British tourist arrested for overstaying in Sisaket, says he loves Thailand so much he doesn’t want to leave

[Smokey and the Bandit]

"30-year-old Michael McLaughlin at first denied any knowledge of breaking the law but later changed his story by admitting he was hiding in Sisaket because he wanted to stay in Thailand and avoid returning to the United Kingdom."

 

Ok he was stupid, but you really cant blame him for not wanting to return to the UK?????

[The Fugitive]

1 minute ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

"30-year-old Michael McLaughlin at first denied any knowledge of breaking the law but later changed his story by admitting he was hiding in Sisaket because he wanted to stay in Thailand and avoid returning to the United Kingdom."

 

Ok he was stupid, but you really cant blame him for not wanting to return to the UK?????

Especially with another 'Winter of Discontent' looming!

[sambum]

11 minutes ago, Grumpy one said:

The police HAD cars 150 years ago

OMFG  

Yes, but these are SMART cars! I have a SMART phone that is so clever it keeps phoning people without me telling it to!

[hotchilli]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The British tourist was taken to the Sisaket immigration office. During his questioning, Mclaughlin admitted that he knew he should have left Thailand last September, but he loved the country so much that he did not want to.

Enjoy the winter back in blighty

[sambum]

28 minutes ago, proton said:

I think this might have something to do with the sort of mis information you see on sites like tik tok. Many younger ones telling the world that they just quit their job and got a one way flight and moved to Thailand, giving the impression this is reality- POV living the dream! Not seen one yet of these know it alls languishing in IDC doing a POV living the nightmare version yet.????

I'm not a "younger one" which may explain my questions! What's a POV, and is IDC "International Department of Corrections?

FGS, I get very frustrated by these posts that use all these abbreviations or acronyms that I've never heard of, and IMHO it is just pure laziness to use TXTSPK instead of TQE - sorry TKE!

 

 

[recom273]

4 hours ago, nigelforbes said:

Banks in Thailand always wanted to see ID for certain transactions but a Thai drivers license was often sufficient. Not so any more, even my own branch, where I've been a familiar face for the past fifteen years, wants my passport every time for any transaction. One teller let it slip that she was required to check the visa stamp to make sure I was here legally, if I wasn't, I wouldn't be allowed to transact on my account. I thought I'd call her bluff and asked her if she would know a valid visa if she saw one? She said yes, and went on to point out my visa extension and permission to remain date. I wrote to the CEO of the bank to ask if his bank was now an extension of Immigration Dept. but he didn't reply. I did get some acknowledgement with an obscure reply from a junior. They are getting serious about this.

I had a similar experience with my visa - long story - I wasted a couple of hours while the manager (who wouldn’t believe my and the helplines explanation of the yearly extension stamp) tried to call immigration, who wouldn’t pick up the phone. She told me, even tho I had 5-6 concurrent and valid extension stamps, that I should go to Laos to get another visa because mine was out of date. ???? 
 

I don’t have any issues with these guys checking my visa status. These bank managers / supervisors have so many beanos and training seminars, what’s the harm in immigration coming to one of them and just giving them a run down for an hour, explaining the procedure.

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, brianthainess said:

Been like this for years, you can't open an account without a valid visa, and all transactions require passport and yes they will report overstayers.

No all transaction do not require a passport. My account was opened with a yellow book and Pink ID card.  Just show my bank book and ID card when I do a transaction at the bank...

[riclag]

The young lady of my house says Sisiket ladies have good magic!

[mikeymike100]

A 30 year old idiot?

Why didn't he do a border run, or go somewhere out of Thailand for a few days?

If he loved Thailand that much, get married?

Now he will have a 5 year ban. I hope he like the weather back home?

[proton]

36 minutes ago, sambum said:

I'm not a "younger one" which may explain my questions! What's a POV, and is IDC "International Department of Corrections?

FGS, I get very frustrated by these posts that use all these abbreviations or acronyms that I've never heard of, and IMHO it is just pure laziness to use TXTSPK instead of TQE - sorry TKE!

 

 

POV point of view, IDC immigration detention centre

[sambum]

5 minutes ago, proton said:

POV point of view, IDC immigration detention centre

Thank you! Or should I say "Tx"?

[persimmon]

New SIM cards now are only sold if you provide passport details ( and a photo ) , so it would be easy to track this guy by his phone GPS down to the nearest metre . Also , how did he think walking along the side of the road was keeping a low profile ? ????

Farangs stand out a mile here , particularly in rural areas , he would have been much safer in Patts or Bkk .

[hotandsticky]

6 hours ago, Lucky Bones said:

Photo shows him to be a tad young for overstay?????????

 

Is there an age limit for a tourist visa?

[hotandsticky]

31 minutes ago, riclag said:

The young lady of my house says Sisiket ladies have good magic!

 

 

Yes, but most are in Pattaya..................

[KhunLA]

1 hour ago, SuwadeeS said:

Amazing Thailand.

Crackdowns are only applied to foreigners and tourists.

I am wondering, why all these other crackdowns never ever one worked out.

It must have to do with racism. No other explaination.

Who other than foreigners & tourist would be violating Imm Laws ?

 

Everybody that's not Thai, wouldn't be racist  ... it's righteous ????

[Lucky Bones]

14 hours ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

There is a crack down going  on at the moment and if I was on overstay , I would hand myself in and leave Thailand as hiding in your house or living in remote  areas of Issan doesn't seem to be an option anymore

Yes, being in Issan is not a good thing at the moment.????????

[mikeymike100]

20 minutes ago, persimmon said:

New SIM cards now are only sold if you provide passport details ( and a photo ) , so it would be easy to track this guy by his phone GPS down to the nearest metre . Also , how did he think walking along the side of the road was keeping a low profile ? ????

Farangs stand out a mile here , particularly in rural areas , he would have been much safer in Patts or Bkk .

Correct about the SIM cards, its been like that for a few years, But you just get a Thai friend to get it for you, very easy?

[bkkcanuck8]

12 hours ago, 3NUMBAS said:

there must be an army of overstayers all over the realm 1000s of em

Yes, I think they were more relaxed during the last few years (COVID), but now they are out in force to clean up those that thought they could take advantage of the relaxed enforcement. 

[1FinickyOne]

14 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

Those BMW smart cars are becoming too damn clever.

It appears they can now locate overstayers when they are just walking down some random road minding their own business!

 

 

 

you might want to throw in a couple of 'illegally' - - - illegal overstayers, illegally walking, etc... 

[NoshowJones]

34 minutes ago, proton said:

POV point of view, IDC immigration detention centre

Too many posters here think they are texting on their smartphone instead of typing on a forum. Just pure laziness and so very annoying.

[1FinickyOne]

1 hour ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

you really cant blame him for not wanting to return to the UK?

yeah, but that wasn't the crime he committed... 

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

This "crackdown" is a distraction. Immigration and wealthy Chinese have been the ones busy doing favors for each other. Things are falling apart in that country and they can't get out fast enough.

[soalbundy]

I can well understand his unwillingness to return to the UK but overstaying is not the answer.

[The Fugitive]

25 minutes ago, Lucky Bones said:

Yes, being in Issan is not a good thing at the moment.????????

Might have to stop working in my Mrs's shop!

[Smokey and the Bandit]

35 minutes ago, 1FinickyOne said:

yeah, but that wasn't the crime he committed... 

Totally agree, i did say he was stupid.

Its just a shame the police can't get the serious criminals, like the Chinese and Russian mafia, but they are too rich and well protected?

[Lucky Bones]

2 hours ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

"30-year-old Michael McLaughlin at first denied any knowledge of breaking the law but later changed his story by admitting he was hiding in Sisaket because he wanted to stay in Thailand and avoid returning to the United Kingdom."

 

Ok he was stupid, but you really cant blame him for not wanting to return to the UK?????

Agreed. It's hard to beat stupid.????????

[Liverpool Lou]

16 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

The fallout continues of the crackdown.....he will be banned now for a year.

Five years according to the OP.

[stigar]

16 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

The fallout continues of the crackdown.....he will be banned now for a year.

5 year 

[Liverpool Lou]

7 hours ago, nigelforbes said:

my own branch, where I've been a familiar face for the past fifteen years, wants my passport every time for any transaction. One teller let it slip that she was required to check the visa stamp to make sure I was here legally, if I wasn't, I wouldn't be allowed to transact on my account.

It's been like that for years, valid ID is needed for most banking transactions and a passport with an invalid permission to stay wouldn't be valid ID for banking.  I know that because the day before I was leaving to correct a two-day overstay, several years ago, BBL would not allow me to make a counter withdrawal due to the visa issue.

[Liverpool Lou]

6 hours ago, Bim Smith said:

If the UK did their job and done this they would be called racist by the loony lefties.

No they wouldn't, people are deported from the UK all the time for visa irregularities!