Flood Overstay In Ayuthaya

[THX1137]

Ayuthaya- where I live was completely flooded for a month. All of the roads were impassible, electricity and communications were out. I couldn't have gone to immigration because their building was underwater and no boat could have crossed the currents to get me there. The alternative immigration stations were posted on the internet- but my access was null. Their office did have my phone number- but I see no record of any calls during the flood from them. My visa expired days before the flood hit.

This policy from immigration makes it very difficult for foreigners whose work requires outside travel. It's one month after the flood ended and they still won't do my visa. The message is "wait". This is one month after the flood in Ayuthaya.

[wayned]

Immigration , in most cases, does not issue visas in Thailand, they only extend them if you qualify for an extension. If your visa expired before the flood hit why didn't you get a new visa or extend your old visa "before the flood hit"? Why do you think immigation is going to call you?

[Maestro]

THX1137, how did the Ayuthaya immigration office get your phone number?

[lopburi3]

As he is asking about immigration doing his 'visa' suspect he has an extension of stay and phone number is a requirement for TM.7 extension of stay application for the last few years. Not pre-printed but always asked if you do not include it.

[beano2274]

As Lopburi says the applicant is always asked to write the telephone number on the application form.

To the OP, your visa/extension expired before the floods, it is your responsibility to have renewed it, no-one will call you to tell you this, it is not their job to remind you.

You are on overstay as you failed to comply with the rules, how much they charge you for overstay due to the floods, is up to them.

I suggest you do what everyone else does and go to Immigration to get it sorted, and stop playing the "they never called me game", TIT, grow up!!!

Mind you could be a troll, first post on TV....

Edited December 16, 2011 by beano2274

[THX1137]

I meant to say that the visa expired days after the flood hit, not before. My visa was still legal when central Ayuthaya got inundated by a broken barrier at night. There was no way to legally renew the visa or leave the country days after this happened because immigration was underwater and all the roads were as well. The communication was knocked out, so how could one know where the alternative immigration stations were? I already got the work permit renewed without incident after the flood, the problem is with immigration. I talked with the Ayuthaya immigration commissioner, and she said that amnesty would be granted by the government probably next year. This may well be so.

Edited December 16, 2011 by THX1137

[lingyaiyai]

As Lopburi says the applicant is always asked to write the telephone number on the application form.

To the OP, your visa/extension expired before the floods, it is your responsibility to have renewed it, no-one will call you to tell you this, it is not their job to remind you.

You are on overstay as you failed to comply with the rules, how much they charge you for overstay due to the floods, is up to them.

I suggest you do what everyone else does and go to Immigration to get it sorted, and stop playing the "they never called me game", TIT, grow up!!!

Mind you could be a troll, first post on TV....

A new member makes his first post and is told to grow up; it is then suggested that he may be a troll. Charming.

Anyway, welcome to Thai Visa THX1137 and thank you for your first post. I hope that your problem is resolved quickly.

[AyG]

Just a few comments:

(1) I have never over the years been asked for my 'phone number by Immigration at Ayutthaya. Different province, different rules.

(2) Other people went to the Immigration office on U-Thong road after the waters receded. They had no trouble in being found by a motorcycle taxi driver or tuk-tuk driver who would redirect them to Ampomall office. No need for the Internet.

(3) I very much doubt there'll be an amnesty for overstayers next year, and suspect the Ayutthaya Immigration department was saying that just to get rid of/shut up the OP. If there were to be an amnesty surely it would have been announced long ago.

(4) In the meantime the OP's overstay fine is ratcheting up by the day. Best for him to leave the country and bite the bullet and pay the overstay fine. He (or she) will have to get a new visa, though, which is a pain.

[THX1137]

There is no way anyone should have to pay 20,000 baht (666 dollars) for something which is not their fault. I wonder, are the civil engineers and authorities who caused this flood by not paying any attention to the extremely important water table paying fines?

[Maestro]

...The alternative immigration stations were posted on the internet- but my access was null...

...I already got the work permit renewed without incident after the flood, the problem is with immigration...

As you apparently now can leave home, I suggest you now go to the alternative immigration station, which is at Chaeng Watthana in Bangkok. The announcement has been posted here: Address:

Immigration Office

Government Center (

No. 120 Mu 3

Chaeng Watthana Soi 7

Thung Song Hong, Laksi

Bangkok 10210

[lazygourmet]

To the OP: we are in the same "boat"!

Since beginning of November, I am making regular telephone contacts with the head of Nonthaburi immigration regarding that matter.

Following his words, mid-October an overstay amnesty proposal has been made from immigration head officers of flooded provinces.

That document has to -but now I think will never be- endorsed and signed by the prime minister cabinet.

On Monday, as the water is nearly gone, I will make the trip to Chaeng Wattana.

I will keep you posted on this topic by Monday late afternoon.... If I do not end up at the IDC

[CNXSTEVE]

There is no way anyone should have to pay 20,000 baht (666 dollars) for something which is not their fault. I wonder, are the civil engineers and authorities who caused this flood by not paying any attention to the extremely important water table paying fines?

There is no way anyone should have to pay 20,000 baht (666 dollars) for something which is not their fault.

Good luck with that one

I wonder, are the civil engineers and authorities who caused this flood by not paying any attention to the extremely important water table paying fines?

Nothing to do with the weather then?

Also 20,000 baht = 100 days

Edited December 16, 2011 by CNXSTEVE

[Sheryl]

A lot of people have had visa problems as a result of the floods.

By all reports -- and there have been many on TV -- immigration offices everywhere are not giving any leeway or making any exceptions to the rules under these circumstances. The only concession was permission to go to other than the usual immigration office .

Right or wrong, you are going to have to do what the rest of us have, and pay the money.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Also 20,000 baht = 100 days

Steve

More like 40 days.

Mac

[TerryLH]

"The message is "wait"."

If immigration told you to 'wait', maybe you should do just that. Maybe they know that something for persons in your situation is being considered.

"Also 20,000 baht = 100 days"

Overstay is ฿500 a day.

[tutsiwarrior]

has anyone been recently to the Ampo Mall temporary immigration office in Ayutthaya to get a new extension of stay any type?...still in operation?

[THX1137]

The commissioner didn't arrest or threaten me at Chang Wittana. She asked if I intended to travel and didn't hold any documents but did look them over. I went there with a letter from my embassy as protection at the most basic. I didn't get amnesty or arrested from the visit, but it was good idea to talk to them. She did give information that to understand one must be there at Chang Wittana to really know. It was a full afternoon.

[beano2274]

The message is not wait, as you are racking up your overstay. The OP says that Immigration never phoned him to tell him his visa was up for renewal, never heard that one before. There will be no amnesty and others have already paid, bite the bullet and pay.

[lazygourmet]

Honestly, I do not hope any more in any kind of leeway.

If they really wanted to implement an amnesty, things should have been done much more earlier.

I do not really mind to pay for that fine, just because at the end, if I would have been able to do my visa runs on time, that would have cost me approximately the same amount of money.

I am flying out for Xmas holiday on 23, but I would like to avoid to settle my overstay problem at the airport, that's why I will go to Chaeng Wattana on Monday.

What I want to ask the immigration officer -if it's not to much asking!- , will be a 7 days extension... and, more important for my peace of mind, a note that I did not overstay my visa in purpose but because of floods.

I am just worried that having an overstay stamp in my passport could be an obstacle when applying for a new visa.

[Maestro]

...

I am flying out for Xmas holiday on 23, but I would like to avoid to settle my overstay problem at the airport, that's why I will go to Chaeng Wattana on Monday.

What I want to ask the immigration officer -if it's not to much asking!- , will be a 7 days extension....

You will likely have a problem with that. When anoverstayer is reporting to an immigration office for payment of the overstay fine he is usually expected to show a ticket for a flight out of the country within 24 hours or apply for an extension of stay if he qualifies under the rules.

[wayned]

...

I am flying out for Xmas holiday on 23, but I would like to avoid to settle my overstay problem at the airport, that's why I will go to Chaeng Wattana on Monday.

What I want to ask the immigration officer -if it's not to much asking!- , will be a 7 days extension....

You will likely have a problem with that. When anoverstayer is reporting to an immigration office for payment of the overstay fine he is usually expected to show a ticket for a flight out of the country within 24 hours or apply for an extension of stay if he qualifies under the rules.

You are walking a fine line if you go to Chaeng Wattana and officially report that you are on overstay. You "unofficially" spoke to an immigration officer who told you that there might be an amesty, but there isn't, and I doubt that there will be. Immigration might just "detain" you until you can produce a ticket for a flight out of the country. Pay your overstay at the airport and put it behind you.

[lazygourmet]

...

I am flying out for Xmas holiday on 23, but I would like to avoid to settle my overstay problem at the airport, that's why I will go to Chaeng Wattana on Monday.

What I want to ask the immigration officer -if it's not to much asking!- , will be a 7 days extension....

You will likely have a problem with that. When anoverstayer is reporting to an immigration office for payment of the overstay fine he is usually expected to show a ticket for a flight out of the country within 24 hours or apply for an extension of stay if he qualifies under the rules.

You are walking a fine line if you go to Chaeng Wattana and officially report that you are on overstay. You "unofficially" spoke to an immigration officer who told you that there might be an amesty, but there isn't, and I doubt that there will be. Immigration might just "detain" you until you can produce a ticket for a flight out of the country. Pay your overstay at the airport and put it behind you.

I know the head officer of Nonthaburi immigration office, he is one of my neighbours.

I was in touch with him -via his private mobile- at least once a week for the last month and half.

Khun Duangjina knows my situation -and of course where I am living- ; he knows as well that I had a severe cut on my leg,

which refrained me either to visit him when he was relocated in Suan Phlu -for a seven day extension- or to accomplish a visa run on time.

He asked me to wait until the last minute, just in case an amnesty would be done, to -maybe- save the amount of the fine.

Not all immigration officers are dark angels.

[THX1137]

The "common sense with the foreigners" problem appears the same as "common sense to get dams drained by rainy season" . Recall the story of the Emperors New Clothes. Holland is a country that is under the sea level. Dutch could pump sea water out of their artificial country using windmills back in the year 1400. Here, modern Siam 2011 and there's no cement pipes under the roads to let water flow to the sea. I still see water trapped in road squares that should have been gone months ago. This is basic low cost technology. Why not send Thai engineers to Holland immediately to learn from the best? I would pay 20 thousand baht gladly if the money were used for something that really benefited Thailand. Good money goes to good things. However bad money, like unethically taking advantage of flood victims, would go to bad things that don't help Thailand- namely whisky, and Phillipine's doctor degrees.

Flash of reason: charge an extra 500 for every tourist that enters Thailand as "disaster fund" for just a couple of months OK? Get off my back, I had to spend 60,000 just to fix our stinking family car. That's forgivable but this "overstay" is not.

[lazygourmet]

Flash of reason: charge an extra 500 for every tourist that enters Thailand as "disaster fund" for just a couple of months OK? Get off my back, I had to spend 60,000 just to fix our stinking family car. That's forgivable but this "overstay" is not.

Many immigration officers -especially those based in the flooded provinces- are not agree as well.

If that was "up to them", we will not have to pay any fines.

But even if they are the head of the office -apparently- they still not have the full powers to take that kind of initiative.

[KKvampire]

has anyone been recently to the Ampo Mall temporary immigration office in Ayutthaya to get a new extension of stay any type?...still in operation?

when I go past there the sign is still outside Immigration , i done a 90 days there a month ago

[tutsiwarrior]

has anyone been recently to the Ampo Mall temporary immigration office in Ayutthaya to get a new extension of stay any type?...still in operation?

when I go past there the sign is still outside Immigration , i done a 90 days there a month ago

thanks for that...from the 1178 immigration number I got 035328411 for Ayutthaya immigration but no one answers...probably a land line to the old submerged office...