Welcome To Australia!

[punisher]

Well that will teach you for trying to be smart arse with the customs, should have just co operated nicely and you would have been out of there in 30 minutes max.

They have a job to do and good on them for doing it properly.

Blame yourself not them and if you never visit Australia again, then I say not Australias loss.

Were you wearing socks and sandals ??

Well,i dont wear sandals,what means cooperated?I know they have to do a job,i fully agree,its just they way how they do their job!!!

Never argue with officials that can lock you up

True Dr but we should expect the first entry point to be efficient but also courteous.

Punisher - I am from Oz and feel you have been dealt with incorrectly - there is no need for all the knockers to hop on the bandwagon - they are from the same brigade that will whinge like hel_l when they are treated like this or worse in Thailand.

Drop an info copy of your complaint to customs in Canberra and ask why as a visitor you were treated like that? if no response (typical public servant approach is to ignore) then follow up with a copy to the immigration minister.

Hi thank u for ur thoughts, i was wondering already where to complain at,i did so at the German Embassy,but they really didnt care and wrote an email here to the ministry of foreign affairs,but no reply,maybe if u could give me the email ad of the customs in Canberra would be very helpful,i know it wont help anything,but just sitting and doing nothing is not my style,ok thanks in advance!!!

Try emailing Amanda Vanstone

MINISTER FOR IMMIGRATION AND MULTICULTURAL AFFAIRS

Thank u very much

[Nawtilus]

'The female of the group did have the last laugh though, she told me I would have to pay a fine. I was bursting by this stage, having been given the empth degree, or what felt like it. I was, "you're kidding", no, said she, you pay through that door there, off I trooped, went through the door she had pointed to and where was I? Through customs and in the main terminal. Last laugh on her!'

She won.

Australia is possibly the best if not one of the best protected countries on the planet, free of many very scary diseases and pests.

I hope they keep annoying sandle wearing guilty looking individuals, either just for the fun of it or for real.

I used to try to look guilty, shuffle around at baggage collection, when the guys were walking your way or the sniffer dog coming near you, I would walk away and go around the other side. Kept wiping my forehead, hands in pockets, out again, biting nails looking up and around, then immediately down. Never got hassled once. I was having this fantasy at the time about an anal probe from a white gloved individual.

[skippybangkok]

LOL, had the same problem when entering melbourne 1989 as a student who had spent time on job placement in Asia. Bought back all my dirty socks and undies for my sister to wash for me..... was hilarious watching the guy with his arrogant demeanour search through my stinking sock and used undies...... I even reminded him about places in my bag her missed.

As for the German, well, his own immigration and customs can be just or more abnoxious. General rule of thumb, dont wind them up. By trying to stand by your rights, what ever they may be, its gonna make things slowwwwwww down.

[skippybangkok]

This doesn't just happen to foreigners coming into Australia. I'm an Australian citizen and I got a similar barrage of questioning from the immigration spotters that work the luggage carousels at Sydney Airport on a trip back from South American a few years ago.

The guy was interested in how I could afford to travel to Brazil, Colombia, Peru when I'd written down student as my occupation. I told him it was none of his business and that just made things worse with a "supervisor" coming over to continue the barrage. Got out of it after about 15 mins but they sure are arrogant SOB's.

Same Same. General rule, Australian customs are a bunch of $%^%##.

I'm an Australian living in Bangkok. I get stopped fairly regularly, usually for a brief questioning.

It is always the same dumb arse questions:

Australian Customs: Where do you live?

Me: Bangkok.

AC: What do you there?

Me: I am a 'insert white collar proffessional working for a multi-national here'

AC (always suprised - and always the same stupid response): "so you have a proper paying job there then?"

Me: Yes I do.

You can see it in their eyes, the dissapointment that I'm not some drug runner, and sometimes they try it on a little bit more asking if I've been to Samui or a full moon party, to which I answer in the negative.

Just a word of warning, though. As a German, the only place you are allowed in 100% would be Germany (and perhaps other EU countries). You cannot go anywhere else without the immigration officer letting you in, and they can reject you even if you don't need a visa to enter.

As an Australian going to OZ and putting up with them, I have the benefit of them having to let me in.

p.s. "proper job", maybe best answer is "yes, I am not a customs officer "

[samran]

Well just an update. Australian customs doing their job quite well. I am convinced that they profile, but I must admit I think I would fall into their 'beware' category.

Firstly, boarding last week at BKK bound for sydney. Business class express boarding, dressed in my most comfy, yet rattiest looking clothes for the overnight flight. Oh, and a shiny new Thai passport.

After getting my boarding pass returned and about to board the plane, a Australian customs officer pulls me over. These blokes a members of what is called the ICE team, a group of international immigration and customs agents based at BKK airport screening people who look out of character before boarding flights. Given that I wasn't wearing Armarni and flying business class, I must have looked dodgy. Shiny new thai passport didn't help, as drug mules who have never travelled before normally fit this profile. Oh, did I mention that I have brown skin?

Anyway, he was nice and affable, and as soon as I handed over my Australian passport, he let me go, he couldn't stop me travelling to OZ anyway.

On arrival in OZ, I declared some medicine (I'd been sick). Immigration let me in without a word, and directed me to the red channel. Red Channel bloke asked what I had, and told me, don't worry, just go to the green channel.

Green channel bloke, saw 'Thailand' filled in as place of residence, and directed me over to a long full one hour search of my bag. Going through it bit by bit. Searching all the nooks and crannies, asking me to turn my laptop on etc etc.

Then came the medicine. It was declared, but I had some imodium, which doesn't need to be declared, but they thought was suss.... Why? well as it turns out it is used by drug runners who swallow the heroin in the condoms. It stops them passing anything until they get well past any security at their desitnation.

They were a bit suss, and it took a bit of convincing that they were in my bag cause I'd been to India a week before, and needed them there.

All up, they were polite and proffessional, so I can't fault them on that. I generally understand their motives and am comfortable with them. Also, I am always polite to them. But, I am a bit uncofortable being profiled. Admittedly, this time around I was in my comfy, ratty clothes for the flight, but, this ain't the first time it has happened, and I am usually pretty OK'ly dressed. Can't help but feel that they do undertake racial profiling and I unfortunately will always be a target.

[Pink Mist]

Mate I know where you are coming from but I am happy to go thru the increased security as I know you are.

It's the price we pay now.

I have to go thru that scene travelling from Roxby Downs to Adelaide, a joke maybe but one I can put up with.

[Pink Mist]

Forgot to mention yes they do profile, at the arriving airport, in Adelaide they used to have a welcome to SA type wall promo, it was a viewing window where the customs people used to observe the body language of arriving passengers.

Ever wonder why sometimes the officials would come and have a chat?