What should I do if I have a difficult experience with an immigration officer in Thailand?

And this IS the reason why they don’t want people recording at these counters. Good on you for being well mannered, but BS IO officers are commonplace in Bangkok.

WAIT, SHE JUST STOOD 15 MINUTES WITH YOUR PASSPORT IN HER HANDS?

She, a woman

Who the hell would question a customs officer?

Sounds just like the same lady I had. Slightly chubby, bit round in the face??

You should have stfu. Thai immigration has a job. You’re lucky you’re here.

BKK airport has ruined my foreign guests for times with many and many questions.

You are in Thailand. Its 100% "up to them" its just how it is and we must accept it if we choose to enter their country

Avoid the angry looking women officials at all cost. The ones that take too long to stamp others or ask too many questions. Look around queues and move to the one that is moving fast. The ones with angry expressions on their faces(men or women) or furrowed brows are the ones to avoid.

These individuals think the hold the supreme key, so they are always on a power trip.

Once in Malaysia, I saw an IO slap a person cause they didn't understand English.

82

Sounds about right! Famous 1st words:- "its up to Me/My Descretion"

Like.. just follow the laws correctly n ethically lady! Avoid Thai females PERIOD!

She doesn’t need to explain Customs procedure to you.

Some people have a problem for every solution 🙄

As mentioned, avoid the females. They are by far the worst. Also, you got your stamp, say nothing and move on.

Ye it's Thailand. Standard of living and professionalism different between there and here unfortunately

You have to be dim to make any mention of work to an immigration officer unless you have a work visa.

Yes, I know DTV allows some remote work.

She’s right. Advised to collect your passport, thank her and move on. Don’t be a freedom fighter. It’s Thailand, not your own country.

Looks like many negative reviews for BKK nowadays. Time to skip that destination since not welcome even at border....

I travel often. Rule 1 with immigration. Answer either yes or no and say thank you. Then move on to your holiday.

Sometimes it's just better to smile and wave boys!!!!

I returned to Swampy two years ago and the female agent with whom I presented my documents was sweet as sugar,.......

I think it might be misunderstanding perspectives between you and the officer for me I think I completely understand if this situation happened at the restaurant that we want a good service but this case like you said it is a long line if there is no something to figure out it will be good in using a little times to run the line.

She is right.

Smile, say thank you and just take the passport and move along when they give it back. No need to ask anything.

Have been to many countries on my 7 month trip and Thailand was the only one to stop me to say my passport (which is obviously 9 years old) didn't look like me. Then asked for driver's license (5 years old) Also not me.

Took me to another female officer and she let me in.

I neve ask them anything. Just let them do whatever they need to do and move on. The less I say the better. Tried to be friendly in Portugal once and didn't go well.

It's a language thingy, I'm sure it won't sound rude if spoken in Thai.

WELL WILL NOT USE THIS SITE ANYMORE NO FREEDOM OF SPEECH ON HERE

The women are the worst they think.they have too much power

It's always up to them😅

Weird. I find Thailand officers pretty chill but not as relaxed as Zimbabwe lol (wouldn't let me cross unless I agreed to have lunch with them first lol)

I always try to be friendly with them, when you smile, they'd smile back at times

Then again, no unnecessary conversation. Just answer whatever they asked

After all the people giving advice about not asking questions, it is falling on deaf ears. Oh well, those who are not taking the advice, keep asking questions when nothing is wrong. Just because they make you wait, 10 or 15 minutes, and then let you thru with a proper stamp, it doesn’t mean there was something wrong, sometime immigration officers do that to see how you are gonna react, or maybe they don’t like you, who cares, you’re in, don’t potentially create a problem where there isn’t one. But again, don’t take that advice, and do it your way.

Just like ( The soup Nazi scene ) from Seinfeld!

Don't say a word Bro 👍

They don’t like the DTV and it will be canceled soon 👋

They don't like you racist australians

That time o month for the sheila

As you said, she was likely having a bad day, or it’s her personality. I find that immigration officials are unpredictable pretty much everywhere you go. Considering how many times the Thai authorities change the rules, the number of directives - often confusing- they get and the large number of passports they have to see and inspect per day, I wouldn’t be surprised. I cross the border frequently and have had immigration officials spend too long going through the pages, searching for I don’t know what, looking at their computer monitor as if it had frozen, often without muttering a single word. I don’t ask questions unless it’s obvious, for example, that they’re looking for a visa and stamp and cannot see it. Most of the time I never know why they took so long. The only time I asked if there was a problem, I got a cold stare and silence so I no longer ask.

Cause dtv at the end of the day is still just a tourist visa i think they can still stop you from entering thailand

They are more strict now and look everything, even if it s right , it can be suspicious .

I come few times in the year, never stay more than 60 days, but it s suspicius now ,,i had lots of questions, and i feel like better i pay a visa next time to avoid a bad expérience, never had questions before, less do you have family here, i just reply , i get a gf yes, and they was smile and happy with that and wish me a good stay .

Stupid questions get stupid answers

Sadly it seems to be the ladies. I get fast track with my visa but last time it took 15 minutes to get approved as they took my visa and passport around other people. Time before, a gent looked at it and said KKK.

Your in why ask ??? Just go !!!

Oh yeah, dont speak unless spoken to at immigration hon. Let them do their thing and say kapunka(p) when you're good 😄

Some get jealous and bad attitude. Her life sucks and to make it better she makes yours hard. Dodge the females if possible.

She’s right, up to her not you

It’s true. Paper heart.

Don’t ask questions and try to speak your best Thai language (works for multiple situations, at bank, at immigration, at any govt office etc)

At Beijing airport they have buttons by the immigration desks where you are invited to rate the performance of the officer dealing with you. You know, 1 for bad, 5 for excellent. Thailand does not have these for obvious reasons. They'd only need one button, so it would be pointless.

It sounds like a very confrontational question when directly translated to Thai.

She also probably felt bad for taking a long time, and felt called out for it when you asked her the question, which is like losing face.

There probably wasn't any serious problem, the DTV is still fairly new. Their job is just very stressful as the rules are constantly being updated and there are many things to look out for.

Sri lankan immigration is the most polite, most efficient and the most courteous immigration in the world. If you have a visa or not you don't spend more than 2 mnts there. Those who visited Sri Lanka will confirm this.

It’s not just Thailand last year I was interrogated at Amsterdam Schipol airport as to why I was visiting…even though I’ve been going since 1974! Love Thailand but haven’t been for 3 years. Must come back, loved Hua Hin and Pattaya.

They hate Australians and British , very rude .. racists

Cool story bro. Next time share it with you boyfriend 🤷‍♂️

You deal with them. She has a point. Even you have docs, they can decide to let you enter or not. Less talk, less mistake.

I spent 8 hrs in imigration in cha am yesterday document in order they could not go any slower if the tried

Well done you just marked yourself for border force too

Ahh, bless! What dramas!

She is only reflecting the attitude of all of Thai Administration.

Remember .. the boss called us dirty farang.

The golden goose is nearly fully cooked.

Getting more stringent in Thailand

Stop wining, who knows maybe it was that time off the month, maybe she had a bad morning or maybe she just had to lissen to loads off freeloaders arriving on their 2-3-4-5 visa exp with stupid explains about they are tourists even we all know they are not

No soup for you, NEXT!

English phase can be confusing for a Thai sometime.

You are going to another country, can’t be colonial minded and think you own the country. You are lucky to enter, be happy about that, quit asking questions and move on. The IO is right. Up to her and not up to you. Problem with colonial minded people.

Is a Visa as a Digital Nomad a Tourist Visa??? 😁

Probably had a bad date with a foreigner 😆 🤣 😂 you triggered her ptsd jk

First rule

Thaipeople don t like tourist they love only your wallet...

Faster you undzrstand this point faster you choose an under radar low profilr strategy....

Thailand is good yes but 2 or 3 month a year and of course out of the high season ...

Bunch of new IO . Old gards are retiring. A lot more women than before covid 19. And they have more scrutiny than males IO.

So they let you in? You’re complaining?

On my last reentry the IO handed my passport back to me and said "Welcome to Thailand". Never happened in my 35 years coming here. They usually say nothing.

Woman officers are always like this. I have witnessed on several occasions. Not sure why just an aberration

Maybe her bf just cheated on her 😆

Not true, they are always easy to deal with if you do the right thing and have all your ducks in a row. Its only when you try to dodge the system that ppl have problems. I've been to 62 countries and Thailand is no different. Do the right thing and its all good.

It's simple. Female IO don't like sex tourists.

Don't speak or talk unless asked a question. Respond politely and to the point. Stand like a robot however long it takes. Be zen.

Like... 15 minutes?

I've noticed people in some kind of authority tend to get very triggered if you ask questions here, even if they are quite important ones. I've had it with Thai doctors sometimes even. They see it as undermining their status instead of curiosity. They expect you to sit there in silence and just do as your told and dont question anything. Can be a bit frustrating when you need answers, you have to drag info from them while they get more and more frustrated and yawn at you 🫠

15 minutes?

That 15 mins she was looking for where money you didn't leave in the passport

always avoid women IOs and women bosses 🙄

She just get your info to find you girlfriend.

Welcome to thailand

Be pak wan, worked for me

I was at Bangkok Immigration today doing 90 days as I had my online application rejected 3 times. I told the girl at 90 day reception about the rejections. I might as well have said It s hot outside. I decided I would say nothing about this to the officer when I get summoned. Pointless.

Calm down dude. Maybe she found out his husband cheat on her or she just broke up with boyfriend. 🤣

why would you even ask what’s the problem lol she could have made it a problem as soon as you asked that

Maybe you have not brushed your teeth after a long flight from Australia.

and this is newsworthy, if you don’t like it, don’t bother to enter, it’s kind of expected from time to time.

Now if you had bothered to present an A3 size laminated DTV approval, you may have sailed through and got a smile instead of a growl 😅

15 minutes?... Yeah, right.

Avoid female IOs if you can.

So you seriously want to complain about a little delay, no funny questions asked, no secondary screening, no anything, at least not from the officer? Essentially you got stamped in with no problems, congrats. Who knows what she was looking at, maybe there are people with your name with a lifetime ban or whatever...

I guess it was not about you, but you are another one who did not read, did not prepare the simple things in life.

She has to ask again for the visa, even when you did read at applilcation that you have to hand it over with your passport, even when it is posted on these neon signs.

BUT yeah, the officer had a bad mood, it is never ...........

Sometimes they have to do stuff and the pictures will be to prove to their boss that they're actually doing it.

One day in Sydney airport I heard an immigration officer screaming at a tourist because he didn't understand English. One bad apple doesn't rot the tree. Power trip happens every time and everywhere, I wouldn't think about it too much.

clearly you didnt laminate your DTV

Honestly… The problem was you asking what the problem is after getting stamped. You were stamped in. Maybe she had some unrelated nonsense come up. Or just had to go through something. I get this really sucks and is a strange experience but asking “what is the problem” is a very bad question to ask a Thai official. Translated to Thai, it’s very direct and confrontational.

It's always woman, always, never go with female officers. Never. I made sure to go to a line with a male, 0 questions 0 issues

I avoid female IOs at BKK like the plague. They're always more difficult than the male ones for some reason.

I find it's always best never to ask questions. Check your stamp and move on