Year old unpaid AIS bill. Will I have trouble entering Thailand?

[gracegift]

Not sure if this is the right section to post this. I hope so.

 

A few years ago I lived in Bangkok and I had a AIS internet router in my apartment. My contract was for 12 months but I extended it by a few months to match the time I'd be staying in Bangkok. After paying my final bill, I went to AIS and returned my router and ended the contract. Everything was fine. No problems at their office, the staff were helpful and polite. After this I went and closed down my Thai bank account and prepared to leave Thailand.

 

On the day of my flight I got a phone call from AIS saying there was a problem with my bill. I went to my local AIS office to solve the problem. It was explained to me that due to a technical issue on their end they are charging me for an extra month even though I paid a month ahead. The lady at he office said it wasn't her call and that she can't do anything about it. She also told me that unless the extra month was paid, they'd continue to charge me for internet despite the fact that my contract was ended and my router returned. Finally, she said that I could only resolve it via one of the big AIS offices as the little branches couldn't handle that sort thing (which meant I couldn't pay the bill right there even if I wanted to). Given that I had to leave the country in a few hours plus Bangkok traffic, I had no time to travel to a main office to resolve the issue before I left Thailand.

 

I tried solving it from overseas but they wanted me to pay for it via my Thai bank account, which was impossible given that the bank account was already closed and emptied. After a few failed efforts to resolve it from Europe, I gave up and forgot about the whole thing.

 

It's been about 18 months and I've been thinking of visiting Thailand for a 2 week vacation. I'm concerned however that this AIS issue might land me into legal trouble upon arriving in Thailand. IS this something I should be worried about? Could I be arrested and charged at the airport over this?

[hello55060]

I don't have experience in your situation, but in my opinion, you are way way overthinking it. I think AIS have bigger fish to fry then you, would they really go to the hassle of opening up a police report or getting you arrested upon your return. If they had done anything they will file it with debt collector agency if it's months unpaid (and given up trying to resolve it with you peacefully) and that's only in the likely event if we're talking 10000 baht plus otherwise it's much more hassle than it's worth for them as a company. Your talking about 1 month I can't imagine it's more than 1000 baht.

 

Have you heard of anyone who didn't pay their UK broadband bill or phone bill for example in the UK coming back from a holiday and getting detained at Heathrow lol?

 

I would guess if you wanted an AIS phone contract/broadband and went into the shop then it would come up on their system that you have a bill overdue and you wouldn't be able to open one up without settling the bill first.

 

Summary, don't think too much, you'll be fine. Just sign up for DTAC or TrueMove on your next trip.

 

 

[gracegift]

I am mostly concerned because they told me that they'd keep charging me even though I'd shut my account and returned my Router. The bill would thus get larger over time.

[neeray]

If Thailand functions anything like any western country (I know, 555), this is a civil matter, not a criminal matter.

Take the advice of poster hello55060. Don't overthink on this. You won't be visiting the Bangkok Hilton.

[jackdd]

I know several Thais who just stopped paying for their internet bills... nothing ever happens, the existing contract gets frozen and they can't make a new contract with this company until they pay for the outstanding balance, that's it.

So imho there is nothing you have to worry about.

[jacko45k]

I expect it might be a problem for anyone trying to obtain AIS service for the same address. They have no way to pursue you on this and I would relax. Might not go to AIS for anything though! ????

[PerkinsCuthbert]

I hear privately that the Joker is on your case, and has a squadron of the Kingdom's finest waiting for a pointing session with you in an orange jumpsuit on your arrival. My advice is to wear a false nose and moustache a la Groucho Marx, adopt a stoop and a long stride, and see if you can evade the reception committee.

Otherwise, you have nothing to worry about.

[JaiLai]

I came back to Thailand to a 46,000 mobile phone bill after opening roaming for 2 days overseas.

 

I had a 10K limit on my account so went to the provider ( True ) and offered to pay the 10K coz that's what my limit was suppose to be set at. Needless to say they wanted the full amount.

 

I asked what would happen if not paid, first stop outgoing calls, then stop incoming calls and then eventually discontiue number. Told they would then send letters to my address and then more letters, i asked what would happen when not paid - they said nothing, i'd just not be able to open another SIM with True.

 

All the girls and boys in the shop thought it rather amusing about the size of bill and said not to worry about it, so i did nothing, no reprucussions at all.

 

Thais do this sort of thing all the time, so when in Rome....

 

 

[DJ54]

Had same experience when wife tired to pay off bill and close account. Reason they were charging her 3500 to 4000 every month 

internet and phone.

 

i only pay 500 a month for Internet on phone. As usual ask me for money to pay. Told her to pay it and close at local AIS in small town.

 

Nope had to drive an hour away in Udon Thani at big location in mall. Paid all after an hour of them calculating etc. 

 

Two weeks later she got call call they said need to pay more. Told take a picture of receipt an message to them.

 

did not hear anything any more. My service is AIS

 

 

 

 

[cnx355]

14 hours ago, jackdd said:

I know several Thais who just stopped paying for their internet bills... nothing ever happens, the existing contract gets frozen and they can't make a new contract with this company until they pay for the outstanding balance, that's it.

So imho there is nothing you have to worry about.

Like many said, just use another provider in the future DTAC or True.

 

And keep the old receipt when  you returned the router at their office. In case of civil claim they sure can not prove to a judge that you used it for internet. Tech problem is their problem.

Relax enjoy you r stay,

 

 

[realenglish1]

I am sorry to say there is an AIS prison located on the Laos border with Thailand. Last count there were 17  falang prisoners being held in detention for not paying their AIS bill

Ok I am joking I can tell you from experience this is a civil matter not criminal There is no problem Come back to Thailand and when you have time go to their office and just pay the bill It really is that simple

[stud858]

Impossible for you to have a problem.

 

I recommend dtac happy Sim internet for next time.

 

Apparently, You can write to ombudsman in Thailand if there were to be a big problem. 

 

One would think the ombudsman would scold the telephone company and set you free unless the ombudsman gets a free iPhone each year. 

 

 

[Monkeyrobot]

You will have time on this trip to go to the big AIS office and sought it out if there is a problem , but that won’t happen. Don’t worry about it. The threat of keeping your account open was just a scare tactic. 

[5633572526]

True has claimed I owe them money for 3 years now and it hasn’t been a problem for me coming and going. I just can’t use True for phone or internet. I showed them “paid in full” receipts for the charges they claim I owe but that made no difference.