madmitch Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 When travelling overseas with my family I have never had a problem when returning to Thailand in joining them in the Thai Immigration queue...until yesterday. Normally my partner asks politely if they will stamp my passport an they've always agreed, so arriving at Don Muang at 3:30am yesterday I did the same but the surly male IO simply said no. My partner stated we'd done this many times and his reply was that it must have been at Suvarnabhumi as they don't allow it at Don Muang. So, my family, and the guy picking us up had to wait an hour while I joined the queue behind the mainly Chinese arrivals. After an argument with an Indian who tried to push in front of me, the frustration of seeing one Chinese lady being grilled for 20 minutes by Immigration in the queue I'd chosen and then for the neighbouring IO to leave her post, state "Computer down!) and merge two queues into one, my GF, who had been waiting in the pre-customs area. decided to come and see what was happening. Upon seeing the mess, she went to the now empty Thai line and asked the new IO if I could go through this gate. "Of course. Why didn't he come with you when you came through?" So I left my queue and was through the Thai gate two minutes later. I know it's not my right to use the Thai gate but this is another typical example of Thai Immigration Officers acting exactly how they want to act without a thought for Thai citizens who'd be waiting forever for their farang partner to get stamped in. P..S. In the UK non-EU family members are told to go through the EU gates with their families. Just wondered if anyone else had experienced similar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Pungdo Posted July 21, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted July 21, 2017 I have been through the Thai only line a couple of times now with my wife and daughter, always at Swampy though, never had a problem with it. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post kurtmartens Posted July 21, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted July 21, 2017 Wow, that sucks! One of the perks of traveling with my wife and kids is we use the "national" line and avoid the tourists. Clearly the I/O was having a bad day and didn't like the cut of your jib. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamgeorgeallen Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 i was told to go with my kids and their mum. i think it is expected. not sure if you can just go with your thai girlfriend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Covertjay Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 (edited) 1 hour ago, Pungdo said: I have been through the Thai only line a couple of times now with my wife and daughter, always at Swampy though, never had a problem with it. Same for me with my wife and son at DM and Swampy. It's a sort of 'airport etiquette' I thought as my wife's been sent to the family/Aust/kiwi passport lines with us to keep us together on the other end too. I think you just (OP) got a grumpy IO making up policy on the fly as can happen every now and then. Edited July 21, 2017 by Covertjay 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfd101 Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 I must try it with my b/f next time I come in to Suwana. Wonder whether THAT will work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YetAnother Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 44 minutes ago, kurtmartens said: Wow, that sucks! One of the perks of traveling with my wife and kids is we use the "national" line and avoid the tourists. Clearly the I/O was having a bad day and didn't like the cut of your jib. agreed; do not confuse the I/O people with your friends; i have over all the years gotten the impression that a lot of them just plainly do not like farang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perthperson Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 No -- We always use the Thai line which for me is a privilege not an entitlement ! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmitch Posted July 21, 2017 Author Share Posted July 21, 2017 2 hours ago, williamgeorgeallen said: i was told to go with my kids and their mum. i think it is expected. not sure if you can just go with your thai girlfriend. Our daughter was with us, as was a niece. Reading the comments I'm sure it was just a grumpy, awkward IO. Maybe he'd earlier been on a shift dealing with the long queues of Chinese! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perthperson Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 Just now, madmitch said: Our daughter was with us, as was a niece. Reading the comments I'm sure it was just a grumpy, awkward IO. Maybe he'd earlier been on a shift dealing with the long queues of Chinese! More likely he was fed up with the "I'm entitled" farang mob. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamgeorgeallen Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 10 minutes ago, madmitch said: Our daughter was with us, as was a niece. Reading the comments I'm sure it was just a grumpy, awkward IO. Maybe he'd earlier been on a shift dealing with the long queues of Chinese! there is no standard way to do things in thailand. pretty much have to keep your head down and go with the flow. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrPhibes Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 Absolutely no problem with me going through Thai passport line with Thai family at Chiang Mai airport 2 days ago. Saved a heck of a lot of time as the foreigner line was packed! One of the "many" perks of being married to a Thai :-) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wgdanson Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 3 hours ago, kurtmartens said: Wow, that sucks! One of the perks of traveling with my wife and kids is we use the "national" line and avoid the tourists. Clearly the I/O was having a bad day and didn't like the cut of your jib. Not heard that one for a while 'The cut of your jib'. What a great language English is? Or should it be 'is English?' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiocfaidh Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 I go through BKK Thai channel all the time. With or without wife. I carry my yellow book and flash that......guess I've been lucky.A month ago, it seems like BKK had gone all biometric lanes for Thais but the alien line was empty so I didn't wait around trying to find a non-bio Thai lane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 A off topic inflammatory post has been removed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeab1980 Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 We don't ask we just go to thai line. Never a problem at all. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4MyEgo Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 Always use the Thai line at Swampy, never asked, just go through with the wife and family, you will find a Thai tosser every now and again asserting his/her superiority every now and again, you just have to be mindful, that its not his fault he has a small Willy. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordguy61mi Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 My Thai fiancé and I always split up. I might have to try tagging along behind her next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the guest Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 The Thai line is for Thai passports holders only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieH Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 33 minutes ago, the guest said: The Thai line is for Thai passports holders only. In theory maybe, in practice it has been my experience that they encourage "family" to stay together. They do exactly the same in London too and state again that families stay together and not split up. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whaleboneman Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 1 hour ago, the guest said: The Thai line is for Thai passports holders only. Apparently not all immigration officers share your view. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maestro Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 12 hours ago, madmitch said: ...travelling overseas with my family...my partner...My partner...myGF... Forgive me for being confused. Do I understand correctly that this person of Thai nationality with whom you were travelling was not your legally married wife? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baansgr Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 17 hours ago, Pungdo said: I have been through the Thai only line a couple of times now with my wife and daughter, always at Swampy though, never had a problem with it. Me too, in fact the IO actually single us out and tell us to use Thai line. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmitch Posted July 22, 2017 Author Share Posted July 22, 2017 9 hours ago, Maestro said: Forgive me for being confused. Do I understand correctly that this person of Thai nationality with whom you were travelling was not your legally married wife? You are correct but that's not the issue as our Thai/UK daughter was travelling with us. Never been a problem before either in Thailand or the UK/EU. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GroveHillWanderer Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 On 7/21/2017 at 0:11 PM, madmitch said: In the UK non-EU family members are told to go through the EU gates with their families. Just wondered if anyone else had experienced similar? I think it still depends on the individual IO's feelings about it at the time. I have on many occasions had my wife accompany me in the EU line when entering the UK with no problems but on two other occasions we were directed to the non-EU line. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csabo Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 I was traveling into the States with a GF and we approached the I/O together. Nasty, he said "who is she?" I said "My GF we are traveling together." He told her "Behind the line!" Next time, same situation, I told her to wait her turn behind the line. The I/O asked me "Who is that?". I said "My GF we are traveling together." He said "Why didn't you bring her to the counter with you?" I asked her to step up and she did. Third time same situation I asked her to step up with me. The I/O said "Who is she?" I said "My GF we are traveling together.' He snapped at her "Behind the line!" You picking up the pattern here?? Got a feeling for what's going on yet?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussieroaming Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 I haven't had any issues going through the Thai national lane with my wife either, but I always figure that rejection is a potential outcome. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stocky Posted July 23, 2017 Share Posted July 23, 2017 There's an issue at DM with the introduction of the automatic gates which work with Thai passports only. If the airport is busy then all the manned desks are for foreign passports and there are no manned desks for Thai passport holders, when this happens there is no option to use the Thai line with a foreign passport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeab1980 Posted July 23, 2017 Share Posted July 23, 2017 44 minutes ago, Stocky said: There's an issue at DM with the introduction of the automatic gates which work with Thai passports only. If the airport is busy then all the manned desks are for foreign passports and there are no manned desks for Thai passport holders, when this happens there is no option to use the Thai line with a foreign passport. Lost "no manned desks for Thai passports" " when this happens no option but to use thai line" you say there not manned? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Here2008 Posted July 23, 2017 Share Posted July 23, 2017 1 hour ago, jeab1980 said: Lost "no manned desks for Thai passports" " when this happens no option but to use thai line" you say there not manned? He said " If the airport is busy then all the manned desks are for foreign passports and there are no manned desks for Thai passport holders," and continues " when this happens there is no option to use the Thai line with a foreign passport." " It seems a clear and understandable comment. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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