Strange Situation Upon Arrival @Phuket Airport Immigration

[mja1906]

I am a UK passport holder and have been living in Thailand for the past 3 yrs on various visas (tourist, volunteer, and now Non-O).

My Non-O multi entry 1yr visa was issued from Hull in Aug 2010. Since then I have made 2 visa runs (90days) to Ranong, then a recent leisure trip to HongKong when I flew back and arrived at Phuket airport Immigration the lady officer took some time looking through my stamps, pointed at my recent visa and said

' you in out many times, to Ranong ' then asked me questions like

' how long have you stayed here? '

' how long do you plan on staying here? ' she seemed to be writing down something, kept looking through my passport, consulted the man officer in the booth next to her.

I told her that my non-O visa was issued from Hull for the purposes of 'visiting family+friends' and allows me to stay in Thailand for 1 year, and because its multi-entry I have to exit every 90days. Which is completely true.

She still kept muttering and flicking through my passport, speaking in Thai thinking that I couldn't understand her, but she said "she knows everything". Implying that she thought I was none the wiser to exactly what visa I had and what it entitled me to. She consulted the officer next to her, who said "give me 200bt ", I was shocked, but started to open my purse as all I wanted was for her to stamp 90days and be off.

She put the passport on the counter, signalled for me to slip the cash in, and she finally stamped 90days. But then she had the cheek to say " I wanted to stamp you 90days, but my boss (the man officer) don't want to stamp, but I stamp for you...ok?" As if I should thank her, for giving me 90days which is what I'm entitled to anyways!!

Now, I'm concerned about

- Whether I'll have problems on my next visa run (my visa does not expire until Aug), should I do it at a different checkpoint instead of Ranong which I have used 2times before? Does immigration have a centralised database system, could the lady officer have put 'notes' on my record, if there is such a thing??

- The stamp in my passport reads 'arrived on March 28th : Admitted until June 25th " but the June 25th is written in pen? (Its normally always ink stamp). However on my departure card which they stamped, its all in ink

- Just curious as to if they could ever refuse entry at checkpoints such as Mae Sai, Ranong, Cambodia and leave people stranded there (has this happened before?)

Maybe I was unlucky and these people just wanted some tea money, still its made me nervous for my next visa run, which I shouldn't be because I'm following all the rules

Any advice much appreciated

Thanks,

[jdinasia]

Nope, never happened to me or anyone that I have ever heard of in Phuket.

[colinthailand20005]

Do you have a Thai wife you don't mention it in your post?

I do and if this would of happened to me I would of kicked up a fuss until I got my stamp and not paid a single baht, but if I didn't then perhaps I would of done what you did, the days of Non O for visiting family & friends without proof is over!

[whatchamacallit]

I wouldn't have given her/him one single baht

[alina]

Hi

Sounds like the lady was having a bad day and you took her wrath, you did nothing wrong, bite your lip and move on. You did the correct thing by giving the 200 baht.

All the above take note and listen, on entry or exit to or from the Kingdom of Thailand, any decision is at the discretion of the immigration officer. They will back eachother up, you cannot decide you do not like the immigration officer that is dealing with your case and change, at very best he/she will get their boss and he will repeat what you have just been told.

Make a fuss and there will be one winner, you dont like the system then go back to your own Country, we are guests here.:jap:

[mja1906]

I am female and have a Thai boyfriend. Maybe I should have stood up to her, I find the immigration officers too intimidating, didn't want to kick up a fuss and really just wanted to be outa there with 90days

Unfortunately I don't think they had badges, somehow don't think they would have given me a receipt !

[mja1906]

Thanks Alina, I was thinking the same thing, I know that at the end of the day they can do as they please and it would be a question of them against me.

and you're right it does come down to the discretion of the immigration officer wrong or right.

[Mario2008]

Entry is always on descrition of the immigration officer, they can deny you entry if they have cause.

Report corruption to your embassy. They are better suited to deal with it.

[jackdawson]

$7 american for 3 more months in paradise ?

u got off cheap

[CHANGOVER]

Report corruption to your embassy. They are better suited to deal with it.

Agreed! The more complaints the better.

You did nothing wrong and they didn't have 'just cause' so report it.

[CHANGOVER]

Do you have a Thai wife you don't mention it in your post?

I do and if this would have happened to me I would have kicked up a fuss until I got my stamp and not paid a single baht, but if I didn't then perhaps I would have done what you did, the days of Non O for visiting family & friends without proof is over!

And no she doesn't have a Thai wife but she has a Thai boyfriend.

[ozzieovaseas]

"Just curious as to if they could ever refuse entry at checkpoints such as Mae Sai, Ranong, Cambodia and leave people stranded there (has this happened before?"

IMO, you need not worry about being left stranded at a border point.

Mods might be able to verify, but this should never eventuate as even in the worst case scenario, where you didnt get the visa you desired, you will still be given 15 days in Thailand if entering from a land crossing.

[lopburi3]

Actually without an exit stamp for the other country you would not be allowed into Thailand except as an illegal entry from information that used to be on a border web site. You would not have to stay in limbo but would be detained and sent to Bangkok for deportation.

[Maestro]

...Maybe I was unlucky and these people just wanted some tea money...

Yes, this is the most likely scenario. Phuket immigration seems to have a reputation for being corrupt, from the top down. Until now there were reports only about the office in town, now it appears to have spread to the airport.

[ozzieovaseas]

^^Hmm, If exiting Thailand for the purpose of a one day visa run, would'nt it be impossible to NOT get an exit stamp on the way out? How would they get through the border point?

[lopburi3]

The exit stamp from the foreign country - you could depart Thailand and be refused entry to Cambodia/Laos/Burma/Malaysia and have to return - with no exit stamp from that country you could not obtain visa exempt entry into Thailand.

[ozzieovaseas]

The exit stamp from the foreign country - you could depart Thailand and be refused entry to Cambodia/Laos/Burma/Malaysia and have to return - with no exit stamp from that country you could not obtain visa exempt entry into Thailand.

Oh Ok..i would have thought if you were denied entry to the other country then you wouldnt have (or need) an exit stamp, since you never actually entered that country in the first place..

I always presumed the last exit stamp in my passport would have been the exit stamp needed from exiting thailand before going on to the next border point.

[falkan]

...Maybe I was unlucky and these people just wanted some tea money...

Yes, this is the most likely scenario. Phuket immigration seems to have a reputation for being corrupt, from the top down. Until now there were reports only about the office in town, now it appears to have spread to the airport.

What do you expect yourself? given what income they have from the government money talks..

[WarpSpeed]

Sounds like the lady was having a bad day and you took her wrath, you did nothing wrong, bite your lip and move on. You did the correct thing by giving the 200 baht.

Except that this magnifies the problem and makes it worse for all of us..It's BECAUSE we're guests that our hosts should treat us better.. Is that how you treat your guests??

[Maestro]

What do you expect yourself? given what income they have from the government money talks..

I have heard what you say a lot of times from Thai people. It seems to be the standard excuse for the acceptance and toleration of corruption.

[ozzieovaseas]

Sounds like the lady was having a bad day and you took her wrath, you did nothing wrong, bite your lip and move on. You did the correct thing by giving the 200 baht.

Except that this magnifies the problem and makes it worse for all of us..It's BECAUSE we're guests that our hosts should treat us better.. Is that how you treat your guests??

SO...what would you have done?

Made a fuss, created a scene?.. Resulting in the officer loosing face and possibly being tossed out of the country and/or being denied the visa you needed out of spite....all for the sake of 200baht?

I don't agree in fuelling corruption either but we should'nt be to self righteous with the OP in a situation you'd have little choice in if you faced it yourself.

Some might say the amount of baht asked for is not the point, but at least they only asked for 200 and not the highest amount they thought they could get away with.

[mja1906]

Thanks for all the input, I wonder if I should report this? But Mario how would reporting to my embassy (UK) help?? Wouldn't I have to report to a Thai authority or is that just stupid thinking?

Thanks moderators, but can anyone offer their thoughts on whether I should use the same border (Ranong) as my last 2 visa runs? Also, does Immigration have a database that keeps each a record on you (ie: based on your passport no.)?

When my non-Imm O expires in Aug, if I go back to the UK again and apply for another non-Imm O (for purposes of visiting family+friends, if Hull are still even offering this), will there be any probs as this would be 2nd visa of this type ?

[lopburi3]

Hull is not offering any such visa now.

Yes they do have computer records of you and your entries.

As for reporting to Embassy they have meetings with Thai officials and if they have a number of such reports it can be mentioned and action may then be taken. Even when not it helps keep tabs on what is happening. The more the Embassy knows the more help they can be. They are not really out to get us as nearly as much as is sometimes felt.

[Maestro]

Yes, immigration has a central database of all your arrivals and departures, the type of visa, if any, with which your entered, etc, all this not only for your current passport but also for previous passports.

It was at Phuket airport where you were hit for tea money. No reason not to exit and enter Thailand again at the Ranong land border crossing; I doubt that Phuket airport immigration passed on to other border points the information that you are an easy target for tea money, as this would be incriminating to the officer concerned.

[WarpSpeed]

Sounds like the lady was having a bad day and you took her wrath, you did nothing wrong, bite your lip and move on. You did the correct thing by giving the 200 baht.

Except that this magnifies the problem and makes it worse for all of us..It's BECAUSE we're guests that our hosts should treat us better.. Is that how you treat your guests??

SO...what would you have done?

Made a fuss, created a scene?.. Resulting in the officer loosing face and possibly being tossed out of the country and/or being denied the visa you needed out of spite....all for the sake of 200baht?

I don't agree in fuelling corruption either but we should'nt be to self righteous with the OP in a situation you'd have little choice in if you faced it yourself.

Some might say the amount of baht asked for is not the point, but at least they only asked for 200 and not the highest amount they thought they could get away with.

No one being self righteous just making comments on a thread posted in a Thai forum, un-bunch your panties before you suffocate..

Don't know for certain how I would handle it, maybe not too well, though that's worked for me here more often then being subservient and looking weak as all Asians respect strength more then subservience.

Suffice it to say though it's too hypothetical to formulate a reasonable response of action. I do know that if I was forced into paying tea money to get back in with family here I would have definitely taken it to higher ups once I got through.. But for me I have an immediate long term family here and not just a GF or in her case BF so this hasn't happened to me..

It's about principle as much as anything else, just because I'm in Thailand doesn't mean I have to leave my principles home like some have suggested. More like some of my good principles have/will rub off positively on others since most are just so conditioned to doing otherwise without question they just don't understand there's better ways too live..

For the future were I in her shoes I'd not fly into Phuket anymore directly, maybe fly to BKK and then a connecting flight south..

I think 200 baht WAS the highest amount they thought they could get away with..

[philw]

Hi

Sounds like the lady was having a bad day and you took her wrath, you did nothing wrong, bite your lip and move on. You did the correct thing by giving the 200 baht.

All the above take note and listen, on entry or exit to or from the Kingdom of Thailand, any decision is at the discretion of the immigration officer. They will back eachother up, you cannot decide you do not like the immigration officer that is dealing with your case and change, at very best he/she will get their boss and he will repeat what you have just been told.

Make a fuss and there will be one winner, you dont like the system then go back to your own Country, we are guests here.:jap:

I can't stand this grovelling "we are guests here", if you don't accept the system " go home " attitude.

I think you are seriously wrong and with this stance you perpetuate the wrongs.

[mja1906]

Hull is not offering any such visa now.

Yes they do have computer records of you and your entries.

As for reporting to Embassy they have meetings with Thai officials and if they have a number of such reports it can be mentioned and action may then be taken. Even when not it helps keep tabs on what is happening. The more the Embassy knows the more help they can be. They are not really out to get us as nearly as much as is sometimes felt.

Thanks, perhaps I will report this to the British Embassy then. At least I can try to make some good out of what happened, the situation won't get any better if nobody knows what is going on.

[Yenoormit]

I think we should ALL just leave Thailand and go elsewhere. this country is really begining to suck.

[tropo]

What do you expect yourself? given what income they have from the government money talks..

I have heard what you say a lot of times from Thai people. It seems to be the standard excuse for the acceptance and toleration of corruption.

I certainly can't see any point in not paying it (200 baht tea money) in an effort to make a one man stand against corruption.

It's a no-win situation.

What would you have done?

[tropo]

Thanks for all the input, I wonder if I should report this? But Mario how would reporting to my embassy (UK) help?? Wouldn't I have to report to a Thai authority or is that just stupid thinking?

Thanks moderators, but can anyone offer their thoughts on whether I should use the same border (Ranong) as my last 2 visa runs? Also, does Immigration have a database that keeps each a record on you (ie: based on your passport no.)?

When my non-Imm O expires in Aug, if I go back to the UK again and apply for another non-Imm O (for purposes of visiting family+friends, if Hull are still even offering this), will there be any probs as this would be 2nd visa of this type ?

As far as the corrupt Immigration officers go, you were a good girl who paid up. I doubt very much they would risk inflating the situation by making a report about you that could ultimately come back on them. They probably sized you up as a potentially easy target.

You're not doing anything wrong - my suggestion is you should choose to come back through any entry point you wish.