3 British citizens arrested for overstaying on Phuket

[NamKangMan]

Save money on overstay enforcement???

I would think that the overstay fees collected from those arrested heavily outweigh the salaries and overhead costs of the Immigration officials involved.

If we are talking about overstaying enforcement, a guy overstays for 3 years, pays his 20,000 baht fine, leaves Thailand, and comes back, and you think that 20,000 baht covers the enforement costs of just one officer for 3 years?

That means an immigration officer is on a 7000 baht per year salary, not to mention buildings, electric etc etc. :)

[Roel]

Your calculation is correct but based on the assumption that one officer arrests only one single overstayer every three years. Highly unlikely don't you think?

No way of knowing how many arrests they make on average and how much the average overstay fine is, but I really think that the income generated easily covers the expenses.

[jpeg]

What's this about some Italian guy being picked off a street in town today? And then not being allowed to go home to retrieve his passport? This bloody Nazi Germany now!?

[NamKangMan]

Your calculation is correct but based on the assumption that one officer arrests only one single overstayer every three years. Highly unlikely don't you think?

No way of knowing how many arrests they make on average and how much the average overstay fine is, but I really think that the income generated easily covers the expenses.

The maximum fine is 20,000 baht.

There comes a baht point where you are financially ahead, for overstaying.

If we take an under 50 year old, who has overstayed for 3 years, it would have cost him a lot more than 20,000 baht for 4 visa runs and 4 X 1900 baht extensions, per year. Remember, you can come straight back to Thailand.

I concede that some are here working illegally, and some are broke and can't afford to do the visa runs. These are the ones most likely to overstay.

My point is, if the Thai Government simply made a "visa run" meaning you went to the nearest Immigration Office every 60 days, or 90 days, and paid a fee to extend your stay, they could potentially turn a liability into a profit.

Even those working here illegally, or having very little money, may consider staying legally, rather than overstaying, if it was easier to renew your visa.

Edited September 25, 2013 by NamKangMan

[LivinginKata]

What's this about some Italian guy being picked off a street in town today? And then not being allowed to go home to retrieve his passport? This bloody Nazi Germany now!?

All Thai citizens must carry their ID card and all non Thais must carry their passport. Seems reasonable to me.

[NamKangMan]

What's this about some Italian guy being picked off a street in town today? And then not being allowed to go home to retrieve his passport? This bloody Nazi Germany now!?

All Thai citizens must carry their ID card and all non Thais must carry their passport. Seems reasonable to me.

A Thai ID card is a lot more convenient to carry, is waterproof, and more durable than a passport, and a lot easier and cheaper to replace.

I'm carrying mine in the day now, but I am not taking it with me when I go out for a drink.

I always have colour photocopies of the photo page, TM Card and stamp.

[Old Croc]

Save money on overstay enforcement???

I would think that the overstay fees collected from those arrested heavily outweigh the salaries and overhead costs of the Immigration officials involved.

If we are talking about overstaying enforcement, a guy overstays for 3 years, pays his 20,000 baht fine, leaves Thailand, and comes back, and you think that 20,000 baht covers the enforement costs of just one officer for 3 years?

That means an immigration officer is on a 7000 baht per year salary, not to mention buildings, electric etc etc.

In Australia a one day overstay equates to a 3 year ban from getting another visa. (some visa applications (e.g. spouse) can see a waiver of the ban)

If Thailand really wanted to fix the situation they would institute something similar.

[jpeg]

What's this about some Italian guy being picked off a street in town today? And then not being allowed to go home to retrieve his passport? This bloody Nazi Germany now!?

All Thai citizens must carry their ID card and all non Thais must carry their passport. Seems reasonable to me.

I was referring to the 'picked off the street part'. Just so happens ran into a young neighbour who was relaxing under a tree in Rawai had the same thing happen to him three days ago. He'd overstayed by four days. Sixteen hours in the lockup and a 1k baht fine later, he was sent on his way.

Yes he should have had his visa updated. Lesson learned. But the thing I find worrying is that with all the ballyhoo about the DSI coming to clean up Phuket HA! BTW, all that's actually happened since is harassing of foreigners, predominantly by visiting their homes/picking off the street. And yes, it does give me the chills and does bring Nazi Germany to mind. Overstayers, PAH! They're bloody lucky to have anyone spending money on this corruption infested island, little stamp in their brimming with little stamps passport or no.

When's the rampant corruption going to be started on then? No. Didn't think so.

[mickjn]

The guy in the second photo is a beauty.Laughing like hell.Good luck to you Sir,you are a beauty

[Arkady]

If you get deported for overstay are you ever allowed back in the country?

Normally you are not blacklisted for overstaying - just fined and deported. Max penalty is 6 months and/or a fine of B20k. So Mr Wild gets the best value for money by overstaying since 2011. Prison sentences are very rare for this but they will be banged up in Immigration's concentration camp at Soi Suan Plu pending trial and deportation. If they can't pay the fine, they can work it off at the rate of B200 for each day served in Nonthaburi Prison up to a max of 100 days. Then they are transferred back to the concentration camp again awaiting deportation.

[osiboy]

So crime of the century, i would happier if they cleaned up some more important issues

A foreigner overstaying means loosing track!

remember next time a Grenade trowing foreigners is on the loose.

Wake up....and respect the law!!

nahhhh,...loosen up , its only an overstay , not crime of the century ,...has it affected you ? , changed your life , feelings or thoughts ? ,....its not like its the EU where it would cost us all in taxes , TIT , They have spent their money , no have more ? ok, ....... so " get them out asap " !

[simple1]

If we are talking about overstaying enforcement, a guy overstays for 3 years, pays his 20,000 baht fine, leaves Thailand, and comes back, and you think that 20,000 baht covers the enforement costs of just one officer for 3 years?

That means an immigration officer is on a 7000 baht per year salary, not to mention buildings, electric etc etc.

In Australia a one day overstay equates to a 3 year ban from getting another visa. (some visa applications (e.g. spouse) can see a waiver of the ban) If Thailand really wanted to fix the situation they would institute something similar.

A few facts would be useful. Persons who overstay their visa by more than 28 days may become subject to an exclusion period that prevents them from being granted a temporary visa to travel to Australia for three years. This exclusion period applies whether they leave voluntarily or not. Even after the exclusion period has finished, the person cannot be granted a visa unless they repay any debt they owe to the Commonwealth, including for costs of removal, or they make satisfactory arrangements to repay their debt.

http://www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/86overstayers-and-other-unlawful-non-citizens.htm

[Sealbash]

Smiling like it's a joke.  Put the Brit behind bars!  God, they are smug, pompous, arrogant individuals.

Again, tell me about your life here and I guarantee that we will soon find out about laws you frequently break in Thailand that are far worse than just "being here for too long".

"Put them behind bars!" - a lot of expats, probably yourself included, come here because of the looser laws compared to your home country. Do these overstayers really deserve to be locked up abroad for the crime of just not walking outside the country and then walking back in??

Yes

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Old Croc]

If we are talking about overstaying enforcement, a guy overstays for 3 years, pays his 20,000 baht fine, leaves Thailand, and comes back, and you think that 20,000 baht covers the enforement costs of just one officer for 3 years?

That means an immigration officer is on a 7000 baht per year salary, not to mention buildings, electric etc etc.

In Australia a one day overstay equates to a 3 year ban from getting another visa. (some visa applications (e.g. spouse) can see a waiver of the ban) If Thailand really wanted to fix the situation they would institute something similar.

A few facts would be useful. Persons who overstay their visa by more than 28 days may become subject to an exclusion period that prevents them from being granted a temporary visa to travel to Australia for three years. This exclusion period applies whether they leave voluntarily or not. Even after the exclusion period has finished, the person cannot be granted a visa unless they repay any debt they owe to the Commonwealth, including for costs of removal, or they make satisfactory arrangements to repay their debt.

http://www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/86overstayers-and-other-unlawful-non-citizens.htm

Thanks for the correction Simple One.

I was out of date on this. The 28 days overstay before exclusion came in after my time.

I should endeavour to keep up with changes to legislation before making comment.

[uptheos]

All very nice and we can all play the card of innocense meanwhile sometimes the laws are not as clear as they can be. Besides, which foreigner in the UK or the rest

of Europe needs to show either 800.000B or has to get married to stay longer than a little while. I still feel a lot for the eye for an eye policy: If you can't own a house here. Thais should not be able to own one in your country until they change the law. If you can't stay here for a prolonged holiday unless you pay through your nose for it, do the same to the Thais abroad. If you can't own a car on a tourist visa, do the same abroad to the Thais. If you need to report every three months to police....etc etc. See how that feels. We all know that lots of Thais own numerous houses (read: Villas) and cars in our countries of origin. But that all seems to be ok and fine.

Yes, along with loads of other nationalities.

But whose fault is that for having incompetent governments?

[ExpatOilWorker]

Lots of big news today, 3 guys overstay, guy locked in his car for 3 hours and cheap smoke smell in Phuket. Any cats that need to be rescued from a tree and ducks escorted across the road?

[stevenl]

Lots of big news today, 3 guys overstay, guy locked in his car for 3 hours and cheap smoke smell in Phuket. Any cats that need to be rescued from a tree and ducks escorted across the road?

Hardly today.