Unfortunate immigration problem on Songkran Day

[fiddlehead]

This is only slightly Phuket related, but the problem started here anyway.

So, I'm coming back into Thailand (from Vietnam) on Sunday evening and going through immigration.

I had bought a 3,800 baht "multiple entry" visa about 3 weeks before as I am going on another trip later in the year to Australia.

I'm in Don Muang and the immigration lady spends a lot of time looking over my pages and then call over her boss.
He asks me to step into the back room and asks me how much I paid for my multiple entry visa and did I have the receipt?
(of course I did not)

I told him I thought it was 3500 or 3900 baht, I didn't remember exactly but I had just got it a week or two before.
He showed me where there was a space for the number and it was blank.
This was news to me as I didn't (stupid of me, never again) look at that close.

He gets on the phone to Phuket and after 3 tries, talks to someone there.
He hangs up and says it will probably take an hour.

He was very nice to me and I felt that he wasn't at all like 80% of immigration officers I've ever dealt with.
Maybe because it was Songkran and he was in a pleasant mood???
They ALL had the colorful songkran shirts on.

Anyway, it took about 1 1/2 hours and finally his phone rang and he wrote down the number.
Turns out they pulled my papers in Phuket, found it (I found this the hardest thing to believe), and gave him the number that should have been written in that space.

I had to go through immigration again, after he put in the number and, I missed my flight and had to spend the night in Bangkok, which was quite crazy with drunks and the water thing.

But it taught me to check these guys work closely.
Everyone makes mistakes and I was so glad the guy believed me and didn't give me a hard time about it.
It could have been a very tense 1 1/2 hours, instead it was pleasant and we talked about throwing water, and working on holidays, etc.

[kiniyow]

Consider yourself Lucky..It could have turned the other way around..

[merijn]

I think that you are indeed lucky.

It would be normally difficult to find somebody at immigration office during songkran who can help you.

[fatdrunkandstupid]

Now you can bring a claim for your expenses due their negligence. Just file it at the new tourist court in Phuket town.

[grumpyoldman]

As we were talking about already fiddlehead, and for everyone else out there that has to get a re-entry permit when travelling, upon getting that stamp, reconfirm the visa number on the stamp with the official, right then.

I've had it all blearied eyed from a long flight where I couldn't read the chicken scratch numbers the guy put on the stamp whilst trying to fill my arrival/departure card. They held me up too.

[KarenBravo]

You don't need a re-entry permit for a multiple entry visa. That's why it's called multiple entry.

[stevenl]

You don't need a re-entry permit for a multiple entry visa. That's why it's called multiple entry.

Plus you can not buy a re entry visa in Thailand.

The OP probably means he has a visa extension and bought multiple re-entry permits.