A Married At First Sight star’s relaxing holiday in Thailand came to a grinding halt on Monday after a frustrating incident at the airport.
Cathy Evans, who spent the past two weeks in Phuket and Bangkok with her boyfriend, arrived at an unnamed Thai airport ahead of her flight home to Sydney on Monday.
But she failed to lodge her Digital Passenger Declaration (known as a DPD) before checking in for her flight – a mistake which left her scrambling at the last minute.
Married At First Sight bride Cathy Evans, 28, (pictured) has claimed she was ‘cheated out of $1000’ thanks to ‘sneaky’ Thailand airport tactic – as she describes ‘nightmare’ journey home to Australia
She also claims to have been ‘cheated’ out of $1,000 in VAT (value-added tax) due to a ‘sneaky’ tactic used by Thai airport officials.
‘Had a nightmare experience at the airport,’ Cathy, 28, wrote on Instagram on Monday, alongside a close-up photo of herself sitting in the airport terminal
‘Make sure, Australians, to submit your DPD prior to check-in. I had no idea about this and nothing has been mentioned about creating an account with the Australian Department of Home Affairs.’
‘Had a nightmare experience’: Posting to Instagram on Monday, Cathy explained she had unknowingly failed to lodge her Digital Passenger Declaration before checking in for her flight
While Cathy claims she was not aware of the rules surrounding DPD submissions, the Department of Home Affairs website clearly states that overseas passengers arriving in Australia must lodge this document before departing.
‘Passengers who do not complete a DPD before departing may face unnecessary delays on arrival in Australia,’ the website warns.
Cathy went on to complain about missing out on recouping her VAT after being given incorrect instructions by airport staff.
Hmm: While Cathy claims she was not aware of the rules surrounding DPD submissions, the Department of Home Affairs website clearly states that overseas passengers arriving in Australia must lodge this document before departing
Not happy: Cathy went on to complain about missing out on recouping her VAT after being given incorrect instructions by airport staff
‘And for VAT tax back – I just got cheated [out] of $1,000 back, as you must get items searched with a stamp of declaration (there was nowhere for us to do this though – we were told to check in, then go through customs and go to the VAT office near the gate),’ she said.
‘So just be very mindful when you want to claim back your VAT! I swear it was done sneakily in a way so they didn’t have to give our money back and because we had so much to claim back.’
This isn’t the first time Cathy has aired her frustrations about international travel.
Sparking conversation: It’s not the first time Cathy aired her frustrations about the pitfalls of international travel.
Over the weekend she sparked a lively debate as she flew from Phuket to Bangkok in Thailand on Sunday.
The socialite took to Instagram to detail her nightmare journey, which featured a young child misbehaving on the seat behind her.
She then asked her 189,000 followers if they thought the situation she explained was ‘socially acceptable’.
Not happy: Over the weekend she sparked a lively debate as she flew from Phuket to Bangkok in Thailand on Sunday
Question: Prior to the post, she had told her followers: ‘I want to ask the public about a social situation. I’ll give you a scenario and then cast your vote’
Point of view: For the entire duration of the flight, the child is rapid kicking the back of your seat, however the back is thin so you feel every kick to the spine,’ she began.
‘The child then starts slapping the tops of everyone’s heads seated in front of him. Noise is insatiable. Begins tagging the walls of the plane, their table then your arms.’
She added that she ‘glanced over at the parent to hint at them to stop their child’, but claimed: ‘…but then they abuse you in their native language and take off their mask to cough at you.’
The results are in! After three hours, 96 per cent of those who voted on her Instagram poll said it was ‘absolutely not’ acceptable, while just four per cent voted that ‘this is fine’
She concluded her post with: ‘Is this socially acceptable?’
Prior to the post, Cathy told her followers: ‘I want to ask the public about a social situation.
‘I’ll give you a scenario and then cast your vote.’
After three hours, 96 per cent of those who voted on her Instagram poll said it was ‘absolutely not’ acceptable, while just four per cent voted that ‘this is fine’.
Cathy hails from New Zealand, and is of Welsh and Thai heritage.
She rose to fame in 2020 on Married At First Sight, marrying ‘husband’ Josh Pihlak.
Rise to reality fame: Cathy hails from New Zealand, and is of Welsh and Thai heritage. She grew to fame in 2020 on Married At First Sight, marrying ‘husband’ Josh Pihlak (right)
Source: | Dailymail.co.uk
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