The 200 Baht Scam On Re Entry Permits At Suvarnabhumi

[gaga2011]

"You must have our employee fill out your application and take your photo or we will not issue your re entry permit."

This was spoken to me in perfect English by a supervisor at the airport. Although all my paperwork was in order, the convenience fee is 200 baht in addition to the 1000 baht re entry fee. The sign states no receipt will be issued.

Now you've been warned...

[beano2274]

Great wording on the sign as well, it is not a visa but a stamp, this is why people always get confused, between extensions and visas.

I get my re-entry permit at my local office, easier and they all know me.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Do they have a camera and printer to do the photo there on site?

Mac

[beano2274]

Do they have a camera and printer to do the photo there on site?

Mac

If you enlarge the picture you can see the camera, and a printer is probably there behind the desk.

[phutoie2]

Thaivisa at its best, thanks for the info OP.

[theoldgit]

They don't miss a trick do they?

I suppose that the 200 baht "convenience fee" is a small price to pay for those, for whatever reason, have failed to obtain a re-entry permit at the appropriate office.

[ESB7]

Scam......where????? not understand

[QED]

I didn't know you could do this at the airport - this is before you leave I assume?

If you are not organized enough to get one at your local immi then this seems a small price to pay to keep your visa/extension alive...

[gaga2011]

I didn't know you could do this at the airport - this is before you leave I assume?

If you are not organized enough to get one at your local immi then this seems a small price to pay to keep your visa/extension alive...

I think most of us can fill in the paperwork ourselves or at least be given the choice....what the ballz?!

[Fookhaht]

I didn't know you could do this at the airport - this is before you leave I assume?

If you are not organized enough to get one at your local immi then this seems a small price to pay to keep your visa/extension alive...

I think most of us can fill in the paperwork ourselves or at least be given the choice....what the ballz?!

The form is one of the simplest available from Immigration. Even I can fill it out by myself (which I've done dozens of times, sans 200B fee, at my home office). Yes, it's a scam.

The airport is a normal optional method of getting your re-entry permit, not a reprieve for those who failed to get it at their home office. Yes, it's a scam.

[Mario2008]

Probably an online/electronic application, including digital picture. They might not print out the form, just give you the stamps and receipt.

[samran]

Scam though it is, my guess is that the airport customs folk have been lumped with this extra 'service' from those upon high, without any additional resources being given to them to actually carry it out.

Happens all the time in the Thai government.

If they are reading this, they'd be better off to call it a service charge or something like that.

[RKASA]

Download the form fill it out OK no problem

Track down a usable photo and drive to local office which for some might be 200km round trip

wait there and get a stamp

or

200 baht at the airport on the way out - cheaper then the time and gas to get it done else where.

I will use the local office because before I leave on my next trip I will be driving past it ten times in the next few months - Plus they are not open at my normal flight times at the airport. If it was still in Chang Mai like before and I had to travel 800km round trip I think 200 baht is a deal, and I don't even need to bring an over priced worthless to me photo.

If they don't accept the photo and form you have at the airport it is most likely as pointed out an automated system (I hope that is the case) - your form and photo present a pain in the A-- for them.

Would be nice to see more automation in the local offices as well.

No more need to get a photo they do it at the time and key punch your data as they read and check it.

Not everyone lives near a local office and the airport is on the way out. I would hold off calling it a scam and see if maybe they really wanted to help a lot of people out.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Do they have a camera and printer to do the photo there on site?

Mac

If you enlarge the picture you can see the camera, and a printer is probably there behind the desk.

Somehow I miss seeing this as so much of a scam as just an overpriced photo, which is a requirement for attaching to the Re-Entry Permit application. Picture it as appropriate punishment for forgetting to carry photos around with you all the time, one or two just paperclipped into your passport. FYI, no other photo shop available at Swampy....

Mac

[joebuzzard]

I am wary of this deal.

When immigration stopped doing re-entry stamps at Suvarnabhumi awhile back, it was a pain in the butt, but I adapted and made getting a multiple re-entry stamp at my local office part of my routine.

Besides, the "hours" this "office" is open don't work for me with the early flights I ordinarily have to take.

Thanks but no thanks.

[theoldgit]

Somehow I miss seeing this as so much of a scam as just an overpriced photo, which is a requirement for attaching to the Re-Entry Permit application. Picture it as appropriate punishment for forgetting to carry photos around with you all the time, one or two just paperclipped into your passport. FYI, no other photo shop available at Swampy....

No, I think you are missing the point, the scam is the lack of choice, you have to pay to have them complete the form and take a photo.

I think most people accept that it's better, for those of us who know we are going to travel outside Thailand, to get a re-entry permit when we renew our extension. That way there is no extra cost of a trip to the Immigration office, you are already there. If you have forgotten to get a re-entry permit, you can now get one at the airport, as always used to be the case. When they first re-introduced introduced the availability of these permits you had to provide a photo, now you don't as they insist on taking one themselves, and maybe you are right in this is an overpriced photo, but the fact that they say they do not issue a receipt re-enforces my my view.

As a matter of interest, in Bangkok, they now take a photo when you extend your stay, and there is no 200 baht fee for this.

All this said, 200 Baht is neither here or there, if you have failed to previously get a re-entry permit well then an extra 200 Baht is probably a good price to pay to keep your permission to stay alive, but that doesn't stop it being a scam.

[Mario2008]

If the receipt says 1,200 baht you are not being scammed but paying the official price. (Which includes a service fee of 200 baht for filling in the form and the photo).

If the receipt says 1,000 baht the 200 baht extra is probably not going into the official books.

[WilliamIV]

When I got my Thai Driving License

My Photo was taken by the Machine that printed / produced the License

It may well be a Similar machine

as someone has already described

A digital photo recorded on a Digital Form

neither of which are Printed

but merely stored.

Bill

[theoldgit]

If the receipt says 1,200 baht you are not being scammed but paying the official price. (Which includes a service fee of 200 baht for filling in the form and the photo).

If the receipt says 1,000 baht the 200 baht extra is probably not going into the official books.

Indeed, but the OP said

The sign states no receipt will be issued

And I have always been issued with a receipt for monies paid to The Immigration Service.

[Jingthing]

Thai immigration -- they get you coming and going. Not sure if it is a scam, sounds like it, but the idea of a somewhat higher fee for airport service would seem somewhat justifiable if it was official. About the photo. Does that mean you can get away without bringing your own photo for the form there or is it just a digital thing for their records that doesn't replace a hard copy photo you bring?

[Genericnic]

I've worked for governments for many years and have never seen them refuse to issue a receipt for any legally required fee. Having paid a few fees to the government here in Thailand, I have always been given a receipt that reflected the full amount paid. Being the cynic I am, I would bet that the 200 baht "convenience fee" never makes it into the government coffers.

I am curious if the sign advising that no receipt will be given is there all the time or only when a particular supervisor or staff member is on duty.

David

[wellred]

I'm going to be going to Pnomh Pneh for 2 nights and then back into Bangkok so will I need one of these? My total stay in Thailand will be under 30 days. I'm from the UK btw. Will I be given a 30 day pass on each time I enter Thailand or will the 1st one be valid for when I re enter after Cambodia?

Is there anything I need to do before hand?

Thanks

[lopburi3]

How will you return and are you from a visa exempt country? If you land you would be 15 days but if by air 30 days if visa exempt so no reason for re-entry permit unless you have an extension of stay you want to protect. Re-entry in normally only of real use for those on one year extensions of stay (living in Thailand). It only keeps alive your current permitted to stay date.

[wellred]

How will you return and are you from a visa exempt country? If you land you would be 15 days but if by air 30 days if visa exempt so no reason for re-entry permit unless you have an extension of stay you want to protect. Re-entry in normally only of real use for those on one year extensions of stay (living in Thailand). It only keeps alive your current permitted to stay date.

Hi,

I'm from the UK so I believe I automatically get a 30 day on initial entry?

I will be flying to various places within Thailand but will also spend 2 nights in Cambodia. Will be flying there and back via Air Asia from BKK.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

One thing about Immigration's re-entry permits issued at Suvarnabhumi... They'll only issue them to you on the same day your flight is scheduled out... not in advance...

Also, it wasn't quite clear from the OP... did he have his own photo that he brought along, and the Immigration staff at the desk refused to accept it? Or were they trying to charge him 200 baht extra for taking and providing his photo?

When going for re-entry permits at the regular Immigration offices, they expect you to bring your own photo. They don't provide it for you as a convenience.

There have been various posts here in the months since Immigration re-opened their Re-Entry Permit desk at the airport... I now see there was another reference some months back to there being a 1,200 baht charge...no explanation.

http://www.thaivisa....ost__p__4488393

But here's the Dec. 2010 airport announcement re the service, that says....1000 baht.

http://www.suvarnabhumiairport.com/detail_news_120_en.php

[Maestro]

...

I'm from the UK so I believe I automatically get a 30 day on initial entry?

Yes, if you arrive in Thailand by air. If you have no flight out of Thailand within 30 days from arrival, your airline may not let you board at the UK departure airport.

I will be flying to various places within Thailand but will also spend 2 nights in Cambodia. Will be flying there and back via Air Asia from BKK.

If you return from Cambodia by air you will be given permission to stay for 30 days, if on land, 15 days only.

[wellred]

...

I'm from the UK so I believe I automatically get a 30 day on initial entry?

Yes, if you arrive in Thailand by air. If you have no flight out of Thailand within 30 days from arrival, your airline may not let you board at the UK departure airport.

I will be flying to various places within Thailand but will also spend 2 nights in Cambodia. Will be flying there and back via Air Asia from BKK.

If you return from Cambodia by air you will be given permission to stay for 30 days, if on land, 15 days only.

Thanks. The thailand flight is a return and is already booked both ways, I have most of the hotels pre booked too so can show that on entry if they need to see it. Just looking now it's on the 30th day that I actually fly back to London. Although if the 30 day permit is issued on entry to Thaland then that will be on the 2nd day so I will fly back the on the 29th day.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

...

I'm from the UK so I believe I automatically get a 30 day on initial entry?

Yes, if you arrive in Thailand by air. If you have no flight out of Thailand within 30 days from arrival, your airline may not let you board at the UK departure airport.

I will be flying to various places within Thailand but will also spend 2 nights in Cambodia. Will be flying there and back via Air Asia from BKK.

If you return from Cambodia by air you will be given permission to stay for 30 days, if on land, 15 days only.

Thanks. The thailand flight is a return and is already booked both ways, I have most of the hotels pre booked too so can show that on entry if they need to see it. Just looking now it's on the 30th day that I actually fly back to London. Although if the 30 day permit is issued on entry to Thaland then that will be on the 2nd day so I will fly back the on the 29th day.

It wouldn't matter anyway, as you are allowed one day overstay if flying out. In addition to that, the 30 day counter will begin again when you return from Cambodia. The only issue would have been in the UK, if your trip was longer than thirty days and you had no visa. You might not have been allowed to board the aeroplane.

[moe666]

If I screw up and forget my re-entry permit and I am at the airport, I will happily pay 200 baht to save me the hassel of doing the paper work for another extension of stay before its time. Yes they maybe putting the money in their pocket but they have saved my bacon.

The word scam gets thrown around here a bit for what ever reason, but one mans scam is anothers life saver.Yes I will contribute to corruption if it will save me time and trouble, so no need to go there.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

As the OP seems to have gone from this thread, perhaps someone else who's used the service lately can clarify....

Are they just charging a flat 1200 baht fee regardless...or perhaps... charging 200 baht extra for those that don't bring a proper photo for their application?

Or for that matter, is Immigration at the airport actually charging 1200 instead of the normal 1000 baht rate?