joebound Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 Hi guys. Would like to find out abt serveral things. I have overstayed in Thailand for the past 3 yrs with my thai girlfriend and we have now broken up. I have an air ticket to leave BKK on saturday. I know the fine is 20k max. I would like to know where at the airport do i pay the fine at? Do i pay before i enter the customs or at the customs check there? Anything i should take note of other than not getting stopped by police on the way to the airport? How long will the whole process take? I have not broken any law in Thailand and have never been stopped by any police during my time here. I know im bad to overstay here but i was too deeply in love with my ex. hope someone could advise. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario2008 Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 At immigration, when you leave the country. There they will call you aside when they notice the overstay. Given the length of the overstay you might want to consider going to immigration in Bangkok before you leave to sort it out. (bring your ticket with you). They might want to do a check on you to see if you overstayed for that long and you don't want to miss your plane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArthurPewty Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 What would he say to the immigration police? Won't they just clap him in irons? How many days before his flight should he go? Experience anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario2008 Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 I would go 1 or 2 day before. Immigration just wants to make sure he didn't do anything illegal and isn't wanted. The might want to know how he provided for his income during his stay and wasn't working illegal. Normally it isn't that big a deal and shouldn't take that long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_Pat_Pong Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 I think that the OP should face facts. He is in CRIMINAL overstay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayutthaya69 Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 Wow 3 years over stay chok dee lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayutthaya69 Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 yes overstay you broke the immigration law Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimsa Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 Three years? Wow, that's no overstay, that's illegal immigration. They are going to love you. To think, I worried about three days once. Being stopped on the way to the airport is the least of your worries. Get it sorted out now. GOOD LUCK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VocalNeal Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 If Mario is correct then go to immigration tomorrow and get it sorted before you go to the airport. That way you are admitting you have done wrong and want to make amends. I, however, unfortunately have to go with the last poster in that 3 years is not "overstay" it is illegally living in Thailand. If you can prove retirement income maybe OK otherwise they will want to know how you supported yourself and girlfriend for 3 years. Maybe it was savings and now they are all gone. If in BKK you may want to consider going to your embassy, they won't be overjoyed to see you but they will know what you need to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaiRich Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 OK. Let's have experience speak and stop all the guessing. Last week I went with my friend to the airport. We were both going to Laos for the free tourist visa's. I was at the end of my 30 stamp on arrival and he was 2 years and 4 months overstay. We went through immigrations at the airport. They pulled his aside and looked at him and said 20,000 baht. Then they asked him what he has been doing in Thailand and then 5 minutes later they gave him a receipt for 20,000 baht. We went to Laos applied for our FREE tourist visas. We both picked them up the next day and we were in back in Thailand the next day. At immigration as we entered Thailand the immigration office looked at my friend and told him "you no overstay this time o.k.". This is fact not fiction. If any one has any experience being detained at immigrations at the airport for overstay, I am sure many would like to hear of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaiRich Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 I think that the OP should face facts. He is in CRIMINAL overstay. Yes, he is a criminal and as soon as he pays his 20,000 baht he will be forgiven and all will be well in the universe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimsa Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 I think that the OP should face facts. He is in CRIMINAL overstay. Yes, he is a criminal and as soon as he pays his 20,000 baht he will be forgiven and all will be well in the universe. There are very good reasons why all countries implement these laws: from matters of national security to preventing common crime. Three years is a major infringement of laws that are intended to protect Thais in their own country, and us legal immigrants also. The infringement insults the country by disregarding it's laws. It deserves punishment. I personally, went to a considerable amount of trouble getting this aspect of my stay in Thailand totally correct and above board. Some fools think they are above laws, even in somebody else's country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaiRich Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 (edited) I think that the OP should face facts. He is in CRIMINAL overstay. Yes, he is a criminal and as soon as he pays his 20,000 baht he will be forgiven and all will be well in the universe. There are very good reasons why all countries implement these laws: from matters of national security to preventing common crime. Three years is a major infringement of laws that are intended to protect Thais in their own country, and us legal immigrants also. The infringement insults the country by disregarding it's laws. It deserves punishment. I personally, went to a considerable amount of trouble getting this aspect of my stay in Thailand totally correct and above board. Some fools think they are above laws, even in somebody else's country. Absolutely I agree. As foreigners we should obey the laws of our host country. I HAVE NOT SAID OTHERWISE. Yes, there should be punishment and there is punishment, BUT the punishment is not for YOU or I to decide. It is for the Immigration police to decide and they have decided the punishment is 20,000 baht IF you don't get caught by the police before leaving the country and a vist to the IDC if you get caught. My friend or the OP have not/ will not get away with out being punished. On another note my stay in Thailand is correct also, the proper visa for the reason I am staying here ect.... But, I am not sure what "above the board" means. There are guidelines for different visa's and the extensions of those visa's. I don't think there is "extra paperwork" for those that want to be "really good". Everyone with long term visa's and extensions ect., went through a lot of troubles and had to jump through hoops. I don't think you were singled out for any "extra hoop jumping". Edited November 24, 2009 by ThaiRich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaiRich Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 (edited) I think that the OP should face facts. He is in CRIMINAL overstay. Just got off the phone with my Thai friend, who is friends with one of the biggies over at immigration. Under Thai immigration law there is only one classification of overstay and that is overstay. There is no such thing as CRIMINAL overstay. Edited November 24, 2009 by ThaiRich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimsa Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 "Correct and above board" is an expression. Nothing deeper ect. intended. For the OP's sake, I hope that you and your contacts are right. I, however, would not want to be in his shoes in a million years.You never know just what lies around the corner in this country when it comes to dealing with officials. He will have a lot of questions to answer before he hands over the twenty thousand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VocalNeal Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 OK. PO Box 228Goole Last week I went with my friend to the airport. We were both going to Laos for the free tourist visa's. I was at the end of my 30 stamp on arrival and he was 2 years and 4 months overstay. We went through immigrations at the airport. They pulled his aside and looked at him and said 20,000 baht. Then they asked him what he has been doing in Thailand and then 5 minutes later they gave him a receipt for 20,000 baht. We went to Laos applied for our FREE tourist visas. We both picked them up the next day and we were in back in Thailand the next day. At immigration as we entered Thailand the immigration office looked at my friend and told him "you no overstay this time o.k.". This is fact not fiction. If any one has any experience being detained at immigrations at the airport for overstay, I am sure many would like to hear of it. Good this should put the OP's mind at rest. Like you say "Let's have experience speak and stop all the guessing" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mauiguy90 Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 (edited) OK. PO Box 228Goole Last week I went with my friend to the airport. We were both going to Laos for the free tourist visa's. I was at the end of my 30 stamp on arrival and he was 2 years and 4 months overstay. We went through immigrations at the airport. They pulled his aside and looked at him and said 20,000 baht. Then they asked him what he has been doing in Thailand and then 5 minutes later they gave him a receipt for 20,000 baht. We went to Laos applied for our FREE tourist visas. We both picked them up the next day and we were in back in Thailand the next day. At immigration as we entered Thailand the immigration office looked at my friend and told him "you no overstay this time o.k.". This is fact not fiction. If any one has any experience being detained at immigrations at the airport for overstay, I am sure many would like to hear of it. Good this should put the OP's mind at rest. Like you say "Let's have experience speak and stop all the guessing" A friend of mine also overstayed 6 months. He simply went to the airport where they asked him to pay 20,000 baht. Thereafter, he boarded his flight, also to Laos and returned a few days later with no problem. On the other hand, I've read a newspaper account from Hawaii about a well known visitor from Spain, who either was unable or unwilling to pay the over stay fine of a few days. He was locked up for a few weeks and died in prison. My friend advised me that as long as you don't get caught before going to the airport, you will be fine. Here's the info from this website advising people that if they are caught by immigration, they may be imprisoned: http://www.thaivisa.com/303.0.html Taken from another post of a similar nature: "As long as he makes it to the Airport he will be ok. Pay the fine and he will be able to return. " -------------------- L.B Edited November 25, 2009 by mauiguy90 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mauiguy90 Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 (edited) Here's the article about the European royalty that died while being imprisoned due to an immigration violation: http://archives.starbulletin.com/2006/08/1...ws/story04.html He was actually from Liechtenstein, not Spain. Edited November 25, 2009 by mauiguy90 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaiRich Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 (edited) Here's the article about the European royalty that died while being imprisoned due to an immigration violation:http://archives.starbulletin.com/2006/08/1...ws/story04.html He was actually from Liechtenstein, not Spain. Read the article------- After seeing that he had missed the departure date on his visa, he took a pen and changed the 20 to 29. "Immigration officials caught the alleged alteration and Hohenlohe was arrested on suspicion of forging documents." He WAS NOT arrested for immigration violations (overstay). He was arrested for FORGING DOCUMENTS. Edited November 25, 2009 by ThaiRich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mauiguy90 Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Here's the article about the European royalty that died while being imprisoned due to an immigration violation:http://archives.starbulletin.com/2006/08/1...ws/story04.html He was actually from Liechtenstein, not Spain. Read the article------- After seeing that he had missed the departure date on his visa, he took a pen and changed the 20 to 29. "Immigration officials caught the alleged alteration and Hohenlohe was arrested on suspicion of forging documents." He WAS NOT arrested for immigration violations (overstay). He was arrested for FORGING DOCUMENTS. I suspect you have read the whole article either. The article also reads: " he could have avoided the arrest had he paid a fine of $20 a day." Sounds very much like a standard fine for overstay. Whatever...My point is that being detained for an immigration violation is a serious thing. As stated in the thaivisa.com warning about immigrations violations: (You can be) "detained in an Immigration Detention Center for a few days while your case is processed. Needless to say, this is an experience you can do without, as conditions inside have been described by Amnesty International as 'cruel and degrading' and 'seriously overcrowded'." In this case, it was fatal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patong Bob Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 A friend of mine, Andre who ran the Monte Carlo Hotel in Patong, came here, had a drink or two, and after 21 years had to have some people help him get home to the UK. The UK embassy were a problem, but there weren't any at the airport. Paid 20,000 baht and was poured onto the plane. Mai mee bun ha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwiTV Posted November 28, 2009 Share Posted November 28, 2009 If I were you I would just head down to immigration with the money and pay the fine. Tell them only the truth and take your plane ticket. Be humble and don't worry. There are thousands who have done the same before and the immigration deals with them the same way every day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will27 Posted November 28, 2009 Share Posted November 28, 2009 I think that the OP should face facts. He is in CRIMINAL overstay. No such thing matey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted November 28, 2009 Share Posted November 28, 2009 You do not usually face up to two years in jail for a non-crime. That is the permitted punishment for overstay - plus 20k fine. Normal sentence is only a fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will27 Posted November 28, 2009 Share Posted November 28, 2009 You do not usually face up to two years in jail for a non-crime. That is the permitted punishment for overstay - plus 20k fine. Normal sentence is only a fine. It would then be interesting to know when was the last person actually sentenced to jail (not immigration detention) and for how long the overstay was. Regards Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojaco Posted November 28, 2009 Share Posted November 28, 2009 (edited) It might get a little more difficult avoiding the police on the way to the airport if they do open up a police station WITHIN the airport as was planned?!! Edited November 28, 2009 by mojaco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joebound Posted December 1, 2009 Author Share Posted December 1, 2009 Hi Guys, i just wanan post an update on details of my departure after overstaying in Thailand for 958 days. I would also specially like to thank ThaiRich for providing valuable advice. Anyway here is what happened on 29th Nov 2009 (958th Day of overstaying) I went to the airport with 1hr30mins left before my plane leaves. I got my boarding pass, no question asked from the airline staffs. Went straight into immigration. When it was my turn, i told the kind lady officer i overstayed and asked where to pay the fine. She politely told me its at the back of her counter. She asked me what i did here and i told her i have a thai gf. I then went to the back of her counter, the police officer then counted the no. of days, wrote down on his documents. I paid 20k baht, got a receipt. THERE IS NO RED STAMP on my passport. Its all thai. It took me less than 5 mins for everything. i left a happy man with no problem caused by the police and immigration department. Thanks ThaiRich and Thailand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaiRich Posted December 5, 2009 Share Posted December 5, 2009 Joebound, I am glad that everything worked out for you. Good luck in the future. Although the punishment for overstaying your visa is small and easily taken care of we should not as guest in this country blatantly break the laws. There are many easy ways to legally stay in Thailand. If you don't qualify for a long term visa and are not working. Simply fly in and out every 30 days. Air Asia is cheap and don't forget when you overstay you run the risk of not making it to the airport. Be good citizens of the world and obey the laws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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