thaibreaker

Here is where the confusion lies. You can indeed extend all 3 visa exempts with 30 days, so you'll get 60 days x 3. So there isn't any 90 days maximum in 180 days at all. It's just obviously interpreted that way by some embassies and consulates (this is the first immigration officer I have heard of doing it too), if you don't use the 30 days extensions. They don't actually write or tell you that you can extend the 60 days visas within a METV either with 30 days. Just look it up. They don't say. But everyone knows you can do it on every entry. There is no maximum stay of 90 days in a 180 days period. That is just not a rule they ever enforce, nor does it exist today. Some web sites just haven't deleted it from back to when it was scrapped 15 years ago. Even back then it was very short lived.

Agree, but it is safe to ask the driver if it's already full of people. Then the cost is 10 baht no matter what. Otherwise, just hop on it, and never say a thing. They all go the same way and route, with rare exceptions. Even then, just get off and hop on the next.

OP, there is no way any agent will help you get an extension based on retirement before you are 50 years old. No way. They can help you with anything else, but not that. 50 years is the limit, even for agents. I understand you have some time left before you pass that milestone. After that, you are good to go. Agents will do everything for you, for a price. All stamps are legal.

This guy from the outside brought the money I guess. But right outside of IDC they have an ATM, so escorted by an immigration officer, they'll let you use that one. Also, when you are fined at the prison where you appear in front of a judge, you will be escorted to an ATM there too, so you can pay the fine. I was escorted there. I was also allowed to be escorted to the ATM at IDC too, so I could get some drinks. There is a small shop for beverages and other light stuff you need, at the premises there. You could do that at your two weekly hours of fresh air. The queue was very long though... Btw, one should not count on paying their way out of an arrest. This might have been only for this contact they obviously already had with this outside (black) man. It was also more than a decade ago, so it might not be that easy today.

Thanks 🙏 Btw, it might have interest for some how I was arrested. I came out of a mall in the centre of Bangkok after watching a movie, "The Equalizer". On my way walking back to my hotel, I was randomly confronted by two immigration officers. They asked to see my passport. It was completely random, since I didn't know anyone in this area. No one reported me. I was alone, staying in a hotel, waiting for my flight out of Thailand the next day, in fact. Didn't get that far... I said I didn't have the pp with me, but they asked for my name (which I told them), so they called it in for a computer check. They then discovered I was on overstay. Luckily I was driven to my hotel, so I could pick up my luggage and stuff. They don't always do that, I was told, so be aware. The back of this pickup was loaded with overstaying black people, handcuffed together. I was the only white person in that truck. We were driven to an immigration police office connected to IDC, where these black people were offered to pay a bribe for their release. A person from outside came to their rescue, and must have paid up, so a few of them were released. I didn't have the 60.000 baht or so they wanted, nor did I want to pay a bribe, so I went through the picture sequence with a couple of officers. You know the drill. Bragging about how they caught an overstayer I guess. The rest of us, were brought to the prison section, and to a temporary room on the ground floor, awaiting our time in front of a judge. Maybe this is of interest, the bribe thing actually shocked me, but these black people had contacts. They obviously knew who to call when they got there. Maybe this had occured several times before, it seemed that way. Anyway, the rest of the story you already know.

I can give it a try. We were "stewed away", around 70 people in one big room, room 7 at IDC, after being taken to the judge and got our fine, two days after we got to a temporary room. At room 7 we got one tiny blanket to lie on, straight on the concrete floor, and got about 60 cm space or so, beside your "neighbour". We were of course stripped of phones, luggage (went into a store room) and such, so no contact possible with people on the outside. The food was terrible, some cucumber and rice 3 times a day. Spicy. I hardly ate at all. The lights were on 24 hours a day, no daylight, so the only sense of time was a clock on the wall. Very hard to sleep. Two times a week, for one hour, we were let out to a room downstairs to stretch our legs, or play some ball. A little daylight there, not much. That was it. Otherwise you were locked up 24/7, in these horrendous conditions. if one catched a cold or a flu, everyone probably got it. I was held there for 10 days until my embassy came to talk with me. I almost went nuts before that time. First then I could arrange for my release and ticket home, even having the funds all along. Deported on day 14. After my ticket was purchased, I was called up a few hours before the flight, collecting my stuff, and was driven to Suvarnabhumi. Usually in handcuffs I was told, but I wasn't. Had a terrible cold when I left, and my body was hurting after two weeks lying straight on the floor. The immigration officer escorted me through check-in, via their immigration office at the airport for some papers, and stamped my passport, and then escorted me to the boarding of my flight. Not a pleasant stay, that's for sure. Can't imagine how people survived being held in that same room for many years. Like one Korean, and two Chinese men were.

I can't speak for today's practice, but back then, a decade ago, everyone got this same experience. The section you post, is just a text that has been unchanged for a long, long time. Same text back then. Practice was this same for all, if you were sent to IDC in Bangkok. They have a court system other places also, like for instance at Koh Samui, so the fine might be given elsewhere. Rules are the same though.

Not true. Many foreigners actually can't pay that fine, and they serve that time in another prison than IDC. Then end up back there, when that serving is finished.

Being detained at IDC means you are imprisoned there. Here is what will happen (not could happen). He will be fined when he has his case to a judge, at a prison a 30-45 minutes drive away from IDC. Everyone at IDC must through that. The fine is 3-6000 baht. Depends on if you have a valid passport or not. Then, if you pay the fine, you will be driven back to IDC, and imprisoned there, until you can pay for your ticket home. No more fines. If you can't pay the fine, you will serve time at that Thai prison where the judge is, deducted 200 baht a day. When that is served, you will be driven back to IDC, and held there, until your ticket is paid. So he will definitely be fined, where he goes from there, depends on if he is able to pay it. Either way you end up at IDC again.

I told my story many years back. It was a long thread. Got a lot of comments and questions. I wonder if it still might be searchable here? Haven't checked.

21 of them are only a temporary stay, until you are sent to the 22nd, the one and only for long time stayers, IDC in Bangkok. People there have been brought there from all parts of the country. The longest stay when I served time there more than a decade ago, was done by a Korean. He had been there for 14 years. Still had no hope of getting home. Two Chinese men for 8 and 10 years. No one claims them. Or help them home. Or someone might be stuck for political reasons, like these Chinese were.

That's for his fine, and if so he will be held at a different prison, with almost only Thais. But he will still be sent back to IDC after serving that time, and held there until his ticket home is paid.

The last part, that is what the embassy is for. They will assist you in a matter of days, or up to a couple of weeks, to visit you and get you in contact with someone, or even with the immigration's own booker of flights, if you have the funds for that. You'll get that when you are there. Been there, done that, a long time ago Btw, the fine at the IDC court for this guy, will be approximately 6.000 baht, if his passport has expired (3000 if it's not). Plus his ticket back to his home country. The 20k baht fine is waived for all at IDC. I will add that IDC in Bangkok has terrible conditions. You won't believe it until you're there. Should be avoided at all costs.

This is just one of those "why don't you follow the rules, as all of us others have to do" posts. First of all, using agents are completely legal. You'll get a real stamp, from a real immigration officer and office. If anyone has doubts or any reasons not to put 800k in a Thai bank, and wants to pay 20-30k to get it all done, completely hassle free, then why not. It's up to each and one of us which way suits our situation. I doubt those who use agents are spending any less money in Thailand, than these posters, or those with 800k in a Thai bank. I also know people with the required amount in the bank, but still use an agent for the hassle free extensions. To each their own.

You are aware that pensioners over 65 years of age get a deduction of 190.000 baht? Include that, and your 216 USD a month tax will be considerably less. There are also other deductions, if you have a wife, kids etc. Scandinavian pensioners have been paying these taxes in Thailand for many years already. We really don't see what the fuss is all about.

Good for travelers of course, but remember that Thailand has made their stricter rules into a huge business too. Doing what Malaysia or Singapore already do, will make Thailand lose a very lucrative income.

That is obviously not what he meant... Not which country you must be from to get 90 days in Thailand, but which countries YOU get 90 days visa exemption entries at. Malaysia, Japan and Singapore are 3. It's not that hard, is it.

He can indeed apply a second time, in which he will be granted 7 days ( to leave the country). If 7 days is all he needs. Doesn't sound like it though.

Fyi, a 100k baht disability income is quite common in Norway. If this looney has it though, who knows.

You are getting wrong info here. If you do not have the 20.000 baht when you are trying to leave the country, you will be detained, and brought to IDC. There you will appear before a judge after a few days, and get a fine of 3000 baht. You will no longer have to pay the 20k fine. Then you will be further detained until you can pay for a ticket home. When you are able to, you will be brought to Suvarnabhumi, and led to the desk for boarding. No fine to pay there. Been there, done that.

Right. And Immigration also cannot make a requirement to a Thai spouse, she is not asking for or need a visa. In addition to that, many Thai wives are working, and adding to that 40.000 baht requirement for the husband. Many, and maybe most, married couples have then two income sources. I see nothing strange about this at all.

1. Deja Vu (Denzel Washington) 2. Seven pounds (Will Smith) 3. Man on fire (Denzel Washington) Honourable mentions: 1. We bought a zoo (Matt Damon) 2. The Equalizer (Denzel Washington) Favourite actor? Yep, you guessed it.

I am of course talking about those who actually know what they are talking about here. You know who, I suppose. Separate those from others. I got the answer I needed from one of those persons on this forum.

Thanks. But that's another topic, and has nothing to do with my question.