Show $2000: Kenyan Woman Refused on Flight to Phnom Penh from Bangkok

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Mishmash
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Re: Show $2000: Kenyan Woman Refused on Flight to Phnom Penh from Bangkok

Post by Mishmash »

paparazzi wrote: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:25 am There is an English lad here at my hotel who was just turned back at Bangkok airport because he only had $20 US dollars in his wallet. He told them he could use his card and draw out an amount they nominated.

He says he was handcuffed and had to pay for a return ticket to Phnom Penh.

Could be more to the story but he was told to try again next year. Can only wonder if he was flagged for the number of times he goes in and out.

All strange. Certainly looks like people are being flagged and the authorities are just using any reason to turn them back.
Customs and Immigration are well trained professionals - they have a nose for these things and access to large modern databases.

He was flagged..

I doubt they would handcuff anyone except for a good reason.
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Re: Show $2000: Kenyan Woman Refused on Flight to Phnom Penh from Bangkok

Post by hiway5 »

Mishmash wrote: Tue Oct 15, 2019 8:48 am For a researched traveler that she claims to be, surely she should have known that it would be virtually impossible to change Kenyan Shillings anywhere.

I have some Myanmar Kyats at home, crisp.. Can I change them? No. They are just pretty reminders of the trip

How was she going to pay for the visa on arrival?? - it is USD.

I could imagine the bemused look at the Visa Desk when she tried pawning off some obscure notes.

The computer evidently flagged something when she was trying to board - we can only speculate what that was.

Pulling the race card is poor form and unlikely to win her fans based on her own merits.

Entry is on a case by case basis with the Immigration Officer having the final decision, as entry is a privilege not a right.

Even with a valid visa you MAY be turned away by the officer, if they have suspicions about your intentions.
People withdraw US$s from the atm when they arrive at the airport.
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sigmoid
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Re: Show $2000: Kenyan Woman Refused on Flight to Phnom Penh from Bangkok

Post by sigmoid »

My last trip to Thailand was over three years ago. And, when I say "last trip" I mean the final one, although I might consider it if they pay me $2000. Then again, probably not...

Just reroute through KL if you can. It's not worth having your intelligence insulted to even think about Thailand and any of their airlines
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Re: Show $2000: Kenyan Woman Refused on Flight to Phnom Penh from Bangkok

Post by shnoukieBRO »

If it's impossible to change Kenyan money in Thailand then how was that person gonna be able to survive? Nothing mentioned about credit cards.

I guess the Customs and Immigration are suspicious about such scenarios. It does not really add up when the well researched story does not have researched currency. Thailand borders have got experience and have the final say.
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fax
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Re: Show $2000: Kenyan Woman Refused on Flight to Phnom Penh from Bangkok

Post by fax »

shnoukieBRO wrote: Wed Oct 16, 2019 6:19 am Nothing mentioned about credit cards.
“I was forced to go to an ATM, where I could only withdraw $500 (about Sh50,000) due to transaction limits.“
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Cruisemonkey
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Re: Show $2000: Kenyan Woman Refused on Flight to Phnom Penh from Bangkok

Post by Cruisemonkey »

sigmoid wrote: Tue Oct 15, 2019 1:00 pm My last trip to Thailand was over three years ago. And, when I say "last trip" I mean the final one, although I might consider it if they pay me $2000. Then again, probably not...

Just reroute through KL if you can. It's not worth having your intelligence insulted to even think about Thailand and any of their airlines
I'm with you there! I was extorted for 2000 baht by Thai Immigration at HKT - had: resort booking (paid), return air ticket to China, Canadian VISA card and over USD $2000 in cash on me.

FUCK THAILAND!!!
You could be next.
Mishmash
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Re: Show $2000: Kenyan Woman Refused on Flight to Phnom Penh from Bangkok

Post by Mishmash »

Cruisemonkey wrote: Wed Oct 16, 2019 8:00 am
sigmoid wrote: Tue Oct 15, 2019 1:00 pm My last trip to Thailand was over three years ago. And, when I say "last trip" I mean the final one, although I might consider it if they pay me $2000. Then again, probably not...

Just reroute through KL if you can. It's not worth having your intelligence insulted to even think about Thailand and any of their airlines
I'm with you there! I was extorted for 2000 baht by Thai Immigration at HKT - had: resort booking (paid), return air ticket to China, Canadian VISA card and over USD $2000 in cash on me.

FUCK THAILAND!!!
Thanks for the insight. Would like to hear more..

Do you think you were racially profiled?

So far we have a Kenyan Lady saying it's a 'black thing' - which I am disputing.

An English lad allegedly refused for unknown reasons.

And now you.
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Re: Show $2000: Kenyan Woman Refused on Flight to Phnom Penh from Bangkok

Post by AnaPol »

There is always more to the story than JUST what any of these guys, ( here and on Thai visa) say when they were refused entry.
Mishmash
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Re: Show $2000: Kenyan Woman Refused on Flight to Phnom Penh from Bangkok

Post by Mishmash »

AnaPol wrote: Wed Oct 16, 2019 9:06 am There is always more to the story than JUST what any of these guys, ( here and on Thai visa) say when they were refused entry.
Well said..

The official figures from the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism report that:

485 Kenyans (251 Female) visited Cambodia in 2018 without any problems.

For Thailand

200 Kenyans visited Thailand in 2018 without problems

It's interesting to note that the number of Nigerians visiting Thailand in 2018 was 2 but this year has seen a dramatic increase to 4 to date (+50%)

For Cambodia the number of Nigerians visiting was 535 a distinct 55% drop from 1206 in 2017

Of further interest is that 162,395 UK residents visited Cambodia and 98,759 visited Thailand.

The USA a paltry 31,158 visited LoS whereas the mighty KoW scored 250,813
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sigmoid
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Re: Show $2000: Kenyan Woman Refused on Flight to Phnom Penh from Bangkok

Post by sigmoid »

It's not "a black thing", it's a Thai thing. If you don't go there, then you won't have a problem there.

Avoiding Thailand greatly simplifies your life.
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