By Goongnang Suksawat

 

Surat Thani – A 74 year-old British man was arrested on Samui Island in Surat Thani for 38 days of overstaying his legal visa conditions.

 

The Surat Thani Immigration officers told the Phuket Express that they have arrested Mr. DENNIS ROBERT DESMOND, 74, a British national in front of a hotel on the Cherng Mon – Chaweng Road in Bo Phut sub-district, Koh Samui District.

 

Full story: https://thephuketexpress.com/2022/12/21/74-year-old-british-man-arrested-on-samui-island-for-38-days-of-overstay/

 

-- © Copyright The Phuket Express 2022-12-22

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

Did the "smart" car capture him from facial recognition or did the hotel grass him up?

 

Also, the article names him in full and adds his age and nationality then goes to show his face blurred. There's no question "allegedness" of his crime so assume he's guilty. Why therefore the picture anonymity?

 

The police are certainly going after short time overstayers as if it's the crime of the century. Surely there's bigger fish to fry or would that be akin to <deleted>ting on your own doorstep?

 

I don't like the way this is proceeding.

 

What's the limit?

When will they be hanging around outside immigration offices waiting to arrest people turning up to correct accidental 1 or 2 day overstays? This might sound far fetched but I absolutely believe it will happen.

Are these guys actually overstaying their permission to stay ?

Previously there was a student on an Ed visa who "overstayed his legal visa conditions" .which meant he had a visa but didn't attend classes and that was the cause of overstaying his legal visa conditions

I guess no one taught them the definition of a criminal. Either that or they’re just too damn lazy to do their real jobs. I would like to think drug dealers and murderers are more important to catch, but I guess that takes work. 

9 minutes ago, jcmj said:

I guess no one taught them the definition of a criminal. Either that or they’re just too damn lazy to do their real jobs. I would like to think drug dealers and murderers are more important to catch, but I guess that takes work. 

This article is about immigration officers, not about other police who should deal with the bad criminals.

 

I also think that arresting a guy for a little over a month overstay is not nice. But on the other hand, immigration police work for immigration. It's their job. And if they would sit in their offices and do nothing then the Thai tax payers would also complain.

Hopefully there is some kind of grace period for overstayers so that he can pay a fine and that's it.

 

he did the crime....he does the time. go get a new visa pal. 

Where do you draw the line?  1 month, 3, 6?

Tough luck, but I think anyone who overstays is just irresponsible.  If nothing else hopefully, this type of news should help movtivate others to obey the law.

Maybe they should start looking at the Russians, I bet many are or will be on overstay.

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Hopefully there is some kind of grace period for overstayers so that he can pay a fine and that's it.

Just fine them proportional to their overstay .

If they cannot pay , to the jailhouse ...

But the threat of a forced deportation is out of proportion for such a negligence .

 

2 hours ago, ukrules said:

I don't like the way this is proceeding.

 

What's the limit?

When will they be hanging around outside immigration offices waiting to arrest people turning up to correct accidental 1 or 2 day overstays? This might sound far fetched but I absolutely believe it will happen.

Surely the limit is easy to figure out, if you are a day over, you are an overstay ? How is this hard to figure out ? they might be agreeable to overlooking it for a day or two but that's another issue.   As to increased police and judicial zeal ? don't overstay might be one solution.  If it's all too hard (I am paperwork adverse, so its why I am not there), then go elsewhere. 

 

They don't have to stand outside, they can wait inside and get the nod from the counter staff.  The only place you have a right to be is where you have citizenship.

How hard to simply follow the laws you agreed to.

 

Do the crime, do the time.  No sympathy for criminals.   What other laws has he broken?

3 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

The police are certainly going after short time overstayers as if it's the crime of the century. Surely there's bigger fish to fry or would that be akin to <deleted>ting on your own doorstep?

A distraction from the wholesale corruption in the Immigration Dept. that is currently being exposed by Chuwit.

12 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

Just fine them proportional to their overstay .

If they cannot pay , to the jailhouse ...

But the threat of a forced deportation is out of proportion for such a negligence .

 

 if they start being lenient with these offenders then it will encourage others to follow suit. it is not difficult to be here legally. a friend went to CW immigration this week and was in and out in 30 minutes. easy.

2 hours ago, ukrules said:

I don't like the way this is proceeding.

 

What's the limit?

When will they be hanging around outside immigration offices waiting to arrest people turning up to correct accidental 1 or 2 day overstays? This might sound far fetched but I absolutely believe it will happen.

It's now a fully fledged Police State. A far cry from the friendly and welcoming place for visitors it used to be when I arrived in the early 90's. It's almost unrecognisable. 

 

This is what you get with a decade of unchecked and rampant corruption and military governments though. Not sure why people were expecting anything different.  

14 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

It's now a fully fledged Police State. A far cry from the friendly and welcoming place for visitors it used to be when I arrived in the early 90's. It's almost unrecognisable. 

 

This is what you get with a decade of unchecked and rampant corruption and military governments though. Not sure why people were expecting anything different.  

 

So. someone breaks the very clear conditions of stay in this country and you want to blame the system and the rules?

 

There is no excuse for 38 days over stay - som nom na.

 

Jeez, you guys complain when the authorities don't do their jobs  -  now you whine when they DO!

The new lucky number is 06426 ????????????. Regarding overstay. 38 days until now. How many more days did he want to collect? Blame immigration? In the end these people create problems and not the immigration. I don't think that the maximum fine of 20.000 Baht will cover the cost to find them and to get rid of them. 

1 hour ago, stoner said:

he did the crime....he does the time. go get a new visa pal. 

He hasn’t done time yet…maybe they should waterboard him on his way out if the country? What a horrific crime…maybe he was stoned too and forgot?

1 hour ago, bkk6060 said:

Maybe they should start looking at the Russians, I bet many are or will be on overstay.

Probably worst case they prefer Thai prison compared to freezing and starving in Ukraine. 

2 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Hopefully there is some kind of grace period for overstayers so that he can pay a fine and that's it

What would be the point of that, people would just stay for the 'grace period' then overstay even more.

Maybe the guy just has dementia, but I wish these stories could be clear on what type of VISA he had, or was it an EXTENSION ? 

2 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

Maybe the guy just has dementia, but I wish these stories could be clear on what type of VISA he had, or was it an EXTENSION ? 

You would like to think that the IO would take everything into account and show some sympathy and discretion if warranted.  

When will they ever learn?

1 hour ago, cardinalblue said:

He hasn’t done time yet…maybe they should waterboard him on his way out if the country? What a horrific crime…maybe he was stoned too and forgot?

cute little dig at me. i like your waterboarding idea....worked for the american govt after all right ? 

48 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

What would be the point of that, people would just stay for the 'grace period' then overstay even more.

I had a fine in my mind, not deportation.

I have to admit I am not up to date with the current rules under which conditions people get deported.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

A 74 year-old British man was arrested on Samui Island

deeply concerning.   not for this bloke, though I should be if he's broke and has to go back to freezing weather....

 

but that 38 days is a story..........which means 1 hour might be a story.....which means the narrative of BAD BAD BAD BAD Falangs is the real story..........illegal!!!!!   

 

Is there even ONE Falang in Thailand legally????????????????????????????!?!?!?!?!?!??!   lol

 

Will I go out today and someone ask me, "Are you here illegally??!!!  Could you be arrested today?  Can I see your visa????   Did you know all these BAD BAD falangs?????"

 

We are in this together.  NOT, you're on your own falang.     I'm reporting everyone!!!!!  lol

 

 

4 hours ago, jcmj said:

I would like to think drug dealers and murderers are more important to catch

Do you know the difference of Immigration and Police?

Police is catching drug dealers and murderers, Immigration catching people ignoring visa rules. 

 

Simply as that. 

I remember when overstaying 30 days wasn't a big deal..........25Bht a day fine and you pay your 15.00 bucks and come back in 2 weeks.

7 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

Did the "smart" car capture him from facial recognition or did the hotel grass him up?

Why the sneering derision with the "grass up" comment, you're ok with law-breakers, are you?  Perhaps he "grassed himself up" by not having a valid visa/permission to stay in his passport that he gave to the hotel.  Perhaps his passport details were noticed by Immigration after the hotel advised them of his stay there?   

5 hours ago, jcmj said:

I guess no one taught them the definition of a criminal. Either that or they’re just too damn lazy to do their real jobs. I would like to think drug dealers and murderers are more important to catch, but I guess that takes work. 

Funny that you seem to think that the Immigration Bureau's main concern should be drug dealing and murder cases, not Immigration cases.

5 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Hopefully there is some kind of grace period for overstayers so that he can pay a fine and that's it.

 

I think that a 38-day overstay on a, probably, 45-day permission to stay is taking the pi_ss a bit.