Help Needed.

[lancashirelad1]

Hi Everbody, Need some help please.

In Octorber of last year I was arressted by the Police in conection with theft.

They took my passport off me and sent it of to the British Embas. in BKK.

All the charges have been droped agains me and I now have received my passport Back, along with paperwork from the court stating I am a free man.

I have a nom im. (o) visa which ran out in November, so I been on overstay for quite a bit.

I been told that because I can prove i did nothing wrong and the case against me has been closed That I will not have to pay the overstay at Imigration in Airport.(seeing that I had my passport taken from me and could not do a visa run)

I am due to fly back to uk Shortley and dont want to end up at Bkk airport ony to find out they going to hit me with a large overstay.

Do I need to go to local imagration to sort this out before I fly and get some sort of document of them to show at airport.

Thanks.

[Crossy]

IMHO I'd be tempted to go to immigration rather than try to sort things at the airport when your time is limited.

I'll be they fine you though, not heard of many overstays getting away with it

IIRC max fine is still 20,000 Baht.

[aussiestyle1983]

I doubt they can charge you since you were locked up here and your passport was confiscated. However, you will need to explain why you did not deal with this from the time you were let out untill the day you leave. You will need to get evidence of your stay in prison and have doccuments to proove your story. You should also head to immigration if possible before you leave, they will most likely be of more help.

I seriously doubt you can be busted for overstay if the Thai police locked you up in Thai prison, its not like you had any option................

[Beavis and Butthead]

Nobody gets relieved of overstay fines here, I mean nobody. Get your 20K ready and just pay it. You can go to immigration for the hel_l of it but I say there's no way they will let you off. Please do report back what happens. Can't hurt to try

[lancashirelad1]

Thank you all for replies.

I was not sent to prison but spent a night in the local police station , and got baill the next day.Thats when they took my passport.

My passport was then sent to The British embassy in Bkk and held there until paper work from court was faxed to them saying I was inocent.

How was I able to a visa run without my passport?

I am not due to fly home till 15th feb so got a few days to try and sort things out.

If I just turn up at Airport and pay overstay (20,000 will that be it and then I can fly home.

All Advice is very much appreciated.

[sniffdog]

I think you've made one mistake ..... waiting with inquiries until now. You know you were on overstay, I think it would have been

wise if you had seek assistance (from either the British Embassy or Immigration Police).

That said think they won't waive your overstay (if you're sick you're still are responsible for your overstay). But as the maximum

overstay is THB 20,000, that's all you need.

[lancashirelad1]

I contacted the British Emb. and had a meeting with them 2 days after I was arrested and placed on bail.

All they could say that if I went on to overstay then I would have to pay, but that was only if the case agains me was proved.

Now my case has ben droped and all charges agains me are droped.

Think I will just pay the 20,000b. at airport, and be glad to get home.

Its not very fair, as I have proved the case against me. But i suppose that Thailand for you.

[Badbanker]

I contacted the British Emb. and had a meeting with them 2 days after I was arrested and placed on bail.

All they could say that if I went on to overstay then I would have to pay, but that was only if the case agains me was proved.

Now my case has ben droped and all charges agains me are droped.

Think I will just pay the 20,000b. at airport, and be glad to get home.

Its not very fair, as I have proved the case against me. But i suppose that Thailand for you.

I have a friend that has just been released from the immigration detention center.  He has said there are several people in your circumstances that went to Immigration with the 20k and a ticket and they were put inside for safety sake to make sure all was indeed cleared.  

His suggestion is that you should get a lawyer (Sunbelt Asia maybe) to take you passport to immigraton and pay the money, show the outward ticket and get your overstay clearance and exit stamp.  You should show up at the airport and get on the plane as planned.

Play it safe

Badbanker

[britmaveric]

I'd have to agree I don't think they care about the situation of why you overstayed, just that you did.