Overstay Charge Hiked To B500 A Day

[george]

BANGKOK: -- The fine for remaining in Thailand past the expiry date of a permit to stay, currently 200 baht a day, will rise to 500 baht a day with effect from March 15.

However, the maximum fine payable will remain the same, at 20,000 baht, Pol Lt Gen Suwat Thamrongsrisakul, Commander of the Immigration Bureau, stated in a document posted in Thai on the Bureau's website. The document gave no reason for the increase.

--Phuket Gazette 2006-02-21

changefine_feb102006.pdf

[ovenman]

Interesting that the maximum fine will not increase, making a maximum fine under the new system equivalent to a forty-day overstay.

[ToeCutter]

Smart move economically speaking if you ask me.

[britmaveric]

Smart move economically speaking if you ask me.

2.5X more dosh!!

[manutoo]

People overstaying without knowing this information will have a nice surprise at the airport or the frontier during the next few months...

[bkkmadness]

Even more reason not to think light of that 4-5 days overstay before you do your border run!

[jaapfries]

BANGKOK: -- The fine for remaining in Thailand past the expiry date of a permit to stay, currently 200 baht a day, will rise to 500 baht a day with effect from March 15.

However, the maximum fine payable will remain the same, at 20,000 baht, Pol Lt Gen Suwat Thamrongsrisakul, Commander of the Immigration Bureau, stated in a document posted in Thai on the Bureau's website. The document gave no reason for the increase.

--Phuket Gazette 2006-02-21

===============================================================

I don't know what's going on with the current government, but it seems to me that they are becoming less & less "user-friendly" with regards to tourists . . . . .

I also understand, that the regulations regarding "retirees" in this Kingdom has been made significantly less attractive also . . . . .

Perhaps I am the moron, but would a "sane" government not absolutely rejoice at the prospect of attracting as many as possible retired folks from all over this globe to spent their pensions in this country ? ?

These are people who do not participate in the labour-process, yet spend all their money here ! ! !

What is the logic behind some of these totally silly policies anyway ? ? ? T.I.T. ? ? - I guess !

[Ocker717]

Malaysia would be rubbing it's hands with glee !!!!

They treat retirees with respect, offer more perks and even allow you to buy land and own you own home....

[steveromagnino]

Malaysia would be rubbing it's hands with glee !!!!

They treat retirees with respect, offer more perks and even allow you to buy land and own you own home....

You are the poster before you are genuinely going to postulate that serious retirees are serious about retiring here but can't be bothered to get the correct visa to do so?!!

Seriously?! People would retire here, then be willing to risk everything by breaking the law?!

I don't know anyone who does that in other nice retiree countries [volunteerily overstaying and breaking the law then complaining about the paltry fine or not as the case may be].

Man, I can't wait to get old, obviously old people are the new young people [black is the new black, wednesday is the new sunday].

Funny thing is....every time my family goes gambling and I tag along sometimes... I see the people doing the visa run.... don't often see people aged 60 years or even close to retiring age. They look quite a bit younger than that ...not sure if these are the ones overstaying or not, but I fail to see how increasing a fine from 200b to 500b for the tiny minority who incur it has ANY impact on the massive majority (guessing 98%+) of tourists who have NIL problem abiding by the immigration laws of Thailand?!

And as for retirees.... well there are lots of things Thailand COULD do to promote retirees coming here, and I agree it is a good market, I just don't see the link with overstay costs....

I think some perspective is needed into what the general tourist profile is....and it is mostly someone staying less than 2 weeks, hanging around on a beach and flying home.

For retirees, I am now clueless....if I am to believe the posts it is a non property owning overstayer, and that just seems wrong

Edited February 21, 2006 by steveromagnino

[ovenman]

Much like with the visa-fee increases a few years back, these things are not reviewed periodically and increased gradually over time. Once the powers-that-be finally do decide to take action on some of these fees, the increases tend be whopping with the logic that the item in-question hasn't been increased in x-number of years.

[triplegee]

There's no excuse for overstaying - there's always advance notice that you are going to be in an overstay situation. If people can't organise themselves better then they need to be held accountable.

Ok - in rare cases it can't be avoided but they're too few too mention.

Wise move by immigration if you ask me.

[Joey Boy]

I have no sympathy for overstayers who get caught or fined, but it does seem to me like its just another excuse for Thailand to milk more out of foreigners

[Michel Chantraine]

No comment, Thaksin did a lot of this kind of thakxes for the foreigners...

One year visa, 500B to 1900B

Bank deposit, 200,000B to 800,000B

etc.

[joe3180]

move the fine up to 1000 baht. who cares. i dont really see any reason why u would overstay more then 1 day... due to miscalculation. anyone who does go over that day is either lazy or just dumb and doesnt care. hel_l they should put the limit to only 1 week and throw them in jail after that. i just thought the 200 baht a day was so cheap for breaking the law. so good for them to raise the fine.

[steveromagnino]

No comment, Thaksin did a lot of this kind of thakxes for the foreigners...

One year visa, 500B to 1900B

Bank deposit, 200,000B to 800,000B

etc.

This is hardly big money for the 1 year visa, if a person can't pony up with this, are they really making a significant impact on the economy here?

Tourism and retirement income has costs to a country against which there is income. Why do we need 10m + tourists a year? At what cost is this?

Reduce to 6m-7m high paying tourists staying at places like Amanpuri, and workers and retirees who have enough cash to afford 1900b 1 year visa.

OK, that is a bit tongue in cheek, but I don't see too many foreigners here who would leave from an increase of 1400b a year; that is nothing surely!

Can you explain the bank deposit bit? That bit I know nil about, is this some sort or retiree thing?

[Trollster]

I agree that this is just the latest in a string of thai immigration rules that are making things more difficult and more expensive for expats. I see this as a trend that will get worse before it gets better and will force many to seek alternative places to live - think Malaysia, Phillipines. These countries are much friendlier to long term expats. I love living here and have no problem paying the freight but do not like the trend I see developing. That mentioned, I find it archaic that a foreigner cannot own land.

[Eatdog]

So you have to pay more, if you want to stay with your Thai girl longer!

[wilko]

Maybe we are all interlopers….living a lie....perhaps we should just get residency or a work permit or go home...what is it with all this going to Cambodia and pretending we are tourists even though we own condos, houses and cars????

[dukkha]

Hey, we are guests, you overstay, it is your responsibility to take the consequences...anyone with half a brain should be able to do the maths so that you are aware of how long you have to stay here...whinging is boooooooring and unneccesary in this case....all is impermanent, including fees to be paid to whatever government is in charge at any one time..Dukkha

[britmaveric]

Don't overstay and no worries!!

[Thai Chi]

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I guess this one is still a hot potato

[Laulen]

I plan to retire in Thailand with my Thai wife in 2028. What will the price be then? Aged 70, will I much care, provided that the climate is still warm and never cold!

[warriors]

As a legitimately, first time, one year retiree visa holder. I see no problem in having to live on 800,000 baht a year.

I think it is close to, what I have used in actual living costs. So good on the Thai Government getting close to what is right.

I would say I have used up more money than this in my first yearof living here. But I also think that in my 2nd year I will be using less money than in my first year, owing to the fact in my first year I have had extra expencers, with such things as setting up living costs.

Only my thoughts on this matter, but how can some one really retire here on only 200,000 a year?

Unless they wish to retire in a village and try to live there life styles, if it there way to live on 200,000. well good on them, yet I did not work hard all my life to scrip and save.

Just my 2 Bhat worth of info.

Be Happy

[Puma]

Hi

I have a problem, my flight scheduled 25 and my visa expirer 24 and I have 250 km to closest border (and immigration)!

What to do?

[mazimus]

[Viper]

I think the dicision to make the raise is due to all the people who repeatidly over stay a few days or more. Apparently this is very common and most of the customs officers are probably aware that we are so to speak "taking the piss". Whats 200 for 1 day overstay? Still i dont understand how they can raise the fine by 150% how do you justify a raise as much as that. I agree 500 or 1000baht whats the difference if you make the border on time. But the figure was 200 baht, which is 1 days hard work for the common thai worker. Its certainly getting harder for a foreighner to live in Thailand. They certainly make it as hard as possible for us. One days work for me back home in England would of crippled me. Why do Thai's think that because we are from another country we are more wealthy than everyone else?

In a more aggresive nature! I wish all farang would go home, and every tourist from around the world would stop comming to Thailand. What would happen to the Thai ecconomy if that happened? Perhaps thats there goal?

[ericthai]

move the fine up to 1000 baht. who cares. i dont really see any reason why u would overstay more then 1 day... due to miscalculation. anyone who does go over that day is either lazy or just dumb and doesnt care. hel_l they should put the limit to only 1 week and throw them in jail after that. i just thought the 200 baht a day was so cheap for breaking the law. so good for them to raise the fine.

Your comment is crazy. I used to travel in and out of Thailand on business all the time and there where several times I overstayed by a few days. No due to being lazy or dumb, just to that fact tha the equipment I was installing took longer than expected and then trying to change flights and no seats etc. So it is possible for a person to over stay 2 or 3 days not becuase they are dumb or lazy. back then (1996) I had no idea about running to Cambdia for an extension, and even if I did no way could I leave a job site to do so when my company is being charged $500 USD per day for delays. Therefore before you make such a comment I would think 1st.

[coldcrush]

Pure ripoff!

OK up it 100thb or so, but its just another ching ching in the till of Toxin....

As for the person who said its easy maths not overstay...well try and travel back and forward for the rest of your days and see how you feel! Well I am married now so its not so bad! lol

Edited February 21, 2006 by lopburiguy

[beach]

staying here for 19 years never occured to me to overstay. What's the fuss about it, I wonder?

[Steve2UK]

No comment, Thaksin did a lot of this kind of thakxes for the foreigners...

One year visa, 500B to 1900B

Bank deposit, 200,000B to 800,000B

etc.

Can you explain the bank deposit bit? That bit I know nil about, is this some sort or retiree thing?

Yes, it's a "retiree thing" . Explanation in the PM I sent you.