Entry refusal based on appearance

[Takiap]

Not sure if this will ever be enforced or not, but it certainly does allow immigration officials room if they don't like your face.................


Yesterday when I was doing my 90 day run, I noticed a big poster on display, apparently issued by the Ministry of the Interior. I can remember all the exact wording or clauses, but in general it authorizes immigration to deny a person entry into the Kingdom based on the appearance of the individual.


Some things that might see you being refused entry include.......



1. Long hair that's not neatly combed and/or appears to be untidy.

2. If you're wearing sandals of any kind, unless sandals are a part of your culture.

3. If you're wearing a sleeveless top without any undergarments. (I have a feeling this clause is aimed more at female visitors)

4. If you're wearing short pants that are very short. (again, I think they are referring to females)

5. If you have too many tattoos and/or piercings.

6. If anything about you or your appearance suggest you may be a hippy.




I do think some officials will take action based on the above, especially regarding some of the very "rough" looking visitors who show up, and maybe also with women in sleeveless tops without a bra. As westerners, most men are more than happy to catch a glimpse, but Thais are not the same, at least not the older generation Thais. A 50 year old Thai man does not want to see a stranger's breasts in a public place. Young Thais are of course changing as far as attitude is concerned, but the older ones see it as being rude and impolite.


I though the sandal clause a little extreme, but then again, I can't see it being enforced, and besides, very few Thais even know the location of different countries, let alone the culture in those countries. Hell, most don't even believe me when I tell them I come from South Africa. Africa is one country, so South Africa simply means the southern part of the country, and there are only black people living in that country called Africa.



On the plus side, maybe this new notice from the ministry will result in fewer noisy bikes.....lol.

[margaretcarnes]

'Will result in fewer noisy bikes'? Oh dear that's likely to get some comments! Stereotyping or what...

Just as that list is stereotyping by the Thai authorities. They should be going for the big beer bellied bald sweaty farang who clearly look like sex tourists

[kendo]

Richard please take note, and if they add one more criteria

No Yorkshire accent then you do real have cause for concern

Kendo.

[JimmyGreaves]

This used to be enforced in the 70's. For sure Malaysia.

[redzonerocker]

They should be going for the big beer bellied bald sweaty farang who clearly look like sex tourists

So rule 6 should be changed then, to

6. If anything about you or your appearance suggest you may be a hippo.

Hope they don't enforce them to strictly, i'll be f****ed on rule 5

[centermid7]

I've seen some scary mofo's in the immigration lines.

They all got in.

[Takiap]

'Will result in fewer noisy bikes'? Oh dear that's likely to get some comments! Stereotyping or what...

Just as that list is stereotyping by the Thai authorities. They should be going for the big beer bellied bald sweaty farang who clearly look like sex tourists

Lol.......not stereotyping at all........just my sense of humor


Jokes aside though, you do get some very rough looking individuals, and it seems especially common at the land border crossings. All the immigration notice is saying, is that immigration checkpoints are official places, so please try and look at least a little bit respectable.

Personally, I have to agree. It's the same sort of thing when you visit temples - dress appropriately. You only need to stroll around in Hua-Hin for a few minutes, and you'll see many sights that would be enough to scare the living daylights out of the average Thai official.

The notice is not saying you can't dress as you please once in Thailand, but just that you should look respectable when entering Thailand.



Hey, I can support the rules..............lol

I'm not an overweight sex tourist
I don't wear sleeveless tops
I don't have long or untidy hair......my head is always shaved. I like to think of it as being a solar panel for a love machine..........lol.

[buksida]

I can see the common sense in being relatively smart when dealing with officialdom but this, knowing the current administration, just stinks of the start of another way to extort fines from foreigners.

Wait for it ... sandal fine - 500 baht.

[lomuamart]

The same sort of notice used to be displayed at Soi Suan Plu (the old Imm HQ in Bangkok). As I remember it, it was pretty much the same as Takiap says but footwear was referred to as thongs, meaning, I think, flip flops and no sleeveless shirts. Essentially, you had to dress respectfully. Before Imm came to HH, everyone used Suan Plu and I always went in long trousers. Did wear sandals though and was never refused service.
As JG says, other regional countries were even more draconian. Although I never went there, Singapore used to give long-haired men the option of having a major trim before crossing through Imm or simply getting refused.

[KateB]

Just done a border crossing in the north, no notices like the above, but there were indeed many extremely tight and wobbly sleeveless tops/vests - quite a sight - and all male

The general line up did seem very different to when I've come in at the airport though - far more 'real' to put it nicely - or very like a prison visitors' queue to put it not so nicely.

No noisy Hell's Angels bikers though, Takiap, you'll be pleased to know, so maybe word is getting round...

[margaretcarnes]

The same sort of notice used to be displayed at Soi Suan Plu (the old Imm HQ in Bangkok). As I remember it, it was pretty much the same as Takiap says but footwear was referred to as thongs, meaning, I think, flip flops and no sleeveless shirts. Essentially, you had to dress respectfully. Before Imm came to HH, everyone used Suan Plu and I always went in long trousers. Did wear sandals though and was never refused service.
As JG says, other regional countries were even more draconian. Although I never went there, Singapore used to give long-haired men the option of having a major trim before crossing through Imm or simply getting refused.

Sorry Lomu - it's that 'never refused service' bit. Just had visions of you having to make do with having your toes sucked!

[Homer]

"An alien with such characteristics will be prohibited from entering the kingdom."

Seen at Pedang Besar, the border stop on the southern rail line.

Everything I’ve read or heard about how to request a visa comes down to ‘Be respectable’. Last year I went to the Thai embassy in Kuala Lumpur for a Tourist Visa. While waiting for my number to be called an angry voice caught my attention, as it did most of the people in the room. A Thai man behind the counter was getting louder with each word. Can’t remember what he said except for the last sentence, which was something like “And don’t ever come back here again!”. The visa seeker he was talking to was wearing a singlet (tank top to us Yanks), shorts, sandals, dreads past his shoulders and although the clothes may have been clean they were faded and worn. Every other man in the room had on long pants, shoes & socks, and a shirt with buttons. As singlet dude walked out of the room one of the people he passed said “What were you thinking?”.

[Nereus]

....................................................... As JG says, other regional countries were even more draconian. Although I never went there, Singapore used to give long-haired men the option of having a major trim before crossing through Imm or simply getting refused.

Many years ago I worked for a shipping company operating around South East Asia. On one occasion I had to "escort" a wayward seaman from a vessel in, I think it was Brunei, back via Singapore to Australia.
He had long hair and the (female) official would not allow him to even transit Singapore without having it cut. They had a room set aside for such matters, so in he went. After they had cut his hair she then FINED him $50 for littering the floor!

[lomuamart]

That's a classic. Fined as well.

[Nereus]

They should be going for the big beer bellied bald sweaty farang who clearly look like sex tourists

So rule 6 should be changed then, to

6. If anything about you or your appearance suggest you may be a hippo.

Hope they don't enforce them to strictly, i'll be f****ed on rule 5

Is that why the prison is full up?????

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