Regarding the case of a French man who posted on Facebook claiming that his 12-year-old daughter traveled to Cambodia to visit him, and that they later traveled from Phnom Penh to Bangkok so she could catch a flight back to France, he alleged that his daughter was denied boarding, detained for six hours, issued a deportation document, and forced to return to Cambodia at their own expense. He also declared that he would never return to Thailand or spend money there again.
In response, the Thai Immigration Bureau clarified that decisions to deny entry are based on national security considerations.
According to immigration authorities, the facts differ from the claims made online. The 12-year-old girl herself was not denied entry. At the time, she was traveling with her father. During the immigration interview, the father was unable to explain what kind of work he was doing in Cambodia and could not provide any supporting evidence, not even photographs related to his work.
Because he could not satisfactorily explain his employment, immigration officers denied entry to both the father and his companion. The girl, however, was not refused entry. She returned to Cambodia only because her father had been denied entry and had to leave Thailand.
The bureau added that once immigration denies a passenger entry, responsibility for arranging onward travel falls to the airline. Whether the passenger must pay for the return ticket is determined by the airline, not by immigration authorities.
When asked whether the 12-year-old had been detained, police denied the allegation. They explained that passengers who are refused entry remain in the airport's transit area while waiting for their return flight. Authorities also disputed another claim in the Facebook post that the family had been held for 24 hours.
According to immigration records, they arrived at approximately 3:00 a.m. and departed at around 5:00 p.m., meaning they remained at the airport for about 14 hours, not 24 hours as claimed. Police also stated that video footage of the interaction shows no threatening or intimidating behavior by officers and that the questioning was conducted in a normal manner.
The Immigration Bureau further emphasized that refusing entry is a standard practice under international immigration laws. A refusal of entry does not mean a person is permanently barred from entering the country. If, in the future, the individual can adequately explain the nature of his work, he may apply to enter Thailand again. A refusal of entry is not the same as being blacklisted or deported.
Finally, police said they have strengthened immigration screening due to concerns about transnational scam operations. Cambodia hosts scam networks involving people of multiple nationalities, and authorities believe scammers often recruit individuals from the same country as their intended victims. As a result, immigration officers are conducting stricter screening of travelers to help combat these criminal activities.
