British Woman Arrested at Phuket Airport for 207-Day Visa Overstay

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Phuket Express

 

A 45-year-old British woman has been arrested and detained, at Phuket International Airport after authorities discovered she had overstayed her permitted entry by  207 days, immigration officials confirmed on 7 April.

 

The arrest took place at approximately 11:30 by immigration officers at the airport’s international terminal. The woman, whose identity has not yet been released by authorities, was preparing to depart the country when officers flagged her passport and identified the significant overstay.

 

 

Immigration officials stated that the woman had been in breach of Thailand’s immigration laws, having remained in the kingdom well beyond the period permitted. 

 

It remains unclear why she overstayed or whether she had made any attempts to report her status or rectify the issue with immigration authorities prior to her arrest.

 

-- 2025-04-08

 

 

 

 

[ChipButty]

Why not just stamp her passport and stick here on the plane with a 10 year ban? let somebody else deal with her, 

 

[ukrules]

1 hour ago, ChipButty said:

Why not just stamp her passport and stick here on the plane with a 10 year ban? let somebody else deal with her,

 

They make up their own laws in Phuket and based on dozens of such reports - it is designed to inflict maximum penalty, pain and cost  on the overstayer.

Remember - this demonstrates exactly how much they love us!
 

[impulse]

1 hour ago, ChipButty said:

Why not just stamp her passport and stick here on the plane with a 10 year ban? let somebody else deal with her, 

 

Maybe she didn't have the 20K baht fine.  If they started waiving that, more of them would overstay and just turn up at the airport when they decided on their own that it was time to leave.

 

 

[watchcat]

1 hour ago, ChipButty said:

Why not just stamp her passport and stick here on the plane with a 10 year ban? let somebody else deal with her, 

 

 

If she doesn't have any money for the flight back , Iuntil she have  I would  recommend the IDC until she has some.

 

[ChipButty]

5 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Maybe she didn't have the 20K baht fine.  If they started waiving that, more of them would overstay and just turn up at the airport when they decided on their own that it was time to leave.

 

 

Thats the only thing I can think of, they dont have the 20 grand, but is she doesn't have it now then she will never have it, 

[Tropicalevo]

1 hour ago, ChipButty said:

Why not just stamp her passport and stick here on the plane with a 10 year ban? let somebody else deal with her,

 

13 minutes ago, ukrules said:

 

They make up their own laws in Phuket and based on dozens of such reports - it is designed to inflict maximum penalty, pain and cost  on the overstayer.
Remember - this demonstrates exactly how much they love us!

 

For goodness sake - she broke the law.

Why should she be let off?

As far as I know, the overstay law applies everywhere in Thailand.

Not just in Phuket.

[impulse]

2 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Thats the only thing I can think of, they dont have the 20 grand, but is she doesn't have it now then she will never have it, 

 

Maybe.  Or maybe she has an ATM card, or relatives that can Western Union her the funds.  If they just gave up and let her through, they'd be denying her the opportunity to be creative in raising her fine.  And set a poor precedent.

 

[ChipButty]

2 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

 

 

For goodness sake - she broke the law.

Why should she be let off?

As far as I know, the overstay law applies everywhere in Thailand.

Not just in Phuket.

Yes, Im well aware she broke the law, to detain her seems pointless, 

[Bert got kinky]

 

I am shocked that someone could possibly overstay their visa in Thailand.

How on earth was she able to stay here for so long without doing a 90 day report?

 

 

[impulse]

17 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Yes, Im well aware she broke the law, to detain her seems pointless, 

 

But if they let her through, every overstayer would show up at the airport with no cash and plead poverty.

 

This is a good cautionary tale.  Bring 20,000 with you if you're on long overstay.  If you do, chances are you'll make your flight.  If not, you'll be arrested and buying a new last minute plane ticket will probably cost a lot more than 20K.

 

You'll get an overstay ban either way. 

 

It would have been good info had the OP detailed why she was arrested and not just fined and sent on her way.

 

[ChipButty]

3 minutes ago, Bert got kinky said:

 

I am shocked that someone could possibly overstay their visa in Thailand.

How on earth was she able to stay here for so long without doing a 90 day report?

 

 

They obviously don't do it, 

[Bert got kinky]

11 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

They obviously don't do it, 

 

Wow, this woman is a walking crime spree, flaunting some major laws.

Surely, along with the 90 day reporting, the TM30 system and Immigration's BMW's, this woman should have been caught much earlier.

 

Let's hope that they can patch up the loophole in the system with the much anticipated TDAC.

🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 

 

[IvorBiggun2]

She will do time as a deterant to others.

 

Quote

Failure to Pay the Fine. If any person inflicted with the punishment of fine fails to pay the fine within thirty days as from the day on which the Court has passed judgment, the property of such person shall be seized to pay for the fine, or else such person shall be confined in lieu of fine.

Punishment (Sections 28-30/3) - Thailand Law Library

[Hamus Yaigh]

1 hour ago, watchcat said:

If she doesn't have any money for the flight back ,

Why would she need money for a flight, the op literally says " at the airport’s international terminal. The woman was preparing to depart the country "?

[Stiddle Mump]

Poor girl.

 

Here in Thailand doing good things. Then the authorities will not let her leave.

 

Rest easy dear; the nightmare will end one day.

[watchcat]

1 minute ago, Hamus Yaigh said:

Why would she need money for a flight, the op literally says " at the airport’s international terminal. The woman was preparing to depart the country "?

 

Because the prison workers must get paid first so o they can buy the the ticket to an inflated price.

[Gottfrid]

3 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Why not just stamp her passport and stick here on the plane with a 10 year ban? let somebody else deal with her, 

 

Because she need to have a plane ticket, as well as more money to pay the fine. Sums up to about 40-50k baht, which she probably don´t have in one pile.

 

1 hour ago, ukrules said:

 

They make up their own laws in Phuket and based on dozens of such reports - it is designed to inflict maximum penalty, pain and cost  on the overstayer.

Remember - this demonstrates exactly how much they love us!
 

Are you serious?! What demonstrates how much they love us? There are immigration laws in Thailand and she broke them. Does that demonstrates how much she love Thailand too? Of course it should feel to do such unlawful activities.

[Felton Jarvis]

As the Thai obsession with "overstay" continues unabated.

[Felton Jarvis]

42 minutes ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

She will do time as a deterant to others.

 

Punishment (Sections 28-30/3) - Thailand Law Library

Draconian and insane. Punitive tariffs should be assessed until they loosen their grip.

[Felton Jarvis]

2 hours ago, impulse said:

 

Maybe she didn't have the 20K baht fine.  If they started waiving that, more of them would overstay and just turn up at the airport when they decided on their own that it was time to leave.

 

 

She appears to be of African descent. Thai racism, no doubt.

[billd766]

1 hour ago, ChipButty said:

Yes, Im well aware she broke the law, to detain her seems pointless, 

So it seems to be OK wit you if people break the law and don't get punished.

 

O can understand people overstaying by 1 or 2 days, but to overstay by 207 days IS a crime, and she should be punished.

[impulse]

1 minute ago, Felton Jarvis said:

She appears to be of African descent. Thai racism, no doubt.

 

Doesn't matter what color.  Either she had the cash to pay the fine and get sent on her way, or she didn't. 

 

She had over 6 months to phone the family and friends back home and ask them to front her the 20,000.  During which time, she also spent at least 2 or 3x that on travel expenses like food and lodging. (I'm a tightwad and I'd have spent 281,000 baht in that time just on my cheap hotel and meals)

 

Letting her go without paying would just embolden the next overstayer to show up with no cash and try it on.

 

[Andre0720]

1 hour ago, Tropicalevo said:

 

 

For goodness sake - she broke the law.

Why should she be let off?

As far as I know, the overstay law applies everywhere in Thailand.

Not just in Phuket.

Laws, oh yes laws..... Do not break those, right? Might apply anywhere in Thailand.. Jail all lawbreakers...

 

Here's a more detailed breakdown of some Thai road laws:General Road Rules:

 

Drive on the left: Thailand follows left-hand traffic, meaning you drive on the left side of the road and overtake on the right

Valid Driver's License: You must have a valid driver's license to drive in Thailand

Seatbelts: Seatbelts are mandatory for all occupants of a vehicle

Helmets: Helmets are mandatory for both riders and passengers on motorcycles

Speed Limits:

• Generally 50-60 km/h in suburban roads

Mobile Phone Usage: Using a phone while driving without a hands-free kit is prohibited. 

Child Car Seats: Children under six must use car seats with proper harnesses

 

Lights: Lights must be on at all times, even during the day

Maximum Occupants: The maximum number of people per two-wheeler is two. 

 

[ronnie50]

3 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Why not just stamp her passport and stick here on the plane with a 10 year ban? let somebody else deal with her, 

 

I guess she could just get a new passport and even change her first name.

[impulse]

4 minutes ago, Andre0720 said:

Laws, oh yes laws..... Do not break those, right? Might apply anywhere in Thailand.. Jail all lawbreakers...

 

Looking at the grooming gangs in Europe and the apartment complex takeovers in the USA, who can blame Thailand for actually enforcing their immigration laws?  Not me, for sure.

 

[ronnie50]

24 minutes ago, Felton Jarvis said:

As the Thai obsession with "overstay" continues unabated.

Seems to me every country would arrest someone trying to leave the country who had so agregiously overstayed their visa. Overstaying in Thailand is clearly a problem because it happens so often. It might be the reason Thai IMM still has IOs physically stationed at exit points after security to ensure the visitor has not overstayed. Maybe Thailand makes money from it? Can't see any other reason for th IMM IOs to be there - everything is electronic these days - maybe they haven't figured out a way to catch the overstayers if they go fully electronic (no IOs upon departure).

[Felton Jarvis]

1 minute ago, ronnie50 said:

Seems to me every country would arrest someone trying to leave the country who had so agregiously overstayed their visa. Overstaying in Thailand is clearly a problem because it happens so often. It might be the reason Thai IMM still has IOs physically stationed at exit points after security to ensure the visitor has not overstayed. Maybe Thailand makes money from it? Can't see any other reason for th IMM IOs to be there - everything is electronic these days - maybe they haven't figured out a way to catch the overstayers if they go fully electronic (no IOs upon departure).

Thailand makes incredible amounts of money from this and the ridiculous "re-entry permits". Western countries need ways to punish them for abusing our citizens.

[a3tsw]

“It remains unclear why she overstayed or whether she had made any attempts to report her status or rectify the issue with immigration authorities prior to her arrest.”

And there we have it , we do not know whether she had or didn’t have the necessary funds to pay the overstay fine or if the reporter will investigate further and clarify the issue.

I am sure readers would wish to know whether Phuket immigration are now arresting overstayers at the airport even if they do have the means available to pay the overstay fine.

There have been several similar reports recently of people on overstays being arrested whilst attempting to depart from Phuket airport , but none of them have answered this question.

[Felton Jarvis]

16 minutes ago, Andre0720 said:

Laws, oh yes laws..... Do not break those, right? Might apply anywhere in Thailand.. Jail all lawbreakers...

 

Here's a more detailed breakdown of some Thai road laws:General Road Rules:

 

Drive on the left: Thailand follows left-hand traffic, meaning you drive on the left side of the road and overtake on the right

Valid Driver's License: You must have a valid driver's license to drive in Thailand

Seatbelts: Seatbelts are mandatory for all occupants of a vehicle

Helmets: Helmets are mandatory for both riders and passengers on motorcycles

Speed Limits:

• Generally 50-60 km/h in suburban roads

Mobile Phone Usage: Using a phone while driving without a hands-free kit is prohibited. 

Child Car Seats: Children under six must use car seats with proper harnesses

 

Lights: Lights must be on at all times, even during the day

Maximum Occupants: The maximum number of people per two-wheeler is two. 

 

A good rule of thumb seems to be that the laws least likely to cause harm incur draconian and insane penalties, while those involving life and safety are not given much thought.