In the past near 15-years I have been subjected to what I consider to be some of the meanest immigration officials in the world. If you follow my stuff at all you will know that I am referring to Thailand.
On my way out of the Thailand just yesterday, the guy behind the desk was constantly shouting at the people in line – kids, adults, teenagers, you name it – to be quiet while waiting in an extremely condescending manor. No one was being particularly loud, it is a boring line that is moving really slow because there are only two officials working and there are 300 of us who needs stamps out of the country. He would then slam the stamps into your passport, throw the passport at you and if you paused even briefly, he would berate you again.
There is no reason for this guy to be acting like this and of course they would probably shoot you if you made a video of it so I didn’t dare. Thankfully, I ended up in the other guy’s line and he seemed to be a subordinate to grouchy-britches and was starting to follow his lead of unnecessary rudeness.
This is just one of the occurrences to what I have come to expect from Thai Immigration. Multiple times I have been interrogated about where I am staying, why have I stayed in Thailand for so long, when I am leaving (despite the fact that I have a work permit and am entitled to stay indefinitely,) told that I need to have a return ticket despite what I just said, told I need to produce bank details to prove I have a certain amount of money that was just made up on the spot.
Chinese customers of ours have told us they charge all Chinese people on chartered flights from China 1000 Thai Baht per person, even though there is no law that states this should happen… they are simply pocketing the money themselves.
So when I got off the plane in Hanoi, Vietnam, I was expecting more of the same, but just in a language that I know none of (I don’t even know how to say “hello” and “thank you.) I come to you, quite proudly to say, that Hanoi’s immigration was not like this at all.
I approached the visa counter where there was no cue, just a bunch of people gathered around and I was unfamiliar with the process. Because I have been scarred by immigration procedures in Thailand, I very meekly approached the counter and a woman in her 30’s smiled and said “can I help you?”
just so you know I did not take this photo as I was terrified of breaking the rules
It’s a trap! I was thinking in my mind, but lo and behold, she genuinely wanted to help me. I gave her my documents she asked for a photo and I was so nervous that I forgot to give her my passport. I fully expected her attitude to turn at any moment, but it never did. After she laughed at me for a second for not providing the one document her position exists to examine, she told me (again, very politely) to “wait back there, we’ll call you when it is ready.”
In Thailand I would have expected to be waiting there for several hours and God help the person that ever asks what is taking so long, but no, it wasn’t like this. After about 15 minutes Stephen Hawking called out my name – and yes, they really do have a robot voice pronounce everyone’s name and your face is on a screen to let you know they are talking about you.
I go up to the counter, was asked for the amount of money that is on their official website for the visa I had requested (not a penny more) and boom! That part was over.
I then went to the lines to get stamped into the country expecting the roller-coaster back and forth line that never seems to move that exists in Thailand because despite the fact they know 4 flights are arriving, they only put 2 dudes on staff. Again, this is not how it was in Vietnam. They had a guy that was directing people to a multitude of lines that had no more than 5 people in each and I was stamped into the country without a single question being asked of me and was on the other side of the counter within a few minutes. Don't get me wrong, she wasn't being lazy... she confirmed it was my passport for sure but she didn't ask me a bunch of pointless, probing questions.
Maybe you have had different experiences in various countries but I have been to a LOT of countries and have never found any immigration department to be as unnecessarily evil as Thailand is. The number one reason I am even in Vietnam right now is because I am completely fed up with the way that Thailand treats its visitors and am looking at other places for me and my doggo to live. I am just so incredibly thrilled that Vietnam doesn’t operate that way.
I hadn’t considered really rating branches of the government but I am just so impressed that I gotta do it.
Vietnam Immigration… kudos to you and well done.
10 / 10
It is amazing what people live
Really terrible that one leaves home in search of life ..
As if we were in the Stone Age
A cruel world
Thank you for sharing your experience with us..
Thanks for this! I've been to Thailand twice and never had an issue with immigration except for the tossing of the passport at you! Headed to Vietnam and there is one letter backwards on my visa. I've emailed them and haven't heard back but am hoping that if it is an issue they will be moderately kind upon arrival. When I say one letter is off I mean, Ashley is Ashely. Not like Ashler vs Ashley lol
Anyways, thanks for the post to know they aren't as tough as Thailand! Happy Travels
well i don't want to speak for everyone but i don't think it would be a problem. Better safe than sorry though. My issues with Thailand immigration mostly root in the fact that there seems to be a real attitude problem in Krabi with immigration. Bangkok is too busy and has too many cameras watching for anyone to be terribly authoritarian. However, this also changes when you have 8 years of consecutive visas in your passport like me. They get suspicious even though i am not breaking any rules.
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Adam.Tran. I'm the Vietnamese Community bot developed by witness @quochuy and powered by community SP delegations.Are you going to Vietnam Steemit Meetup in Hanoi?
Great post! I have been to both Vietnam and Thailand (several times), but luckily I didn't experience any problems at either's immigration checkpoint. Although in Thailand we Europeans can stay for 30 days with no visa while for Vietnam we need to arrange our visa before coming to the country.
I think the vietnamese have done a great job ,treating people well despite the condition of the country.Thailand needs to be enlightened that racism is babaric.
Great ,Continue exploring
That's a sharpt contrast between two immigration post, it quite unfortunate with what is happening in Thailand, i wonder what their source of fury could be, maybe they aint paid well? Or they are down on staff? Am glad though that you got to experience a better customer care service.
Correction
Condescending manner or demeanor
I'm very surprised myself to hear that discipline exist at the immigration centers in Vietnam. Vietnam is globally known to be associated with war so a rude demeanor is apparently expected of them. However, they proved the opposite. Thailand is a beautiful country with beautiful people and sceneries, but it has a lot to learn.
Ohh well this must a be great experience for you @gooddream, I read your whole post and was really excited to see what happened next. Well I think people from Thailand they are quite mean, and as you mentioned that there were only 2 desk and a number of people that is the fault of the airport authorities.
And you compared that with Vietnam immigration department which was way better, the 30 years old lady asked you 'can I help you'.
I think what you have told us so far through your post Thailand is not a place for a foreigner to stay.
I really enjoy your experience @gooddream you have been making really amazinf posts and I now I look forward for the other posts too.
I can understand the feelings, the pains and the trauma you guys are facing in Thailand as visitors. And I'm sure they would surely regret it when they can't attract new people into their country anymore.
We are human and we needed to be treated as such. Kudos to Vietnam Immigration for treating you guys in such a lovely manner.
Hope your doggo is enjoying herself in Vietnam
Hi gooddream. That is nice to know that not everyone treats people the same as the Thai's do. The attitude sucks and sounds like they are doing you a favor. Put people into positions of power and their true self comes to the front.
Oh, Kudos to Vietnam inmigration indeed. So... your series of posts about Thailand and foreigners were a sign of your actual discomfort and future plans to leave for good. That makes sense. I hope you find a nice place.
They are very delicate issues, it makes me think a bit about my country Venezuela, Immigration in Vietnam grows in 11,037 people, I am very surprised by your story, since one imagines that it is on the contrary that Vietnam could have this bad attitude, it is a great lesson of not letting yourself be carried away by a first impression
Ive been advised to take a cheap burner phone if I ever visit Vietnam due to the theft that happens everywhere. I'll still do it one day. Just gotta knock out other goals first.
That was a lovely experience! Welcome to Vietnam :)