absolutelyBangkok archive · Being farang
Originally published May 8, 2008
Did quite some friend-dropping and picking up of buddies these days at Suvarnabhumi airport. And am wondering each time why Thailand is calling itself a tourist’s haven. Because holidays start and end with those longish waits at immigration.
The other day my dad waited 70 (!) minutes to enter the country and days later 55 minutes to exit. It goes without saying that about a third of the immigration counters were closed. Because it makes sense in these difficult economic times to save on those highly paid immigration officers…
I’ve waited in old Sowjet and medieval African immigration queues — nothing comes close to the Thai experience. Ok, when you live here for some time you may have residency papers or travel with your Thai family and can enjoy the privilege of the mostly shorter queues for Thais. But as an alien — as they call foreigners here — better be prepared for a long wait arriving in and departing from Thailand.
And not that the immigration officers welcome you with a broad smile. The oh-so-famous Thai smile you better don’t learn from an immigration officer. They may think you’re a queer or stash some drugs under your shirt.
Just endure.
Be polite.
Learn the Thai way.
Don’t complain, just enjoy the scenery of the grand architecture. And be assured, nothing will be changed next time you’re arriving in Thailand.
Thai immigration gives you enough time to contemplate on this and that and other unnecessities.
For heaven’s sake just don’t let the immigration officer know how pissed off you are. To wait in line will teach you one of the most basic Thai virtues. Respect the authorities.
A fun game while waiting is to count how many counters are closed. If you really enjoy the waiting, chose a queue with many Indians in it.
Just don’t expect, when you arrive for the first time in Thailand, to be welcomed as a hero.
Or you seriously thought
Don Mueang was a pain?
Suvarnabhumi immigration lets you know that you’re an alien.
If you can live with that, most welcome to Thailand.
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