Do you worry more when going through thai or USA custom?

[Cheapcharly]

I see many people who worry when going to USA(as a tourist) , some guys find themselves in secondary inspection and really worry to be sent back where they come from.

I have been sent to secondary US inspection a few times, but why should I worry for? All they want is you real intention of your visit or something missing in your visa.

In Thailand, they don't ask any questions. You show your passport, they stamp and you go through. Sometimes they ask you questions, (like "60 days OK?"), more a confirmation than a question.

I don't know how it is in Europe for tourist (for EU citizen, you don't see any officer, in UK now you pass your passport in a scanner until light turns green) but it seems the only place where people fear immigration is the USA.

But we can see clearly that USA use a technic which is based mainly on intimidation and fear , big uniforms, big badges, guns, dodgy questions, embarrassing questions or technical questions about visa which you don't know sometimes the answer or what kind of answer they want to hear from you. You see, for that, I would avoid the USA for vacation and go to Thailand instead. Or anywhere else but USA.

It 's so easy to book a flight ticket nowadays, you can write Miami or bkk or anyplace in the world and with online research tools you got hundred of flights coming in 15 seconds. I heard that some people have decided to avoid the USA since the dhs has chosen to introduce fingerprints when leaving the USA.

Any comment ?

Edited August 22, 2013 by Cheapcharly

[Jingthing]

The USA entry is about 100 times more stressful. This ain't news.

[ubonjoe]

I think you mean immigration not customs.

When I read your title I thought you could be a smuggler.

Can't say much about US because I have its passport.

But I can say that Thailand is much better than some countries I have been to.

[David48]

The USA entry is about 100 times more stressful. This ain't news.

Only 100 times ... I'm thinking you're being conservative.

Ditto Australian Customs and New Zealand ... apparently is worse.

But no-one holds a candle to the Scottish Customs ... you know how tight those Scots can be ...

.

[OJAS]

But no-one holds a candle to the Scottish Customs ... you know how tight those Scots can be ...

.

Yes, woe betide anyone who has to go through the border crossings at either end of Hadrian's Wall

Entering France at CDG can also be rather intimidating. You have to show your passport to burly gun-toting cops before queuing up for the regular immigration officers.

Edited August 22, 2013 by OJAS

[JLCrab]

When an American citizen travels to the USA they most certainly fill out a customs declaration form and are subject to search if a Customs agent so chooses. These days I almost always purchase a new laptop whenever I return to US and it is a bit relaxing not to be concerned that Customs much choose to look for contraband of any variety on a computer carried in from Thailand to the USA.

[Colabamumbai]

Why would you ever want to go the the U.S.A.? This from a Canadian.

[jmccarty]

Never even noticed Customs when going to the US. Immigration does give me some hassle, a lot of questions about where I live, how long, when did I live in the US last? No idea why because I travel there so infrequently.

This Immigration and customs has never even asked why I am here. Used to visit as a tourist 3 or 4 times a year, then moved here to work last year. Come in and out monthly. Never asked anything.

Edited August 22, 2013 by jmccarty

[Jingthing]

Why would you ever want to go the the U.S.A.? This from a Canadian.

Silly question. The Mexican food, of course.

[Shot]

No need to worry, unless you have something to worry about.

[Baloo22]

Like one Bm said above; "No need to worry, unless you have something to worry about"

I don't worry at all going through either US or Thai customs. Why should I worry? I do not carry anything that would cause me to worry. And in no way, no shape, no form, am I afraid of either customs officers, immigration officers, or TSA officers. I'm not the type of person that needs to fear any of them. If the OP is so fraidy-fraidy-fraidy of the big, bad, customs officers, the OP should probably should start digging that nice deep bunker to hide in.

[Gonsalviz]

Like one Bm said above; "No need to worry, unless you have something to worry about"

I don't worry at all going through either US or Thai customs. Why should I worry? I do not carry anything that would cause me to worry. And in no way, no shape, no form, am I afraid of either customs officers, immigration officers, or TSA officers. I'm not the type of person that needs to fear any of them. If the OP is so fraidy-fraidy-fraidy of the big, bad, customs officers, the OP should probably should start digging that nice deep bunker to hide in.

Not so much worry but hassle. Also the immigration guy is the one that decides which customs line you will go to.

[thrilled]

Don't carry anything illegal. You'll be ok

[NeverSure]

Why would you ever want to go the the U.S.A.? This from a Canadian.

Oh, maybe to escape the bitter cold winters. 1/2 million Canadians own homes in Florida. LINK

"Other popular winter residences for Canadians include Arizona, especially Yuma, Lake Havasu, Tucson and Mesa, and the Palm Springs area of California, Slack said. In Texas, popular Canadian wintering grounds are the Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, Brownsville and South Padre Island."

Or maybe to see the beautiful national parks like the Grand Canyon or the giant redwood trees or Yosemite or any of a number of other parks.

6.9 million Canadians visited New York State alone last year. That's almost 1/4 of the Canadian population. LINK

[spud67]

The U.S. has become much, much easier to visit for me since 9/11. As a single man from Canada I was oftentimes searched and questioned. But now the profile has changed and I am waved through without a second look. I find I get way more hassle and attitude from bigshots protecting the Canadian frontier (not to mention they routinely cut open my mailed coffee packages from Dom Rep spilling beans all over grrr). Of course it's odd, now that I can come and go as I please to the States, I don't visit much anymore - still, a nice place though. Also, the Thai border folks give me no problems at all but have only entered at Swampy.

[spud67]

Why would you ever want to go the the U.S.A.? This from a Canadian.

As a Canadian, I am constantly baffled by some of my countrymen's seemingly endless need to point this out; as if we are somehow morally superior or possess a whining need to distance ourselves from our neighbours. Far from having the desired effect, it reveals a deep rooted insecurity complex held by some by virtue of being located beside the world's economic and military behemoth.

I don't mind if you don't like the US, many don't, but why would it be tied to your nationality? No one else cares about that.

[ccarbaugh]

US Customs is the only one that hassles me.

They tell me, "It's because of where

you're coming from- (Thailand.)"

[lovetotravel]

Why would you ever want to go the the U.S.A.? This from a Canadian.

My Canadian friend, who travels to both the US and Canada several times a year, says the US entry procedures are much easier. He gets less hassle in the US than he does in Canada.

[Scott]

Going through both US and Thai customs is not really a problem for me. In the US, they usually check my bag (and according to a friend of a friend, they are looking for agricultural products--such as those decorative pillows that are stuffed with coconut husks). It is a very quick check and I am out the door. The Immigration procedures are quite fast.

In Thailand, I seldom have been checked by customs, but they have x-rayed my luggage a few times. Immigration is a lot slower, though.

Same, same but different, in my experience.

Worst experiences -- Heathrow (actually missed the flight) and Switizerland.

[canman]

Why would you ever want to go the the U.S.A.? This from a Canadian.

Silly question. The Mexican food, of course.

The Latina's!

[Suradit69]

Like one Bm said above; "No need to worry, unless you have something to worry about"

I don't worry at all going through either US or Thai customs. Why should I worry? I do not carry anything that would cause me to worry. And in no way, no shape, no form, am I afraid of either customs officers, immigration officers, or TSA officers. I'm not the type of person that needs to fear any of them. If the OP is so fraidy-fraidy-fraidy of the big, bad, customs officers, the OP should probably should start digging that nice deep bunker to hide in.

Yes, I've never worried about US or Thailand or UK or South Africa or ... Why worry?

Apparently on the Likely-Terrorist-or-Smuggler-Profile ranking I must be near the bottom of the list. Neither Immigrations nor Customs ever seem to give me a second look.

The only time I attracted any interest was checking in for a flight from Dubai to Bangkok I had one of those retractable tape measures in my carry-on. In my naiveté I hadn't realized how multi-functional they can be. I gather they can be used to garrote fellow passengers if you're so inclined. On reflection there have been a few fellow passengers over the years who merited garroting, but I never had a tape measure on hand at the right time.

P.S.

Forgot there was the time I was travelling with my two Siamese cats from Chicago to Southern Africa with a layover at Heathrow. The cats were meant to go directly to the RSPC animal shelter at Heathrow to await the next flight, but they appeared on the luggage belt, which caused a customs official to go totally ballistic. He implied I was putting the entire agricultural infrastructure of Britain at risk and called a policeman.

The police arrived, digested the information and told the Immigrations officer he was a flaming idiot, or words to that effect, and had the animal people collect the cats. In future we travelled via Frankfurt where customs seemed a lot less hyperactive.

Threatening objects shown below.

Edited August 23, 2013 by Suradit69

[JLCrab]

This is in part why TSA employees are willing to be in a room and stamping forms and rifle through your carry-on baggage and put up with some of the nonsense heaped on them daily by the traveling public aside from their current pay:

In addition to rewarding work, you will be eligible for numerous benefits during your career with TSA.

• A wide choice of health insurance programs
• Personal leave days for vacation, illness, and family care
• Ten paid holidays per year
• Paid training
• Fully portable Thrift Savings Plan (similar to a 401(k))
• Non-taxable Flexible Spending Accounts for out-of-pocket medical or dependant expenses
• Transportation subsidies
• Defined benefit retirement plan
• Flexible work schedules
• Employee recognition program
• Life and long-term care insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Uniform allowance
• Telework

[theoldgit]

This thread has little, if anything to do with migration, and as the offensive comments have started, it's now time to draw a line under it.

Closed.