Visa On Arrival Scam in Phuket

Kuwait
Level Contributor
22 posts
19 reviews
19 helpful votes
Visa On Arrival Scam in Phuket
Save

http://www.desiyatri.com/2015/09/thailand-visa-scam-at-phuket.html

Did not believe the above - until I faced the same on March 25th 2016.. the modus operandi exactly as in the link above.. but we were family and knew the sound was being recorded somewhere.. and loudly insisted the fee was BHT 1,000 instead of BHT 1,200 as claimed by the immigration officer. they immediately relented and stamped our visa.. was expecting some hassles at the other counters from other officers..but there was none.. so please go ahead and loudly insist the fee is BHT 1,000.. keep your mobile phone recorder on..just in case for further evidence.. Despite the scam - I think Thailand is a great country..

Nuremberg, Germany
Level Contributor
12,057 posts
1. Re: Visa On Arrival Scam in Phuket
Save

Did you ever hear or notice that there is a fast track lane for VoA that costs THB 200 extra????

Kuwait
Level Contributor
22 posts
19 reviews
19 helpful votes
2. Re: Visa On Arrival Scam in Phuket
Save

Sir.. for your info 1) there is no fast track for VOA in Phuket 2) We were the only ones ones waiting in the counter - so no question of us needing a fast track.. 3) After we pointed out the fee is bht 1,000 - the officer again raised his calculator and asked us to pay the amount on the calculator - Fast track is to be used if the applicant wants it correct ????? not as per the fancy of the officer at the counter - am I correct ??? unless in Germany it is otherwise.. !!!!

Callala Bay...
Level Contributor
3,987 posts
209 reviews
153 helpful votes
3. Re: Visa On Arrival Scam in Phuket
Save

Varkki - after reading post 2, I now see it was likely an attitude tax as opposed to a scam.

4. Re: Visa On Arrival Scam in Phuket

-:- Message from Tripadvisor staff -:-

This post was determined to be inappropriate by the Tripadvisor community and has been removed.

To review the Tripadvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

Our staff may also remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason. Thanks for being a part of the Tripadvisor travel community!

Removed on: 3:05 am, April 02, 2016
Bangkok, Thailand
Level Contributor
2,408 posts
117 reviews
126 helpful votes
5. Re: Visa On Arrival Scam in Phuket
Save

Scam? 200 Baht is a scam? Surprised that with the OP's attitude that he and family were even allowed in Country?

6. Re: Visa On Arrival Scam in Phuket

-:- Message from Tripadvisor staff -:-

This post was determined to be inappropriate by the Tripadvisor community and has been removed.

To review the Tripadvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

Our staff may also remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason. Thanks for being a part of the Tripadvisor travel community!

Removed on: 6:35 am, April 02, 2016
Edited: 4 years ago
7. Re: Visa On Arrival Scam in Phuket

-:- Message from Tripadvisor staff -:-

This post was determined to be inappropriate by the Tripadvisor community and has been removed.

To review the Tripadvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

Our staff may also remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason. Thanks for being a part of the Tripadvisor travel community!

Removed on: 6:05 am, April 02, 2016
8. Re: Visa On Arrival Scam in Phuket

-:- Message from Tripadvisor staff -:-

This post was determined to be inappropriate by the Tripadvisor community and has been removed.

To review the Tripadvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

Our staff may also remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason. Thanks for being a part of the Tripadvisor travel community!

Removed on: 8:05 am, April 02, 2016
Island of Malta...
Level Contributor
7 posts
27 reviews
4 helpful votes
9. Re: Visa On Arrival Scam in Phuket
Save

I confirm that it is still active. 1200 baht being requested, with no mention (or need) of a fast track, but the officers give in if tourists firmly reject the request to pay more.

1 post
1 review
10. Re: Visa On Arrival Scam in Phuket
Save

Hey there,

I just came back from Phuket. Same story. Haha. Unless now I know they are not only bias for Chinese people.

This is my second time to go to Phuket, last year it's all fine. This time, they use the calculator to show me I need to pay for 200 Baht extra. I came to Phuket before, it's only cost 1000 Baht, and the price is shown on the visa application. So I pointed the price to them. The lady looked very calm and asked us where are we from. I response "Singapore". So she did our visa on 1000 Baht. But they don't allow us to use the "VOA" counter which is no people waiting. Instead they pointed us to the long queue. They said 200 Baht is for "VIP VOA". Hehe, why last year I don't?? Feel shame about this.

Get answers to your questions about Phuket
CA$CAD
United States
© 2021 TripAdvisor LLC All rights reserved.

This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu.