Two Russians nabbed in Phuket for overstaying visas

[webfact]

Two Russians nabbed in Phuket for overstaying visas
Tanyaluk Sakoot


Denis Riabtcev, 32, (left) and Mikhail Mokratcov, 45, will be barred from Thailand for five years.

PHUKET: -- Two Russian nationals face being blacklisted from Thailand for five years after being found to have overstayed their visas after being stopped by Immigration police in Nai Harn Wednesday afternoon (February 11).

Immigration police were on duty in Nai Harn and first noticed Denis Riabtcev, 32, acting suspiciously. They stopped him and asked for his passport, which he did not have in his possesion. After checking, immigration police found that he had entered Thailand on a 30-day visa on December 8, 2014.

The immigartion police then stopped Mikhail Mokratcov, 45, and found that he had entered Thailand on August 9 2014. Both men admitted overstaying and were taken to Chalong police station.

Phuket Immigration Chief, Lt Col Tienchai Chompoo told The Phuket News, “After being questioned they will be [kicked] out of Thailand.

“If we find other cases they will be treated the same. According to the law, if offenders are caught in Thailand without valid permits to stay and have overstayed less than one year they are forbidden from re-entering the kingdom for five years.”

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/two-russians-nabbed-in-phuket-for-overstaying-visas-50998.php


-- Phuket News 2015-02-13

[zaphod reborn]

Stop the press. News Flash.

If they are indeed blacklisted for 5 years, this is important news. It means short overstayers caught by police might be more likely to be blacklisted now.

[stevenl]

The law the officer mentions is a proposal, not (yet) law.

[fabphil]

Bewdy round them all up...

[Guest]

The law the officer mentions is a proposal, not (yet) law.

I think it was printed on the wall of the Phuket town immigration office (downstairs).

[Tatsujin]

The law the officer mentions is a proposal, not (yet) law.

I thought that had already come into effect as of last year.

[AlQaholic]

I don't get it, if they where just touristicing around, if they are not allowed to return in 5 years, who is the looser?? they or the Thai Tourist industry?

I thought the law was in effect already last year? with big announcements and the "crack down" speech. I think technically if one overstay just a few days they could bar you for 5 years, am I right?

Edited February 13, 2015 by AlQaholic

[Briggsy]

If they are held and criminally charged with overstaying, as opposed to simply paying the fine to immigration on the way out, then they have been convicted of a criminal offence and can be barred from Thailand on those grounds.

So the 'overstay, pay, go and receive a ban' proposals which were never enacted don't apply in this case.

Having said that, who decides if a person convicted of a criminal offence should be barred from Thailand? Is it the court, is it immigration or can it be either? I would not put it past immigration to put stamps in passports that strictly they had no right to put in there.

[scottyinthai]

Where did they get this "30 day visa?" I thought tourist visas were 60 days and visa exempt on arrival was 30 days?

[spacebass]

If they are held and criminally charged with overstaying, as opposed to simply paying the fine to immigration on the way out, then they have been convicted of a criminal offence and can be barred from Thailand on those grounds.

So the 'overstay, pay, go and receive a ban' proposals which were never enacted don't apply in this case.

Having said that, who decides if a person convicted of a criminal offence should be barred from Thailand? Is it the court, is it immigration or can it be either? I would not put it past immigration to put stamps in passports that strictly they had no right to put in there.

I would not start arguing with immigration in the UK about stamps they put in my passport let alone Thai immigration , ........ THIS IS THAILAND .....

[UKJASE]

only about 30 day overstay for one guy, and receives a 5 year ban...... harsh

[Jungle Jim]

Good news. It is about time the Thai government starts cracking down on the thousands of foreign criminals and foreigners over staying their visas that have been hiding here for years. Only five years they are getting off easy. I am sure many are now hiding under their beds with their bar girls peeing in their pants. Thailand makes it far to easy to enter without better backgrounds checks and allows far too many undesirables to stay here. If your unable to afford to stay here, have a legit visa and stay out of trouble you should not be allowed to enter and if caught tossed in jail and deported as most countries do. Pattaya would be a good place to start hunting them down.

[Jungle Jim]

Not harsh enough ! Maybe the foreigners might understand that over staying will not be tolerated.

only about 30 day overstay for one guy, and receives a 5 year ban...... harsh

[Jungle Jim]

GOOD !

Stop the press. News Flash.

If they are indeed blacklisted for 5 years, this is important news. It means short overstayers caught by police might be more likely to be blacklisted now.

[Cheops]

I don't get it, if they where just touristicing around, if they are not allowed to return in 5 years, who is the looser?? they or the Thai Tourist industry?

I thought the law was in effect already last year? with big announcements and the "crack down" speech. I think technically if one overstay just a few days they could bar you for 5 years, am I right?

Touristicing around?

You mean illegally staying in Thailand since September! I think the ban is appropriate!

[barry51]

Just like any visa can be bought here blacklisting can be cleared for a fee of course.

[Gunna]

only about 30 day overstay for one guy, and receives a 5 year ban...... harsh

"Acting suspiciously"

may have been working illegally, especially for the one who arrived in August

Much easier to prove overstay

[jaywalker]

I don't get it, if they where just touristicing around, if they are not allowed to return in 5 years, who is the looser?? they or the Thai Tourist industry?

I thought the law was in effect already last year? with big announcements and the "crack down" speech. I think technically if one overstay just a few days they could bar you for 5 years, am I right?

Yeah, what are they going to do to take away jobs from Thais?

Get a job teaching Russian?

Be a Russian tour guide?

Thais can do that (not)!

Off with their heads!

[renaissanc]

It is time that the overstay rules are applied. It will also reduce the influence and presence of the foreign mafia groups and criminals on the run. Pattaya must be full of overstayers.

[cup-O-coffee]

As is usually the case with these reports from the media, the consequences stated, I would infer, would have absolutely no bearing on the reasons (or lack thereof), which we invariably never ever get to find out about. These media stories couldn't pull a D- in an elementary written assignment. I suspect, more than likely, there is more here than what is being made transparent; hence the seemingly harsh outcome. On another frame of view, though, these guys could very well be having their lives saved by not being allowed to be subjected to Thainess for the next 5 years.

[Barin]

I don't get it, if they where just touristicing around, if they are not allowed to return in 5 years, who is the looser?? they or the Thai Tourist industry?

I thought the law was in effect already last year? with big announcements and the "crack down" speech. I think technically if one overstay just a few days they could bar you for 5 years, am I right?

No, you don't understand the point.

Probably there was a good reason for those guys to keep low profile while staying in Thailand.

They might have been on the Russian Police "Wanted List" after having committed some crimes in Russia, we never know.

Sometimes the Russian Police is cooperating with Interpol and Royal Thai Police to look for those criminals hiding away in Thailand.

Every foreigner who is overstaying for a long time may be suspected that there is something wrong with him or her.

We don't want this kind of "Quality Tourists" to stay here in Thailand.

How many of them have already found a shelter in Thailand?

Edited February 13, 2015 by Barin

[humqdpf]

I would really like to know what the officers meant by "acting suspiciously." Wearing sunglasses in a built-up area, perhaps?

[stevenl]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

The law the officer mentions is a proposal, not (yet) law.

I think it was printed on the wall of the Phuket town immigration office (downstairs).

Yes, that does not make it law.

The law the officer mentions is a proposal, not (yet) law.

I thought that had already come into effect as of last year.

No. Many people think that, but not correct.

[Delight]

What is to stop them from claiming that they simply have lost their passports-and then be issued with new clean passports back in Russia?

[gandalf12]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I don't get it, if they where just touristicing around, if they are not allowed to return in 5 years, who is the looser?? they or the Thai Tourist industry?

I thought the law was in effect already last year? with big announcements and the "crack down" speech. I think technically if one overstay just a few days they could bar you for 5 years, am I right?

When you over stay by several months chances are you are not just visiting. They are quite right to do it

[Maestro]

Removed some off-topic posts and the replies to them. This topic is not about the presumed immigration policies in the roughly 200 other countries on this planet.

[Jungle Jim]

If the police did their job i am sure you could round up a thousand foreigners who have over stayed their visas and foreign criminals in Pattaya alone. Add Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Tao, Korat, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Udon Thani, Hua Hin and a few other places to the list. The place is crawling with them.

It is time that the overstay rules are applied. It will also reduce the influence and presence of the foreign mafia groups and criminals on the run. Pattaya must be full of overstayers.

[Tchooptip]

Good news. It is about time the Thai government starts cracking down on the thousands of foreign criminals and foreigners over staying their visas that have been hiding here for years. Only five years they are getting off easy. I am sure many are now hiding under their beds with their bar girls peeing in their pants. Thailand makes it far to easy to enter without better backgrounds checks and allows far too many undesirables to stay here. If your unable to afford to stay here, have a legit visa and stay out of trouble you should not be allowed to enter and if caught tossed in jail and deported as most countries do. Pattaya would be a good place to start hunting them down.

"and if caught tossed in jail and deported as most countries do"

If true most European jails would be overcrowded Mr JungleJustice Jim

[Jungle Jim]

My hunch is there are thousands hiding here both men and women. Fish in a barrel if Interpol and the Thai police would get their act together.

I don't get it, if they where just touristicing around, if they are not allowed to return in 5 years, who is the looser?? they or the Thai Tourist industry?

I thought the law was in effect already last year? with big announcements and the "crack down" speech. I think technically if one overstay just a few days they could bar you for 5 years, am I right?

No, you don't understand the point.

Probably there was a good reason for those guys to keep low profile while staying in Thailand.

They might have been on the Russian Police "Wanted List" after having committed some crimes in Russia, we never know.

Sometimes the Russian Police is cooperating with Interpol and Royal Thai Police to look for those criminals hiding away in Thailand.

Every foreigner who is overstaying for a long time may be suspected that there is something wrong with him or her.

We don't want this kind of "Quality Tourists" to stay here in Thailand.

How many of them have already found a shelter in Thailand?

[novo58]

What is to stop them from claiming that they simply have lost their passports-and then be issued with new clean passports back in Russia?

When people comment on these threads ........why oh why dont they put their brain in gear first.

They may well get a "clean" passport back in their home country........................................

But you may be surprised to know that Thai Immigration actually have computers where information can be stored and an arrival by a person who has previously been barred will be flagged upon arrival. Immigration DO NOT just rely on a quick flick and look at a passport.

After being barred , are you going to pay out for flights and maybe pre-booked accommodation on the off chance that you might slip thru immigration upon arrival - rather than be "spotted " and immediately turned around at the airport, that your name AND PICTURE wont come up on the computer as a "barred person" or as they say in Australia .................an un-desirable person????

I realise that T I T but not the entire country and every government department is still in the stone age.