Buzz
Entering Thailand via land borders, Vietnamese tourists are forced by Thai customs to display $700 or 2000 baht openly for a photograph before entry. This regulation is not only illogical and crude but also an affront to national dignity.
Demanding Thailand to Abandon this Absurd Regulation
Following the revelation, Vietnam's tourism authorities, travel businesses, and numerous Vietnamese tourists are deeply outraged by this bizarre regulation.
On the afternoon of May 6th, in an interview with Dân Trí newspaper, Mr. Nguyễn Mạnh Cường, Deputy General Director of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism stated: 'On behalf of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, I have just signed a letter requesting Thailand's Department of Tourism to provide a clear explanation of this matter, and simultaneously demanding Thailand to immediately cease this practice and repeal this regulation.
Additionally, Vietnam National Administration of Tourism has also sent a communication to the Immigration Department (Ministry of Public Security) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam expressing concerns regarding this uncultured regulation by Thailand'.
Proof of financial means upon entry into some countries has been a longstanding requirement, but their approach has always been civilized, courteous, and respectful of guests, not crude and humiliating like this.
“Thailand can tighten control, even conduct searches on citizens of other countries upon entry to ensure security, but they should not employ rude measures that humiliate and denigrate Vietnamese citizens in front of many other nationalities. This is an unacceptable action. We demand that Thailand cease this practice immediately, or Vietnam's tourism sector will take stronger measures. This is not just excessively crude but also an affront to national dignity.
However, blaming Thailand entirely is not fair. There have been isolated cases of individuals entering your country through tourism channels. But it's also not justifiable to treat Vietnamese tourists this way because of a few isolated incidents. I also advise travel companies to manage their clients rigorously when taking them abroad, to prevent situations where some exploit tourism as a means to enter your country for ulterior motives, affecting the image of Vietnamese people,” Mr. Cuong frankly shared.
Also on the afternoon of May 6th, discussing the incident with Dân Trí, an official from the Thailand National Tourism Administration remarked: Because Vietnamese visitors often misuse tourism channels to enter Thailand illegally, Thailand must have regulations for control. Furthermore, Vietnamese tourists lack courtesy towards customs officers when asked to prove financial means, leading to the situation at hand…
Thailand needs to show more respect and fairness towards Vietnamese guests
However, even if the aforementioned situation is indeed real, discriminating against the entire Vietnamese community just because of some violators, illegal workers, is an unfair, objective treatment in diplomatic relations. Moreover, forcing tourists to carry a certain amount of cash when traveling to Thailand is entirely irrational because when tourists purchase a tour, it means they have paid for all expenses including food, accommodation, transportation, insurance, so whether they carry cash or not is the prerogative of the tourists. Therefore, Thailand's demand is entirely irrational.
Some tourists traveling to Thailand have encountered customs officers at the Poipet border crossing (Cambodia - Thailand), where they were verbally abused. Some officers even held up a sign saying $700 and said in broken Vietnamese: “If you don't have it, go back to Hanoi!
Not only with regular tourists, there's an opinion that even with caravan groups, composed mainly of business executives who have traveled to many countries, many have had to display money openly for a photo like a caught criminal. At that time, many suggested canceling the program, but due to some members of the group already entering, they had to reluctantly accept.
In response to reports of Vietnamese people being disrespected at Thai border crossings, netizens are outraged. Many young voices are calling for a boycott of tours to Thailand if Thailand does not respect Vietnamese tourists and repeal this illogical regulation. Many Vietnamese who were planning to buy tours to Thailand are now showing more caution. Because by a simple principle: nobody wants to go where they are disrespected.
According to our research, many Vietnamese travel companies have expressed outrage at Thailand's illogical policies as reflected above. They believe that this policy prevents travel companies from selling tours to Thailand and, more importantly, it is a humiliation to the Vietnamese people.
Sharing views with Dân Trí about this issue, Prof. Dr. Phạm Trung Lương, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Tourism Research Institute, said: “In a reciprocal relationship, if Vietnam does not mistreat Thai tourists, then Thailand should treat Vietnamese guests fairly and respectfully. I suggest that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Vietnam National Administration of Tourism must voice opposition to the humiliation of Vietnamese tourists,” Dr. Lương said.
Tightening security, controlling border entries is normal for countries, however, Thailand should not impose the illogical regulation mentioned above on all Vietnamese tourists just because of a few individuals exploiting tourism channels to illegally enter Thailand. Instead, Thailand should seek a softer, more diplomatic solution like other countries in the region and around the world, to ensure security for their country while still respecting and treating Vietnamese tourists fairly, like all tourists from other countries.
According to Dân Trí
Discrimination and disrespect towards Vietnamese people cannot be tolerated
I am also a victim
In July 2013, I experienced this too. It felt incredibly humiliating to have to display money in front of a webcam at the border entry. The customs officer was as cold as ice. People from other countries looked at me with disdain, some even dared not to stand too close to me.
DAO BOI TU
Vietnamese individuals entering at the Nong Khai border crossing face similar treatment
Vietnamese workers in Vientiane (Laos) wanting to go to Thailand via the Nong Khai border crossing for shopping or tourism are charged 100 baht each time by immigration police (without a receipt) and have to go through separate procedures for Vietnamese, not with Laotians or other international visitors.
Although I have a 1-year visa, residence permit, and a work permit issued by Laos in my passport, every time I refuse to pay the money and they also demand to show 10,000 baht equivalent to 300 USD to be allowed entry without paying 100 baht, but they make it difficult and waste a lot of time. In general, every time I enter Thailand, I feel embarrassed for Vietnamese people. I urge the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand and Laos to work with the Thai Immigration Department to immediately stop this situation.
THU THUY
Nobody wants to go where they are scrutinized and disrespected.
I also had the opportunity to travel to Cambodia during the April 30th holiday last year, then my family and I crossed into Thailand at the Poipet border crossing to stroll around the nearby market. I must say the immigration procedures in Thailand were very confusing for us. They shouted at us. Some officers even held up a sign saying $700 and said in broken Vietnamese: “If you don't have it, go back to Hanoi!
Honestly, I feel disrespected, my family and I will carefully consider traveling to Thailand (long-term) in the future. Because surely nobody wants to go where they are disrespected and scrutinized like criminals.
DAT TRAN
No surprise!
This is a common occurrence at the Vientiane - Nong Khai border crossing. Every Vietnamese person is put in a separate room for processing. Students like us with visas are fine, but older folks going to work have to have 300 baht passport fee ready to be allowed through. Ultimately, it's because of those people who go there to work illegally! They go there illegally and then cause trouble in their country, so it's no wonder they're disliked.
Who knows how many incidents there have been where Vietnamese people get drunk and cause trouble in bars, even one guy got so drunk he started swearing and causing chaos, the Thai people called the police and when they arrived, he even fought back against the police, grabbed their guns and started shooting randomly. After that incident, Thais started cracking down harder on Vietnamese people, catching those working illegally and deporting them on the spot.
TUNG
Smearing Vietnam's image
Thailand's actions have truly tarnished our country's image. Disagree with Thailand's actions! If Thailand has done this, it's best for us Vietnamese not to travel to Thailand anymore, and instead, go to other countries.
SUNFLOWER
Too rude!
Thailand's imposition of such regulations is humiliating for Vietnamese tourists. There are good and bad people in every group. It's unacceptable for the Thai authorities to enact such rude regulations just because of a small group of lawbreakers. I suggest that the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism officially oppose this regulation. If they don't abolish this regulation, Vietnamese tourists have the right to boycott tours to Thailand.
PHAM HUNG SON
If it doesn't stop, boycott tourism to Thailand!
In 2013, my family and I went on a trip to Thailand. The feeling of myself and the entire group was that Vietnamese tourists were being discriminated against. The tour guide cut corners on the itinerary, accommodations, and daily meals were all subpar, despite not being a budget tour. I thought it was just me experiencing this, but when I asked other tour groups at the airport, they were all experiencing the same treatment.
Even if some Vietnamese tourists have had unsavory behavior, that doesn't justify the kind of discriminatory treatment the Thai immigration authorities are currently engaging in. If this phenomenon doesn't stop, let's boycott traveling to Thailand!
HIEN PHUONG
There's no need to spread money in front of the camera to get through
Thailand's behavior like this surely must have their own motives. Why don't they do the same to other countries? Regardless of their motives, it's excessively offensive. While we identify the real issues and find appropriate solutions, Vietnamese travel companies and tourists need to boycott traveling to Thailand.
Vietnamese tourism also needs to be more 'polite' by providing domestic tours. Why should we 'lower ourselves' by giving money to Thai tourism and subjecting ourselves to humiliation?
NGUYEN THANH LAN
Blame the era, blame the people
We can't blame other countries for discriminating against Vietnamese citizens. Vietnamese people often face many difficulties when applying for visas to other countries because many people want to stay and work with tourist visas. Currently, Israel has also banned Vietnamese people of working age from entering the country for any reason.
VU TUAN
Many countries have a negative impression of Vietnamese people...
A considerable number of Vietnamese traveling abroad have brought along many vices that have left local residents with a very negative impression of Vietnam. Not to mention countries like Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore... even in Laos, while immigration officers were happily chatting with other tourists, when they found out I was Vietnamese, their faces suddenly turned cold and uncomfortable...
Attending a trade exhibition in Europe with some Asian colleagues, our group arrived late. I was the only one who had to stay behind to fill out paperwork and buy tickets to attend, while others were allowed in. It all happened just because I foolishly mentioned that I was from Vietnam...
LE NAM TIEN
Could not be later
As a citizen, I am truly saddened by the discrimination against Vietnamese people abroad. Despite knowing that there are many bad apples, the treatment of Vietnamese citizens like this is simply unacceptable.
I fully agree with Mr. Nguyen Van My – our Ministry of Foreign Affairs needs to strongly object to this issue. As for domestic matters, we need to rigorously prosecute Vietnamese nationals who break the law abroad, because their actions are not just 'ordinary crimes' but also acts that disgrace our nation.
THANH HAI
It's imperative for Vietnamese authorities to speak up.
When Thailand behaves in such a manner, shouldn't Vietnam's competent authorities react to protect their citizens and respond to actions that tarnish the country's reputation? While we strive for diplomacy, we shouldn't allow foreign countries to bully or disrespect our citizens.
Vietnam's competent authorities must have a voice to protect citizens and uphold the country's reputation, preventing foreign nations from openly discriminating against or disrespecting Vietnamese citizens in such a manner.
PHAN THANH
As per Tuoi Tre
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Reference: Travel guide from Mytour
MytourJuly 7, 2014
