I know what half of the people here will say and think - don't overstay... and so on. Well, I did do some research online, here at TV and other boards. I did speak to overstay clearer and i talked to my embassy.

The best - no not really ! - answer came from the embassy: Go to the IDC (Immigration Detention Centre) and surrender. You will be detained, put in front of a judge,pay a fine and we deport you.

(This only works if you bring money for the ticket, the fine and approx 5 days of food at the IDC) Needless to say,this is not really an option.

Then i had the embassy issue an emergency passport for travelling home, because my old passport had expired/was lost. On top of that i asked them to state this in writing. It took a bit of convincing but they did do so.

I went to a travel agent and booked for Saturday 01-04-2014 with Emirates.

The check-in is open roughly 4 hours due to departure and I thought: well who knows......... and right I where. At the check in, the lady did not put my luggage on the conveyor and pointed me right to the immigration.

When I had passed trough the security check i found myself with a blank passport in front of a immigration officer. She looked at my travel passport, quickly filled out a new arrival card and directed me to a back office. The people showing up there had more and more stars on their shoulder flaps.while sitting next to them the pulled up my complete visa history,some land and rail road border crossings where missing and i indicated to them that i would pay the maximum amount anyway.... A couple of moments later i was asked to pay 20000 THB got a receipt,an exit stamp and was in the departure area.

There was no shouting just professional conduct. Thanks for that ! I appreciate this.

Greetings from the UK

Matt

yeah, in 4 years, the only time I have been asked to see my passport is when I leave or enter the country - so I dont think overstaying would be a problem - however, i'd be pretty bored if I didn't leave thailand once in a while, so i'll keep on doing the visa runs / going home to see my friends/family once a year as I prefer it that way.

Can we not hijack the Op's post? Found it quite an interesting post and entirely believable.

It is a good side business for Thai Immigration. 20000 Baht is equal to 22 tourist visas issued or about 6 tourist single entries using the whole 90 days. Especially for land border customs quite a nice catch. There are always 20-30 guys paying overstay in any given tourist visa run. 200000-300000 Baht easily per border, 6000-10000 dollars for 2 hour job.

Removed several posts/quotes of comments about date format that are off topic.

FYI the OP departed Thailand on January 4th 2014.

Glad you got back home ok ..... Any plans to return ... ??

off topic post removed.

I sure hope no immigration's officials are monitoring TV website, otherwise they get the wrong impressions

that people actually gloats about how easy is to circumvent the rules and will put a stop to it....

2 post removed for being off topic and also discussing moderation.

This in response to comments about the policy of not allowing topics/posts about illegal activities.

Topics about overstay are allowed because normally it is an after the fact occurrence and we often make suggestions on how to resolve it.

We do not suggest overstaying or condone it.

This topic is similar because it contains useful information about resolving an overstay.

Removed a reply containing quote of a removed post.

I'm glad you made it to home without much hassle. And truly appreciate your kind feedback.

It is a good side business for Thai Immigration. 20000 Baht is equal to 22 tourist visas issued or about 6 tourist single entries using the whole 90 days. Especially for land border customs quite a nice catch. There are always 20-30 guys paying overstay in any given tourist visa run. 200000-300000 Baht easily per border, 6000-10000 dollars for 2 hour job.

Not sure where you get the figures "There are always 20-30 guys paying overstay in any given tourist visa run", but yes, it is a good side business.

Glad you got back home ok ..... Any plans to return ... ??

Yes, i still like Thailand very much. It will be a while, tough. Europe is so damn cold . It's not only the weather, if you know what i mean.

I think, there are a couple of things should be added to the post.

The things contributed to my overstay are really not nice, nor this should encourage anyone to follow the example i have set. Anyhow, I am truly happy that i was given the courtesy to leave.

As most discouraging fact in the entire process i found the assistance of my own embassy ! I have no idea what kind of guidelines or rules they (have to) follow. There is one thing for sure - if you are in a ditch, dire straights or whatever you like to call it - don't count on support from them.

remark removed.

yeah, in 4 years, the only time I have been asked to see my passport is when I leave or enter the country - so I dont think overstaying would be a problem - however, i'd be pretty bored if I didn't leave thailand once in a while, so i'll keep on doing the visa runs / going home to see my friends/family once a year as I prefer it that way.

Same here....short visits out of the country twice a year. That gives me 30 days on arrival each time. About 2 months spent to see family and friends in my homeland, and a month in the Philippines to see my son. I get a double entry visa as well. With extensions, I am completely flexible for travel, should emegencies arrive. No need for a Retirement Extension either.

Love being a tourist. Also use it as a good excuse to get some free time away from my gal.

maybe i'm missing something but how hard can it be to keep a visa up to date?

is it great feeling or not....hmm...lucky u didnt get arrested

Well done OP, great to see yet another foreigner playing by the rules and maintaining the sterling reputation Thai's have of us. Keep up the good work when you come back.

Well, afraid to say so - and i am trying to be humble here. But do you think, that i messed up that kind of expression thousands of revellers on Phang Gahn, Pattaya, Samui and so on have created? I think i don't deserve so much credit. But thanks, anyway.

I think, there are a couple of things should be added to the post.

The things contributed to my overstay are really not nice, nor this should encourage anyone to follow the example i have set. Anyhow, I am truly happy that i was given the courtesy to leave.

As most discouraging fact in the entire process i found the assistance of my own embassy ! I have no idea what kind of guidelines or rules they (have to) follow. There is one thing for sure - if you are in a ditch, dire straights or whatever you like to call it - don't count on support from them.

Thanks for the post - very informative. As you send greetings from the UK (though use the American date format), it's a fair assumption you are talking about the British Embassy ? It occurs to me that one obvious reason they might have been relatively unhelpful, is that they are not idiots and know from long experience that the "I've lost my passport please issue a new one urgently" tactic, is used to avoid possible visa problems pretty regularly. Glad you got away unscathed !

Edited January 13, 201412 yr by crazydrummerpauly

He didn't get away unschated, he paid the fine due.

Losing your passport doesn't help in anyway with an overstay, it only complicates matters and makes it more costly.

I think, there are a couple of things should be added to the post.

The things contributed to my overstay are really not nice, nor this should encourage anyone to follow the example i have set. Anyhow, I am truly happy that i was given the courtesy to leave.

As most discouraging fact in the entire process i found the assistance of my own embassy ! I have no idea what kind of guidelines or rules they (have to) follow. There is one thing for sure - if you are in a ditch, dire straights or whatever you like to call it - don't count on support from them.

Thanks for the post - very informative. As you send greetings from the UK (though use the American date format), it's a fair assumption you are talking about the British Embassy ? It occurs to me that one obvious reason they might have been relatively unhelpful, is that they are not idiots and know from long experience that the "I've lost my passport please issue a new one urgently" tactic, is used to avoid possible visa problems pretty regularly. Glad you got away unscathed !

Thanks. IMHO, what embassy you are heading to should not make a difference. I talked to a bunch of people,coming from different nations. If they categorize you not as a tourist (maximum 3 month stay ??) Don't expect help if you life here for a while. That is what they did to me. Anyone made different experiences?

The visa problem is not really one. Cause you have to transfer the visa from your old into you new passport. It really does not matter if you have overstay or no visa inside you passport, you'll find your self inside the next immigration office in both cases, if stopped by the coppers.

Edited January 13, 201412 yr by MattSiam

Always nice to hear the advice on resolving a lengthy overstay here in Thailand is accurate from someone who has left for home,

after a lengthy overstay. Glad you got home safely and all is well.

very brave of you in posting this and very good information i have been there myself and fully understand some of the difficult reasons that peope are inable to extend visas and do the visa runs unfortunately it can happen and theb spirals out of control to too may years and thats when people start kicking theirselves im glad you god home safe and shared your story

I sure hope no immigration's officials are monitoring TV website, otherwise they get the wrong impressions

that people actually gloats about how easy is to circumvent the rules and will put a stop to it....

I would have thought the UK Foreign Office might also be a bit miffed. Let's hope the OP was not accurate re his flight details otherwise I would have thought there would not be passengers with emergency UK passports travelling on an Emirates flight to the UK on 4 January.

You did well this time!

Do you intend to return to Thailand?

If the Thai government was serious about overstay they simply could blacklist any person overstay for let say one year or more - never allowed to come to Thailand again.

The way they handle it now, just looks for me as they don't care at all, pay your fine and that it's.

Strange because when the police will catch you BEFORE you go to the airport you are in deep shit!!

I sure hope no immigration's officials are monitoring TV website, otherwise they get the wrong impressions

that people actually gloats about how easy is to circumvent the rules and will put a stop to it....

They have seen it all over the years at border checkpoints. They do not need to check this website about somebody gloating about an overstay. Thousands of farangs every day passing, many of them overstaying, some arrogant, some drunk, some ignorant et cetera.

What is much more serious is if you try to fake the stamp dates to avoid paying the overstay. That is a sure way to jail. One very unfortunate American millionaire learned the hard way not so long ago. Faked the date to the next day, get caught, ended up jail and died the next day. I think it was a heart attack. Died because of mere 500 Baht!

If Thailand was that concerned about overstayers, why don't they just change the penalty to 3 months detention, rather than a fine?

It's obviously not that much of an issue for them, more of an earner for them.

Personally, I stay within the rules but I don't judge others who don't, up to them!

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