Overstay in Thailand with no money

[steven100]

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

yep ... i'm sure the embassy will give him a hotel room for a few weeks while he sorts things out ... get them to organize a return ticket at the same time ... oh .. tell them he'll need some spending money for food and beer while they're at it.

.....

[chuang]

Thanks for replys. He is in issan so maybe teaching is an option but the more he overstays the worse the punishment?

Teaching without a permit is another CRIME....

[gilo]

Just to re-echo UJ's comments that once the overstay is cleared that it is possible to obtain a visa without the overstay counting against the application. Had a very long overstay (11 Years) marked in my passport and have now traveled in and out of Thailand a number of times and received visa extensions etc without it causing problems (thus far at any rate)..

[chudless]

Brit Embassy won't help...They look to.the famill to bail him out. Trying to stay here longer just exacerbates the situation.

[cassde]

As a UK citizen, the British Embassy will not advance him cash to get home, only offer much the same advice as has already been given here. If by chance he is arrested by the RTP as an overstayer, he will certainly land in prison and pay any fine off at the rate of approx.20 baht per day until paid off. However that does not include the airfare to the UK, which he will have to find himself, through friends or his parents guaranteeing a UK based loan.

[shrimpythailand]

had an american friend got caught on overstay-2+ years - into the immigration jail - actually klong 6 for 2-3 weeks while he tried to get anyone to pay the 20 thou and buy a plane ticket - in the end the american gov had to buy the ticket and I guess pay the 20 thou after checking all family in the usa for money - hand over your usa passport until paid off the plane ticket and overstay or whatever the us embassy did pay - one falung I know with thai wife and house here went to visit him in the klong 6 jail and the cops wanted 200,000 bt cash and his house title book for insurance to let him out... the mutual friend said "sorry - no thanks" to that offer...

[Suradit69]

Has he any family/friends in Thailand or overseas who can help?

Does he own anything in Thailand he could sell? or even own anything in his home country?

"Has he any family/friends in Thailand or overseas who can help?"

The O/P is a "concerned friend." He should wire him Baht 20,000 plus whatever else is needed. Unless he figures this "friend" is too hopeless to ever repay him.

There's no easy-out solution. If he's nabbed he will have to pay the money or sit in a cell until a solution is found. Some embassies might help their citizens contacting people back home, but few in any are going to hand over some cash to someone who has broken the law and appears to be destitute.

[Pheat123]

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 do not understand why you will not lend your friend the funds to return home

Do you not trust him to repay you?

[dotpoom]

Normal people dont get "stuck" anywhere

What difference does it make whether he's "normal" or not?

[NancyL]

A few misconceptions here -- when in prison, the fine is worked off at the rate of 200 baht/day, not 20 baht/day. And yes, it's not possible to "earn" a plane ticket home this way.

The U.S. gov't and perhaps a few others will arrange a loan of funds to pay the fine and return to the U.S. The British gov't will not.

[cassde]

Sorry typo, yes 200 baht per day. Sorry that your responses don't offer solutions, but that is the reality of his situation.

[Mango Bob]

He's your friend not ours, help should start with his friends not some strangers online to scam money from.

[Suradit69]

Just to re-echo UJ's comments that once the overstay is cleared that it is possible to obtain a visa without the overstay counting against the application. Had a very long overstay (11 Years) marked in my passport and have now traveled in and out of Thailand a number of times and received visa extensions etc without it causing problems (thus far at any rate)..

"(thus far at any rate).."

That's a consideration for anyone caught now or in the immediate future and waiting in-country to sort out their problems. If/when the more onerous rules are enacted they may include banning further entries into Thailand for some period of time. Maybe not a problem so much for occasional visitors, but if you have a wife, family and home here, that could be a real problem.

[2fishin2]

Normal people dont get "stuck" anywhere

What difference does it make whether he's "normal" or not?

Sorry you are correct. RESPONSIBLE ADULTS was what I should have said....

[mania]

The U.S. gov't and perhaps a few others will arrange a loan of funds to pay the fine and return to the U.S. The British gov't will not.

Yes being from the US that is why I suggested the Embassy as I have heard of instances like others said

they loan it to you & keep your passport back in the US till repaid.

After reading this thread though I guess the British Embassy does not have something similar

[Jeffrey346]

If he borrowed to get here, it couldn't have been a lot of money. What did he expect to do when the money was gone?

[Bullie]

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.

[jacko45k]

I can only think getting his father to fly over and drag him back by the ear!

It will be an expensive solution and you have to get him to the airport before immigration pick him up, and pay the 20,000 baht there.

I presume he still has his passport and hasn't hawked it or laundered it.

[larsjohnsson]

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 ?

[green job]

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!!!

Hi Mate,

I think it would be good advise to have a word with the Brit Emb,,, I am sorry to say the negative comments are normal from most of the miserable Bxxxds on this site,,They all seem to enjoy schardensfreude ( now waiting for some twxt to correct the spelling ) I wish him luck

Happy new year.

[TheSiemReaper]

If he is British the embassy can only phone and ask people back home to lend him money. Our Embassies do not lend plane fares (unlike other embassies).

He may find they can point him at a charity which can help but I doubt it. He's going to have to work out a solution that involves earning some money and then paying up... which is going to be hard given that he's an illegal immigrant.

[Mario2008]

Some unhelpful replies have been removed.

There is no need for post like "it is his own fault", etc etc. Lets try keeping it a nice place.

[DGS1244]

UK embassy will only help if he has guarantor in the UK who has to provide funds before they will. They are also closed over the holiday anyway, also how will he get to Bangkok, someone will have to provide fare etc.

[MobileContent]

OP - I guess he is English native so please let me know in which province he is based in Thailand. I need a good native English writer and if he has a PC/Notebook and access to the Internet he can write for me 15 articles a day at 5 USD (500 words) so he can make 75 USD a day or around USD 2250.00 for one month. I prefer writers over the age of 40+.

[Lefty]

John Wayne once said"Life is tough,it's even tougher if you are stupid" --seems to fit here...A few years ago I gave the U.S. Embassy $1500 to get a destitute acquaintance home.First and last time for that....

Lefty

[ldnguy]

I can never understand this. At some point he must have had enough to fly home, but it chose to spend that money instead. So no sympathy for him at all. He knew what he was doing and it was a deliberate decision to stay.

He is your friend, so why don't you lend him the money to get home. If you don't have it, then borrow it. That's what friends are for!

[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?

Ignore the mean-spirited people here; they wait for stories like this just to say cruel, judgmental things of no value. Yes, it does happen to people, unfortunately.

Tell me, is he a British citizen?

The US embassy will cover the costs of flight/overstay fine, in emergencies like that. They will take away the person's passport until the amount is paid back, once back home.

They will not cover court costs, or anything like that.

If you are really concerned, and your friend is British, you could contact the British embassy in Thailand, and inquire as to what the possibilities may be. I am not familiar with British embassy policies, and I'm not sure they help in the circumstances. But, it is worth inquiry; could be a life saver.

I hope your friend is ok, and back home soon.

[johnmcc6]

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

[ldnguy]

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?

[superdome]

He can go to his embassy for advice (since that is all they will give him).

That's it, like it or not.

Sorry to say this...."som nom na"