Three Brits Kicked Out of Thailand

[Andy25]

THREE BRITS KICKED OUT OF THAILAND

Would anyone like to provide feedback about what is going on?

WHAT HAPPENED?

Well, quite a lot it seems with some Brits being thrown out of the country and vowing never to return. Some have been kicked out because they overstayed which is quite a legitimate reason, others because they are on the run which is also quite a valid reason, and then there’s the grey area. Brits who’ve not overstayed, who are not on the run, and who have settled in Thailand with a Thai wife and had kids! Why are they being kicked out?

CASE ONE: THIS ONE OVERSTAYED

He spent twelve years in Korat, fell out with his Thai wife, she grassed him up and immigration moved in. He’d overstayed for ten years which meant six weeks in Bangkok’s detention centre, a fine, and now he’s banned from Thailand for ten years. Seems like a fair cop?

CASE TWO: HE’S ON THE RUN

Case two shot someone in the UK and fled to Thailand. The British police contacted their counterparts in Thailand who picked him up. He’d slipped in the country at some remote border but he’d now overstayed as well. Seems like a fair cop?

CASE THREE: HE’S TRYING TO STAY LEGAL

This one entered Thailand in 1992 with a tourist visa. After a few months, he found work and switched to a work permit. Between 1992 and 2018 he switched between work permits, retirement visas, tourist visas, work permits, and tourist visas. He never missed his 90 day reports or overstayed. He married a Thai girl and had three kids. All seemed fine until one day Thailand said no. You can’t come in! We don’t want you!

WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE A BIT SHOT?

Thai immigration sat case three down and accused him of not having any money. Case three tried to protest and said he’d spent over a million pounds in Thailand and that he worked and paid all due taxes and social security. Plus he had £1,000 pounds in his wallet.

Thai immigration replied – ‘Who do you think you are a bit shot?’

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I DID THIS IN YOUR COUNTRY?

Immigration then asked what would happen to him if he’d done (the immigration guy) what case three had done in his country?

Case three answered: If you’d gone to England, lived and worked there for thirty years, paid all taxes, married an English girl and had children, and spent a million pounds my country could give you free citizenship, free national health, and a pension.

LOCKED UP IN A PIG PEN FOR THE NIGHT!

Case three then had a police escort to the airport basement (Suwannaphum) where he had to spend the night locked in a stinking room with around 25 other people. He had to pay 700 Baht plus VAT. The following morning he had to fly back to the country he’d left the day before. He had no luggage and just the clothes he’d worn the previous day. From there he had to fly back to the UK and he’s vowed never to return to Thailand. He’s asked not to be named as he still has his family in Thailand and he wants to get them out.

WHAT DID HE DO WRONG?

He flew into Thailand without a visa which he’d done twice before this year.

He’s not a drug trafficker. He’s not a people trafficker. He’s not having any kinds of relationships with minors apart from the normal one with his kids. Fair cop?

IS THIS RIGHT?

Are there any people reading this in a similar position? Have you been kicked out? Will you ever return? Did you contact the British Embassy in Thailand?

[ukrules]

There's only one explaination for this : hate

[jacko45k]

He was hoping for another Visa Exempt Entry, which is purely for tourism purposes. He is clearly not a tourist. If a Thai tried to do that to the UK, well he would not be able to get on the plane. The Embassy would be of no assistance. What is the point of this post?

[CharlieH]

So the first 2 are for dramatic effect, but the point is they were illegal.

 

The third case, begs questions but something was clearly wrong for immigration to handle in that manner. I suspect that there is more to that story.

Entered twice before, clearly not a tourist as he also has a family here, he should have the appropriate visa for the circumstances of his visit/stay in the Kingdom..(IMHO).

[BritTim]

24 minutes ago, Andy25 said:

WHAT DID HE DO WRONG?

 

He flew into Thailand without a visa which he’d done twice before this year.

 

He’s not a drug trafficker. He’s not a people trafficker. He’s not having any kinds of relationships with minors apart from the normal one with his kids. Fair cop?

I am sympathetic for his experience which I do not see as being good for anyone, including Thailand and his Thai dependants. What he did wrong was trying to enter visa exempt. Immigration is within its rights to deny visa exempt entry, especially when used as a means of staying long periods in Thailand. With a Thai wife and kids, he could and should have used Non O visas to enter Thailand.

[Happy Grumpy]

10 minutes ago, ukrules said:

There's only one explaination for this : hate

 

Yup, it's pretty clear the OP hates Thailand. 

[mikebike]

31 minutes ago, Andy25 said:

If you’d gone to England, lived and worked there for thirty years, paid all taxes, married an English girl and had children, and spent a million pounds my country could give you free citizenship, free national health, and a pension.

Not necessarily if you have been following the thread regarding long-term Europeans in the UK.

[asiaexpat]

Married with kids seems like he could easily have obtained a Non-O and extension. Of course he would need the funds and proof of relationship. Must be lacking in some respect.  

[DrJack54]

Seems case 3 is someone living pretty much continuously in los lately without correct visa. 

[Andy25]

8 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

He was hoping for another Visa Exempt Entry, which is purely for tourism purposes. He is clearly not a tourist. If a Thai tried to do that to the UK, well he would not be able to get on the plane. The Embassy would be of no assistance. What is the point of this post?

I think the point of this post is time. When you move between Tourist Visas, Work Permits, Retirement Visas, and back again, the process takes time. Case three was just about to go back to a retirement visa but immigration were not interested in this history of this case. They didn't want to listen.

[Andy25]

3 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Seems case 3 is someone living pretty much continuously in los lately without correct visa. 

That's not correct. Work Permits for 18 years. Retirement visas for 5 years. But he's switched between the two and tourist visas.

 

[Don Mega]

What was the question ?

[glegolo]

I dont think that lawbiding people are getting throwned out of Thailand but drunks, overstayers criminals on one or another way they are throwned out fortunately...

 

So no problem for me..... This seems to be lowclass people anyhow....

 

Case 1 - overstayed dont understand why you mention this one at all....

Case 2 - criminal     "        "           "               "                "

Case 3 - no comments dont know and cant guess...

 

glegolo

[Andy25]

5 minutes ago, asiaexpat said:

Married with kids seems like he could easily have obtained a Non-O and extension. Of course he would need the funds and proof of relationship. Must be lacking in some respect.  

Correct- But switching between Work Permits and Retirement Visas take time.

Funds were never an issue. Proof of relationship never an issue.

Immigration just said they didn't care about that.

[jacko45k]

9 minutes ago, Andy25 said:

I think the point of this post is time. When you move between Tourist Visas, Work Permits, Retirement Visas, and back again, the process takes time. Case three was just about to go back to a retirement visa but immigration were not interested in this history of this case. They didn't want to listen.

He had previously used Tourist Visas, and perhaps Visa Exempts when obviously not a tourist, playing the system. Just trying it on one more time?  What type of permission did he have on his previous stay? Could it not be extended and/or converted to a Non-Imm-O? 

 

Since 1992, some 17 years. Yes things were much easier back then, but maybe he was a little too cavalier for 2019.

[Andy25]

1 minute ago, glegolo said:

I dont think that lawbiding people are getting throwned out of Thailand but drunks, overstayers criminals on one or another way they are throwned out fortunately...

 

So no problem for me..... This seems to be lowclass people anyhow....

 

Case 1 - overstayed dont understand why you mention this one at all....

Case 2 - criminal     "        "           "               "                "

Case 3 - no comments dont know and cant guess...

 

glegolo

Well the news is that law abiding people are being thrown out. Case three doesn't drink. Doesn't take drugs. Has never overstayed. He also worked for one of the biggest multinational companies in the world in Thailand. All the cases have been mentioned to show that Thailand does attract the wrong kind of person.

[BritTim]

1 minute ago, Andy25 said:

Correct- But switching between Work Permits and Retirement Visas take time.

Funds were never an issue. Proof of relationship never an issue.

Immigration just said they didn't care about that.

Getting a multiple entry Non O visa from Savannakhet or Ho Chi Minh City would have taken two days, and seen him sorted for a year or so. Instead, he rolled the dice on a visa exempt entry (either a deliberate gamble or through ignorance) and lost. Sure, I do not think immigration made the right decision, but they have been given official discretion to deny visa exempt entry as a means of long stay in Thailand.

[CharlieH]

4 minutes ago, Andy25 said:

Correct- But switching between Work Permits and Retirement Visas take time.

Funds were never an issue. Proof of relationship never an issue.

Immigration just said they didn't care about that.

They wouldn't care about what he's "gonna do" that could mean anything and be a load of bull ! They look at history and current entrance criteria as in today ! and it wasn't correct for his circumstances. He should know what is needed and have been adequately prepared, he's been around the block long enough, and under the current tightening etc should not have tried to "wing it" with a visa exempt (assumption) entry.

[Selatan]

2 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Getting a multiple entry Non O visa from Savannakhet or Ho Chi Minh City would have taken two days, and seen him sorted for a year or so. Instead, he rolled the dice on a visa exempt entry (either a deliberate gamble or through ignorance) and lost. Sure, I do not think immigration made the right decision, but they have been given official discretion to deny visa exempt entry as a means of long stay in Thailand.

Sounds more like a lack of money problem to me.

[holy cow cm]

He should have had the correct visa and been up on the situation. But immigration should have warned him that "There is no next Time"! It might be attitude or who knows, but in the end he lost. 

[Andy25]

12 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Getting a multiple entry Non O visa from Savannakhet or Ho Chi Minh City would have taken two days, and seen him sorted for a year or so. Instead, he rolled the dice on a visa exempt entry (either a deliberate gamble or through ignorance) and lost. Sure, I do not think immigration made the right decision, but they have been given official discretion to deny visa exempt entry as a means of long stay in Thailand.

Well he took the advice of a local agent who's been in the business for more than 20 years.

[puchooay]

57 minutes ago, Andy25 said:

Case three answered: If you’d gone to England, lived and worked there for thirty years, paid all taxes, married an English girl and had children, and spent a million pounds my country could give you free citizenship, free national health, and a pension.

Not automatically. I know of some one just like this. Thai lady married to a Brit. Lived and worked in UK for over 20 years. Has kids and grand kids there. Came to retire to Thailand 8 years ago. Now decided that the exchange rate is hurting too much and they wish to move back to UK to be with family.

 

Thought it was a simple process of buying tickets and returning. They have now found out that the wife left UK with only ILR and no citizenship. She now has to get a visitor visa to go to UK.

[yuyiinthesky]

15 minutes ago, Andy25 said:

That's not correct. Work Permits for 18 years. Retirement visas for 5 years. But he's switched between the two and tourist visas.

 

In most civilized countries, if you live there for 5 years or longer, you can apply for citizenship, or at least permanent residency, and get it. Especially if you are married to a citizen of that country. No need to juggle visas anymore.

In Thailand this is not really a realistic option, no matter how long you are here, no matter if you're married or have children, you're always at the mercy of an IO to let you back in, or not.

[ThaiBunny]

1 minute ago, yuyiinthesky said:

In most civilized countries, if you live there for 5 years or longer, you can apply for citizenship, or at least permanent residency, and get it. Especially if you are married to a citizen of that country. No need to juggle visas anymore.

In Thailand this is not really a realistic option, no matter how long you are here, no matter if you're married or have children, you're always at the mercy of an IO to let you back in, or not.

I knew before I moved here that Thailand is a xenophobic country - because I did my homework

[Andy25]

Thank you for all the replies so far.

 

Does anyone know if there is an official process that can be applied to officially question an immigration decision?

[Vacuum]

38 minutes ago, Happy Grumpy said:

 

Yup, it's pretty clear the OP hates Thailand. 

My guess is he was "Case Three"...

 

"Between 1992 and 2018 he switched between work permits, retirement visas, tourist visas, work permits, and tourist visas."

[moe666]

Number 3 had been here long enough to set himself up pretty good, why in the last years of his life has it all fallen apart. He should have been able to transition into a marriage visa with the money in the bank. Why should immigration care about your history when you are now out of compliance, there are plenty of people coming into Thailand who have their ducks in a roe, no need to waste time on people who cannot get it together. A someone mentioned earlier more to his history than the good guy account in the OP.

 

Good luck to all three in there new careers

[brewsterbudgen]

So being "good" means you don't need to bother getting the correct visa?

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[Andy25]

1 minute ago, Vacuum said:

My guess is he was "Case Three"...

Hating Thailand is not an issue but what i am looking for is people who have found themselves in the same position as case three and what they did about it? If everybody just turns a blind eye to these situations what will it be like in ten years? Something is not right and needs to be checked.

 

[Jingthing]

Many people enter on a 30 day stamp to begin the retirement extension process in Thailand. Unless case 3 had made numerous recent entries like that what happened to him definitely does sound very messed up.

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