Flood - Overstay In Pathum Thani

[bluecheesefan]

I have been trapped in Pathum Thani since the flood arrived around the 20th-21st of October. My visa expired on October 31st. I finally was able to find someone with a boat that could take me from where I am to an area with transportation. It took 6+ hours to travel from PT to Soi SuaPlu. The trip to Chaeng Wattana usually takes 45 minutes to an hour tops. After arriving at immigration I was told that there was nothing they could do for the overstay. However, they have asked the government to give an extension to foreigners that were impacted by the flood. That is supposed to be announced before the 30th of November. I saw the documentation that was sent to the government - as did my girlfriend. I was told this by the boss at the immigration area. She told me I had two choices. One was to pay the overstay (8 days) or just go back home and wait. I chose number two. Obviously, if the Thai government does not decide in my favor, I will be screwed. It was shocking to me that with all of the flood problems and having two weeks to deal with this that they had not found a way to just extend visa's for tourists. Opening an office on Sathorn road did nothing for me. I still had to go from a boat to a motorbike to a government truck/taxi to a small boat to a van service to the BTS and finally a taxi. It cost me close to 1,500 Baht to go one way. The first immigration officer I spoke to laughed in my face and scoffed when I said I was trapped in PT. We have 5+ feet of water here (STILL). I don't have a boat (didn't think of buying one the last time I was at Big C). Another thing... I TRIED CALLING ALL IMMIGRATION OFFICES FOR SEVERAL DAYS... and could not get anyone to pick up a phone.

I am really disappointed by the way Immigration handled this and the Government. I also lost a lot of furniture... no bed... clothing... all gone due to the flood. My girlfriend's house is destroyed. How am I supposed to pay for all of that and also pay the Immigration office. I looked at the Immigration officer and said... I live 45 minutes away from CW Immigration. Why would I EVER not come in to take care of my Visa? It defies logic.

Anyway, she said to look at the government website and watch the news for a decision on Visa extensions due to the flood. Crossing fingers.

[ShopBoy]

by the time the announcements are out it will be for year 2012 flood.

basically you are screwed !

[wayned]

All that you can do is wait or leave now and pay the fine at the exit point. I've read that they did waive overstay fees back in the flood of 1995, but I don't think that it's high on their priotrity list right now and there's no guarantees. You wait and they don't waive the fees the penalty is a maximum of 20000 baht. They did open temporary immigration offices in accessable locations, their officers get there and they expect you to get there also.. Do you think that the officer who "laughed in your face" lives high and dry in a highrise. No, he probably lauged at you remembering exactly what he had to go through to get to work and what his family is going through. He's probably lost everything also, on a Thai policeman's salary. and you're complaining to him about being flooded in!

[rkidlad]

All that you can do is wait or leave now and pay the fine at the exit point. I've read that they did waive overstay fees back in the flood of 1995, but I don't think that it's high on their priotrity list right now and there's no guarantees. You wait and they don't waive the fees the penalty is a maximum of 20000 baht. They did open temporary immigration offices in accessable locations, their officers get there and they expect you to get there also.. Do you think that the officer who "laughed in your face" lives high and dry in a highrise. No, he probably lauged at you remembering exactly what he had to go through to get to work and what his family is going through. He's probably lost everything also, on a Thai policeman's salary. and you're complaining to him about being flooded in!

There's no need to be so condescending.

If I were you (the original poster) I would go back and pay the fine. The very fact that you were there and then left is not going to bode well come the end of the month.

Take it on the chin. One of life's lessons in Thailand.

[ignis]

They did open temporary immigration offices in accessable locations,

Sure they did but these places are far worse for some + totally impossible to get to, remember lots of non Thais do not speak Thai, not many boatmen speak English, a UK Friend in next Village, 8 days ago tried to get to the 'new' location in Nonthaburi, 6 hours + 4,000 baht still did not get there, then there was the return trip understand was also a nightmare, since then he has been in bed, he is 86 years old. So now he will have to pay a fine ? + tried and got sick + paid a lot of money to do the immpossibe

From the proper Nonthaburi [roads under deep water] Immigration Office he lives 15 min Taxi ride away..

[Tafia]

Once you managed to get there why didnt you just pay and put yourself legal again?.....

[Replogle]

Once you managed to get there why didnt you just pay and put yourself legal again?.....

Technically once you pay the overstay fine, you're still overstaying the moment you walk out.

[Tafia]

Once you managed to get there why didnt you just pay and put yourself legal again?.....

Technically once you pay the overstay fine, you're still overstaying the moment you walk out.

An Extension?? He was in the right place for it

[bluecheesefan]

Once you managed to get there why didnt you just pay and put yourself legal again?.....

Technically once you pay the overstay fine, you're still overstaying the moment you walk out.

I rolled the dice. We'll see what happens.

[bluecheesefan]

They did open temporary immigration offices in accessable locations,

Sure they did but these places are far worse for some + totally impossible to get to, remember lots of non Thais do not speak Thai, not many boatmen speak English, a UK Friend in next Village, 8 days ago tried to get to the 'new' location in Nonthaburi, 6 hours + 4,000 baht still did not get there, then there was the return trip understand was also a nightmare, since then he has been in bed, he is 86 years old. So now he will have to pay a fine ? + tried and got sick + paid a lot of money to do the immpossibe

From the proper Nonthaburi [roads under deep water] Immigration Office he lives 15 min Taxi ride away..

Other parts of Pathum Thani were not hit with as much water as my district was. We spoke to some girls on the trip back and they actually have access to a small taxi that can take them back and forth to the nearest Lotus. It all depends on where you are situated according to the flood. Where I am is a literal lake. We crossed over rice farms to get to a road that was semi-dry. Water for as far as the eye can see. If I had not had my girlfriend with me, i never would have made it on my own with my Thai language skills. We had to stay overnite in BKK as it would have been impossible to return at night. Coming back the Government Taxi trucks were packed like sardines and the line waiting was extremely long. We were lucky and a pickup came along and we paid the driver to take us with him through Rangsit. I am happy that the water is finally going down now. We lost about a foot of water, but as I write this I see a boat going by on the road. Surreal.