Being Disrespectful To An Immigration Officer = Permanent Denial Of An Ed Visa Extension

[Suradit69]

I hope the Immigration Officer spoke to the applicant in Thai.

Walen guarantees rapid results !

"Needles [sic] to say ..."

[HerbalEd]

This has nothing to do with manners.

There is a whole new level of corruption now at Phuket immigration and the ED visa is targeted as a high passive income stream.

Why don't you start a thread about the recent meeting where all of the Phuket schools were invited in to immigration to identify who was going to pay tea money and who was not.

The students of those schools that are not paying are now being targeted with special treatment.

Tell it like it is or don't bother posting.

Do you actually believe the rude conduct by the student had nothing to do with his denial and blacklisting? I see nothing from the OP indicating any other students having similar problems.

[Suradit69]

I don't really get why you would conclude we are "guests" in this country because of that immigration incident. It's pretty obvious the immigration police have great power over us foreigners, and it is foolish not to adopt a kowtow like attitude towards them in this culture, but I don't see the connection to the guests rhetoric.

Being polite is hardly equivalent to kowtowing.

[Salapoo]

Awful behavior from a professional government officer!!

She should be reprimanded and demoted to an inactive position.

A guest in this coubtry here studying the language takes a day out to extend their visa with all the correct documents and is told to leave and get them all again because she doesn't like the look of them.

It beggars belief! What a country!

[Jingthing]

There is no reason to be rude to the immigration people. I never have a problem with them and found them helpful rather than otherwise, but you need to be polite (It is free)

They are sometimes very rude. Don't be too shocked if you experience that.

[Jingthing]

I don't really get why you would conclude we are "guests" in this country because of that immigration incident. It's pretty obvious the immigration police have great power over us foreigners, and it is foolish not to adopt a kowtow like attitude towards them in this culture, but I don't see the connection to the guests rhetoric.

Being polite is hardly equivalent to kowtowing.

Polite is fine. Adopting a kowtowing attitude is better. I never suggested LITERALLY kowtowing ...

[jrtmedic]

The Immigration Officers I have had contact with, over many years, have, unfailingly, been professional ,polite and helpful.

If some have experienced anything else maybe they should look to themselves !

[gabruce]

Awful behavior from a professional government officer!!

She should be reprimanded and demoted to an inactive position.

A guest in this coubtry here studying the language takes a day out to extend their visa with all the correct documents and is told to leave and get them all again because she doesn't like the look of them.

It beggars belief! What a country!

love your sense of humor !

[HeijoshinCool]

Denying an extension because of (alleged) rudeness is a gross abuse of authority.

Here, though, that does not surprise me.

[Jingthing]

Denying an extension because of (alleged) rudeness is a gross abuse of authority.

Here, though, that does not surprise me.

They can do it. We should be aware. Not in Kansas anymore.

[Jingthing]

The Immigration Officers I have had contact with, over many years, have, unfailingly, been professional ,polite and helpful.

If some have experienced anything else maybe they should look to themselves !

That's rubbish. It can happen to anyone at any time with no reason whatsover.

The first time I went in for a retirement extension, clean, polite, well dressed, paperwork immaculate, I was treated like a piece of excrement and directly accused of offering a FAKE passport.

So I KNOW you are wrong. The attitude that the applicant is always at fault is just simply WRONG.

If the story in the OP is correct, that applicant messed up. But bad things can happen to people who don't mess up, and again, do try hard not to react in a way that will make your situation much worse. They have all the power. You've got zilch.

[lopburi3]

Troll post removed.

[HerbalEd]

Some people are just plain stupid, huh? I guess he really showed them.

Having dealt with immigration officers many hundreds of times, I have come across a few who were down right power-tripping a__ holes. However, I always maintained my cool, feigned respect, and always got through. Let's face it ... they are in the power and if you want that passport stamped then you better be a good boy or girl.

Of course, there are those who "stand on principle" and would never put up with such indignation ... and more power to them if that's what they want/need. However, my self esteem is strong enough to survive such situations where an a__hole idiot has power over me and I need something they have control of. In fact, that's how I survived two years as a draftee in the US Army without going to the brig.

With all due respect to my Canadian friends ... The two rudest immigration experiences I've ever had were the two times I crossed the border into Canada. Actually I did talk back to one ... that is until he sternly looked me in the eyes and said "Do you want to come into Canada or not?" And my old army training immediately kicked in and I very politely said "Yes sir."

[jrtmedic]

HeijoshinCool

If as the OP reports "shabby papers" were thrown onto the Officers desk accompanied by "a funny face" and ,I have no doubt , a measure of verbal abuse, the applicant went beyond rudeness and deserved all that was sent his/her way!

[Jingthing]

...

Having dealt with immigration officers many hundreds of times, I have come across a few who were down right power-tripping a__ holes. However, I always maintained my cool, feigned respect, and always got through. Let's face it ... they are in the power and if you want that passport stamped then you better be a good boy or girl.

...

Exactomundo. For those who have never encountered a rude power tripper, it's not that you're special, you've just been LUCKY.

[Phronesis]

Yes, I also doubt he was blacklisted from the entire country. I know someone in Chiang Mai who threw a fit, refused to leave until she got her extension (even though she didn't bring all the required paperwork) and was escorted from the office and put into a tuk-tuk. She was able to eventually get the desired extension, but only after hiring a visa agent who held her hand in getting her documents together and represented her at the same office, again.

I believe he might get an extension in another office Nancy, but things are more complicated now.

Macwalen...please define "complicated" as you have used it in the sentence above.

Yep...a tea money payment will now have to be made to get the extension in another office.

That's what a number of schools here in Phuket are now doing. They are so sick of dealing with the corruption and money grabbing at the local office they now send the extension applications of their students up to other immigration offices in Bangkok (along with the students passport) to get the extension stamp.

[stickylies]

And if you go to same office all the time make sure u get along with someone there, and give a present from time to time. Nothing big right, a pack of 3-in-ones can do magic!

[jrtmedic]

Jingthing

I have witnessed Immigration Officers being subject to the most appalling abuse but I have never witnessed any behaviour from Immigration employees which could have been criticised.

On more than one occasion I have expressed my personal regrets to abused Officers only to be told "Thank you ----we get it every day and are used to it "

[Jingthing]

Jingthing

I have witnessed Immigration Officers being subject to the most appalling abuse but I have never witnessed any behaviour from Immigration employees which could have been criticised.

On more than one occasion I have expressed my personal regrets to abused Officers only to be told "Thank you ----we get it every day and are used to it "

That doesn't change the FACT that totally UNDESERVING people get treated HORRIBLY by the officers as well. Two sides, Sherlock.

My most vivid memory was an officer SHOUTING ANGRILY at a Scandanavian man with poor English. It was a language issue. There was no rudeness from this frail old man. He was brought to tears.

[pete66]

To be fair, Thai Immigration officers can be complete c****s, they have power over foreigners, and some just love it - probably why they applied for the position.

Never forget one woman in Bangkok Immigration - I had a problem with a page of my passport being ripped - I explained how it happened and the women said to the other woman "he's lying" (thinking I couldn't understand, just a dumb farang). I said nothing, and they refused to process the visa renewal, and made a face like I was a piece of dirt. So I went to the British Consulate and explained what just happened, and the nice British lady immediately got onto the phone and in a very polite British way "laid into" the Thai immigration police.

I went back to immigration, kind of scared of how they would treat me after being boll***cked on the phone by the British Vice-Consulate, and they treated me like a freaking VIP. They were all smiles when 2 hours earlier I was a piece of s**t.

Sums Thais up - status is everything when they react to you. That's why stuff like "dressing properly", banal as it sounds to many westerners, can make a real difference to how Thai people treat you.

[pete66]

The treatment was so VIP I got my visa renewal processed in an upstairs room individually, didn't have to queue or anything - piece of s**t to VIP in 2 hrs - TIT

[tragickingdom]

A typical case of "Som nam Naa"

[jrtmedic]

Is there a problem here ? British Consulate in BKK?? -----------but never mind !

I very much doubt a "British Vice Consulate"(sic) would " boll** ck anyone !

Diplomats know how to behave ------

[fire and ice]

Whilst its very unwise to upset the offical.

The actual legal side is that any official (in any country) who acts for personal gain (ie: refuses something beccuase htye see it as revenge for being insulted) is commiting currupption. Curruption does nto have be a monetary gain - ANY perosnal gain from a Government position is potentially curruption.

I realsie the reality is different but if an official acted like this in the west they would be in serious trouble regardless of the client's behaviour - they are not a law unto themselves and I am sure their immigration act etc does not specify anything can be denied on a basis of "they upset the Govt official".

[jrtmedic]

Evidence , links ??

[SeaVisionBurma]

Off topic post and a flame have been removed

[jrtmedic]

Many thanks to those of you who have "liked" my posts in this thread or sent PM's. Thank you

[MacWalen]

A lot of posters are very negative about the immigration services in Thailand. I, on the other hand, think they are doing a great job and make staying in Thailand long term quite easy. Most of what is possible in Thailand would not be possible in Australia, Europe or other countries. It is not a good idea to disrespect anybody in any case. I saw once a video of a guy in a new red Ferrari disrespecting a police officer in New York I think, he tried to drive away while being issued a ticket for parking in a wrong place. He was given a quick lesson in respecting the authority. Maybe some of you also have seen that video. I cannot find a link, maybe someone can help, it was popular on Facebook. Immigration is police. You need to behave yourself if you want that extension stamp in your passport.

This student was lucky not to get arrested and charged with the contempt of the authority of something like that, It could happen, couldn't it?

Edit: found it, here it is

[Scott]

More posts removed. Please stay on topic and post in a civil manner.

[pete66]

Is there a problem here ? British Consulate in BKK?? -----------but never mind !

I very much doubt a "British Vice Consulate"(sic) would " boll** ck anyone !

Diplomats know how to behave ------

Dude, I was there, you weren't, it happened, and I did say " in a very polite British way "laid into" the Thai immigration police."

If you wanna call me a liar, fine, but it happened. if it doesn't fit into your world of "perfect immigration officials that have only been abused and never abused any" then all good. Go back and live in your fantasy world.