Why Are The Immigration People So Bad Tempered?

[Sarge]

Try going through Australian customs flying in from BKK without a hassle. Rude, obnoxious they think anyone flying in from Thailand is to be treated as an undesirable. Just my run of experiences.

indeed! but not only from people coming from Thailand, just about from any country. You get obnoxious custom officers at Kingsford Smith in Sydney, a most lugubrious airport, low ceiling, cramped, humourless armed officials roaming around with sniffer dogs, lead to double sniff every passengers and THAT double baggage screening bottleneck point, never seen anywhere else in the world. One gets a real feeling of being inside a penal institute, awaiting for detention, which is par for the course. It gave me such bad impression of Australia & Australians, even before I set foot in the open. Never recovered from there. This risk aversion paranoia that grips aussies from birth is bordering on the ludicrous; nowadays once you get past custom at Suvarnabhumi airport, you get another checkpoint (to check for liquid, gel, aerosol) before walking to the assigned gate. Only for flights to Australia you get a further checkpoint, next to your gate entrance, manned by officials who triple checks your bags all over again. No other countries in the worlds demands that from airport officials. So you guys stop moaning about Thai border controls, you have it easy compared to other countries.

Have you ever considered it is to keep the @rseholes out of our great country at a minor inconvenience to those of us, including tourists who want quality people allowed in. If you're not happy with the entry requirements into Australia don't bother coming - you won't be missed.

sure every country has security measures in place to protect for the undesirables, maybe they should all follow Australia's example and give you a taste of your own medicine, see if you like that. In my specific case I was headhunted and offered long business visa and other incentives. After three years, I was also offered an all paid for sponsorship to permanent residency, which I politely declined. So I guess in a small way I'm being missed, at least in my industry. Australia actively sets stalls at job fairs around the world to attract laureates and top business executives to fill in gaps in the job market. What prolly Australia won't miss is people like you who moved abroad. It's Australia gain but Thailand loss.

[Dakhar]

In fairness to the OP, the immigration guys seem a tad constipated, particularly when it is busy. I have always been treated professionally albeit coldly with nary a smile from the males. Maybe I fit the profile of a sex seeker? I will gladly take that over the hostile nastiness I have experienced at LAX. The lady immigration people are downright pleasant and always flash me one of those shy cute smiles at me. Maybe it's a sympathy smile because I am so ugly that they know I can't be coming for sex? The customs guys sometimes ask me if I am carrying booze or smokes and have checked the bag once or twice. Very nice about it and smiling. They have a job to do and that's all.

Big contrast from 1 time at LAX where they went through everything asking if I had porn. I was going to tell them that it was 2007 and that programs like limewire allow one to download porn with no need to carry great DVDs like Sweetpea gets curious in the barnyard.

On the other hand, I was transiting YVR not too long ago and the hefty gal from Canadian Border Services gave me the 3rd degree;

Why was I in Thailand, why have I been making so many trips back and forth, who do I work for. O.K. fair enough as all those trips give the profile of a crook or something. She got intrusive when she asked me who my friends were, and what they did. Seemed heartbroken when I answered pathologist, accountant and not lady that dances on a stage in a bikini.

I get the same & I have no idea why this is. It is almost like I am a magnet for trouble when comming into the US... I swear EVERY time they stop me. I have a zero criminal recored. I have been to countries like Taiwan, China, Singapore & Thaiand... I don't think there are hot spots for surprise. When they ask about porn... I start to laugh.

Seriously, if they want porn I could pull out my i-phone and down load it right there in front of them!

[greenwood0311]

Try going through Australian customs flying in from BKK without a hassle. Rude, obnoxious they think anyone flying in from Thailand is to be treated as an undesirable. Just my run of experiences.

Have been in and out of Perth Airport 4 time going to LOS and had exactly the same problem, especially with the women that serve you. The most miserable bunch of old hags I have had the displeasure to meet.

Went back to to the UK for the 1st time for 25years 18months ago, and was expecting a bad reception, but all was fine. they were very polite, efficient and welcoming

[BWPattaya]

A friend of mine arrived at immigration. She was asked "Where are you going to be saying?" but she could only speak a little bit of the language and was unable to answer. She was taken away to a room and grilled. She was in tears. Her friend who was at the airport waiting for her was called to immigration and put into an adjoining room with a glas partition so they could see each other but they were not allowed to speak to each other.

My friend had vomited down her clothes from sheer terror and the immigration officials would not let her clean herself up. This went on for three hours.

Absolutely disgusting. I am ashamed that this happens to visitors with a valid passport and visa to enter the UK. This was not Bangkok, this was Heathrow. My friend is Thai and had gone to meet her partner in the UK.

As for me entering Thailand, never had a problem.

[ijwelch]

They have to deal with farangs all day who have notihng better to do than to whine and complain.

That's the correct answer.

Doesn't excuse them though does it?

[mc2]

They have to deal with farangs all day who have notihng better to do than to whine and complain.

spot on

[IMA_FARANG]

I travel thoughout SE Asia, the US and India for work, and generally find immigration officers to be polite and efficient ... and at Delhi, Chicago and Hong Kong airports I've even found them to be polite and chatty despite the thousands of people they must deal with each day. But at Suvarnabhumi I invariably find that the men are bad tempered and often downright rude. Yesterday I was apprarently standing too close to the desk and was told "can't you see the sign on the floor ... stand on the footmarks!", once when I waiting in the hall at the rear of the counters for my daughter to clear immigration I was told 'Read the sign ... no waiting!", other times I've had my passport flung back at me without a single word being said .... which is preferable to abuse after a long flight but not exactly welcoming, and such a contrast to the rest of the people you're likely to meet once you're in the country.

The ladies on immigration seem fine .... but the blokes seem to act as if they have the worst job in the world.

Is it such a bad job?

Yes it is a hard job. It takes only one a##hole out of a hundred that "forgot" that he/she needed a visa, or forgot that his/her passport is expired, or has brought his family of 15 people and wants you to let them all enter on just his one passport (no I.D. cards for his children), or can't/won't/doesn't understand how to fill out the immigration cards....well you get the idea.

That one a##hole like that to ruin an 8 hour shift. Add in the drunk Germans/Brits/etc and it will quickly get you in a bad mood.

I have literally seen a drunk Arab vomit on the immigration entry booth while he was waiting to get his passport stamped. Wouldn't that rather p#ss you off?

And the low pay doesn't help.

Really. it is a tough job.

P.S.

I was once in L.A. where an American guy was bringing his Asian wife. She had to go through immigration, The American guy knew her English was limited, so he asked if he could accomapny her through the immigration, so he could help her with her English. I heard the immigration officer's reponse. It was exactly this ....Why should I give a F##k about your slant-eyed b##ch of a wife.

If you think Thai immigration is bad, try being a non-euopean foriegner going through U.S. immigration.

[ComicBum]

They have to deal with farangs all day who have notihng better to do than to whine and complain.

That's the correct answer.

I doubt it ..... it was a Thai friend of mine who first commented to me that he was worried about the attitude of the immigration people as it may put off repeat visitors to his country .... so it looks like it's not just foreigners who get a sense of the aggression. My wife also mentioned the issue and after the two comments it got me thinking that perhaps there's an issue with the job itself? I've seen misguided performance management systems accidentally create poor customer service in other organisations ... so maybe this is the case at the airport?

Anybody have any constructive thoughts?

The reason shouldn't be a matter of over-work,under-paid disgruntle-ment because the Immigration in Vancouver airport,who by comparison are extremely over payed and underworked share a similar attitude. Perhaps it is part of their training.... or just the transformation that tends to happens when someone small is put into a position of authority. ????? Actually, I don't even care who or what these people are, I just want to get pass 'GO' with a smile !

[jackyseymour]

Your all wrong. They've been taught from birth they are the greatest nation on earth and if only they could get everyone wanting to visit from every other country to just drop their wallets off in a specially prepared 'drop your dosh off bin' and bugger off back to where they came from, they'd be smiling all day.

[andyc2006]

They have to deal with farangs all day who have notihng better to do than to whine and complain.

That's the correct answer.

It's humorous, but likely not accurate.

Most people don't have reason to complain as they arrive in Thailand... they just smile, hand over their documents, say "Hello" and "Thank you," (sometimes in Thai), then when finished,walk away wondering why the Immigration official never said so much as "hello" or "welcome," never smiled, never looked up, and seemed like they were suffering a massive hemorrhoid flare-up.

The complaining doesn't start until they hit thaivisa or a bar (depending on the foreigner), so it can't be the cause.

[andyc2006]

P.S.

I was once in L.A. where an American guy was bringing his Asian wife. She had to go through immigration, The American guy knew her English was limited, so he asked if he could accomapny her through the immigration, so he could help her with her English. I heard the immigration officer's reponse. It was exactly this ....Why should I give a F##k about your slant-eyed b##ch of a wife.

If you think Thai immigration is bad, try being a non-euopean foriegner going through U.S. immigration.

In the US, you have legal recourse for that kind of shit (if it really happened). I don't expect that most Asian immigrants would know that, and would likely fear retribution if they attempted to push the issue (based on what they know at home), but the US husband in your example above could have and should have ended that immigration officer's "career."

Also, at the US immigration checkpoints that I've been through (only 3, but LAX was one of them), you can always go through with your family members. You don't even need to ask.

Your anecdote smells a bit fishy.

[andyc2006]

In fairness to the OP, the immigration guys seem a tad constipated, particularly when it is busy. I have always been treated professionally albeit coldly with nary a smile from the males. Maybe I fit the profile of a sex seeker? I will gladly take that over the hostile nastiness I have experienced at LAX. The lady immigration people are downright pleasant and always flash me one of those shy cute smiles at me. Maybe it's a sympathy smile because I am so ugly that they know I can't be coming for sex? The customs guys sometimes ask me if I am carrying booze or smokes and have checked the bag once or twice. Very nice about it and smiling. They have a job to do and that's all.

Big contrast from 1 time at LAX where they went through everything asking if I had porn. I was going to tell them that it was 2007 and that programs like limewire allow one to download porn with no need to carry great DVDs like Sweetpea gets curious in the barnyard.

On the other hand, I was transiting YVR not too long ago and the hefty gal from Canadian Border Services gave me the 3rd degree;

Why was I in Thailand, why have I been making so many trips back and forth, who do I work for. O.K. fair enough as all those trips give the profile of a crook or something. She got intrusive when she asked me who my friends were, and what they did. Seemed heartbroken when I answered pathologist, accountant and not lady that dances on a stage in a bikini.

I get the same & I have no idea why this is. It is almost like I am a magnet for trouble when comming into the US... I swear EVERY time they stop me. I have a zero criminal recored. I have been to countries like Taiwan, China, Singapore & Thaiand... I don't think there are hot spots for surprise. When they ask about porn... I start to laugh.

Seriously, if they want porn I could pull out my i-phone and down load it right there in front of them!

It's no secret that US Customs (not Immigration) targets males, traveling solo, coming from "poor" countries (mostly the ones in Asia) for extensive child pornography searches. I've been through that search 4 times and once missed a connecting flight because of it. They don't care if you have porn (though they'll do a title search on it in their database to make sure it's not on a list of child porn films), they only care if you have child porn.

It's an awful breach of the spirit of the US Constitution (they'll actually indefinitely confiscate any device for which you refuse to give them your passwords), but hasn't been ruled against the letter of the law by US courts. The practice started under Bush with the creation of ICE, and hopefully it'll die when the lame duck leaves office.

[kconor]

All of the comments, good/bad, in thailand or outside, will apply at sometime. However, in my experience,

it helps to have some feel about classifiying the Img-police and knowing their education/salary, and knowing or understanding that they are police of differing experience.

The reference I mentally use, from experience is that I will be facing a Img-police of FOUR types:

Black, totally corrupt, makes up his own system; he can be used, while he is exploiting and using you.

His being this way is becuase of the flexibility available and the lack of checks on his doings.

White: by the book, knows every detail, and will never use one of them to make the process easier nor make the task easier for the 'fahlang'; they are something of a 'righteous' by the laws no matter what the damage will be. Avoid this one. Some of the thaivisa members have suggested sweet talk

and folksy thai lingua talk. With this one, it will get you ignored or rebuked. 'don't sweet talk to me, you will get no special treatment.' My thai friends and wife have both tried to soften the journey through Immigation by 'sweet' talking the 'white' police, forget it.

Dark-Grey, This is one of the types to spec for, they know the loop holes and the weakness of the system and the inherent weakness and absences of documentaiton. They will find the faults, but, they will offer a solution, usually $$$ or a favor 'can you get me a russian girl???' This one is clever and could

also become a regular asset, but the price is usually being found out by a Black who wants in on the action. This Dark-Grey type may sometimes cover/protect you, as it covers/protects him.

Light-Grey, this is the rare one, knows the correct policy, regs, and is uptodate. Usually they are not

in an office long enough to be useful. They sympathize with problem cases, and try to help, this can work

out, however, the chain of command usually does not go up to another good guy. You can also run into

a good guy going down to a bad guy. Myself, I was connected with a 'big' good guy who ordered that

somethings good be done to help....the job went to a black, bad guy, who took it as an opportunity to

enrich himself or to destroy me if I didn't comply.

My own wounds with Img-police and thais...has made for some requests, extension due to cirucumstances of being a crime victim, but not complaining that part of the crime elements came from police. Being helpful only goes so far and will never consistently make things smooth; it usually requires an intermediary friend, a friend of the salawat=officer....then I become VIP or become best police-sponsor. A friend with

higher level contacts is useful sometimes, but I have found it always is like drinking vinegar, 'I will help

you because your friend is thai, but next time you come, you had better speak better thai language.'

Or, 'I would like to help you because you are a crime victim, and I could give you a waiver, but then

someone will ask why I am so nice, couldn't you just go open another bank account...you are an american' !!!.

The other tag idea toyed with by the members, is the background and gender influence. Females are

generally the worst, afraid to make a decision, make an error [you visa begins today and ends tomorrow...

so 'don't call me stupid' Women are far lazyier......I met one Img-police woman..who refused to lookup my

record or case files...'becuase she had already decided without checking that I had no case and she was not going to change anything anyway.' The Img-police men, usually for border crossings, it becomes

an issue, 'you are an old man, how did you get a sexy thai wife??'

The sinister side of police background experience is this, a number of police from Drug Suppression, after

the last sweep thru chiang mai....decided the 'they could have more freedom with less pressure and more

'opportunity' if they transfered into Immigration Police as they would not be watched so carefully.

So, when you get eye-balled and looked over, think carefully about what this policeman...has also been

doing in his career.

I will say, honestly, I never would wish to have aquired this kind of knowledge, but in this -land, it becomes useful.

[Dakhar]

In fairness to the OP, the immigration guys seem a tad constipated, particularly when it is busy. I have always been treated professionally albeit coldly with nary a smile from the males. Maybe I fit the profile of a sex seeker? I will gladly take that over the hostile nastiness I have experienced at LAX. The lady immigration people are downright pleasant and always flash me one of those shy cute smiles at me. Maybe it's a sympathy smile because I am so ugly that they know I can't be coming for sex? The customs guys sometimes ask me if I am carrying booze or smokes and have checked the bag once or twice. Very nice about it and smiling. They have a job to do and that's all.

Big contrast from 1 time at LAX where they went through everything asking if I had porn. I was going to tell them that it was 2007 and that programs like limewire allow one to download porn with no need to carry great DVDs like Sweetpea gets curious in the barnyard.

On the other hand, I was transiting YVR not too long ago and the hefty gal from Canadian Border Services gave me the 3rd degree;

Why was I in Thailand, why have I been making so many trips back and forth, who do I work for. O.K. fair enough as all those trips give the profile of a crook or something. She got intrusive when she asked me who my friends were, and what they did. Seemed heartbroken when I answered pathologist, accountant and not lady that dances on a stage in a bikini.

I get the same & I have no idea why this is. It is almost like I am a magnet for trouble when comming into the US... I swear EVERY time they stop me. I have a zero criminal recored. I have been to countries like Taiwan, China, Singapore & Thaiand... I don't think there are hot spots for surprise. When they ask about porn... I start to laugh.

Seriously, if they want porn I could pull out my i-phone and down load it right there in front of them!

It's no secret that US Customs (not Immigration) targets males, traveling solo, coming from "poor" countries (mostly the ones in Asia) for extensive child pornography searches. I've been through that search 4 times and once missed a connecting flight because of it. They don't care if you have porn (though they'll do a title search on it in their database to make sure it's not on a list of child porn films), they only care if you have child porn.

It's an awful breach of the spirit of the US Constitution (they'll actually indefinitely confiscate any device for which you refuse to give them your passwords), but hasn't been ruled against the letter of the law by US courts. The practice started under Bush with the creation of ICE, and hopefully it'll die when the lame duck leaves office.

My first of these experiences was coming home for a two year mormon mission when I was 21. I got of the plane with about 2 dozen other missionaries and started walking out the down the gates and an immigration officer was standing in the middle of the hall, and picked me out of the group.... and asked me if I had anything of value over 200$. I told him "No." He looked at my documents and said that he did not believe that someone could live in Taiwan for two years and not purchase anything of value for over 200$, yada yada yada. They went through all my stuff and found nothing.

Because, I didn't have anything and most everything I did have had a value fo Fifty cents. My clothes were essentially rags, and that was about all I had.

Any how, ever since that time I have been hammered by immigration/customs when ariving in America, with or without my wife in tow. Never have I had anything I should not have. If there are any "flags" on my record, you would think they would have figured out I am harmless.

[marsteele]

I find the Thai immigration officials very friendly when i return to Australia it is the Australian immigration I find rude to their own.

[snuggzzz]

It appears that it is just a one off experience, IMO's are people with bad tempers like us all, I've had the 'stand behind the line' direction, with a 'please' included. You'll probably find that the cameras cannot operate on the desks with 2 people together. By an large my entry and exits into Thailand have been no problem.

[jamesjdaly]

Heathrow can be snotty bastards when they wanna be!!

Sometimes the joy of being able to snatch your pp away from a shitty immigration official with fear of repercussion!!

Edited November 17, 2008 by jamesjdaly

[kenk3z]

Well, just think about what it means to be a Thai official where the opportunity to handle money is very low. There's no "tea money" involved and no chance to "miscount" the change from a transaction. You likely have a camera on you 100% of the time while the incoming travelers are recorded.

Now compare that to working with duties and fees on shipping containers.

kenk3z

[splodger]

In all the years I've been travelling around S.E. Asia I've never noticed the Thai immigration to be any different to any of the others. As for US immigration they positively made me feel like I was a criminal and that was years before 9/11.

Just imagine if you had to sit there for hours on end dealing with dweebs demanding special attention just because they have a wad of cash but lack the intelligence to get themselves sorted out before reaching the desk. You might not exactly be a bundle of joy if you had to deal with some of the characters those guys have to.

i've travelled all over the world on a british passport,and without doubt the worst immigtation is in the u.s. rude to the point you feel they enjoy being obnoxious,as for thailand i've only found the female officers to be unhelpful,the opposite can be said for the male officiers i've come across.

[kiakaha]

on the third day god created the diplomat/official lane.....hallelujah !!

[h90]

It's funny, all I expect from an Immigration Officer (in any country) is to stamp my passport with the correct visa - I look elsewhere for the welcome. I just want to get through as quickly as possible - I don't need smiles and small talk.

You may travel a lot....but there are the elderly people who are already nervous when they see an airplane. That are the tourists Thailand want to attract.

Look what revenue Thailand is getting from Tourists.....The Immigration officer is also there to service me. It is like a waiter in the restaurant and not God.

The usual tourist is coming to spend his money in Thailand and not for making troubles.

[toptuan]

In six years of expat life, I've never had an unpleasant experience with US customs on return trips to the States. In fact, one of the most pleasing experiences I have at the end of a long flight are the words "Welcome Home!" with a smile from the customs officer. Perhaps I'm like the previous poster--I'm so ugly, I could not possibly have been to Thailand for the sex.

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

My wife and I have done a fair bit of traveling and I have found the US immigration and customs the worst to deal with. Australia can be a pain also, never had any problems with LOS. I do travel with US passport.

[joskydive]

Only place I went to where it was a little nerve wracking was Bled in Yugoslavia. They closed and locked the doors as our flight was being called and couldn't understand why the aircraft wasn't filling up with people. This room had a high veranda all around it where the officials stood with their machine guns ready to use.

It was only when some people started shouting that this was our flight that they decided, eventually, to let us get on board. Needless to say, I have never returned!!!

Swampy's officials are wonderful in comparison and as of now they have all been given an involuntary holiday anyway so maybe they will have some smiles for you when they return.

[patklang]

never had a problem myself.been through about 30+ times and though they dont smile too much i have never felt intimidated

[rchapstick]

To answer one of the OP's questions, it actually is considered a pretty good job for someone with a non-prestigious uni degree. Starting salary is around 18000 baht per month, and they only work about 15 days per month. There is a very competitive process for selecting applicants.

[imaneggspurt]

I travel thoughout SE Asia, the US and India for work, and generally find immigration officers to be polite and efficient ... and at Delhi, Chicago and Hong Kong airports I've even found them to be polite and chatty despite the thousands of people they must deal with each day. But at Suvarnabhumi I invariably find that the men are bad tempered and often downright rude. Yesterday I was apprarently standing too close to the desk and was told "can't you see the sign on the floor ... stand on the footmarks!", once when I waiting in the hall at the rear of the counters for my daughter to clear immigration I was told 'Read the sign ... no waiting!", other times I've had my passport flung back at me without a single word being said .... which is preferable to abuse after a long flight but not exactly welcoming, and such a contrast to the rest of the people you're likely to meet once you're in the country.

The ladies on immigration seem fine .... but the blokes seem to act as if they have the worst job in the world.

Is it such a bad job?

So you were told to stand on the footmark which are clearly marked on the ground and in a no waiting area you were told to move on. What is it that leads you to believe that they are being rude. They are instructing you to do what is clearly marked/written under your feet and on the wall.

Your passport is returned to you without a single word being said, so what, what do you expect them to say to you?

You need to stop whining and move on

I disagree, immigration the world over seem to have to have no personality or manners to get the job,must be a requirement,traffic warden mentality id say, give em a uniform and goes to their head,.and i dont think it was being told about the footmark but how he was told, is it that difficult to be polite ?..i am always polite and say hello, i too have had my passport thrown at me and been totally ignored, i dont want a converstaion but an acknowledgement and a smile wouldnt go amiss, all you saying it doent matter have got used to this crap service id say,.

[imaneggspurt]

Try going through Australian customs flying in from BKK without a hassle. Rude, obnoxious they think anyone flying in from Thailand is to be treated as an undesirable. Just my run of experiences.

indeed! but not only from people coming from Thailand, just about from any country. You get obnoxious custom officers at Kingsford Smith in Sydney, a most lugubrious airport, low ceiling, cramped, humourless armed officials roaming around with sniffer dogs, lead to double sniff every passengers and THAT double baggage screening bottleneck point, never seen anywhere else in the world. One gets a real feeling of being inside a penal institute, awaiting for detention, which is par for the course. It gave me such bad impression of Australia & Australians, even before I set foot in the open. Never recovered from there. This risk aversion paranoia that grips aussies from birth is bordering on the ludicrous; nowadays once you get past custom at Suvarnabhumi airport, you get another checkpoint (to check for liquid, gel, aerosol) before walking to the assigned gate. Only for flights to Australia you get a further checkpoint, next to your gate entrance, manned by officials who triple checks your bags all over again. No other countries in the worlds demands that from airport officials. So you guys stop moaning about Thai border controls, you have it easy compared to other countries.

Have you ever considered it is to keep the @rseholes out of our great country at a minor inconvenience to those of us, including tourists who want quality people allowed in. If you're not happy with the entry requirements into Australia don't bother coming - you won't be missed.

Point taken, there is enough opinionated @ssholes like you there already, so treat everyone with the disrespect they deserve

[sykdevil]

I'm a naturalize thai citizen, I never recieved any bad treament in the 20 years I've been travelling in and out of thailand. Even though I'm thai, it takes them forever to check my passport sometimes, as they check where I been to and for how long, etc etc. I think many travellers expects a smile from the immigration people to make them feel welcomed, but I think the majority of the immigration peeps around the world don't smile much, which makes visitors feel unwelcomed. Get use to it and don't let that bother you so much. They probably smile too much when they start their day, they can't keep up with the smiling so infact when they are frowning they are trying their best to smile

I noticed Australian immigration like to target asians, as they are the most likely to bring in illegal stuff into the country, which is very true. The United States immigration treats everyone like a criminal, thats based on years of experience flying back and forth during college. The worst are the ladies directing you to the counter, they like to yell at visitors for not filling in the form properly or for talking in line etc etc. My experience wasn't so bad with the immigration counter ppl at the states, they know that I'm there to study and I've been in and out the country a couple of times, generally I pass through the counter in less than 2-3 minutes, but waiting in line takes 30-40min.

Immigration staff in european countries in general have been friendly based on my experiences, they smile more often.

[Thailand]

Try going through Australian customs flying in from BKK without a hassle. Rude, obnoxious they think anyone flying in from Thailand is to be treated as an undesirable. Just my run of experiences.

Yep, Australia is the ONLY place where I have been made to feel like a criminal and that was flying in from HK 12 years ago, not been back since.

Thailand- never had a problem in over 23 years. The friendliest - Kunming, China earlier this year, both leaving and arriving immigration were friendly,chatty & courteous.