Some Thai friends keep insisting to me that Thailand is fully closed, and guarantee if I go to my embassy I will get an extension. True?

[theVenerable]

The Thai friends won't let me stay with them without official documents. 

I was planning to overstay and pay a fine, but they keep insisting to me that if I just go to the Embassy I will be fine and get the documents I need. They guarantee the Embassy will not tell me to return home due to everywhere being closed now. 

I've told them 100 times that I'm from the UK and then embassy will just tell me to go home, since there are still flights into the UK so why would they help me stay. 

Please anyone with knowwledge clarify this so I can end this back and forth chat with them. ( I have to use Google translate everytime we communicate). 

[Canuck1966]

You need an appointment at the Embassy, good luck with that in the next few months.

Also they aren't going to give you a tailored letter that will be suffice for immigration.

I wouldn't listen to Thais about immigration matters, they know absolutely nothing

[stephenterry]

I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about.

 

[scubascuba3]

Your Thai friends are probably talking nonsense but they probably don't want you to stay with them which is fair enough. Check in to a cheap guesthouse if you need to. They will be happy for the business

[bkk6060]

Why don't you call or email the embassy and ask?

[couchpotato]

This is such stupid post. Embassies can't and don't guarantee your stay (or extension of stay) in the Kingdom. Thai immigration have that dubious honor.

Amazing!

[DrJack54]

OP, you have options to return home. Currently the UK embassy will do nothing for you. 

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Why don't you call or email the embassy and ask?

The answer would be leave Thailand and return home.

[Saltire]

Sometimes you just run out of options, I'd not include a deliberate overstay as one of them. Can come back and bite you big-time.

[scubascuba3]

11 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

The answer would be leave Thailand and return home.

But some people have nowhere to return to, so basically the thought of homelessness can't be appealing.

 

We are in the middle of a disaster movie and making the best of it

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

But some people have nowhere to return to, so basically the thought of homelessness can't be appealing.

 

We are in the middle of a disaster movie and making the best of it

The OP has 2 threads running. In the other thread he states....."don't want to go home because would mean staying at crowded brothers house" 

Also suggests to just overstay and cop the 20k.

Personally I think Thai imm are going to be less sympathetic than some are thinking.

Visas are off. If you have already obtain 30 extension as the OP has then return home.

Not hard just not nice.

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Your post isn't clear but if you are in Thailand and your visa is about to expire, go and visit your nearest immigration office and they will likely give you a 30 day extension due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation. 

 

 

[jackdd]

1 minute ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Your post isn't clear but if you are in Thailand and your visa is about to expire, go and visit your nearest immigration office and they will likely give you a 30 day extension due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation.

Only if he would have an embassy letter.

[Skallywag]

Go home, get a job, and save your money so you can afford your own place when you return to Thailand.

[ubonjoe]

A off topic post has been removed. This forum is not the  travel forum.

[Tanoshi]

The British Embassy advised me they do not provide any services in relation to providing any kind of letter to Immigration. Under this unprecedented situation, they may change their policy if enough British citizens complain, but don't bank on it.

 

As already stated and I expect the BE to advise, you are not forced to remain in Thailand and the option to return to the UK is open as an alternative.

[finnsk]

14 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Your post isn't clear but if you are in Thailand and your visa is about to expire, go and visit your nearest immigration office and they will likely give you a 30 day extension due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation. 

 

 

That is wrong.

IMM. only give 30 days extension with a letter from your embassy that garanties, you can not get out of the Kingdom. Many countries/embassies wil not make this letter, because there still is some flights.

[Maestro]

7 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, you have options to return home. Currently the UK embassy will do nothing for you. 

 

This is my impression, too.

 

Copied from https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand on 21 March 2020 at 10:51 UTC:

 

"the FCO advises British nationals against all but essential international travel" is diplopmatic jargon for "we won't come and get you out the country if you go on a non-essential trip abroad"

 

In the OP's case, he is already abroad, ie in Thailand, but he has the opportunity to leave Thailand now and if he does not use it he may indeed have difficulty getting the embassy's assistance later, if needed.

 

The extension of stay under clause 2.28 of the extension rules is reserved for cases of necessity, for example if no other type of extension is applicable and if the persons flight has been cancelled or delayed and there is not enough time to make alternative arrangements for transportation out of Thailand.