Hi guys,

 

I have followed some immigration threads in this forum but the answers people were given, were not always based on current legislature, rather on personal inferences. I had amassed credit card debt in Thailand, left the country 13 years ago and lived abroad ever since. I am planning on travelling to Bangkok in a month and I wonder if my bad debt from that era will still follow me, or should I write,  will the immigration stop me, question me or even arrest me? It is a grey area from what I gather so would like to hear from someone who is well informed. I have read that there is a blacklist for 5 years, but what happens then? can I reenter with no problem and that debt is wiped out? or simply will the debt be there but I won't have problems entering the country? What do you know folks? Thanks.

I see no reason for you to have a problem entering the country.

You debt was probably written off years ago. They don't normally file criminal charges for a bad debt.

Perfect! Thank you.

17 minutes ago, Miszka said:

Perfect! Thank you.

Quote

I had amassed credit card debt in Thailand, left the country 13 years ago and lived abroad ever since.

Bad guys out, bad guys in.....

If your conscience is getting the better of you then you could always repay the debt, OP.  

26 minutes ago, Miszka said:

Perfect! Thank you.

It’s not a good idea to rely on someone’s opinion.

 

The only way to know would be to contact immigration yourself or through a representative.

1 minute ago, elviajero said:

It’s not a good idea to rely on someone’s opinion.

It was no an opinion. I was based upon fact.

Bad debts are a civil matter not a criminal offense.

11 minutes ago, OneEyedPie said:

If your conscience is getting the better of you then you could always repay the debt, OP.  

You mean it's not possible to have your cake and eat it too?

1 minute ago, ThaiBunny said:

You mean it's not possible to have your cake and eat it too?

Think of the kudos immediately bestowed on the disenfranchised and despised expats. 

5 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

You mean it's not possible to have your cake and eat it too?

I would say that is exactly what the op has done. 

It's an unsecured loan, there is little or nothing that could be done to collect. 

Edited May 10, 20197 yr by metempsychotic

19 hours ago, metempsychotic said:

I would say that is exactly what the op has done. 

It's an unsecured loan, there is little or nothing that could be done to collect. 

I am more intrigued how the guy amassed Credit Card debt. I only see that possible if he obtained the card(s) based on a Work Permit. 

Depends on the numbers? This is LOS. It is not about the law. Its who did you screw. 

19 hours ago, OneEyedPie said:

If your conscience is getting the better of you then you could always repay the debt, OP.  

It didn't take long for the TV moral police bores to make an appearance.

 

Perhaps the OP was coming to Thailand to set his affairs straight and was worried about getting arrested if he tried. 

30 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

I am more intrigued how the guy amassed Credit Card debt. I only see that possible if he obtained the card(s) based on a Work Permit. 

Just because you leave your job doesn't mean that they cancel your credit cards.

3 minutes ago, dbrenn said:

Just because you leave your job doesn't mean that they cancel your credit cards.

I guess not, although I am not in a position to know. Not ever having had a WP. My CCs are based on a FD account so I can never amass debt. 

7 minutes ago, dbrenn said:

Perhaps the OP was coming to Thailand to set his affairs straight

After 13 years, I doubt it.

I understand that credit card debt is only a civil issue anyway and in any case it stays on the records for 10 years. Then it is removed from the records, that process apparently taking anything up to a further year.

16 minutes ago, geoffbezoz said:

I understand that credit card debt is only a civil issue anyway and in any case it stays on the records for 10 years. Then it is removed from the records, that process apparently taking anything up to a further year.

The OP might be able to get a report on the status of the debt, as well as the regulations around record keeping here https://www.ncb.co.th/

come on OP. do you think thailand is technically able to link immigration computers (servers) to credit history servers

22 hours ago, OneEyedPie said:

If your conscience is getting the better of you then you could always repay the debt, OP.  

The debt will have been written off & credit history would have been cleared 10yrs after that. He 'could' inquire, but the cc issuers will have no record.

Why would you think that immigration would stop you from entering or leaving Thailand because of credit card debt??

29 minutes ago, lensta said:

Why would you think that immigration would stop you from entering or leaving Thailand because of credit card debt??

The question was whether unpaid debts are a criminal offence. Although normally a civil matter, can debts be a criminal matter if money was borrowed with no intention of paying back? I'm not sure whether Thai law makes this differentiation.

I believe that the Banks do contact immigration, you are then normally Blacklisted for 5 years, and unable to enter Thailand (or leave in sone cases)  After 13 years you'll most likely be ok, but who knows.

 

What I'd not do (unless you want to repay the debt) is go and try to open a bank account, you may have history on their databases, they could then call the BIB.

 

This is where sometimes the decisions we make in life, come back and haunt you.

 

 

20 minutes ago, spoon1967 said:

I believe that the Banks do contact immigration, you are then normally Blacklisted for 5 years, and unable to enter Thailand (or leave in sone cases)  After 13 years you'll most likely be ok, but who knows.

 

What I'd not do (unless you want to repay the debt) is go and try to open a bank account, you may have history on their databases, they could then call the BIB.

 

This is where sometimes the decisions we make in life, come back and haunt you.

 

 

Nonsense. The procedure is here.

 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.tilleke.com/sites/default/files/Bankrutpcy-Law-in-Thailand.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjtqY_H7JLiAhVT63MBHQGdAh8QFjAAegQIAxAB&usg=AOvVaw1YVc7vCZKzybfFuTfFbbgv

Edited May 11, 20197 yr by dbrenn

28 minutes ago, spoon1967 said:

I believe that the Banks do contact immigration, you are then normally Blacklisted for 5 years, and unable to enter Thailand (or leave in sone cases)  After 13 years you'll most likely be ok, but who knows.

 

What I'd not do (unless you want to repay the debt) is go and try to open a bank account, you may have history on their databases, they could then call the BIB.

 

This is where sometimes the decisions we make in life, come back and haunt you.

 

 

Complete drivel. CC debt is a civil issue in Thailand.

On 5/10/2019 at 12:56 PM, OneEyedPie said:

If your conscience is getting the better of you then you could always repay the debt, OP.  

did you mean to say "if he's a total moron, he could repay the debt"? poor, victimized banks, all they want to do is help people and charge them 20% to borrow money but only 1% interest on savings. How can they possibly make any money?

 

BTW, I had a credit card debt with a Thai bank, lost my job, tried to negotiate a payment plan below the 10% of total balance monthly minimum. Bank staff actually yelled at me "you pay 10%!!". The bank was totally unwilling to negotiate on anything including a longer payment term, even though the bank would still be earning their 20% throughout the repayment term. Bank filed a lawsuit, got a court judgment against me.

Then I popped into their headquarters one day and they agreed to my proposed 5% of balance payment every month. The debt has been fully paid, the bank made even more total interest than had I paid on time, and they wasted tons and tons of staff time and my time in the process. So, the bank can go eff itself and I hope the OP is not stupid enough to further support their mafia-like behavior. Peace. Out.

3 minutes ago, MiNombreEsFicticious said:

did you mean to say "if he's a total moron, he could repay the debt"? poor, victimized banks, all they want to do is help people and charge them 20% to borrow money but only 1% interest on savings. How can they possibly make any money?

 

BTW, I had a credit card debt with a Thai bank, lost my job, tried to negotiate a payment plan below the 10% of total balance monthly minimum. Bank staff actually yelled at me "you pay 10%!!". The bank was totally unwilling to negotiate on anything including a longer payment term, even though the bank would still be earning their 20% throughout the repayment term. Bank filed a lawsuit, got a court judgment against me.

Then I popped into their headquarters one day and they agreed to my proposed 5% of balance payment every month. The debt has been fully paid, the bank made even more total interest than had I paid on time, and they wasted tons and tons of staff time and my time in the process. So, the bank can go eff itself and I hope the OP is not stupid enough to further support their mafia-like behavior. Peace. Out.

What seemed to be the problem? 

 

 

Edited May 11, 20197 yr by OneEyedPie

1 hour ago, dbrenn said:

The question was whether unpaid debts are a criminal offence. Although normally a civil matter, can debts be a criminal matter if money was borrowed with no intention of paying back? I'm not sure whether Thai law makes this differentiation.

Very good question.

On 5/10/2019 at 1:12 PM, metempsychotic said:

I would say that is exactly what the op has done. 

It's an unsecured loan, there is little or nothing that could be done to collect. 

Just hope the lender is the forgiving type with no gun  

On 5/11/2019 at 9:22 AM, jacko45k said:

I am more intrigued how the guy amassed Credit Card debt. I only see that possible if he obtained the card(s) based on a Work Permit. 

contracts end, people leave.