Phuket Airport immigration boss denies ‘tax’ on departures

[Lite Beer]

Phuket Airport immigration boss denies ‘tax’ on departures
The Phuket News


Tourists at immigration.

 

PHUKET: -- The matter was brought to the attention of The Phuket News by the friends of a passenger who was leaving last night. They did not want to be named.

The passenger got to the Immigration desk to be told, “Fifty baht.” She did not have any Thai money with her and so had to phone the friends who had dropped her at the airport to come back again and bring her B50.

She was not the only one. Hundreds of people leaving Thailand, who had already converted their Thai money into other currencies, were caught out by the imposition of the toll.

The scene was described as “chaos” as people who had reached the front of the queue realised that they would have to go out of the immigration hall and back into the main departure hall, wait in a queue to change money back into baht and then join the back of the Immigration queue again.

Others shouted out for anyone who might happen to have a stack of Thai B50 notes for sale.

The Phuket News was initially unable to reach the superintendent of airport immigration, but spoke with his predecessor, Pol Col Assawin Naksawat, now based in Bangkok.

He said he thought there must have been some kind of misunderstanding.

“There are two sides to consider,” Col Assawin said. “First, what is the truth of the matter? Second, I do not know what kind of fees they have at Phuket International Airport at the moment.”

He recalled a row about a year ago after a similar “fee” was applied to inbound Chinese tourists. Many Chinese complained that they had been charged up to 10 yuan, without receiving receipts from the Immigration officers.

“I had this kind of situation when I worked there. Chinese passengers were not happy with the way immigration officials worked, and there were communication difficulties between the passengers and the official. Then, the passenger made up stories like that [that officials were demanding money].”

The Phuket News next asked Pol Maj Gen Suwitpon Imjairat of Immigration at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok whether any new official fees had been introduced for Immigration service at departures.

He said not. “It is our duty to work for people. We just serve passengers in the airport. Immigration officials do not charge passengers any fees.”

Finally The Phuket News managed to reach the current Phuket Airport Immigration Superintendent, Pol Col Prapansak Prasansuk.

He said, “I moved here five or six months ago and I learned about officers taking money, which had been happening for a long time. This happened from the Chinese tourists’ habit of giving officials five to 10 yuan, which they put in their passports before handing them to immigration officers.

“When I came to work in Phuket I was strict with my officials and I am sure that this behaviour has decreased since July.

“It is impossible that this happened because I have CCTV cameras and policemen with soldiers watching [at Immigration].”

 

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-airport-immigration-boss-denies-%E2%80%98tax%E2%80%99-on-departures-47801.php

 

[pn]2014-08-11[/pn]

[JesseFrank]

If hundreds of people had to pay the 50 Baht on departure last night, then it will be confirmed or denied very soon by some of them who departed , and for sure there will be egg on someones face.

 

Lets wait and see where the egg lands .

Edited August 11, 2014 by JesseFrank

[IAMSOBAD]

YouTube time at the airport.

[kurnell]

Lots of vague answers and nobody knows what's going on at Phuket airport. Pizz them off when they arrive and remind them again when they leave. Tourism in down, and they try this?? Mindless.

[LivinginKata]

So, what happens if departing pax refuse to pay this so called 'tax' ? Would immigartion really refuse exit ?

[GeorgeO]

So, what happens if departing pax refuse to pay this so called 'tax' ? Would immigartion really refuse exit ?

 

That would have been my approach to the situation ... and I am firmly of the opinion that they would have said "okay, move on...".

[Suriya4]

And no exiting falang have phone with camera?

[iReason]

"there were communication difficulties…”
 
With who?
 
"Then, the passenger made up stories like that that officials were demanding money.”
 
Are we to believe a tourist decided to make this up for no reason upon leaving?
 
 “...the current Phuket Airport Immigration Superintendent, Pol Col Prapansak Prasansuk,...said:
“I moved here five or six months ago and I learned about officers taking money, which had been happening for a long time." 
 

“When I came to work in Phuket I was strict with my officials and I am sure that this behaviour has decreased since July."
Decreased?

“It is impossible that this happened because I have CCTV cameras and policemen with soldiers watching at Immigration.” 
 
You can't make this gibberish up...
Reform?
  
 

P.S.
" Hundreds of people leaving Thailand, who had already converted their Thai money into other currencies, were caught out by the imposition of the toll."
  

[Jimi007]

I've heard of the express/VIP line fee upon entering, now they want a fee to exit as well. Greedy boys. I hope they get bit in the ass. I personally have never had an issue with Phuket Immigration, but the carrier I now fly won't deal with them. I exit and enter thought BKK, although my baggage is checked straight through from and to Phuket. Works for me.

Edited August 11, 2014 by Jimi007

[Deacon Bell]

Would scam a disabled person out of their last satang.

[IAMSOBAD]

Penny wise Pound foolish.
And it will never stop here.

[AloisAmrein]

Some corruption and tea money is always present in Thailand. If the people working at the counters of immigration are not happy with their salary, they can ask the army junta for an increase in salary, but to do this they are too much cowards. Instead of that stealing money from tourists and further damaging the already hampered image of Thailand. Where is the justice to prosecute such behavior?

 

[Likener1]

As Phuket now runs the either wait for ages or pay immigration on arrivals perhaps this new system for departures, if it exists of course as it didnt/did previously depending on who was in charge answering, is really the answer

 

Arrivals = "Do you want us to keep you standing around unnecessarily for ages or not" costs X baht.

 

Departures = "Do you want to miss your plane or not" costs X baht.

 

Its only fair, it has balance "Hello pay me" and "Goodbye pay me"

[Deacon Bell]

Would suck the blood out of a worm if they could get away with it. 

[terryp]

its been shown with the incompetence of the past couple of months that Immigration in thailand need massive reform from the top down

 

these people are arrogant ignorant and in many cases just plain nasty....and this is from first hand experience over many years here dealing with numerous immigration workers and offices

[shirtless]

I think the only misunderstanding here is they have been caught, now is face saving time.

[Tatsujin]

Still waiting on TAT to announce their amazingly (surprisingly) high tourist numbers . . .

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

I wish that they are all transferred to some shit job in Yala province and bring in honest people to replace this scum with.

[Payboy]

50 Baht? Amazing great grand midnight daytime Thailand sale promotion.

[Psych01]

Hahahaha! TiT.

 

No one wanting to admit, condemn or put blame on a Thai. Must be the all the foreigners. Good to see things never change, especially as the world does not understand.

[jacko45k]

“I had this kind of situation when I worked there. Chinese passengers were not happy with the way immigration officials worked, and there were communication difficulties between the passengers and the official. Then, the passenger made up stories like that [that officials were demanding money].”

 

And do you also believe in coincidences?

[Queenslander]

Sadly, it is not just Thailand. On a recent trip to Cambodia my Thai wife was told she had to pay the 'arrivals' immigration officer tea money to get her passport back - she gave him THB40

 

Unfortunately she was in the Asian, no Visa queue, whilst I was in the faring Visa queue so I didn't see what was happening, and didn't find out about it until we had formally entered Cambodia. By then it is too late!

 

Corruption will not be eradicated in SEA, certainly in my life time, because officials don't want it to end.

[schlog]

So, what happens if departing pax refuse to pay this so called 'tax' ? Would immigartion really refuse exit ?

 

No. This happened to me maybe 6 month ago. The naughty officer asked 3 times for 100 baht. I ignored him at the first 2 times and at the third time i did the thai mouth/lips direction showing to the departure gates. This made him smile and then some sentences with him in thai and i was on my way again. Passing him he must touch my arm again and laugh.

NLP is working perfect with the most thais because of their family and educationsystem.

[crazykopite]

Where is the Junta when you need them . I thought this was the main reson for the coup to stop all this type of corruption it does not seem to be working !!

[Valentine]

The usual wishy washy type excuses from the officials.

[Always18]

Does anyone know if the 1570 "corruption hotline" works in these situations? - is there an English-speaking operator?

 

That kind of instant intervention is the only hope of stamping out this disgraceful and quite blatant extortion.  

[wilcopops]

The boss has spoken...they have CCTV .....so it never happened.
Must have all been a dream!

[mdmayes]

Just another Thainess story for the books.

[Sena Dave]

well at least its cheaper than the 500 you had to pay 10 years ago , and in them days 500 baht was 500baht

[JesseFrank]

well at least its cheaper than the 500 you had to pay 10 years ago , and in them days 500 baht was 500baht

 

That 500 you still pay, it is included in the ticket price now, and I think it's 800 now,