International Space

Thinking too long about border crossings unnerves me.

Land border crossings aren't too bad, though they are by and large the most difficult and inefficient way to get into a country. They're also the best if you want to sneak into one, as overland border security tends to attract the lazy, the local, and the corrupt. What I mean by that is this:

Border officials tend to be overworked. There are, at any given moment, hundreds of people trying to cross most borders worldwide (exceptions like North Korea exist, but are rare). Of these hundreds of people, many of them are simply people that live on the other side of the border that need to get to their job. Most border towns have people that work on both sides of the actual line, so they have to do a daily crossing. Processing these people takes time, effort, and is shockingly monotonous.

Then there are foreigners who are traveling overland. There are more of these than you think, depending on the season, and they all don't speak the local lingo, all have a sense of entitlement about getting through the border, and all have way more liquid capital than your average border guard. The average overland border guard tends to shut his brain off when he sees a western passport, and unless you're doing something suspicious, acting nervous, or he's just having a bad day and wants to take it out on someone, they'll typically stamp your passport and let you go without even looking at what's on your departure/arrival card. The faster they can get through this queue of white people the better, in their opinion.

The local: Most border officials live in the areas that they perform their duties in – some in the border village itself. This creates close ties to the local population, which can be a great thing, because it allows a competent border guard to keep his pulse on what's going on around his border, and to know when anything suspicious is happening. It also allows him to fast-track people he knows that do work across the border, allowing that person to get to their job, and saving time and paperwork for everyone. He also knows what looks suspicious as he is around there all the time, and knows that the village idiot doesn't have a job on the other side of the border, and shouldn't be making the crossing three times a week with a giant backpack full of meth. This local connection is a double edged sword however; if the official isn't good at his job, or has been paid off by the local crime lord, it all of a sudden becomes very easy to sneak drugs, guns, and whatever else you want across the border.

Which brings me to corrupt: Most border officials are underpaid. Many of them have families – families with lots of kids and mouths to feed. They could take a second job and work nights or . . . they could use their government granted power to supplement their income. Corruption comes in many forms, but the two most common are extortion and being paid off. Extortion is pretty self-explanatory. I experienced it at the Koh Kong border crossing between Thailand and Cambodia.

Visas to Cambodia are twenty dollars. That's what it says on the website, that's what they'll tell you at any embassy, and that's what it says in the books. Underpaid, overworked and corrupt border guards like to tack on extra processing "fees" for anyone who hasn't had the foresight to get one at the embassy. Sometimes these fees, like in Koh Kong, end up being as much as the visa itself costs.

You do not have to pay these fees, but fighting them takes time, effort, and if not done gracefully could end up with you being unable to cross the border. Most travelers just pay it in order for things to go smoothly.

The darker side of corruption in border guards is the darker side of law enforcement everywhere. Cops of all types are typically underpaid and overworked. Their toughest enemies are generally people who have lots of money, consider themselves above social rules, and who aren't afraid of committing violence to get what they want. What that boils down to is many border guards are paid by criminals to look the other way when something illegal is happening. If this shocks or offends you, or you think you would be above this, think about it this way:

You are a Cambodian border guard with five children, a sick mother, and a wife who loves you and worries about you. You need to feed, clothe, and educate your children on your pittance of a salary that only comes every once in a while. You need medicine for your mother, who has some illness that you can't even comprehend; you're not a doctor. The doctor says she needs it, but it's expensive. And your wonderful wife, who manages to keep a lid on all of this at home while you make just enough money to support the family, all she wants is for you to keep coming home at night. So one day this guy comes up to you on your way to work and says, "Hey, there's a wagon coming through today, I will give you thirty dollars to just wave it through." You protest and say you can't do that, that you have to search it. The guy responds with, "You've got kids right? They go to this school right? Real shame if something happened to them." You agree to let the wagon through. "I knew you'd see it my way," and he hands you thirty dollars. Your wife doesn't ask where the extra money came from, your mother gets her medicine and the kids get 500 extra calories each and maybe a new pair of shoes.

It's not always like this, but it is for a lot of people. Some border guards are straight up corrupt people who are just in it for the money and power. Others are good guys in rough situations. Most fall somewhere in the middle.

Anyway, this turned into a blog about corruption and border crossings rather than what I wanted to talk about, which was the weirdness of being in international space. So between most border crossings, and in airports once you get past passport control, you're technically in international space, and no country has responsibility for you. That's what I was talking about when I said that thinking about border crossings unnerves me.

This occurred to me when I was in the Bangkok airport waiting for my flight to Delhi. I'd crossed through the customs checkpoint and from a legal standpoint, I was no longer in Thailand. But, I hadn't gone through Indian customs. I was in international space, and while it seems like fuzzy logic to me, I think that makes me subject only to international law.

Interesting concept. I'm sure a lawyer (dadcoughcough) could explain it better, and maybe I'm totally wrong. I'm sure the practicalities boil down to whoever gets a hold of you first. If you commit a crime in Thailand, you're subject to Thai authority, no matter what part of the airport you're in. If you commit a crime on an airplane, you're probably detained by wherever your flight lands.

But the theory is interesting . . . and a bit unnerving.

-Doug

 P.S. If you are detained at an overland crossing, ask if there is some kind of customs fee that you have forgotten to pay, but never call it a bribe, as bribing an official carries serious consequences. Use common sense, as this may work getting in or out of Cambodia, but will definitely not work getting into or out of the United States. Better option: plan ahead, get your visa, and don't get detained.