Overstay in Thailand with no money

[John1thru10]

It's drop kicks like this that give the rest of us a bad name.

Personally, I feel embarrassed when I read particularly cold hearted remarks from farangs. I don't think that's a great public image either.

Edited December 31, 2014 by John1thru10

[John1thru10]

It's drop kicks like this that give the rest of us a bad name.

And also you.

deleted

I did, by offering information regarding the US Embassy in Bangkok, and suggesting that he or his friend contact the British Embassy (if applicable) and inquire there.

See how that works?

Edited December 31, 2014 by petercool

[jhwest]

Well amazing 10 years overstay and think there is a maximum, but the trouble is it appears that you have already lent monies from what your parents and what about this friend of yours, is he not getting his pension sent to a bank in Thailand and oh he probably has none. How the hell does he exist.

Also yes I am afraid many people been taken advantage of and my self (always know in hindsight but now in my NINTH YEAR and loaned to my English Brother in law in Uk and still have not been paid a rather substantial sum 8,000 pounds and at 2006 rates 73 to the pound.

You know what his Thai wife came over just recently and I promised not to bring it up, at least, until after the King's Birthday as a mark of respect.

I have asked in person when in the UK, written to him several letters, seen him twice in Thailand and still no effort to pay me back and yes more fool me, but helping someone out of a debt situation and he is still out here and really do not know how he survives, having given her well lives in the UK his debit card!!!!

Yes brought it up with her newish boyfriend and she is fully aware and stating some cock and bull story, that monies given to my wife's niece.

Yes when push comes to shove some of the Thais try to save face and try to make you out to be the guilty one. So much for helping someone out and this Thai thief then proceeds to swear every other word, because she has been found out and this niece says no money, but they can buy new cars, businesses, land and more houses, but can not give me back my monies. Scandeleous!!!

How is your friend surviving then.

[chrisinth]

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I have my own wife and family to look after. I asked for advice on options my friend might have? Didnt expect so many comments that did not have any help whatsoever!!!

There really isn't much more to say that hasn't been said before on the thread.

He has taken money from his parents, he has taken money from his friends and dug himself a deeper hole.

There could well be underlying reasons why this has happened, we don't know. Therefore not overly critical about him.

That said, it is a bad time to find out nothing in this life is for free, not everything is about handouts. He now has to start thinking for himself. Forget about begging to open forums, ain't gonna work.

[dutchisaan]

Some crabby forum guys on thaivisa consider overstay one of the most heinous crimes going. Ignore them. Much worse things they should save their energy for.

In answer to your question there's no larger punishment for longer overstay, he's already at the 20k Baht cap. Blacklisting rules never went into law. He's not hurting anybody, it's a victimless crime. Other than the tired argument that he's 'making things worse for the rest of us law abiding types' which I never bought into. The blacklisting rules aren't in effect, if Thailand cared that much they would be. Ubonjoe suspects they've been shelved - http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/781882-overstay-on-3-month-non-b-am-i-in-trouble/#entry8767022

The only crackdown has been on people living here on multiple visa exemptions. No evidence overstayers have affected the experience of expats that don't overstay, one iota.

For now just focus on helping him find a legal source of income from somewhere, family loans, filling out online surveys, anything. Lots of menial online work he can do for a few dollars an hour - he has all the time in the world.

Overstay without money is dangerous, he'll be stuck in IDC if caught. It's fairly unlikely he will be, but if he doesn't have funds on hand or an ATM card to buy a flight ticket out and pay court fees, he could end up stuck in IDC indefinitely (see this thread - http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/780211-my-experience-at-idc-for-overstaying/)

If you read the answers on thi post, than you know that the friend of the op hasno internet connection.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[ldnguy]

I have my own wife and family to look after. I asked for advice on options my friend might have? Didnt expect so many comments that did not have any help whatsoever!!!

I think that's the same for everyone. But I think what you are really saying is that you know you will never get the money back. That is probably why no friends or family want to help. They know this guy will just spend the money. You said some friend already helped him to stay here for the last 10 weeks. Why didn't he use that money to fly home instead?

You say his parents helped him out so that he could get here, but how was he planning to live without any income or job?

This is what many people are like these day. They just sponge off others and don't take any responsibility for themselves.

Surely he can do some work. Plenty of jobs online doing all sorts of things. Much is low paid, but it all adds up if he works hard. e.g. work 60 hours a week for $5 an hour and that's $300 a week. Won't take long to save enough to get home.

[maidee]

as he's your friend, send him some money

[green job]

It's drop kicks like this that give the rest of us a bad name.

Speak for yourself .

[thaibreaker]

Where is the "friend" now?

This advice about turning oneself in for incarceration at IDC is good for someone in Bangkok, but what if the OP's friend is far, far away from Bangkok. How does that work? Aren't there issues with being held in a local police station in Nakorn Nowhere and eventually being transported to Bangkok. I've heard that can be an unpleasant multi-day process.

At least the weather is fairly pleasant this time of year. It's not likely they use aircon mini vans for transport.

If he turns himself in other places than Bangkok, he can find himself in a much worse position yes. He may be held a much longer time, there were examples of that in the IDC. That is why I wrote that he should do it in Bangkok only. A bus trip to Bangkok is not expensive anyway, and is definitely worth it.

Edited December 31, 2014 by thaibreaker

[DonnyBoy84]

Can I just point out that I have not once asked any op to give money!! All I asked for was advice. Thank you to the helpful people for your informative posts.

[thaibreaker]

Embassy will NOT help. Standard policy in these cases. Teaching in Isaan will probably not cut it. Either he gets send money from the U.K., or he will, inevitably, eventually wind up in a Thai jail, without any prospect of leaving same any time soon.

What happens to people that end up in jail for overstaying? If they don't have money and no-one will send them any, surely they don't stay in jail for life. What's the usual ending in these scenarios?

It all depends what country you come from. When I was there, there were people who had stayed there for years, and had lost hope of being "rescued". It was an awful situation. Some countries, as Mario2008 pointed out, have some sort of organisation that will look at your case after 6-12 months, and may be able to help somehow. Don`t think for a minute that people who are jailed there don`t do everything they can to get home. Some just don`t have the connections to do it, or any family at home, at least who wants them back (can be many reasons for that).

And as far as I know, the US embassy is the only one who helps out with a loan. The British Embassy certainly doesn`t, that is for sure.

Edited December 31, 2014 by thaibreaker

[Flanno]

I think many here are a being a bit tough on DonnyBoy84. Maybe he's just a casual friend or acquaintance of the overstayer and has been asked for help by him. I can understand a young bloke with a missus and possibly young kids not being able to help financially. Basically he just asked for some advice.

DonnyBoy I would try and get his parents to take on a bit more responsibility here. You say they loaned him the money for a one way ticket. This sounds irresponsible on their part. What did they expect to happen in the long term? Maybe the British Embassy can lean on them to pay to get him home. If this fails maybe someone could go to the local newspaper and give them a good story on how a local lad is stuck in Thailand and cannot get home for lack of funds. It sure would be an embarrassment to his parents if the story came out that they loaned him the money for a ticket one way.

[John1thru10]

Where is the "friend" now?

This advice about turning oneself in for incarceration at IDC is good for someone in Bangkok, but what if the OP's friend is far, far away from Bangkok. How does that work? Aren't there issues with being held in a local police station in Nakorn Nowhere and eventually being transported to Bangkok. I've heard that can be an unpleasant multi-day process.

At least the weather is fairly pleasant this time of year. It's not likely they use aircon mini vans for transport.

The advice about turning oneself in for incarceration is NOT a good idea, especially if he's broke; the treatment would be extremely unpleasant. I personally wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. Far (far) better to get the overstay fine and travel together, and take the mod's advice about going to Laos, etc.

Edited December 31, 2014 by John1thru10

[DonnyBoy84]

Hi flanno, his parants and friends have loaned him money. I do not know what he has done with it but now he has nothing. there have been a lot of informative posts that have been passed on. Cheers

[aarn]

Gotta say thanks everyone that contributed here, most entertaining thread of 2014/2557 on thaivisa.

Some of the big hitters - UJoe, Mario (where was Lop3?) made contributions.

Makes me feel a lot better - gave 43,000B to GF to buy a motorbike and she shot through 555!

I am sure our friend's situation will be resolved amicably - just don't ask me for 20,000B 555!

Happy New Year, AA

[Flanno]

DonnyBoy Yes sounds like your friend is totally irresponsible and I don't know what the answer is. There was a show on Australian television recently called The Embassy. It showed real life situations of Aussie overstayers in Thailand and how they got them home. The Aust Embassy was contacting parents and the money required to get the bloke home was being sent to the Embassy and not the guy himself. In this way they were ensuring the airline ticket was purchased and there was sufficient funds to pay the overstay fine. An Embassy staff member would escort him to the airport, pay the fine and watch him get on the plane. Mission accomplished.

It seems like your friend has burnt his bridges and I think the Embassy has to get involved. What they will or won't do is anybodys guess.

[kilt]

Well, this is another unhelpful post.... but:

"Hi flanno, his parants and friends have loaned him money. I do not know what he has done with it but now he has nothing."

It doesn't sound to me like the guy actually wants to leave. He's just run out of people who will give him money.

[NoshowJones]

Yes its a friend. I am in the UK. He fell in love and spent all of his money! Surely this has happened to someone in the past?

You mean someone else might have been as stupid as your friend.

[NoshowJones]

Thank you Mania. I will tell him to contact British Embassy.

What a waste of time that's going to be, the British Embassy is more concerned with fleecing people over here than helping them.

[John1thru10]

Yes its a friend. I am in the UK. He fell in love and spent all of his money! Surely this has happened to someone in the past?

You mean someone else might have been as stupid as your friend.

Please don't be cruel to people on the forum who are worried or in trouble somehow. We don't need to respect every decision another person has made, to hope for a positive outcome.

Edited December 31, 2014 by John1thru10

[Fatty123]

I'm assuming this post is not a troll.

OP. I can understand that he's skint etc and has no internet. However, even some of the most backwater areas of LOS have internet cafes in the nearest towns. Some villages even have the internet now.

Trust me, he can get to an internet cafe and send emails and ask for his own advice. You may already be aware, but he could spend all afternoon in one of those places for about 60baht. Skint he may be, but I'm sure his Thai family can stump that up for him? Surely, he can get off his own backside and sort his life out?

Without stating the obvious, he may just be after scamming some money off you (if you don't know him that well). If you really must lend/give him some money, just give him a few hundred baht so he can use the internet cafe to look for jobs(if that's the route he's gonna take) and/or advice on forums or to get on facebook and contact people he knows back home for help. Not condoning working without a permit (assuming he has no degree etc), but he may have no option. Once he has the money he could then fly home, although my money is on him staying if he can blag a job with no degree like many do. Also, like others have said, the Laos non O for Thailand sounds a good option if he's married.

If he's a Brit the Embassy will not help him. It would be a wasted journey and they may even report him to the Thai police.

[lostinisaan]

He needs to get 20k baht to pay the overstay fine.

He could cross the border in Vientiane or Savannakhet paying the fine on the way out of the country and then getting a non-o visa based upon marriage. He could get a multiple entry non-o in Savannakhet (5000 baht) then all he would have to do is make border hop every 90 days.

I totally agree with you ubonjoe. He should leave to Sawannakhet, apply for a Non-O based on marriage and look for a teaching position.

His wife's family/relatives could get a loan, which he'll have to pay back. Would he get a job as a trainer ( assuming that he doesn't have a degree), he could stay legally in this country and with his family.

I'd try the embassy as well, but don't think that they're of big help.

Shit happens all the time and I think you did a good deed to post this for your friend. But please tell him that he's the one who's got to get his arse up now.

I hope your friend really told you the truth, as some points are hard to understand. You don't need to own a computer to write and receive emails, right?

Good luck for him, just wondering how many others in the north east are in a similar situation.

And for those who're continuously asking you, why you can't just give him the money do not seem to know how it is when having responsibility for your own family.

Those on this forum without mistakes are allowed to throw the first stone.......

Where will he get money to do all those things you suggest?

And do you belive he will get a job and work permit ?

Is he the kind of person you would like your children to have as their teacher ?

If the OP's friend is "trustworthy", his wife, or her family could get a loan to have enough money to leave Thailand to apply for a visa in Sawannakhet.

20 K, plus let's say 5 K for the visa, and 3 K expenses can't be too difficult to get together

That's the part to get him legal.But if he's already living under their roof and using their money, I don't see any chances for him. It seems that the guy's really using the OP to receive some money, but not rally the intention to pay an overstay fine with it.

A one way ticket to Thailand was given to him by his parents. Well, that might explain all.

Not trying to make something up, but I've met some guys, where the parents sent cash to Thailand, just top have their sons away from home.

Now, we're talking about an amount that can't even buy you a new little shitty motorbike. 27 K. $ 900. 800 Euros. Can't be that difficult, when you're not an &lt;deleted&gt; to all your friends and family.

If the OP's friend will achieve a job, with a work permit, is pretty much irrelevant now. It was just an idea.

If you'd know how many "foul apples" are working here as English teachers, you'd be surprised.

Would an agency take him on board and let him teach conversational English to some kids who've got an hour of English per week, I assume he couldn't do any damage.

The damage is already done and doesn't seem to get better. These days you'll find Turkish, Hungarian, Bulgarian, German, Dutch and even Russian Native English Speaking teachers, working for agencies.

Now it's not about if I'd like to have such a guy I don't even know much about as the teacher for my kids.

I thought it's a forum, where a guy's trying to help a friend, but I might be wrong.

Edited December 31, 2014 by lostinisaan

[DonnyBoy84]

What do you mean by troll?? I just wanted to ask for advice so my friend knows all of his options.

[TSF]

He can try to get job teaching English and claw his way back. They aren't picky in a lot of rural areas.

This is his best option. Tell your mate to start acting like a man, going to his embassy and begging for help is being a pussy. Tell him to smarten himself up, get on ajarn.com, start firing off applications to rural schools. He needs to save 20K to pay his overstay and then whatever his airfare home costs, he can save this money in a few months and leave here with some dignity.

[Fatty123]

What do you mean by troll?? I just wanted to ask for advice so my friend knows all of his options.

Yes, i said I'm assuming it isn't a troll post. I've seen a few in my time, that's all. I did give some advice too. Take it as you will.

[Serendipity24]

I've been in this situation and it's stressful and it actually gave me depression but thanks to my mom who fished me out of it(didn't tell her my situation).

I hope he's in Bkk so I can talk to him and see what options are there.I can only lend him around 5-6000bht but might help him raise at least 15k more.If this is really true then I don't mind lending a hand and do what I can.

Edited December 31, 2014 by Serendipity24

[John1thru10]

What do you mean by troll?? I just wanted to ask for advice so my friend knows all of his options.

There are definitely cases recently, where people have been on overstay, gotten the fine etc together, and come back with a new visa. It can turn out well in some cases.

Edited December 31, 2014 by John1thru10

[Fatty123]

I've been in this situation and it's stressful and it actually gave me depression but thanks to my mom who fished me out if it(didn't tell her my situation).

I hope he's in Bkk so I can talk to him and see what options are there.I can only lend him around 5-6000bht but might help him raise at least 15k more.If this is really true then I don't mind lending a hand and do what I can.

The posters on here are gonna love this. In 1...2...3

[Fatty123]

What do you mean by troll?? I just wanted to ask for advice so my friend knows all of his options.

If you can one day figure out why there are so many paranoid accusations here, please explain it to the rest of us. It's hard to ignore all the constant remarks like tha\, but just focus on the relevant advise, because many of these guys are just looking for a fight and will derail it given half a chance. There are solutions.

I have every sympathy with anyone in such a position. Even if he has been foolish. But many of us have been at some point. All I'm suggesting is caution when financial help is 'perhaps' being asked for from random sources on the internet.

[petercool]

an offensive post and replies quoting it removed