It All Happened on Halloween

[sensei]

The day that I was dreading has finally arrived. It is the 31^st of October once again. I woke up earlier than usual and got ready, hoping that this day will be different from the previous Halloweens.

We drove to that white building with a blue, tiled roof. I opened the door to let my companions walk in not because I was being a gentleman, but I wanted to be the last to get in. With feet heavy as lead, I begrudgingly walked in silently whispering to myself, “Everything will be alright.”

I was in. The sign was too big for me not to see. It says in big bold letters…

C****** REGION IMMIGRATION OFFICE

Then I saw her, the witch who inhabits that place; the demon who lurks within. She shot me a look and my life flashed in front of me.

I sat down in front of her petrified. It was just like waiting on death row. I sat there silently.

One by one, she looked at my documents. Every once in a while, she would pause and this action sends my heart racing. Did she see anything wrong? Is there something missing?

She slowly looked up and asked, “Who prepares these documents for you?”
After one big gulp I said, “The school secretary.”

She carefully arranged the documents, handed it back to me and said, “If you do not arrange the documents in this order next time you go here, I WILL NOT GIVE YOU A VISA! You are wasting my time!” she growled.

I was waiting for the flashes of lightning and the crash of thunder that follows, but I only heard it in my head.

Wasting her time? I was alone there; there wasn’t any line. I said, Yes and that I will have it arranged in this manner and I took note of how she wanted it.

Application form, receipt of the work permit application, copy of the passport, copy of the work permit, letter of request from the school, letter of request from the local educational area, copy of teacher’s license, location map of the school.

I had it committed to memory. Her words, “If you do not arrange the documents in this order next time you go here, I WILL NOT GIVE YOU A VISA!” still ringing in my ears. “I WILL NOT GIVE YOU A VISA!” These words were still echoing in my head.

I gave the documents back to her then she asked, “Do you pay taxes?” I replied, “Yes, here is my tax ID” I have pulled out that tax ID countless times before and it had always been enough. Little did I know that she was looking for the tax form and the receipt that proves that I have paid my taxes. Unfortunately, my school pays taxes online and I pay over the counter at Tesco Express and I give the receipt back to the school secretary who keeps it my files.

“I asked for this last year and you still did not remember to include that!” she boomed. In my head I was saying “NO”, she didn’t ask for it the previous year and she gave me a visa after seeing my tax ID. I wanted to argue but what came out of my mouth was, “OK, I will come back tomorrow to bring it back to you.” Then she said, “NO, here’s a number. Have it sent here by fax."

I sighed in relief and went back to the waiting area. After some time, the fax finally arrived and she summoned my back to her table. She asked me to sign the newly arrived papers that she would later include to my documents.

I was just sitting there in front of her absentmindedly waiting for her next instruction. I was looking at the papers as she turned it and folded it. I was just there when she barked, “Go back to the waiting area, you don’t have to look at everything that I am doing!”

Like a wounded dog with his tail between his legs, I quietly slid out of the chair and returned to the waiting area.

After a long wait, the time came for her to hand me back my passport with the newly stamped visa. She was holding it when she pointed to a rating contraption in front of her. There are numbers on that device that ranks her performance. The number 1 for absolutely horrible just like she is, the numbers 2, 3, 4, steadily rising and 5 for an excellent performance.

She tightly held the passport with two hands as she said, “Press LIKE!” while staring at the device.

My mind is arguing with itself. My heart, body and soul want to press 1 several times, maybe a hundred times to show my disgust over this bully but better judgment prevailed. With my entire being rebelling against my next action, I pressed 5.

I saw a faint smile, or more like a smirk on her face as she handed me back my passport.

How I wish I could say that this story is fictional in nature, sadly it is not. It is a true story of what a professional teacher goes through every year when he is applying for a visa.

Is it too difficult to be polite? Is it really that hard to be nice? This immigration officer always threatens me that she won’t give me a visa for very minor reasons. There is always a way to say things in the right way but this immigration officer always try to find a mean way to convey the message.

She is a bully. She is a power tripping bully who mentally and psychologically tortures those applying for a visa. I wanted to fight back and yell at her for doing these things to me but I know I will get into more trouble. I had to control myself.

I am a professional and I go there as one. I do my best to be polite to her and to everyone there. I was there at around 9:00 in the morning and I was almost lunchtime when I got my passport back.

It all happened on the 31^st of October, I have another 364 days away from that witch. So many things can happen between now and then. I hope everyone presses 5 on her rating device and she gets promoted so that I won't ever see her ever again.

Edited November 3, 2013 by sensei

[sirchai]

She tightly held the passport with two hands as she said, “Press LIKE!” while staring at the device.

Did you add her to your facebook account?-

[Scott]

Fortunately, our visa girl comes with us when we get our extension. I just have to sit there and look beautiful. That's getting harder and harder as time goes by.

[sensei]

She tightly held the passport with two hands as she said, “Press LIKE!” while staring at the device.

Did you add her to your facebook account?- alt=w00t.gif width=18 height=20>

I was just quoting her. That's exactly what she said.

She gave me her email address when the school secretary can't send the file. It turned out that the fax machine in the immigration office wasn't turned on yet.

I tried searching for her on Facebook with her email account with an intent of cyber bullying her but I couldn't find her.

Fortunately, our visa girl comes with us when we get our extension. I just have to sit there and look beautiful. That's getting harder and harder as time goes by.

I came with an elderly (over 65) teacher and she is the reason why this bully has lifted her foot of her meanness pedal by a little bit. I have had worse days with her but the results are always the same... I go out of that office cursing and stressed.

[Eddy B]

Fortunately, our visa girl comes with us when we get our extension. I just have to sit there and look beautiful. That's getting harder and harder as time goes by.

Well as a guy trying to look beautiful would be a hard challenge. I would of prefered the James Bond look of dapper and above their expentations while drinking a cocktail or other beverage on hand stirred but not shaken.

[Scott]

I work with 4 different schools and 3 different Immigration offices. One of the visa girls that we have is absolutely fantastic. She always has all the documents, they are all done correctly and they are in the correct order, they are also appropriately stamped and signed (with the right color ink and that is important). She is sweet, respectful and very business like. She has extraordinary credibility with the immigration officers and can get people in and out in a breeze.

We have another one -- fortunately she recently left --who routinely forgets documents, or doesn't stamp them. She sometimes is 'too busy' to go with a new teacher and sends them on their own. This is done with incomplete documentation. It's a nightmare.

[Showbags]

Its like over paying, you are ruining it for everyone else.

Next time ask her if she hires out after hours for light b&d experiences.

[sensei]

I work with 4 different schools and 3 different Immigration offices. One of the visa girls that we have is absolutely fantastic. She always has all the documents, they are all done correctly and they are in the correct order, they are also appropriately stamped and signed (with the right color ink and that is important). She is sweet, respectful and very business like. She has extraordinary credibility with the immigration officers and can get people in and out in a breeze.

We have another one -- fortunately she recently left --who routinely forgets documents, or doesn't stamp them. She sometimes is 'too busy' to go with a new teacher and sends them on their own. This is done with incomplete documentation. It's a nightmare.

Thanks for your input. Nothing I can do about it now, just venting all this pent up anger towards this monster who disguises herself as a public servant.

That is exactly what I suggested to my immediate superior upon my return...

Assign just ONE Thai teacher who will go with the foreign teachers when we have to have our visas renewed. This will help that Thai teacher become familiar with what that demon requires.

[culicine]

What she is really saying is: "be glad I let you stay in my wonderful country..1 more year" hmmmmm She doesn't sound very professional anyway, but a lot of Thais get the same lousy treatment in other government offices.

[sensei]

What she is really saying is: "be glad I let you stay in my wonderful country..1 more year" hmmmmm She doesn't sound very professional anyway, but a lot of Thais get the same lousy treatment in other government offices.

I agree, she is an embarrassment to all the good Thai people.

She is the face that foreigners will remember...

[bob4you]

Nest time bring a box of Hawaii Macacamia nuts chocolates as a gift and a wai, seems to warm up the cold situation every time.

[BruceSmith]

sensei

I think you may be in love.....

[sensei]

Nest time bring a box of Hawaii Macacamia nuts chocolates as a gift and a wai, seems to warm up the cold situation every time.

She's got a track record of receiving gifts but I am not giving her anything after everything that she has done.

sensei

I think you may be in love.....

In love?

So wanting to strangle someone is now a sign of being in love.

Seriously... The day after I went there, I woke up feeling like I have had a super heavy leg workout and about 2 hours of cardio the previous day. Just being there is stressful to say the least.

[sensei]

sensei

I think you may be in love.....

I really don't get it...

I guess my original post was too long for you to read...

[hanno]

In love and denial

Seriously? I am very happy to live in Cambodia where getting a visa is damn easy and I do not have to deal with any immigration people.

[Showbags]

Nest time bring a box of Hawaii Macacamia nuts chocolates as a gift and a wai, seems to warm up the cold situation every time.

oh you are one of those suckups.....saw a knob recently giving a bottle of french wine to them for his 90 day report.

[Ace of Pop]

The Right Coloured Ink. Someone having a Joke here. ?. How petty and pedantic can one get.

[Scott]

You may call the right colored ink pedantic, but it is apparently important.

[Ace of Pop]

You may call the right colored ink pedantic, but it is apparently important.

Perhaps to a Cretin, with nothing better to think Ink about.

[sensei]

Nest time bring a box of Hawaii Macacamia nuts chocolates as a gift and a wai, seems to warm up the cold situation every time.

oh you are one of those suckups.....saw a knob recently giving a bottle of french wine to them for his 90 day report.

French wine for a 90-day report?

Reminds me of how Pavlov trained his dogs...

Edited November 6, 2013 by sensei

[lannarebirth]

Creative Writing teacher by any chance?

[Fookhaht]

The OP's experience mirrors my experience at an immigration office in Nong Khai for the first 4 years of my stay here in LOS. Did her twin (also evil) work in Nong Khai? I knew my documents contained a mistake by watching her upper lip curl into a predatory smile which said, "Oh, farang, you are sooooo screwed!"

One time I caught HER in a mistake (she had misread a date in my passport). I pointed it out to her, because it was going to cause me problems. Big mistake. Hell hath no fury like an immigration witch caught in an error. She suddenly decided that she had to have a copy of my next term's class schedule before she would grant my extension. Of course, I had no schedule on my person. Ergo, no extension. Further, she would not accept a fax from my school. It had to be an original signed by the PRESIDENT (no less) of my school. Therefore, my choices came down to: point out her mistake or get screwed over by a sudden demand to produce a teaching schedule? Between a rock and a hard place.

On one visit, I exasperated her because I had three requests for her to fulfil: visa extension, re-entry permit, and 90-day report. I felt like Tiny Tim asking for another bowl of gruel. She huffed and puffed all the way through the ordeal. When finished, she literally shoved my documents back at me for some additional signatures with such force they scattered over the floor, and I had to crawl around picking them up like a bad boy who'd just been punished for rocking the boat.

Like you, I came back from each trip drained of energy and in need of a full year to build back my self worth as a human and as a "guest" in her Thailand.

In contrast, I now deal with Khon Kaen immigration, whose staff are the epitome of professionalism and friendliness. Asked why I was applying for a re-entry permit one year, I mentioned that my mother was getting older, and I had to be ready for any emergency trips back to my home country. The male clerk asked, in his very clear English, with genuine concern, "Well, just how IS your mother doing?" I nearly fell off my chair in light of previous experiences at immigration.

So, among a few bad apples, there are a lot of good ones. Just the luck of the draw. Good luck to all you teachers who have to occasionally run the gauntlet.

Edited November 7, 2013 by Fookhaht

[sensei]

So, among a few bad apples, there are a lot of good ones. Just the luck of the draw. Good luck to all you teachers who have to occasionally run the gauntlet.

I agree, Fookhaht

I have met more of the better kind.

The bad ones are just so rotten to the core that they leave a terrible impression.

Nice to know that I am not the only one going through that kind of situation and thanks for posting one of the more sensible responses.

[Scott]

A post containing Thai script has been deleted. The only language permitted on the forum is English, with the exception of the Thai language forum.

[sensei]

Creative Writing teacher by any chance?

Science Teacher

A post containing Thai script has been deleted. The only language permitted on the forum is English, with the exception of the Thai language forum.

Sorry, that was mine...

Just had too much fun with Google Translate. My apologies

[sensei]

Nest time bring a box of Hawaii Macacamia nuts chocolates as a gift and a wai, seems to warm up the cold situation every time.

oh you are one of those suckups.....saw a knob recently giving a bottle of french wine to them for his 90 day report.

Did the wine come with a note that says drink and drive?