because of a record can I not relocate to thailand?

[rethaier]

I can understand where your coming from. But its not a lack of wanting to take care of my responsibilities.. its a lack of opportunities now. I can't get to work now, so my income is gonna be almost gone. I can't get my life and health insurance license that i just passed my state exam for because of the felony. Many jobs are now impossible to be hired for. All while the court bills and probation bills continue. So now how do I pay rent? Pay for my car I can no longer use? And living in CA the cost of living is outrageous!! I find my future very non existent, where quality of life in thailand is better, cheaper, and the people I want to do business with currently live there. I don't want to sound winey.. but I just want to live a good life

You say you want to be a digital nomad. I think that you can do that where you are just as well as you could in Thailand. I also find your story dodgey. If a friend gave them to you for a sore back I would think that would help dissuade felony charges and your friend would have been done for trafficking. As for having a good life, you should have thought about that before you broke the law. And if you want to do digital business with people who live in Thailand what's stopping you. That's what the internet is for. IMHO you f&*%$ up and deserve a second chance but you have to pay back for the first chance before that can happen.

[rethaier]

Don't listen to the other posters here handlez, they just haters.

Get the next plane to Thailand and forget about that ungrateful probation officer. Felonies, drugs, dui convictions, don't worry you'll find plenty of people like that here and some even end up as school teachers. That shows you how much respect you will get in thailand as the country will welcome you with open arms. So don't worry about any international warrants, your paradise awaits.

What a load of <deleted>.

[larsjohnsson]

Funny to see how certain forum characters are lurking in long wait of a good occasion to play armchair judge.

When the moment comes, they have their 5 seconds of satisfaction in expressing what they would have otherwise never been asked.

You did it here. And have done it 50 times before. So why complain about others

[paz]

Funny to see how certain forum characters are lurking in long wait of a good occasion to play armchair judge.

When the moment comes, they have their 5 seconds of satisfaction in expressing what they would have otherwise never been asked.

You did it here. And have done it 50 times before. So why complain about others

Your bit of wisdom and counting was missing too, now the wonder team is almost complete.

[bangkoklasse]

Funny to see how certain forum characters are lurking in long wait of a good occasion to play armchair judge.

When the moment comes, they have their 5 seconds of satisfaction in expressing what they would have otherwise never been asked.

It would be nice if you could answer the OP instead of making judgement on other members.

[Pattaya Pat]

I also have a criminal record 'Summer holiday' by Cliff Richard.

[recycler]

When you arrive here, please shake hands with all other foreign criminal record holders, that will keep you busy for a while.....

[ezzra]

Criminal record? don't fret, you'll feel at home here and in some areas of Thailand it's almost a pre-requisite

to have one just to assimilate with the other farangs...

[ResandePohm]

They don't ask if you have any criminal convictions unless you want to get a work permit I think so I really doubt it will be an issue.

I was speaking to a guy from the UK in some street side Bangkok bar a few years ago, he said he did a few years in prison for armed robbery at some point in the past, he didn't seem to have any immigration issues.

Yes they do ask. You are required to produce a simple CRB check to get a visa. Whether they then look at it or not I do not know.

[gpdjohn]

and as soon as your PO finds you did a runner, your passport is going to be cancelled and a bench warrant will be issued, another felony.

You'll get caught up in that "wheel of justice" and the problems will only get worse ( you'll get locked up with more fines that being unemployed will be unable to pay, more probation or jail time, or both since the court system won't trust you anymore because you did a runner and you'll find it will take years to get out of it, if you ever do. )

Stay in Cali for the required time, finish your probation.

[NoshowJones]

Don't listen to the other posters here handlez, they just haters.

Get the next plane to Thailand and forget about that ungrateful probation officer. Felonies, drugs, dui convictions, don't worry you'll find plenty of people like that here and some even end up as school teachers. That shows you how much respect you will get in thailand as the country will welcome you with open arms. So don't worry about any international warrants, your paradise awaits.

I think we have enough drunk drivers here in Thailand without any more coming, and that goes for the drugs as well. Stay away from Thailand altogether, you are not wanted here.

[Suradit69]

Anyways, the gave me a felony for it!!!

Silly them. At least you're manning up to the consequences of your behavior by deciding to run away to Thailand ... and almost mystically you gravitated to Thai Visa and the kindred spirits within.

You might want to check out what happens to people who self-medicate here for imagined aches & pains. Puff the Magic Dragon is doing hard time in the Bangkok Hilton, he's not doing community service collecting litter along the roads or watching instructional videos in a nanny state community center for wayward boys.

Edited September 5, 2014 by Suradit69

[AlanAunuum]

YOU WILL FIT IN LIKE A GLOVE,GO AND LIVE IN PATTAYA PLENTY OF CRIMINALS THERE,IN FACT PLENTY OF CRIMINALS IN THAILAND FULL STOP. a crb check will be done if you are going to work here,but you should be ok as long as you keep your head down and stay our of any trouble. And b4 anyone puts their nose in,the sentence in capitals is a bit of fun.

[pjmansions]

I'm no psychic but i can see this ending in tears. Thailand is making the immigration process more difficult in an attempt to get rid of people wanted for crimes in their own countries

What visa do you think you are going to apply for to stay here for an extended period?

Why can't you make online cash their instead of breaking the law further and breaking probation conditions?

What will you do when you passport does expire? i'm sure the Embassy will do a fulkl security check to issue you a new passport

Thailand is a great place to live but would it be enjoyable if you are constantly waiting for the police to knock on the door?

You have probation now but if it goes pear shaped in Thailand are you ready to serve a custodial sentence ?

Your life and it's up to you but think long and hard before you board that plane

[ubonjoe]

They don't ask if you have any criminal convictions unless you want to get a work permit I think so I really doubt it will be an issue.

I was speaking to a guy from the UK in some street side Bangkok bar a few years ago, he said he did a few years in prison for armed robbery at some point in the past, he didn't seem to have any immigration issues.

Yes they do ask. You are required to produce a simple CRB check to get a visa. Whether they then look at it or not I do not know.

The only visas that require a criminal back ground check are OA visas and non-b's for teaching at some locations.

[kiniyow]

How Much Money you got stashed away? Under 50 and Can't retire I assume? What your Plans for a Visa to constantly Live here?

[Soutpeel]

How Much Money you got stashed away? Under 50 and Can't retire I assume? What your Plans for a Visa to constantly Live here?

flog knock off products/copies sourced in Thailand on the internet as a "digital nomad"...

so in addtion to doing a runner on a felony charge one suspects he will be working illegally in Thailand as well

[inbangkok]

I could say a million things, but I am actually going to try to be as helpful as possible. OP, you are American? How old are you? Why in the world did you think having narcotic medication without a prescription would be "no big deal."

Not only this, but you drive drunk. It seems like you may be at a point in your life where you are struggling with common sense. I have to say, and I say this because I am actually trying to give you fair warning...... foreigners who lack common sense crash and burn with astounding speed here in Thailand.

As for your idea of "starting over", it aint gonna happen. All these people in the West, including people with criminal records think they are gonna hop a one way flight to Bangkok and everything is just gonna work out. Thailand aint the place for you and you should focus on getting your life back together while you still can where ever you are. You say you have 2.5 years left on probation. Go back to university, enter a trade school, get a computer science degree, whatever......do something productive with your life before its to late. Fleeing to Thailand is not going to solve anything.

Edited September 5, 2014 by inbangkok

[HooHaa]

haha, brilliant.

ticked almost every box that get the righteous knicker in a twist.

starting over as a digital nomad was an inspired touch

[Evolare]

If your still on probation will you be allowed to leave the country? I think you will be stopped trying to leave the country when they scan your passport in the airport.

[GOLDBUGGY]

As long as you have a Passport, they will never know.

Just don't ever tell a Customs Official anywhere, that you do, or you will be on their computer for life and Black Listed. Even long after you have gotten your Pardon.

[bangkoklasse]

haha, brilliant.

ticked almost every box that get the righteous knicker in a twist.

starting over as a digital nomad was an inspired touch

Yes all the digital nomads will wait at the airport when he arrive. Just to help him a bit.........

[mrowe1973]

America is the only country that poisons it's own population with prescription pain pills. How did those pills end up on the street? The doctors prescribed them and the pharmaceutical companies made them . It seems law enforcement has not figured out who the real criminals are and it's a shame! Why go around passing out drug charges to the user when all you have to do is make it illegal to manufacture the drugs or prescribe them. They can't do that there is to much profit in killing people!

[inbangkok]

America is the only country that poisons it's own population with prescription pain pills. How did those pills end up on the street? The doctors prescribed them and the pharmaceutical companies made them . It seems law enforcement has not figured out who the real criminals are and it's a shame! Why go around passing out drug charges to the user when all you have to do is make it illegal to manufacture the drugs or prescribe them. They can't do that there is to much profit in killing people!

First of all.....this is just the dumbest thing I have heard all day (and this is ThaiVisa.....there is a lot of dumb shit being said). America is the only country with prescription pain pills? LOL!!!!!!!!

Many people rely on those medications to live a decent life. You have clearly never suffered from chronic pain and your rant is laughable. Just because people abuse drugs does not mean they should be taken from the people who really need them.

Maybe someday you will have a botched back surgery or a terrible car accident....then you can show everyone how tough you are and not rely on pain medication.

Edited September 5, 2014 by inbangkok

[maximillian]

For Thailand a criminal record isn't compulsory

only for Australia...

Sorry folks, couldn't help.

[Jimbolai]

2-1/2 years on probation will be the exact same amount as 2-1/2 years in a prison after having been caught running. Stay home, report to your probation officer and the time will go by just the same. You will have your life back and be virtually hassle free for ever as long as you toe the line.

[BestBitterPhuket]

Not the worst crimes, morally or legally, but don't make it worse by running away. You may have fun here for a couple of years before you risk decades of suffering (jailed at home and blacklisted in Thailand). Start your digital nomad business at home and transfer it to Thailand when the time is right. By then you will know if it works or not.

[RecklessRon]

OP: You can come to Thailand without applying for a visa. Once here you do not need a police background check to get new visas but... what grounds do you have to be here? You say you want to live here for the long term. The military is currently cracking down hard on illegals and multi-visa-runners. You can't apply for a work permit without the background check and the crackdown aimed at tourists doing multiple visa runs will prevent you from staying here long term as a tourist. They are really going after those who are working here without a permit and those who are on Student visas and aren't really students. You, probably, aren't over 50 so you can't get a retirement visa and you, probably, aren't married to a Thai so you won't get a Marriage visa.

That said if you can figure out how to get around your visa issues you should talk to your probation officer. If you are leaving the country they may decide to waive your reporting requirement (until it expires or you come back to the US) or give you someone here to report to. Otherwise you need to wait out your probation because if you violate it you may have problems renewing you passport when it expires that may include deportation, being barred from entering Thailand again, and jail.

[Rupert Wellington]

OP: You can come to Thailand without applying for a visa. Once here you do not need a police background check to get new visas but... what grounds do you have to be here? You say you want to live here for the long term. The military is currently cracking down hard on illegals and multi-visa-runners. You can't apply for a work permit without the background check and the crackdown aimed at tourists doing multiple visa runs will prevent you from staying here long term as a tourist. They are really going after those who are working here without a permit and those who are on Student visas and aren't really students. You, probably, aren't over 50 so you can't get a retirement visa and you, probably, aren't married to a Thai so you won't get a Marriage visa.

That said if you can figure out how to get around your visa issues you should talk to your probation officer. If you are leaving the country they may decide to waive your reporting requirement (until it expires or you come back to the US) or give you someone here to report to. Otherwise you need to wait out your probation because if you violate it you may have problems renewing you passport when it expires that may include deportation, being barred from entering Thailand again, and jail.

Says "RecklessRon".

[handlez]

Thanks everyone for your post. Really helps. I just panicked because I might do jail time and right when I was getting cash to get my startups up and running. Ill ask my probation officer if it is possible however it is more of a 5% chance of being accepted. Look, I work hard and I'm stupid for the dui. I've made mistakes but I took being stupid for being creative and adventerous. So this is my solution, please keep the comments coming bad, good, even the guys who think there better than everyone else. Since I can't start my business and I can't make money at a job. If I am going to do time, I plan on investing my money so it can grow while locked up. The only thing keeping me here is not fear of being caught in the future but fear of not being able to see my family and visit. Go to my parents funerals when they pass. Meet my nieces and nephews when my sisters have kids. I guess I'm a coward for not going but I can also be a coward for not staying. Its easy to judge when yoy have none of these problems. Ill keep you posted on this in the upcoming months. Hopefully I don't panic and leave. Lol