Getting Refused Entry To Thailand - Help Needed!

[ALFREDO]

-Poor sucker-

Very interesting!

Poor sucker, from your name you would possibly qualify to, for that -Information board-

[NewlyMintedThai]

No emergency number on embassy..just rings with no reply

This is insane! I would write a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs complaining about that. What's an Embassy otherwise is for? I have never heard something like that! Embassies MUST have an emergency telephone number with 7/7 and 24/24 service!

They're mostly there to conduct diplomatic relations between the two countries. Helping out their countrymen is NOT a priority.

[londoedan]

When traveling to Asia it is important to have a decent appearance and good hygiene. Many of the hairy, unwashed peoples of the world--and yes, farang hippies are HIGH on this list--do not seem to understand this. I have long hair but it (and my person) is always washed, and I dress respectfully, and have never had a problem in any Asian country. I know good hygiene is a foreign concept to the residents of many countries, given the ghastly sights and smells I'm regularly subject to on the BKK Skytrain...but when in Rome, kiddies, when in Rome...

Too true - I also hate sitting next to mingers on aeroplanes - particularly when they take off their shoes .

Ditto the Aussies that stroll around Bali without any shirt's on at all. Absolutely no sensitivities at all.

[Arkady]

I still fail to see why he was locked up here by immigration when he flew in from Korea unless Argentinians require a visa before arrival ? Something just doesn't sound right in all this.

He's in the immigration system. Was leaving Thailand, a day before, but didn't 'go anywhere', cause no stamp in the passport, from any country.

That can be the reason, for showing the immigration that letter from Korea.

Or the airline staff informed the airport, and the got 'picked up' in the plane. What I assume, anyway!

So if I fly to the UK where I do not need nor require any stamp and then fly back to Thailand the next day I would find myself in the same situation ?

I rather doubt it.

What if he had gone home and come back ?

Something more is going on here than is being stated. it has to be for this to be happening.

Just to clear this up for some of you that don't fully understand.

The deal is you go back to the country of your passport and then get a new passport and then you can enter any country; provided that you meet the requirements of entry to that country.

You have to go back to the country of origin because no other country will accept you, unless you pull the refugee card and then it is detention until approved. This takes about 3 years.

If the guy can't afford a ticket he stays where he is until he can.

As he has been signed out of Thailand he is in limbo ie he is not in any country not even Thailand he is in detention until he can afford to go home. It is the same as going to Poipet to do a visa run and sign out of Thailand but are not allowed into Cambodia. You are stuck in that piece of land between the immigration offices in limbo forever. Of course in that situation it is easy to enter either country but then you are illegal and can never be stamped out because you have not been stamped in. It's a bit like the Ground Hog Day situation.

This whole deal is standard procedure and has been in operation for years.

He doesn't have to fly Thai airways but Immigration and TA are tied up somehow and they are probably trying to boost the airline's pockets.

Wouldn't be surprised if TG pays a commission to immigration officers in such a case but anyway Thailand is not the only country that forces deportees to fly full fare on a national carrier. I remember a German guy who was arrested in the US for working illegally telling me the German Embassy paid his fare home business class on the next Lufthansa flight because economy was full, ignoring his pleas for a cheaper fare, and the government kept his passport after that until he had paid them back. Nowadays fewer countries will advance the fare to their nationals and I don't suppose Argentina ever has. In Thailand most stay at the insanitary Immigration jail in Soi Suan Plu until someone can be persuaded to wire them the fare.

Edited September 30, 2012 by Arkady

[Arkady]

When traveling to Asia it is important to have a decent appearance and good hygiene. Many of the hairy, unwashed peoples of the world--and yes, farang hippies are HIGH on this list--do not seem to understand this. I have long hair but it (and my person) is always washed, and I dress respectfully, and have never had a problem in any Asian country. I know good hygiene is a foreign concept to the residents of many countries, given the ghastly sights and smells I'm regularly subject to on the BKK Skytrain...but when in Rome, kiddies, when in Rome...

Too true - I also hate sitting next to mingers on aeroplanes - particularly when they take off their shoes .

Ditto the Aussies that stroll around Bali without any shirt's on at all. Absolutely no sensitivities at all.

Once boarded a flight from Denpasar to Sydney full of drunken Aussies wearing a uniform of thongs, singlets and blue shorts. The stench of unwashed bodies showing off tats and tans in the departure lounge was unbearable. Thank God I sat up front on the plane which was absolutely freezing.

[londoedan]

When traveling to Asia it is important to have a decent appearance and good hygiene. Many of the hairy, unwashed peoples of the world--and yes, farang hippies are HIGH on this list--do not seem to understand this. I have long hair but it (and my person) is always washed, and I dress respectfully, and have never had a problem in any Asian country. I know good hygiene is a foreign concept to the residents of many countries, given the ghastly sights and smells I'm regularly subject to on the BKK Skytrain...but when in Rome, kiddies, when in Rome...

Too true - I also hate sitting next to mingers on aeroplanes - particularly when they take off their shoes .

Ditto the Aussies that stroll around Bali without any shirt's on at all. Absolutely no sensitivities at all.

Once boarded a flight from Denpasar to Sydney full of drunken Aussies wearing a uniform of thongs, singlets and blue shorts. The stench of unwashed bodies showing off tats and tans in the departure lounge was unbearable. Thank God I sat up front on the plane which was absolutely freezing.

Exactly, its not like every guide or travel book thats ever been written about travelling to SE Asia hasn't mentioned these points.

On the beaches of Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia then fair enough - let it all hang out a bit, but once you leave the beach then lets cover up and show some respect to the locals. Double that for travelling and going in and out of points of entry IMHO.

[noob7]

When traveling to Asia it is important to have a decent appearance and good hygiene. Many of the hairy, unwashed peoples of the world--and yes, farang hippies are HIGH on this list--do not seem to understand this. I have long hair but it (and my person) is always washed, and I dress respectfully, and have never had a problem in any Asian country. I know good hygiene is a foreign concept to the residents of many countries, given the ghastly sights and smells I'm regularly subject to on the BKK Skytrain...but when in Rome, kiddies, when in Rome...

Too true - I also hate sitting next to mingers on aeroplanes - particularly when they take off their shoes .

Ditto the Aussies that stroll around Bali without any shirt's on at all. Absolutely no sensitivities at all.

Once boarded a flight from Denpasar to Sydney full of drunken Aussies wearing a uniform of thongs, singlets and blue shorts. The stench of unwashed bodies showing off tats and tans in the departure lounge was unbearable. Thank God I sat up front on the plane which was absolutely freezing.

And bad luck, for Australia, they couldn't refuse 'em!

[paz]

OK so situation resolved but first of all would like to thank everybody who gave good advice, and say shame on you to the people with somewhat negative and sceptical (at the most) responses. (Hope you find yourself in the same situation one day and see how the negative and sceptical responses help you)

A big thank you goes out to ITGabs who manage to help with an emergency embassy number.

My friend flew out (eventually) via Dubai despite being told a thousand blatant lies telling him that Dubai fly via KL and he can not go on that flight, being handed a Hand written piece of paper quoteing an astronomical amount of money to fly on thaiairways (I never thought they would be so blatently corrupt!) And basically been given the run around for 3 days just so they could hold him there.

The embassy was closed due to a public holiday ( in his home country) and even the the consul contact that he eventually got through to on the emergency number admitted that there should be a contact message on the answer phone for emergencys and it should not just ring through (helpful and Proffesional )

It seems he was denied entry on the fact that he did have a one way ticket (his bad although I have since read that it is not a nessesity if you can prove yout financials ) but also most of his documents showing his financial assets bank account etc were in Spanish (and in Argentinian pesos currency obviously) and they just point blank didn't accept them, which seems stupid to me as a bank statement is a bank statement in Spanish or English, its just numbers but as they couldn't understand the language written and wouldnt accept them as sufficient evidence for onward travel.

I also suspect and agree with one of the posters about having a quota to meet, and also yes he is a hippy looking traveler but since when should this come in to any judgement unless we are being racist? (Which I'm pretty sure they were) and maybe he just got the imigration officer who had a face like a smacked arse and it just wasnt his day.

Thanks again to all who helped with advice. Really appreciated.

Thank you for providing the update and happy to know that the misadventure of your friend has finished..

It was really depressing to see so many national-racist rants from disbelievers, know-it-all first-wolrd passport holders... on the other hand there are so many around, they are just difficult to ignore sometime.

[Sateev]

Sure, and that creates a perfect loop considering that as explained before, Other Asian (ASEAN ?) countries will refuse entry to those that have been refused by others. Just another demonstration why movies (and documentaries) about these stories exists.

Not that anybody gives a dam_n of course.

Here's a bulletin for you: Korea is NOT a member of ASEAN. I suspect whoever said it was an Asian rule, pulled it out of his cloaca.

[paz]

Sure, and that creates a perfect loop considering that as explained before, Other Asian (ASEAN ?) countries will refuse entry to those that have been refused by others. Just another demonstration why movies (and documentaries) about these stories exists.

Not that anybody gives a dam_n of course.

Here's a bulletin for you: Korea is NOT a member of ASEAN. I suspect whoever said it was an Asian rule, pulled it out of his cloaca.

Could be. In fact I wrote (Asian) as well to stress the fact that Immigration may use directions from above, informal agreements, or whatever common practice to make a decision. Note however that Korea, as well PRC and Japan do collaborate with ASEAN states on a wide range of matter, including transational crime (hint, hint).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASEAN_Free_Trade_Area#ASEAN_Plus_Three

[lopburi3]

As the issue has been resolved and this thread has become a flame war it is time to end.