Please, I need help taking my bf out of IDC/thailand

[toyboy]

Hello, people from thai visa, 

before witting about my problem I want to thank everybody for the valuable help in this forum, and apologize for my broken English.
Also, I kindly ask you for respect and understanding, as my situation is serious and is affecting me.

 

My BF is African and overstayed in Thailand for some years, and I'm European and actually in my country.
Some weeks ago I had a video call from him,  he was inside a cell, and he didn't know the name of the prison. 

After the call stopped, I never had contact with him again, his friends, that are also overstaying longtime in Bangkok, are helpless, 
I even had to find by myself what is the IDC.

What they told me, and this is not clear at all, is he has been judged already, and the 3000thb fine has been paid, so now its supposed to just need the flight back home.

Well I hope you can help on this, I really don't want to make a wrong step, cos my money is really limited, luckily my airline points
were enough to book a really cheap ticket, so will be there next week, and I'll stay for 2 weeks.

 

In our opinion, what should I do and in what order? I 've been traveling Thailand often for 10 years, and even I love it, I know the wrong thinking some thais have of whites, and sadly and honestly my money is little, so I can only afford to pay him the ticket back home.

 

Should I go straight to suanphlu and ask for him?
I imagine calling from here is utopic, right?
Can I bring food or anything can help him stay better there?
Should I contact the consulate of his country? (as there is no embassy)
As far as I know, there are no straight flights to his homeland, how should I proceed?

 

My questions are endless, but any advice will be greatly welcome.

 

Thanks again for your help and respect.

Kind Regards.
 

[Aditi Sharma]

Very sorry to read your sad story. I am thinking what to do. I am trying to make contact with a Thai social worker myself who has access to the IDC. 

Should I go straight to suanphlu and ask for him?

I think so. 

I imagine calling from here is utopic, right?

I am not sure your call will be answered in English. Do you know any Thai? 

Can I bring food or anything can help him stay better there?

I dont think those things will be allowed inside. 

Should I contact the consulate of his country? (as there is no embassy).

I wonder if his passport has expired. If he has, he would need to apply for ETD, God knows how much time that will take, is he from South Africa? But

yes contact the consulate now if you can and find out what to do if his passport has expired or he hasn't got one. 

As far as I know, there are no straight flights to his homeland, how should I proceed?

If he is from South Africa, he can go via NBO in Kenya, the flight is at 00.35 hrs. 

[Aditi Sharma]

Sister, please provide more information as it will only help the wonderful people here to help you. There are angels like ubonjoe, BritTim, Tanoshi, JackThompson, to name a few, so one thing's for sure you have reached the right place for help. And I'll chip in with my 2 cents worth. 

 

[ubonjoe]

24 minutes ago, toyboy said:

Should I go straight to suanphlu and ask for him?
I imagine calling from here is utopic, right?
Can I bring food or anything can help him stay better there?
Should I contact the consulate of his country? (as there is no embassy)
As far as I know, there are no straight flights to his homeland, how should I proceed?

Just go there and ask to see him. From immigration website FAQ. It does have a contact number.

Quote

contact in person at The 5 Building ,
Soi Suan Plu or by Tel. 0 2213 2369, 
included notifying name,  surname, nationality, 
age, arrested date, time and state sector

Once you establish contact with him you could take food clothing and etc to him.

If he has a valid passport there probably be no need to contact the consulate. They should already be aware he is in IDC.

Not sure a direct flight will be needed.  The IDC has staff that can help with the flight arrangements.

Edit: His 3000 baht fine is being reduced by 200 baht for each day he is he in detention. It is possible that it has already been reduced to nothing.

After he has a flight out he will escorted to the airport for his flight.

[Aditi Sharma]

Are you intending to get a visa on arrival. Since you said you were from a European country, I guess you will be visa exempt. Make sure you have 20k baht on hand. And you have that return ticket. And your hotel reservation for 2 weeks in place ( I guess this is not necessary to show right, where you

are staying?). 

 

When you received the video call did you take a screenshot to save a picture of his?

By looking at the number you were able to guess that the call was from Suanphlu, right? 

I dont think it is possible to record videocalls, right?)

 

(Has your boyfriend picked up anything at the IDC? I will certainly pray that he hasn't.  If unfortunately he has, make sure you dont catch it from him. Dont tell him I told you this.) 

 

Make sure he has an unexpired passport before you book his ticket. 

 

It seems the IDC staff will be able to help with the flight arrangements. It seems they are nice people after all. I wonder how much you will have to put aside for tips. 

 

Edited October 25, 2017 by Aditi Sharma
edit

[overherebc]

Some clothes and food is all you can take. You might not, notice, might not, be allowed to give it to him directly and will have to leave it with the staff who will pass it on. I don't think there is a visiting room, unless they have been added in the past few years. Someone else might know about that.

On the day of his flight he will be taken to the airport, the IDC staff will check him in well before his flight and from check in he will go directly to the IDC holding centre in the airport.

I doubt very much if you will get a chance to even see him or talk to him on the day he is deported.

100% there is no chance to sit down in the airport and have a coffee, snack and chat.

[jenny2017]

My BF is African and overstayed in Thailand for some years, and I'm European and actually in my country.
Some weeks ago I had a video call from him,  he was inside a cell, and he didn't know the name of the prison. 

After the call stopped, I never had contact with him again, his friends, that are also overstaying longtime in Bangkok, are helpless, 
I even had to find by myself what is the IDC.

 

   Op, please make sure that your friend is really at the IDC. There are too many scams going on and if he doesn't even know the name of the place, I'd be more than careful. 

[007 RED]

1 hour ago, Aditi Sharma said:

Sister, please provide more information as it will only help the wonderful people here to help you. There are angels like ubonjoe, BritTim, Tanoshi, JackThompson, to name a few, so one thing's for sure you have reached the right place for help. And I'll chip in with my 2 cents worth. 

 

Another case for you to bring up at your meeting with the Prime Minister, the Minister of the Interior, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Labour.  With all these cases your going to be very busy.  I hope your Non-B work permit covers having business meetings.

 

Please let us know how you get on.

[Aditi Sharma]

3 minutes ago, 007 RED said:

Another case for you to bring up at your meeting with the Prime Minister, the Minister of the Interior, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Labour.  With all these cases your going to be very busy.  I hope your Non-B work permit covers having business meetings.

 

Please let us know how you get on.

Sorry I forgot to mention you in the list of angels :-) 

[Aditi Sharma]

11 minutes ago, jenny2017 said:

My BF is African and overstayed in Thailand for some years, and I'm European and actually in my country.
Some weeks ago I had a video call from him,  he was inside a cell, and he didn't know the name of the prison. 

After the call stopped, I never had contact with him again, his friends, that are also overstaying longtime in Bangkok, are helpless, 
I even had to find by myself what is the IDC.

 

   Op, please make sure that your friend is really at the IDC. There are too many scams going on and if he doesn't even know the name of the place, I'd be more than careful. 

Hi Jenny2017, for a moment I thought your story was similar to the OP then I realised you had quoted her, LOL. What scams you mean? I would like to know more. You dont mean the 419s, do you? He was caught with friends. They operated like a mafia albeit in a crime called overstaying. You are right to suspect there is something up. 

[phuketjock]

1 hour ago, Aditi Sharma said:

Sister, please provide more information as it will only help the wonderful people here to help you. There are angels like ubonjoe, BritTim, Tanoshi, JackThompson, to name a few, so one thing's for sure you have reached the right place for help. And I'll chip in with my 2 cents worth. 

 

I have the distinct feeling that someone calling themselves toyboy is unlikely to be anyones sister 

[FritsSikkink]

1 hour ago, Aditi Sharma said:

Are you intending to get a visa on arrival. Since you said you were from a European country, I guess you will be visa exempt. Make sure you have 20k baht on hand. And you have that return ticket. And your hotel reservation for 2 weeks in place ( I guess this is not necessary to show right, where you

are staying?). 

 

When you received the video call did you take a screenshot to save a picture of his?

By looking at the number you were able to guess that the call was from Suanphlu, right? 

I dont think it is possible to record videocalls, right?)

 

(Has your boyfriend picked up anything at the IDC? I will certainly pray that he hasn't.  If unfortunately he has, make sure you dont catch it from him. Dont tell him I told you this.) 

 

Make sure he has an unexpired passport before you book his ticket. 

 

It seems the IDC staff will be able to help with the flight arrangements. It seems they are nice people after all. I wonder how much you will have to put aside for tips. 

 

I doubt it was only overstaying. If you are here for years, don't have money for a ticket, how did you survive those years?

[Aditi Sharma]

9 minutes ago, phuketjock said:

I have the distinct feeling that someone calling themselves toyboy is unlikely to be anyones sister 

I associated her name with tomboy which refers to a woman. right? Her sex is immaterial in this case. And here is what she said at the top of her post " I kindly ask you for respect and understanding, as my situation is serious and is affecting me." When someone says that, I wont judge their sexuality. 

Edited October 25, 2017 by Aditi Sharma
edit

[Aditi Sharma]

9 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

I doubt it was only overstaying. If you are here for years, don't have money for a ticket, how did you survive those years?

Yeah, but he just needs enough money to get him out of the Kingdom. I wonder what his friends are going to think? How many girls would follow up on their boyfriends these days? Look at the mess Weinstein finds himself in today. So it certainly shows what a sterling character the OP is, God bless her!

[007 RED]

Visiting Immigration Detention Center, Suan Plu, Bangkok

 

Anyone with a valid visa/extension to stay  is welcome to visit the IDC during normal visiting times, which are from 10:00 to 11:00am Monday to Friday (except holidays).

 

You will need to arrive well before visiting time in order to register.  The earlier the better e.g. 09:00am.

 

To register you must produce a copies of your passport (photo page) plus visa and entry stamp and departure card.  You should sign each copy in advance and have ready to hand over to the guard.

 

You will be asked to fill out an admission form which will ask for the name and IDC number of the detainee.  The form will also ask for your details and address whilst in Thailand.

 

You can bring in food and books etc. for the detainee but nothing metal, glass, mobile phones or bedding material.  You can give the detainee money or notes/letters but this must be done by one of the guards.

 

You will not be allowed to take your own personal items (handbag/purse/mobile phone etc.) into the meeting area.  These items will have to be put into a locker before you enter the area.

 

You will see the detainee through a double fence but you will not be able ot hug them.

 

Please be respectful to the IDC guards as they are only doing their job and the visiting service could be shut down at any time if they chose to do so.

 

Visitors should only becoming as an individual wanting to help or comfort the detainee and not for any other reason and not for any other reason such as reporter, lawyer or human rights activist. If the staff become aware of any ulterior motive you will be asked to leave immediately and future visitation for the detainee will be jeopardized.

[Aditi Sharma]

5 minutes ago, jenny2017 said:

What part of my post do you not understand? 

You have quoted my post, my dear. I thought you were suggesting that, and that you were privy to, quite a few scams going on in the Kingdom putatively in which Africans were involved. I wish to know if you could share them for the benefit of those who arent aware of them. Thats all. 

[overherebc]

5 minutes ago, Aditi Sharma said:

Yeah, but he just needs enough money to get him out of the Kingdom. I wonder what his friends are going to think? How many girls would follow up on their boyfriends these days? Look at the mess Weinstein finds himself in today. So it certainly shows what a sterling character the OP is, God bless her!

Telephones are not allowed in IDC so seems a bit strange he could post a video call.

Meant to put that as an edit on my post but had a phone problem.

Still seems a very risky venture for the OP to fly out here when she will get the chance to shout to her boyfriend over a two metre gap along with god knows how many people for an hour then won't even get a chance to see him before he gets on the plane.

She needs to think long and hard about it before she does anything.

Would like to post some encouraging news but with IDC and impending deportation encouraging news is very short.

[Aditi Sharma]

4 minutes ago, 007 RED said:

You will be asked to fill out an admission form which will ask for the name and IDC number of the detainee.  The form will also ask for your details and address whilst in Thailand.

as reporter, lawyer or human rights activist. 

What if she hasn't got the IDC number? 

What if a reporter, lawyer or a human rights activist wants to meet a detainee? What is the process, pls?

[overherebc]

4 minutes ago, 007 RED said:

Visiting Immigration Detention Center, Suan Plu, Bangkok

 

Anyone with a valid visa/extension to stay  is welcome to visit the IDC during normal visiting times, which are from 10:00 to 11:00am Monday to Friday (except holidays).

 

You will need to arrive well before visiting time in order to register.  The earlier the better e.g. 09:00am.

 

To register you must produce a copies of your passport (photo page) plus visa and entry stamp and departure card.  You should sign each copy in advance and have ready to hand over to the guard.

 

You will be asked to fill out an admission form which will ask for the name and IDC number of the detainee.  The form will also ask for your details and address whilst in Thailand.

 

You can bring in food and books etc. for the detainee but nothing metal, glass, mobile phones or bedding material.  You can give the detainee money or notes/letters but this must be done by one of the guards.

 

You will not be allowed to take your own personal items (handbag/purse/mobile phone etc.) into the meeting area.  These items will have to be put into a locker before you enter the area.

 

You will see the detainee through a double fence but you will not be able ot hug them.

 

Please be respectful to the IDC guards as they are only doing their job and the visiting service could be shut down at any time if they chose to do so.

 

Visitors should only becoming as an individual wanting to help or comfort the detainee and not for any other reason and not for any other reason such as reporter, lawyer or human rights activist. If the staff become aware of any ulterior motive you will be asked to leave immediately and future visitation for the detainee will be jeopardized.

All true.

I have the thought that the OP seems to think that she can pay for his fare and then get him 'out' of IDC, she seems to infer that in the first post.

I doubt they will inform her of the flight times etc, if she buys the ticket herself she will know but I'm not sure how the ticket buying is done. Does she pass on the money and they buy it or what. And to repeat she will not see him at the airport on the day he is deported

[Aussieroaming]

26 minutes ago, Aditi Sharma said:

I associated her name with tomboy which refers to a woman. right? Her sex is immaterial in this case. And here is what she said at the top of her post " I kindly ask you for respect and understanding, as my situation is serious and is affecting me." When someone says that, I wont judge their sexuality. 

Her sex is material in as much as once she becomes a he you should refer to her as sir

[Aditi Sharma]

Just now, Aussieroaming said:

Her sex is material in as much as once she becomes a he you should refer to her as sir

Thats clever.

[AGareth2]

3000 bht fine for a years overstay

is that about right?

15 days in the slammer

[ubonjoe]

Off topic, inflammatory and abusive posts have been removed.

From now on there will be no further notice of the removals made.

If you don't have anything helpful to post do not bother posting.

[007 RED]

OP… I have read your original post several times and the more I read, the more I have concerns for you.

You mentioned that…. “Some weeks ago I had a video call from him, he was inside a cell, and he didn’t know the name of the prison” 

 

For your information there are only normal landline phones available for detainees to use in the Bangkok IDC (for which the detainee has to pay for any calls out).  Any mobile phones, tablets or laptops will have been taken away from him at the time of initial detention.  So it begs the question, how did he make a video call from his cell?

 

I do not wish to pry into your personal relationship, but have you met this person and who made the suggestion about paying for his flight home?

 

Unfortunately there have been so many scams recently involving people from a certain part of the African sub-continent.  The usual ploy being to obtain money from someone who is seeking a relationship on all sorts of pretexts.

 

Please think long and hard before making any serious decisions.  Only you will know if this is a true relationship.

 

For your information:  If he is being deported (for whatever reason) he will remain in IDC until he is able to secure funds to purchase a one-way flight back to his home country.  His government will not offer any assistance with his repatriation.

 

If you do come to Bangkok and are able to fund his homeward flight, other than visiting him in the Bangkok IDC, you will not be able to see him at the airport as he will be taken directly to the airport detention centre by the 'back door' where the formalities of his departure will be made.  He will then be escorted to the plane just before boarding commences.

[jenny2017]

<My BF is African and overstayed in Thailand for some years, and I'm European and actually in my country.
Some weeks ago I had a video call from him,  he was inside a cell, and he didn't know the name of the prison. 

After the call stopped, I never had contact with him again, his friends, that are also overstaying longtime in Bangkok, are helpless, 
I even had to find by myself what is the IDC.

What they told me, and this is not clear at all, is he has been judged already, and the 3000thb fine has been paid, so now its supposed to just need the flight back home.> from the OP !!

 

 Op, a few years of overstay is usually not handled with a 3,00 baht fine. It's 20,000 baht for the overstay, no matter how long he'd been illegal in the country. Then the deportation and blacklisted for Thailand. 

 

 The 3,000 baht might be for anything else where he's broken the law. If visitors aren't allowed to take in their phones, how can your imprisoned friend make a video call, considering that it's not allowed to make photos of, or in such an institution?

 

And not knowing where he is, doesn't sound right. Full stop. 

 

  

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, jenny2017 said:

Op, a few years of overstay is usually not handled with a 3,00 baht fine. It's 20,000 baht for the overstay, no matter how long he'd been illegal in the country. Then the deportation and blacklisted for Thailand. 

Wrong

A judge sets the fine when a person is in detention. The 3000 baht fine seems to be the standard amount they set it to.

The judge is not bound by the 500 baht a day fine that gets people to the 20k baht maximum fine.

[Aditi Sharma]

44 minutes ago, tubby johnson said:

You're new to Thailand? Born yesterday? Everyone's aware of the African scams and it's strongly advisable that the the OP enlightens himself about them before embarking on any expensive misadventure in Thailand.

I agree. But are you sure those scams which you are aware of are the very same ones operating in the Kingdom? It is a wild extrapolation that the OP's boyfriend is involved in one to which I totally disagree with all due respect to those who would disagree with me.   

[overherebc]

38 minutes ago, AGareth2 said:

3000 bht fine for a years overstay

is that about right?

15 days in the slammer

In general 2000 to 3000 baht is normal.

However the time in IDC is the worst part of it. 

No phone, pretty crap food and 70 + to a cell.

If you had no mates friends to do anything for you it could be a long stay trying to get a flight arranged and paid for.

[AGareth2]

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

Wrong

A judge sets the fine when a person is in detention. The 3000 baht fine seems to be the standard amount they set it to.

The judge is not bound by the 500 baht a fine that gets people to the 20k baht maximum fine.

seems a bit lenient

almost worth going on overstay

[ubonjoe]

19 minutes ago, 007 RED said:

For your information there are only normal landline phones available for detainees to use in the Bangkok IDC (for which the detainee has to pay for any calls out).  Any mobile phones, tablets or laptops will have been taken away from him at the time of initial detention.  So it begs the question, how did he make a video call from his cell?

Perhaps

But I suspect it may be possible for detainees to get assistance to reach out for help. It costs nothing to do a Skye, Line or Facebook video call.