Being questioned now even with a valid visa?

[4evermaat]

Interesting day Monday when I did a border run @ the Ranong border. I did the usual run from FAME to get another 90 days on the non-O (multiple). Full van with nearly 100% western foreigners. On the way out, just a quick stamp no questions to me personally from immigration, but we had about 3 overstayers (one person has over a week overstay), one person lost the departure stamp and had to pay 200 baht, and 2 or 3 people were grilled about possibly working on tourist visa.

The Myanmar side was uneventful as usual (and they accepted the $20 USD bill we had....about 2 or 2.5 years ago the runner guys were wanting $10 exactly and would not break $20s, seems to have changed)

Coming back into Ranong the arrival line moves slow again. I was 3rd to last in my group to go. I got to the desk and after a quick glance at the [uSA] passport and computer, I was asked if I was working in Thailand. I responded that I take care of my son. I was then specifically asked why I have a non-O visa. I responded again that I have a son that is 1/2 thai. I was then asked about an extension at local immigration. I responded that I have a visa already. So then he said something about next time having the birth papers or I would not be allowed to exit Ranong border, or I can get an extension at a local office. Stamps the passport and calls the next person.

Here's what else we noticed and talked about when we gathered in the visa run mini-van:

- one guy with French passport lost his departure card and had to pay 200 baht for a new one

- maybe as many as 2 double-entry tourist visas back-to-back could be considered suspicious.

- The good old days of not even having to do the border run (just letting some runner do it for you) are gone. I came way after this time, but I have run into several old timers who confirmed the same. The brown envelope methods are much much less common nowadays.

- Someone holding a Cambodian passport cut through the arrivals line a bit. When he got his passport stamped in, he was still called into the office. After wondering <deleted>, I peaked in and noticed he had a wallet open in his hand and pulled out what looked like 100 baht bill .

(The neighbor country immigrants like to cut the line, you have to watch them).

All in all, I'm not sure if the additional grilling by the immigration officer was just one off or if this is more regular thing. I've never remember seeing that officer before at that border. I figured the 'crackdowns' died down a bit. I had carried the birth certificate with me the first 2 times after I got that non-o a year ago but was never asked. How ironic. I think that was my 5th non-imm visa virtually back-to-back; never had a tourist visa.

Wanted to share that experience and also check if others are having similar problems, in Ranong or other borders. It could have been a one-off thing, or it could become a hassle for those without some additional paperwork at that border. FAME does do some monitoring of the situation there based on what happens to their customers...so we'll see the next time I go.

---

Also, it seems like the Chumphon visa run van service is beginning to run later than normal over the past 6 months. The same van now waits for the Koh Tao boat to arrive and that can sometimes be late. So then the van arrives late. Then immigration can sometimes be slow also. This might affect people who go onwards somewhere, like Koh Tao, Koh Phangan, or Koh Samui, as the regular boat leaves @ 13:00 or 14:00 from Chumphon. Those who bought the ticket from FAME were offered the ability to change times or wait until the next day. Good to ask about that ('what if the visa run van is late coming back....') if you are trying to cram the onwards trip in the same day.

[stoneyboy]

- The good old days of not even having to do the border run (just letting some runner do it for you) are gone. I came way after this time, but I have run into several old timers who confirmed the same. The brown envelope methods are much much less common nowadays.

Herein lies the problem.

They have recourse to check due to previous abuse of the system do they not.

[Maestro]

Demonstrating that you are living in Thailand on money brought in from abroad is a good way to dispel immigration's suspicions that you might be working illegally in Thailand.

The border checkpoints in Ranong have a reputation for being difficult, but a junior officer cannot on his own officially refuse entry, ie with a corresponding record in the passport, and a senior officer would be able to act on his subordinate's recommendation on the basis of section 12 of the Immigration Act, usually paragraphs 2 and/or 3.

Section 12 : Aliens which fall into any of the following categories are excluded from entering into the

Kingdom :

...

2. Having no appropriate means of living following entrance into the Kingdom.

3. Having entered into the Kingdom to take occupation as a laborer or to take employment by

using physical without skills training or to work in violation of the Ministerial Regulations.

...

[nidieunimaitre]

- The good old days of not even having to do the border run (just letting some runner do it for you) are gone. I came way after this time, but I have run into several old timers who confirmed the same. The brown envelope methods are much much less common nowadays.

Herein lies the problem.

They have recourse to check due to previous abuse of the system do they not.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

At the Kampuchea border those runners approach you while you are waiting in the queue, they don't even try to hide their doings from the immigration officers.

First time I ignored them, and had to go through a humiliating experience with Khmer immigration, for the same extortionate price.

Nowadays I pay the runner. You can't win against a Thai - Khmer conspiracy.

[technologybytes]

- The good old days of not even having to do the border run (just letting some runner do it for you) are gone. I came way after this time, but I have run into several old timers who confirmed the same. The brown envelope methods are much much less common nowadays.

Herein lies the problem.

They have recourse to check due to previous abuse of the system do they not.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

At the Kampuchea border those runners approach you while you are waiting in the queue, they don't even try to hide their doings from the immigration officers.

First time I ignored them, and had to go through a humiliating experience with Khmer immigration, for the same extortionate price.

Nowadays I pay the runner. You can't win against a Thai - Khmer conspiracy.

The guys at the Cambodia side are not breaking any laws, they just earn a bit of money from helping you fill in the visa forms, it would be different if you were not standing in Cambodia at the time.

However this thread is about the Myanmar/Thai border at Ranong.

[tijnebijn]

I thought I might react an experience I had in this thread . Last week I went over the border at Mukhdahan over to Savannakhet into laos .

The border IO lady asked why I left for SvK , and demanded to see my original marriage papers .

I had them with me because I was set to make a new Non /- O based on marriage , which was a successful application btw .

I have had 8 previous extensions and haven't left Thailand in this period , so it might be a bit shocking to see that someone like me had

to make a visa run actually . She wanted me to make a re- entry permit....which I refused , the stupidity really with one week left on the permitted to stay stamp , and told her I was going to start all over . And asked me why ....didn't had enough money seasoned this time and the faith of the foreigner is to go out and make a new visa by law even .They also asked me if I worked etc , which I don't , I'm hanging on the shoulders of my Thai wife ,which sarcasting is a joke in Thai language ,and they relaxed with chit chat .

I wasn't impressed or whatever but its certainly the first time I got a drilling on going out of the country ....I suspect it has something to do with me having 8 years of extensions in my passport ,which they should be happy with anyway , bad luck can happen to anyone and I hope in a year or 2 probably I will be able to make normal extensions again .

Certainly do not hope so every time I leave the country after 90 days they ask me questions , I'm planning exit at Maesai /- Tachilek next , see what happens . Actually bit exciting again to do some short trips instead of extensions , has been long ago I did that , and now I realise again we are tourists forever and ever in their eyes .whatever that means .

[DinoSabanovic]

I did border runs to Cambodia and never asked single question.

[flyingdoc]

Totally arbitrary now as I see it! For someone who comes to LOS quite often and never stays more than 30 days, could pass straight through at Suvarnabhumi yet be grilled at such places

as Phuket, who seem to have their won agenda!

[NickJ]

Everthing is arbitrary in Thailand. From Immigration , law enforcement, healthcare and business administrtion. Always has been.

[robertthebruce]

Gosh what a right old carry on, dont know if i could be bothered with that carry on...

is ''Thailand worth it "" ???

[BhaanSGR]

Is the Andaman Club still going, for the sake of few hundred it always made sense to go there, great service and good food in the hotel with a duty free shop.

[nidieunimaitre]

- The good old days of not even having to do the border run (just letting some runner do it for you) are gone. I came way after this time, but I have run into several old timers who confirmed the same. The brown envelope methods are much much less common nowadays.

Herein lies the problem.

They have recourse to check due to previous abuse of the system do they not.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

At the Kampuchea border those runners approach you while you are waiting in the queue, they don't even try to hide their doings from the immigration officers.

First time I ignored them, and had to go through a humiliating experience with Khmer immigration, for the same extortionate price.

Nowadays I pay the runner. You can't win against a Thai - Khmer conspiracy.

The guys at the Cambodia side are not breaking any laws, they just earn a bit of money from helping you fill in the visa forms, it would be different if you were not standing in Cambodia at the time.

However this thread is about the Myanmar/Thai border at Ranong.

Read my post again.

The runners operate on the Thai side in plain view of Thai immigration.

They find their customers at the Thai side.

They do more than filling in forms, they carry the passports to the Khmer immigration officers.

As for off topic: If you feel so, then do not reply.

And I thought this topic was about Thai immigration respecting their own rules.

[Shaunduhpostman]

Thanks for the heads up OP and tijnebijn. I had just started relaxing and not carrying my marriage certificate etc for the entry permit run on my non-O multiple. Sounds like it is good idea to start doing so again.

But to be fair, in my experience, the last two times I have gone for my non-O multiple 90 day entry stamp, I was impressed by the politeness, level of English and even helpfulness of the border people I met at the Savannakhet border check point. It really seemed that the junta had gotten rid of some bad apples as previously I was continually faced with minor level hassles and rudeness and generally difficult people at the border. In one instance an officer pointed to the date of entry stamp and accused me of a 90 day overstay. Luckily by maintaining my cool and pointing out the other date, the exit date, which hadn't transpired, he gradually backed down. But, of course the southern check points seem to have a reputation for being much more difficult.

As far as the OP, I would guess he got a hassle because the others in his party were a bit irregular having overstayed a bit etc. Immigration officers and other Thais in authority don't adhere to any systematic way of applying the rules, so it is really down to their mood or whenever it occurs to them that perhaps now is about time that they give someone a hard time and thus prove to themselves that they are still in charge. The guys in your party woke up the sleeping cobra so to speak and it put on a hissing and spitting show for you. Yes, in a word its about being arbitrary. Keeps the much of the whole country walking on eggshells and thus in line and in obedience. Good luck to all!

[4evermaat]

Is the Andaman Club still going, for the sake of few hundred it always made sense to go there, great service and good food in the hotel with a duty free shop.

Yes, but only tuesday and thursday for visa/border run. I always wanted to do that one, but it was in the afternoon, never in the morning

Not sure if you can still go on other days for the other club benefits, if there are any.

The morning (regular) border run shuttle now uses a regular longtail boat. And on Myanmar side, everyone has to pay the $10 themselves and get stamped.

Edited August 7, 2015 by 4evermaat

[perdido]

...you were not offered the ABILITY to change, but the opportunity....

[nithisa78]

Thanks for sharing.

Point of information; these are the good old days.

[nithisa78]

- The good old days of not even having to do the border run (just letting some runner do it for you) are gone. I came way after this time, but I have run into several old timers who confirmed the same. The brown envelope methods are much much less common nowadays.

Herein lies the problem.

They have recourse to check due to previous abuse of the system do they not.

you know the problem. What are you doing to correct it?

[p_brownstone]

Simply having a Visa does not automatically grant you entry to Thailand - or most other Countries in fact.

The final decision to approve entry is in the hands of the Immigration Officer at your Port of Entry.

Worldwide - not just Thailand.

Patrick

[Dumbastheycome]

Play it straight and you will/should have no problems.

Your commentary seems to contain a sense of disapointment that the days where a few coins fixed any issues are gone.

Does that work in your country of origin?

[Maestro]

Removed an off-topic post and the reply to it.

[paz]

Simply having a Visa does not automatically grant you entry to Thailand - or most other Countries in fact.

The final decision to approve entry is in the hands of the Immigration Officer at your Port of Entry.

Worldwide - not just Thailand.

Trite, overused, misleading and false stuff. With you have a valid visa, one will enter Thailand without a problem. Or show us a single case when that hasn't happened.

Forum is meant to help with practice, not theory or your interpretation always.

By the way, even if unknow to most, there is an appeal process for refused entry in Thailand. The deciding authority is the Minister of Foreign Affair, not (royal police) Dept. of Immigration.

Edited August 8, 2015 by paz

[paz]

Play it straight and you will/should have no problems.

Your commentary seems to contain a sense of disapointment that the days where a few coins fixed any issues are gone.

Tell that to certain officers at Sadao Dannok. They are happy to take small bills every day of the year.

[4evermaat]

- The good old days of not even having to do the border run (just letting some runner do it for you) are gone. I came way after this time, but I have run into several old timers who confirmed the same. The brown envelope methods are much much less common nowadays.

Herein lies the problem.

They have recourse to check due to previous abuse of the system do they not.

you know the problem. What are you doing to correct it?

Play it straight and you will/should have no problems.

Your commentary seems to contain a sense of disapointment that the days where a few coins fixed any issues are gone.

Does that work in your country of origin?

I haven't had to do any of that myself. Never had to show any extra money at any border or give any to gain entry or leave Thailand. I have witnessed others do it, although it is usually not that often.

It was just an interesting observation...we'll see what happens.

In regards to whether or not people in positions of power accept bribes in exchange for special favors in other countries? It does happen, but it is usually at the top.