Stranded And Now Overstayed

[bwells]

I found this forum and hopefully someone can give me some solid advice. I came to Thailand from Laos, and somewhere after crossing the border, I went to the restroom, then to the 7-11 and I realized my pouch with my passport, credit, debit cards was missing, I went back, checked the bathroom, the bus, nothing. I realize i was very drowsy and it was the middle of the night.

I got to Bangkok and went to the Embassy, they sent me to get a police report from the city where the loss or theft occurred, which I should have known would be the start of the problem. I called home, tried to get money from western union, Not without a passport.

So to make a long story short, my plan to be in Thailand is now 5 weeks, I am on overstay and have gotten as much money as I possibly can from friends and family and still need another $2000? to get back (ticket, overstay etc)

Does anyone have any insight on how to get the Embassy to help? They basically said sorry, but we can help me call back home for help, ok, so I am an idiot because I lost my passport, but not that much of an idiot!

Hopefully someone can shed some light on this situation, it just keeps getting worse every day!!

Thanks

[FarangBuddha]

Got give the op some credit for imagination...I mean we've all got this story from bum farengs on the street...but to post the exact same sad-luck story on T-V...that's a new one for me

One reason I know it's a lie is that you don't need a passport to receive money from Western Union. Western Union is often used to send money to people in poor Third World countries where the recipient often doesn't have a form of picture ID. Therefore, W-U allows the sender to provide a PIN code to W-U that the recipient must provide to W-U at the receiving end to get the money. The sender provides the PIN to the receiver either by telephone, SMS, or email...and with the PIN, picking up the money without an ID is possible. But nice try buddy!

And of course, anyone without excess funds in a bank to get home in an emergency has no business traveling outside their own hometown city limits.

Edited September 10, 2010 by FarangBuddha

[beano2274]

The Embassy will not help you, you first need to get a Passport from them, tell them you cannot get a police report from the city in question as you do not know exactly where you lost it, or even report it to the Police in Bangkok, say you were traveling from wherever to Bangkok and must have lost it on the bus, you searched after realising but could not find it. Take this report to the Embassy and get a receipt from them, this you can use to get Western Union, as my friend already did it like this. (using the slip to get money from WU)>

To the other poster, even if you have the PIN number you still need a Passport, some branches of WU do not ask others do.

Edited September 10, 2010 by beano2274

[Lite Beer]

Every day of overstay is another 500 Baht. Get a new passport quick.

[Colabamumbai]

Got give the op some credit for imagination...I mean we've all got this story from bum farengs on the street...but to post the exact same sad-luck story on T-V...that's a new one for me

One reason I know it's a lie is that you don't need a passport to receive money from Western Union. Western Union is often used to send money to people in poor Third World countries where the recipient often doesn't have a form of picture ID. Therefore, W-U allows the sender to provide a PIN code to W-U that the recipient must provide to W-U at the receiving end to get the money. The sender provides the PIN to the receiver either by telephone, SMS, or email...and with the PIN, picking up the money without an ID is possible. But nice try buddy!

And of course, anyone without excess funds in a bank to get home in an emergency has no business traveling outside their own hometown city limits.

I like your reply and it is true about WU. Like the poster said he is stupid but not that stupid.

[Mario2008]

report stolen passport to police and give a copy f it to the embassy. Keep a copy for Thai immigration.

apply for new passport or emergency travel document. The last one should be faster to obtain

go to immirgation and report your passport stolen there with leter from embassy and polcie report. You might need to pay a fine of 500 baht per day for overstay with a maximum of 20,000 baht.

Not sure which embassy we are talking about, but you talk about dollars. If need be the embassy does give money, which you need to repay, unless the US-embassy has changed its policy. They prefer that your family pays directly to you, might also be possible they pay the US-government to forward to you.

[Colabamumbai]

You found this forum maybe using an internet cafe, so you have some funds, yet you could not find your passport and other documents. Are you for real?

[bwells]

Got give the op some credit for imagination...I mean we've all got this story from bum farengs on the street...but to post the exact same sad-luck story on T-V...that's a new one for me

One reason I know it's a lie is that you don't need a passport to receive money from Western Union. Western Union is often used to send money to people in poor Third World countries where the recipient often doesn't have a form of picture ID. Therefore, W-U allows the sender to provide a PIN code to W-U that the recipient must provide to W-U at the receiving end to get the money. The sender provides the PIN to the receiver either by telephone, SMS, or email...and with the PIN, picking up the money without an ID is possible. But nice try buddy!

And of course, anyone without excess funds in a bank to get home in an emergency has no business traveling outside their own hometown city limits.

Well at least it is nice to know there are still some angry, bitter, sarcastic trolls in the world!!!

[bwells]

report stolen passport to police and give a copy f it to the embassy. Keep a copy for Thai immigration.

apply for new passport or emergency travel document. The last one should be faster to obtain

go to immirgation and report your passport stolen there with leter from embassy and polcie report. You might need to pay a fine of 500 baht per day for overstay with a maximum of 20,000 baht.

Not sure which embassy we are talking about, but you talk about dollars. If need be the embassy does give money, which you need to repay, unless the US-embassy has changed its policy. They prefer that your family pays directly to you, might also be possible they pay the US-government to forward to you.

That's the info I am looking for, but she said it takes a long time and not everyone qualifies. I can get enough to cover the overstay, but I asked if they could just help with a ticket and I can pay it back as soon as I can get to a US Bank.

Do I just have to flat out tell them to help me instead of being so nice to them?

I am sure they want to do that only as a last resort, which is where I am at now!

As far as the sarcastic responses, since you are not aware of the current economic situation the World is in, how many family, friends could just come up with $2000-$2500 to give to you? Think a little bit before you type, if that is possible!

[Mario2008]

The embassy has these two links:

http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/lost_stolen_passports.html

http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/service/emergency-assistance.html

[Jingthing]

I see no reason not to give you the benefit of the doubt that you are sincere. To those sniping at this guy, imagine if it was you in a crisis asking for help and encountering such toxicity.

I don't think you can TELL the US embassy anything, but I guess you can beg louder. But be careful, they have armed guards.

My other idea is a little extreme. If you really are at the end of your rope, you might try this. Email your local newspaper in the US and tell them your story. Then tell them the US embassy won't help you and the only alternative to that is to fester in a Thai prison. They might be interested in it as a human interest story especially if you are from a smaller town. If that happens, even if you do end up in immigration detention, you will have some press following the story, possibly even pressuring the embassy or even raising donations to get you out. OK, I know this idea sounds far fetched and probably won't work, but if you have run out of options, some hope is better than nothing. It's ridiculous really. In the past the US has spent millions of dollars to release hostages, etc., you are certainly worth a few thousand on a LOAN basis.

Edited September 10, 2010 by Jingthing

[beano2274]

Why not get your friends to send the funds to the Embassy? That way the Embassy is sure you have funds and assist you in getting a Passport and all the relevant documents to actually depart from Thailand

[Colabamumbai]

Cancel your debit/credits cards immediately if you have not already.

[likewise]

farangbudha is correct, I see no need to call him sarcastic : You do not need a passport to get money send through Western Union.

So I guess the easiest way is to ask somebody back home to Send money through western union, get a temporarily travel document from your embassy and you are own your way.

[Scott]

Many years ago, I was approached by a rather rugged looking foreigner in MBK in BKK. I didn't see him coming until he tapped me on the shoulder. I got a sob story about having been robbed or lost his wallet and he wanted to know if I could lend him 500 baht. At that time, 500 baht was a good sum of money. He needed it to get to his hotel, contact someone, blah, blah, blah. He said he worked on an oil rig, blah, blah, blah. He was dirty and shabby and I was so taken aback that I promptly reached in my wallet and gave him 500 baht. I walked away and he came running up and asked for my address, which I reluctantly gave him (I figured he'd be on my doorstep in a couple of days).

Low and behold about 6 weeks later I get a nice letter thanking me for my kindness and 2 crisp 100 US $ bills.

I hope the OP gets things sorted out. Not a nice position to be in.

[Max4243]

Got give the op some credit for imagination...I mean we've all got this story from bum farengs on the street...but to post the exact same sad-luck story on T-V...that's a new one for me

One reason I know it's a lie is that you don't need a passport to receive money from Western Union. Western Union is often used to send money to people in poor Third World countries where the recipient often doesn't have a form of picture ID. Therefore, W-U allows the sender to provide a PIN code to W-U that the recipient must provide to W-U at the receiving end to get the money. The sender provides the PIN to the receiver either by telephone, SMS, or email...and with the PIN, picking up the money without an ID is possible. But nice try buddy!

And of course, anyone without excess funds in a bank to get home in an emergency has no business traveling outside their own hometown city limits.

FarnangBuddha, I quite understand if you do not believe this poster for whatever reason, but don't you think you should give him the benefit of the doubt? He is not asking you or anyone in this forum for a donation, but just asking for some assistance as to how to get about in his situation. As for calling him a lier, you are too quick to shoot from your hip. I have checked with WU and they need to see some form of indentification, not just the pin number.

It is not for you to be sarcastic regarding people traveling without excess fund in one's bank. There are many budget travellers and you don't need to be rich or need a healthy bank account to travel???

Alll this person need is some quick advice and he would be better off without people like you to pour cold water. Don't you feel shameful of your attitude?

[Max4243]

Got give the op some credit for imagination...I mean we've all got this story from bum farengs on the street...but to post the exact same sad-luck story on T-V...that's a new one for me

One reason I know it's a lie is that you don't need a passport to receive money from Western Union. Western Union is often used to send money to people in poor Third World countries where the recipient often doesn't have a form of picture ID. Therefore, W-U allows the sender to provide a PIN code to W-U that the recipient must provide to W-U at the receiving end to get the money. The sender provides the PIN to the receiver either by telephone, SMS, or email...and with the PIN, picking up the money without an ID is possible. But nice try buddy!

And of course, anyone without excess funds in a bank to get home in an emergency has no business traveling outside their own hometown city limits.

I like your reply and it is true about WU. Like the poster said he is stupid but not that stupid.

You like FarangBuddha reply is like the saying goes "birds of the feather flocked together". Please check with WU before you post as it is not true about WU as I have already posted in my reply to FarangBuddha. BTW I like your quotes though.

[Max4243]

Got give the op some credit for imagination...I mean we've all got this story from bum farengs on the street...but to post the exact same sad-luck story on T-V...that's a new one for me

One reason I know it's a lie is that you don't need a passport to receive money from Western Union. Western Union is often used to send money to people in poor Third World countries where the recipient often doesn't have a form of picture ID. Therefore, W-U allows the sender to provide a PIN code to W-U that the recipient must provide to W-U at the receiving end to get the money. The sender provides the PIN to the receiver either by telephone, SMS, or email...and with the PIN, picking up the money without an ID is possible. But nice try buddy!

And of course, anyone without excess funds in a bank to get home in an emergency has no business traveling outside their own hometown city limits.

I like your reply and it is true about WU. Like the poster said he is stupid but not that stupid.

You like FarangBuddha reply is like the saying goes "birds of the feather flocked together". Please check with WU before you post as it is not true about WU as I have already posted in my reply to FarangBuddha. BTW I like your quotes though.

[bwells]

Many years ago, I was approached by a rather rugged looking foreigner in MBK in BKK. I didn't see him coming until he tapped me on the shoulder. I got a sob story about having been robbed or lost his wallet and he wanted to know if I could lend him 500 baht. At that time, 500 baht was a good sum of money. He needed it to get to his hotel, contact someone, blah, blah, blah. He said he worked on an oil rig, blah, blah, blah. He was dirty and shabby and I was so taken aback that I promptly reached in my wallet and gave him 500 baht. I walked away and he came running up and asked for my address, which I reluctantly gave him (I figured he'd be on my doorstep in a couple of days).

Low and behold about 6 weeks later I get a nice letter thanking me for my kindness and 2 crisp 100 US $ bills.

I hope the OP gets things sorted out. Not a nice position to be in.

OK, thanks guys for lightening up a bid, stuff just happens.

[beano2274]

You can also use a driving licence or the official slip from your Embassy to get the money, btu best get your friends to send to the Embassy, as then the Embassy will make sure everything gets done to get you home.

[HampiK]

The Problem is, that there are many people around who use this or very similar stories for take money.

And i believe, that some of the person who ask for money need real help, but unfortunately there are more which use stories like this for steel money. It is a bad habit, because the real unlucky people not become their money.

I thought many times what i should do, when a person ask me for money to go to their embassy. And i came to the conclusion, to go with him and pay for the taxi. So if he really need the money for it, then i will give it. But if he is only a burglar, then he will not want this answer....

At the end, i hope there will be never a person who have to ask this...

[TerryLH]

"...like the saying goes "birds of the feather flocked together"."

Is that how it goes?

I don't think the quotation marks are needed when you paraphrase something. They're only needed when you quote the saying correctly.

I hope this works out for the OP. I know how I'd feel in that situation.

[moe666]

Had my passport sto;en a few years ago and no problem getting a new one at US embassy. They will not give you money, try red cross for a loan, but will issue you a passport.

Good reason to have several places on body to keep money other than all in wallet. Sorry to hear about your problem.

[AgentSmith]

Ok this is weird. In the civilized country where I am from it is normal to travel with at least some form of insurance. They always have a telephone number for emergencies, often toll free, to help you out in whatever ways they can. This also includes money for a temporary passport, money for the trip back etc. Often the temporary passport is covered in the insurance plan, the trip back often given as a loan. In most cases when you've obtained your new passport you can then easily get money from your own bank and pay for all the rest yourself. They can then even send you a new creditcard. It sounds to me that you simply did not forsee any kind of problems before you went on your trip and decided to either go entirely uninsured or not even took care of a backup plan for the worst case scenario that you can possibly get when it comes to your belongings as a traveler which is loose them all. Not so hard to anticipate that isn't it??

Ok all this does not really help you anymore, that I realize, Let this simply be a good lesson. Hopefully you work this out. Getting a passport should be possible. Do you have a copy of your old one? I keep it in my mailbox which makes it impossible to lose or forget. It also makes it a lot easier to prove your identity and more likely to get a new one without to much fuss.

[IMA_FARANG]

Without making any judgement on your story, I'll just try to offer you some hopefully helpful information.

First of all, do you have ANY type of idebtification on you that can prove you are a U.S. citizen? A driver's licsnse? Did you keep any unused portion of the air ticket that got you into Laos or Thailand? Did you kep the stub of the ticket or the boarding pass? Any of those can be used to trace your entrance into Thailand, and therefore can be used as proof of your story and establish your idenity.

Secondly, I think that you can go to the police station in the area of Bangkok where you are living and file a lost passport/stolen passport report. So assuming you are living in a hotel/guest house in Bangkok, the police station where you reside is where you file the report. That report is required by the U.S embessy. DO NOT try to lie or make your actions look better to impress the embessy. I know of people who have been scammed/robbed/and stripped of all their money and identification after a night of "fun" with what seemed like just another Thai bar gorl. The embessy will find out the truth, the police have heard it all before, so don't try to cover up your actions. Everybody does stupid things at some time, myself included. If you try to lie, all that will happen is those who will otherwise help you at the embessy and in the police will just distrust you. You won't get their help that way, and it will just make things harder for you.

The embessy won't give you any money. What they may do is arrange for you to have money transferred to Bangkok from the U.S. But you will have to pay for anyphone calls or tlex/cables/etc. they send to your bank in the U.S.

Your first problem will be getting into the U.S. embessy. You mentioned you have some friends that loaned you money in Bangkok, I believe. If one of them has a U.S. passport, and can verify you as a U.S. citizen known to them, and they attest to that you can probably get into the U.S. embessy. Your police report of the lost/stolen passport will help you their. Do you know your passport number, or did you ever write it down? If so that can be tracked in the database and verify your citizenship. Your first hrdle is to verify that you are a U.S. citizen, and that you are who you claim to be, to the satisfaction of the U.S. embessy.

As I said, if you can give them the name of a person in the U.S., or show a bank account in the U.S., the embessy will help you get money transferred to Bangkok for a ticket out of the country. They may require you to sign some documents requiring you to gaurentee repayment for any expenses they incur getting money transferred to you from the U.S. You need to understand, the U.S. embessy does not have any legal requirement to pay your way back to the U.S., or to lend you any money for your expenses here in Thailand. In most cases, they will ask you to pay for the cost of anyphone calls, telex/etc up front BEFORE they will send any communication to someone in the U.S asking to send money to you. It is NOT their job to take care of you...but in very exceptional cases they may agrree to let you repay them for their expenses...but that is a very exceptional case. So don't expect it.

So in short, this is the procedure.

1. File a report eith the Thai police station in the AREA WHERE YOU LIVE in Bangkok with all the details of how/where/why you lost your passport and I.D. Tell the exact truth as best you can remember it (I once had a friend who was drugged and robbed by a Thai bargirl in the Grace hotel in Bangkok)

2. Take that police report to the U.S embessy.

3. Try to get their help in contacting someone you know in the U.S. (a relative or a Ban account) to transfer money to you. The embessy may want to act as an intermediary in the transfer. Expect the embessy to ask you to front the cost required.

4. Get a new passport. It wil take at least two weeks minimum, so be prepared to pay for your living expenses in BKK during that time (and you will need to pay for the passport, they are NOT free, so be ready for that).

5. In an exceptional case, the U.S. embessy may be able to get you TEMPORARY travel documents that will allow you to leave Thailand. But that is at their discretion, and they don't like to do it.

6. And finally, be prepared to pay the overstay fee charged by Thai immration when you finally do leave.

Sorry to give you bad news, but that is the situation you face.

[IMA_FARANG]

Without making any judgement on your story, I'll just try to offer you some hopefully helpful information.

First of all, do you have ANY type of idebtification on you that can prove you are a U.S. citizen? A driver's licsnse? Did you keep any unused portion of the air ticket that got you into Laos or Thailand? Did you kep the stub of the ticket or the boarding pass? Any of those can be used to trace your entrance into Thailand, and therefore can be used as proof of your story and establish your idenity.

Secondly, I think that you can go to the police station in the area of Bangkok where you are living and file a lost passport/stolen passport report. So assuming you are living in a hotel/guest house in Bangkok, the police station where you reside is where you file the report. That report is required by the U.S embessy. DO NOT try to lie or make your actions look better to impress the embessy. I know of people who have been scammed/robbed/and stripped of all their money and identification after a night of "fun" with what seemed like just another Thai bar gorl. The embessy will find out the truth, the police have heard it all before, so don't try to cover up your actions. Everybody does stupid things at some time, myself included. If you try to lie, all that will happen is those who will otherwise help you at the embessy and in the police will just distrust you. You won't get their help that way, and it will just make things harder for you.

The embessy won't give you any money. What they may do is arrange for you to have money transferred to Bangkok from the U.S. But you will have to pay for anyphone calls or tlex/cables/etc. they send to your bank in the U.S.

Your first problem will be getting into the U.S. embessy. You mentioned you have some friends that loaned you money in Bangkok, I believe. If one of them has a U.S. passport, and can verify you as a U.S. citizen known to them, and they attest to that you can probably get into the U.S. embessy. Your police report of the lost/stolen passport will help you their. Do you know your passport number, or did you ever write it down? If so that can be tracked in the database and verify your citizenship. Your first hrdle is to verify that you are a U.S. citizen, and that you are who you claim to be, to the satisfaction of the U.S. embessy.

As I said, if you can give them the name of a person in the U.S., or show a bank account in the U.S., the embessy will help you get money transferred to Bangkok for a ticket out of the country. They may require you to sign some documents requiring you to gaurentee repayment for any expenses they incur getting money transferred to you from the U.S. You need to understand, the U.S. embessy does not have any legal requirement to pay your way back to the U.S., or to lend you any money for your expenses here in Thailand. In most cases, they will ask you to pay for the cost of anyphone calls, telex/etc up front BEFORE they will send any communication to someone in the U.S asking to send money to you. It is NOT their job to take care of you...but in very exceptional cases they may agrree to let you repay them for their expenses...but that is a very exceptional case. So don't expect it.

So in short, this is the procedure.

1. File a report eith the Thai police station in the AREA WHERE YOU LIVE in Bangkok with all the details of how/where/why you lost your passport and I.D. Tell the exact truth as best you can remember it (I once had a friend who was drugged and robbed by a Thai bargirl in the Grace hotel in Bangkok)

2. Take that police report to the U.S embessy.

3. Try to get their help in contacting someone you know in the U.S. (a relative or a Ban account) to transfer money to you. The embessy may want to act as an intermediary in the transfer. Expect the embessy to ask you to front the cost required.

4. Get a new passport. It wil take at least two weeks minimum, so be prepared to pay for your living expenses in BKK during that time (and you will need to pay for the passport, they are NOT free, so be ready for that).

5. In an exceptional case, the U.S. embessy may be able to get you TEMPORARY travel documents that will allow you to leave Thailand. But that is at their discretion, and they don't like to do it.

6. And finally, be prepared to pay the overstay fee charged by Thai immration when you finally do leave.

Sorry to give you bad news, but that is the situation you face.

[TerryLH]

IMA, generally, some good advice there, but there many be a problem with:

" 1. File a report eith the Thai police station in the AREA WHERE YOU LIVE in Bangkok with all the details of how/where/why you lost your passport and I.D. Tell the exact truth as best you can remember it..."

I think that if he reports he lost his stuff somewhere else, the police will tell him to go file the report there.

[Lumumba]

In Bangkok, you need a picture ID to get money from western union, together with the CN, control number, in case of some third world places or where documents are easily forged, you will need a question that only the receiver should know the answer.

In some places, they take nothing as ID except Passport.

I use western union at least twice a month, and have so many umbrellas and bags souvenirs to show for it.

[kriswillems]

You said you can't use Western Union, but still your family/friends could send money to you?

So, which service did they use to send money?

The return ticket you had to buy anyway, so I assume you've a budget for that.

Assuming you came to Thailand with sufficient funds, there should be no problem returning the money to your family/friends after you return to your home country. So, why don't you ask them to send more money - the same way they did before?

They could borrow the money for a few weeks if they don't have that much savings (assuming they trust you).

Edited September 11, 2010 by kriswillems

[Mario2008]

1 post giving illegal advise deleted.