The Thai Immigration Detention Process.

[JackThompson]

5 minutes ago, DeeMak9 said:

- Your passport gets examined again, you will be questioned in or outside an office. What do you do in Thailand? Do you work in Thailand? How much money do you have with you? And all sorts of questions regarding your visa history.

And, in a case recently, they don't ask any questions - just straight to detention.

 

5 minutes ago, DeeMak9 said:

- If they go ahead and refuse you entry, you will be escorted to another office where you get the chance to buy a ticket. If you cant pay, you need to wait until there is a free spot back home with your national airline (this can take a while, PAY IT!)

Other report going to detention first, and being visited by an airline rep later.  One refused to pay or sign anything, demanded to appeal (legally required of immigration to allow this) but they simply marched him to a plane going back where he came from. 

 

Upon arrival, the airline threatened him that they would get the locals to put him in detention there, if he didn't "pay up," at last-minute rip-off prices, for the flight they were financially-responsible for.  He paid.

 

9 minutes ago, DeeMak9 said:

- Once you're flight is due you get picked up by 2-3 officers and you will be escorted to the departure gate right before the flight. It is then when you get your passport back.

The Air Crew is given your passport, and may not return it until you reach the destination - possibly passing it directly to immigration in that country, where you are segregated from the "voluntary" passengers, and handled separately.

 

5 minutes ago, DeeMak9 said:

Be aware that usually they want to you to back to your HOME country with your national airline and not the country you came from (if it differs). Few people succeed to convince them to let you fly back to the country you came from anything other than your home country.

It is rare for them to send you to your home-country.  In almost every case, they send you right back where you just flew from. 

 

This is different than in the case of a Deportation (not a "refused entry"), when you are sent directly to your passport-country on a national-carrier.

[JackThompson]

32 minutes ago, tabarin said:

So basically, to make it easier for yourself, always fly in from Kuala Lumpur (and you can then also fly to other airports than BKK directly instead). 

Other good reasons for that starting point, if denied entry and returned:

• They are reported to apologize for their rude northern neighbor, and happily stamp you back in.  Places like Vietnam or Myanmar you are required to have pre-clearance, and could end up on another involuntary-flight to your passport-country.
• You can then do what you should have done in the first place, to avoid this mess - take a Train up through Pedang Besar, enter there, and fly-onward from Hat Yai.

[JackThompson]

4 hours ago, scorecard said:

the passport office (immigration officer) you see on arrival can and will deny entry even though you have received some type of entry approval in advance, and this scenario exists in many countries.

In other countries, the official may have the legal right to do this.  In Thailand, they don't. 

 

4 hours ago, scorecard said:

all countries will keep that flexibility open until the person has been stamped in.

Thailand didn't.  They wrote the Immigration Act to prevent the kind of corruption-opportunities that a policy of, "You can get in if I feel like it," leads to.

 

4 hours ago, scorecard said:

Will Thai Immigration ever have a rule that visas issued in advance must be accepted without question on actual arrival? The answer is clearly NO.  

There are specific legal reasons to deny-entry listed in the Immigration Act.  IOs can deny for those reasons - But Only Those - even if the visitor has a valid-visa.   Criminals are covered / can be denied.  "Been here too much before legally" is not a valid reason for denial.

 

All that said, the laws are not followed, so see my previous post in this thread - avoid the Lawless Entry Points and all can save themselves the potential detention, etc.

[Date Masamune]

Process is like this:   - IO officer at desk calls other officer

- Other officer escorts you to an area where you need to wait

- Your passport gets examined again, you will be questioned in or outside an office. What do you do in Thailand? Do you work in Thailand? How much money do you have with you? And all sorts of questions regarding your visa history.

- If they go ahead and refuse you entry, you will be escorted to another office where you get the chance to buy a ticket. If you cant pay, you need to wait until there is a free spot back home with your national airline (this can take a while, PAY IT!). You can buy a ticket on your phone or ask a mate to buy one and provide them with the reservation number.

- You will be escorted to the detention cell which you share with a group of other people waiting for their next flight home.

- You have access to electric so you can charge your phone and notebook.

- Once your flight is due you get picked up by 2-3 officers and you will be escorted to the departure gate right before the flight. It is then when you get your passport back.

 

 

Be aware that usually they want to you to back to your HOME country with your national airline and not the country you came from (if it differs). Few people succeed to convince them to let you fly back to the country you came from or anything other than your home country.

 

 

 

I think some of this may be outdated. National airlines are a relic of the past wherever they remain, hemorrhages of cash follow. Many people come to Thailand on various carriers including America , a big country, it has no “national airline”. None of the US carriers fly to Thailand anymore anyway. So what do they do to the Americans who are denied entry? I was surprised to learn TG does not fly to North America at all either anymore. 

I was told the one time I had a problem that I had to buy a ticket back to the US if I wanted to be let in I flat l-out refused and said I would just go back to Korea where I was legally working.

 

The OP should just be flexible, prepare for denial of entry by not storing any belongings in Thailand and don’t buy a car/motorbike or sign a long term lease. Carry 20k baht, and if not, credit cards. Amazing how easy it is these days to book a last minute business class seat with a mobile phone and a gold card.

 

 

[DeeMak9]

37 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

And, in a case recently, they don't ask any questions - just straight to detention.

 

Other report going to detention first, and being visited by an airline rep later.  One refused to pay or sign anything, demanded to appeal (legally required of immigration to allow this) but they simply marched him to a plane going back where he came from. 

 

Upon arrival, the airline threatened him that they would get the locals to put him in detention there, if he didn't "pay up," at last-minute rip-off prices, for the flight they were financially-responsible for.  He paid.

 

The Air Crew is given your passport, and may not return it until you reach the destination - possibly passing it directly to immigration in that country, where you are segregated from the "voluntary" passengers, and handled separately.

 

It is rare for them to send you to your home-country.  In almost every case, they send you right back where you just flew from. 

 

This is different than in the case of a Deportation (not a "refused entry"), when you are sent directly to your passport-country on a national-carrier.

 

This was the process 4 years ago. Things may have changed. I absolutely did not have the option to fly back to Hongkong (where I came from).

[lamyai3]

8 hours ago, Thailand Outcast said:

I try to read the relevant threads to my circumstances, but missed the threads you mention.

In post #47 here I linked to a couple of reports (I've also read others in the past year or two):

 

[Jim7777]

Just know the immigration rules for your specific type of visa or extension, follow those rules, and you shouldn’t end up in that situation in the first place.  Just do the right thing or rather the legal thing.  

[Captain 776]

It never ceases to amaze me. 

Some Members here MAY know the correct answer but the majority are giving you their opinion or just repeating what they read or someone told them.

 

When  it comes to important issues, I prefer to go to the sourse.

 

Go to Jmmigeation and in 3 minutes you have true facts.....not opinions.

[Date Masamune]

It never ceases to amaze me. 
Some Members here MAY know the correct answer but the majority are giving you their opinion or just repeating what they read or someone told them.
 
When  it comes to important issues, I prefer to go to the sourse.
 
Go to Jmmigeation and in 3 minutes you have true facts.....not opinions.

Facts? I have been told conflicting information by two immigration officers sitting at arms length at the same desk.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[NCC1701A]

i heard there was a body cavity search. is that true?

[EricTh]

In the past, there were no limits which is a  loophole. The immigration will question you whether you are really a tourist or secretly working in Thailand.

 

If you go into Thailand two times per year, it is safe but more than that, you might be refused entry.

 

Thailand is the most popular country for farang, that is why immigration can be choosy. Why not  look elsewhere in SEA?

Edited March 16, 2019 by EricTh

[Happystance]

12 hours ago, Thailand Outcast said:

I was hoping this thread stayed on topic, but anywayyyyyyyy.

Good luck with that ????

 

5 hours ago, DeeMak9 said:

Beware that usually they want to you to back to your HOME country with your national airline and not the country you came from (if it differs). Few people succeed to convince them to let you fly back to the country you came from or anything other than your home country.

 

 

And/Or:

 

5 hours ago, JackThompson said:

It is rare for them to send you to your home-country.  In almost every case, they send you right back where you just flew from. 

 

It's just like this except completely different ????

 

Straight as a corkscrew...

[surangw]

46 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

i heard there was a body cavity search. is that true?

you have to pay extra for that

[JackThompson]

32 minutes ago, EricTh said:

In the past, there were no limits which is a  loophole.

No, it was a "Feature"  not a "Loophole".  Until very recently, they thought it was awesome we kept coming back to spend more and more.  This was encouraged.  And with the "short leash" of 60-days, anyone who washed-out financially couldn't afford the visa-runs, and was out on their ear.

 

Most other countries in the region and around the world share this "Feature" with regard to visitors from nations with wage-scales significantly higher than theirs.  The only exceptions are a few at the top of the wage-hierarchy, and some intensely xenophobic ones.  Unfortunately, Thailand is joining the latter category - being no where near the former.

[JohnnyBD]

14 hours ago, Thailand Outcast said:

That's why I would like to know the process. 

You can always ask the Moderator to lock this thread by clicking on your original post, click "report post", and ask to close or lock it. Then start over with new post with one simple question about the process. No personal details for people to comment on. You may get better results, but maybe not.

[edwardandtubs]

So if I book a Malaysia airlines flight from London to Bangkok which has a short stopover in Kuala Lumpur, would I be allowed to return to Kuala Lumpur rather than London if I was refused entry at Suvarnabhumi?

Edited March 16, 2019 by edwardandtubs

[Happystance]

20 minutes ago, edwardandtubs said:

So if I book a Malaysia airlines flight from London to Bangkok which has a short stopover in Kuala Lumpur, would I be allowed to return to Kuala Lumpur rather than London if I was refused entry at Suvarnabhumi?

Layover country? Doubtful. 

Conflicting answers/experiences regarding country of origin and return, but hoping to be able to go to a layover country sounds like wishful thinking.

 

Better to book to KL, then a separate booking from KL to BKK. Better yet, book to KL, then take the train to Thailand and cross by land. Then either fly from Hat Yai or overnight sleeper train all the way to Bangkok...

Edited March 16, 2019 by Happystance

[edwardandtubs]

1 hour ago, Happystance said:

Layover country? Doubtful. 

Conflicting answers/experiences regarding country of origin and return, but hoping to be able to go to a layover country sounds like wishful thinking.

 

Better to book to KL, then a separate booking from KL to BKK. Better yet, book to KL, then take the train to Thailand and cross by land. Then either fly from Hat Yai or overnight sleeper train all the way to Bangkok...

 

The train is not going to work very well if you're carrying heavy luggage.

[BritTim]

9 hours ago, DeeMak9 said:

- If they go ahead and refuse you entry, you will be escorted to another office where you get the chance to buy a ticket. If you cant pay, you need to wait until there is a free spot back home with your national airline (this can take a while, PAY IT!). You can buy a ticket on your phone or ask a mate to buy one and provide them with the reservation number.

This is dangerously misleading.

 

Under international law, the airline that carried you to Thailand is responsible for removing you. This is true even if the airline is blameless, and you are unable to pay.

 

Usually, the airline that brought you to Thailand will try to return you to your last airport of embarkation. If this is not possible (for instance, it would require you to have a visa that you do not have) what happens will vary. Your airline trying to arrange to return you to your home country is common. Especially if you are able and willing to pay, you can often negotiate with the airline representative to go elsewhere with the same airline. Immigration will usually not care unless you want to switch to a different airline to leave Thailand. The new airline will often refuse to take you, and they cannot be forced. Anyway, immigration needs to agree to release your original airline from their responsibility for your removal.

 

Do not confuse denied entry with deportation. They are subject to completely different rules.

[Peter Denis]

I am somewhat in same situation as OP > living in Thailand for 1.5 year already on 3 back-to-back METVs.

Instead of risking to be denied access because too many entries on tourist visa, you could apply for a Non-Immigrant O-A visa (often referred to as retirement visa) in your home country.  That would allow you to stay 1 year in Thailand (with 3 monthly reports at local IO).  In order to get that visa you need to demonstrate a.o. that you are financially sound (more than equivalent of 800.000 THB on your home country bank account).  When you want to extend your stay after 1 year you need to have transfered the funds to a thai bank account 2 months before application for extension.  

With such a non-immigrant O-A visa you don't have to worry about being denied entrance.

[Happystance]

7 hours ago, edwardandtubs said:

 

The train is not going to work very well if you're carrying heavy luggage.

Yes and no. Physical condition/limitations play a role certainly. Trains are more lenient than budget airliners though regarding size and weights of luggage.

 

I've a carry on size backpack that I limit myself to arriving with, always a little overweight for those stupid 7 kg limits but the right size. So I enter without even dealing with a stowaway bag. Saves huge time at carasols and customs.

 

Then, when I've done all my local flying around, I buy a suitcase and load up on local clothes, and fly back with a stowaway.

For me this works great.

I used to overpack constantly but now I'm a minimalist, coming into Asia. The money I've saved on baggage fees is huge and pays for all my new clothes and souvenirs going home.

[lamyai3]

57 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

When you want to extend your stay after 1 year you need to have transfered the funds to a thai bank account 2 months before application for extension.

It's possible to get two years out of this visa by leaving and reentering just before the end of year one. Seasoning arrangements for extension (if using the 800k method) need to be made at least two months before the extension application made towards the end of the second year. 

[onera1961]

13 hours ago, EricTh said:

In the past, there were no limits which is a  loophole. The immigration will question you whether you are really a tourist or secretly working in Thailand.

In the past, they needed foreign currency starting from the days of Asian Financial crisis when Baht collapsed and the country was on the verge of bankruptcy. The relaxed rules lasted almost a decade and Thailand started to accumulate huge amount of foreign currency. In the past few years due to the huge influx of Chinese and Indian tourists with no signs of going down, it accumulated 45% of its GDP in foreign currency. Baht became stronger and export economy (65% of the economy) started to lose money destroying good paying jobs and pensions in formal sector of the economy.

As scores of perpetual tourists started publishing YouTube videos about how cheap it is to live in Thailand on Tourist visas, it became evident that these perpetual tourists are only perpetuating the informal economy of the country. The crack down to control these perpetual tourists started. But as usual, instead of limiting their stays by amending the laws and rules, the military government did what it knows best. 

Hope they change the laws after the election to streamline the procedure to restrict perpetual tourists instead of harassing them at the airport.. My preference will be 180-day per year with two visa exemption only. That will restrict flow of perpetual tourists and everybody can plan ahead and have peace of mind of not being harassed, refused, detained at the airport.
 

Edited March 17, 2019 by onera1961

[Tayaout]

Happen to me like 1 week ago. 

They will lock you in a room with other lucky guest (840 baht with shitty meal and water included).

 

At this point you are under the custody of an airline officer that in my case was a nice helpful guy. He doesn't work for the airport immigration. The immigration will confiscate your passport until you reach your next destination.

 

The airline employee will book for you the next flight to the country you came from. He will come with you to atm or change money, etc. 

 

Once you reach your next destination they will transfer your passport to immigration and you will have some explanation and paperwork to do. I'm my case Laos immigration canceled my exit stamp and told me I had 5 days to fly out and not try to go back to Thailand. 

 

I crossed to Thailand a couple day later via land border and now I'm enjoying the beach. Pretty good experience will do again A+

[Tayaout]

[onera1961]

45 minutes ago, Tayaout said:

The airline employee will book for you the next flight to the country you came from. He will come with you to atm or change money, etc. 

Do they book you in the same airlines the you came from? I guess so. Can I book using my phone? Do they confiscate phone? 

[Tayaout]

Just now, onera1961 said:

Do they book you in the same airlines the you came from? I guess so. Can I book using my phone? Do they confiscate phone? 

The airline you came with is responsible to send you back where you came from. They only gave me a bill for the next flight so I'm not sure they let you do it yourself. They do let you keep your phone.

[onera1961]

Just now, Tayaout said:

They only gave me a bill for the next flight

Was it expensive compared to if you book yourself for the same day and time? It will be expensive than booking a flight well in advance but how expensive?

[Tayaout]

1 minute ago, onera1961 said:

Was it expensive compared to if you book yourself for the same day and time? It will be expensive than booking a flight well in advance but how expensive?

It's the same price than if you would book a next day flight. In my case 1 way to Laos was something like 3200 baht. 

[rocketman777]

I too would like to know the answers to the OPs questions.  I am sure he is as dismayed as I am as to the unhelpful and totally useless replies that he has got.

 

If you don't have anything useful to say on this or  any other topic just keep quite.

 

If as the OP asked, if, and only if, you have gone through being stopped, detained at the airport and refused entry, please tell us of your experience in detail - step by step.

 

Otherwise , shut the ****  up!