My day at Immigration

[lucifer666]

I never understand why people have problems at immigration ( over 20 visits now, including a few overstays) . I always show the photocopy lady my documents first ( sometimes she makes another copy and sometimes not), I walk in, am greeted quite pleasantly and I'm usually beckoned over before my ticket number. 5 minutes later, all is finished. Must be something to do with the 200 Baht I always leave in my passport, ( every little helps).

Edited January 23, 2014 by lucifer666

[ggt]

I feel your pain...

I am normally...a very laid-back...easy-going...unflappable...individual...

I too start to get nervous when faced with returning to the paper mill at immigration...

In short...I have been totally ignored when asking questions...have my papers throw back in my face because I did not have enough copies of passport info...and generally treated with great disrespect...

I have noticed that I come very close to hyperventilating when entering immigration...

I equate this experience...with that of having to file income taxes...both of which give me great angst (a feeling of deep anxiety or dread)...

But...hey...you and me are guests in the LOS...Is this how you treat your guests?

[Shaunduhpostman]

I and many others can totally relate to the OP. Either myself or my employers have had hassles with immigration every year for a decade down at Soi Suan Plu (old Bangkok immigration) and Chaeng Wattana. The foreign affairs office guy at my university seemingly had to spend hours just trying to prove to Suan Phlu that indeed he represented a major government university that was seeking to employ me for another year. Literally piles and piles of supporting documents and forms were submitted and argued over, phone calls put in to confirm this or that. In my last year they started sending teams of staff over to deal with simply getting a visa renewal. At least my man was getting a salary for all this. It's obvious to me it's standard procedure to treat each person arbitrarily and randomly and create problems where none exist.

Also, whenever I have these very difficult dealings with immigration my wife always comments that myself and all the other farangs are in the same boat with most Thais. Thais are also often put through the same this-document-is-no-good-go-back-and-get-what-I-want gauntlet when having to get some document or stamp from a govt. office.

For me the solution is clear, it's much easier to leave the country and just get a new 1 year marriage visa and leave the country every 90 days for the entry permit . At some embassies -Savanahkhet, Jakarta- the process could hardly be smoother or easier. It just encourages the abuse that goes on at immigration by continuing to submit yourself to them. Some Thai consulates are relatively transparent, straight up and there to serve and I will use them as long as they continue doing a good job.

Edited January 24, 2014 by Shaunduhpostman

[moe666]

I guesss I am living right, get all my paper work together a week before exactly the same as last year and the year before. I then go to CM immigration and do the deed, usually less than 10 min. in front of a immigration officer and about a 30 to 45 min wait for return of change and passport. Just do not get it all of the hassel some people have, I guess the rest of your life is as full of drama as your yearly trip to immigration.

I stay at a residence here in Chiang Mai whose owner is a friend of the head of immigration, he has asked our land lord to ask us to report any request for tea money in the course of immigration officers doing their required duties. There not all corrupt.

[moogradod]

I never understand why people have problems at immigration ( over 20 visits now, including a few overstays) . I always show the photocopy lady my documents first ( sometimes she makes another copy and sometimes not), I walk in, am greeted quite pleasantly and I'm usually beckoned over before my ticket number. 5 minutes later, all is finished. Must be something to do with the 200 Baht I always leave in my passport, ( every little helps).

I do not really understand this tea money procedure. Do 100 Baht or 200 Baht in advance really help to make thing more smooth or is there as well a latent danger that someone will be offended even to the extent that you do not get what you want (extension) ?

And if not payed in advance and there are some "problems" (although there shouldn't be any if everything is in order ) may tea money still save you then ? Is this not regarded as loosing face if you offer that or do all emotions disappear in the presence of money (depending on the amount) ?

I suggest some tea money thread for the uninitiated and unexperienced (like me). Explanation: I do not live in Thailand yet - but had some encounters with Thai authorities and everthing always worked out in the end - although mostly in a complicated or time consuming fashion.