Jolly disappointed.

[sailor1x52]

Having resided in Phuket for the last 7 years, married a lady from Chiang Mai 6 years ago,, and on my fourth work permit including one for my own business, now defunct.

I returned from Penang by air to Phuket International Airport and was met by a Gestapo team of immigration officers, I was bearing a Non Immigrant B visa in order to implement a work permit for which all the paperwork had been submitted in Penang.

I was told that only four tourist visas are allowed now, I had a succession of ten, but, only 3 in and out on the same day, the others were leaving by sea and remaining outside Thailand for a week or sometimes much more.

I find this new "Crackdown" petulant and spiteful. Not welcoming at all. I would welcome clarification for airline captains, cargo and passenger ship captains and yacht captains. Any answers please.

[stoneyboy]

Expect little else from a nation currently under Martial Law,piss up in a brewery springs to mind.

[NomadJoe]

So you had a new non-immigrant B visa and were detained? hassled? for having several tourist visas and visa exempt stamps? We need more detail about your interaction with immigration. What did they tell you? What did they ask you? How long were you delayed? Was your re-enty to the country in jeopardy? Did they issue a warning? Did you pay tea-money?

[stevenl]

So you had a new non-immigrant B visa and were detained? hassled? for having several tourist visas and visa exempt stamps? We need more detail about your interaction with immigration. What did they tell you? What did they ask you? How long were you delayed? Was your re-enty to the country in jeopardy? Did they issue a warning? Did you pay tea-money?

Sounds like he did not have B but applied for it, and now tried to enter on a tourist visa, his tenth!!. If that is the case, no surprise he was questioned.

Edited May 20, 2014 by stevenl

[sustento]

"was met by a Gestapo team"

I don't think so. You still have all your fingernails? You can walk without assistance? They didn't perform any medical experiments on you without anaesthetising you first?

Don't insult those who were 'met by a Gestapo team' and don't confuse your very minor inconvenience with the real suffering of those who were

[LivinginKata]

So you had a new non-immigrant B visa and were detained? hassled? for having several tourist visas and visa exempt stamps? We need more detail about your interaction with immigration. What did they tell you? What did they ask you? How long were you delayed? Was your re-enty to the country in jeopardy? Did they issue a warning? Did you pay tea-money?

Sounds like he did not have B but applied for it, and now tried to enter on a tourist visa, his tenth!!. If that is the case, no surprise he was questioned.

Sounds like he did - 'bearing a Non Immigrant B'

[eezergood]

I would simply loose my passport and get a new one........

[stevenl]

So you had a new non-immigrant B visa and were detained? hassled? for having several tourist visas and visa exempt stamps? We need more detail about your interaction with immigration. What did they tell you? What did they ask you? How long were you delayed? Was your re-enty to the country in jeopardy? Did they issue a warning? Did you pay tea-money?

Sounds like he did not have B but applied for it, and now tried to enter on a tourist visa, his tenth!!. If that is the case, no surprise he was questioned.

Sounds like he did - 'bearing a Non Immigrant B'

Yes, but he also mentions 'for which the paperwork had been submitted'. From his story it is not clear to me he was already in possession of the B-visa, but was in the process of getting one, or maybe even had been rejected.

[Somtamnication]

He only told the first half of the story. How did it end?

[PattayaPhom]

I would simply loose my passport and get a new one........

Cost and inconvenience of new passport.......not really a viable option. As for the OP, an O visa based on marriage is easy to obtain in Penang, although Phuket can be akward for obtaining WP based on anything but a non B

Edited May 21, 2014 by PattayaPhom

[simon43]

This sounds very encouraging (NOT) for when I go to Penang and apply for an ED visa early next month...

[stevehaigh]

well at least you're still jolly

[LivinginKata]

Sounds like he did - 'bearing a Non Immigrant B'

Yes, but he also mentions 'for which the paperwork had been submitted'. From his story it is not clear to me he was already in possession of the B-visa, but was in the process of getting one, or maybe even had been rejected.

He says he was applying for a Work Permit for which the paperwork had already been submitted. At least that's the way I read it.

[stevenl]

Sounds like he did - 'bearing a Non Immigrant B'

Yes, but he also mentions 'for which the paperwork had been submitted'. From his story it is not clear to me he was already in possession of the B-visa, but was in the process of getting one, or maybe even had been rejected.

He says he was applying for a Work Permit for which the paperwork had already been submitted. At least that's the way I read it.

Could be that is what he meant, but he mentioned 'submitted in Penang', so that can not be for the workpermit.

Maybe he was questioned more than necessary, I really don't know, but the OP did not provide clear information with regards to the workpermit, B-visa and visa used to enter. So all in all I have the feeling the OP has omitted the information that would clarify his 'meeting with a Gestapo team'.

[merijn]

More information is required from the OP.

Until then it is only guessing.

If you have a valid Non-B you should not have any problems on the airport.

[keestha]

I would simply loose my passport and get a new one........

A virgin passport won't help. A brief burst of keyboard activity will tell the guy/lady at the immigration counter all about your Thailand entries till a long time ago.

[stevenl]

I would simply loose my passport and get a new one........

A virgin passport won't help. A brief burst of keyboard activity will tell the guy/lady at the immigration counter all about your Thailand entries till a long time ago.

That would depend if they do a search. The face recognition is not working, but names and dob's are linked. So if the date is entered (can be done automatically) in the database all information will come up. This is however not always done, whether or not done depends on the officer. So he could be lucky with his virgin passport.

[EBlair48]

My B visa I actually got me to the front of the lengthly line last time I came in through HKT. I asked a passing officer if there was a line for B visa business owners, and he took me to an empty booth and processed me through. This was in January

Edited May 22, 2014 by EBlair48