A FEW years after the Sept 11 attack on the Twin Towers in New York, I was visiting the United States and had to go through many inconveniences at Immigration checkpoints and Customs clearance. These included physical checks of all check-in and carry-on luggage, body searches and intense questioning by stern Customs officers.

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Personally I am very surprised that the officers at the airport were even pleasant to begin with. I visited my brother in 2002 about a year after the 9/11 attacks, they were extremely strict and it meant a physical check of all luggage. Granted they had reason for that because it was just a year after the attacks but as a tourist, one does appreciate a smiling face. Another thing is, my mother had filled up her immigration card wrong and was told in an extremely crude condesending way that she had to redo it or not be able to get through immigration. I felt that attitude was totally unnecessary as they should have been very happy that people were still visiting the US despite the 9/11 attacks! I have my own opinion about the US and the way they do things especially raising their kids which to me totally sucks and that's why the US has to deal with so many problems these days when it comes to their young people!

Don't expect too much in Singapore. People here show faces as though an F1 car has lang gar them. It is just not in the culture to smile and be pleasant. There are many causes, some of it maybe National Service, stress, poor family life, education, money and the list goes on.

Something here is just not right, looking at how service and frontline service staff cannot even put on a smile and say pleasant words. Sad case for Singapore, have we all drank melamine tainted milk as babies ?

My husband and I always take the initiative and greet our Changi immigration officers first. They always look surprised and takes a few moments before they respond with a greeting. Like Mr Teo, we wish these frontline officers would be trained to at least give a smile and a little greeting. No one is expecting them to be effusive - just a little more welcoming.

Be a practical guy. Dont be a non-sense fellow. Imagine when you are carting your luggage some imigration officer comes to you and says "if you are a singaporean returning home, welcome home.." in the first place you cannot understand what he is talking. It may look too artificial and rehearsed. Dont be under the slavish thought that we should do all what the americans do. Even without that you can be cultured and civilised. I do agree the officers can keep a smiling face and just nod with a hello.

I'd rather the immigration officers remain sternface and weed out drug couriers by making them uncomfortable and sweaty. If I need someone to smile at me, I'd go to the toilet and smile at myself in the mirror though I would look a bit cuckoo. No smiling immigration officers to greet me? No big deal. it's a small price to pay.

Hello,
Do you smile at the Officer yourself? If not ,why not? If yes, please continue to do so. Do to others what you want them to do to you.
Look into the eyes of the officer and say "Oh boy, am I glad to be back in Singapore".

USA Immigration officers are never friendly, in fact, a few of us hate to go back to the US because of this! Just this year I landed at SFO airport for custom clearance, posters were everywhere saying "We welcome you to the U.S. of A, we treat you with respect (and all that crap!), when I approached the Officer, he didnt even smile nor being friendly. It's as if we owe him a living by being there!

However, I do not find Singapore Immigration Officers unfriendly at all. I must say they're tongue tight tho and rightly so, they are not there to make small talk otherwise any Tom **** or Mary can bluff their way thru.

One other thing tho, if we want to avoid the "unfriendly" Officer, you can always use the self-automated machine to scan you passport. Why queue? Members (SIngaporeans) have their own privileges you know ;-)

Mr Teo,

Aiyah, why you want immigration officers to smile at you??? Don't forget they are already very stressed out working day and night serving people like you. How to smile? They are always on the watch out for Mas Selamat or any other terrorist in disguise! Put yourself in their shoes and think. Would you still be able to smile when you are on your feet for 10 hours at a stretch??? Pls realise theirs is no easy job, handling so many passengers in a day's work. You want people to smile at you, you smile first lah. Don't always expect the other way round!!!

Nonasing

it is not 'Tom, D ick and Mary'. It is 'Tom, D ick and Harry'. Dont use if you are not sure. Or else learn English from me.