Another Bad Immigration Experience

[MooNoi]

This time in Australia.

 

In light of Sua Dum's experience in the USA, I got grief myself.

 

Sydney, to be precise, this morning when I arrived back from LOS.

 

I was standing at the luggage carousel waiting for my bag and the "roving" customs officials doing the circuit of the belt, randomly picking people and asking questions.

 

Of course, I got picked out!

 

"Where have you come from?"

"Thailand".

 

"Are you travelling alone?"

"Yes, I am."

 

"Can I see your passport please?"

"Sure."

 

So I hand over the passport and he leafs through the pages. His next line:

"There's a lot of stamps entering and leaving Thailand in here."

 

(What can I say to that? It's true. So I just agree). I told him that until 4 months ago I was living in Thailand, and if he looks on page 3 of my passport, he'll see the relevant Thai visa.

 

"There's also a lot of stamps for Vietnam and Cambodia as well."

 

"My previous job took me to Vietnam and Cambodia every month."

 

"And you finished your job there 4 months ago and returned to Australia?"

 

"Yes."

 

"You've gone back to Thailand pretty soon after that, Sir."

 

(WTF??? 4 months??? Soon???)

 

I explained that I got a good travel industry fare and decided to return and see friends for 10 days.

 

"Thank you, sir", he says, and hands back my passport.

 

About 5 minutes later my bag arrives and I haul it off the carousel. I extend the handle and start wheeling it along and within 5 steps I feel a hand on my shoulder... the same guy.

"Can you come with me please, Sir?"

 

And he leads me away to an interview room out the back. It's a pretty horrible feeling, to be honest, even when you know you have done nothing wrong.

 

In the room he informs me that he will proceed with a full property search of everything in my possession. I calmly agree as I have nothing to hide, and there's nothing to be gained by arguing.

 

Anyway, for the next 20 minutes he went through EVERYTHING! Even my damn underwear and socks.

He made me turn on and boot-up my laptop and then randomly asked me what was in certain folders and asked me to open them and show him. (Obviously looking for kiddie porn).

 

As he was searching he then asked me if I "knew any minors" in Asia? WTF? No, I don't. Apart from one friend's daughter who is 12 (and I have met once) and another couple I know with 2 kids.

 

Then I was told I could shut the laptop down and he started going through my cabin bag.

 

I think at this point he started to lose interest and finished it off pretty quick.

 

He then simply said, "fine. You can go."

 

I all my travels I have *never* been searched or even stopped at any immigration or customs post. I know the guy was just "doing his job" but its still a horrible feeling being under suspicion all the same.

 

[Ongchaiyai]

It's just like "Border Security" ...seen the exact same thing happen tonight on TV....and last week they went through this guy's lap top looking for shit, opening and closing files.....maybe it's a new scare tactic (Pedophile Scrunity) ....SHIT.. hope you didn't have any undeclared WOOD or FOOD products!

[MooNoi]

No. Had nothing.

 

Actually, they had a big sign up saying they were filming BORDER SECURITY there today. Didn't see any camera or associated goings-on though.

 

 

[Mentors]

At the Swiss Immigration back at my hometown Airport sometimes the officer ask me" where are you back from?

I always answer "from the Airplane"

 

I often show the Immigration my Swiss I.D. card but not my Swiss passport.

They can not insist, as a citizen i don't have to show them my passport when i enter my own country

 

 

 

 

 

[MooNoi]

At the Swiss Immigration back at my hometown Airport sometimes the officer ask me" where are you back from?

I always answer "from the Airplane"

 

If you tried that one in Australia you'd be marched off into the back-rooms, pronto!

 

[Mekong]

Reminds me of the time I was working in TX (Pre 911).

 

I was flying back and forth between BKK and Houston every 2 months and was getting taken aside every time, and no I did not tell them there are 28.3 grammes / oz (inside joke)

 

Eventually on my last trip I flipped out and requested to be placed on the next flight back to BKK, they complied with my request and I have never been back to the US since.

 

The photo they questioned was myself (fully dressed) my ex wife (fully dressed) and our 5 year old Luk Krueng son (in shorts) lying next to the pool. Can a man not hold his wife and have his son sat on his lap without being accused of being a paedophile?

 

I am too old / stubborn to put up with this bullshit, diddn't ned it back then, sure as hell don't need it now!

 

[jitagawn]

"The photo they questioned was myself (fully dressed) my ex wife (fully dressed) and our 5 year old Luk Krueng son (in shorts) lying next to the pool. Can a man not hold his wife and have his son sat on his lap without being accused of being a paedophile?"

 

So obnoxious- I had then look through my computeronce last year-really annoying and invasive.

 

[OCgringo]

at LAX I had them look thru all my memory sticks ,

I am sure looking for child porn,

 

They got bored pretty quickly looking at old cars and auto parts !

 

But really what I want is for all of them to have an attitude change ,

After we co-operate they need to at least thank us for going thru this shit , but most of the time it seems like they really want to say,

" we know you are a rat and will catch you next time, now get out of here ! "

 

I feel "dirty" everytime I come back into my own country

 

OC

[rickfarang]

You're not dirty, they are Sad, because its their job. Maybe after the next National election, things will be better.

[Bangkoktraveler]

A change after the next election? Forget it. Terror at the borders is something we should get used to. This is only the beginning. Expect the jackasses to be more obnoxious and more invasive.

I get my rocks off by putting a few bottles of fermented shrimp paste and ferment fish sauce in my suitcase. I am waiting for the day they get into my fermented shrimp paste and they spill a little bit out on their conveyors/conters.