NON-B with Overstay

[mrolson]

Immigration police arrested at least ten farang at Nathon pier in Koh Samui recently as these folks left for visa runs. Most had overstays of only five hours, but most also held non-B visas. Three personal friends were taken to jail, posted with Bt10,000-plus bail each, passports confiscated and scheduled for court appearances. Two weeks hence, they each paid a Bt30,000 fine, two-week overstays and were escorted to the airport for flights to Singapore and then home. Any idea what's going on? All the stamps and letters in their passports are in Thai, and they received them at the airport. All have legit small businesses and never overstayed before.

XQ

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Immigration police arrested at least ten farang at Nathon pier in Koh Samui recently as these folks left for visa runs. Most had overstays of only five hours, but most also held non-B visas. Three personal friends were taken to jail, posted with Bt10,000-plus bail each, passports confiscated and scheduled for court appearances. Two weeks hence, they each paid a Bt30,000 fine, two-week overstays and were escorted to the airport for flights to Singapore and then home. Any idea what's going on? All the stamps and letters in their passports are in Thai, and they received them at the airport. All have legit small businesses and never overstayed before.

XQ

But they did overstay. And there has been warnings about Samui Immigration on here for awhile. Alas, the Thai writing stamp in their passports is the persona non grata stamp. They are not permitted to re-enter Thailand for a long time to come.

[simey]

I missed the warnings about Samui - was there a specific thread?

The point is valid - overstay is overstay and it's everybodys own responsibility to make sure that they do the visa run in time. If they were 5 hours over at Nathon then they would be another 5 hours at least by the time they hit Malaysia or Myanmar. I feel sorry for them to be held up as examples in this way, but we all need to be careful these days and leaving the visa run until the last minute was walking a dangerous path.

[Axel]

I take the risk of becoming boring, still say it again

Never <deleted> with immigration.

Don't try to be smart, even you don't understand the why's just do what they want.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I take the risk of becoming boring, still say it again

Never <deleted> with immigration.

Don't try to be smart, even you don't understand the why's just do what they want.

Same rules in any counnry in the world Axel. Why do they think that the rules are elastic here ?

[Guest chingy]

Wut! another overstay story (why, why, why)

[britainmal]

Actually no, These people are foreigners with money that are benifiting the country ,not just some migrant wokers working as Labourers. This is the example of how racist the Thai Government is towards foreigners. I would take legal action against the Thai Government if I were them.

[ovenman]

I would take legal action against the Thai Government if I were them.

What would you suggest, suing the Thai government for actually having the gall to enforce their own immigration laws?

[britainmal]

Well, I don't know the actual situation, but I find that too extreme to just send somebody back and do all the other stuff just for overstaying for 5 hours. I don't think no where in Thai immigration law the Thai government has the right to just deport somebody.

[lopburi3]

Section 54 : Any alien who enters or come to stay in the Kingdom without permission or when such permission expires or is revoked , the competent official will deport such alien out of the Kingdom.

The provisions of Section 19 and 20 will be applied Mutatis Mutandis if in the case that investigation for deportation in reference to Para.1 of this Section must be conducted.

In case there is an order of deportation for the alien; while waiting for the alien to be deported the competent official may order the alien to stay at any prescribed place or he may order the alien to report to him ( competent official ) according to a prescribed date, time ,and place with Security or with Security and Bond. The competent official may also detain the alien at any given place as many be necessary. The expense of detention shall be charged to the alien’s account.

The provision of this Section shall not apply to aliens entering and talking up residence in the Kingdom before the enforcement of the Immigration Act B.C. 2480 [ 1937 ]

Source: Immigration Laws as posted at Div 3 Immigration Police