Swedish Youth Sentenced For 1 Month In Jail For Overstay

[TAWP]

A youth in Phuket was recently (read: soon 2 weeks ago) sentenced to 1 month in jail for overstay.

The overstay was in the range of briefly over 1 year and it was the second time he was caught doing it.

(First time only meant 6 days in immigration detention before money for flight-ticket was arranged.)

So please everyone, take notice. He, and his friend that also was caught on overstay, went with the same attitude as some other posters here, counting that 20k at the airport was a cheap price and that no-one would ever be sentenced for it. They, as it was now proven, were wrong. And so is anyone here claiming that overstay isn't so serious.

//Edit: According to this later post by TAWP, the Swede in question was working without a work permit . -- Maestro

[SimonD]

Blacklisted as well, presumably?

[Dancealot]

This is real news. I pray now for all overstayers shitting their pants.

[Crossy]

TAWP, do you have a link / source for this news please.

[Gone]

I would like to know the legitimacy behind this. If you are going to post here on TV then please back it up. Anyone can just make up a story and I just don't believe this one.

I knew a Swede National who left Thailand a few years back now and he had 11 years over=stay. Paid the money and he even came back to get his kids later.

[philw]

Please provide a link or source.

Thanks

[TAWP]

TAWP, do you have a link / source for this news please.

A can supply info in a PM but don't intend to put any names on the forum.

He is a acquaintance/friend, hence I have the info first hand.

[kurtmartens]

This is real news. I pray now for all overstayers shitting their pants.

If its a real story, maybe the overstayers will actually either leave or find a way to stay legally...instead of making it hard for those of us who live here legally and on more than $5 a day. :-)

[TAWP]

I would like to know the legitimacy behind this. If you are going to post here on TV then please back it up. Anyone can just make up a story and I just don't believe this one.

I knew a Swede National who left Thailand a few years back now and he had 11 years over=stay. Paid the money and he even came back to get his kids later.

You can leave the country with 11 years and nothing happen - the problem is if you get checked/caught by the police before you reach the airport.

[CMSteve]

Is it possible there was more behind this than an overstay? How did he get caught? Was he caught doing something illegal and then found to be overstaying his visa?

[Gone]

I still can't find it on any Phuket news or any news actually. I call BS

[necronx99]

Would have to be a quiet news day for this to make the paper wouldn't it?

Edited February 22, 2012 by necronx99

[Crossy]

You can leave the country with 11 years and nothing happen - the problem is if you get checked/caught by the police before you reach the airport.

Is this what happened to your acquaintance? If you can give as much detail as possible without naming names it would be useful.

Of course if the acquaintance doesn't mind being named and shamed then maybe he could post his experience for the information of others.

[Huayrat]

Overstaying is not a serious offence.. keep paying your 20k fine and you will be alright.. Ive had a 1 year overstay and went to a border crossing and paid my fine and walked straight back in....

[Soutpeel]

Overstaying is not a serious offence.. keep paying your 20k fine and you will be alright.. Ive had a 1 year overstay and went to a border crossing and paid my fine and walked straight back in....

This post in itself is a reason to tighten up on the visa rules in Thailand....so one assumes we will never see you on TV complaining about corruption in Thailand, or scams ?

[Jingthing]

As someone who follows the rules and sometimes it is painful, of course I don't mind that there are consequences for very long overstayers. However, I think jail is too much. I really think a fine plus blacklist for very long overstays (not for short ones) is quite adequate punishment. Now it may be true that overstayers have done other crimes during their stay. Well, go for those then.

[Soutpeel]

As someone who follows the rules and sometimes it is painful, of course I don't mind that there are consequences for very long overstayers. However, I think jail is too much. I really think a fine plus blacklist for very long overstays (not for short ones) is quite adequate punishment. Now it may be true that overstayers have done other crimes during their stay. Well, go for those then.

I personally think cutting off their goolies would be appropriate for long term overstays..LOL....

Seriously....short term overstay say up to 6 months....hefty fine....over a year....prohibited from entering Thailand for a period of 3 years + a hefty fine

[Semper]

Overstaying is not a serious offence.. keep paying your 20k fine and you will be alright.. Ive had a 1 year overstay and went to a border crossing and paid my fine and walked straight back in....

Can't wait until you have to show your passport before your border crossing. Then what? Sit in jail until someone kind enough will bail you out with 20K fine and a ticket out of the country.

[supaprik]

Overstaying is not a serious offence.. keep paying your 20k fine and you will be alright.. Ive had a 1 year overstay and went to a border crossing and paid my fine and walked straight back in....

would you mind posting the official receipt for payment of 20,000thb I would really love to see what it actually looks like. You of course have the receipt right?.. I have mine for my 2 day overstay from 3 years ago... wow that taught me a lesson

[NancyL]

I would really like to know more details, like how he was caught each time, by the police or in trying to leave the country where he knew he'd be hit up for the overstay fine before he went to the airport?

Unfortunately, I know someone who is currently on overstay of several years. Just found out that this person has had a history of overstays, each for at least a year, and every time worked with a visa agent to leave the country, pay the fine and then promptly return to get a new visa. The problem is in "visa maintenance", i.e. going to immigration every 90 days to report and getting all freaked out because the Immigration officer raises an eyebrow in looking at the history in the passport. So, this person's solution has been to stop doing 90 day reports and not to get another visa extension once the current one expired.

So, is it true, that one long overstay is kind of a "freebie", i.e. pay your 20,000 baht fine and come right back? What about subsequent overstays? How many times can you do this before you get put in jail rather than having the nice immigration officer at the airport just take your 20,000 baht and give you a smile?

The kicker to this is that money isn't really the problem and the person otherwise meets the requirements for a retirement visa. It's just the person is easily freaked out, not well organized and the biggest procrastinator I've ever met. Also, this person is a recluse, afraid to go out for fear of arrest and living in an unsuitable rental because of fears that a new landlord would ask to see the passport prior to agreeing to a rental. It's a horrible way to live and has got to be a big burden.

[Soutpeel]

The problem is in "visa maintenance", i.e. going to immigration every 90 days to report and getting all freaked out because the Immigration officer raises an eyebrow in looking at the history in the passport. So, this person's solution has been to stop doing 90 day reports and not to get another visa extension once the current one expired.

I am very confused here...90 day reports are for extension of stay, so the history in the PP is somewhat irrelevant, the person would already be on a 1 year extension of stay...or are you referring to extending tourist visa's ?

[ALFREDO]

True or not, I will not change my attitude regarding Overstay.

I Overstay when I find it appropriated and it fits in my plans better than a borderrun or it is cheaper.

I did so in Thailand (never more than 12 days) and in Cambodia (a month at most, 5 Dollar per day there) a couple of times.

Edited February 22, 2012 by ALFREDO

[NancyL]

The problem is in "visa maintenance", i.e. going to immigration every 90 days to report and getting all freaked out because the Immigration officer raises an eyebrow in looking at the history in the passport. So, this person's solution has been to stop doing 90 day reports and not to get another visa extension once the current one expired.

I am very confused here...90 day reports are for extension of stay, so the history in the PP is somewhat irrelevant, the person would already be on a 1 year extension of stay...or are you referring to extending tourist visa's ?

Don't know the exact details -- I think it's #1 enter on 30 day visa exempt, #2 get a 90-day O in country and then #3 12-month retirement extension. Some agents seem to be albe to combine steps #2 and #3 and their clients end up with 15 month permission to stay soon after entering on 30 day visa exempt.

[Mario2008]

90 day reports are for reporting your stay every 90 day.

What might have happend in this case, is that the person was caught while on overstay. He already was on overstay before and didn't have money to beil him out, so presumably was brought before a judge, fined and held till the fine was paid and he paid for a ticket out of the country.

Now he was caught again, with again no money to pay the fine and ticket, again brought before a judge and this time the judge threw the book at him for being a repaet offender.

The law allows for a jail sentence for up to 2 years. What immigration is offering you with their fine system is a transaction.

[Soutpeel]

True or not, I will not change my attitude regarding Overstay.

I Overstay when I find it appropriated and it fits in my plans better than a borderrun or it is cheaper.

I did so in Thailand (never more than 12 days) and in Cambodia (a month at most, 5 Dollar per day there) a couple of times.

Some in other words you are saying you have no regard for the applicable rules/laws of country then, because it doesn suit you ?

I as per other poster, I assume you will never get on a soapbox on TV regarding corruption, scams, driving habit etc etc in Thailand ?

[mackes]

I still can't find it on any Phuket news or any news actually. I call BS

Not a line about it in swedish news

[Semper]

I still can't find it on any Phuket news or any news actually. I call BS

Not a line about it in swedish news

Well, it's hardly a topic for the Pulitzer prize.

[Soutpeel]

I still can't find it on any Phuket news or any news actually. I call BS

Not a line about it in swedish news

Well, it's hardly a topic for the Pulitzer prize.

Maybe this would be headline news in Sweden, not much else goes on there LOL

[ManOnTheRoad]

I know someone who have both thai and british passport, born in london 35 years ago and came back to bangkok when he's 5 years old with his british passport then when in bangkok had his thai ID and thai passport in his teen age, Travel with his family overseas with his thai passport. and never been back to UK ever since.

Last month got his new british passport . then went back to the UK showing them both old and new british passport and paid i think around Thai Baht 25k nothing ask from the officer and stamp his passport with overstay stamp and no black listed. But he also explain to the officer that he was a minor when he came back to bangkok and doesnt know anything

So meaning he got 30 Years overstay hahahah

Edited February 22, 2012 by ManOnTheRoad

[KunMatt]

Every time I have spoken to an immigration officer in the course to stay here legally I have always been advised to overstay by them!! Both at Jomtien getting an extension and recently at Savaurnabhum.

Still havent overstayed even one day myself. :-)

Im guessing the Swedes that this happened to werent just routinely checked but were caught doing something else illegal and the overstay charge was added on top.