Being denied entry with marriage visa

[Frank12]

So here is the thing. Almost 2 months ago I got harased by the imigration at Don Muaeng because they didn't believe me that I stay here legitimately.  So I have been staying in Thailand as of now like 2 years+ like 5 months ( and one year before I have been here like 8 months for the first time). So I had like 3 tourist visa in my pasport+ED visa+ now marriage visa all from Laos except the first tourist one. The last 2 being from Laos back to back tourist visas I believe because It took me more time than anticpiated preparing all the documents and the marriage itself that I anticipated. Never expected the amount of visas could be an issue.  I live with my wife and her son here for like 2 years+ no problems at all everyone sees me every day in our Village.

So they stopped me at Don Muaeng from my one day visa jump and harrased me for like 30min-1hour wanted to deny my entry (I couldn't produce photos with my wife but it was because I had a new phone because my Chinesse Xiaomi Phone died). They didn't listen calling my wife or so it seems also wasn't considered a prove. Finally some lady took some pitty with me and called my wife (who was BTW waiting on me in Bangkok ). No reasoning worked with them. I don't live in Bangkok I live in a small remote Village in Uthai Thani region there is like 500 people in the Village and the only place I could possibly work would be school (where they hired a girl from USA for  3 years contract lately). Again they didn't wanted to listen. Don't think it would matter at all because they didn't talk English that much. On top of that they considered my poor Thai as a proof I am not really married (kinda not my fault my wife speaks fluent English) and can say only like basic things in Thai. (I know,I know but I am not really talented with learning language tbh).

Now I am going back to my home country for my friend wedding and I am scared as shit whether they will let me back in. I plan to take money the ticked just in case+ 20 000 baht again just in case but was wondering does anyone has the problem like me??

I mean I was super careless with this expected that because I have the marriage visa I shouldn't have any issues and now is kinda too late for organizing the visa extension (I just made myself an account in Bangkok Bank to wire myself money from abroad but my wife messed it up and now I don't know when I will be able to do it) I mean assuming they will give it too me because Don Muaeng immmigration was very clear in stating I am no longer welcome here.....

[ubonjoe]

Immigration at Don Mueang has a reputation for giving people a hard time. I would not worry about it to much.

If you will be flying Suvarnabhumi airport into after your trip to you will certainly not have a problem. 

[tomwct]

Before you leave home get a N-O Visa for marriage.for 90 days. Then when you arrive back set-up your bank account with 400K

to cover your one year Marriage visa. After 90 days go to immigration and get a proper visa for a year. You must be very young

for the immigration officers to challenge you. No more Tourist Visas.

[Frank12]

1 minute ago, tomwct said:

Before you leave home get a N-O Visa for marriage.for 90 days. Then when you arrive back set-up your bank account with 400K

to cover your one year Marriage visa. After 90 days go to immigration and get a proper visa for a year. You must be very young

for the immigration officers to challenge you. No more Tourist Visas.

I am 32 for what it is worth. I still have valid non-o from Savanakhet and yeah already started with the bank account (me and my wife messed up because I didn't tell here to put our address in English letters now it is kinda an issue because my bank before wire'ing me money asked me for bank statement with proof the account belongs to me). Waiting till after Songkran to fix it with my local branch here so I could safely wire myself money. There isn't any story with my visas too. I mean first came for a extended holiday 3 years ago meet here at the end went traveling to South America and working came back, got ED visa to learn Thai because wanted to impress her (she didn't wanted to be my GF then) we stayed in Bangkok after a while we moved here (she has like 6 years old son now who BTW doesn't know any father except me). I mean I know I need some long term visa and we decided to marry kinda soon but still needed like 2 more tourist visa before we sort it all out and we could marry. After that last 10 months I stayed  on the marriage visa.

And again it is not like it matters for immigiration but there isn't any place here I could work even if I wanted we leave in small 500 people Village where people are still surprised to see farang on the street.

[tomwct]

Many backpackers come here on holiday and want to stay. After Tourist Visa, they get a Ed Visa for 2 years and never learn Thai.

So that's why immigration checked your Thai. So get your money and situation corrected and stick to an annual Thai Marriage Visa.

You won't have anymore problems except living in a a village without any foreigners, Good Luck! 32 years old is early to retire.

[JackThompson]

 

My best advise:

• Get a New Passport so that old ED visa never enters the mind of an IO, again.  They will see prior entries/exits - but the "type" of those is not shown on the first screen (according to some theories / reports).  You are NOT the first person to catch hell who had an ED visa in their passport.
• They probably don't really "think you work here" - that's just another lie - same as if you don't have the 20K Baht cash, but can't go to an ATM to prove you have it, etc.  There are 2 ways they can legally reject you - not having 20K baht or suspicion of working - so they say these silly things to justify the big lie they are using to hurt you (and the Thais who benefit when you spend your foreign-sourced money here).
• I carry the cash, proof my money comes from overseas, and my condo-lease.  If living with the GF, try to come up with some sort of lease-agreement you can carry - maybe with a copy of her blue-book.  And, yes, pics of you together - hard color-copies, in case your phone dies.  Whatever you say, they may just call you a liar, based on other reports.  How much of this is xenophbia-induced paranoia, and how much is due to a general hate of Farangs in the Immigration division, is anyone's best guess. 
• Avoid entering by air.  Someone just caught hell at Swampy (who also had an old ED visa in their passport) - so I would not try that, either.  I would fly to Malaysia and train-in.  Airports are "traps" to catch long-stayers and send them far, far, away - and make their lives temporarily-hell. 
• Was your "one day visa jump" to get a new entry on a Multiple Non-O visa?  If so, go in/out through Ban Laem or another friendly land-checkpoint.  Have the 20K Baht in cash or travelers checks - just in case - and you will be fine.  Maybe stay out one night before returning.  If you do NOT have that visa - go to Savanakhet and get one - no financial proof necessary.  Use that visa for All Future Entries. 

Re - languages - I do very well in some fields, but am a complete moron when it comes to learning languages; you are not alone.  Some people can memorize "sounds" into words quickly, others cannot.  This IO is probably a quick memorizer, but never had an abstract-thought in their life. 

 

Maybe some high-up IO had his daughter knocked-up and dumped by a Farang - who knows.  Nevermind all the Thousands of Thai Kids, like your adopted one, who Have Dads and Decent Financial Support For The First Time thanks to a Farang, after Thai-dad ran away from his responsibility like a <...>. 

[Frank12]

For what is worth my Thai is still better that 98% of the immigration English and they had learned the language for far longer than me. Not that it matters when they give me hard time for not speaking their beloved native language well...

Edited April 14, 2017 by Frank12

[elviajero]

Your age will make them very suspicious that you are working in Thailand, and you don't have the desired visa/permit to stay for someone living in the country. Sounds like you got an officious IO, but at your age you should be prepared for extra scrutiny until you have an appropriate extension of stay.

[thecyclist]

14 hours ago, elviajero said:

Your age will make them very suspicious that you are working in Thailand, and you don't have the desired visa/permit to stay for someone living in the country. Sounds like you got an officious IO, but at your age you should be prepared for extra scrutiny until you have an appropriate extension of stay.

That's a first:feel good about being not so young any more.

[NoshowJones]

"I am no longer welcome here". Of course you are welcome here, you are a "guest".

 

[gamini]

you are very young to retire at 32. Naturally, immigration officers must be wondering how you manage to support your wife and children without working! so you cannot blame them.

[NoshowJones]

19 hours ago, tomwct said:

Before you leave home get a N-O Visa for marriage.for 90 days. Then when you arrive back set-up your bank account with 400K

to cover your one year Marriage visa. After 90 days go to immigration and get a proper visa for a year. You must be very young

for the immigration officers to challenge you. No more Tourist Visas.

Is the one year marriage visa not actually a visa, but extensions, where you are required to have 400.000Bt in the bank?

Is it not a marriage visa with 90 day border runs the OP has?

[gamini]

19 hours ago, JackThompson said:

 

My best advise:

• Get a New Passport so that old ED visa never enters the mind of an IO, again.  They will see prior entries/exits - but the "type" of those is not shown on the first screen (according to some theories / reports).  You are NOT the first person to catch hell who had an ED visa in their passport.
• They probably don't really "think you work here" - that's just another lie - same as if you don't have the 20K Baht cash, but can't go to an ATM to prove you have it, etc.  There are 2 ways they can legally reject you - not having 20K baht or suspicion of working - so they say these silly things to justify the big lie they are using to hurt you (and the Thais who benefit when you spend your foreign-sourced money here).
• I carry the cash, proof my money comes from overseas, and my condo-lease.  If living with the GF, try to come up with some sort of lease-agreement you can carry - maybe with a copy of her blue-book.  And, yes, pics of you together - hard color-copies, in case your phone dies.  Whatever you say, they may just call you a liar, based on other reports.  How much of this is xenophbia-induced paranoia, and how much is due to a general hate of Farangs in the Immigration division, is anyone's best guess. 
• Avoid entering by air.  Someone just caught hell at Swampy (who also had an old ED visa in their passport) - so I would not try that, either.  I would fly to Malaysia and train-in.  Airports are "traps" to catch long-stayers and send them far, far, away - and make their lives temporarily-hell. 
• Was your "one day visa jump" to get a new entry on a Multiple Non-O visa?  If so, go in/out through Ban Laem or another friendly land-checkpoint.  Have the 20K Baht in cash or travelers checks - just in case - and you will be fine.  Maybe stay out one night before returning.  If you do NOT have that visa - go to Savanakhet and get one - no financial proof necessary.  Use that visa for All Future Entries. 

Re - languages - I do very well in some fields, but am a complete moron when it comes to learning languages; you are not alone.  Some people can memorize "sounds" into words quickly, others cannot.  This IO is probably a quick memorizer, but never had an abstract-thought in their life. 

 

Maybe some high-up IO had his daughter knocked-up and dumped by a Farang - who knows.  Nevermind all the Thousands of Thai Kids, like your adopted one, who Have Dads and Decent Financial Support For The First Time thanks to a Farang, after Thai-dad ran away from his responsibility like a <...>. 

you seem to hate Thais and Thailand so much.  Why do you live here? the majority of us don't have these sort of problems.

[NoshowJones]

7 minutes ago, gamini said:

you are very young to retire at 32. Naturally, immigration officers must be wondering how you manage to support your wife and children without working! so you cannot blame them.

It is possible for people around the OPs age to have property he is renting out. Thai immigration are just a bit too heavy handed at hassling younger people at times. I see the need to make sure people are not working illegally, so why not come down on the people who are employing them, schools, factories etc? Brown envelopes spring to mind again.

[IMA_FARANG]

If you are on a marriage visa/extension  always get a exit re-entry permit when you leave the country and return.

It only costs 1000 Baht for a single exit re-entry permit and have it stamped in your passport.

When you re-enter Thailand enter the number of your re-entry permit  in the space where  it asks for visa number on your arrival card.

To be sure point that out to the immigration officer who checks you in.

1000 baht is cheap insurance to make sure immigration gets it correct.

Avoid all the hassle.

That's what a exit re-entry permit is for.

 

 

[BEVUP]

Dont see a problem just IO giving a hard time

So ok came to Thai on Ed -Jumped through the hoops

Met some one & started doing the Tourist tack - not many stamps ( my PP would put his to shame & i got harassed once, sh even rang the wife )

Got a Multi O from Loa - One would think that would be the best due to OP maybe having to return to work on ocassions during the yr

 

 

[JackThompson]

41 minutes ago, gamini said:

you seem to hate Thais and Thailand so much.  Why do you live here? the majority of us don't have these sort of problems.

On the contrary - I hate the harm being done to Thais and foreigners alike, by the persecution of law-abiding Farangs at airports.   Why they are behaving as jerks is up to debate - but based on the attitudes the OP experienced, it sounds like a culture of hate within certain groups of Immigration officials.  Who knows how far up this goes - but it Most Certainly does NOT refer to Thai people in general.

 

These actions harm Thais more than we Farangs, as we can always pull up stakes and settle somewhere else - but if that happens, the Thais whose incomes are based on our transfers of wealth from overseas into Thailand are left without a means of support.  I do not only refer to the Thais who are close to us (who  get broken hearts, as well), but all those who supply the goods and services we consume here.

[NoBrainer]

Why not get a re-entry permit on your existing Visa?

[dentonian]

1 hour ago, possum1931 said:

Is the one year marriage visa not actually a visa, but extensions, where you are required to have 400.000Bt in the bank?

Is it not a marriage visa with 90 day border runs the OP has?

The term Marriage Visa confuses many because there is actually no such Visa.

 

As the OP stated it was obtained from Lao, then he certainly has a Non Imm O Multi entry Visa based on marriage to a Thai.

Local Immigration offices only issue extensions of stay based on marriage, not Visas.

 

Your assumption that he therefore has to make 90 day border runs is correct and as already mentioned he is being hassled because Immigration cannot figure how he is supporting himself without working at such a young age.

The thing is being married to a Thai allows you the right to work.

[Frank12]

1 hour ago, BEVUP said:

Dont see a problem just IO giving a hard time

So ok came to Thai on Ed -Jumped through the hoops

Met some one & started doing the Tourist tack - not many stamps ( my PP would put his to shame & i got harassed once, sh even rang the wife )

Got a Multi O from Loa - One would think that would be the best due to OP maybe having to return to work on ocassions during the yr

 

 

Well for some reason my long post got deleted.  I did made money from early investing in cryptcurrencies in the past not to mention I think people overestimate costs of living in some remote Thailand area. I mean If I knew in advance about it I wouldn't stay for so long in Thailand and would mix it up  maybe living in some other Asian countries,going back to my country for a while etc. I just thought about the marriage visa as a safe heaven so I just didn't feel the need to. Planned to buy some property in Thailand in the past and airbnb them but opted not too because all the uncertainity and given that law doesn't protect you and your ownership when you are a farang. I am going back to my Country in a couple of months anyway just wanted to visit family and come back prepare my wife a Schengen visa etc. which will take some time too. (packing and so on too). That was also the reason for my thread I mean wanted to check whether I was just unlucky or just there is a crackdown in thai imigration policy and I shouldn't make any plans about staying here any reasonable amount of time in the future.

I mean I guess I could also buy the Thai Elite visa but again won't they give me a shit too for staying here and not working? If they harras me for being on marriage visa why wouldn't they do it when having Thai Elite visa?

[sjbrownderby]

By your own admission your Thai is poor but you also stated that you got an ED visa to learn Thai. If I were an IO I might look at that and wonder why you did not use the ED visa for the purpose you stated and also if you are actually using your current visa for it's intended purpose. I can see that as being part of the problem you had.

[Thaidream]

Unless you have the equivalent of millions of dollars in the bank- you are way too young to retire in Thailand. At that age, without an occupation that would keep you busy, you would be bored to death, especially living in a small rural community. Right now, it may sound good but as you age the 'wonder' of Thailand will not be there and when you are able to speak and understand Thai well- you will find out that life in Thailand is not what you think it is.

If it was me now at that age- I would get Immigrant Visas for my wife and step son and relocate to your home country or elsewhere in Europe and become gainfully employed. In addition, that gives your wife and child the right to remain in Europe in the event of your demise.

You are now approaching your best earning years- and you will be surprised how quick your funds start to go down when you do not have income coming in.

Thailand will always be here and you can always return at some later date.

[JackThompson]

4 minutes ago, dentonian said:

...  Immigration cannot figure how he is supporting himself without working at such a young age.

The thing is being married to a Thai allows you the right to work.

Immigration policy on "how the Farang supports himself" should be simple: Ask the question how they support themselves.  Lying to an immigration-official is a crime, so if the authority believes the Farang has lied, with reasonable probable cause for this belief, arrest for that crime and take it to court.  Otherwise, accept what is stated.  Alternatively, publicly state what documents a foreigner needs to have in their possession, upon entry to the country, to prove their income.

 

Being married to a Thai, and on a Non-O entry or extension, allows you the ability to "apply for a work permit" - without that permit, working in Thailand is still prohibited.

 

12 minutes ago, Frank12 said:

I mean won't invest xxx K $ in a contry where law doesn't protect me because I am a foreginer and by law I am a 2nd class citizen

Yes, be very careful - but Thailand is not a communist country, so the govt won't just "steal" your property (like Laos).  You do have some rights to property - but must be aware of where those rights begin and end.  A good attorney is necessary to draw up any and all documents about anything to do with your investments here.  In any case, do not invest more in Thailand (or any risk-investment) than you can afford to lose and walk away.

 

If building a home - you can never own it, so be sure to get the legal docs which say you can live in that home for life.  This is not to protect you from your wife, but from any family members which might try to get to your money through her - by cruel means.  If there is no "pot of gold" for them to get, they will not hurt her trying to get to it.  Be smart on this front, and you can have a long, happy marriage.

 

There are "2nd Class Citizen" aspects - but you can get permanent residency - though that requires working and paying taxes in Thailand for some years, first.  If planning to stay long-term, at your age, I would explore this.  That puts an end to the Immigration hassles.  

 

5 minutes ago, Frank12 said:

won't they give me a s*** too for staying here and not working? If they harras me for being on marriage visa why wouldn't they do it when having Thai Elite visa?

With Elite, they don't harass you because you have essentially "paid off" immigration, and some organization connected to it, for a temporary period of time.  If you can afford a temporary Elite visa, you can afford (IMO) to put 10M Thai Baht in Thai banks, and stay forever on annual Investment-based extensions.  Those can include condos, etc - but a bit risky to buy condos when Western folks are being hassled by Immigration - and many, many units (Pattaya / Jomtien area - not sure about elsehwere) are now empty thanks to their "crackdown" on under-50 Westerners living here.  I'd just put the money in the Bank, and collect interest.  If you decide to leave, you can take your money with you.

 

I wish I had come here when I was young.  I envy you.  Have a great time, and don't let the naysayers get you down.  Some older people just hate it that young people can enjoy their lives before they get old - makes them feel cheated, I guess. 

[Frank12]

1 minute ago, Thaidream said:

Unless you have the equivalent of millions of dollars in the bank- you are way too young to retire in Thailand. At that age, without an occupation that would keep you busy, you would be bored to death, especially living in a small rural community. Right now, it may sound good but as you age the 'wonder' of Thailand will not be there and when you are able to speak and understand Thai well- you will find out that life in Thailand is not what you think it is.

If it was me now at that age- I would get Immigrant Visas for my wife and step son and relocate to your home country or elsewhere in Europe and become gainfully employed. In addition, that gives your wife and child the right to remain in Europe in the event of your demise.

You are now approaching your best earning years- and you will be surprised how quick your funds start to go down when you do not have income coming in.

Thailand will always be here and you can always return at some later date.

 

Of course you are right and thats the plan. I am planning to go take my wife to my country. The problem is the son because he speaks only Thai and again in my country (Poland) there aren't that many people that speak English too and Polish is considered one of the most difficult languages to learn overall. (not to mention I am concerned about my wife ability to Learn Polish in English) and we just didn't want to leave him behind but maybe we will have to at some point (at least infrequently he will be forced to stay with grandma while either me or me and my wife will be abroad). I mean we were taking him for private English classes with the intention to reloacting to Europe but he was consistently super rebelious about it and wasn't making any progress so we just gave up doing it against him no point in forcing him to do so. And while not working I did invested the capital succesfully so it is not I was literally retired.  I was planning to create some business here in Thailand but then the legal situation seem more and more complicated so I am just concerned to do so with the junta and more and more histility towards foreginers.

[NoshowJones]

37 minutes ago, dentonian said:

The term Marriage Visa confuses many because there is actually no such Visa.

 

As the OP stated it was obtained from Lao, then he certainly has a Non Imm O Multi entry Visa based on marriage to a Thai.

Local Immigration offices only issue extensions of stay based on marriage, not Visas.

 

Your assumption that he therefore has to make 90 day border runs is correct and as already mentioned he is being hassled because Immigration cannot figure how he is supporting himself without working at such a young age.

The thing is being married to a Thai allows you the right to work.

That is a very good point, but maybe immigration is also thinking about them working without work permits.

When I was at Savvanakhet for my marriage visa, I met two teachers who were getting tourist visas, but were working as teachers, that

was three years ago. I still say Thailand is much to blame for this by not going after the employers and the illegal workers in the schools and factories etc.

They are far more concerned with with hassling tourists who are contributing to their economy.

[Frank12]

15 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

Unless you have the equivalent of millions of dollars in the bank- you are way too young to retire in Thailand. At that age, without an occupation that would keep you busy, you would be bored to death, especially living in a small rural community. Right now, it may sound good but as you age the 'wonder' of Thailand will not be there and when you are able to speak and understand Thai well- you will find out that life in Thailand is not what you think it is.

If it was me now at that age- I would get Immigrant Visas for my wife and step son and relocate to your home country or elsewhere in Europe and become gainfully employed. In addition, that gives your wife and child the right to remain in Europe in the event of your demise.

You are now approaching your best earning years- and you will be surprised how quick your funds start to go down when you do not have income coming in.

Thailand will always be here and you can always return at some later date.

The bolded part made me curious. Care to elaborate further?? The statement made me curious.

[Thaidream]

People who are fairly new to Thailand  are enamored by the Thai smiles; ease of life and laid back lifestyle but mainly it is an illusion. In addition, when you have a pocketful of money you live your life as the 2 week millionaire does and your Thai family really doesn't understand that sometimes the ATM may dry up.

However, when one lives in Thailand for a long period of time- sometimes decades and learns the language- the realities of Thai smile and life become more evident.  NOt all Thai smiles mean happiness and love and not all Thai families and relationships are built on love and commitment. 

As I have said in other postings Thai people wear a mask but sometimes when you are able to lift the mask you find that what you thought was real was not.

I certainly like living in Thailand and Thai people but I am not enamored by it like I was many decades ago.  Now I know that there is the good, the bad and the ugly.

[mvdf]

2 hours ago, JackThompson said:

On the contrary - I hate the harm being done to Thais and foreigners alike, by the persecution of law-abiding Farangs at airports.   Why they are behaving as jerks is up to debate - but based on the attitudes the OP experienced, it sounds like a culture of hate within certain groups of Immigration officials.  Who knows how far up this goes - but it Most Certainly does NOT refer to Thai people in general.

 

These actions harm Thais more than we Farangs, as we can always pull up stakes and settle somewhere else - but if that happens, the Thais whose incomes are based on our transfers of wealth from overseas into Thailand are left without a means of support.  I do not only refer to the Thais who are close to us (who  get broken hearts, as well), but all those who supply the goods and services we consume here.

I'm struggling to understand why you and others on this forum WONDER why IOs behave in a manner you deem inappropriate! 

 

I am Asian and when I travel to Schengen countries, the U.S., Australia etc I am occasionally interrogated, my travel history scrutinised, itinerary analysed...

 

Why is it that you think or expect westerners to be treated preferentially, kowtowed even, just because you come from first world countries? Immigration authorities in this region are entitled to interrogate, analyse, admit or expel, scrutinise all arriving human beings at ports of entry in the same exact manner we Asians are treated when we arrive at your airports!

 

[Frank12]

16 minutes ago, mvdf said:

I'm struggling to understand why you and others on this forum WONDER why IOs behave in a manner you deem inappropriate! 

 

I am Asian and when I travel to Schengen countries, the U.S., Australia etc I am occasionally interrogated, my travel history scrutinised, itinerary analysed...

 

Why is it that you think or expect westerners to be treated preferentially, kowtowed even, just because you come from first world countries? Immigration authorities in this region are entitled to interrogate, analyse, admit or expel, scrutinise all arriving human beings at ports of entry in the same exact manner we Asians are treated when we arrive at your airports!

 

Sir I think you misinterpret it. You ridicule yourself by thinking about what IOs does or does not as getting even by Asians vs unfair treatment from Westerners. Firstly I am from 2nd class EU country and I am still required to get visa to many countries too. As a former lawyer I want to tell you that the problem isn't what they can or can't but that there isn't any logic in the action of IO. The share existence of Thai Visa forum proves the point. In a country were law doesn't work or there is no law basically the will of a person in power is the law. Hence thousands of foreginers following Thai Visa to stay informed about the policy shift within Thai Immigration. You might like or not like what most of here does it but you have to admit that I didn't broke the law/immgiration laws while being here and the sudden policy shift caught me off guard. As there isn't any change in the law the sole purpose of my Thread was to share and gather data whether there is a policy shift (hence I should start gathering documents so I could leave Thailand ) and avoid leaving/investing any money here or I was just unlucky and faced immigration officer that hate farangs/had  a bad day/just didn't like the way I look??  It isn't like immigration ever bother to inform us about any changes we learn about it from experience ans sharing it here so we could be better informed while making decisions.

Suddenly there is a huge offtop in this thread that makes no sense tbh whether it is or isn't ok for me to stay or what the appropriate action of immigration is/should be . I am not ranting or complaining here I just want to be better informed so to be prepared for whatever is going to happen.  So please,please lets stop off top and lets focus on the facts.

[Thaidream]

Frankly speaking, No one is asking for special treatment because we come from Western countries. As an American, one of my worst experiences ever was when re-entering the US from Thailand and being interrogated for 45 minutes as why I travel to Thailand often; who were the people pictured in my family album; what I had on my mobile phone and why I  carry 2 Passports (one of  which was expired). Some people even had their hard drives examined on their computers. In fact the IO supervisor had to inform the IO to let me pass as it was obvious I had nothing of any interest in my Passport or suitcases.

 

As the poster mentioned, Thailand has a reputation of different offices asking for different sets of documentation; and for certain points of entry stopping people and interrogating them and refusing entry for valid tourists and in this case a person with a valid Non Immigrant O Visa who was married to a Thai citizen. In all of my years of entering Thailand and that is many decades, I have never heard of a person with a valid Non O Visa married to a Thai being interrogated in such a manner. 

 

Since Thailand appears to want tourist business and advertises that it is open for business and extolls its warmth - I  don't believe the OP was asking for any special treatment- he was asking for the IO to honor the Visa he had. How about Io's in all countries treating people entering with respect and dignity and not with constant suspicion and derision. As a returning American citizen, I was appalled at the way I was treatd by the US IOs in Los Angeles . I can only imagine what they do to non citizens.