Kitsune

I would like to say I am NOT advocating in any way this type of lifestyle.

My friend lived in fear and permanent stress while in that illegal state although he could not change things at that time.

I think you guys are right: it was probably a case of miscommunication/ lack of training between police departments and/or plain greed and they knew they could not get more.

Not trying to "offend" anyone here, but here's the plain truth!

So what else is news. No bribes paid? Huh? Obviously, he's a white man. If he were black, then just on the "work permit" violation alone, his arse would spend the next 12-months @ the Bangkok Hilton, or he'd pay a 50,000+ baht fine. In addition, he'd be deported for 5-years, after that. GUARANTEED!

But of course, there's members reading this quote who will reply with, "oh, you're just hyper-sensitive about your black skin color". Well, I'm not black, but I have seen the "hell" that several (law-abiding, hard-working) blacks have gone thru, in this Land of Smiles, compared to their white "colleagues".

For example, among the "English Teaching" community, many whites have been in Thailand (literally) for years, teaching @ both public and private schools, who have NEVER been issued a work permit, and many of whom have no (required) degree, or even TEFL or CELTA certification. Go figure that!

Whereas any black or brown-skinned person must "verify" their Teaching credentials and come from an English (first language) speaking country. There are whites, from European countries, teaching English to Thai school children, who have no degree, do not speak Thai, have no work permit, but they are white-complexioned people in Asia. They seem to have ALL the sociological credentials they need, to be accepted as a feather in the School Director's cap.

Welcome to "Negro_Phobic" Asia, and the world where most skin lotion brands have "skin-whitening ingredients" clearly marked on the labels. Tragic, for a people who have a cultural history that pre-dates both the Greek & Roman Empires,

I hope this reply answers your question, of how that bloke managed to get away with pulling those farang "shenanigans" in Thailand, for so many years..

((edit)) Otherwise, Thailand is the best location, for living in an Asian nation.

Cheers

I agree with you, the skin whitening lotion and the teacher cred, ... black have it tougher here.

But in this case I believe it's more a question of his wife pulling shenanigans

Also slightly off topic

If this is true I would seriously recommend that you keep quiet, I would imagine government employees do read TV posts.

"Obviously" my friend has since left the country and is back in Farangland

Your friend was indeed lucky. Most of the ordinary cops don't know what a foreign passport looks like.Nor how to check a visa.

The tourist police cops would have seen that.

So he paid a fine and was fine. -

Why did not I think of this ?

We've got a winner here !

it was that simple !

Thanks so much, you're brilliant!

Thai labour law prefers that you pay a fine instead of going to court.

He paid 30k to get out, true; I think thank to his wife who found out he could get out that way.

But his overstay was totally overlooked...

And that remains a mystery, he should have been deported fined and probably banned, right ?

First you stated he did not pay any bribes or pay anything, now you state he paid 30k

So where is the miracle ? Or what is unclear for you?

I'm slow OK?

30K was not presented as bribe.

Now I understand it was.

Also it sounded not alot of money for 2 offences, and they never mentioned it to him

No surprise at all!

When you get arrested -for any offenses- by the thai police. In fact you are NOT in the hand of the justice system.

You just have been arrested by crooks.

When they put you in jail/redemand prison, they are not interested in seeking justice.

Mostly because there is not enought background to convict you.

No, they are just after extortion and the best way its to fright you and they have the right to hold in a cell pending investigation...for few months.

Everyday we see thai criminals walking out in bail. Maybe they got a different thai judicial system...

I did not realize this.

This is scary.

If it's true it's an eye opener.

Thanks

That's how things are - however, it's only scary when they let dangerous criminals off the hook.

Scary that anyone can find oneself in the hands and at the mercy of crooks ...

It is really odd that its always a friend, it seem friends on here are illiterate................ Why can they not post themselves .

PB

Because there is such thing as an IP adress and one would be stupid enough to share his illegal activities on a website watched over by Thai police and government.

Tell your friend he should tell his wife she is a great woman.She is smart or knows someone that is.Good luck to your friend and his wife

I did, what she did what admirable.

I told him he's lucky she saved his behind like that, he could still be in jail

Since the max fine for overstay is 20k , they chose the more profitable route - no mystery , just greed.

Could not they ask for 30+ 20 = 50 K?

No surprise at all!

When you get arrested -for any offenses- by the thai police. In fact you are NOT in the hand of the justice system.

You just have been arrested by crooks.

When they put you in jail/redemand prison, they are not interested in seeking justice.

Mostly because there is not enought background to convict you.

No, they are just after extortion and the best way its to fright you and they have the right to hold in a cell pending investigation...for few months.

Everyday we see thai criminals walking out in bail. Maybe they got a different thai judicial system...

I did not realize this.

This is scary.

If it's true it's an eye opener.

Thanks

So, is your friend doing something about his overstay? Or does he plan to work illegally while overstaying? Or is he ready to pay the 30k every time this situation arises? Or is that the whole point of your OP, whether he continues breaking the law since some "bad cop" decided to ignore it or do something about it?

That is off topic

Plus you would have to ask these questions to my friend directly, as I am not in his shoes, thanks god !

waste of time TROLL post

+1

Agreed and not for the first time.

Please there is nothing trolling about my post.

To this day my friend does not understand how he got away with this and neither do I.

I thought Thaivisa could have the answer, but seems like I was wrong ...

This sounds much like "holiday" extensions !

You mean you don't have the answer, therefore it's a troll.

The holiday extension does exists ask Walen

Thanks Manarak, your comment are very interesting

And the truth is probably in one of the suggestion you made

I think i understand a little more of Thai society, although I would not necessary agree with the last part of your comment (better a bad cop with judgement than a good cop without )

Nope all that is required is a "Law Book" and there it is ! staring at one...........never been "discovered" before! The "loophole" !

Sorry I believe the OP is trying to have a laugh

well I believe my friend and I know that to this day he is still unsure about what exactly happened

And neither of us, don't think it's a laughing matter

Thai labour law prefers that you pay a fine instead of going to court.

He paid 30k to get out, true; I think thank to his wife who found out he could get out that way.

But his overstay was totally overlooked...

And that remains a mystery, he should have been deported fined and probably banned, right ?

easy, the 30k would have been ill-earned if the cops cashing it in had done him in for the overstay.

my guess is that he wasn't officially charged with anything, just put into a cell "pending charges".

"pending charges" here means "for a while to determine if someone is willing to pay to get him out before official charges are pressed".

Because once the legal process is started, all the paperwork is more difficult to make disappear, and there are also more people involved (i.e. more expensive).

You mean these were just bad cops trying to extort money ?

But surely they could have asked for more as he was "double guilty" (illegal work AND overstay) why did not they take that opportunity to get more cash ?

What was the loophole that she found ?

Not sure exactly but he said basically, she found out he had the option to get out and by paying 30K, instead of being stuck in jail period .

Thai labour law prefers that you pay a fine instead of going to court.

He paid 30k to get out, true; I think thank to his wife who found out he could get out that way.

But his overstay was totally overlooked...

And that remains a mystery, he should have been deported fined and probably banned, right ?

Do not believe in everything your friend tells you!!

Barstool nonsense!

I don't drink and neither does he.

It's not something he boasts about, it's just one of this unexplained situation

waste of time TROLL post

+1

Agreed and not for the first time.

Please there is nothing trolling about my post.

To this day my friend does not understand how he got away with this and neither do I.

I thought Thaivisa could have the answer, but seems like I was wrong ...

How is that possible ?

My friend told me he got arrested once because someone ratted on him doing illegal work.

They chucked him in jail for a week or so.

His charges were solely regarding illegal work.

Anyway, his wife got hold of a Thai law book and started reading; She found a loop in labor law and prison sentencing and managed to have him released.

The all time they had his passport showing years of overstaying, nothing was ever mentioned.

He got out of prison, was given his passport back, and not a word was said regarding his overstay.

He said he was lucky.

For me it's more than luck it's a miracle !

He has not paid any bribe or asked any special favor from any connection.

How is that possible ?

So

- no after or before a bank holiday

- no Mondays

- No Fridays

- no afternoons 45 minutes after opening so no 2pm

- I can safely add no 10 am (because you wait until lunch and have to stay one extra hour at least).

Wow !

Yeah, it's not too hard to remember...

Be there at the opening bell (not that there's a bell, more like Somchai the Customs Guy making a bit of noise) and you'll be fine... The longest waiting time will be the part where you wait in line to get inside...

Thanks .... It's not the remembering part, it's the trying to fit that in your schedule added to the 4 to 6 hours of travelling there and back , my actual visa stamp and the school schedule to deliver the papers !

Is 40K the required amount for combined income of the couple or the person applying only?

So

- no after or before a bank holiday

- no Mondays

- No Fridays

- no afternoons 45 minutes after opening so no 2pm

- I can safely add no 10 am (because you wait until lunch and have to stay one extra hour at least).

Wow !

I am very sorry to read this, it is indeed shocking.

Just a thought, would not have been better to let him keep your passport and go straight to your embassy and explain everything and let them deal with it?

Best of luck to you

No no specific issue.

Arrived 1.45 pm after lunch, I traveled from South West Bangkok (2 hours) so I did not have lunch

- Ignored the lady who wants make me wait double and took my 2 tickets together.

- had number 313 for 90 days report :over a hundred people before me, I think the number was about 180-190

- Got number 202 for extension of visa: again over 100 people before me 70 or 80 was the number called.

- Got seen around 4.15 pm for 90 days ie 2.5 hours wait (only took 5-10 minutes to process) and my queue number was up around 6.15pm for visa extension ie 3.5 h wait (again 10 minutes interview )

Left the place at 6.30 pm

So I spend the all afternoon to be seen 20 minutes all together