A friend of mine recently had a motorcycle accident in Koh Chang. It was serious enough that he had to be taken to Bangkok Hospital. Normally, the hospital can arrange a visa extension under such circumstances but unfortunately he had overstayed by one day at the time of the accident and with a broken kneecap, punctured lung and three broken ribs had to make his way to immigration himself, received an extension that requires him to report to immigration every 14 days, and was charged 5,000 baht for the privilege!

Just a warning to those of you who do overstay in the hope of a daily 200 baht fine upon exit.

ANY overstay just isn't worth the risk.

ANY overstay just isn't worth the risk.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Seldom truer words spoken.

With the ongoing advancement in computer utilisation in Thailand by the authorities, meaning increased and readily available history, why put yourself at current risk and future negative scrutiny?

Inconvenience, ignorance or poor memory being reasons for overstay will not wash.

Also, some hospitals don't know how to help you. Even then, as when I got an excellent discharge letter from the best hospital in Chiang Mai on my 90th day, and hobbled on over to Immigration, I was charged overstay anyway. They didn't care that I was too medicated to remember to bring the doctor's letter on the 90th day, and were going to charge me 2,100 the next day when I brought the letter on the 91st day. So, two days later the Mae Sai official charged me 600 anyway, ignoring the letter.

Worse things can happen. 200 baht per day isn't a crime, just a civil penalty. It does, however, literally put a black mark in your passport.

In the OP of this thread, the farang was already on overstay when he had the wreck, right? I was on a *&^&*%%$ visa run when I had the wreck.

I was 25 days over in Feb this year after a bad accident. Not overstaying at the time of the accident.

Went to Suan Plu armed with crutches, doctor's letter stating I couldn't travel until that day and even got a letter from the immigration doctor that I shouldn't travel for another month.

1,900 for a 14 day extension and 5,000 baht fine. Thought that was a bit tough, but it's the rules.

My hospital never volunteered to do the "run" for me even though they knew I'd gone on to overstay during the 11 days there. It was too late to do anything when I posted here and other members told me that's what I should have done.