I just finished a visa run at Tha Ket,Lao.I went with the Mrs to do my usual boarder run before leaving the Lao side we always buy 1 carton of cigarettes each at the boarder in Lao. Upon leaving at the gate to get the shuttle to the Nakhon Phanom Bus station there is a check point now with two Thai solders checking bags and asking random questions .One soldier was in his early 20's the other early 30's.The younger one asks the Mrs if she's with me, Yes she says .Then he says we have to pay 200 bht for each cigarette over a carton.He says because we are together we are only allowed 1 carton. She pointed to the sign that clearly says .one carton for each person.He replies that's wrong,she says we've always did this he said the police in the past were not doing there job correctly.I stood there thinking that this was one of those Thai shuffles. I said jing jing he said jing. So I left the carton on the table and went to the bus.I was so p- - - - d.I'm like wanting to take those buts and rip them all up and throw them in the trash.I asked her what she thought she said yes.So I went back to the table at the time the younger one was asking someone questions. I picked up the carton and was attempting to open it up,I looked up and the older soldier motioned me to take them and go so that was that. OMG!!

Edited December 11, 201411 yr by riclag

who carried the cartons?

She carried hers and I carried mine

I have removed a off topic post and replies to it.

Now to get back on topic.

Apparently the soldiers that gave you a problem were not properly trained on the allowances.

See: http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/travellers/allowance+and+relief/allowancerelief

You could switch it to Thai print it out and perhaps use it if you had a problem again.

if your mrs did not use her passport than they were correct.

If both of you stamped passport than you are allowed to carry one carton each person.

if your mrs did not use her passport than they were correct.

What do you mean? A Thai must use ID card or passport to cross. In either case it is allowed the same allowance.

To the Op you were both legal the solders were miss advised. At a local border crossing in Buriram this pass week that is known for farangs making an arse out of themselves, another farang was busted for smuggling over the limit and find 100,000 baht he talked it down to just 80,000 baht.

Untrained young soldiers doing custom inspection and pester tourists.

Yet another valuable contribution to atracting visitors

I have removed a off topic post and replies to it.

Now to get back on topic.

Apparently the soldiers that gave you a problem were not properly trained on the allowances.

See: http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/travellers/allowance+and+relief/allowancerelief

You could switch it to Thai print it out and perhaps use it if you had a problem again.

The rules where in big blue Thai script on the sign behind there table.Like I said in my original post,the soldiers made it clear the rules were wrong as he pointed it out on the sign.

I have removed a off topic post and replies to it.

Now to get back on topic.

Apparently the soldiers that gave you a problem were not properly trained on the allowances.

See: http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/travellers/allowance+and+relief/allowancerelief

You could switch it to Thai print it out and perhaps use it if you had a problem again.

The rules where in big blue Thai script on the sign behind there table.Like I said in my original post,the soldiers made it clear the rules were wrong as he pointed it out on the sign.

This is a country under marshall law. The solder with an M16 makes the rules, not you, not me, not UJ. BTW all UJ is doing is pointing out what the law states without marshall law.

Edited December 12, 201411 yr by khwaibah

Right. The pen is only mightier than the sword if you are not the person the sword is being pointed at....

Right. The pen is only mightier than the sword if you are not the person the sword is being pointed at....

The Chong Sai-taku crossing in Buriram is a local crossing. Post number 7 . Guess who controls it and it is NOT immigration.

The soldiers were ill-trained and/or misadvised? Are we no longer allowed to refer to a scam as a scam?

While the soldier was wrong as it is a carton per person -- I suspect both cartons were of the same brand and for only one person and bet the soldier did too.

This is a country under marshall law. The solder with an M16 makes the rules, not you, not me, not UJ. BTW all UJ is doing is pointing out what the law states without marshall law.

Martial law (note spelling) does not change custom regulations and does not empower soldiers to do as they wish.

While the soldier was wrong as it is a carton per person -- I suspect both cartons were of the same brand and for only one person and bet the soldier did too.

It doesn't matter for who they were. Two persons, two cartons allowed.

And I think they were looking for a smoke not defending excise income.

This is a country under marshall law. The solder with an M16 makes the rules, not you, not me, not UJ. BTW all UJ is doing is pointing out what the law states without marshall law.

Martial law (note spelling) does not change custom regulations and does not empower soldiers to do as they wish.

Thanks for the correction. But if you want to argue with a solder and btw its a IMI Tavor TAR-21 they are packing who does not answer to you but to his General then you go right ahead and be prepared to get it sideways. But what the heck you can still beat on your chest like Tarzan and scream its not fair. NOT.

Edited December 12, 201411 yr by khwaibah

Thanks for the correction. But if you want to argue with a solder and btw its a IMI Tavor TAR-21 they are packing who does not answer to you but to his General then you go right ahead and be prepared to get it sideways. But what the heck you can still beat on your chest like Tarzan and scream its not fair. NOT.

Nobody doubts you street smartness and attraction to military. But the simple fact that the OP got his goods in respect of the law shows that knee jerking is not always needed.

While the soldier was wrong as it is a carton per person -- I suspect both cartons were of the same brand and for only one person and bet the soldier did too.

It doesn't matter for who they were. Two persons, two cartons allowed.

And I think they were looking for a smoke not defending excise income.

.As I said, the soldier was wrong ... but technically it does matter. You can not get people to carry in stuff for you to beat the system. It is one per person and if two cartons are for one person then you are violating the law. You can not buy 10 cartons and then pay other people 20 baht each to carry the other 9. But as I said and will say a third time, the solider was wrong because you were together and there really is no proving this unless of course the other person said it was being carried for you.

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While the soldier was wrong as it is a carton per person -- I suspect both cartons were of the same brand and for only one person and bet the soldier did too.

It doesn't matter for who they were. Two persons, two cartons allowed.
And I think they were looking for a smoke not defending excise income.

.As I said, the soldier was wrong ... but technically it does matter. You can not get people to carry in stuff for you to beat the system. It is one per person and if two cartons are for one person then you are violating the law. You can not buy 10 cartons and then pay other people 20 baht each to carry the other 9. But as I said and will say a third time, the solider was wrong because you were together and there really is no proving this unless of course the other person said it was being carried for you.

Both my wife and I smoke the same brand of cigarette. I'm sure we're not the only couple that does this.

If we ever did a border crossing, I would imagine that we would get our allowance as well.

Edited December 12, 201411 yr by chrisinth

It doesn't matter what brand the cigarettes are or whose bag they are in or who is carrying them as long as you are travelling together.

They just saw you as an easy target and mugged you. I presume your wife is Thai why didn't she tell them to bugger off?

They just saw you as an easy target and mugged you. I presume your wife is Thai why didn't she tell them to bugger off?

Actually OP got his goods and soldier had to get their free smokes from somebody else.

It doesn't matter what brand the cigarettes are or whose bag they are in or who is carrying them as long as you are travelling together.

They just saw you as an easy target and mugged you. I presume your wife is Thai why didn't she tell them to bugger off?

Read my post She did!! In the Thai way, by not loosing face.

I liked to report this. Does anybody know how to go about it? serious replies

I liked to report this. Does anybody know how to go about it? serious replies

I just found the link- customs forget my post

I did the border run at this place (Friendship Brigde #3) last week. The appeal was I had read that it was quiet, which it was.

At the first window where you hand in the fee and do the first of 2 PP checks, the uniformed lady assisting the man who was checking my PP through the computer came the window clutching the $35, and said, in Lao, words to the effect of "Hmmmm $35, have you got some coins or anything?" She was speaking very casually and so her dialect wasn't very easy to pick up either.

I thought to myself, and replied in Thai: "Coins? No, I haven't got any coins..." She persisted a bit more, and I just said to her that I speak Thai well but I wasn't picking up her Lao so well. She then shrugged and gave up this pathetic attempt to ponce some money off me.(OR was I misunderstanding?....don't think so). I was the only customer at the window.

I suppose it's something that with the low traffic there at the new bridge, they seem to be at the rather amateur stages of scamming, and just have the mere faintest aspirations of adding a little here and there to their pockets. (Coins, Lol)

Btw, FWIW, a report on this border run: There were no reports of it but I arranged to fly from Don Mueng to Nakhon Phanom on the A.M. Nok Air flight landing at 11.15, then taking a mini-van from the desk in arrivals for 100B to the bus station at Nakhon Phanom, a 10-15 minute drive, then getting the International bus across the bridge and back, and getting back to the airport for the 4.55 Air Asia back to DM. Only a few flights per day on this route.

I made it back in time, but not without a few worries as I watched the driver milling around, reading the paper etc while the Intnl bus sat in the bus station a whole 2 hours before setting off. Then when we reached the bridge, during the coins incident, I saw that the return bus had already pulled in Thai-side, and I ran over and asked the driver to make sure he waited for me as I still had to enter and exit Laos, and he kindly said go and get your stamp. I was the last person on the bus and that got me back to the bus station in plenty of time, but the next one probably would have made it very tight to catch the flight if he hadn't waited (the 2 buses always meet up at the border, he told me). Amateur taxi offers back to the airport were waiting at the bus station, and 100B or a bit more should be negotiable with them. Little annoyances can really put you off on these trips, but this was a great improvement on sitting in a bus for many many hours, it was quite a cheap flight both ways, and crossing a land border with friendly IO's really appealed to me and it was nice to get back to DM as a domestic passenger.

I did the border run at this place (Friendship Brigde #3) last week. The appeal was I had read that it was quiet, which it was.

At the first window where you hand in the fee and do the first of 2 PP checks, the uniformed lady assisting the man who was checking my PP through the computer came the window clutching the $35, and said, in Lao, words to the effect of "Hmmmm $35, have you got some coins or anything?" She was speaking very casually and so her dialect wasn't very easy to pick up either.

I thought to myself, and replied in Thai: "Coins? No, I haven't got any coins..." She persisted a bit more, and I just said to her that I speak Thai well but I wasn't picking up her Lao so well. She then shrugged and gave up this pathetic attempt to ponce some money off me.(OR was I misunderstanding?....don't think so). I was the only customer at the window.

I suppose it's something that with the low traffic there at the new bridge, they seem to be at the rather amateur stages of scamming, and just have the mere faintest aspirations of adding a little here and there to their pockets. (Coins, Lol)

Btw, FWIW, a report on this border run: There were no reports of it but I arranged to fly from Don Mueng to Nakhon Phanom on the A.M. Nok Air flight landing at 11.15, then taking a mini-van from the desk in arrivals for 100B to the bus station at Nakhon Phanom, a 10-15 minute drive, then getting the International bus across the bridge and back, and getting back to the airport for the 4.55 Air Asia back to DM. Only a few flights per day on this route.

I made it back in time, but not without a few worries as I watched the driver milling around, reading the paper etc while the Intnl bus sat in the bus station a whole 2 hours before setting off. Then when we reached the bridge, during the coins incident, I saw that the return bus had already pulled in Thai-side, and I ran over and asked the driver to make sure he waited for me as I still had to enter and exit Laos, and he kindly said go and get your stamp. I was the last person on the bus and that got me back to the bus station in plenty of time, but the next one probably would have made it very tight to catch the flight if he hadn't waited (the 2 buses always meet up at the border, he told me). Amateur taxi offers back to the airport were waiting at the bus station, and 100B or a bit more should be negotiable with them. Little annoyances can really put you off on these trips, but this was a great improvement on sitting in a bus for many many hours, it was quite a cheap flight both ways, and crossing a land border with friendly IO's really appealed to me and it was nice to get back to DM as a domestic passenger.

They were asking for more money because the fee is $45.00 or 1500bht. It sounds like they got frustrated with trying to communicate with you and shrugged you off.

The Lao visa on arrival costs from $20 to $42 dependent upon which country you are from. It is 1500 baht for everybody though. There are some people that are visa exempt also.

See: http://www.laos-guide-999.com/visa-on-arrival.html

So she was super kind and gave me a $10 discount because a thai speaker was a brick wall?

Er, no I am a UK citizen and the fee is $35 or 1500B

Also I understood perfectly her asking me for "Rian?" which means coins