An even cheaper solution is to buy an external hard drive to use for things you don't want customs to see and dispose of it when you leave Thailand.

 

True, that makes sense... but that doesn't solve this particular OP's problem of losing time (and possibly missing connecting flights) from being searched due to the fact he has a laptop. I think what he wants is to not have a laptop at all when he is coming through customs, so he doesn't get searched.

If you travel to the US, I would think twice before taking your notebook, especially if you are coming from Thailand. I know that lots of people have no problems, but....If you are checked, your notebook can be kept for weeks for "inspection" and may never work again when it is returned to you. I personally carry no data storage devices of any kind through US Customs, and makes for an easy speedy process.

 

Are you serious? "Kept for weeks for inspection"?

 

Have you heard of anyone who has been through this without a justifiable reason?

 

For most people this would be an unacceptable disaster. I have mates traveling there for business... if their laptop was taken away they would need to get the data off it and get a replacement laptop to use immediately. I know I would be f*cked if that happened. My ability to run my business goes to nil if I don't have my laptop. There would need to be a bloody good reason for them to take it away for weeks.

Are you serious? "Kept for weeks for inspection"?

 

Have you heard of anyone who has been through this without a justifiable reason?

 

For most people this would be an unacceptable disaster. I have mates traveling there for business... if their laptop was taken away they would need to get the data off it and get a replacement laptop to use immediately. I know I would be f*cked if that happened. My ability to run my business goes to nil if I don't have my laptop. There would need to be a bloody good reason for them to take it away for weeks.

 

What would you consider a justifiable reason?? If you are a male, travelling alone, and have been to Thailand, Cambodia, and/or vietnam, this may in itself be reason enough to cause a search. If they search and you have a laptop, they will check it. If there is any encryption, then they may hold the laptop until they are able to unencrypt the files. I don't personally know anyone, but have read several post on various boards, and news articles in US that this happens.

I see... So maybe it only happens if you have something like encrypted files or they find something dodgy on your laptop. Not for ordinary checks or random suspicion.

I see... So maybe it only happens if you have something like encrypted files or they find something dodgy on your laptop. Not for ordinary checks or random suspicion.

 

There will always be a few minutes delay while they check, but the long term checks usually have a reason or a suspicion.

Fair enough. Taking someone's laptop off them for two weeks is a pretty major thing. I would rather lose my passport for two weeks than my laptop.

Fair enough. Taking someone's laptop off them for two weeks is a pretty major thing. I would rather lose my passport for two weeks than my laptop.

I am sure if anything on you laptop didn't look right to ICE, then they would be happy to take your passport also.

Ah now, that would definitely have to be legally justified, I think.

Are you serious? "Kept for weeks for inspection"?

 

Have you heard of anyone who has been through this without a justifiable reason?

 

 

Customs doesn't need to justify anything, they are simply omnipotent.

 

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jun/26/business/fi-laptops26

 

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10004646-38.html

 

These articles are two years old, I don't know if their policies or practices have changed.

I was reading another article about a year ago where a gay couple had their laptop seized and was never returned.

 

Food for thought.

Thanks.... Those articles are interesting.

 

I wonder what happened with the gay couple not having their laptop returned.

 

If they do seize your laptop for whatever reason, are you allowed to make a copy of everything on it so you can continue working on whatever you're partway through? Seems overly unreasonable if that's not the case.

 

Does anyone know the practices in other countries?... Australia, for example? Out of curiosity.

Ah now, that would definitely have to be legally justified, I think.

 

You certainly aren't familiar with the goings on in Immigrations and Customs Enforcement since 9/11. They can take and hold your passport and you for that matter. And if they don't want to bother with the courts, they will make it a terrorist matter, and perhaps take you off to Guantanamo or some other nice CIA facility???

That may be true... But not something I'm going to worry about. I think the chances of that are remote.

Thanks.... Those articles are interesting.

 

I wonder what happened with the gay couple not having their laptop returned.

 

If they do seize your laptop for whatever reason, are you allowed to make a copy of everything on it so you can continue working on whatever you're partway through? Seems overly unreasonable if that's not the case.

 

Does anyone know the practices in other countries?... Australia, for example? Out of curiosity.

 

Put nothing past Homeland Security, they can stick a bulldozer up your back end if they suspect the corn you ate last night came from Cuba. (a gross overstatement, but it pretty much conveys the message, they can do whatever they want.) Everyone is pretty much at the mercy of HS once you pass that point of no return.

 

I believe the recommended procedure would be back-up all your data before proceeding through customs.

 

If I recall the story correctly regarding the gay couple there was apparently nude pictures on the laptop, models were of legal age. I don't recall any other details but I'm sure a Google search would turn up something.

 

From what I've read, Canadian Border Services have similar powers but I believe that while they are generally diligent in performing their duties, they're not prone to abusing that power, at least from what I've experienced.

As BL noted, I wouldn't think of not traveling with my laptop. It contains a ton of information I want with me when over in Thailand long-term and I use it as my computer there (usually via an ASDL line).

 

Of all the times I've hauled that baby (a 17" Toshiba) through customs/immigration, nobody has ever even asked me a question about it. I don't worry about it at all.

I've had my laptop checked by customs on the last 4 trips back into the USA.

They've also looked at my digital camera and asked about any software.

 

This mostly happens at DTW (Detroit) and once at LAX (Los Angeles).

 

Since I don't have anything interesting for them, they just look things over

for a couple of minutes and then wave me through.

 

Just be sure to email and photos of your gentlemen friend to yourself and delete

your browsing history, etc. That should keep them happy.

 

 

Just be sure to email and photos of your gentlemen friend to yourself and delete

your browsing history, etc. That should keep them happy.

 

Jason,

 

Deleting your browsing history does NOT permanently delete the

images from the camera or laptop or mobile phone with camera.

 

The US Officers who greet you at Port of Entry into the USA

have sophisticated software which will find and recapture

the images which ever have appeared on your device memory chips...

unless you have used an equally thorough cleaning program.

 

Others with such technical knowledge may wish to comment.

 

tj

Yes, but they'd need to suspect something to want to search further. I think Jason1988 is just aiming to remove anything suspect-looking on the surface... if they decide to search further, well, you just have to ensure there's nothing illegal (or something, which could be suspected as illegal) on there.

One hazard in mailing anything to yourself, and then taking you labtop through customs is that the laptop may well have you email on it...and they may end up gettting into your email...just a thought.