Overstay in Thailand with no money

[DonnyBoy84]

Thank you NancyL another great informative post I have passed on all information now from posts. Thanks

[BKKSnowBird]

Does he have a credit card?

[Basil B]

Firstly, I think you have posted in the wrong forum.

Secondly, their have been many similar posts in other TV threads.

Thirdly, I recall the situation of I think a German in a similar situation, someone gave him money for a ticket home, he spent the money on ladies of the night...

There are no public funds to bail him out of his own mess jus like the Aussies do not help, see here: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/787902-australian-government-cracks-down-on-bizarre-requests-from-travellers/

maybe send his parents the picture of a couple of years ago of the gent in Pattaya Soi 9 Police cells, they will soon find the money.

Edited December 30, 2014 by Basil B

[theoldgit]

I'll move this to the Thai Visa Forum, where you will get meaningful advice.

[jspill]

I recall the situation of I think a German in a similar situation, someone gave him money for a ticket home, he spent the money on ladies of the night...

Yeah this guy - http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/763274-german-beggar-spends-donated-cash-drinkin-and-partyin-in-pattaya/

If I was in OPs situation, and suspected that any money I lent would be wasted, I'd make sure the guy had my phone number and an ATM card in his wallet that I knew the account details of. Then in the event he was detained at IDC he could call me (reversing the charges) and I'd wire funds into his account for his flight ticket and court fines.

[ubonjoe]

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.

[Sharp]

Maybe a call from the Embassy to the family stating his predicament should he be caught might push them to help again... Just a thought...

[DonnyBoy84]

Ubonjoe I am not sure how easy it would be for him to get a visa after his overstay for almost 3 months. I told him to contact the British embassy so I hope they do that for him. Thanks for your advice

[ubonjoe]

He will not have a problem getting a visa. Others have gotten them with much longer overstays.

I think the embassy will be of no help and/or might even give him wrong info.

[bbi1]

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?

Yes it has happened many times in the past. He ain't the smartest cookie, is he? Same as those other people lol

[bbi1]

Mitsubishi - I am sure he would do it himself if he had Internet. Anyone that can actually help?

Ummmm, why don't you lend him the money or gift him the money because you're such a good friend....

Edited December 31, 2014 by bbi1

[konying]

I know how irresponsible he was but looking past that now and trying to help him. Maybe there is nothing he can do unless he either works illegally or gets sent the money for tickets and overstay fine. Cheers

One way to "try to help" is to buy him a ticket and send him the money.

That's what friends do

[thaibreaker]

Well, I have some experience in this matter, and may have one other option for your friend.

I know for a fact that the embassy will not help your friend financally, but they will assist him in contacting people back home in UK, for money or a loan from friends.

But there is one other option, if he comes out short via family or friends. Instead of paying the fine of 20000 bath at the airport, he can turn himself in at the IDC. Go straight to the main IDC office in Bangkok, not anywhere else. That will only make him stay in their hands longer.

When he is there, he must tell them he will be able to pay for his own ticket home. They will do some paperwork, and lock him up for one night, and he will be taken to court the next day. He will be fined 3000 bath, and that is it. No more to pay. But he must insist to talk to Miss Apple the next day, who will arrange a ticket home the same day, the cheapest one she will find, or he will find. He can also bring his own ticket for a suitable day.

He will then get away with staying at IDC for only 2 nights. The point is, he will save 13500 bath (3500 goes to Miss Apple if she must arrange it, for quick transport to the airport).

All in all, he should be able to get home to the UK for about 25000 bath.

I will not recommend this, since it is a bad experience all in all, but for 2-3 days he will be fine. I just mention this as an option if he is short of money. It sounds like your friend may be in that category.

Don`t worry about any blacklisting, he will not be blacklisted, nor will he have any problem coming back to Thailand.

Edited December 31, 2014 by thaibreaker

[DonnyBoy84]

Thank you thaibreaker. I will let him know this option.

[A1Str8]

@thaibreaker

Finally a helpful answer instead of some useless bitter moaning.

[thaibreaker]

Thank you thaibreaker. I will let him know this option.

I have been there myself, and witnessed tickets to the UK for around 17-18000 bath at the time (a couple of months ago).A 3000 bath fine, and 3500 for setting it up, then he will get away with less than 25000 bath.

If he can stay 3 days longer at the IDC (not recommended) he will only pay 800 bath instead of the 3500 for arranging the trip to the airport.

Edited December 31, 2014 by thaibreaker

[bbi1]

But he must insist to talk to Miss Apple the next day, who will arrange a ticket home the same day, the cheapest one she will find, or he will find. He can also bring his own ticket for a suitable day.

He will then get away with staying at IDC for only 2 nights. The point is, he will save 13500 bath (3500 goes to Miss Apple if she must arrange it, for quick transport to the airport).

All in all, he should be able to get home to the UK for about 25000 bath.

I will not recommend this, since it is a bad experience all in all, but for 2-3 days he will be fine. I just mention this as an option if he is short of money. It sounds like your friend may be in that category.

Don`t worry about any blacklisting, he will not be blacklisted, nor will he have any problem coming back to Thailand.

So you are suggesting for him to pay a 3,500 bribe to Miss Apple?

Maybe being blacklisted would do him some good in the future so the same situation doesn't happen again.

[pmarlin]

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!!!

That is because the only way out and help he needs is money to pay the overstay fine and for the plane ticket to go home. No other way. That is what friends and family can do for him. I doubt any stranger will do that for him. Otherwise if he is caught by the Thai authories he faces a long time in detention until he comes up with funds.

Edited December 31, 2014 by pmarlin

[thaibreaker]

But he must insist to talk to Miss Apple the next day, who will arrange a ticket home the same day, the cheapest one she will find, or he will find. He can also bring his own ticket for a suitable day.

He will then get away with staying at IDC for only 2 nights. The point is, he will save 13500 bath (3500 goes to Miss Apple if she must arrange it, for quick transport to the airport).

All in all, he should be able to get home to the UK for about 25000 bath.

I will not recommend this, since it is a bad experience all in all, but for 2-3 days he will be fine. I just mention this as an option if he is short of money. It sounds like your friend may be in that category.

Don`t worry about any blacklisting, he will not be blacklisted, nor will he have any problem coming back to Thailand.

So you are suggesting for him to pay a 3,500 bribe to Miss Apple?

Maybe being blacklisted would do him some good in the future so the same situation doesn't happen again.

Not at all, the 3500 bath is not a bribe. That is the price to pay for a transport to the airport within three days. If he can wait 3 more days or more, he will only pay 800 bath. No bribe.

Edited December 31, 2014 by thaibreaker

[thaibreaker]

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!!!

That is because the only way out and help he needs is money to pay the overstay fine and for the plane ticket to go home. No other way. That is what friends and family can do for him. I doubt any stranger will do that for him. Otherwise if he is caught by the Thai authories he faces a long time in detention until he comes up with funds.

As I explained above, there is one other way to shorten the overstay fine, but is not recommended other than if he has no other choice.

Edited December 31, 2014 by thaibreaker

[bbi1]

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!!!

That is because the only way out and help he needs is money to pay the overstay fine and for the plane ticket to go home. No other way. That is what friends and family can do for him. I doubt any stranger will do that for him. Otherwise if he is caught by the Thai authories he faces a long time in detention until he comes up with funds.

They say that a good friend is like family. The OP should financially help out his good friend since he's like family, unless he's really isn't much of a friend at all. I'm sure his wife would be understanding of a small financial help to a close friend.

[thaibreaker]

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!!!

That is because the only way out and help he needs is money to pay the overstay fine and for the plane ticket to go home. No other way. That is what friends and family can do for him. I doubt any stranger will do that for him. Otherwise if he is caught by the Thai authories he faces a long time in detention until he comes up with funds.

They say that a good friend is like family. The OP should financially help out his good friend since he's like family, unless he's really isn't much of a friend at all. I'm sure his wife would be understanding of a small financial help to a close friend.

None of us have enough information, nor is it our business to tell what the OP should do or not for his friend. We know nothing about his or his family`s financial situation. Not everybody have 25-40000 bath to lend out, to help out a friend. In my opinion, we are out of line telling him what he should do with his own money.

And I didn`t read anywhere that this was a close friend. I think he has done a good thing already, try to look for options for him.

Edited December 31, 2014 by thaibreaker

[Mario2008]

As has been said, he needs 20,000 baht to pay the fine and can leave by land border and get a proper visa and return to Thailand.

If he doesn't have any money and gets arrested he will be asked to pay the fine, if he doesn't want that or can't immigration will bring him before a judge. The judge normally sets a lesser fine than immigration. If he can't pay that fine, he will do time in jail. For each day in jail he will get 200 baht deducted from his fine. When he has paid his fine in this way he will be send to the immigration detention center. Here he will stay till he has a ticket to his home country. (The Thai government will not pay for that). Once he has the ticket he will be brought to the airport and escorted to the plane.

If after 6 months in the immigration detention center he still not has a ticket out, a foundation might help out and buy the ticket for him.

[thaibreaker]

As has been said, he needs 20,000 baht to pay the fine and can leave by land border and get a proper visa and return to Thailand.

If he doesn't have any money and gets arrested he will be asked to pay the fine, if he doesn't want that or can't immigration will bring him before a judge. The judge normally sets a lesser fine than immigration. If he can't pay that fine, he will do time in jail. For each day in jail he will get 200 baht deducted from his fine. When he has paid his fine in this way he will be send to the immigration detention center. Here he will stay till he has a ticket to his home country. (The Thai government will not pay for that). Once he has the ticket he will be brought to the airport and escorted to the plane.

If after 6 months in the immigration detention center he still not has a ticket out, a foundation might help out and buy the ticket for him.

Correct as always, Mario2008.

The fine set by the judge in Bangkok, is 3000 bath for people with overstay, and with a valid passport. If you dont have a passport (it is lost or expired), the fine is 6000 bath. That amount can be withdrawn at an ATM close to the court. The driver will escort you there.

If you cannot come up with the money, you will stay in jail for 15 days (3000 bath) and 30 days (6000 bath). Beware this is a prison for thai people, and should be avoided.

If you pay the fine, or after these 15/30 days, you will spend time at the IDC, a prison for farangs, mainly on overstay (not everyone). A really bad place to spend more than a couple of days, believe me.

Be aware you will lose your phone from day one, and there is no option for internet there. So you must try to get in touch with someone on the way there, if needed.

Edited December 31, 2014 by thaibreaker

[WhizBang]

Since you are playing the 'Good Samaritan', why do you not help your 'friend'?

[darrendsd]

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!!!

Sorry OP but you are posting on Thai Visa, you will not get a lot of constructive comments here just people who like to think they are better than others,

FYI the British Embassy will not help him money or ticket wise, they will only offer to contact people at home who may be able to help.

[NancyL]

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.

[JulieM]

A Swedish friend of mine was in this situation about 10 years ago. A bunch of people pitched in $100 each until he had enough for a ticket home. I guess he was given some extra cash as well, since when his family went to collect him at the airport in Sweden they found him in the airport bar.

He has been living on the dole in Sweden ever since and has been fairly miserable.

[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.......

Edited December 31, 2014 by lostinisaan

[craigt3365]

An extremely inappropriate post has been removed from view. Being in a festive mood, no posting suspension this time.

Abide by forum rules and show respect to fellow members.