U.S. Customs hassles...

[qwerty]

... i think that would work... tell them, for further clarification that youre only into the really passable ones tho, reassuring the non-gayness, and then proceed to explain that its not like crossdressers back in the west, but these chicks are hot!!! and wave your hand in your face like a fan cooling you down... they gotta feel you then...!

[SukhumvitRoad]

(strocube @ May 12 2008,01:45) "As Stogie says, be upfront and honest, tell them you go there to fuck ladyboys, but its cool because you're not gay......."

Actually, if you're entering the States through San Francisco, maybe.......uh, never mind.

[MARKUK]

i hate going to the US everytime i go i get selected for additional screening which is a bit strange as my job is related to what they do.... happens every time and if i leave the US and go back again the next day they go even more paranoid!!

[johnlbx]

I know that for me and for most of us here we aren't trying to sneak something bad through customs.

So our goal is to get into the country as fast as possible with as little hassle as possible.

Even if you're perfectly innocent the customs officials can confiscate your laptop for further study and I need mine for work so this would be a major inconvenience (even though they would eventually return it having found nothing of interest to them on it).

To that end I follow these rules
1. be respectful (i.e not an obnoxious jerk demanding my rights).
2. answer questions truthfully. When they ask random questions they are trying to see if you show signs of lying to them.
3. Don't volunteer information. The customs guys are usually very friendly and personable to get you off guard. They are not your drinking buddies. Don't brag about the good times you had in Thailand, you never know if in saying something you'll be admitting to something you didn't even know was a crime.

[rxpharm]

An update to this post, it is the Department of Homeland Security now that has this as official policy:

Travelers€™ laptops may be detained at border
Under DHS policy, no suspicion of wrongdoing needed to search devices
Border security policies recently disclosed by the Department of Homeland Security state that officers may "detain" laptops and other electronic devices "for a reasonable period of time" to "review and analyze information." This may take place "absent individualized suspicion."

updated 12:54 a.m. ET Aug. 1, 2008
WASHINGTON - Federal agents may take a traveler's laptop or other electronic device to an off-site location for an unspecified period of time without any suspicion of wrongdoing, as part of border search policies the Department of Homeland Security recently disclosed.

Also, officials may share copies of the laptop's contents with other agencies and private entities for language translation, data decryption or other reasons, according to the policies, dated July 16 and issued by two DHS agencies, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

"The policies . . . are truly alarming," said Sen. Russell Feingold (D-Wis.), who is probing the government's border search practices. He said he intends to introduce legislation soon that would require reasonable suspicion for border searches, as well as prohibit profiling on race, religion or national origin.

DHS officials said that the newly disclosed policies -- which apply to anyone entering the country, including U.S. citizens -- are reasonable and necessary to prevent terrorism. Officials said such procedures have long been in place but were disclosed last month because of public interest in the matter.

No requirement for €˜individualized suspicion€™
Civil liberties and business travel groups have pressed the government to disclose its procedures as an increasing number of international travelers have reported that their laptops, cellphones and other digital devices have been taken -- for months, in at least one case -- and their contents examined.

The policies state that officers may "detain" laptops "for a reasonable period of time" to "review and analyze information." This may take place "absent individualized suspicion."

The policies cover "any device capable of storing information in digital or analog form," including hard drives, flash drives, cell phones, iPods, pagers, beepers, and video and audio tapes. They also cover "all papers and other written documentation," including books, pamphlets and "written materials commonly referred to as 'pocket trash' or 'pocket litter.' "

Reasonable measures must be taken to protect business information and attorney-client privileged material, the policies say, but there is no specific mention of the handling of personal data such as medical and financial records.

When a review is completed and no probable cause exists to keep the information, any copies of the data must be destroyed. Copies sent to non-federal entities must be returned to DHS. But the documents specify that there is no limitation on authorities keeping written notes or reports about the materials.

"They're saying they can rifle through all the information in a traveler's laptop without having a smidgen of evidence that the traveler is breaking the law," said Greg Nojeim, senior counsel at the Center for Democracy and Technology. Notably, he said, the policies "don't establish any criteria for whose computer can be searched."

Feds cite €˜routine searches and seizures€™
Customs Deputy Commissioner Jayson P. Ahern said the efforts "do not infringe on Americans' privacy." In a statement submitted to Feingold for a June hearing on the issue, he noted that the executive branch has long had "plenary authority to conduct routine searches and seizures at the border without probable cause or a warrant" to prevent drugs and other contraband from entering the country.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff wrote in an opinion piece published last month in USA Today that "the most dangerous contraband is often contained in laptop computers or other electronic devices." Searches have uncovered "violent jihadist materials" as well as images of child pornography, he wrote.

With about 400 million travelers entering the country each year, "as a practical matter, travelers only go to secondary [for a more thorough examination] when there is some level of suspicion," Chertoff wrote. "Yet legislation locking in a particular standard for searches would have a dangerous, chilling effect as officers' often split-second assessments are second-guessed."

In April, the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco upheld the government's power to conduct searches of an international traveler's laptop without suspicion of wrongdoing.

This is the link to the story on MSNBC

Laptops may be detained at border

[bigmick22]

Ah - the USA. Home of the free!

[Torurot]

From:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/08...ptop_seizures/

Border officials are told to seek advice if they believe material may be subject to attorney-client privilege.

If this all sounds draconian, don't worry. The border folks are also told that in the course of every border search, they "will protect the rights of individuals against unreasonable search and seizure." So, if you're travelling to the states on business and don't like the border patrol rummaging around your laptop, feel free to start quoting the fourth amendment at them. We're sure it'll pull them up in their tracks.

The full guidance is available here (pdf). ®
http://www.cbp.gov/linkhan....ity.pdf

[Tomcat]

(PogueMahone @ May 10 2008,00:49) Has anone else who travels a lot to Thailand either from the U.S. or other countrys had this type of experiance?

Its not all random i know for a fact.

. I got stopped around 8 times on the trot and they stuck me in the new drugs sniffer machine last year.. i had nothing to hide and u cant really refuse can you
he said to me ,,u been on holiday eh! wheres the suntan then..,,  

IMO
Your card in the UK is marked as you go through the passport check and they tag the guys downstairs . LHR has cameras everywhere and these guys burn you until you go through the green channel..

The last three times they havent botherd.

[Road Runner]

(Tomcat @ Aug. 02 2008,19:14) LHR has cameras everywhere and these guys burn you until you go through the green channel..

The facial recognition software they use was developed at QinetiQ.

I think the software they use in Bangkok airport is the same but I'm not sure.

RR.

[JaiDee]

I've been getting the 3rd degree for 10 years now, starting with a strip and cavity search [no joke] after first coming back from Vietnam in 1998.  They also x-rayed all my gifts, etc.....I looked like a shitbum back then with long hair, unshaven, crappy clothes, etc..... they probably figured I was an opium trafficker!


    Never had another cavity search, but for sure every time I go through customs I get nailed..... my passport has been lost, stolen once by some incompatent mindless lightweights, and also has stamps in there from 20 or so seperate countries including multiple times in Thai and Cambo..... red flags one and all for the customs guys and I am always delayed and searched, etc..... takes a while but of course they never find shit.

             never had my laptop checked and now travel with it as little as possible, but even when I do have it there is nothing inside to make 'em hold me. *note..... once  you touch down in America, you are safe  IMO ...... there is nothing that a lawyer can't get you out of in this country, especially with no record; unless of course you are bringing in a few Keys!


     The Customs guys mean business and have power [and guns], unlike those morons from the "TSA"...... But basically once we see the giant Eagle and the stars and stripes we are home free, whereas if we get caught doing something shady in some 3rd world craphole, who knows??

[BlueBallz]

There was a while a couple of years ago I got questioned a lot about 3 trips in a row. I guess it didnt help when I was the first one thru the immigration line to make my way thru customs. I only had a carry on. They saw all the stamps to Thailand and started with the questions and looking thru my bag. This was when I actually traveled with some clothing now I ardly have any clothing with me at all due to the fact I own a flat in LOS. The question, "What do you do for a living?" was alwasy the 2nd or 3rd question. When I answered it, they seemed less suspicious. in my case, and probably the VAST MAJORITY of these cases its dope they are looking for.

BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!!!

[Ladyboy_Loser!]

I still get the third degree from these guys. The same questions, just in a different order. Now I travel like Blue Ballz with just my carry on with one change of cloths and of course they ask me why I have so few cloths if I was in LOS for more than a week. I don't volunteer any information, I answer only what is asked and I let them know that I have answered these same questions with the same answers the past seven times. I tell them to look it up in their computer and see if it matches. Of course that just guarantees they will go over my carry on with a fine tooth comb. Just for devilment I will take some photos of a toilet seat, a light fixture, dirty cloths, anything that is ridiculous in a photo just to piss them off. Yeah, yeah, I know I am pushing their buttons but since I don't have a thing to worry about and I am never in a hurry I could give a shit. I figure that if you are going to treat me like a terrorist or God forbid, a Child Molester then I am going to have some fun with you.

[perth_couple]

The last time we came back the immigration guys here in Australia approached us in the line prior to immigration, asked if we had anything to declare. When we said no, they waived us through the checkpoint without even x-raying our bags, let alone opening them...

Given our occupations (in the 'helping professions') and marital status/travelling together, I am sure profiling is alive and well....

[kahuna]

The last 4 or 5 times entering through SFO they have just waved me on through...
Never looked at anything...Maybe I'm too fucking old to be a threat...