I have read several posts that mention 20,000 baht as being the maximum fine for overstay. Can someone please confirm that this is still the case regardless of the overstay period. Thanks.

Yes. 20,000 Baht max.

Yes that is the max fine and if paid will keep you out of jail - but a jail term is also authorized punishment for overstay.

Up to 2 years even.

Section 81 :

Any alien who stay in the Kingdom without permission or with

permission expired or revoked shall be punished with imprisonment not exceeding

two years or a fine not exceeding 20,000 Baht or both.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/post-a84562-Immigration-Act-EN.pdf.html

It can be more, 20,000baht and maybe arrest, then plane ticket back to your home country and a taxi to the airport, so in reality you could be looking at over 40,000baht for something that could have been avoided. Oh and if arrested it could also mean not being able to return for a few years.

Oh and if arrested it could also mean not being able to return for a few years.

Sorry, but this is complete bs...

Blacklisting only occur in Thailand for severe criminal offences.

Oh and if arrested it could also mean not being able to return for a few years.

Sorry, but this is complete bs...

Blacklisting only occur in Thailand for severe criminal offences.

+ 1 utter BS My friend took a guy out with 3.5 years overstay. He simply paid the 20K flew to Penang where the next day he applied for and got a free tourist visa. he returned the next day to Thailand.

The only time I know of people with overstay getting arrested is for offences other than overstay as well.

You can, and people do, get arrested for overstay itself as it is a crime. But if you show up at exit of country and pay fine all should be forgiven.

Oh and if arrested it could also mean not being able to return for a few years.

Sorry, but this is complete bs...

Blacklisting only occur in Thailand for severe criminal offences.

+ 1 utter BS My friend took a guy out with 3.5 years overstay. He simply paid the 20K flew to Penang where the next day he applied for and got a free tourist visa. he returned the next day to Thailand.

The only time I know of people with overstay getting arrested is for offences other than overstay as well.

Correct...

And I am not an overstayers apologist!

I had lunch today with an immigration officer. He is married to my friends Thai partner. I asked him about farang going to jail for overstay. he just laughed. He said Farang overstay good for Thailand as they pay big fine. Only Burma and Filipino go to jail for overstay as they rarely haver the money to pay.

I also used to drink with an English guy who worked offshore. He would fly in on a 30 day visa and simply stay till he got a call to go to another job. Every time he exited Thailand it was with an overstay stamp. Each time he left he asked OK to come back and they said no problem. He showed me his passport and it was indeed full of red stamps and it didn't cause him any problems.

Not that I agree with the practice but to some it is a cheaper option than doing regular visa runs.

You do though run the risk of being sent to an IDC and not prison if caught.

But there was in the news about Thailand being pissed off with overstay piss takers and long over stayers ''could'' be imprisoned. So it is in written law that a visit to the shit house is possible.

Oh and if arrested it could also mean not being able to return for a few years.

Sorry, but this is complete bs...

Blacklisting only occur in Thailand for severe criminal offences.

+ 1 utter BS My friend took a guy out with 3.5 years overstay. He simply paid the 20K flew to Penang where the next day he applied for and got a free tourist visa. he returned the next day to Thailand.

The only time I know of people with overstay getting arrested is for offences other than overstay as well.

Correct...

And I am not an overstayers apologist!

Well my friend was in jail for it, as no money, no passport nothing, he cannot come back for a while. He was at the jail until the money arrived from the UK to pay for his overstay, plane ticket and taxi to the airport. The British Embassy helped him.

I do not like people who overstay as it is, and find it ridiculous that a person cannot remember or afford (as in my friends case) to go and get a tourist visa or whatever sorted out.

Beano you have just ruined your own argument by stating the guy was in jail for no money, no passport etc. if he had waltzed up with a ticket out and paid his fine he would not have been detained. so just having overstay will RARELY get you jailed or rather locked up in an Immigration Detention Centre.

""Well my friend was in jail for it, as no money, no passport nothing, he cannot come back for a while. He was at the jail until the money arrived from the UK to pay for his overstay, plane ticket and taxi to the airport. The British Embassy helped him.

I do not like people who overstay as it is, and find it ridiculous that a person cannot remember or afford (as in my friends case) to go and get a tourist visa or whatever sorted out.""

When arrested while in Thailand on overstay you will go before the courts and be fined.

You will be fined on average around 2/3000 baht and 200 baht a day is taken off the fine,you do not have to pay 20.000 if you are arrested.

Sorry Beano but that is not correct and most probably did not happen.You also do not in most cases get to go to jail as you go to the IDC centre in Bangkok which is not a very nice place.You do have to find a way of raising the money for your flight home to your own country.They will then take you to the airport even if you do not have the taxi money to get there.

You say he cannot come back for a while.....how long would that be is it stated in his passport or was he just told that at the airport.

Was he deported PNG?

Normally you do not go to court, they prefer the do just fine you. That is much less work for them and speding time in jail costs money.

You go court if you won't or can't pay the fine, and then a judge can sentence you to a fine (and jail time) if you can't pay, you do jail time instead of the fine. Indeed a fine by a judge is often cheaper than the fine immigration prroposes to you and normally for each day in jail they deduct 200 baht of the fine.

Thanks everyone for your valued advice. Much appreciated. My friend was stuck in the recent floods and was unable to get to an immigration office (that was still in service) and consequently his visa expired and he just sort of let it stay that way. Leaving soon, but just wanted to be sure about the fine.