Ukrainian Man Arrested for Overstay at Phuket Airport

[webfact]

 

Phuket – A Ukrainian man was arrested at the Phuket International Airport for 114 days of overstay.

Royal Phuket Immigration told the Phuket Express that on Friday (February 9th) they arrested a 23 year-old Ukrainian man at the international departures terminal in the airport.

 

He was found to have overstayed for 114 days. He was taken to the Sakoo Police Station to face overstay charges.

 

By Goongnang Suksawat

 

Full story: THE PHUKET EXPRESS 2024-02-10

 

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[flyingtlger]

Can't blame him. He probably doesn't want to be forced to go to war....

[CartagenaWarlock]

I thought if one surrenders at the airport, there are only fines and no going to the immigration detention center. 

[CartagenaWarlock]

28 minutes ago, flyingtlger said:

Can't blame him. He probably doesn't want to be forced to go to war....

The majority of people who are overstaying are not Ukrainian. What are their excuses? 

[ukrules]

1 hour ago, CartagenaWarlock said:

I thought if one surrenders at the airport, there are only fines and no going to the immigration detention center. 

Yes, there's been a number of reports of people being mysteriously arrested at the airport before they made it onto the plane.

 

Did they all have no money to pay the fine or are the Phuket Police intercepting these passengers before they get to immigration?

 

Or are immigration simply making up the law as they go, saying oh - that's far too many days to just pay a fine - so off to prison you go?

[ChipButty]

All I can think of is they are turning up at the airport completely skint cant pay the fine so they are getting arrested, I know he is wrong overstaying but if all he to his name was the flight ticket, why not just put him on the plane? 

[malt25]

Not guilty ! None of the plods are pointing.

 

[impulse]

1 hour ago, ChipButty said:

All I can think of is they are turning up at the airport completely skint cant pay the fine so they are getting arrested, I know he is wrong overstaying but if all he to his name was the flight ticket, why not just put him on the plane? 

 

Because if they did that, every overstayer would claim poverty when they show up at the airport.

 

[ChipButty]

49 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Because if they did that, every overstayer would claim poverty when they show up at the airport.

 

Yes I agree but right now it's costing Thailand money and he might not have the money to buy another ticket especially if he gets locked up in the IDC, then the ticket will cost him double, 

[impulse]

16 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Yes I agree but right now it's costing Thailand money and he might not have the money to buy another ticket especially if he gets locked up in the IDC, then the ticket will cost him double, 

 

Personally, I think they should just make him sign a promissory note for the fine and an airline ticket and stick him on the next flight home.  Just to be humane.

 

But I also think they should have one fine if you accept a ban from the country, but offer a higher fine that would waive the ban.  Win-win.  But that's not going to happen, either.

 

Edit:  I'd amend my statement above to "allow him to fly to a country where he's welcomed under an asylum program if that's his choice".  Because of his nationality, under current conditions.

 

Edited February 10 by impulse

[Smokey and the Bandit]

4 hours ago, CartagenaWarlock said:

I thought if one surrenders at the airport, there are only fines and no going to the immigration detention center. 

Yes, you are correct. normally 500 baht per day, overstay , up to a maximum of 20,000 baht?

However it seems strange things happen at 'Phuket Airport' for some reason?

[impulse]

2 minutes ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

Yes, you are correct. normally 500 baht per day, overstay , up to a maximum of 20,000 baht?

However it seems strange things happen at 'Phuket Airport' for some reason?

 

Maybe there's more people skint after spending time in Phuket?

 

[Hakuna Matata]

5 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

Can't blame him. He probably doesn't want to be forced to go to war....

 

Just tell everyone in the world: if you don't want to serve in the army, you can always find a safe haven in Thailand.

[ChipButty]

17 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Personally, I think they should just make him sign a promissory note for the fine and an airline ticket and stick him on the next flight home.  Just to be humane.

 

But I also think they should have one fine if you accept a ban from the country, but offer a higher fine that would waive the ban.  Win-win.  But that's not going to happen, either.

 

Edit:  I'd amend my statement above to "allow him to fly to a country where he's welcomed under an asylum program if that's his choice".  Because of his nationality, under current conditions.

 

One thing we dont know is where he was flying to, maybe he wasnt going back to Ukraine but if he gets locked up in the IDC and he is able to buy a ticket it has to be their country of origin, so BKK to Ukraine, 

[Hakuna Matata]

21 minutes ago, impulse said:

"allow him to fly to a country where he's welcomed under an asylum program if that's his choice".  Because of his nationality, under current conditions.

 

Even better, give him immediately an US visa and the money to buy the air ticket to NY

[Jenkins9039]

3 hours ago, ukrules said:

Yes, there's been a number of reports of people being mysteriously arrested at the airport before they made it onto the plane.

 

Did they all have no money to pay the fine or are the Phuket Police intercepting these passengers before they get to immigration?

 

Or are immigration simply making up the law as they go, saying oh - that's far too many days to just pay a fine - so off to prison you go?

Once in the terminal, the Thai police can do what they want as it's basically no mans land?

[nausea]

Which is worse, I wonder, Thai immigration jail or the Ukrainian front line.

[bbko]

5 hours ago, CartagenaWarlock said:

I thought if one surrenders at the airport, there are only fines and no going to the immigration detention center. 

But what's immigration supposed to do when the overstayer doesn't have the money to pay the fine?

Perhaps this guy couldn't pay the fine, hence the arrest.

[Srikcir]

8 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

Can't blame him. He probably doesn't want to be forced to go to war....

In 2023 the Ukraine age for military conscription began at 27. There was then a bill to lower to 25 end of 2023. The arrested subject was 23. Just stay in Thailand or maybe walk into Cambodia.

[mokwit]

3 hours ago, impulse said:

 

Maybe there's more people skint after spending time in Phuket?

 

Have you seen the prices of everything in Phuket? He probably went skint getting a taxi to the airport.

[MangoKorat]

17 hours ago, ChipButty said:

One thing we dont know is where he was flying to, maybe he wasnt going back to Ukraine but if he gets locked up in the IDC and he is able to buy a ticket it has to be their country of origin, so BKK to Ukraine, 

I think you may have hit the nail on the head.  I believe the more lenient punishments apply to those who are actually leaving the country?  If his flight was domestic, I doubt that would qualify - that could be why we are seeing other similar reports arising at Phuket airport?

[JoseThailand]

23 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

Can't blame him. He probably doesn't want to be forced to go to war....

 

But who's gonna fight Putin? He must be stopped

[Smokey and the Bandit]

On 2/10/2024 at 9:15 AM, Jenkins9039 said:

Once in the terminal, the Thai police can do what they want as it's basically no mans land?

But how do the cops find out which people are on overstay, surely they don't just stop random folks and check their passports?

Do the check in staff have a hand in this?

[LivinginKata]

3 hours ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

But how do the cops find out which people are on overstay, surely they don't just stop random folks and check their passports?

Do the check in staff have a hand in this?

 

Immigration control ....

[Smokey and the Bandit]

18 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

 

Immigration control ....

If people make it thru to immigration control that are on overstay and have enough money to pay the fine and a ticket out of Thailand, they 'should' be OK to leave?