Asked To Show Boarding Pass

[sosisbesar]

On my last flight I was asked to show for my Boarding Pass by the Immigration Officer at Suvarnabhumi.

I normally throw it away in the plane as soon as I'm seated, but fortunately this time I had rumpled it into a pellet and stuck it into my trouser pocket.

He looked at it briefly and gave it back to me without a word.

I have travelled all over the world, and Immigration Officers have asked me for all kinds, such as (return) ticket, driver's licence, etc, but never for a Boarding Pass.

I'm still wondering what he wanted to check.

Any ideas?

[Pib]

Maybe to give him an idea for a lottery ticket lucky number. Probably just wanted to confirm the flight you came in on for some reason.

[CNF55]

Could it be that you forgot to fill in the arrival flight no.?

[IMA_FARANG]

No but it's happened to me before in the past. For that reason I always keep my boarding pass on arrival until I am out of the arrival area or the airport. Have no idea what or why they wanted boarding pass however.

I was once escorting a friend"s wife who was catching a connecting flight to the Phillipines. She had her two children with her and a lot of luggage. So I took them to the Thai connecting flights counter and made sure she got her luggage on the plane before I went through immigration. I was about 45 minutes later than most of the arriving passengers on my flight. I was questioned by the immigration on why I was so late going through immigration, and they asked me for my used boarding pass then. Never did understand why, but when they saw my boarding pass, they apparently belived me.

And that's why I always keep my boarding pass until I go through immigration.

[sosisbesar]

Could it be that you forgot to fill in the arrival flight no.?

No. Everything was filled out correctly. As I wrote, he didn't say/ask anything after he'd seen the Boarding Pass and just stamped my passport.

[KhaoNiaw]

Came in on Qatar from Doha last month and before disembarking it was announced that everyone would be required to show their boarding pass. They were being checked by airport staff before you got into open areas of the airport. Fortunately, I located mine quickly but there was a scrum of people searching through their pockets and bags trying to find the things.

[rebbu]

This has happened to me once before.

[sosisbesar]

Came in on Qatar from Doha last month and before disembarking it was announced that everyone would be required to show their boarding pass.

This might be a lead. It was on a Mahan Air flight (DUS-Teheran-BKK).

[Rumpole]

Came in on Qatar from Doha last month and before disembarking it was announced that everyone would be required to show their boarding pass. They were being checked by airport staff before you got into open areas of the airport. Fortunately, I located mine quickly but there was a scrum of people searching through their pockets and bags trying to find the things.

They were doing this a couple of years (also with flights from the Middle East, now I think of it), but then seemed to discontinue the practice. It caused inordinate holdups as passengers were disembarking and the ground staff doing the checking were getting a lot of grief, particularly from those who had thrown away their boarding passes and had to be checked against the passenger manifest.

The only airport in the World I have ever experienced this and I have no idea of the Thai 'reasoning' behind it.

[Crossy]

In the past it was a requirement in Thailand but seems to have faded out. I've been asked in other countries too and not just by immigration chaps, customs at Schipol (Amsterdam) asked for mine, and finding I'd arrived from Thailand proceeded to dismember my baggage

It's always wise to hold on to it until out of the airport, I keep mine anyway because the company wants them with expenses claims.

[doggie888888]

Could it be that you forgot to fill in the arrival flight no.?

No. Everything was filled out correctly. As I wrote, he didn't say/ask anything after he'd seen the Boarding Pass and just stamped my passport.

Did you take a very long time to arrive at the immigration counter after the flight had landed? The immigration officer asked me for the boarding pass (I think it was in Australia)...the only reason I could think was that I was very slow at getting to immigration after my lewisurely duty free shopping, toilet break, a coffee and a telephone call etc etc.

[samran]

Believe in the past people were doing border runs at the airport by going through departures and then heading back to arrivals. Showing your boarding pass proves you arrived by plane.

[lopburi3]

That was one reason for its check. Another and probably more important is check of specific airline arrivals (more detailed) so they are looking for arrivals from a specific flight to check paperwork more closely. In the US have been on such flights where everyone was checked as they departed aircraft in the tunnel.

[FritsSikkink]

Happened to me in Holland once.

[KHR1010]

I am aware of some individuals buying the cheapest one-way ticket they can find, usually Air Asia. They go through immigration and loiter in the airport for several hours, coffee, internet, read a book, and never leave BKK. After sufficient time and coinciding with the arrival of an aircraft from the country they had a one-way ticket to, they proceed back through immigration and receive the 30 day airport visa on arrival. Thus avoiding the visa-run debacle and the 15 visa on arrival received at land entry immigration points.

This became very popular when the visa on arrival was changed to 15 days for overland travel. This may be a direct response to this activity.

[myfriendu]

I am aware of some individuals buying the cheapest one-way ticket they can find, usually Air Asia. They go through immigration and loiter in the airport for several hours, coffee, internet, read a book, and never leave BKK. After sufficient time and coinciding with the arrival of an aircraft from the country they had a one-way ticket to, they proceed back through immigration and receive the 30 day airport visa on arrival. Thus avoiding the visa-run debacle and the 15 visa on arrival received at land entry immigration points.

This became very popular when the visa on arrival was changed to 15 days for overland travel. This may be a direct response to this activity.

not doable you cannot get from departure/and walk in arrival and go back through customs,sometimes people are flagged and checked that they are picking up the correct baggage from said flight,also swapping of passports which is what alot of drug dealers used to do before things got changed.

james bond told me so it must be true,he is under cover in pattaya so cant name the bar we where in

[baboon]

Came in on Qatar from Doha last month and before disembarking it was announced that everyone would be required to show their boarding pass.

This might be a lead. It was on a Mahan Air flight (DUS-Teheran-BKK).

It happened to me coming of a Biman Bangladesh flight from Dhaka. No one was allowed off the plane until they produced passports and boarding cards,except me: "You Farang. Never mind,you go." They were really strict with the poor Bangladeshis though....

[Jingthing]

I do recall this happening to me in Thailand, but not recently. It is a good topic because it should remind people not to discard the pass. Cheers.

[tailspin]

sounds like a potential money maker...what is the fine for not having it?

[Wallaby]

Has never happened to me. I've never even thought of keeping it, usually leave it on the plane. If they ask I suppose I'll go back onto the plane and get it. But maybe it's easier for them to just check on their computer.

Perhaps they just want to be difficult, do they think you will get on a plane without one?

[sosisbesar]

... I've been asked in other countries too and not just by immigration chaps, customs at Schipol (Amsterdam) asked for mine, and finding I'd arrived from Thailand proceeded to dismember my baggage

I thought that's what luggage claim stubs were for ...

Anyway, it's quite true that incoming flights from Thailand are red-flagged by Dutch Customs. They won't be satisfied with a mere x-ray scan but will proceed to hand-checking your luggage. According to a Chinese friend of mine who lives in Holland especially Chinese/Asian people are targetted.

[KHR1010]

I am aware of some individuals buying the cheapest one-way ticket they can find, usually Air Asia. They go through immigration and loiter in the airport for several hours, coffee, internet, read a book, and never leave BKK. After sufficient time and coinciding with the arrival of an aircraft from the country they had a one-way ticket to, they proceed back through immigration and receive the 30 day airport visa on arrival. Thus avoiding the visa-run debacle and the 15 visa on arrival received at land entry immigration points.

This became very popular when the visa on arrival was changed to 15 days for overland travel. This may be a direct response to this activity.

not doable you cannot get from departure/and walk in arrival and go back through customs,sometimes people are flagged and checked that they are picking up the correct baggage from said flight,also swapping of passports which is what alot of drug dealers used to do before things got changed.

james bond told me so it must be true,he is under cover in pattaya so cant name the bar we where in

Is absolutely 100% doable. Where terminals E,F & G converge on the level where the lounges are is an escalator that takes you right down to the arrivals level. (To get back up to the departures level you must go through the small security screening area, as if you where a transit passenger) Once on the arrivals level you can walk right back down to immigration. The only hang-up would be the demand for a boarding pass.

[thrilled]

Always keep your papers,it called covering your a_ _.Never can be to careful.

[tombkk]

No but it's happened to me before in the past. For that reason I always keep my boarding pass on arrival until I am out of the arrival area or the airport. Have no idea what or why they wanted boarding pass however.

I was once escorting a friend"s wife who was catching a connecting flight to the Phillipines. She had her two children with her and a lot of luggage. So I took them to the Thai connecting flights counter and made sure she got her luggage on the plane before I went through immigration. I was about 45 minutes later than most of the arriving passengers on my flight. I was questioned by the immigration on why I was so late going through immigration, and they asked me for my used boarding pass then. Never did understand why, but when they saw my boarding pass, they apparently belived me.

And that's why I always keep my boarding pass until I go through immigration.

I can imagine that it's because of fraud, i.e. people not actually arriving. Many versions of using that trick to circumvene all kinds of control.

I keep my boarding passes until the miles are credited to my mileage account, so no problem. But then, I have never been asked for a boarding pass by security or immigration on arrival.

[Estrada]

Believe in the past people were doing border runs at the airport by going through departures and then heading back to arrivals. Showing your boarding pass proves you arrived by plane.

I must have been doing it wrong, I used to fly to Singapore, enter the transit lounge and catch the return flight.

I do know of one Thai Air Asia international flight 2 years ago that landed at the domestic end of Dong Muang Airport ready for its nnext flight which was internal, and the passengers were bused to the Domestic arrivals instead of International with the results that International passengers entered the Country with no stamp. Also passengers enter the wrong flight number on the arrivals form. Since then they check the arrivals cards.

[blackthorn2005]

I am aware of some individuals buying the cheapest one-way ticket they can find, usually Air Asia. They go through immigration and loiter in the airport for several hours, coffee, internet, read a book, and never leave BKK. After sufficient time and coinciding with the arrival of an aircraft from the country they had a one-way ticket to, they proceed back through immigration and receive the 30 day airport visa on arrival. Thus avoiding the visa-run debacle and the 15 visa on arrival received at land entry immigration points.

This became very popular when the visa on arrival was changed to 15 days for overland travel. This may be a direct response to this activity.

Surely the required arrival/departure stamps in the passport, from the destination country would beat this.

[lovetotravel]

Wow! I've flown all over the world with a lot of airlines. I've never had to show my boarding pass after the flight. The only reason I keep them is to claim FF miles if they screw things up. But with many airlines, I just leave them in the seatback pocket. Doesn't look like I will be doing that any more.

[BOS2BKK]

There is also the issue of people getting off onward traveling planes.

Maybe there was just an problem with an onward bound passenger deplaning in Bangkok thinking he was in Hong Kong.

The Thais have perfected knee Jerk reactions to almost every issue.

[KHR1010]

I am aware of some individuals buying the cheapest one-way ticket they can find, usually Air Asia. They go through immigration and loiter in the airport for several hours, coffee, internet, read a book, and never leave BKK. After sufficient time and coinciding with the arrival of an aircraft from the country they had a one-way ticket to, they proceed back through immigration and receive the 30 day airport visa on arrival. Thus avoiding the visa-run debacle and the 15 visa on arrival received at land entry immigration points.

This became very popular when the visa on arrival was changed to 15 days for overland travel. This may be a direct response to this activity.

Surely the required arrival/departure stamps in the passport, from the destination country would beat this.

There is no such requirement. Many people leaving Thailand return to their home countries which do not stamp you in or out, such as myself. Often I leave Thailand and go home for a month or two, the last stamp being that of my exit from Thailand. Upon my return to Thailand I am stamped right back in.

[BOS2BKK]

I am aware of some individuals buying the cheapest one-way ticket they can find, usually Air Asia. They go through immigration and loiter in the airport for several hours, coffee, internet, read a book, and never leave BKK. After sufficient time and coinciding with the arrival of an aircraft from the country they had a one-way ticket to, they proceed back through immigration and receive the 30 day airport visa on arrival. Thus avoiding the visa-run debacle and the 15 visa on arrival received at land entry immigration points.

This became very popular when the visa on arrival was changed to 15 days for overland travel. This may be a direct response to this activity.

Surely the required arrival/departure stamps in the passport, from the destination country would beat this.

There is no such requirement. Many people leaving Thailand return to their home countries which do not stamp you in or out, such as myself. Often I leave Thailand and go home for a month or two, the last stamp being that of my exit from Thailand. Upon my return to Thailand I am stamped right back in.

There are also some issues directly related to point of departure. I carry a US passport but recently was doing work in South Sudan. Every time I returned to Thailand from Sudan I was required to present my vaccination certificate to the Airport medical officer and getting my entry form stamped before being allowed through customs. Holders of African passports from that flight were going through a much more complicated process than I was. It was a pain in the ass and added 20 minutes to getting through the airport.

I can see someone being aware of this, and claiming to have arrived on a plane from Europe, when he actually arrived on a plane from Africa, just to avoid the additional line...not saying that I ever did that of course... but had I committed such a horrible transgression, asking me to show my boarding pass would have nabbed me.