Customs Check

[tuktukmike]

I came in through swampy in feb and while in baggage claim I had an idea I was being watched, there seemed to be quite a lot of thai guys walking around the baggage area in casual dress.

Sure enough I got a tug but not at the customs we all walk through but outside in the arrivals hall, the same thing happened to me a couple of years ago at swampy.

I am sure I have seen this topic before on thaivisa but thought it deserves an update, so the question is just who are these people.

When they stop you they take you behind a sort of wooden screen where a chap is sat at a desk, they of course found nothing and was allowed to continue.

The thing is that I have never experienced anything like this at any other airport, normally once you have cleared the customs channel that is it.

If they suspected me of carring anything I should not then why did they not stop me at customs.

Strange.

Ttm

[thaicbr]

I came in through swampy in feb and while in baggage claim I had an idea I was being watched, there seemed to be quite a lot of thai guys walking around the baggage area in casual dress.

Sure enough I got a tug but not at the customs we all walk through but outside in the arrivals hall, the same thing happened to me a couple of years ago at swampy.

I am sure I have seen this topic before on thaivisa but thought it deserves an update, so the question is just who are these people.

When they stop you they take you behind a sort of wooden screen where a chap is sat at a desk, they of course found nothing and was allowed to continue.

The thing is that I have never experienced anything like this at any other airport, normally once you have cleared the customs channel that is it.

If they suspected me of carring anything I should not then why did they not stop me at customs.

Strange.

Ttm

Just make sure you see credentials. If none are shown insist on seeing a uniformed cop.

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE Q6

[Farma]

I've seen these guys in action in the old DM plus Swampy. I believe from the older threads they're Excise dept. Dark jackets covering ID badge on left shirt pocket?

[tuktukmike]

Does that mean that unlike other countries they are a separate entity.

Most countries customs and excise are one and the same.

Cant remember seeing any id worn by them but must be legit or how else would they have their own little desk there.

Ttm

[tuktukmike]

Also no dark jackets just shirt and trousers, like I said if you keep an eye out in baggage reclaim you will see them milling around.

Not the best at undercover work

Ttm

[breadbin]

No info on this but interesting.

As said, no ID, no look.

[thaicbr]

Does that mean that unlike other countries they are a separate entity.

Most countries customs and excise are one and the same.

Cant remember seeing any id worn by them but must be legit or how else would they have their own little desk there.

Ttm

This is Thailand. You could probably have your own desk if you had enough money and knew the right people

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE Q6

[Farma]

I found the old thread http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/88699-huge-fines-on-arrival/page-8

Page 8 posts 183 and 194

[joy16]

They are the officials who are there for searching people passed the green channel with potential to carry overlimit of cigarettes and/or alcohol to the kingdom.

[whybother]

By "arrival halls", do you mean where you pick up your luggage or after you exit through the green or red channels?

[NanLaew]

By "arrival halls", do you mean where you pick up your luggage or after you exit through the green or red channels?

After you have exited the Customs area completely and are in the meet & greet area. As stated earlier, they are Customs officers on the lookout for dishonest green channelers. They watch for the shaven headed, nervous looking, shifty, edgy profile of the typical, nicotine deprived, Brit traveler who is likely to have scads of ciggy cartons in his checked bags, 'Not mine! They're for my mates.'

[Thereisnoif]

If you know the right people, you don't have to worry about these guys .

Once we came back from France with 3 Hermes bags that my wife bought for some Hi-So lady .

She waited for us at the baggage carousel and walked us through the red channel waving to all the Customs officers who were waiing her like she was royalty .

Gave me a good laugh and one more proof that money buys anything in this country .

[tuktukmike]

Well I dont fit into the pot bellief bald headed type referred to.

So anyway if as said they are there to check people who have come through the green channel then what is the job of the uniformed customs officials that were present in the said channel.

As I have said I have never heard of a sort of double customs check before.

Ttm

[Thereisnoif]

Well I dont fit into the pot bellief bald headed type referred to.

So anyway if as said they are there to check people who have come through the green channel then what is the job of the uniformed customs officials that were present in the said channel.

As I have said I have never heard of a sort of double customs check before.

Ttm

You still don't get it do you ?

There has never been a rule of law in this feudal kleptocracy.

If you find yourself on the wrong side of the coin toss, you will be in a world of shit.

Just make sure you don't .

Happy Songkran .

[Satcommlee]

They are without doubt the excise guys... seen them in action before.

Their principle purpose is to March you to an ATM and extract 20K from you if you have a few ciggies too many.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Farma]

It appears Customs and Excise are 2 seperate entities.

Some light reading to satisfy your curiosity can be found on

The Customs Department website http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/aboutus/aboutus

and

The Excise Department website http://www.excise.go.th/index.php?id=423&L=1

[theoldgit]

This can happen in any country in the world, certainly in the UK it's not unknown for HMRC Officers to challenge people in the terminal, car park or even in the street. Customs Officers have a lot of power.

[NanLaew]

....

So anyway if as said they are there to check people who have come through the green channel then what is the job of the uniformed customs officials that were present in the said channel.

...

They difference is the uniformed ones inside will issue a receipt on request whereas the plainclothes ones outside will refer you to the receipt option on the ATM.

[Baboy]

By "arrival halls", do you mean where you pick up your luggage or after you exit through the green or red channels?

After you have exited the Customs area completely and are in the meet & greet area. As stated earlier, they are Customs officers on the lookout for dishonest green channelers. They watch for the shaven headed, nervous looking, shifty, edgy profile of the typical, nicotine deprived, Brit traveler who is likely to have scads of ciggy cartons in his checked bags, 'Not mine! They're for my mates.'

As a matter of interest why would anyone smuggle cigarettes into Thailand? I thought that was only 1 way traffic.

[Satcommlee]

By "arrival halls", do you mean where you pick up your luggage or after you exit through the green or red channels?

After you have exited the Customs area completely and are in the meet & greet area. As stated earlier, they are Customs officers on the lookout for dishonest green channelers. They watch for the shaven headed, nervous looking, shifty, edgy profile of the typical, nicotine deprived, Brit traveler who is likely to have scads of ciggy cartons in his checked bags, 'Not mine! They're for my mates.'

As a matter of interest why would anyone smuggle cigarettes into Thailand? I thought that was only 1 way traffic.

But many are tempted to bring a little more than the 1 Litre of spirit or 200 cigarettes they are permitted to bring in Duty Free. They may save a few hundred Baht but it ends up costing them dearly at the ATM and with no option to pay the duty.

When I was a newbie - I read the sign at the luggage carousel at Don Muang and realized I was over duty free limit so went through red channel - "Customs" were uninterested, they just told me "Never Mind".. Customs are on the look - out for drugs I guess.

[fakename]

I was stopped in Australia, while waiting for the baggage. Seen several guys checking out the passengers. I will have to blame my Thai wife, for drawing attention to us. They wanted to know were we really married, and what was our business in Australia.

[impulse]

If they catch you before the green channel, you can always claim you intended to pay the duty. You're out a few bucks.

If they catch you after the green channel, you've lost that option. Go to ATM, go directly to ATM, do not pass go, it's gonna cost you.

It's like they let shoplifters go through the exit door before nabbing them. No way they can say they planned to pay for the item once they're outside the store.

[Ricardo]

I experienced something slightly-different, a week or so ago, I had just grabbed the first of three bags off the conveyor when I was approached by one of these guys.

He asked to see my hold-luggage stubs, then matched the serial-number on the stub against the serial-number on the bag, and walked off tearing-up my stubs, didn't bother to wait to check the other two bags.

Perhaps they're having a crack-down on people who walk off with other passengers' bags, or something ? Wonder what I could have done, if one of the other bags had failed-to-arrive, having given-up my bagage-tag/proof-of-loading ?

It all seemed fairly pointless to me !

Edited June 12, 2013 by Ricardo