Overstay Charge Hiked To B500 A Day

[britmaveric]

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

[sanget]

As I have said before, here and on other forums, if you are going to exceed the time, then expect to pay for it. I make it a point to never have my visa expire, regardless of what country I am in. The Thai Government could just throw you in jail for a while for overstaying---so what would you prefer? When the time comes nigh for the expiration, make the visa trip and save yourself the extra Baht.

[maprao]

Before I make my comment. I am in full agreement with some in this Forum; Break the law be prepared for the consequences! Do not overstay and you will have no problem. Now for the bit I want to comment on. Thailand is making it less and less attractive and user friendly for return visitors and people who want to settle there. That’s their choice and for the moment it remains acceptable in terms of levels of bul***it.(for me)

If you go to Thailand for Bangla Road, Nana Square and Walking Street, lets face it a lot of people do, there are more attractive and cheaper user friendly places to go as said by a previous poster. Where….

From the website that first caught my eye….

It's all here: alcohol and sexy, young women. There are over 100 bars full of attractive and readily available women eager to show you a good time. Balibago in the Philippines) is a nonstop, drunken revel seven days a week, everyday of the year. Recreational sex is the sport of choice. You can enjoy full privileges with one or more attractive young females regardless of your age, weight, physical appearance, interpersonal skills, wealth or social class. Go-go bars start to open at noon and a few keep the music pumping until 5:00 AM. Some small hostess bars are open 24 hours. Prices in Balibago are extremely low, which means you can carouse in full throttle without wiping out your life savings. English is widely spoken. You don't have to learn a single word of the native language.

More importantly they cannot talk about you in terms of being a “water Buffalo” etc. Most of the entire area is farang owned!!!

I for one will hang in with Thailand but for recreational purposes this is hard to beat. Especially as there are no “lady boys” for those too drunk to be able to tell the difference.

http://www.balibago.com/nightlife.html

If you do not like it vote with your feet or bum on plane seat and forget closing hours restricted drinking times bla bla bla.

[Foggy Bottom]

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?

...

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!

Go tell that to the Government employed teachers in schools and universities on 17,900 Baht per month contracts

1,400 Baht extra for visa

2,000 Baht extra for work permit

2 compulsory self-paid visits to Bangkok's Ministry of Ed for teacher's license

etc etc

It all adds up ..... and it also applies to unpaid voluntary workers (such as those assisting with tsunami clear-up after March 2005)

...... I'm wondering if they'll be making a similar 300% hike to the current B 2,000 fine for being late with the 90-day address registration - - - - B 5,000 for registering on a Monday instead of the previous Friday = Ouch!!!

.

[bkkmadness]

Pure ripoff!

A fine has been increased for illegal activity in Thailand, how's that a rip off?

It's easy not to overstay, so just don't. And before anyone flames me, I'm no angel, I've had plenty of overstay before when the rules were less strict but it was all my own fault, and if I hadn't been so lazy could have not been in that situation at all.

[Khun Jean]

Making it more exepensive and difficult for people without a proper visa is i think a good thing.

If you are here for business get a business visa and extend it on time at an immigration center. If you have a partner there is a 1 year visa too. If everything is legitimate it is easy.

I have been here before on a tourist visa. I got a 60 day visa at the consulate while my trip was 64 days. Just went to immigration, make a picture and pay 1500 baht and got 2 more weeks extra.

It is all so simple.

If you want to retire take the one year 'o' visa. If you have some money in the bank then extending is easy and painless. What do you expect, to live here for free? You still have to eat and live somewhere so 800.000 a year is a good estimate and leaves some money for a small emergency. I found the 400.000 for when you are married surprisingly low.

If you are someone who is here for years on a tourist visa, i would say.

Get a workpermit and a proper visa, a business visa, or marry and have a visa or get out.

You're obviously not an asset to the country.

Staying for a period longer than 12 months someone would hardly qualify for being a tourist. But still the Thai government is very friendly to allow back to back tourist visas.

What is there to complain?

I say make it 10.000 baht a day. And no more than 2-3 tourist visa's back to back would be a good measure too.

Maybe the high fine will help to remember when a visa expires, and think about what a tourist visa is really for.

[WilliamIV]

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

Warriors

You are not required to SPEND the 800,000!!!!

Merely have it as a Bank Deposit.

I have a Retirement Visa - but I do not stay in Thailand the whole 12 months.

I go for Trips to India & Philippines that usually total about 4 months every year.

By your logic - I would then have to spend 800,000 in the remaining 8 months

- But it aint so !!

Bill

[sriracha john]

Since it's not been commented on since 3 pages ago in the OP, could one of our more learned

Thai-reading members see what the Immigration Department says about all this on their website notice? I think most of us would appreciate someone gracious enough to do so...

Only the title is printed in English.... it is rather amusing English, at that :

"Change a fine rate when a permit is expired"

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/ba...&section=notice

[maprao]

Making it more exepensive and difficult for people without a proper visa is i think a good thing.

If you are here for business get a business visa and extend it on time at an immigration center. If you have a partner there is a 1 year visa too. If everything is legitimate it is easy.

I have been here before on a tourist visa. I got a 60 day visa at the consulate while my trip was 64 days. Just went to immigration, make a picture and pay 1500 baht and got 2 more weeks extra.

It is all so simple.

If you want to retire take the one year 'o' visa. If you have some money in the bank then extending is easy and painless. What do you expect, to live here for free? You still have to eat and live somewhere so 800.000 a year is a good estimate and leaves some money for a small emergency. I found the 400.000 for when you are married surprisingly low.

If you are someone who is here for years on a tourist visa, i would say.

Get a workpermit and a proper visa, a business visa, or marry and have a visa or get out.

You're obviously not an asset to the country.

Staying for a period longer than 12 months someone would hardly qualify for being a tourist. But still the Thai government is very friendly to allow back to back tourist visas.

What is there to complain?

I say make it 10.000 baht a day. And no more than 2-3 tourist visa's back to back would be a good measure too.

Maybe the high fine will help to remember when a visa expires, and think about what a tourist visa is really for.

Kuhn Jean

mmm You do not happen to be Swiss or German by any chance????

Just a thought rather draconian measures you are proposing

[Maestro]

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.

What kept you from applying for a short extension (Immigration usually grants up to 10 days extension to holders of a 30-day stamp on arrival) for the small fee of THB 1,900?

Aside from that, for a small fee you could have obtained a tourist visa before leaving for Thailand. And to install equipment in Thailand, you would have had to obtain a short-time work permit, easily arranged by your Thai counterpart.

---------------

Maestro

[John K]

Please tell me they did not get the idea for this from the police pulling over the visa run busses.

[JimmyGreaves]

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

That's you, other people may not be in the same boat as you, a 300% increase from 200,000 to 800,000 seems a big increase to me. Imagine a 100% or 200% increase next time to 1,600,000 or 2,400,000 baht would you be saying the same then?

Just my farthings worth!

[edh]

Thera are "Baklas" yes gogos open 24/7, girls - I belive are too young...Cheap - YES. How do the gogo dancers perform on stage??

I don't want to place people... But U must be US?

EDH

There are over 100 bars full of attractive and readily available women eager to show you a good time. Balibago in the Philippines) is a nonstop, drunken revel seven days a week, everyday of the year. Recreational sex is the sport of choice. You can enjoy full privileges with one or more attractive young females regardless of your age, weight, physical appearance, interpersonal skills, wealth or social class. Go-go bars start to open at noon and a few keep the music pumping until 5:00 AM . Some small hostess bars are open 24 hours. Prices in Balibago are extremely low, which means you can carouse in full throttle without wiping out your life savings. English is widely spoken. You don't have to learn a single word of the native language.

More importantly they cannot talk about you in terms of being a “water Buffalo” etc. Most of the entire area is farang owned!!!

I for one will hang in with Thailand but for recreational purposes this is hard to beat. Especially as there are no “lady boys” for those too drunk to be able to tell the difference.

Edited February 21, 2006 by edh

[frenchFARANGbkk]

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

Anyway you never applied for a visa ;-)

19 years overstay actually! ;-)

[maprao]

Thera are "Baklas" yes gogos open 24/7, girls - I belive are too young...Cheap - YES. How do the gogo dancers perform on stage??

I don't want to place people... But U must be US?

EDH

There are over 100 bars full of attractive and readily available women eager to show you a good time. Balibago in the Philippines) is a nonstop, drunken revel seven days a week, everyday of the year. Recreational sex is the sport of choice. You can enjoy full privileges with one or more attractive young females regardless of your age, weight, physical appearance, interpersonal skills, wealth or social class. Go-go bars start to open at noon and a few keep the music pumping until 5:00 AM . Some small hostess bars are open 24 hours. Prices in Balibago are extremely low, which means you can carouse in full throttle without wiping out your life savings. English is widely spoken. You don't have to learn a single word of the native language.

More importantly they cannot talk about you in terms of being a “water Buffalo” etc. Most of the entire area is farang owned!!!

I for one will hang in with Thailand but for recreational purposes this is hard to beat. Especially as there are no “lady boys” for those too drunk to be able to tell the difference.

EDH

Good guess 50 % correct. However not wanting to place people either I take it you are not US. Conclusion arrived at by your spelling however you are fairly close

Depends what you mean by young all over 18 legal and without the special ID cards that they carry they are not employed. This gives the added bonus that even if you take precautions you will probably not end up with someone with a diagnosed STD or HIV that moves from Bar to Bar (granted not all that common in Pattaya)

Sorry off topic somewhat but it provides an answer to your question. Reformed bar frequenters are much like reformed smokers so to speak. Where are my smokes?

[Chris Lawrence]

I have just paid an extra $5,000 aprox. in runaround charges to get a spousal visa to go to Australia.

Thaksin's Govt are not in the same league as "civilised western govt. departments".

Do the crime do the time.

[ChiangMaiSky]

Thanks for the info!! Looks like my upcoming trip to Burma may be worth a little more.

[KhunMarco]

Yeah 800k baht a year is common spending for the average people in Thailand.

Roflmao

I just wonder what kind of morons visit this site

Hellooooo , you can almost buy a mini-aparment with that money here.

A new born every minute in jerkland

[ray23]

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.

Not disagreeing with you, but in the interest of accuracy, it didn't go from 200K to 800K. 800K was for a single person then and still is, it was not changed. What increased was for the married person from 200K to 400K.

[edh]

Maprao,

Sorry about my spelling, should have done better

Easy to buy the ID hanging around their neck - which doesn't guarrantee (spell) they are free of STD or HIV - right .

Must to say, even thou they have ID stating age over 18, it is not always true. Asia and some other countries west of Asia print those in the millions.

Love the Phillippines by the way, and I wish half of what you stated below is true - would for sure improve their tourism don't you think

EDH

Thera are "Baklas" yes gogos open 24/7, girls - I belive are too young...Cheap - YES. How do the gogo dancers perform on stage??

I don't want to place people... But U must be US?

EDH

There are over 100 bars full of attractive and readily available women eager to show you a good time. Balibago in the Philippines) is a nonstop, drunken revel seven days a week, everyday of the year. Recreational sex is the sport of choice. You can enjoy full privileges with one or more attractive young females regardless of your age, weight, physical appearance, interpersonal skills, wealth or social class. Go-go bars start to open at noon and a few keep the music pumping until 5:00 AM . Some small hostess bars are open 24 hours. Prices in Balibago are extremely low, which means you can carouse in full throttle without wiping out your life savings. English is widely spoken. You don't have to learn a single word of the native language.

More importantly they cannot talk about you in terms of being a “water Buffalo” etc. Most of the entire area is farang owned!!!

I for one will hang in with Thailand but for recreational purposes this is hard to beat. Especially as there are no “lady boys” for those too drunk to be able to tell the difference.

EDH

Good guess 50 % correct. However not wanting to place people either I take it you are not US. Conclusion arrived at by your spelling however you are fairly close

Depends what you mean by young all over 18 legal and without the special ID cards that they carry they are not employed. This gives the added bonus that even if you take precautions you will probably not end up with someone with a diagnosed STD or HIV that moves from Bar to Bar (granted not all that common in Pattaya)

Sorry off topic somewhat but it provides an answer to your question. Reformed bar frequenters are much like reformed smokers so to speak. Where are my smokes?

[saeb]

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.

Sickness.

Accident.

Delayed money Tx.

Throw them in jail?.

joe3180 - two things come to mind; Ivory towers and glass houses.

[Khun Jean]

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.

Sickness.

Accident.

Valid reasons. You will have no problem.

Delayed money Tx.

What don't have enough money to pay for an extension. Sleeping on the street?

Throw them in jail?.

joe3180 - two things come to mind; Ivory towers and glass houses.

[saeb]

[Accident.

Valid reasons. You will have no problem.

Delayed money Tx.

What don't have enough money to pay for an extension. Sleeping on the street?

Throw them in jail?.

joe3180 - two things come to mind; Ivory towers and glass houses.

Delayed money Tx.

What don't have enough money to pay for an extension. Sleeping on the street?

How much interest do you make on a Thai bank account?.

What happens if you are paid from abroad (other than Thailand) but have to travel within the region?.

If your company chooses to relocate you surely it is logical to keep your money supply in one fixed point and do TX to wherever you happen to be?.

For a number of reasons - robbery, scams, spending too much - people are fallible you know,

people do sometimes need an emergency money transfer.

Alas, your average humanoid isn't a software program which does exactly what it is supposed to do all the time. So - Someone ends up in the poo through circumstance and get thrown in jail?.

Hmmmm........Ivory Towers.

[Kerryd]

I've only had 2 overstays. You get your 30 day stamp on arrival, but my return flight was 32 days later.

No big deal. Got to the airport and paid my 400 baht fine and I was on my way.

The next holiday would have been the same, except I got bumped off my (Air India ) flight. Had to wait 3 days for the next one. This time (obviously) I had a 5 day overstay (1,000 baht).

Hardly worth paying twice that much to do a border run, then. Even at 500 baht per day, a border run (from Pattaya) would almost be the same as the fine. The risk is getting caught before making it to the airport.

And no, I couldn't simply go to the embassy for a Tourist visa, as Thailand hasn't seen fit to open an embassy in Afghanistan (yet)

Maybe they (Thailand) are still pissed about the Taliban blowing up those statues of Buddha ?

I think the increase in the daily fine was for 2 reasons. One being that someone at Immigration reviewed all the overstay fines and realized that the majority of them are relatively short (say 1-14 days). Increasing the fine would therefore have a dramatic effect on their bottom line.

The 2nd reason could be an effort to smarten people up and stop them from overstaying in the first place. Counter-productive to the first reason though.

So, smarten up and don't overstay your visa. If you do overstay, be prepared to pay more.

It's not really that hard is it ?

[ThaiWest]

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 !

:jap:

The Thai government does have a rather "narrow" vision toward legally retired persons... I agree that the government ought to be more aware of the advantages of having legally retired person choose to live here; and there are many advantages. It's amazing that Toxin can sell off major holdings to a foreign government, yet us retired persons cannot own any property for a home.

Also I agree with others that there are not excuses for an over-stay... except for medical emergencies (which a letter from the hospital or doctor will cover). Of the six years I've lived in Thailand, I've over stayed once for 2 days... and I can only blame myself for that!

Most of the problems "we" have are due to the foreigners who are living here on a tourist visa and doing the boarder runs, rather than obtain a proper visa to remain in country! The harder the Thai government can make it for them, the better.

[marquess]

Wake up guys, this is a Third World country, with a THIRD WORLD MENTALITY. Which won't be changing anytime soon!

[Nuff Said]

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.

Very wise move.

The B200 a day overstay charge was no deterrent to those planning to overstay up to 9 days as it was cheaper, and less hassle, than obtaining an extension. Apart from a few days grace, say a maximun of 7 in any 12 month period, perhaps overstayers should also be also denied re-entry to Thailand for at least the period of their overstay. About 3 years ago, while on a vsa run, one of our party was directed to the overstay desk at Poipet. After he had been processed he walked away, smile on his face, and said to his friend, 'that's my overstay cleared up, B6000'. If he had been unable to re-enter Thailand for a period equal to that of his overstay he wouldn't have found it so funny. His cavalier attitude to the matter was beyond belief.

Other than certified medical cases there's no excuse for overstay at all. If the date stamp isn't clear, then ask! I've checked those in both my current and previous passports and every one is perfectly legible.

Edited February 22, 2006 by Nuff Said

[Maigo6]

Wake up guys, this is a Third World country, with a THIRD WORLD MENTALITY. Which won't be changing anytime soon!

Yea right, I can't wait till Thailand is a nice place to live, like UK.

Edited February 22, 2006 by Maigo6

[Donz]

arrr the world is a tuff place, you overstay doesnt matter if your sick or what, throw them in jail if they overstay.

[maxisrael]

So what's the problem ??

Don't overstay do your visa runs on time that's the way it has to be