Vietnam Airport Officials And Bribery!!

sleet on 20/05/2014 - 22:18
Last edited 20/05/2014 - 23:08

I'm Australian Vietnamese and have been to Vietnam in the past. Beautiful country, home away from home. The people are amazing, the scenery is stunning and the food is brimming.

One of the main things that stop me back from going are corrupt officials, police force and airport security.

Being Viet Kieu, or an overseas Vietnamese, when I or my family member enter into the airport, the officials have always checked our bags and then asked for bribery money so that our transition through the airport is 'smooth.'

I have read that this has stopped but alas, TO THIS DAY, it is still occurring. It is disheartening and I find it pathetic that Vietnamese people would do that to their own people. You would never, ever hear them ask/demand/create difficulty for a bribe of non-Vietnamese passengers.

What are the ways around this? How do you report this in a country with a corrupt police system? What's another way around bribing? Another way of saying no and then being subjected to unnecessary bag searches (or so I've heard).

Travel

Comments

  • Aceboy884 on 20/05/2014 - 22:33
    -7

    Why the anger all of a sudden?

    • sleet on 20/05/2014 - 22:38
      +7

      My partner is travelling back tonight and just messaged me to let me know what happened. Hence, I'm pissed off to no end tonight. Just want him to come back smoothly and safely.

      • T-man on 20/05/2014 - 23:19
        +3

        Just tell your partner to keep $10 or $20 notes in his wallet ready and 'pay' when he is asked. Nothing you can do about this and just get used to it. Otherwise, there are so many hassles with bags check and items lost. Hope this helps.

      • ExtraSalt on 21/05/2014 - 08:17

        its just a few extra bucks. Idk, in a corrupt system, i'd rather see their 'good' side rather than face the consequences when they find something illegal or plant something just for the heck of it.

        • sleet on 21/05/2014 - 11:40
          +27

          In doing so, I feel like I'm perpetuating the problem. Also, my stubborn and frugal nature doesn't help.

        • ExtraSalt on 21/05/2014 - 14:40
          +2

          nah nah, i fully agree with your concerns, i;ve been to Vietnam once, i was 11yo, and wow….did their facial expression (or lack of) get to me lol…so relieved when we passed those gates.

        • BanannaMan on 22/05/2014 - 08:14
          +1

          I once bribed a bali airport official 50c for being in the airport when I wasn't meant to be (saying by to the wife)

          Usually US dollars works a treat, in Jakarta they accepted $10 and $20 USD notes
          Like other have said here, nothing we can do about the corrupt system, best to play along.. my Melbourne mate once stood up for his beliefs.. he waited in a interview room for 2 hours (Philippines)

        • nikey2k27 on 24/05/2014 - 08:45

          Just do it it easy i learn that years ago. pay the man. it not much to u but they are poor people.

      • spoonmugen on 22/05/2014 - 11:53
        +2

        speak english to them - im chinese but look viet…
        i speak english then start swearing in cantonese they let me through :)

        • ozblocd on 22/05/2014 - 22:25
          +1

          Haha…Try it again today and they will beat the craps out of you! They are evacuating all Chinese out of VN atm! While China is still invading VN's water, It's not a good idea for any chinese to go there…. We can only blame the greedy china.

        • pyro love bird on 25/05/2014 - 13:26

          But there are a lot of chinese-viets? a large proportion of people have some amount of chinese in them don't they?

        • ryu on 03/06/2014 - 07:56
          -2

          Seems like Vietnamese are greedier here from what OP is trying to tell. If you read through history of China and Vietnam, you'll find without surprise that's so true. Also, you'll find biting the hands that feed you for Vietnamese is nothing new.

  • CyberMurning on 20/05/2014 - 22:37
    +9

    add indonesia, thailand, malaysia, and most other asian countries to the list! :D

    • gevidian on 20/05/2014 - 22:40
      +19

      Nonsense. Been to Malaysia and Thailand lots of times and never had an issue.

      • gummibears on 20/05/2014 - 22:42
        +19

        Are you Malaysian or Thai though?

        • andyken on 21/05/2014 - 14:16

          erwinsie, pretty sure he is indonesian! def. not thai or malay

          Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, never heard of it

        • daidragon12 on 21/05/2014 - 14:41
          +6

          I'm a Malaysian and i dont think there's any issue in our airports. Same things cant be said to police or politicians though

        • azm on 21/05/2014 - 14:46
          +3

          Years ago.
          I used to work in the region for a couple of years.
          When I was visited to Batam, I got a visa and stopped by an Indo immigration, my company's driver pick up the check.
          When I was in Thailand, I brought some spare parts from Singapore for our Thailand operations. My office in Singapore told me, there are promotional materials (papers). When i passed through the custom, I was stopped by the custom and he asked me to open the box. In the end, he is happy to see 20 SIN$.

          In Malaysia, it is worse. Operasi is the time they manage to make some money out of foreign works.

          Even in Singapore, some Immigration officers were arrested for taking bribes.

          As a rule of thumb, it won't be a problem if you are Ang Moh/ Farang/ Orang Asing, you will be fine.

        • ryu on 03/06/2014 - 08:00

          I went to Thai and Malaysian a lot of times, never had an issue in both countries. I am Chinese, but very often in Thailand they speak Thai to me assuming I would understand them for sure. Also as you know, there are a lot of Chinese Malaysian in Malaysia.

      • BanannaMan on 22/05/2014 - 08:15
        +1

        Yeah usually aussie are fine, if you look like a local however.. thats another story

      • ronnknee on 22/05/2014 - 12:30

        Agreed. Vietnam is just plain dodgy though.

      • Bunnyburger on 22/05/2014 - 16:26

        Nonsense! Malaysia is right up there with corruption. In the old days 20 ringgit for wang kopi (coffee money) would smooth things along, now it takes at least 100 ringgit. Malaysia boleh!

        • ryu on 13/06/2014 - 22:58

          A few months back, I went through Malaysian customs using the same passport like 4 times within two weeks. The first time, no question was asked. The rest times I was asked how long I gonna stay in this country, then let go. No sign or hint of asking for money. I only know my side of story though.

    • [Deactivated] on 20/05/2014 - 22:58
      +6

      Indonesia definitely lol. Always travelled there (Jakarta) with my mum who is Indonesian though, so I'm not sure if white visitors would be under the same monetary obligation.

      • bonezAU on 21/05/2014 - 17:59
        +1

        I just spent the last 2 weeks in Surabaya (East Java). I'm a white Aussie and my wife is Indonesian. I was fine, but my wife had to go to the Births/Deaths/Marriages office to report that we're now married and all of a sudden because she's marrying a white foreigner, the price to process it is doubled plus 'a bit more on the side' to make the process happen quicker.

        We've never had any problems in airports though and I've been lucky enough never to have any dealings with the police. My mrs has told me heaps of stories in the past where she's been forced to pay them bribes even for the most minor things, and on occasion she's had to pay the cops for absolutely no reason.

    • mariosensei on 20/05/2014 - 23:03

      BS. I'm a Malaysian & hv been to Thailand many times. Nvr had any problems. Same with my friends (Malaysian, Aussie, English) who travels regularly to Malaysia & Thailand as well.

      • microsnot on 21/05/2014 - 23:18
        +40

        I'd like to buy a vowel…

    • kiamsup on 21/05/2014 - 08:56
      +2

      Not Malaysia or Thailand. Being there many times.

      • cloudie9 on 21/05/2014 - 10:08
        +5

        Malaysia, no worries. Don't even bother checking your luggage. Unlike Australia customs ha..

        • pluelp on 21/05/2014 - 11:21
          +3

          Yea 9 out of 10 they dont check lol. You have to sort of avoid them, i usually try to tail large group and zoom pass customs. You are more likely to be stop if you have lots of luggage or boxes. My dad has been stopped few times and oh its not 'bribery'. It's 'tax' on the extra items you are bringing in lol. It could be anything really. Fish oil. Mangoes. As long as they say you are over the limit then pay up. Funny is once my dad 'paid' with mangoes LOL. Australian mangoes are the bomb. I always keep small notes with me just in case but that being said never been stopped so far.

        • ssmith3104 on 21/05/2014 - 11:40
          +3

          Last time my wife and I flew on Thai International to Penang, our flight was diverted to the Australian Butterworth Air Force Base just outside of Penang. All luggage was unloaded onto the tarmac, and Customs inspectors spent the next 3 hours going thru absolutely everything looking for drugs. They even opened my tube of toothpaste to see if it looked like genuine Colgate. Eventually, after nothing was found, they bussed people + their luggage to their choice of the central city or the regular Penang Airport. I only had scheduled one day in Penang as a brief stopover/look-see, and then wasted much of it with this nonsense.

        • Utopian on 21/05/2014 - 20:48

          It looks like that in hundreds of airports around the world. Even monsters like Heathrow. Guess again.

        • ryu on 03/06/2014 - 08:21

          It could happen anywhere and to anyone, I have to say, and I would just brush if off. I am Chinese Australia. A while ago, I was checking in to fly back to Australia in Taipei airport with a short stay in Kuala Lumpur. When the check-in girl found that I was only flying to Kuala Lumpur not Australia, she asked me to wait, and she went to another computer with my passport, then came back after using an app on that computer, telling me to follow my luggage on the belt to make sure it passes the scanning before leaving. I guess she must have checked my passport in the interpol database considering the Malaysian flight just went missing and the stolen passports were making headlines. To tell you the truth, I felt offended when I first realized that I was picked out and suspected of being a hijacker or something, but after a second thought I felt grateful they are doing the right thing and toughening up the screenings, that's what we have been blaming Malaysia airport for not going through interpol database anyway.

    • McWillisac on 21/05/2014 - 22:12

      What a sweeping, ignorant comment erwinsie. Never had a problem in any part of asia, including Vietnam.

      • PlagueistheCheap on 22/05/2014 - 09:17
        +9

        Thanks Mr hockey. If it hasn't happened to you it hasn't happened to anyone?

    • abh_gup on 22/05/2014 - 09:08

      Thank God India has improved in this airport corruption regard. 10 years back, I'd pay. Now, I don't, probably won't again! Even if asked, I just say no… and everything is still okay :)

  • gevidian on 20/05/2014 - 22:42
    +1

    Put up with the bag searches (if that really happens) !! They will ask all who come through and are happy to find the idiots who will pay. Discrimination is everywhere.

    • mmd on 21/05/2014 - 00:59
      +14

      No, cos they might detain you in a room for hours so you cant leave the airport, OR at departure so you will miss your return flight! Better off paying 10 or 20 AUD to these corrupt twits and save your time.
      No point going to the cops cos they probably dont care.
      Perhaps the OP partner can pretend to not understand vietnamese if he gets questioned (might be hard to do if they look at his passport and the surname is Nguyen, haha).
      If that doesn't work, just pay the 20 bucks and think of all the cheap food, sightseeing, hotels that would cost alot more elsewhere.

      • Franconian on 21/05/2014 - 06:40
        +4

        "No, cos they might detain you in a room for hours so you cant leave the airport,"

        Has this actually happened to you?

        In my experience they just bluff and let you go after 10-15 minutes. I always stand my ground and rarely paid any bribes.

        • MissP on 21/05/2014 - 18:03
          +8

          Yep, they detained my mum in a dodgy office with 3 uniformed skeezes (cough holding cell) just to the side of the check-in counters. They had another guy stand guard over me as i waited outside the office. I didnt want to leave mum, but had no choice. it had been about an hour. I heard a boarding call for our names - still nothing! Mum later told me they demanded "coffee money" and wanted all this information - where from, what she's doing, why she left VN etc otherwise we wouldn't pass their baggage checks. We had no AUD left on us as had given the last of it to family (they had guards at the airport entrance who wouldnt let local family inside the airport which i thought was very strange!).
          The weasels wouldnt accept their own money, only "foreign". I couldnt believe this was really happening. They let mum out to go withdraw some money from their exchange counter. I remembered i had $AUD5 left in my purse. Mum scrunched it up and put it in the 'official's hand who pocketed it without looking. I was so sh&^ scared! He nodded at the other two to call ahead and put our baggage onto the plane. As they escorted us through the waiting areas to the plane, the guard walky-talkied another and told them he was treating all the girls to coffee that arvo - the girls at the desk just took our tix and waved us through… We were the last to board that plane. Was this whole thing orchestrated betwn all the staff?? A tried and true method?? I was so scared AND maddd - yet know there aint a damm thing anybody can do about it!! I was in so much shock for the flight to Singapore, that it didnt even occur to me they may have still tampered with our gear! Thank God we made it out of there and home safely! This could've gone south a few times. So glad to be home!

          OP - i totally understand how you feel! I feel for the people who must put up with this crap, with no means of fighting back the corruption…

          But as someone mentioned before, just keep a $10 or $20 on him, in case it occurs on the way out. Better to do what they want, if it means getting back home safely.

        • mmd on 22/05/2014 - 01:22

          Yep, they detained my mum in a dodgy office with 3 uniformed skeezes (cough holding cell) just to the side of the check-in counters. They had another guy stand guard over me as i waited outside the office. I didnt want to leave mum, but had no choice. it had been about an hour. I heard a boarding call for our names - still nothing! Mum later told me they demanded "coffee money" and wanted all this information - where from, what she's doing, why she left VN etc otherwise we wouldn't pass their baggage checks. We had no AUD left on us as had given the last of it to family (they had guards at the airport entrance who wouldnt let local family inside the airport which i thought was very strange!).>

          Exact same thing happened to a friend, except they accused her of carrying drugs in her luggage. They will interrogate one person only, and all they want is "coffee money". When she heard the boarding call, she finally gave in.
          @Miss P - Was it just you and your mum? I wonder if they target females with this ploy?

        • MissP on 22/05/2014 - 15:55
          +4

          @mmd - plus a friend's grandma. I thought the same thing afterwards too!
          Im ABV so this was my first trip ever to see the motherland and the whole airport thing was a real …experience.
          Our flight in, grammy is old & frail so we walked slowly to customs - a guard followed at our snail's pace the whole walk. Mum had noticed and told me to keep my mouth shut and no eye contact. Grammy had a bottle of whisky for her son which i was helping to carry. When the counters were in view, the guard was alongside me and asked jokingly for the bottle as i was too young to be drinking (i'm well over 18). I feigned confusion. Grammy said it was hers and told him to get lost! right about now, i'm having a panic attack on the inside! At customs, the grouchy counter chick with the dead suckerfish face starts asking questions about who/where/what/why etc ( was later told it is a tactic to determine where your accent is from and whether a real local or not) - both mum and grammy mumbled and vaguely responded. No smiles, no welcome to VN, no nothing. Just filthy deathstares. I'm freaking out now, praying we just make it out those doors and some form of family is waiting! Meanwhile, guard is still harrassing Grammy for the whisky as we go get our luggage, now trying to help us carry stuff. I snatch everything out of his hand. She flicks him away and tells him off for picking on an old lady. Incredible!
          i still wonder if this was at all related to our coffee-money demands on departure? I wouldnt be surprised if we had been flagged…

          Apart from the airport, I thoroughly enjoyed my 2week trip of living like a local. Their life is completely different to my life, and I am very mindful of how my life would be now if my parents had never left - probably lucky to be alive! Things like seeing extreme poverty - whole families begging for scraps from street vendor patrons, to heavily armed military personnel with machine guns in the middle of those crazy busy street intersections! Ppl talked about getting ripped off left right centre. Find yourself a good guide/local to take you around. You have to remember that these ppl are stuck here with no way out. There is no gment support, no financial aid. Largely uneducated from/with large families. There are plenty of good folk. But as with any society where the topdogs don't give a sh&^ about whose at the bottom, it becomes a matter of survival. Unfortunately, it means ppl have to try make the most of any opportunity (to make money) to survive.

  • scrimshaw on 20/05/2014 - 22:58
    +9

    Corruption is rife in Vietnam, and the reason why these officers get away with it is because the upper management seems to be getting a cut from it. What your partner just experienced is really just the tip of the ice berg — bribery is pretty much ingrained into their business culture.

    There's no sense of justice in Vietnam — and justice only belongs to those who can afford it.

    • gevidian on 21/05/2014 - 07:50
      +9

      Corruption is rife everywhere in the world. Low level (and high level) corruption is rife in a lot of Asia. Lowly paid employees (customs, police, etc) supplement their income with either bribes or facilitation payments. The locals accept it as a fact and encourage it. When someone is caught for speeding say, they either have the option of being written up for a $300 fine or just slip the policeman a $50 and end the matter there. The police probably write up about 60% of offenders and the rest pay their way out. The governments are well aware of this but this practice takes the pressure off raising wages, etc. Welfare payments are almost non-existent so people figure out other ways to make ends meet.

      High level corruption is rife in developed nations (as the ICAC review shows) and is "semi legalised" in terms of unwarranted large payments for "consultation", advice, board directorships, etc. And again paid for unlnowingly by the poor guy on the street through higher taxes, etc.

      You get robbed whereever you live - at least in Asia, you know it goes to a low income earner and helps to make ends meet rather than in Australia where is it paid by the rich to the rich (with the money eventually being gotten from the common man).

      • Thaal Sinestro on 22/05/2014 - 22:10
        +2

        I too would rather be robbed by a poor person struggling to survive, rather than a Ferrari driving capitalist.

      • frewer on 23/05/2014 - 14:54

        Well said, i tip my hat to you. Finally someone realized that the earth is "sphere" and human nature hasn't change for 1000's yrs

  • maximum on 21/05/2014 - 04:33
    +8

    In Macedonia the opposite happens. If you are Macedonian origin you go straight through - if not you get taken off to the side to pay a "visa fee" of us$100. There is no official visa fee but so many people paid it. I think they don't try it with Macedonians because they are so tight they would barter (argue) all day to save 20 cents.

    • sleet on 21/05/2014 - 09:46
      +3

      Wow! That's really interesting. You would think that would deter tourism there though.

      • Hsanity on 21/05/2014 - 15:10
        +8

        No wonder I never heard anyone going to Macedonia on holidays

    • MelbBargainChaser77 on 22/05/2014 - 02:06
      -5

      Are you referring to the FYROM? Or the northern region of Greece called Macedonia?

  • [Deactivated] on 21/05/2014 - 07:48
    +4

    My mum is Viet Chinese and frequently goes back to Vietnam…And she always slips $5 - $10 in her passport.

    I, however, have changed my name to better reflect my Chinese to English translation of my surname, and hence, the last time I returned, am never asked for this gratuity…Furthermore, I don't speak Viet, so can't understand when they ask…Hehe

    Hate to say this, but it seems they target those who return to their homeland; starting with name, then asking you in Viet about something.

    Just my personal experiences (and those I hear from family members and friends)…

    • cuteseal on 21/05/2014 - 15:57
      +2

      That's a good point. I wonder whether you will be hassled if you pretend not to speak any Vietnamese at all. Even if you have a Vietnamese name, if you are young, conceivably you could have grown up in a foreign land and not speak an iota of the language.

      • jacknthebeanstalk on 22/05/2014 - 00:23

        This works. Fortunately I have an English first name and I look very Korean. I play along and pretend to be Korean.

    • Thorny on 21/05/2014 - 20:25
      +1

      I concur. I am Viet, when I went back I just pretended I did not speak or understand Viet. No hassles.

    • mparf on 21/05/2014 - 23:48

      Great- When I have to go at the end of the year for some godforsaken family gathering, i'll just play dumb foreigner. Despite my ridiculous last name "Tran", all I can say is "Pho Bo" and that pretty much serves me well.

      • pyro love bird on 22/05/2014 - 00:52
        +3

        lol, I can imagine the officials asking you for bribe money in viet and you reply with "pho bo?"

        • mparf on 22/05/2014 - 09:49

          in my horrible accent? it'll be a laugh and a half! i can also say "di eah" (spelling????) but i dont think that would help me

        • pyro love bird on 22/05/2014 - 16:22
          +1

          LOL if my guess is right. It means "go poop?"

          I'd love to see them ask you something in a serious voice and you're like "Di eah" (I don't know how to spell either, my viet is shocking

          What do you say when your relatives over there ask if you want to go somewhere? Do you always reply with "pho bo" or "go poop?"

        • mparf on 23/05/2014 - 21:30

          Never been before!!
          And yes, "take a dump" or something to that effect lol!

          Huge family reunion at the end of the year, and everyone's expected to attend…but…seeing all these comments? I'd rather not. :(

        • pyro love bird on 25/05/2014 - 13:29
          +1

          I honestly wouldn't go. My personal opinion, but the place is so corrupted, I'm super white-washed, so I'm not used to how snatchy they can get. Plus, I find that the more uhm, viet they are, the ruder they are. It's also the not clean of places. I went there when I was about 3 and got so sick they had to fly me over to HK and keep me there in hospital. Never again!

        • Baghern on 25/05/2014 - 15:11

          So when you were 3, you were able to develop such strong personal opinions

          damn you're l33t…

        • pyro love bird on 25/05/2014 - 23:53

          No, but given what had happened to me at such a young age, I don't have fond memories of the place. The corruption side of things is what I've heard from family and extended family when they go there.

  • pebee47 on 21/05/2014 - 07:57
    +1

    Being a family of "white Caucasians" we never got asked for a bribe or any other sort of "smoothing money" when we visited Vietnam. We were of course always directed to the dearest restaurants etc, and wheb we hired a couple of Pedallo's to show us around Hanoi for half an hour they stopped after the 30 minutes in another street and asked for more money to take us back to the starting rank. Fortunately I'd had a bit of an explore around our hotel that morning so knew where we were. Told them no and walked family straight back to hotel, LoL. (Felt a bit sorry for those guys as they were mostly on the losing side during the American War, and weren't going to get any Gov't assistance nor pension)

  • GaryQ on 21/05/2014 - 08:38
    +1

    At the Aranyaprathet / Poipet border crossing from Thailand to Cambodia there is a hand-written sign on the wall of the Cambodian entry office asking for a 1000 baht fee for passport processing.

    The first time I went through there with my french girlfriend complete tight ass, would have made a great FRBargainer she refused to pay and just stood there waiting. Took us 20 mins but we were waved through eventually.

    The second time I had my two children with me. I had worded them up in advance. I'd already changed all my baht and hadn't withdrawn any US Dollars yet (the actual currency of Cambodia)… turned out my pockets, handed him a few baht in coins, shrugged and kept walking. He just laughed.

    • Wade on 21/05/2014 - 15:22
      +1

      At that crossing when you jump off the train and get a tuk tuk to the border, they ALWAYS take you to the fake 'immigration' building to get your visa. Of course, this is all bullshit. You just demand to be taken to the border directly, and they'll eventually succumb.

      At the border, they've always pestered me for 1000 baht fee as well, when the actual fee is US$20. God forbid you forget to take photos there like the below poster, who got royally (profanity) over. (No way I would have paid $100! HAHAHA)

      I've done this crossing several times, and I think the more used to it you are, and act like you're a dodgy border crossing pro, the less likely they'll give it to you hard. In fact, these days I just sort of play around and laugh with the immigration guys, and sometimes throw them 100 baht note in addition to the US$20 as a gesture of good will, and show them I've done this plenty of times.

      It's a lot easier these days though, as Poipet border accepts evisas, which you can get online. Never had a problem with an e-visa.

      Cheers,
      Wade

  • ar993 on 21/05/2014 - 09:21
    +2

    Forgot to take passport-size photos with me to Cambodia which is apparently required by the immigration. I was like, is there any photo booth at the airport? The immigration officer called his big boss who took me to a corner and demanded $100. I had $50 notes ….so there went my first expense in Cambodia!

    • peterpeterpumpkin on 21/05/2014 - 10:50
      +1

      Wow. I brought photos with me when I read about it last second on a forum. But when I was at the airport in April if I remember correctly a guy told me he was let through with no photo at all (or something along those lines). When I applied for my Vietnamese visa in my guesthouse in Cambodia I also think they said my photo wasn't necessary (despite it clearly stated everywhere). Maybe I picked up a memory problem :).

  • [Deactivated] on 21/05/2014 - 09:44
    +1

    I've only been to Vietnam once about 18 months ago, can't say my airport experience at HCMC was a good one.

    Having just gotten off the plane from Singapore, I had a connecting flight to Hanoi to make. When I went to pay for my visa at the visa on arrival counter, it turned out I had missed printing one page of the documentation. The official at the counter could see me on her system but said the letter is needed, and told me to stand aside. They then went about processing a slow stream of arrivals whilst my documentation sat on their counter untouched for the 35-40 mins. I went and asked again - same answer; need letter. I felt helpless. Thank goodness a local tour agent who spoke some English saw I was in trouble, and helped connect my phone to the airport wifi - I showed the officials the letter on my phone and got my visa.

    When it came to clearing immigration, it seemed like all the computers went down as all processing stopped and the officials were chatting and laughing amongst themselves, no updates at all as to what was wrong. After about 20 mins things started working again and I eventually made it out to the domestic terminal, and just barely got on my flight.

    It was a pity that the start of that trip was stressful, largely brought on by my own oversight. Perhaps I should have made a show of slowly looking through all the notes in my wallet!!

  • Peck on 21/05/2014 - 10:11
    +1

    Hi 'Sleet', a very interesting insight. The Immigration officers in Vietnam are the most unfriendly and belligerent people that I have ever come across. They are always absolute pricks! Now I suspect why - because they can't hit me up for a bribe because I am not Vietnamese. Can you tell us please how much they want in bribe money please? I travel to Vietnam and Thailand a lot. I have never noticed bribery in Vietnam. I am not saying that it does not go on, I just have not noticed it. But in Thailand it is so very blatant, especially by police stopping taxis, cars and motorbikes and putting the $'s into their back pocket. But I have never seen it at Thailand airports. I always notice though that there are very helpful staff at the visa on arrival counters in Vietnam. So many pax fail to have the correct paperwork, money or photos, and they always seem to be assisted by staff who take photos for them etc etc. Very much generalizing, but I have found that the Vietnamese ladies are really nice hard working people, but a lot of Vietnamese men 'seem' to be lazy, womanizing, arrogant pricks!

    • sleet on 21/05/2014 - 11:47
      +2

      I've asked my partner what happened and he said as he approached customs, they checked his bag and noticed around $500 worth of equipment. Also, he's Australia-Vietnamese too so definitely a target. They didn't ask for an exact amount as such, just a 'donation'.

      Officer: You have a lot of goods in your bag. How about you give me some money.
      Partner: I have no money on me. (True, he gave it all to his sister beforehand)
      Officer: There's no way, let me check your bag.

      Partner hands over his bag and wallet and alas, no money.

      Officer: Go and ask your relative for money.
      Partner: I went here by myself via taxi.
      Officer: Then how did you pay for the taxi.
      Partner: I gave it all to the taxi driver.

      I'm glad my partner pre-empted this joke of an 'officer' and stood his ground. Yes, the custom officer was an older male, albeit a scumbag leeching one.

      My beef is I'm frugal, hate being cheated and don't want to waste money like that (that's why I'm on OB). Also, he went to VN to visit relatives and do some charity work so this lasting impression is disillusioning on an otherwise beautiful country.

      • [Deactivated] on 21/05/2014 - 15:56
        +1

        Amazing how completely indiscreet they are about it too, hey. lol

      • juventino on 21/05/2014 - 19:10
        +6

        Some of my friends pretend to be a 'journalist' by wearing a badge or lanyard. Works most of the time, as most officials concern about being exposed by those working in the media.

        • redlover on 22/05/2014 - 08:25

          Heyy thats a good idea!!

  • ThisJustin on 21/05/2014 - 10:36
    +1

    How do you report this in a country with a corrupt police system?

    I'd say you can't. Greasing palms in some parts of the world is the only way to get things done. Consider it a Westerners/foreigner tax.

    • [Deactivated] on 21/05/2014 - 12:25

      Maybe make a formal complaint to the Vietnamese Embassy in Australia?

      • ThisJustin on 21/05/2014 - 12:36
        +1

        Why assume they are any less corrupt? If the cop on the street is corrupt it isn't unreasonable to assume it would exist higher up the chain.

        Unless they thought it could really impact tourism, which it probably won't, then they'd do very little.

  • peterpeterpumpkin on 21/05/2014 - 11:25
    +2

    I've also heard it's better to not look like a local at Beijing airport or you won't get preferential treatment at the airport (where they push foreigners to a shorter queue when necessary).

    One of the rare benefits of being a tourist these days in some countries is receiving relative positive discrimination from legal officials and/or government-operated entities. These suck-ups rarely impress budget travelers though because by the time they reach the airport after 3 weeks of traveling, chances are they've been ripped off or at least tested with ridiculous surcharges in 90-100% of previous transactions.

    In the case of Vietnam, I was screwed out of $65 before I even entered the country so an exit bribe would not go down well (I would probably be in a Vietnamese prison now because I'm a little stubborn and like it when everyone around me hears about the corruption). The good thing about Vietnam is I was surcharged so reliably that you don't really feel personally victimised. And the absence of printed prices in general outside supermarkets and restaurants (we caught them out with an alternate foreign-priced menu in Nha Trang though) help to avoid debates.

    I haven't been asked for a bribe yet but of all the countries that peed me off the most I'd say it was Thailand for the amount the ripper-offers rip-off (In India, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Vietnam it was usually small enough not to bother fighting over for a shorter holiday). The fact that no one around helps you (when you know they speak enough English) also hurts a bit - could you imagine if an Australian bus driver overcharged say, a Norwegian, because they could afford it coming from a rich country, and none of us bothered to defend the protesting foreigner. Assuming it's not because of fear of retribution, on the one hand it's sweet that they work together to rip you off to help the greater community. On the other hand, I don't care much at all for nationalism, especially at the expense of others.

    • Baghern on 21/05/2014 - 15:44
      -1

      yes…. comparing two western countries against a third world country is exactly the same…

    • Maxxjet on 21/05/2014 - 20:02
      -2

      This story about Beijing or China is not true.No doubt the corruption is widespread there but not in this manner.Been there many times never had such issue.

      • Maxxjet on 22/05/2014 - 22:54

        care to share your stories,downvoter?

      • ryu on 13/06/2014 - 23:37

        I lived in Beijing for quite a few years, and traveled a lot through the airport. I looked, spoke, acted totally like locals, never had any problems there. But I won't argue if you complain about the overpriced food inside of the airport compared to the same stuff in the city. I know they have promised to fix it. Haven't been back for a while now, not sure how it ended up.

  • Cluster on 21/05/2014 - 11:31
    +3

    Unfortunately there's not much you can do as a traveler about corrupt police or officials. You're passing through the checkpoint for 30 seconds while the corrupt official has honed his skills for weeks or months and has his buddies to back him up.

    Ultimately these corrupt officials are causing harm to the reputation of the entire nation. They represent one of the first contacts tourists have with officials and it leaves a lasting mark. Maybe that tourist won't come back again. Taking a $10 bribe now and risking the tourist not coming back and spending another $1000 into the economy is short term thinking at its finest. Of course, the personal greed of the corrupt official makes them blind to this.

  • sleet on 21/05/2014 - 11:48
    +1

    Thanks for all your comments and stories everyone. It's really 'enlightened' me on this issue and next time I'm travelling, I will be holding my ground.

    • redlover on 22/05/2014 - 08:23
      +3

      Just a little advise, if u are trying to be an idealist in a third world country, you are going to have a hard time

    • misu p on 23/05/2014 - 09:46
      -1

      I come from a country where there is a lot of this going on, so I have not lived in the idealistic Australia like what looks like a lot of the mates on ozbargain :). While "holding my ground" might work why would you go through the aggravation for something that only costs 10$ ?

      • Davros on 23/05/2014 - 10:57
        -1

        Hmm, lets see - because $10 equates to about 1 days average wage in Vietnam.
        Do you often just give away a days pay to anyone that ask's?
        If so when can we meet, Thursdays work well for me.

  • Iwantthatbargain on 21/05/2014 - 11:54

    ;)

  • Seiko on 21/05/2014 - 13:03
    +10

    Ask for a receipt?

    • Malarkey on 21/05/2014 - 15:39
      +5

      I'm going to go out on a limb and take a guess that you have never travelled to Vietnam?

    • [Deactivated] on 21/05/2014 - 15:57

      lol why hasn't this comment received more +1s.

    • juventino on 21/05/2014 - 19:05

      you don't ask for a receipt EVER if you travel to South East Asia with the exception of perhaps Singapore and Malaysia.

    • ryu on 13/06/2014 - 23:42

      Calm down, everyone, I am pretty sure that meant to be a joke.

  • Hsanity on 21/05/2014 - 15:28
    +5

    Bribe can be a beautiful thing if you can use it on your aid :D . When returning from my home country (Hint: All the cheap garments in Kmart is imported from my home country) few weeks back, i had two full luggage of clothes and stuff. I's roughly about 25kg overweight over my luggage limit. I's returning on Malaysian Airlines, quiet anxious about how much i'll have to pay for extra weight and if it's worth it. Luckily in my check in line i's asked by few "Gentlemen" if i was over limit on luggage weight and if they can help me. I thought why not and i had to haggle a bit and for approximately 50AUD i's moved from economy to Business class check in line and taken care with the whole check in process.

  • p1 ama on 21/05/2014 - 16:55
    -7

    For one, I find this thread a little silly.

    This isn't corruption. If you want to see corruption, look at the scandals going on within ICAC in Australia or in other developed nations, where people in a position of power can use their influence to get politicians, lawmakers and other public officials act in their interest on the back of taxpayer dollars. That is corruption.

    When you go overseas and your taxi driver or customs officer in a poor country asks for money, that is not corruption. You are not getting out of jail for money or anything. You are simply helping a fellow who is probably underpaid and can't make ends meet.

    Corruption is where big, big money is given to powerful individuals who act in the interest of these bribers and not the public interest.

    • hahaboy on 21/05/2014 - 17:18
      +1

      You are simplifying the problem, but i do think both are an issue.

    • misu p on 23/05/2014 - 10:11
      +1

      Sorry to tell you but that is not corruption by your own logic. You are comparing little corruption with bigger corruption and you minimize the first.

      Now in my country the Australian corruption would be laughed at. To resign over 1 bottle of wine would be the news of the month. When the politicians give themselves houses, or when they families rent land with 1 euro / m2 from the state to re-rent it 1 week later with 100 times that to private companies… that is corruption. When they get their families elected into the European parliament by giving party wide orders to funnel x% of the votes to X and Y… that is corruption. When they sell the entire state owned commercial fleet that was running just fine for scrap metal … that is corruption. When they privatize the most important hotel, giving the person 51% only to have that guy issue more shares and dilute the shares of the state to under 10%… that is corruption. When they sell a company for 100.000.000 Euros, when the oil fields of that company are worth 2 billion… that is corruption.

      A guy made hundreds of million by switching one of his lands with a military one. 1 of out politicians is suppose to have 1 billion euros in off shore accounts.

      So you see by some standards, the ICAC scandals are nothing.

      The funny thing is that I am sure other countries would laugh at our corruption too :). But they are all still corruption.

      • Baghern on 23/05/2014 - 11:45
        +1

        The bottle of wine isn't the problem.

        Its the lying.

        Considering how quickly he resigned, its most probably more things he doesn't want to come out or that when they do it doesn't effect his party as much. Pushed maybe?

        We do have those problems, privatization is a game each of our party play underselling public companies that then go on to rip off the public.

        Our pollies don't have as much power so they have to be more underhanded

        We've just found out Prime Minister Daughter got a scholarship from a benefactor… this scholarship has only once ever before been given out… its not currently available.

        The colleagues of her class knew nothing about this scholarship.

  • [Deactivated] on 21/05/2014 - 17:14
    +1

    I remember I went to Thailand and got busted by a cop not wearing a helmet(first day there). Anyway he gave me a fine and had to pay it on the spot. It looked like some ridiculous amount of money thus why I Tried arguing my way out but wouldn't let me off. In the end didn't realise it was only $15 aud. So I paid and was on my way.

    I also went to Cambodia and they detained me for 30 mins or so. I would have bribed the customs officer but had no small notes on me to give.

    • ryu on 13/06/2014 - 23:45

      If you are riding a motorbike without a helmet, I would be upset if they don't stop you and right the wrong, it's even dangerous than you driving a car without being buckled up.

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