Did anyone tell immigration

[Thian]

Immigration officials the world over tend towards the serious demeanour. I wouldn't have thought twice about it. I certainly wouldn't have got worked up enough to post a complaining thread about the look on someone's face.

It's a fast track service. You got through quickly. If they advertised it as 'smile track', you might have cause to complain.

Guess you missed that documentary about Swampy airport on some big channel, was it discovery channel?

There they all smile nonstop and even say "welcome to Thailand" to visitors entering the immigration.

In reality nobody has ever smiled or said anything to me, they are even too lazy to staple the immigrationcard to my passport and when i ask them to do it (because i will loose it of course) they even can't speak english and don't understand me!

But you got your negativ trollpost of the day again, congratulations!

'Bangkok Airport', a fine BBC production. Good show.

7-11 sell staplers for a few baht.

711 at the airport wouldn't even sell me a bottle of water when i went there. I only had 1 note of 1000 baht when i arrived and they refused to take it. Great service for an airport! Welcome to Thailand.

[Cheesekraft]

I got called insulting names in the Thai language, he did not care whether I understood or not, because I entered on a visa exempt entry. Threatened to lock me up if I tried to enter without a visa exempt. I thought this was totally fine as I am just here for a few weeks and have airfare out already.... welcome to Thailand

[big carl]

I kinda agree, you were a bozo not getting it right, they must get fed up with falang who can't fill in a simple form. But i guess she didn't need to be angry, maybe it was you? i always find them ok.

Maybe if he had his glasses on he might have seen a different attitude.

[Thian]

One day on the flight to BKK the immigrationcards were handed over to all passengers.

There were 2 backpackers, boys, who didn't understand ANY question on it. They had to call the pursers ALL the time to help them filling in their details.

It was big fun for me and my wife, but why do they have to know our occupation, salary, port of embarking, flight number and so on?? And then they even ask it 2-3 times on that card.

After an hour or so they finally were finished, but i wonder what happened to them at the immigration officer...they really had no clue at all and though it would be easy to go to Thailand for a holiday..They had stripedthrough almost everything on their card and then tried to write it again when there's no space left since it's so tiny. They also needed many cards to do it over again all the time.

Everybody near them was had big fun about it...

[FritsSikkink]

You got through, no major hassle. Shrug it off and relax.

They're immigration officials - there to check passports, arrival cards, visas, etc. Very mundane stuff. They're not employed to "greet" tourists.

If you think the Thai immigration officials have surly faces, go check out their counter parts at the airport in Munich, Germany.

They have faces like a dog's @r$e.

They sure are employed to welcome visitors to come to Thailand, they are the first officials one meets when entering the Land of Smiles.....

I don't know about Germany but in my homecountry they have to say "goodday sir" and they all do it. That's what i call a developed country, it starts at the front door.

it is fake courtesy though

[willyumiii]

Fasttrack is for those with their ducks lined up properly and everything in order,

not for those who need to be taken by the hand and told what to do,or have it done for them.

[dbrenn]

So you present yourself at the witching hour as "Premium" to immigration and present incorrectly filled out arrival card and require the immigration peons correct your mistake? Somehow can understand there might not be a smile. Did you have a smile?

Oh yes I got one digit wrong and admit it BUT if looks could kill.

There was no queue and I was holding up no one, I generally dont walk round smiling but then I dont walk round scowling either, she had little work to do, could understand it if there were 1000 people behind me.

To my left were 4 Chinese hadnt even filled in the forms at all and the other officer was going thru it with them with no surly face at all and most likely as there was no one else there she had the time to do it, the point being she didnt need the "attitude" she'd clearly got in my opinion.

Generally, Thai immigration are OK, but a minority of them behave like pigs.

[SoiBiker]

One day on the flight to BKK the immigrationcards were handed over to all passengers.

There were 2 backpackers, boys, who didn't understand ANY question on it. They had to call the pursers ALL the time to help them filling in their details.

It was big fun for me and my wife, but why do they have to know our occupation, salary, port of embarking, flight number and so on?? And then they even ask it 2-3 times on that card.

After an hour or so they finally were finished, but i wonder what happened to them at the immigration officer...they really had no clue at all and though it would be easy to go to Thailand for a holiday..They had stripedthrough almost everything on their card and then tried to write it again when there's no space left since it's so tiny. They also needed many cards to do it over again all the time.

Everybody near them was had big fun about it...

You fill in the back of the card? I thought you lived here.

[dbrenn]

Having said that the worst immigration control I ever experienced was in the States, totally belligerent and ignorant.

Worst immigration i have ever experience was in the US as well. Belligerent and ignorant were the same words i would have used. I will not transit through the US again. That loses business for the US airlines.

Right. I once transited LAX. My connecting flight was cancelled and the staff there were incredibly rude and unhelpful. Perhaps my worst ever travel experience.

Never again LAX or United Airlines - simply dreadful.

[kannot]

Immigration officials the world over tend towards the serious demeanour. I wouldn't have thought twice about it. I certainly wouldn't have got worked up enough to post a complaining thread about the look on someone's face.

It's a fast track service. You got through quickly. If they advertised it as 'smile track', you might have cause to complain.

Guess you missed that documentary about Swampy airport on some big channel, was it discovery channel?

There they all smile nonstop and even say "welcome to Thailand" to visitors entering the immigration.

In reality nobody has ever smiled or said anything to me, they are even too lazy to staple the immigrationcard to my passport and when i ask them to do it (because i will loose it of course) they even can't speak english and don't understand me!

But you got your negativ trollpost of the day again, congratulations!

'Bangkok Airport', a fine BBC production. Good show.

7-11 sell staplers for a few baht.

and rubber stamps, maybe better to just stamp yer own passport so they could sleep all day

[kannot]

Fasttrack is for those with their ducks lined up properly and everything in order,

not for those who need to be taken by the hand and told what to do,or have it done for them.

I was in a Queue of "one" at midnight.

[kannot]

She did help you out.

It's not her Job to fix your mistakes.

I've seen Immigration officers tell people to go and

fill them out correctly.

BTW, I'm not condoning her "scowl", but you seem to think you

deserve preferential treatment because you arrived via first class.

You don't.

nope i expect not to be scowled at however I arrive

Perhaps she reads your posts on ThaiVisa, did you have a T-Shirt on with " I'm Kannot " printed on it ?

No, only on my luminous green jockeys Im afraid, do you require a photo?

[TheCruncher]

Immigration officials the world over tend towards the serious demeanour. I wouldn't have thought twice about it. I certainly wouldn't have got worked up enough to post a complaining thread about the look on someone's face.

It's a fast track service. You got through quickly. If they advertised it as 'smile track', you might have cause to complain.

Guess you missed that documentary about Swampy airport on some big channel, was it discovery channel?

There they all smile nonstop and even say "welcome to Thailand" to visitors entering the immigration.

In reality nobody has ever smiled or said anything to me, they are even too lazy to staple the immigrationcard to my passport and when i ask them to do it (because i will loose it of course) they even can't speak english and don't understand me!

But you got your negativ trollpost of the day again, congratulations!

'Bangkok Airport', a fine BBC production. Good show.

7-11 sell staplers for a few baht.

As you say, good SHOW, because that it is a SHOW.

I'm off to 7/11 now because I'm gonna buy all the staplers I can find throughout the country, since according to you they are only a few baht.

[chuang]

If she inputs the wrong information you provided her, she is responsible if anything happens or if someone finds out....

Why must she be smiling if it is your mistake and you didn't correct it. She did.

[boike]

At all those slagging the op, it will happen to you someday. You have everything filled in correctly and you get an IO in a bad mood. Let's see what you think when that happens. I arrive with a friend who has a work permit for 10 years. The IO is struggling with 2 Chinese in front of him. When it's his turn and hand over his passport the IO shouts really loud go away. Me my friend and the rest of the line just scattered to other lines.

Never seen this back home.

Sent from my Vi10Pro using Tapatalk

[SoiBiker]

I've encountered many grumpy immigration officers, in many countries round the world. In each case, though, they did their job correctly and let me into the country, so I have no complaints.

[Thian]

At all those slagging the op, it will happen to you someday. You have everything filled in correctly and you get an IO in a bad mood. Let's see what you think when that happens. I arrive with a friend who has a work permit for 10 years. The IO is struggling with 2 Chinese in front of him. When it's his turn and hand over his passport the IO shouts really loud go away. Me my friend and the rest of the line just scattered to other lines.

Never seen this back home.

Sent from my Vi10Pro using Tapatalk

One day i was in line for the IO and there was a farang lady infront of me. She had an issue with the IO, she wanted to get her suitcase for her next flight she said but they wouldn't let her through.

Then they yelled to her, GO AWAY and finally she walked back. Then it was my turn and they were still making fun of her.

I still don't understand what was going on but it was very rude what they did.

[geriatrickid]

Maybe she was having a bad day but give the Op some credit for telling it as it was.

There are other threads around at this time mentioning the bad attitude of Thai people who are there to "serve" the community whether ExPats, Chinese tourist or people who may be dyslexic.

Having said that the worst immigration control I ever experienced was in the States, totally belligerent and ignorant.

Like may in the world they forget what they are there for

LOL. No need to mention US "homeland" security. No one told them that a bit of honey catches far more flies than spraying vinegar all over the place. It's why I do my utmost to not transit the USA. US immigration & customs make Thailand's personnel look positively polite and kindly in comparison.

Fortunately, over the past 15+ years of traveling in and out of Thailand, I have never had a negative experience. Only Germany, Italy and the Netherlands have been as pleasant to me. I am so grateful that the Thai officers are not armed and do not stand there screaming at foreign visitors because they do not understand the language. The Thais are relatively patient and good natured.

[FritsSikkink]

At all those slagging the op, it will happen to you someday. You have everything filled in correctly and you get an IO in a bad mood. Let's see what you think when that happens. I arrive with a friend who has a work permit for 10 years. The IO is struggling with 2 Chinese in front of him. When it's his turn and hand over his passport the IO shouts really loud go away. Me my friend and the rest of the line just scattered to other lines.

Never seen this back home.

Sent from my Vi10Pro using Tapatalk

One day i was in line for the IO and there was a farang lady infront of me. She had an issue with the IO, she wanted to get her suitcase for her next flight she said but they wouldn't let her through.

Then they yelled to her, GO AWAY and finally she walked back. Then it was my turn and they were still making fun of her.

I still don't understand what was going on but it was very rude what they did.

if you don't understand, you shouldn't judge

[Thian]

At all those slagging the op, it will happen to you someday. You have everything filled in correctly and you get an IO in a bad mood. Let's see what you think when that happens. I arrive with a friend who has a work permit for 10 years. The IO is struggling with 2 Chinese in front of him. When it's his turn and hand over his passport the IO shouts really loud go away. Me my friend and the rest of the line just scattered to other lines.

Never seen this back home.

Sent from my Vi10Pro using Tapatalk

One day i was in line for the IO and there was a farang lady infront of me. She had an issue with the IO, she wanted to get her suitcase for her next flight she said but they wouldn't let her through.

Then they yelled to her, GO AWAY and finally she walked back. Then it was my turn and they were still making fun of her.

I still don't understand what was going on but it was very rude what they did.

if you don't understand, you shouldn't judge

Well they shouldn't yell to travellers and make fun of them. The lady had a flight to some african country and needed her suitcase from the belt as she said. For the rest i didn't understand the situation. She was a farang and had her passport so how can they refuse people to go to the luggagebelt?

Maybe her suitcase wasn't labelled right to her destination or she had to check it in again herself? I don't know but they could have sent her to the information counter or called a supervisor or so. Those guys couldn't speak english so how can they even work at immigration on an international airport??

Thailand only

[thaibeachlovers]

So you present yourself at the witching hour as "Premium" to immigration and present incorrectly filled out arrival card and require the immigration peons correct your mistake? Somehow can understand there might not be a smile. Did you have a smile?

Oh yes I got one digit wrong and admit it BUT if looks could kill.

There was no queue and I was holding up no one, I generally dont walk round smiling but then I dont walk round scowling either, she had little work to do, could understand it if there were 1000 people behind me.

To my left were 4 Chinese hadnt even filled in the forms at all and the other officer was going thru it with them with no surly face at all and most likely as there was no one else there she had the time to do it, the point being she didnt need the "attitude" she'd clearly got in my opinion.

So next time don't use the fast track, problem solved.

Yeah Ill line up with the other 500+ people that were on my flight for an hour or so

Hmmmmm. I'm one of the peasants that uses "normal" track and never had to wait more than about 15 minutes on a bad day- usually less than 10, unless there was a problem with someone ahead of me, like someone filled in the card wrong and didn't have their glasses easily accessible ( what is with that anyway- I always have my reading glasses handy when likely to need them, like when at immigration ).

In case you hadn't noticed, Thais don't normally smile any more, especially bureaucrats. They really did 20 years ago, but now the smile has left the building and only exists in tourist brochures. I live in a Thai only town, so it's not just in the big mango or fun city.

[SoiBiker]

They're setting up 'Thai only' towns now?

Maybe they really do hate us.

[CharlieH]

A number of "bickering" posts removed

[1BADDAT]

Maybe she was having a bad day but give the Op some credit for telling it as it was.

There are other threads around at this time mentioning the bad attitude of Thai people who are there to "serve" the community whether ExPats, Chinese tourist or people who may be dyslexic.

Having said that the worst immigration control I ever experienced was in the States, totally belligerent and ignorant.

Like may in the world they forget what they are there for

I am an American and the place that I feel most unwelcome when I go through immigration is my own country.

That recently has changed since I have signed up for the global entry program, but before that almost all my experiences were bad, or certainly never good.

[bermondburi]

You people should try Saudi immigration sometime, they're not the happiest bunch!

[kannot]

If she inputs the wrong information you provided her, she is responsible if anything happens or if someone finds out....

Why must she be smiling if it is your mistake and you didn't correct it. She did.

I never said she should be smiling, she had to change to ADD 1 digit at the end ie number 12345 to 12345-6

[kannot]

I am with the OP, we all make mistakes at times and an official can easily fix it with a smile.....

I went to immigration once and was dying for a pee, went in and Mrs.Trans asked where the toilet was...A female ___ face said..." You come here for a visa or toilet"..........

......

Yeah its "that kind of thing" should have dropped yer kegs and dumped it on her desk

[FritsSikkink]

If she inputs the wrong information you provided her, she is responsible if anything happens or if someone finds out....

Why must she be smiling if it is your mistake and you didn't correct it. She did.

I never said she should be smiling, she had to change to ADD 1 digit at the end ie number 12345 to 12345-6

she HAD to do nothing. you HAD to do it right AND keep your glasses within reach.

[kannot]

If she inputs the wrong information you provided her, she is responsible if anything happens or if someone finds out....

Why must she be smiling if it is your mistake and you didn't correct it. She did.

I never said she should be smiling, she had to change to ADD 1 digit at the end ie number 12345 to 12345-6

she HAD to do nothing. you HAD to do it right AND keep your glasses within reach.

She DIDNT have to give me an evil look I DIDNT give her an evil look

[djayz]

You got through, no major hassle. Shrug it off and relax.

They're immigration officials - there to check passports, arrival cards, visas, etc. Very mundane stuff. They're not employed to "greet" tourists.

If you think the Thai immigration officials have surly faces, go check out their counter parts at the airport in Munich, Germany.

They have faces like a dog's @r$e.

They sure are employed to welcome visitors to come to Thailand, they are the first officials one meets when entering the Land of Smiles.....

I don't know about Germany but in my homecountry they have to say "goodday sir" and they all do it. That's what i call a developed country, it starts at the front door.

Immigration officials are NOT employed to "greet" people. They're employed to check passports, passport validity, visas, etc.

Yes, they are generally the first "officials" we come in contact with, but that doesn't mean they're there to greet us, smile at us or roll out the red carpet for us.

I've passed through too many immigration check points in Asia, Europe and the USA to mention, but generally the majority of immigration officials I've dealt with were 100% correct, civil and professional. They were not happy campers, generally they didn't smile nor did they greet me with a hug and a kiss - just normal professionals doing their job.

I'll never understand some Westeners who expect people to bend over for them just because they're tourists visiting a developing country.

Rules are rules - it's that simple. Fill in the arrival/departure form, have your passport, visa, etc. ready.

If I had 1 Baht for everytime I stood behind a tourist at Swampy who hadn't filled in, signed, etc. his arrival card or couldn't find her departure card, etc. not to mention the time I've had to wait for them to find their glasses, I'd be a millionaire by now!

The OP got through, I really don't understand what he's complaining about.