tigerfish Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 recently my father came out to thailand to see me, and his new grandaughter. in his life time he has travelled alot to different countries on business and on holiday, hes no mug when it comes to dealing with foreign countries rules and regulations. whilst sipping on a gin and tonic in first class, the stewardess came around prior to landing with the immigration landing cards. he got his pen out and started to fill out the relevant information asked of him. he then paused, looked up and raised an eyebrow at the passenger sitting next to him. the same thought had occured to the fellow travelling companion. what has how much he earns and what kind of job does he do, got to do with anything, when he states that he is coming to thailand on vacation. they disscussed it for a while and even jokingly contimplated writing down, mind your own f...... business. but dutifully filled out the card accordingly to what was being asked of him. he brought the subject up one night whislt chatting over dinner. the only explanation that i could give him to his question was. that the thai authorities just want to make sure that you have enough financial means to support your stay. now he a shrewd and clever business man, far more so than i, and didnt get were he is today without having something up there in the loaf of bread department. he then pointed out to me that when filling out the immigration card you have to state were you are staying whilst in the land of smiles. i could see what he was getting at, and could hear the wheels turning inside his head. the point he was getting at is if you state like he did. that he is a director of an industrial management firm and earn around 120,000 pounds a year and which hotel he is staying at whilst in thailand. could this information not be used, if put in the wrong hands against him whilst staying in the los. call me and my father a cynics if you must, but i think its a fair point and observation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiang mai Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 (edited) Culturally speaking that's not an unusual question at all for a Thai to ask so no need for anyone to get offended - the fact that information is requested on a landing card is simply TAT doing their usual surveys and trying determine who is a better class of tourist. Edited January 31, 2010 by chiang mai Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario2008 Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 It is a question that a lot of people don't fill in. It is more for tourism statistics than for anything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerfish Posted January 31, 2010 Author Share Posted January 31, 2010 Culturally speaking that's not an unusual question at all for a Thai to ask so no need for anyone to get offended. i didnt say that it was offensive. what i did state was whether this information could be used against him, if passed into the wrong hands. you and i both know how somethings work out here in the los. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eurasianthai Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Well, how are the developped countries? They're sure quite difficult as far as visas are concerned for Thai people. I could tell quite a few hel_l stories about that by I do not want to offend my UK, US, or EU friends. Does Thailand need to be easier and accept anybody on the basis that they come from developped countries? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanMoran Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 ... that the Thai authorities just want to make sure that you have enough financial means to support your stay. I always tick the poor box and they still let me through customs no problems. Most likely it's just statistics sent to nowhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerfish Posted January 31, 2010 Author Share Posted January 31, 2010 ... that the Thai authorities just want to make sure that you have enough financial means to support your stay. I always tick the poor box and they still let me through customs no problems. Most likely it's just statistics sent to nowhere. most likely, but!.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tripplejjj Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Any information can be used against you if passed in the "wrong hands". If a person is so worried about such information, then one should not be so easily compelled to tell the truth. I usually leave mine blank until I see who the immigrating officer is. If she is very attractive, then I max it out. If not then the poor block. The point is....whatever, put anything, but don't leave it blank. It pisses me off to wait another minute for every person to complete the form correctly. I hate waiting over an hour to go through the immigration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nio Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 First of all when you arrive at Thai Immigration, they scan your passport into a computer system and take a photo of you. They never scan or keep track of arrival cards so this whole point is mute They do not store or track information on the arrival cards I was fortunate at Suvarnabhumi Immigration to see the computer screen with my info on it and all that is on there is the last photo they took of you and the times and dates you entered and exited Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toptuan Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 ...TAT...trying determine who is a better class of tourist. Or, perhaps, trying to quickly identify the farang-kee-noks*? *(Backpacking "$hit-for-bird-brains foreigners" who just don't spend that much, and/or try to get a job teaching English with their 9th grade education, who can't bother with work visas or work permits, etc., etc....) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerfish Posted January 31, 2010 Author Share Posted January 31, 2010 (edited) First of all when you arrive at Thai Immigration, they scan your passport into a computer system and take a photo of you.They never scan or keep track of arrival cards so this whole point is mute They do not store or track information on the arrival cards I was fortunate at Suvarnabhumi Immigration to see the computer screen with my info on it and all that is on there is the last photo they took of you and the times and dates you entered and exited Thailand. so what happens to the arrivals cards, do you know? Edited January 31, 2010 by tigerfish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerfish Posted January 31, 2010 Author Share Posted January 31, 2010 after all this is the same airport were the shop assistants slip in the bag an extra box of fags when a foreigner buys his duty free and then calls the police to report stolen goods. so that the bib can extract large sums of money over some made up charge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanForbes Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Culturally speaking that's not an unusual question at all for a Thai to ask so no need for anyone to get offended - the fact that information is requested on a landing card is simply TAT doing their usual surveys and trying determine who is a better class of tourist. What would the authorities do if you said you were staying in Thai brothel on soi 6 in Pattaya? And, you were earning your income from what the women gave you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackspratt Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Perhaps they should include another question on the reverse side of the inward card: "Do you, or have you ever, suffer(ed) from paranoia"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTiger Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 (edited) Some of you, or others, have been traveling elsewhere.... Maybe you could remember that asking for a visa, this kind of question had been asked! And you had no real way to escape then.... Ask thai people trying to reach US or Europe! Edited January 31, 2010 by DTiger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrilled Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 I don't believe they were thinking to clearly when they listed these questions.But then thats my only opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul888 Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 It is just demographic data collection for tourist analysis purpose, however if you leave it blank they do not ask you to fill it in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OxfordWill Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 (edited) Ive been a student since my first arrival in 2002, earning the lowest possible option to tick, and long will it remain so in the eyes of immigration. Not that anyone ever reads the bloody things. Edited January 31, 2010 by OxfordWill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backsoon Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 I think it'is a two side question, with possible twofold answers. 1. Many countries try to be assured that you do have means to support yourself and have a reasonable chance of leaving. Like a well paid job, house, family etc. in your own country. Since Thais are prone to 'copy-copy' and 'same-same' they ask some questions on a tit for tat basis. 2. As to OP concern about a pssibility of using this information by criminals for robbery, extortion, kidnap for ransom, etc. - yes, it is possible. I wouldn't call him paranoid. Yet, the probability for these things happening in Thailand are much lower than in many other destinations, notorious for organised crime/government connections. I am sure you can think of a few. The bottom line,- there is organised crime everywhere. Their infiltration of government organisations, especially Immigration, has a slim chance in Thailand. Relatively speaking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Several nonsense posts removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tejas Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Several nonsense posts removed. Many people find the question about income offensive, especially if they are from the West. The question is most likely used to determine the level of "quality toursts." Calling people "quality tourists" is also offensive, especially if the person is from the West. Absolutely the information can be abused, especially if coupled with a firm statement about where you are going to stay (never mind that most people have no idea where they are going to stay prior to arrival). Surely they know how offensive and potentially dangerous the questions are. No doubt this fact has been pointed out to them repeatedly. The real question is why they don't remove them. I have never seen a question about income on any other arrival card outside of Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaihome Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 I note that when I buy a product that comes with a warranty card, it often asks for my income range and several other demographic type questions. I have always answered truthfully and since my income in quite high, do you think I am in danger? TH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apetley Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 It is just demographic data collection for tourist analysis purpose, however if you leave it blank they do not ask you to fill it in. I agree, personally have never filled in the back of the card. I have always understood the reverse side to be optional and as I have never been asked to complete it this seems to be the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trickcyclist Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Probably a hangover from Thaksin's VIP falang club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PoorSucker Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 It's information passed on to the taxi/tuk tuk drivers so they know how much they can charge you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moe666 Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Geez, it is just a survey by TOT to see who is attracted to Thailand and what there level of income. It has been a few years since I filled one out but isn't the salary in a range 0 to 25,000 and so on. I always fill in the highest number allowed even though I am in coach. But we all know those sneaky Thais are just looking for another scam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubbaJohnny Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 (edited) They never scan or keep track of arrival cards so this whole point is mute Absolutley correct but the normal usage is Moot ,worthy of debate etc The large sums 800k and 400k for long stayers was explained to by an economics professor to me Effectively its a deposit surety and with the costs of moving it in and out so high assuming exchange rates constant means most folks leave it here at shocking rates. So local banks sit on millions : smart move for their esteemed owners. This may be why people incapable of organising refreshments in a brewery are so reluctant to allow level playing field votes ,land tenure for wicked foreigners,oddly any from the big Dragon seem to find ways around this. Of course Oz USA and NZ allow Thai immigrants all such rights after qualification.I suppose the difference in incomes and education are a justification for making folks who tick over XxxxxBaht 2nd class citizens At least we can walk unlike those poor paperless cross border refugees from the Burmese thugs A few years ago a A European had the audacity to die owing the hospital so the new rules ensure you have enough for Drs bills a Pitti etc. Edited February 1, 2010 by RubbaJohnny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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