Border run or overstay?

[breezer]

Are you coming back here? Because anything more than a a few days is really frowned upon. I went too the border and because the stamp looked like the 16th not the 26th he said sit down you will be here sometime as this is totally unacceptable overstay. If you get stopped by the police he went on too explain you will be arrested taken too the airport and deported. Lucky I explained it was the 26th and he said ok and charged me the daily 500thb. But they are really clamping down he said. I wish you good luck

Believe nothing of what you hear and only half of what you see!!

[breezer]

There's no bargaining either. Let me know how you go and again good luck

Believe nothing of what you hear and only half of what you see!!

[Mario2008]

I am unfortunately in the same position as the OP. However I already decided to overstay. I leave on the 31st. It'll be about a 30 day overstay. My own mistake for being in this position, I could've gone for another run before they "clamped down". I put it off for a few days, which turned into a few more then they clamped down and I decided to risk the overstay. Shouldn't be a problem though...right?? About 15,000 baht. Can you bargain with these guys??

There is no bargaining. It is 500 a day, with a maximum of 20,000 baht. So indeed about 15,000 baht.

Normally not a problem.

[breezer]

Yeah I agree normally not but they are really clamping down. My mate done a huge overstay and he changed his passport and had no problems coming back in. But they said he would get a 5 yr ban so there's ways around it I guess

Believe nothing of what you hear and only half of what you see!!

[Mario2008]

Long overstay in combination with regularly in-out will probably be frowned up-on as living illegally in Thailand and might be an (extra) reason to deny someone entry or at least question someone. Not seen reports regarding this so far. But now when people have a long overstay, they might not get right back in that easy without questions.

[breezer]

Totally agree. I'm working in the uk and never overstay but it was a Sunday so the immigration was closed but they reacted very differently this time. They said gone are the times come august that you can visa run more than once and then it's time too leave the kingdom.

Believe nothing of what you hear and only half of what you see!!

[Canada]

I have overstayed twice before by a day or two. I have asked directly if there were other consequences aside from the fine. The imm officer said no, there were not. I'll try to remember to post back about it.

[BigRick]

I am unfortunately in the same position as the OP. However I already decided to overstay. I leave on the 31st. It'll be about a 30 day overstay. My own mistake for being in this position, I could've gone for another run before they "clamped down". I put it off for a few days, which turned into a few more then they clamped down and I decided to risk the overstay. Shouldn't be a problem though...right?? About 15,000 baht. Can you bargain with these guys??

Ouch that is just asking for trouble. Take that baht you would waste on overstay and visit Cambodia. Siam Reap is remarkable well worth a 3-4 day trip. They do indeed frown upon someone with that much overstay. Will it cause long term problems not likely will it get you arrested 99.9% of the time no. But does it put you in a situation where the potential is there. I knew a guy who thought 1 day overstay would not be an issue flying domestic well they detained him at the airport and put him on the next plane back to England his expense.

[Canada]

I am unfortunately in the same position as the OP. However I already decided to overstay. I leave on the 31st. It'll be about a 30 day overstay. My own mistake for being in this position, I could've gone for another run before they "clamped down". I put it off for a few days, which turned into a few more then they clamped down and I decided to risk the overstay. Shouldn't be a problem though...right?? About 15,000 baht. Can you bargain with these guys??

Ouch that is just asking for trouble. Take that baht you would waste on overstay and visit Cambodia. Siam Reap is remarkable well worth a 3-4 day trip. They do indeed frown upon someone with that much overstay. Will it cause long term problems not likely will it get you arrested 99.9% of the time no. But does it put you in a situation where the potential is there. I knew a guy who thought 1 day overstay would not be an issue flying domestic well they detained him at the airport and put him on the next plane back to England his expense.

I never use my passport for flying domestic. I use my Thai drivers licence. Anyways, yeah, I realize the risk for bigger problems. I'll report back about it. I'm a little worried. My flight out of swampy leaves at 9 am. If I check in at 6 and head straight for immigration, I should get through in time for boarding...yes?? I'm hoping it's a "pay up and a stern look" thing.

[OJAS]

I am unfortunately in the same position as the OP. However I already decided to overstay. I leave on the 31st. It'll be about a 30 day overstay. My own mistake for being in this position, I could've gone for another run before they "clamped down". I put it off for a few days, which turned into a few more then they clamped down and I decided to risk the overstay. Shouldn't be a problem though...right?? About 15,000 baht. Can you bargain with these guys??

Ouch that is just asking for trouble. Take that baht you would waste on overstay and visit Cambodia. Siam Reap is remarkable well worth a 3-4 day trip. They do indeed frown upon someone with that much overstay. Will it cause long term problems not likely will it get you arrested 99.9% of the time no. But does it put you in a situation where the potential is there. I knew a guy who thought 1 day overstay would not be an issue flying domestic well they detained him at the airport and put him on the next plane back to England his expense.

I never use my passport for flying domestic. I use my Thai drivers licence. Anyways, yeah, I realize the risk for bigger problems. I'll report back about it. I'm a little worried. My flight out of swampy leaves at 9 am. If I check in at 6 and head straight for immigration, I should get through in time for boarding...yes?? I'm hoping it's a "pay up and a stern look" thing.

You might not, of course, even make it to the airport if you got stopped en route at a military checkpoint and an eagle-eyed soldier noticed that you were on overstay, resulting in your having to "report" to a military establishment instead of proceeding on your merry way to check in for your flight and pay the fine at Immigration.

[anotheruser]

I am unfortunately in the same position as the OP. However I already decided to overstay. I leave on the 31st. It'll be about a 30 day overstay. My own mistake for being in this position, I could've gone for another run before they "clamped down". I put it off for a few days, which turned into a few more then they clamped down and I decided to risk the overstay. Shouldn't be a problem though...right?? About 15,000 baht. Can you bargain with these guys??

Ouch that is just asking for trouble. Take that baht you would waste on overstay and visit Cambodia. Siam Reap is remarkable well worth a 3-4 day trip. They do indeed frown upon someone with that much overstay. Will it cause long term problems not likely will it get you arrested 99.9% of the time no. But does it put you in a situation where the potential is there. I knew a guy who thought 1 day overstay would not be an issue flying domestic well they detained him at the airport and put him on the next plane back to England his expense.

I am calling BS here. One day overstays actually are even exempt from a fine as far as I know. Your friend must have had other issues.

[BigRick]

I am unfortunately in the same position as the OP. However I already decided to overstay. I leave on the 31st. It'll be about a 30 day overstay. My own mistake for being in this position, I could've gone for another run before they "clamped down". I put it off for a few days, which turned into a few more then they clamped down and I decided to risk the overstay. Shouldn't be a problem though...right?? About 15,000 baht. Can you bargain with these guys??

Ouch that is just asking for trouble. Take that baht you would waste on overstay and visit Cambodia. Siam Reap is remarkable well worth a 3-4 day trip. They do indeed frown upon someone with that much overstay. Will it cause long term problems not likely will it get you arrested 99.9% of the time no. But does it put you in a situation where the potential is there. I knew a guy who thought 1 day overstay would not be an issue flying domestic well they detained him at the airport and put him on the next plane back to England his expense.

I am calling BS here. One day overstays actually are even exempt from a fine as far as I know. Your friend must have had other issues.

That would be 50/50. When I Was in Thailand 2009 I had a 15 minute overstay the lady let me slide. The second one I had to do a visa run and there was a Thai holiday I had to pay the 500baht as well as everyone else there. As far as calling BS you should tell him that he is sitting in England and missed an important wedding. His issue was he flew into an airport and clearly you are asking for trouble with an overstay coming into immigration on a domestic flight. He was even warned not to take it lightly because of flying from Sumui. Long story sort call BS but this is first hand not a second hand I heard of someone kind of thing. It cost him a ton of dough because they would not let him fly to a third country only back to England. If you always take the visa/immigration process seriously you don't run into these problems. People make the assumption just because its Thailand they let everyone slide. They let a few slide but not everyone.

[ubonjoe]

The one day without paying an overstay fine is only at the airport.

It does not apply at border crossings or immigration offices.

[Tomtomtom69]

Long overstay in combination with regularly in-out will probably be frowned up-on as living illegally in Thailand and might be an (extra) reason to deny someone entry or at least question someone. Not seen reports regarding this so far. But now when people have a long overstay, they might not get right back in that easy without questions.

Actually there have been a number of reports on TV about exactly this sort of situation. There was a guy with an overstay from 2.5 years ago who got questioned at immigration after a 7-month absence. He felt it was in his right to re-enter because he had not previously spent any time in Thailand but little did he realize that the overstay in combination with previously lots of visa exempt entries (many of which may have been back to back) was why he was questioned. He got in, but not after a fair bit of questioning.

Although it wasn't reported directly but the Russian lady denied at Phuket airport recently was not only working illegally, but she had apparently overstayed (according to her rough travel history some posters had deduced this) and combined with her attitude and not showing officers sufficient proof of funds (I think she refused to show 20,000 in cash like asked but only a Russian language internet banking display) didn't help her cause.

Strangely, everyone keeps saying that past overstays that were paid upon departure shouldn't have any bearing on being allowed re-entry, in some cases on the same day. I totally disagree with this notion.

I think that in addition to cracking down on visa runners, past overstayers (including those who've only ever overstayed for one day and weren't issued a fine) can expect to be scrutinized. It is always better to get a 7-day extension or do a border run (well not too many of course!) than risk even a one day overstay.

[Canada]

Sitting at Swampy now. Passed immigration already early this morning. I asked again at the desk where you pay the fine, if there were any other negative consequences to an overstay. The two women there said that no there were not (aside form the fine) , not unless it was a long overstay, and she used "in excess of a year" as an example. She said that you may have problems entering the country in the future but she did not say that you would be refused.

I'm not saying that it's not a big deal. I would not recommend overstaying your permitted length of stay. But, their law states that there is a fine for overstay of 500 baht per day to a maximum of 20,000 baht and that's what they do.

Anyways, nice chatting with you all about it.