Old Viet Vet's Long Overstay

[oddgum]

He's 83, a bit frail and was told by his gf, the mother of his 17 year old kid, "You got three 90's on a tourist visa. No problem." That's now an 8+ month Overstay.

A Thai lady brought him to us, last  night, at a southern watering hole near the Andaman. He was about to have walked into the area's Imm but the Thai  woman said, "Whoa, Nellie", luckily.

So we straightened him out or did we? By minivan we're planning on putting him into the Sadao crossing into Malaysia, B20k fine at the ready. Skirt I d. by checking into no hostel until Penang. In two decades none of us have screwed up this bad. He's off from the Andaman Sea in that van in a few days. Are we doing right by this nice old Vet, who hopes his next stop is the V.A. in Manila?

[Briggsy]

Is the minivan a visa service or just transport to the border?

 

Are you absolutely sure you can pay the overstay right at the border? He may have to backtrack to a specific office to pay it? Personally I would have advised him to fly out but not from Phuket. That way, it is a sure bet.

 

He will get a ban too.

[DrJack54]

12 minutes ago, oddgum said:

"You got three 90's on a tourist visa. No problem." That's now an 8+ month Overstay.

Don't follow 

And don't understand how overstay occurred. Not clear.

These situations don't just sneak up on you. 

We all have an admitted till stamp in pp. 

 

In any event suggest not to exit via land.

Best option is to exit via airport.

Pay fine (20k) and receive ban according to attached pic .

What is next step.

 

[oddgum]

Welcome the repliy. Van is a border run van, no frills. We had a stabbing victim on a medical 6 months overstay in 2015 and he paid 20k at Sadao. He avoided ban due to the hospital record (he had overstated a few weeks before the incident). The US Embassy Outreach guy here in a close friend and I have asked him if a frail and honourable Vet can get a bit of help.

[Caldera]

2 minutes ago, oddgum said:

Welcome the repliy. Van is a border run van, no frills. We had a stabbing victim on a medical 6 months overstay in 2015 and he paid 20k at Sadao. He avoided ban due to the hospital record (he had overstated a few weeks before the incident). The US Embassy Outreach guy here in a close friend and I have asked him if a frail and honourable Vet can get a bit of help.

 

Flying out from Bangkok to Manila (as that's where you said he's heading) would be the safest option.

 

The land border checkpoint could refuse to process his lengthy overstay, especially if there's nobody there who can process the entry ban. And even in case it works, then what? He'd still need to fly to Manila, so it looks like an unnecessary detour.

[oddgum]

Air seemed to be ou of the question BUT , thanks, he could fly out of Krabi!!! tHe was just accompanied into the remote bar to meet us. He's an OLD 83 and chose to believe his lady. It appears he's got about USD1,400 to his name after the 20k fine until the 3rd of next month. So it seems he wants to wait in Penang for the next SSA to get on with the journey. He's spent 3 years in Penang during COVID and has friends there. Looking at flights! Thanks again.

[Caldera]

9 minutes ago, oddgum said:

We had a stabbing victim on a medical 6 months overstay in 2015 and he paid 20k at Sadao. He avoided ban due to the hospital record (he had overstated a few weeks before the incident).

 

Nobody was banned for overstay in 2015, that only started in March 2016. I doubt that waving around a hospital record would actually work, but then again, who knows. 

[DrJack54]

13 minutes ago, oddgum said:

He's an OLD 83 and chose to believe his lady.

 

Did you look at his passport 

That would be first thing I would have looked at to work out exactly his situation re overstay.. certainly would take  "his lady" with pinch of salt. 

[oddgum]

By luck, our local outreach officer was just meeting with the Embassy persons that deal with such matters. I will let you know what the official advice is. (If they avail themselves. )

[oddgum]

The Forum may have saved the old guy some grief. The outreach people do advise flight only. Buy a ticket out of TL, check-in, encounter immigration, pay fine and accept the one -year ban. The details are up to the IMO.

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, oddgum said:

The Forum may have saved the old guy some grief.

Yes everyone with any experience would advise leave via air. 

Again...why didn't you check his pp to work out exactly the situation. 

[ignore it]

So there Vietnam War vets that aren't old?

 

Man we all old now 

[oddgum]

This thread deserves an update. The  83 year Vet has irritably waved off all advice, including from the local US Embassy outreach, after seeking it. He'll solve his own problems, thank you. We stuffed the outreach number up his... Nah, in his pocket and will still assist him if he ever comes to his senses. It's one thing to wave off help changing a tire. It's quite another when playing with fire and freedom.

[Grumpy one]

22 hours ago, ignore it said:

So there Vietnam War vets that aren't old?

 

Man we all old now 

Speak for yourself, I'm a 75 year old hunsum man, or so my wife tells me.

Hell, I am old if I believe my wife

[bamnutsak]

1 hour ago, oddgum said:

including from the local US Embassy outreach

 

 

Can you share any details on this person? 

 

Is this an official State Department employee? Or a good samaritan acting in some sort of unofficial capacity?

 

Are there many of these in Thailand?

 

I've never heard of such a thing, other than the one-day outreach efforts.

 

On 2/14/2025 at 6:48 PM, DrJack54 said:

Did you look at his passport 

 

I'd do this if only to see if it is still valid.

 

[Myran]

11 minutes ago, Purdey said:

There are many Vietnamese living in Suphanburi. Chinese nationalists in the hills near Mae Hong Song. The government doesn't bother them if they keep their heads down. 

While a Vietnam War vet could be Vietnamese, I doubt that's the case here.

[Maestro]

Removed an off-topic post and the reply to it. This topic is not about Vietnam nationals living in Thailand.

[oddgum]

Consular Outreach is a volunteer position under the US Embassy. They liaison between the Embassy staff and those needing assistance, after training. In our province, Trang, we have at least one, sometimes two. It seems they can even assist with SSA Manila.

[oddgum]

19 hours ago, bamnutsak said:

 

 

Can you share any details on this person? 

 

Is this an official State Department employee? Or a good samaritan acting in some sort of unofficial capacity?

 

Are there many of these in Thailand?

 

I've never heard of such a thing, other than the one-day outreach efforts.

 

 

I'd do this if only to see if it is still valid.

 

See my post on Consular Outreach. No details on the 'overstayer' as it seems he wants to lay low. However, American Legion and Outreach are standing by.

[bamnutsak]

44 minutes ago, oddgum said:

Consular Outreach is a volunteer position under the US Embassy. They liaison between the Embassy staff and those needing assistance, after training. In our province, Trang, we have at least one, sometimes two

 

 

In the event that we want to identify assistance for another American in need, how do we locate and refer these trained volunteers? 

 

I've searched for more detail but came up empty, again other than the one-day "outreach programs.

 

 

 

 

[oddgum]

Consular Outreach volunteer, David Hill, call 0804513399. Anyone at the Korat Embassy outreach could get clearer info on contacts throughout TL.

[Maestro]

On 2/14/2025 at 2:08 PM, oddgum said:

The Forum may have saved the old guy some grief. The outreach people do advise flight only. Buy a ticket out of TL, check-in, encounter immigration, pay fine and accept the one -year ban. The details are up to the IMO.

 

Not that it matters as long as he flies out of Thailand, but  I am curious: what is TL? Airport codes have three letters.

 

https://www.acronymfinder.com/TL.html

[nomad22]

5 hours ago, Maestro said:

Not that it matters as long as he flies out of Thailand, but  I am curious: what is TL? Airport codes have three letters.

 

https://www.acronymfinder.com/TL.html

 

I'm guessing Thailand

[oddgum]

Correct. My thumbs come up with Taiwan at times but TL works.

[Maestro]

2 hours ago, oddgum said:

Correct. My thumbs come up with Taiwan at times but TL works.

 

TL for Thailand, that's new and weird.

 

It always puzzles me when a member who generally writes coherently uses an acronym of his own invention that renders his post incomprehensible.

[DrJack54]

Thread off topic and complete. Closed