Flying to/from Thailand (Covid Era)

[HHTel]

Just to post my story which underlines the fact that not only Thai officials have limited brain power.

She arrived at Dallas Fort Worth. Went to immigration with her vaccination papers and her ATK test before flying.

The officer looked at her passport and said "You overstayed in 2020" "No I didn't. I did everything by the book and month by month extensions were given by USCIS. I was stranded because of Covid".
"Show me the applications you made for extensions" he demanded.
"There are no forms. It was done by phone"
"They you're a liar. I've been doing this job for 30 years and it's impossible to do by phone. There are forms that must be filled out"
"The fact is", she replied "that it was done by phone"
"That can't be true. It's obvious you overstayed and I believe you're back here to find work" he said
"Absolute nonsense. I'm married to a US citizen. I don't need to work"
"What is the colour/race of your husband?". She answered "Not sure how that is relevant but he's a white American"
"Nevertheless, it's obvious you overstayed so I'm going to refuse entry to the US"
"Why don't you just bring up the details on your computer. That will show that everything in 2020 was legal?" she asked.
"I don't need a computer to tell me what I already know!" He said.

Meanwhile, I spent 10 mins downloading data from the US database. Her I-94 which states quite clearly she had permission to stay until 1st Nov 2020 and the entry for overstay is marked N/A.
Downloaded her travel history which confirms she left the country days before her deadline.
I sent this info to her phone but the idiot in question had confiscated her phone so she couldn't get access.

After 3 hours, he eventually agreed an emergency 15 days entry.
She's been to every other government agency including USCIS who all agree that it's a gross error by Border Control.
However, they also say that only Border Control can correct the error.
So she's spent hours gathering info to get back to Thailand on the 'test and go' scheme. Everything done including flights and hotels. She's submitted all this for a Thailand Pass but the embassy says that it'll probably take a week and one of the conditions is that she's been in the origin country (US) for 21 days. They did say that as the previous country was Thailand, they may be able to get around that.
Her deadline is Saturday 5th. After that it'll be official overstay which she really doesn't want. She's talking with USCIS with the hope they can extend for a few days but that's not certain.

I'd like a doll dressed up as a Border Control guy so I can stick pins in it. One idiot has caused massive turmoil and thousands of dollars in travel costs.
An official complaint has been made to the head of Border Control who state they will answer in 5 - 7 working days. I'm not holding my breath.

I'm posting this to show the problems that can occur entering another country. Also I think it'll be interesting reading for Migrant.

Long read I know. But I had to get it off my chest.

[Dannie Boy]

Some people just can’t avoid abusing their power and making life hell for others - idiots like this guy need a painful lesson!!


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[HHTel]

I withdraw my comment. Really wasn't necessary

[HHTel]

She's hoping to return in April but definitely not to Dallas. She'll opt for Houston which was the route the last time she was there. In Houston, they put her passport and ESTA in the computer. The computer spews out a receipt and it's all done. So easy.
Maybe this guy is computer illiterate or considers he knows more than the computer!

[Mikeburysteds]

In reply to Danny boy,
yet the OP put it in the 600 Baht a night category? Although price is no guarantee that you won’t get scammed, the potential risk is bound to be higher at a budget hotel. Looking back I’m glad that when I returned last November I dug deeper into my pocket and stayed at a 5* hotel - it was only one night and definitely if I have to do it again, would do the same.

I never booked this hotel it was the one I was moved to the next day after so called positive test result, I had absolutely no control as to where I was being taken.
I was in fact booked into the Mariya Hotel for my test and go.

While there I did manage to speak to a couple of Lithuanian girls who tested positive in Thailand and were unable to fly home until they gave a negative test, the girls had been there 15 days already.
And it's these single female travellers I worry about most as they like myself were given no information as to where they were being taken or what was going on.

[Nereus]

She's hoping to return in April but definitely not to Dallas. She'll opt for Houston which was the route the last time she was there. In Houston, they put her passport and ESTA in the computer. The computer spews out a receipt and it's all done. So easy.
Maybe this guy is computer illiterate or considers he knows more than the computer!

I have been to the states many times, and I have to say that unfortunately I have found some of the border control "officers" are amongst the rudest people on the planet.

Difficult for a woman travelling alone I know, but the best way is to demand that one being awkward call their supervisor. That alone will usually change their attitude rapidly. And it is not just the blokes, the worst that I have run across is the big obese Mama's, if you know what I mean!

[HHTel]

That sounds good advice. However, the emergency order was signed by Kirk Cokes - Watch Commander!

Sounds like he is a supervisor.

[HHTel]

I've just spent an hour on hold with the office here hoping that I can speed up my daughter's Thailand Pass. Then I gave up and will try again tomorrow.
Her deadline to leave the US is Saturday and it appears that no office can extend her stay even by a few days. The only officer that can alter the 'permission to stay' is the idiot officer who made the order in the first place.
If she doesn't get her Thailand Pass tomorrow then a Plan B has to be tackled. That means booking a flight to the UK where there are no, or almost no, restrictions.
My brain is hurting.

[migrant]

I've just spent an hour on hold with the office here hoping that I can speed up my daughter's Thailand Pass. Then I gave up and will try again tomorrow.
Her deadline to leave the US is Saturday and it appears that no office can extend her stay even by a few days. The only officer that can alter the 'permission to stay' is the idiot officer who made the order in the first place.
If she doesn't get her Thailand Pass tomorrow then a Plan B has to be tackled. That means booking a flight to the UK where there are no, or almost no, restrictions.
My brain is hurting.

She has sure had her share of problems!! Unfortunately when dealing with government you get the idiot power hungry jerks that are hired in and think they are god. I dealt with many at the IRS in my career. Nereus's advice is good, whoever shows up, just ask for their supervisor, everyone has one, even the watch commander. It may not work in every case (multiple a**holes) but surprisingly it often helps. Many government branches have a separate branch for complaints that work autonomously and can have actual power, not sure about border control. Wish I read this before I went through, the officer I dealt with barely looked at my passport. Once I said I live in Thailand and was returning to the states for a visit, all he wanted to talk about was retiring and getting away from his job. He may have had some insights. Best of luck to her!!

[migrant]

That sounds good advice. However, the emergency order was signed by Kirk Cokes - Watch Commander!

Sounds like he is a supervisor.

I found this, may be useless at this point, but never know.

https://www.dhs.gov/provide-feedback-or ... laints-dhs

[HHTel]

Thanks for that.
She made an official complaint to the 'CBP Information Centre' (as suggested in your link) but their response is stated as 5 working days. That complaint will be followed through regardless. She's not going to let that go.
If she can get the Thailand Pass approval today then everything will fall into place. Cutting it very fine though. Still trying to get in touch with the immigration here. 24 hour hour hotline which puts you in a queue with no indication of how long that queue is.
It's looking increasingly likely that plan B is taken (flight to the UK).

Her previous visits have been a doddle, as you say, with 'interest and curiosity' at the airport. All very cordial. Unfortunately not this time.
One thing's for sure. She'll never pass through Dallas again.

[HHTel]

Test & Go 'cumbersome', says hotel tycoon

My daughter arrived in the UK from the US today.

She was supposed to return to Thailand but after organising flights she spent a couple of days booking hotels for day 1 and 5 including PCR tests, she applied for the Thailand Pass. It was registered but a warning that because of the numbers applying, it could take 7 days or more to be approved.
In the meantime she arranged to get her pre-flight PCR.
By Friday 4th she still hadn't had approval and the Thai Embassy couldn't help. She had to be out of the US on Sat 5th (That's another story) She needed to cancel everything she'd done and book a flight to London.
All she did was to fill in the Passenger Locator online which is basically contact details.
In London all she had to do was present her passport to a computer and then breeze through with her receipt. From touchdown to waiting for her lift outside was less than half an hour.
No comparison with the Thailand Pass rigmarole.

Ok, she has a UK passport but people who travelled with her with US passports did exactly the same as she did.

Not an immigration officer in sight.

N.B. She received approval for her Thailand Pass while waiting to board her flight to London!

[Jim]

Just a quick note about international Big Brother

I needed a new International Driving Permit, so got some photos done at Boots (here in the UK), just in the usual DIY photo booth.

2 days later, getting all the stuff ready to apply for Thailand Pass, I thought I'd check if the Morchana app was still working on my Thai phone. Yes, the app opened ok, and opened up with the picture I'd taken in Boots.

How does that work, and what's more, how did they know it was me? Is international facial recognition that good?

Oh, and Thailand Pass seems to be working fine. We got ours approved, a day apart, 4 and 5 days after applying.

On the plane in 31 days...

[STEVE G]

Yes as far as the Thai Pass goes, I just got mine this morning and I only applied on Saturday.

[HHTel]

My daughter who had to flee to the UK because the Thailand Pass was taking too long has now had her new application approved just one day after registering. Pity it wasn't like that last week. Would have save a lot of time and money.

Can anyone confirm that to enter Thailand you have to have a PCR test done by a laboratory with valid result certificate? It certainly seems that way from my googling. Lots of other countries are accepting lateral flow tests (which is free in the UK) but I'm pretty sure that Thailand needs the full blown test (£125 in the UK if you can find a 'clinic')