Welcome mat with strings attached

Immigration officials are causing an outcry as Thai tourists get caught in a crackdown on overstayers. ALAN PERROTT reports.

Sukun Boonyoo wanted to show his family and girlfriend the beautiful country he does business with, catch up with some friends, and maybe even ski for the first time.

But on October 8, instead of being greeted at Auckland Airport by smiling friends, Mr Boonyoo and company were intercepted by immigration officers.

After a five-hour interrogation, the four people, their money and possibly their business interests were flying back to Thailand.

Mr Boonyoo supplies stock to a shop selling hand-carved ornaments in downtown Auckland.

As with several other cases the Herald made public, his business associates in Auckland are now scrambling to repair the incident and their reputations.

The businessman is adamant he did nothing wrong. The Immigration Service is equally adamant it was within its rights to refuse him entry.

The border officers seem to have doubted Mr Boonyoo's relationship with his companions - his girlfriend, his sister and his nephew - and the reason for their visit.

Mr Boonyoo claims the officers were very intimidating and questioned him on how much he was being paid to bring the people into New Zealand.

Such encounters are happening daily at our borders as immigration officials and tourists are caught in the middle of a difficult relationship between New Zealand and Thailand.

The source of the problem is a 1987 visa-free travel agreement between the countries. New Zealand has such agreements with 51 countries, ranging from Brazil, Germany and Japan to Iceland, Andorra and the Vatican City.

They are decided on a cost-benefit basis - can New Zealand benefit from tourism and close economic contacts without being exposed to a flood of bogus tourists seeking illegal work or residence?

Theoretically, New Zealanders and the citizens of those 51 countries can - with a ticket, enough holiday money and a passport valid for three months after departure - flit back and forth between each other for three-month holidays.

But that theory breaks down if you are from Thailand.

Between July last year and this June, 1238 international visitors were sent packing at Auckland and Christchurch airports.

Of these, 900 came from Thailand.

Only two other countries with visa agreements entered double figures - Malaysia (second highest with 42) and South Africa (11).

The Immigration Service says the figure may seem high, but is only about 5 per cent of the total number of Thai visitors.

For example, 13,651 Thais arrived between January and June, and 610 were turned away.

The Immigration Service claims it cannot give a breakdown on how many of those refused entry are women. But six of seven recently reported cases in the Herald of Thai arrivals complaining of unfair treatment have involved women.

A steady stream of people have spoken up since the Herald reported the case of Pimthong Udumpun, who was held at the Papakura police station for 2 1/21/2 days until she was issued with a visitor permit.

Auckland immigration lawyer Olinda Woodroffe is preparing legal action over her treatment, and says young Thai women seem to be considered prostitutes unless they can prove otherwise.

"If this was happening to New Zealand women on a regular basis everybody would be up in arms."

The troubles started soon after the agreement between NZ and Thailand was signed, and could worsen once Thai Airways begins a daily service to NZ on December 4.

The Thai and NZ Governments are trying to resolve the problem.

Immigration Minister Lianne Dalziel wants to drop the visa-free deal so Thai tourists' visa applications can be vetted by New Zealand officials in Thailand.

She says Thailand is an obvious anomaly as the only "risk" among the 51 no-visa nations.

Risk countries are those with economic or social problems that could encourage visitors to try to work illegally or overstay their visas.

National Party immigration spokeswoman Marie Hasler is concerned about the potential effect such a move could have on relations with NZ's 17th biggest trading partner.

"Visa-free status between nations is a special and valuable arrangement which goes beyond normal and more formal protocols," she says.

"Lianne Dalziel's proposal is serious and would be seen by Thailand as a very unfriendly act."

The travel relationship was first questioned in March 1990 by then-Immigration Minister Annette King.

She was worried by reports of a dramatic increase in the number of Aids cases in Thailand and the growing number of Thai prostitutes working in Auckland.

The worry then was that many of the estimated 250 Thai prostitutes in Auckland had avoided, or talked their way past, border officers and then started working illegally.

Short-term visitors, unlike people seeking permanent residency, are not given medical checks, and Aids carriers could have slipped through.

Mrs King's recommendation to end Thailand's visa-waiver was supported by the Customs Department because of increasing criminal links.

But Malaysia and Singapore argued that such a move would be a "backward step" in New Zealand's relations with Asia.

The issue was temporarily resolved after talks between External Relations and Trade Minister Mike Moore and his Thai counterpart.

Mr Moore said visas did not control smuggling or illegal workers, and the visa-waiver would continue.

The debate resurfaced in 1998 after the Asian economic crisis.

A steady stream of Thais was being intercepted at airports and questioned by immigration officers about their holiday intentions.

Between January and June 1998, 400 Thais suspected of seeking illegal work were stopped at Auckland Airport and sent home.

The Thai Embassy pointed the finger at organised rings in Bangkok, who were charging desperate people up to $7000 in return for non-existent jobs in New Zealand.

The Immigration Minister at the time, Tuariki Delamere, dismissed the growing concern and the visa-waiver survived again.

Instead, the Government started education campaigns in Thailand, warning people not to come here with thoughts of staying.

Auckland police estimated last year that 500 Thai prostitutes were working in Auckland, many tricked into coming here with promises of legitimate work in restaurants.

The women instead found themselves bonded into sexual slavery until they paid off the travel debts owed to their employers.

Immigration officers' most effective tools are the confidential profiles they use to identify potential problem visitors.

Profiles are general patterns observed in an individual's appearance and behaviour which can arouse suspicion about their motives for entering New Zealand.

The Immigration Service refuses to give details of the profiles, saying that would render them useless.

But once suspect tourists are identified they are quizzed about their destinations, their luggage is checked and their money is counted.

If the tourists are planning a trek through the Alps, the officers look for tramping gear. If they are here for a conference they must give details of the subject.

Lianne Dalziel accepts that such methods are not an exact science and that mistakes will be made.

But she says the small number of complaints suggests border officers are doing an effective job.

Not so sure are the friends, families and lawyers of the dozen or so people who have made complaints.

Others have said complaints are unlikely as many of those involved are too ashamed to tell their families that they were put in prison.

Pat McGuire, a solicitor acting for Sukun Boonyoo's Auckland partner Sam Wong, says the Government should worry about the image the enforcement regime is creating in Asia.

He accepts border controls are necessary, but claims officials were overzealous and aggressive in their treatment of Mr Boonyoo's group.

"Every time a businessman gets turned back and then tells people at home what happened, it is bad for New Zealand."