OP seems to be confused about the difference between a penalty fine assessed for breaking the law, and simple payment for services rendered. If you're caught speeding at home, and pay the fine, do you not realize the speeding ticket will go on your record and count against you going forward? If you go to jail for any crime do you not realize that you now have a criminal record that will most certainly count against you the next time? Do you think that by completing the sentence, whatever it is, you're now "clean"?

'Just don't get the OP's thought process here...

I do get the common criticism that IOs wield a discretionary power that creates confusion & uncertainty, but others that have commented here are right about cavalier attitudes like the OP's making things more difficult for those playing by the rules.

I know a guy who had several years overstay.. After he finally got it sorted out and became legit he started to say that those with overstay are criminals who should be banned from Thailand.. He's a @^#^@& hypocrite! And I suspect that some of the responders here are suffering from hypocrisy and over-righteous sentiments too! For Pete's sake, the guy just asked some questions, who the hell are you to point fingers? As if you are such righteous people.. Shame on you!

I think you're missing the point. The OP is complaining about being harrassed at immigration because he has a few overstay stamps in his passport. So the question is, why should he assume members will be sympathetic to his plight? He is after all breaking the law.

The cost of overstaying by just three days equals the cost of a 60 day tourist visa. An tourist visa application can be made at any Thai Consulate and the visa issued within a couple of days. So the OP is either downright stupid, or just plain lazy.

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A year ago and longer, I read dozens, if not hundreds of posts on dozens of threads- indicating that paying the fine was the only negative consequence of being on overstay, and even multiple overstays.

The OP has posted a personal experience that reinforces the fact that things have actually changed. I, for one, appreciate the information.

The righteous moralistic (being polite here) responses to the OP are exactly why more people don't post their personal experiences. And the expat/tourist community here is poorer for it.

Agreed fully...................

Before the clampdown, it was considered normal practice for a certain section of visitors to Thailand. It was, yet another of the regulations that had been relaxed by the powers that be.

Things however change, so my reply to the OP is, yes they have changed and, having many overstays in your passport will raise more scrutiny. As has also been pointed out, it is largely to the discretion of the official checking your passport whether or not you will be granted entry. Would suggest if you plan to stay any longer than 30 days (even though you can extend the visa exempt stamp for a further 30 days) spend two days getting a tourist visa before coming.

Renewing your passport (even though your overstays are in the system) would not be a bad idea either as it would not have the visual evidence present.

There is an old adage "The best predictor of future behaviour is past behvaiour"

The immigratin officer, having allowed you in (remember that he could easily have denied you entry", has simply ensured that you know the rules. It is up to you to abide by them.

Even if you obtained a visa at an embassy in your home country an immigration officer can still dent entry.

No, not "easily". Past overstay that has been paid for is no reason enough to deny entry. Otherwise there would be no need for a an official database. Not all is up up to officer mood as incorrectly said here.

Agreed fully...................

Before the clampdown, it was considered normal practice for a certain section of visitors to Thailand. It was, yet another of the regulations that had been relaxed by the powers that be.

Things however change, so my reply to the OP is, yes they have changed and, having many overstays in your passport will raise more scrutiny. As has also been pointed out, it is largely to the discretion of the official checking your passport whether or not you will be granted entry. Would suggest if you plan to stay any longer than 30 days (even though you can extend the visa exempt stamp for a further 30 days) spend two days getting a tourist visa before coming.

Renewing your passport (even though your overstays are in the system) would not be a bad idea either as it would not have the visual evidence present.

If someone were to come in and delete every response other than this one (including deleting my own posts), the thread would be would be just as useful, and the OP's question would be just as answered.

And it's nice to see a speck of kindness and compassion on Christmas.

Not only have you been hassled on arrivalbit now your being hassled on TV. Did you expect some sort of sympathy?

So you were surpriced that people react to your previous crimial behavior, strange people these thais.... .

Glegolo

Might the OP expect the immigration authorities in his home country to be tolerant of Thais with overstays there in their passports, I wonder?

Thais don't get checked on leaving the country for their passport visa dates.

Overstay on a UK Visitor visa and you are going to face difficulty getting another one.

I am grateful to Thailand for it it's Visa friendly approach. Taking my wife back to the UK was such a headache I decided that we would return Thailand rather than the UK when we retire.

Yes IF the Thai person is arrested and caught with the overstay or he happens to be caught in a Border-Security sting operation at his workplace. Normally they'd never show up on the radar otherwise. In Thailand the police checks are more thorough. UK police normally don't bother if stopped and searched.

A year ago and longer, I read dozens, if not hundreds of posts on dozens of threads- indicating that paying the fine was the only negative consequence of being on overstay, and even multiple overstays.

The OP has posted a personal experience that reinforces the fact that things have actually changed. I, for one, appreciate the information.

The righteous moralistic (being polite here) responses to the OP are exactly why more people don't post their personal experiences. And the expat/tourist community here is poorer for it.

Nothing to do with being self righteous, moralistic ot holier-than-thou....I don't give a furk if you overstay by 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 1 year or 25 years..it's just the fact that people start to bleat when a dilligent Immigration Official identifies and asks questons about previous transgressions and gives them a "hard time"...If you can't do the time...don't do the crime....

Of course you have heard the phrase "you are forgiven, but I will not forget" Just be an adult and try to colour inside

the lines in the future. No problem.

You have stayed illegally in the country several times before and you´re surprised that immigration regards this is as something bad? You must be an easily surprised person.

Personally I could not care less who and why people overstay, what puzzles me is people who have overstayed numerous times and now complain about being treated somewhat different.

Instead of being thankful for being allowed in, OP runs to the keyboard to complain about being hassled and they even dared to insist on proper visa.

Trully incredible.

When I think how much money I have paid in visas, documents, translations, residency permits, not to ention millions of baht in tax and then these freeloading pain in the butt tourists overstay and expect good treatment...well, it just beggars belief. In the old days S.H.I.T. was stamped in their passports, suspected hippy in transit. Maybe overstayers and their ilk should have SPIT AT IT stamped there. Suspected pain in the arse transiting in Thailand. Entry denied, go to the Philippines or something.

Just a 30 day extension.

As I had paid the fine, I (wrongly ?) assumed that my 'crime' had been paid for.

In the past, the airport immigration happily accepted my overstay payment with no mentions of this being a 'crime'. Either things have changed or I got the wrong immigration person on arrival.

Your attitude and lack of due diligence gives good reason to be hassled. Easily solved by getting the Proper Visa before leaving your home country... You were very lucky to be allowed into Thailand this time. If you were to commit a Crime multiple times, do you think they just wave you through??? Hope you don't plan on overstaying again!

A fine is money paid usually to superior authority, usually governmental authority, as a punishment for a crime or other offence. The amount of a fine can be determined case by case, but it is often announced in advance.

Edited December 25, 201411 yr by ThailandRick

Just a 30 day extension.

As I had paid the fine, I (wrongly ?) assumed that my 'crime' had been paid for.

In the past, the airport immigration happily accepted my overstay payment with no mentions of this being a 'crime'. Either things have changed or I got the wrong immigration person on arrival.

Sorry, no more playing games with overstays!!! Keep it up and you will be blacklisted and not allowed to enter Thailand again!!!

I bet a lot of the moralists in this thread have no objection to using educational visas purely as cover, all while ignoring their intended requirements for legitimacy.

Some are here more "pontifical as the Pope",

YES, its now more strict, but do not make such a fuzz over 1, 2 or some days overstay.

Weeks, month, years is different pair of shoes!

I joke,

when it happens to me, that its convenient for my travel plans, that a overstay occurred,

often with the Immigration officers.

My opinion, I say, everybody of the 20 Million Tourists per year in Thailand, should make an overstay, for short time.

So 20.000.000 Tourists x 2 days overstay = 1.000 Baht = 20.000.000.000 Baht =

20 Billion Baht = 600 Million Dollars = 500 Million Euro!

Can Thailand not use, 20 Billion Baht? I ask. The Immigration officers usually agree!

Than they could also make the road to the village I live in, in deepest Isaan bump and hole free!

"Possibly I misunderstood, but they insisted these previous overstays were a bad thing."

​They are. Flaunting your desire to violate laws and regulations, the fact that you don't care, causes the officers to be concerned. They should be.

Look at this way if you loaned a friend your for a day and he keeps it a week would you loan him car again? So do yourself and the rest of us a favor don't overstay.

If I had been the officer dealing with the OP I'd have put him back on a plane to where he came from, abuse and quite frankly pure laziness not to get a Tourist Visa from your home country before travelling

... Which is why your application for the post of Immigration Officer would be laughed at and tossed derisively in the bin in any western country.

Since this topic has degenerated to a haranguing session, bickering and etc it is now closed. The OP has gotten the info he needed.