to live with.🙄

[digbeth]

business and first class passengers do get fast track included with their tickets, so there must be a way for legitimate business to buy fast track access for their customers

 

Does AOT ensure that it is givent out correctly? that's up to them to audit the reciepts but i'd be hard if the fast track is the same as over 70/thai nationals queue and there's discretion from the guy at the barricade involved, who knows if you 'tipped' him and he deemed you are over 70s 

 

if the main queue are being slowed down, left understaffed on purpose to force people to pay and access the priority lanes then there's public interest to complain about

[kwilco]

On 10/11/2024 at 10:01 AM, Upnotover said:

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

If your entry stamp isn't valid, then it's a scam.

[Upnotover]

2 minutes ago, kwilco said:

If your entry stamp isn't valid, then it's a scam.

Are you suggesting that the IO's offering this "service" are not real and people are entering the country on fake stamps?  Bizarre.

[kwilco]

2 hours ago, Upnotover said:

Are you suggesting that the IO's offering this "service" are not real and people are entering the country on fake stamps?  Bizarre.

A few years ago, an acquaintance had a nice arrangement with an immigration officer who instead of doing visa runs stamped his passport for him. Turned out he was not allowed to use that stamp - so  on a visit to immigration he was arrested and locked up for abo9uot 4 days told to stay in the country until it came to court - which took months -he was than fined and allowed to go home.

If the stamps - even though correct are issued unofficially then they could be deemed invalid. THe stamp can be "real" but if the officer issuing it is not entitled to than all those stamps could be invalid.

Edited October 15 by kwilco

[treetops]

If the price mentioned in the OP is accurate I would think it's just a person or people working a side hustle.  AFAIK the only "official" escort system at Phuket is offered by Coral and has a starting price of 1,400 baht but may also include the use of an arrivals lounge.