Mae Sai/Tachilek Border Info

[boomerangutang]

No, no problems, a few people were refused VIP passes (a permit for leaving the country without a passport) last year but business as usual otherwise.

'a few'? You know how many? It could have averaged dozens a day for 3 months. Some of those folks may have come long distances to cross over, and were let down.

More dire was the change of policy re; 30 day entry voa's or whatever they're called. Most people assumed 30 days meant 30 days, but when they get to the border, they find it meant closer to 13 days. Those same folks are then compelled to go to another office to pay a high price for a visa. Many folks travel long distances with the plan to renew their voa near the end of the their 30 days (it's actually 29 days). Then, instead of getting a free renewal, which has been a policy for decades, they get an expensive surprise, and nothing they can say or do can change the scenario. Perhaps things are a bit fairer now. We'll see. Everyone reading this has probably had multiple 2-week extentions - transacted on the last day of their respective voa's. All of a sudden, Thai immigration changes the rule, and thousands of tourists are then compelled to comply by paying close to $100 each. It also affects their travel plans which likely translates to less days spent in Thailand. In sum, it was an easy way for Imm to bring in a lot more farang money, while also turning thousands of people off to visiting Thailand.

Edited February 7, 2016 by boomerangutang

[sceadugenga]

As I said, it was always a privilege, not a right, and when privileges are abused they are taken away.

Agreed, I don't know how many were refused and I'm not about to try to prove a negative, I would be surprised if it was a lot because I doubt that many were even aware of it's existence, I've never seen it mentioned other than in this Chiang Rai forum.

[boomerangutang]

Update re; border crossing: I spoke for several minutes with a Thai woman official there. She started by saying no VIP passes, period. After speaking awhile, she admitted that groups are allowed to cross for day-only, but only if they have a Thai guide (I assume that means a certified Thai guide, and not just a Thai person who says he/she's a guide). Most big groups that go over for short visits are Chinese, so that rule must be tailor-made for them.

It's yet another non-sensible, unannounced rule plastered in place by the subjective crew who control the Thai side of the border. Why is a guide needed to wander around the market by the bridge? Are we 3-year-olds? I know more about Tachilek than any 200 Thai guides combined, but that's not the issue. It's about control and money. Bureaucrats creed: If we can control it, we will restrict it, to the 10th degree. And if there's added money to be made, under or over the table, fine.

The cattle chute at the entryway into Thailand is narrower than before. They halved the passage space from 3ft to 1.5ft. In the several minutes I was there, farang were tripping over baggage and each other, trying to maneuver to negotiate the tiny windows where eye contact is not possible, unless a person squats down with their butt pressed against the metal divider grate. It's impersonal to the 10th degree. Similar, but not quite as ridiculous, as the modified entry kiosk on the west side.

[boomerangutang]

As I said, it was always a privilege, not a right, and when privileges are abused they are taken away.

Agreed, I don't know how many were refused and I'm not about to try to prove a negative, I would be surprised if it was a lot because I doubt that many were even aware of it's existence, I've never seen it mentioned other than in this Chiang Rai forum.

Who abused the 'privilege'? .....of paying an added Bt.100 on the Thai side, for hanging out for a short while in Tachilek? How can that be 'abused?' I don't think it's a privilege, any more than allowing people to enter a park and look at the nice trees.

It's not 'proving a negative' (look up the definition). We're just bandying around numbers. You think it was just a few people were inconvenienced, and I think it was more like a few hundred (maybe thousands). Of the 10 or so people I know who were refused a day-pass, all were very disappointed. Maybe that brings some sort of inner glee to Thai Imm (it cements their control over farang) ...or to some posters herein.

If anyone has a good reason for Thai authorities to restrict day trips to only Chinese groups, while denying it to all other non-Thais, please mention it.

Edited February 9, 2016 by boomerangutang

[villagefarang]

Paranoia driven conspiracy theories make for great Hollywood storylines but don’t play that well in real life. I have never had a bad experience with Thai Immigration and feel very uncomfortable when I read derogatory comments about their supposed actions and motivations.

[luke000]

As I said, it was always a privilege, not a right, and when privileges are abused they are taken away.

Agreed, I don't know how many were refused and I'm not about to try to prove a negative, I would be surprised if it was a lot because I doubt that many were even aware of it's existence, I've never seen it mentioned other than in this Chiang Rai forum.

Who abused the 'privilege'? .....of paying an added Bt.100 on the Thai side, for hanging out for a short while in Tachilek? How can that be 'abused?' I don't think it's a privilege, any more than allowing people to enter a park and look at the nice trees.

It's not 'proving a negative' (look up the definition). We're just bandying around numbers. You think it was just a few people were inconvenienced, and I think it was more like a few hundred (maybe thousands). Of the 10 or so people I know who were refused a day-pass, all were very disappointed. Maybe that brings some sort of inner glee to Thai Imm (it cements their control over farang) ...or to some posters herein.

If anyone has a good reason for Thai authorities to restrict day trips to only Chinese groups, while denying it to all other non-Thais, please mention it.

HHHmmm. You want to leave a one Country and enter another and then leave that Country and then come back again, without using your passport to get stamped in or out?

[boomerangutang]

Paranoia driven conspiracy theories make for great Hollywood storylines but don’t play that well in real life. I have never had a bad experience with Thai Immigration and feel very uncomfortable when I read derogatory comments about their supposed actions and motivations.

You've probably never been mugged in Chicago either, but does that render every report of a mugging in Chicago a paranoid conspiracy theory? What I reported about the MS/Tachilek border crossing is what was told to me by a uniformed on-duty Thai Immigration authority. What's conspiracy theory about that? When you get over your shrill finger-pointing, please tell us what, in my post, is not true.

As for 'derogatory.' If I report that immigration lines are long at an airport, is that derogatory? You're so eager and quick to try to defend everything Thai that you wind up sounding silly. If a Thai person points out a problem with Thai officialdom, you'll think that's fine. If a farang points out the same problem, you'll jump up and down shouting 'derogatory conspiracy theory!!!'

[boomerangutang]

As I said, it was always a privilege, not a right, and when privileges are abused they are taken away.

Agreed, I don't know how many were refused and I'm not about to try to prove a negative, I would be surprised if it was a lot because I doubt that many were even aware of it's existence, I've never seen it mentioned other than in this Chiang Rai forum.

Who abused the 'privilege'? .....of paying an added Bt.100 on the Thai side, for hanging out for a short while in Tachilek? How can that be 'abused?' I don't think it's a privilege, any more than allowing people to enter a park and look at the nice trees.

It's not 'proving a negative' (look up the definition). We're just bandying around numbers. You think it was just a few people were inconvenienced, and I think it was more like a few hundred (maybe thousands). Of the 10 or so people I know who were refused a day-pass, all were very disappointed. Maybe that brings some sort of inner glee to Thai Imm (it cements their control over farang) ...or to some posters herein.

If anyone has a good reason for Thai authorities to restrict day trips to only Chinese groups, while denying it to all other non-Thais, please mention it.

HHHmmm. You want to leave a one Country and enter another and then leave that Country and then come back again, without using your passport to get stamped in or out?

It's been an on-going option for years at the border we're referring to. It's a hassle-free policy for people to walk a hundred meters over the bridge and mill around the large tourist market on the Tachilek side. It's good for tourists and good for vendors. Tourists get a little exposure to Burma, buy a few trinkets, sample some Burmese food. It's win-win. The policy changed in recent months. For several months, Thai-side officials said it was no longer available. It was a blanket statement, no ifs ands or buts. Now I find they weren't telling the truth. Well, I suspected they weren't all along, when I saw many Asian tourists going over and enjoying the market in Tachilek. Now I find the real policy is and has been: Allow day trips to foreigners, but mostly just to Asian groups, who also happen to have a Thai minder.

I'm still asking the question: Why the restrictions? Some possible answers:

>>> If employs a Thai guide. In reality, who really needs a Thai guide to stroll around a Burmese market? Ok, maybe Chinese groups do, but fine, if that's they're choice. They can employ one guide per tourist if they want to. But why should that restriction apply to everyone?

>>> Here's a statement from a Thai official to a farang who was not allowed to cross over for a day trip in November. The farang was sorely annoyed, but that didn't matter to the official (who was chuckling). The reason given by the official: "why you go buy things in B'ma? You can buy same here in Mae Sai."

>>> In their zeal to bend over backwards to please the Chinese, Thai officialdom wants to accommodate their tour groups in every way possible. Boomer's response: that's ok, but should that policy include discriminating against and inconveniencing non-Asian tourists?

[luke000]

As I said, it was always a privilege, not a right, and when privileges are abused they are taken away.

Agreed, I don't know how many were refused and I'm not about to try to prove a negative, I would be surprised if it was a lot because I doubt that many were even aware of it's existence, I've never seen it mentioned other than in this Chiang Rai forum.

Who abused the 'privilege'? .....of paying an added Bt.100 on the Thai side, for hanging out for a short while in Tachilek? How can that be 'abused?' I don't think it's a privilege, any more than allowing people to enter a park and look at the nice trees.

It's not 'proving a negative' (look up the definition). We're just bandying around numbers. You think it was just a few people were inconvenienced, and I think it was more like a few hundred (maybe thousands). Of the 10 or so people I know who were refused a day-pass, all were very disappointed. Maybe that brings some sort of inner glee to Thai Imm (it cements their control over farang) ...or to some posters herein.

If anyone has a good reason for Thai authorities to restrict day trips to only Chinese groups, while denying it to all other non-Thais, please mention it.

The ceasement of allowing people to do visa runs at Maesai was well publisised and months in advance, immigration began numbering the VES and telling people to not come back to Maesai and to get a proper visa from an Embassy .

People who went to Maedsai regulary were told monthd in advance that they soon wont be able to do it

If you have a Thai visa that allows you to re enter Thailand, you can still use Maesai to renew it, you just cannot use Maeasi to get endless Visa exempt stamps

[luke000]

As I said, it was always a privilege, not a right, and when privileges are abused they are taken away.

Agreed, I don't know how many were refused and I'm not about to try to prove a negative, I would be surprised if it was a lot because I doubt that many were even aware of it's existence, I've never seen it mentioned other than in this Chiang Rai forum.

Who abused the 'privilege'? .....of paying an added Bt.100 on the Thai side, for hanging out for a short while in Tachilek? How can that be 'abused?' I don't think it's a privilege, any more than allowing people to enter a park and look at the nice trees.

It's not 'proving a negative' (look up the definition). We're just bandying around numbers. You think it was just a few people were inconvenienced, and I think it was more like a few hundred (maybe thousands). Of the 10 or so people I know who were refused a day-pass, all were very disappointed. Maybe that brings some sort of inner glee to Thai Imm (it cements their control over farang) ...or to some posters herein.

If anyone has a good reason for Thai authorities to restrict day trips to only Chinese groups, while denying it to all other non-Thais, please mention it.

HHHmmm. You want to leave a one Country and enter another and then leave that Country and then come back again, without using your passport to get stamped in or out?

It's been an on-going option for years at the border we're referring to. It's a hassle-free policy for people to walk a hundred meters over the bridge and mill around the large tourist market on the Tachilek side. It's good for tourists and good for vendors. Tourists get a little exposure to Burma, buy a few trinkets, sample some Burmese food. It's win-win. The policy changed in recent months. For several months, Thai-side officials said it was no longer available. It was a blanket statement, no ifs ands or buts. Now I find they weren't telling the truth. Well, I suspected they weren't all along, when I saw many Asian tourists going over and enjoying the market in Tachilek. Now I find the real policy is and has been: Allow day trips to foreigners, but mostly just to Asian groups, who also happen to have a Thai minder.

I'm still asking the question: Why the restrictions? Some possible answers:

>>> If employs a Thai guide. In reality, who really needs a Thai guide to stroll around a Burmese market? Ok, maybe Chinese groups do, but fine, if that's they're choice. They can employ one guide per tourist if they want to. But why should that restriction apply to everyone?

>>> Here's a statement from a Thai official to a farang who was not allowed to cross over for a day trip in November. The farang was sorely annoyed, but that didn't matter to the official (who was chuckling). The reason given by the official: "why you go buy things in B'ma? You can buy same here in Mae Sai."

>>> In their zeal to bend over backwards to please the Chinese, Thai officialdom wants to accommodate their tour groups in every way possible. Boomer's response: that's ok, but should that policy include discriminating against and inconveniencing non-Asian tourists?

I think that you are getting confused, it has never been allowed for felangs to leave Maesai without getting stamped out. Why would a person go to Maesai to do a visa run if their visa was exactly the same as before they went and their visa didnt get extended.

At Tachilek, you leave your passport at the immigration office and get a piece of paper , but this is just to make sure that you leave via Tachilek .

If youve been to Tachilek so many times, why would you want to go there again, if it wasnt to renew your Thai Visa?

[boomerangutang]

As I said, it was always a privilege, not a right, and when privileges are abused they are taken away.

Agreed, I don't know how many were refused and I'm not about to try to prove a negative, I would be surprised if it was a lot because I doubt that many were even aware of it's existence, I've never seen it mentioned other than in this Chiang Rai forum.

Who abused the 'privilege'? .....of paying an added Bt.100 on the Thai side, for hanging out for a short while in Tachilek? How can that be 'abused?' I don't think it's a privilege, any more than allowing people to enter a park and look at the nice trees.

It's not 'proving a negative' (look up the definition). We're just bandying around numbers. You think it was just a few people were inconvenienced, and I think it was more like a few hundred (maybe thousands). Of the 10 or so people I know who were refused a day-pass, all were very disappointed. Maybe that brings some sort of inner glee to Thai Imm (it cements their control over farang) ...or to some posters herein.

If anyone has a good reason for Thai authorities to restrict day trips to only Chinese groups, while denying it to all other non-Thais, please mention it.

The ceasement of allowing people to do visa runs at Maesai was well publisised and months in advance, immigration began numbering the VES and telling people to not come back to Maesai and to get a proper visa from an Embassy .

People who went to Maedsai regulary were told monthd in advance that they soon wont be able to do it

If you have a Thai visa that allows you to re enter Thailand, you can still use Maesai to renew it, you just cannot use Maeasi to get endless Visa exempt stamps

There are 2 separate issues being discussed here. The one you're addressing above is 'border runs.'

The other one is the day-trips a.k.a. VIP passes. That's what I've been referring to in recent posts herein.

[luke000]

There are 2 separate issues being discussed here. The one you're addressing above is 'border runs.'

The other one is the day-trips a.k.a. VIP passes. That's what I've been referring to in recent posts herein.

I dont think that those VIP day passes were ever legitimate , if they ever were, they arent now.

Why did you want to keep going to Tachilek anyway ?

[boomerangutang]

I think that you are getting confused, it has never been allowed for felangs to leave Maesai without getting stamped out. Why would a person go to Maesai to do a visa run if their visa was exactly the same as before they went and their visa didnt get extended.

At Tachilek, you leave your passport at the immigration office and get a piece of paper , but this is just to make sure that you leave via Tachilek .

If youve been to Tachilek so many times, why would you want to go there again, if it wasnt to renew your Thai Visa?

Again, please see my response above. There are 2 issues being discussed.

As for you closing question: Tachilek is more than just a visa run destination for some people. It's not an exciting town - still doesn't even have a swimming pool. But there are some reasons why people like myself like to go and hang out there. I keep a bicycle there, and also hike the hills surrounding. there are several reasons why I cherish going to Tachilek, most of them re; getting away from Thailand. Similar to the reasons a city person would go to a park to relax. I like the food selections in Tachilek better than what I find in Thailand. The people are friendlier in general, or at least not as put-on (in my estimate) as Thais. I could also find fault with Tachilek (its trashed streams, for example), but you probably don't want to hear about that.

Parting shots: The dogs there aren't as eager to bark, and they don't have Malls and gridlock yet, ....but they will. Tachilek still has some whispers of how Asia used to be. Thailand, on the other hand, is so desperate to try and appear modern, that it's losing its charm, week by week. Burmese are generally more comfortable in being who they are. Thais are always trying to be richer, whiter and more modern.

[Will27]

There are 2 separate issues being discussed here. The one you're addressing above is 'border runs.'

The other one is the day-trips a.k.a. VIP passes. That's what I've been referring to in recent posts herein.

I dont think that those VIP day passes were ever legitimate , if they ever were, they arent now.

Why did you want to keep going to Tachilek anyway ?

Ever legitimate?

They were issued by Immigration.

Of course they were legitimate.

Edited February 10, 2016 by Will27

[luke000]

There are 2 separate issues being discussed here. The one you're addressing above is 'border runs.'

The other one is the day-trips a.k.a. VIP passes. That's what I've been referring to in recent posts herein.

I dont think that those VIP day passes were ever legitimate , if they ever were, they arent now.

Why did you want to keep going to Tachilek anyway ?

Ever legitimate?

They were issued by Immigration.

Of course they were legitimate.

O.K. they may have been legitimate, buy they are no longer as of a few years ago

[Will27]

There are 2 separate issues being discussed here. The one you're addressing above is 'border runs.'

The other one is the day-trips a.k.a. VIP passes. That's what I've been referring to in recent posts herein.

I dont think that those VIP day passes were ever legitimate , if they ever were, they arent now.

Why did you want to keep going to Tachilek anyway ?

Ever legitimate?

They were issued by Immigration.

Of course they were legitimate.

O.K. they may have been legitimate, buy they are no longer as of a few years ago

I think you're getting confused.

VIP passes have been issued this year.

[luke000]

There are 2 separate issues being discussed here. The one you're addressing above is 'border runs.'

The other one is the day-trips a.k.a. VIP passes. That's what I've been referring to in recent posts herein.

I dont think that those VIP day passes were ever legitimate , if they ever were, they arent now.

Why did you want to keep going to Tachilek anyway ?

They were issued by Immigration.

Of course they were legitimate.

O.K. they may have been legitimate, buy they are no longer as of a few years ago

I think you're getting confused.

VIP passes have been issued this year.

Most of this page has been speaking about their unavailability .

Tht is what boonrangatang is complaining about, he couldnt get a VIP pass

[villagefarang]

Paranoia driven conspiracy theories make for great Hollywood storylines but don’t play that well in real life. I have never had a bad experience with Thai Immigration and feel very uncomfortable when I read derogatory comments about their supposed actions and motivations.

You've probably never been mugged in Chicago either, but does that render every report of a mugging in Chicago a paranoid conspiracy theory? What I reported about the MS/Tachilek border crossing is what was told to me by a uniformed on-duty Thai Immigration authority. What's conspiracy theory about that? When you get over your shrill finger-pointing, please tell us what, in my post, is not true.

As for 'derogatory.' If I report that immigration lines are long at an airport, is that derogatory? You're so eager and quick to try to defend everything Thai that you wind up sounding silly. If a Thai person points out a problem with Thai officialdom, you'll think that's fine. If a farang points out the same problem, you'll jump up and down shouting 'derogatory conspiracy theory!!!'

Sorry to disappoint but I neither jump up and down nor do I shout or loose my temper. Admittedly I do strongly disagree with almost everything you say but I have never denied you the right to say it. It is not my job to decide what you can say or when you have gone too far. There are people who’s job it is to do that.

I am of the opinion that it is very difficult to extort someone who is not doing something wrong to begin with. I do not think Thais sit around concocting ways to screw foreigners. It is more likely they are trying to protect themselves from being screwed by foreigners who have no respect for their host nation.

I suspect what an immigration officer might say to you may not hold true for everyone. Attitude and reputation often affect the way one is treated by officialdom.

[boomerangutang]

I suspect what an immigration officer might say to you may not hold true for everyone. Attitude and reputation often affect the way one is treated by officialdom.

I suspected that also. Yet the Imm authorities I've spoken with in recent weeks (2 of them) didn't know who I was. They gave me their spin on the situation before they saw my passport. Maybe they have a mug shot of me in their office with a note of warning, I don't know. Is that something you're alluding to?

I've also got info from Thai Imm authorities at that border - which were conveyed via other people. In other words, I get info when I wasn't there in person. That's been 3 times in recent weeks. So in those instances, unless those people were on some sort of 'black list' those farang got the correct info.

Trouble is, Thai Imm authorities have no consistency at the border. I checked back with the farang man who got the VIP pass recently, and he said he was traveling solo. So that contradicts what I was told by Imm authority the other day.

Some people travel long distances to plan their vacations. It's a stone drag if, when they get to the border, their plans are dashed due to the subjective whims of whomever is sitting behind the booth. Thai Imm should make regulations (hopefully reasonable ones), and try to be consistent. Currently they're not. Not by a long shot.

[sceadugenga]

Do you genuinely believe that tour groups are getting blanket VIP passes while individuals are/were being refused?

[boomerangutang]

Do you genuinely believe that tour groups are getting blanket VIP passes while individuals are/were being refused?

Yes. How do you see it?

However, there's the farang man who I spoke with who recently got a VIP pass, who was traveling solo. So that indicates that the policy is not consistent. Some get it, others don't. What's the criteria? Do you know (for sure, or just guessing)? or are we going to hear from those who think it boils down to some sort of farang bad-attitude reason. Or, perhaps how a farang looks, his appearance, his facial expression, his facial hair, age, thickness of hair on his arms, how pointy his nose is, .....? I don't know. Do you?

Let's hear particularly from people with first hand experience.

As for 'tour groups are getting blanket VIP passes' ....that's what the uniformed Imm officer told me. While we were talking, a large group of Chinese were going through to cross the bridge. She couldn't say 'mai dai' any more (as she had been saying to me for several minutes prior) so she had to admit that groups could go over - if accompanied by a Thai (not a Burmese) guide. Yet, that still counters the story of the solo farang which I referred to above.

[sceadugenga]

I used to see tour guides handing over large quantities of passports but at the time was usually doing a VIP myself.

My problem is that I currently have no reason to go to MaeSai and don't feel like making the 100km+ return trip when even if I was granted a VIP pass I doubt it would settle the current discussion to the satisfaction of all here.

[boomerangutang]

people ask me questions on this thread; I answer. Plus, I relate actual events + mine and other peoples' actual experiences at the border. Included are actual events + verbatum conversations with border officials.

I ask questions and get no answers. The only responses are vacuous and subjective accusations based on xenophobic bias. No actual facts re; the border situation.

There's a pattern here in this discussion. Do you see it?

[villagefarang]

Calm down Boomer, I’m sure everyone enjoys your posts on one level or another. Your rants are colorful and entertaining at the very least.

Edited February 12, 2016 by villagefarang

[sceadugenga]

I certainly didn't mean any offence but I'll admit I'd like to see something official about why or why not VIP passes are/are not granted.

I suspect that it has more to do with well connected tour guides than the nationality of the tour groups that they take over the border if they pass unrestricted while others do not.

[boomerangutang]

I certainly didn't mean any offence but I'll admit I'd like to see something official about why or why not VIP passes are/are not granted.

I suspect that it has more to do with well connected tour guides than the nationality of the tour groups that they take over the border if they pass unrestricted while others do not.

Thai Imm dept don't always publish official policy statements. Even if they do, where are you going to read them? In their in-house newsletter written in Thai?

I related several bits of data garnered from uniformed officials at the border. Some of that data was garnered by me, and some gathered by others. You can choose to believe what I shared - or not. Their policies are inconsistent, often hidden, and subjectively meted out.

It's well known that the current self-appointed Thai gov't wants to do everything it can to please Chinese. They prove it every week, with submarine deals or railroad deals, or no-visa agreements, etc. etc. Enabling groups of Chinese to do day trips is just another way that manifests. Unfortunately, the policy is biased, because it's based on a person's physical appearance (ethnic persuasion or whatever). It may also be based on nationality. In other words, all non-Asian tourists are stigmatized by the policy. It's similar to entry at Thai parks. The Thai people minding the kiosks at parks can tell from 10 meters away whether they're going to let the approaching people in for 20 baht or for 200 or 400 baht. It's discrimination and it ain't pretty. There are other drawbacks to such discriminatory policies, but I won't make a list right now.

[boomerangutang]

I've heard from another farang - about 2 farang recently doing VIP day-trips recently. So that further bolsters my assertion that the Thai Imm officers up there are inconsistent. Some people ok to go t hrough, ....others not. So how is the criteria meted out?

>>> based on a person's appearance, demeanor?

>>> depending on who's on duty? How they're feeling that moment about farang? ....like farang? don't like farang?

>>> whether the person has Asian features? Older? Younger? Smiles a lot? Too much facial hair? Yellowish teeth?

>>> something else?

[villagefarang]

Even in the US, whether you are allowed in or not, depends on the immigration officer you encounter. They state very clearly that having a valid visa does not guarantee entry. If you are not on your best behavior and don’t answer questions to the satisfaction of the immigration officer you encounter, you are out of luck.

We all know that appearance and manners are important in Thailand and those who refuse to play along do so at their own peril. Just like any other country, Thailand has the right to refuse entry to anyone they wish.

[luke000]

I've heard from another farang - about 2 farang recently doing VIP day-trips recently. So that further bolsters my assertion that the Thai Imm officers up there are inconsistent. Some people ok to go t hrough, ....others not. So how is the criteria meted out?

>>> based on a person's appearance, demeanor?

>>> depending on who's on duty? How they're feeling that moment about farang? ....like farang? don't like farang?

>>> whether the person has Asian features? Older? Younger? Smiles a lot? Too much facial hair? Yellowish teeth?

>>> something else?

Maybe annoying people are not allowed to get VIP passes ?

[Will27]

Even in the US, whether you are allowed in or not, depends on the immigration officer you encounter. They state very clearly that having a valid visa does not guarantee entry. If you are not on your best behavior and don’t answer questions to the satisfaction of the immigration officer you encounter, you are out of luck.

We all know that appearance and manners are important in Thailand and those who refuse to play along do so at their own peril. Just like any other country, Thailand has the right to refuse entry to anyone they wish.

Yes, but in Australia, and I assume the USA is the same, Immigration officers still have to adhere to legislation and in this case (VIP pass) policy.

Countries state a visa does not guarantee entry in case evidence is found that the person in question intends or has breached visa conditions.

Yes manners are important, but I doubt anyone would be refused entry into Australia and or the US purely because the person failed the attitude test

or was wearing the wrong colour shirt.

It seems to me that getting a VIP pass these days is a bit of a lottery and can be dependent on the sort of day an officer is having, which is not right.

There should be a straight forward policy on these things.

Yes we grant them or no we don't.

Edited February 13, 2016 by Will27