The disgraceful attitude of Airport Immigration

[caller]

Again, in this instance, I'm delighted common sense prevailed, but it was a fair cop, through no fault of the poor old lady.

It would be interesting to learn if the word 'intent' feautures anywhere in Thai immigration law? I mean, we all know folk will roll up and claim to have got their departure date wrong and so on, seeking to avoid any formal action.

But in this case, intent clearly wasn't there. The delay and subsequent overstay was not the fault of HHTel's mum.

I also think that you can't really compare normal civil service rules to those officers that have powers of detention, such as certain immmigration and customs officers, where careful application of the laws is required, as wrongful detention is a very serious matter. And this was a borderline detention issue.

I know we live in a different World here, but if this happened in the UK, I think heads would roll.

[RCer]

Frankly, this pisses me off. I probably would have earned a night or more in the Hilton.

Says the guy who keeps insisting that the letter of the law should be applied...

It should be. So should common sense.

[laphanphon]

Didn't read all the posts, but, playing devil's advocate. Technically, she overstayed. Doesn't matter who's fault.

OP doesn't state when this happened, and IF...possibly a bit IF, one of the first 100 passengers of the day to pass through, then maybe, the IOs, had no clue why her, or so many after, were overstays.

Unless keeping an ear to international news, and few do, including myself, as irrelevant to my life. Until Thai airlines flight cancellations hit the news, again, if even watching or reading.........how would they know.

Doesn't matter who, how old, physical capacity of person, if you overstay, you pay.

Probably after the first 50 or 100 people, they may have figured out something is amidst.......and amended their policy, with a grace period, if proof of flight change.

But we'll never know......unless I missed a post pointing that out.

[PeteC]

The below is key if it can be verified and exists in print somewhere.

My wife tells me that Thai TV news reports quoted Big Joke as saying that fines for overstaying would be waived for anyone affected by the flight cancellations -- so the incident with Terry's mum was indeed an attempt at extortion.

[laphanphon]

Not if the word from Big Joke hadn't filtered down yet......who knows. Then simply doing their job, and can't fault them for that.....though people skills could use improvement.

But........if refusing to pay a fine, when due.......expect IO not to be too pleasant.

[HHTel]

OP doesn't state when this happened,

I think I gave a pretty good clue!!!

My mother was due to go back home early Thursday morning with KLM. Because of the Pakistani problem, her flight was cancelled and new arrangements made for a Thai flight to Hong Kong on Friday where she would pick up the KLM flight to Amsterdam.

[caller]

OP doesn't state when this happened, and IF...possibly a bit IF, one of the first 100 passengers of the day to pass through, then maybe, the IOs, had no clue why her, or so many after, were overstays.

Unless keeping an ear to international news, and few do, including myself, as irrelevant to my life. Until Thai airlines flight cancellations hit the news, again, if even watching or reading.........how would they know.

I don't mean to be disrespectful, but have you actually considered what you have written? This is the immigration Dept at a major international airport a day or so after the delays kicked in. Are you really suggesting that immigration were completely ignorant of what was happening right in front of them and where they cearly had an important role to play?

[laphanphon]

Wouldn't know, wasn't there........just playing devil's advocate. Who knows what and how it was handled and why.

How did both parties handle it. How was their English, her Thai, yelling or speaking loud, thinking not heard. Her reaction, their response.

We all know officials here don't like to be told 'NO, I'm not paying'........that doesn't go over good anywhere.

All well that ends well, and after a bit of 'drama', on her way, no fine. How one person interprets things is different from others.

Put myself in IO's flip flops, and I wouldn't be happy either, though more experiences in CS than most public servants here.

Did they know all the particulars of cancellations and relaxed policy. We don't know. Was she the first lot to come through, before or just after.

We all know how info and policy trickles down...........

...... I try to think without all the prejudice. UP2U of course.

[oakdale160]

So you are suggesting that the 94 year old lady in a wheelchair might have been combative, yelling and shouting etc?

[laphanphon]

Wouldn't know, wasn't there........

[Thistle]

Good response from someone that is apparently on the ball with regards "CS".
Most other airlines had put secondary plans into affect,Thailand did not,which means the authorities within the country had not considered the various problems.Yes the immigration were clueless once again.
Check how many other major airport hubs were affected,,,,,,,,,,,,,is it only from Thailand that you fly over India/Pakistan??

[Dannie Boy]

Wouldn't know, wasn't there........

So why don’t you keep out of it?

[laphanphon]

Forum, share thoughts. Simply pointed out IO was doing his job. Kudos for that.

She did overstay, and his job is to collect fines. Or do you want them to pick and choose who to enforce the law to ?

[Dannie Boy]

As the Prime Minister is reported to have said “those affected by the closing of the airspace across Pakistan will not be fined” so yes, pick and choose using common sense as the PM appears to also agree!!

[laphanphon]

PM / Junta general also said elections in one year, and corruption will be eliminated......almost 5 years ago........and how's that going