British Man Arrested in Thailand After 25-Year Visa Overstay

[snoop1130]

Photo courtesy of The Pattaya News

 

In a major crackdown, Chiang Mai Immigration recently arrested a British man who astonishingly overstayed his visa by 9,135 days—more than 25 years. This case marks one of the longest recorded visa overstays in Thailand's history.

 

The arrest took place on February 24 in an operation led by Police Colonel Surachai Eimpuang and Police Lieutenant Colonel Suthirathep Phothinimit. Their task force, alongside Crime Suppression Division 5, targeted high-risk areas in the Chang Klan subdistrict to enforce immigration laws.

 

The man, whose identity remains undisclosed, was charged with overstaying his permission to remain in Thailand. He is now awaiting deportation to the UK, detained at the Chiang Mai City Police Station.

 

Entered Thailand on January 9, 2000, with a 30-day visa exemption, the man did not seek an extension. He lived in Bangkok for 13 years, later moving to Chiang Mai for another 12. He even obtained a new passport during his prolonged stay, potentially evading detection.

 

 

Immigration officials expressed disbelief at the extent of his overstay. "This is one of the longest visa overstays we’ve ever encountered," they noted.

 

Authorities are investigating his background and connections to understand how he managed to evade capture for so long and to check for any criminal history in the UK.

 

"We are committed to enforcing immigration regulations and maintaining public order," pledged Pol. Col. Surachai.

 

The public is urged to report immigration violations or seek assistance via the Chiang Mai Immigration's official website, Facebook page, or by calling 05320 1755, reported The Thaiger.

 

-- 2025-02-25

 

 

[MikeandDow]

Well WOW !!!!   show how effective immigration enforcement is,  big lose of face on this one !

[rough diamond]

If the 90Day and TM30 reporting systems are effective how did this happen?

 

All the more proof if it were ever needed that they should both be scrapped.

[roo860]

Legend 

[richard_smith237]

oooohhhh.....    the forums famous knicker wetters are going to get so excited at this one......   I predict full on leukorrhea...     watch out for the spelling mistakes as they'll be sliding all over the place, struggling to type in their excitement !!!... 

 

 

[Yagoda]

Nice ride mate, see you in Cambodia in a few months.

[HappyExpat57]

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

He even obtained a new passport during his prolonged stay, potentially evading detection.

WHAT the ACTUAL EFF?!? How is someone like this NOT flagged?!?

[swerve]

From 2000. This is a big boy overstay.  Well done sir!

[Gobbler]

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

Authorities are investigating his background and connections to understand how he managed to evade capture for so long and to check for any criminal history in the UK.

They will never tell us how he did it. It must be a good story.

[GammaGlobulin]

Nerves of Steel.

[JoseThailand]

Our hero

[Robert_Smith]

2 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The public is urged to report immigration violations or seek assistance via the Chiang Mai Immigration's official website, Facebook page, or by calling 05320 1755, reported The Thaiger.

Thai's just love to grass people up, especially a farang...

 

They get off on it, almost sadistically.

 

regards,

bob.

[impulse]

2 minutes ago, Robert_Smith said:

Thai's just love to grass people up, especially a farang...

 

They get off on it, almost sadistically.

 

regards,

bob.

 

So do a lot of AN posters.

 

[impulse]

I wonder how long before he'll be back living under the radar in Thailand?

 

I wish the guy well.  He obviously didn't cause much of a problem if he lasted that long.

 

[Purdey]

He should get naturalization after that length of time.

[kwak250]

I reckon if you stay for over 20 years undetected you should be given permanent residency and maybe a new Honda wave and a small 2 bedroom house in Sakhon Nakhon for such an achievement .

[GammaGlobulin]

Early-onset Dementia, perhaps?

 

[kidneyw]

Whatever happened to those smart BMWs, with the computer onboard? never hear anything about them these days.

Probably used to take the big bosses wife to the market.

[GammaGlobulin]

How much will the fine be?

Or, does he just pay the usual maximum, which is quite low.

 

[jim hayes]

Got to say hats off to this guy. Given that a UK passport is valid for 10 years I presume he must have renewed it twice, or simply didn't bother after the first renewal!

[quake]

25 years.

Respect. 

[jim hayes]

2 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Their task force, alongside Crime Suppression Division 5, targeted high-risk areas in the Chang Klan subdistrict to enforce immigration laws.

I wonder what makes this a "high risk" area?

[richard_smith237]

32 minutes ago, Robert_Smith said:

Thai's just love to grass people up, especially a farang...

 

They get off on it, almost sadistically.

 

regards,

bob.

 

On the evidence of this, bob.... Perhaps not... It took 25 years !!!!

[Ralf001]

1 hour ago, rough diamond said:

If the 90Day and TM30 reporting systems are effective how did this happen?

 

All the more proof if it were ever needed that they should both be scrapped.

 

Entered on 30 day visa exemption.

 

Why would he have had to do 90 day reporting ?

[rough diamond]

34 minutes ago, Purdey said:

He should get naturalization after that length of time.

And a job with Thai Immigration as an advisor!

[worgeordie]

I have lived here legally for 37 years now ,out in the wild I have only been

asked for my passport once ,by a soldier ,as at the time there was a coup

going on and there were road blocks everywhere , but maybe it does not

count as he was reading it upside down , 

 

regards worgeordie

[theblether]

There was a guy in Mae Hong Son who overstayed for 22 years. When the Thais introduced mandatory bans from the Kingdom ( around 2015/16 ) he left voluntarily, flew to the UK, obtained a visa and returned. 

 

This guy has just caught a mandatory ten year ban from Thailand. 

[Harrisfan]

1 hour ago, swerve said:

From 2000. This is a big boy overstay.  Well done sir!

My hero. Smartest Brit ever.

[theblether]

2 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

I have lived here legally for 37 years now ,out in the wild I have only been

asked for my passport once ,by a soldier ,as at the time there was a coup

going on and there were road blocks everywhere , but maybe it does not

count as he was reading it upside down , 

 

regards worgeordie

 

I knew a guy in Laos who had been there 27 years without a visa and had allowed his passport to lapse. Similar to yourself, no one cared to inquire as to his status. 

 

Best one I saw was a farang selling eggs at a country market. Thai official busybody questioned how he could do that legally and phoned the police. Guy had been in country about 30 years - and she was dismayed to find out he had Thai citizenship. To make it even more embarrassing, the guy was who the cops turned to for help with farangs in the area. He wasn't tourist police, just an ad hoc helper. 

[BangkokReady]

59 minutes ago, Robert_Smith said:

Thai's just love to grass people up, especially a farang...

 

They get off on it, almost sadistically.

 

regards,

bob.

 

Yet they also shrug off a ton of stuff.  🤷‍♂️