Forced to book a hotel on the spot

[Saigon]

Hi all,

 

This is exactly what happened to me at the Thai land crossing in Cheng Mek the other day, and that was a dialog I had to have with the IO (female).

 

IO: What did you do when you last stayed in Thailand for a few months last year?

 

Me: I travelled and saw my friends.

 

IO: How long are you staying in Thailand this time?

 

Me: 30 days. (I put '30 days' in the 'Length of stay' column in the immigration card before handing it over to her!) 

 

IO: What are you doing?

 

Me: I'll have to renew my passport in Bangkok now. They say that the process will take about 3 weeks.

 

IO: Do you have a flight ticket back to your home country from Thailand already?

 

Me: No, I'm going back to Vietnam after I've got my new passport.

 

IO: Do you have a flight ticket to Vietnam from Thailand already?

 

Me: No, I'm going back there by land. (I know it'd be better to fly out with both the new & old passpors, though.)

 

IO: Did you book a hotel room in Bangkok already?

 

Me: No, not yet.

 

IO: You must book a room in Bangkok and show me the booking confirmation right now!

 

And I ended up having to book a room in Bangkok right on the spot.

 

That wasn't a back-to-back border bounce at all and I last left Thailand almost a half year ago and was my 1st visit to the kingdom of the year.

 

Please beware!

[DrJack54]

51 minutes ago, Saigon said:

And I ended up having to book a room in Bangkok right on the spot.

So you booked a room that you could cancel without penalty and then allowed to enter Thailand. 

From memory didn't you spend many years in Thailand with a Non B? 

Perhaps io was suspicious. 

[Upnotover]

I'll be at Chong Mek tomorrow morning, I'll look out for her!

[DrJack54]

11 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

I'll be at Chong Mek tomorrow morning, I'll look out for her!

Positive reports at end of attached thread.

Please update with your experience.

https://aseannow.com/topic/1347203-chong-mek-border-bounce-any-one-done-this-bounce-lately/

[Saigon]

I wasn't even able to cancel it because it was too soon, but I booked the damn cheapest room I could find in BKK so No Wuckers! haha..

 

I have a few question now. Does the IO have the right to force me to book a room on the spot before they let me in? And does the IO have the right to deny me entry into Thailand if I refuse to book a room on the spot? I got really surprised when that IO asked me if I had booked my flight back home yet, though.

 

The Immigration at Chong Mek was so busy when I got there in the Lao-Thai international bus that there was 1 officer ushering the passengers into each of the 3 immigration booths available at the time, so I wasn't even able to choose which one to proceed to. That IO did look MALE to me at first, but later on turned out to be FEMALE as I got closer to HER.

 

PS Apparently all the Thai & Lao people had to give Tea Money to the IOs on the Lao side but I didn't. They might ask you for that if you should go through there at the weekend as overtime fee, so please beware! Good luck!

[Harrisfan]

5 minutes ago, Saigon said:

I wasn't even able to cancel it because it was too soon, but I booked the damn cheapest room I could find in BKK so No Wuckers! haha..

 

I have a few question now. Does the IO have the right to force me to book a room on the spot before they let me in? And does the IO have the right to deny me entry into Thailand if I refuse to book a room on the spot? I got really surprised when that IO asked me if I had booked my flight back home yet, though.

 

The Immigration at Chong Mek was so busy when I got there in the Lao-Thai international bus that there was 1 officer ushering the passengers into each of the 3 immigration booths available at the time, so I wasn't even able to choose which one to proceed to. That IO did look MALE to me at first, but later on turned out to be FEMALE as I got closer to HER.

 

PS Apparently all the Thai & Lao people had to give Tea Money to the IOs on the Lao side but I didn't. They might ask you for that if you should go through there at the weekend as overtime fee, so please beware! Good luck!

Plenty of hotels offer no card to book.

[A1Str8]

Since she's a female you should have had some chocolate or candy in your pockets. She would have let you go. 

[Saigon]

Yes, I've lived in Thailand on Non-B for years, but have spent most of my time in Vietnam for the last few years now, so I didn't even know why that IO felt suspicious of me. Yes, she did sound rude and arrogant to me at first but had a big smile on her face when she gave my passport back to me in the end! I could see how stressful it must of been to her, even though it was her job. I'm going back to Vietnam with my new passport anyway!

 

PS  I didn't even know that there would be some hotels that let you cancel your booking with a penalty even if you did at the last minute.

[chondan]

A friend of mine traveled to airport in BK from USA and was going to VN same day.  The women IO asked what phone he had.  He told her he doesn't like phones and he has not had one for over 10 years.  She got very upset and stapled a note in Thai in his passport.  He can read Thai.  It said "Do not allow this farang back in Thailand if he does not have a phone."  He bought a cheap phone in VN.  When he flew back to Bangkok the IO asked to see his phone.  He showed it to them.  He laughed cause it did not even have a sim card.  It just lite up saying no sim.  He tried to sell it in Bangkok but no shop would buy it.  He threw it in the garbage can outside the the shop.

[BrandonJT]

54 minutes ago, Saigon said:

I have a few question now. Does the IO have the right to force me to book a room on the spot before they let me in? And does the IO have the right to deny me entry into Thailand if I refuse to book a room on the spot? I got really surprised when that IO asked me if I had booked my flight back home yet, though.

All entries to Thailand (and any country for that matter) are at the discretion of the immigration officers at border control.  They can deny you entry if they want for whatever reason, it's at their discretion.

 

There are 3 requirements to enter as a tourist, but not often asked for:
1) Proof of funds (20,000 baht in cash or equivalent in another major currency)

2) Proof of onward travel (a ticket out of Thailand within the number of days you'll be stamped in for, not counting any potential extensions)

3) Proof of lodging (most often a hotel booking for the first few nights)

[Jack1988]

Always this female immigration. Nothing new. I always use immigration male and never had these kinds of problems

[Caldera]

8 hours ago, Saigon said:

Does the IO have the right to force me to book a room on the spot before they let me in? And does the IO have the right to deny me entry into Thailand if I refuse to book a room on the spot?

 

Yes. Entering visa exempt, you're required to be able to show the following if you are asked for it:

 

Cash (10,000 baht)

Accommodation

Ticket out of Thailand

 

Being asked for any of that is quite rare. Maybe the IO wasn't satisfied with whatever you wrote in the "Address in Thailand" field of the arrival card. Or maybe she thought, as you didn't have a ticket out, that at least you should show "something".