Thai tourist rule offends visitors from Vietnam

[Pralaad]

Of course the Thais are entitled to their own rules, but the methods of enforcement really aren't the ticket at times. Why would the authorities want to unnecessarily piss off other ASEAN citizens like this?

Because there is an increasing number of Viets starting to enter Thailand and work illegally.

I know one shop where 6 out of 7 employees are Viets and all working illegally, Thai owned

Photo is going over the top, however nothing wrong at all with showing the money.

20 000 baht is really NOT a huge amount of money, taxi to Pattaya alone can cost up to 1500 baht each way

[Greenhill]

There's other example. I'm aware of about 5 students from well regarded Vietnamese universities being denied visas to take up exchange programs, one semester, at Thai universities (already approved for acceptance by the Thai unis.)

These are MBA students, all in good employment in Vietnam, all speak advanced English, all with good progress results so far in their studies, all with full sponsorships from their employers.

And with a refusal to give any details of why they were not approved.

Answer is quite simple really - they would show-up the poor standard of comparable Thai students and we know the Thai's don't like to lose face!!

[Som wat]

i was talking to some old friends from the Uk recently,they have been to Thailand a few times,but would not come back again, because,it was dirty,overpriced,to much lies and scams and they can have a better value holiday closer to home in Greece or Spain,when i mentioned the girls they laughed,most of the bars had gone downhill,many girls were now fat,or unattractive,and wanted exhorbitant amounts,and that the gf experience was finished.now it was mostly short time only, as a tourist destination it may be popular with Russians and chinese still,but they generally spend less money than a visitor from the us,Europe,australia,as they buy food at 7/11 and beer there[well with the russians anyway],so whatever Tat does they will be unable to halt this decline,Thailand has through greed killed the goose that laid the golden egg

what a load of rubbish.

US, UK, French, German, Korean, Japanese, Singaporean, Taiwanese, all with tourist numbers that have increased every year to date since 2008.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Thailand#Top_20_Most_visiting_nationalities

Yeah, your bar propping, whoring friends will be sorely missed.

mate go back to the Wat and stay there,you obvoiusly do not read the news,so why comment as you really have little to add to this discussion except your small grasp of well ,anything.

Your post:

Your penny-pinching, sex-tourist friends now feel unwelcome because they can't get the GFE they desire off third World peasant prostitutes.

My post:

Factual data showing that your claim of a decline in Western tourists here is nonsense.

Hmmmm.

[Som wat]

There's other example. I'm aware of about 5 students from well regarded Vietnamese universities being denied visas to take up exchange programs, one semester, at Thai universities (already approved for acceptance by the Thai unis.)

These are MBA students, all in good employment in Vietnam, all speak advanced English, all with good progress results so far in their studies, all with full sponsorships from their employers.

And with a refusal to give any details of why they were not approved.

Answer is quite simple really - they would show-up the poor standard of comparable Thai students and we know the Thai's don't like to lose face!!

Show up the Thai lecturers more like.

I remember being in China and I met a few Uni students there, one had to give a speech the following day titled 'Unity and diversity as one'. This was about 2 hours outside Wuhan in the middle of nowhere in the middle of China.

Come back here and they have a menthol stick up their hooter laughing at a lakorn/photo of a dead person/a cartoon.

[RubbaJohnny]

Ridiculous. Like the man said, some people carry credit cards. Who wants to carry so much cash?

$700 phew while litle over our recent dinner bill for 4

I realize Vietnamese may be poorer but would a genuine overland tourist manage on less for amonth considerin about $100 bucks to get home another slice for Cambodian vissa so around $18 a day assuming you sleep for free under a Thai tree or lady 500 baht a day wont go far

Also this is not a new rule and the Thais don't really wan poor male tourusts who are smarter more enreprising,They prefer poor working girls from Laos,paperless Karen refugees and Rohyingas to trade etc or Burmese to lock on a prawn boatASEAN going to be a bit of wake up when any competition for educated flexible workers with global skliss in scienc emaths and English will be more of premium than badges and sucking up to the Poo yais ,George excepted of course

Edited May 9, 2014 by RubbaJohnny

[NongKhaiKid]

With ASEAN and AEC supposed to bring countries together this isn't exactly diplomatic but it's by no means new.

Some 20 odd years ago i arrived at Don Muang during a very bury arrival time and the immigration queues were going nowhere fast.

In the line next to me there was a group of Indians who had just arrived from New Dehli and were being questioned by an officer about purpose of visit, accommodation etc. and as there was a language barrier an English speaker came forward. I must explain I have no idea if they were a tour group and he their guide.

The bottom line was the immigration officer wanted to know if they had money to cover their stay, shopping trip etc. and he was assured they did and NO they would not prove it so the choice was simple ' Show Me The Money ' or no entry.

I have no idea of the outcome as it was my turn at the desk and I was through but i doubt the arrivals won the argument.

[ratpiece]

There's other example. I'm aware of about 5 students from well regarded Vietnamese universities being denied visas to take up exchange programs, one semester, at Thai universities (already approved for acceptance by the Thai unis.)

These are MBA students, all in good employment in Vietnam, all speak advanced English, all with good progress results so far in their studies, all with full sponsorships from their employers.

And with a refusal to give any details of why they were not approved.

The students were probably found to be too intelligent and over qualified to study at what we laughingly refer to as a Thai university.

[choonsan]

This is Thailand!

The Thai immigration officers are TRAINED to discriminate against women; even Thai women as well.

Even the Airlines operating here in Thailand (Thai Airways included).

Remember an incident when I was travelling with my wife and daughter from Hatyai to Kuala Lumpur.

At the airline check-in counter, we were requested to show a return air ticket. I told the lady check-in staff that we will be travelling by road to Penang and then back to Hatyai by road.

She refused to check us in unless we could show 20,000 Baht each.

My wife and daughter has valid USA, UK and Australian visa in their passport and I pointed this to them but she still insist that we produce the 20K each.

A separate incident;

My mother (almost 90 years old) who lives in Kuala Lumpur wanted to visit me and stay with me for a few weeks.

She was travelling with her Filipino nurse. My mother was given a 30 days visa free stay but the Filipino nurse was only given 14 days.

The immigration officer said that all Filipinos are only given 14 days.

[razer]

Thailand is the Hub of stupid immigration practices.

[ggt]

Immigration can sale these photos to their criminal buddies...takes all the guesswork out of...who has cash in hand...

[brewsterbudgen]

i was talking to some old friends from the Uk recently,they have been to Thailand a few times,but would not come back again, because,it was dirty,overpriced,to much lies and scams and they can have a better value holiday closer to home in Greece or Spain,when i mentioned the girls they laughed,most of the bars had gone downhill,many girls were now fat,or unattractive,and wanted exhorbitant amounts,and that the gf experience was finished.now it was mostly short time only, as a tourist destination it may be popular with Russians and chinese still,but they generally spend less money than a visitor from the us,Europe,australia,as they buy food at 7/11 and beer there[well with the russians anyway],so whatever Tat does they will be unable to halt this decline,Thailand has through greed killed the goose that laid the golden egg

what a load of rubbish.

US, UK, French, German, Korean, Japanese, Singaporean, Taiwanese, all with tourist numbers that have increased every year to date since 2008.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Thailand#Top_20_Most_visiting_nationalities

Yeah, your bar propping, whoring friends will be sorely missed.

mate go back to the Wat and stay there,you obvoiusly do not read the news,so why comment as you really have little to add to this discussion except your small grasp of well ,anything.

Are you saying his post is inaccurate? Your post clearly stated that your "friends" were here for the sex scene.

[godden]

I don't see Thailand staying part of ASIAN for long, before being asked to politely leave.

[kerrysum]

What a wonderful introduction/invite/welcome to the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by Thailand.

Say no more......

I agree, sure shows unity in ASEAN correct? I do know most Thais do not like Vietnamese..... But then there was a war at one time.......

So go figure......

Kerry

[weegee]

There's other example. I'm aware of about 5 students from well regarded Vietnamese universities being denied visas to take up exchange programs, one semester, at Thai universities (already approved for acceptance by the Thai unis.)

These are MBA students, all in good employment in Vietnam, all speak advanced English, all with good progress results so far in their studies, all with full sponsorships from their employers.

And with a refusal to give any details of why they were not approved.

No Backhander up front?

[Patrick Mills]

Thailand is just busy making enemies with good countries , while bad countries destroy this country.

[jmccarty]

It's called "show money" and nothing new, Philipino's often have to show at least US$500 to leave, even then, they often get turned back by immigration unless they have a visa to go to other ASEAN neighbour countries, and if you are female under 30, you need sponsor letter from a citizen with a good explanation why you are travelling.

Mostly to stop illegal employment.

Most single travellers, especially younger, used to have to show money to go into Singapore but they have stopped that nonsense a long time ago I believe.

[sawadee1947]

..why any Vietnamese would like to stay in Thailand???? To receive Thainess??? They want only to see how it is in Thailand and then......run away!! Never ever to stay here...!

[Thaiisnotrequired]

It's a great idea. Big kudos to Thailand for having the balls to do this to stop immigrants seeking to work illegally. They should make all Europeans show a minimum of 100,000 baht on entry. That would keep out the vile sex tourist riffraff that are tarnishing this country's reputation.

The European riff raff you mention are key to this country's economy, and probably all have instant access to much more than 100,000 baht, so no it wouldn't keep them out! As for their tarnishing this country's reputation? errmm who does that? The tourists? codswallop!

[robert888d]

T.I.T. This is Thailand today.

[wandasloan]

Of course the Thais are entitled to their own rules, but the methods of enforcement really aren't the ticket at times. Why would the authorities want to unnecessarily piss off other ASEAN citizens like this?

Without disagreeing with you in any manner, it is a parallel truth that Vietnamese under a quite vicious and sometimes deadly Vietnamese mafia have taken hold in the "illegal immigrant community" up and down Thailand, but particularly in Bangkok. This crude Aranyaprathet border rule is an offensive way to try to sort out tourists from Robin Hoods, as the Thais call them.

There is both method and madness to be sure, but there also is an underlying reason.

The European riff raff you mention are key to this country's economy, snip snip

5555 Now that is a fabulous example of inserting humour into a desultory thread. Thank you.

.

Edited May 10, 2014 by wandasloan

[rodroy]

Maybe just maybe it's to discourage the groups of pickpockets and shoplifters prowling MBK, Sogo etal!

Unfortunately everything is applied based on the lowest common denominator!

[masuk]

Of course the Thais are entitled to their own rules, but the methods of enforcement really aren't the ticket at times. Why would the authorities want to unnecessarily piss off other ASEAN citizens like this?

Agreed. Plenty of countries ask for proof of funds from certain nationalities (Australia, Schengen countries, etc.) but the way this is done is absolutely ridiculous.

Are you sure? I'm Australian, and I've had three visas over the years, and never been asked about funds.

A different matter of course with a Retirement Extension, but never for the Non-O, Non-B visas.

I can't imagine Viets coming here to work at the rather poor rates per hour.

[davidmann]

Pay Tea money ,and welcome to thailand ,,this must be the new system

[Docno]

What a bunch of nit wit posts.

Singapore in particular loves to haul thai travellers over the coals when arriving overland. Not a peep for you fellas. This stuff isn't unusual anywhere in the world.

Most of you lot are running scared as you know it is only a matter of time befor you all start getting pulled up. Bring it on, I say!

Actually, you're half right. Girls arriving by bus (down through Malaysia) are hassled less in Singapore than those coming by plane, for reasons I'm not exactly clear on. And girls arriving on budget airlines are hassled more than girls coming on 'premium' airlines. The Thais and Filipinas get the worst of it. For some reason, Vietnamese have less of a problem at immigration here and have now come to dominate a lot of the 'entertainment outlets'. Filipinas have really bad as they are often prevented from leaving the airport on their side (though sometimes they are able to bribe their way on to the plane).

Anyway, having "show money" is a very common requirement in this part of the world, as a lot of Thais will know from first hand experience. Even worse, it can be impossible to bring a SE Asian into some of our home countries. I know an Aussie family in Singapore who were unable to get a visa to bring their Indonesian nanny with them on a week-long vacation back home. Yet we all grumble about how unfriendly Thailand is...

[Time Traveller]

Maybe the honorable vice chairman of the Viet Nam Tourism Association,forgot that 60 years ago credit cards didn't exist. Which how many years behind the rest of the world Thai immigration are. They still expect people to have smallpox vaccinations before entering the country and their computer systems can't even notice criminals coming and going with forged passports or stolen visas. Laughable and backward is their best description.

[unanimosity]

There's other example. I'm aware of about 5 students from well regarded Vietnamese universities being denied visas to take up exchange programs, one semester, at Thai universities (already approved for acceptance by the Thai unis.)

These are MBA students, all in good employment in Vietnam, all speak advanced English, all with good progress results so far in their studies, all with full sponsorships from their employers.

And with a refusal to give any details of why they were not approved.

It could create an outbound stream of well-off Thai students to VN once they saw the kind of education these kids have. That may be what would concern the visa stampers but the truth is that the Thai students don't want an education, just a degree.

[unanimosity]

What ought to rile the ASEAN member states is the signage displayed in Thailand proclaiming Thailand as the capital of ASEAN.

[stockholm1995]

Welcome to Thailand!

Please show me the moneeeeeyyyy

[masuk]

What a bunch of nit wit posts.

Singapore in particular loves to haul thai travellers over the coals when arriving overland. Not a peep for you fellas. This stuff isn't unusual anywhere in the world.

Most of you lot are running scared as you know it is only a matter of time befor you all start getting pulled up. Bring it on, I say!

Actually, you're half right. Girls arriving by bus (down through Malaysia) are hassled less in Singapore than those coming by plane, for reasons I'm not exactly clear on. And girls arriving on budget airlines are hassled more than girls coming on 'premium' airlines. The Thais and Filipinas get the worst of it. For some reason, Vietnamese have less of a problem at immigration here and have now come to dominate a lot of the 'entertainment outlets'. Filipinas have really bad as they are often prevented from leaving the airport on their side (though sometimes they are able to bribe their way on to the plane).

Anyway, having "show money" is a very common requirement in this part of the world, as a lot of Thais will know from first hand experience. Even worse, it can be impossible to bring a SE Asian into some of our home countries. I know an Aussie family in Singapore who were unable to get a visa to bring their Indonesian nanny with them on a week-long vacation back home. Yet we all grumble about how unfriendly Thailand is...

Aussie Immigration are paranoid about 'overstayers'. There's no small fine. It's instant 'illegal'.

Some ASEAN countries are notorious for overstaying, and thus it's difficult for these folk to get a visa.

[thejcb]

Good, Vietnam is one of the most racist countries in the world, now their people are being affected they don't like it.

When they are in their own country they see no problem in charging 5 times the Vietnam price to tourists.

Hypocrisy at its highest !