Advice needed for friend caught working illegally

[Bung]

A friend of mine was arrested for working illegally in a bar. Shes Filipino. The police took her away along with the thai owner of the bar. They got bailed but the police have kept her passport and needs to report back and i assume, pay the fine. She has no one to help her negotiate with the police.

Im not condoning her actions but just trying to help her with advice on how to proceed. Shes a single mom just trying to make ends meet.

Shes worried if it goes past the police and onto immigration she will get a black mark in her passport which will cause her problems if she wants to go to another country so she is keen to solve it with the police. She would desperately like to find a legitimate job btw.

Any ideas on how to proceed? What kind of fine to pay? Any people able to help her negotiate? Ive no experience in the matter.

I thought she could report her pp stolen but it takes 5 years to get another one for Filipinos if lost.

Is it worth letting it get to immigration to deal with? My feeling is shes best off paying the cops off.

Please, just looking for useful advice thanks. Shes a good hearted hard working girl who got caught doing something illegal. Im just a friend trying to help her with some advice. Obviously a difficult time for her.

[ubonjoe]

It would be the Labor Ministry that would handle being caught for working without a work permit. Normally they charge a fine if the person agrees to deportation.

The only advise I can give is for her to get a lawyer.

[Colabamumbai]

English speaking lawyer Canadian working out of Korat Sebastian 0872 251 340 can give you advice.

[stevenl]

With lawyer and labour ministry involved that would be the legal way to solve this. She may be able to sort this out with the police, with a sob story etc. she may get away with 10k, max 20k. Just take into account that she can't work there anymore, she's on their list now and a next violation would be easy money for them.

[casualbiker]

http://www.passport.com.ph/info/requirements/for/lost

5 years for replacement... Not according to this!

Edited June 25, 2015 by casualbiker

[Bung]

Thanks people. I think the problem with the lost passport route will be having to replace it in thailand in order to travel and supply a police report.

[ubonjoe]

Thanks people. I think the problem with the lost passport route will be having to replace it in thailand in order to travel and supply a police report.

Even if she managed to get a new passport she might not be allowed to leave the country. Without resolving the problem she might be put on a list for those that are not allowed to leave the country.

[brewsterbudgen]

Unless someone can pay her bail she'll most likely stay in Remand prison until her case is heard which could take 2-3 months. Bail is likely to be anything from 10,000 to 50,000 baht. If you put it up, you'll get it back, assuming she doesn't jump bail, after the hearing. Friends of mine who have been in this situation were fined about 1,000 baht and deported. However, all managed to get back into Thailand again!

Edit. Just read the OP again and see she's out on bail. She'll get her passport back after the court case.

Edited June 25, 2015 by brewsterbudgen

[Pomthai]

http://www.passport.com.ph/info/requirements/for/lost

5 years for replacement... Not according to this!

Well done, for a government website in any country thats pretty good. I'm impressed thats from this part of the world. There's a few Asian nations that could learn a thing or two from that.

[ubonjoe]

A off topic unhelpful post has been removed.

[steven100]

As a suggestion, she might want to go and talk to other Filipinos working at Sunrise Tacos ... The manager is quite approachable and he has many Filipinos on his books working so they will know exactly what to do or they may give your friend some good contacts to discuss her problem with.

Just a thought ..

[Bung]

Thanks again for all the helpful replies. Shes following the thread. The case is already being processed so have to wait to see what the fine is and deportation i guess. Hopefully just 1000 baht.

[laowai1960]

Same thing happened to a British guy that I know. He was released on bail and subsequently told a date on which he was required to appear in court. He did not engage a lawyer, nor did he take along a Thai speaking friend.

At his court hearing, the judge fined him B3,000, which he thought was great. At the court, the police told him to follow them back to the police station to collect his bail money. At the police station he was given back his bail money and then immediately taken into custody pending deportation.

Police allowed him to phone a friend who went to the police station. The friend booked a flight on his behalf. Police would only accept a flight back to the UK; not to any other country. He had to remain in the police cell for a further 2 days until the day of his flight out.

On the day of the flight, police handcuffed him and took him to the airport. They waited for the final boarding call and then walked him onto the plane in handcuffs.

[brewsterbudgen]

Same thing happened to a British guy that I know. He was released on bail and subsequently told a date on which he was required to appear in court. He did not engage a lawyer, nor did he take along a Thai speaking friend.

At his court hearing, the judge fined him B3,000, which he thought was great. At the court, the police told him to follow them back to the police station to collect his bail money. At the police station he was given back his bail money and then immediately taken into custody pending deportation.

Police allowed him to phone a friend who went to the police station. The friend booked a flight on his behalf. Police would only accept a flight back to the UK; not to any other country. He had to remain in the police cell for a further 2 days until the day of his flight out.

On the day of the flight, police handcuffed him and took him to the airport. They waited for the final boarding call and then walked him onto the plane in handcuffs.

Yes that's what happened to my friends too, although they only had to be deported to Laos.

[Mario2008]

Per above responses. The normal course of action is a fine and deportation. This is the preffered method, also by law. Being deported means she must pay for herself for a ticket to her home country. She will be in immigration custody till she has a ticket to the Pillipines and her flight leaves. She should prepare for this to avoid spending days in jail.

[Guest]

English speaking lawyer Canadian working out of Korat Sebastian 0872 251 340 can give you advice.

Not 100% sure your friend will appreciate this public posting (in a moment of complete irony.)

I tend to request people send me an off line message if they want help.

This is a really great feature Thai Visa provides.

If you do want to delete this posting, it is too late to do it on your own, but a polite message to the moderators may get it done.

Know you are only trying to help, but the road to hell (for Sebastien) is paved with good intentions.

Edited June 26, 2015 by Guest

[stephenterry]

As a suggestion, she might want to go and talk to other Filipinos working at Sunrise Tacos ... The manager is quite approachable and he has many Filipinos on his books working so they will know exactly what to do or they may give your friend some good contacts to discuss her problem with.

Just a thought ..

Yeah, I'd go along with this suggestion before it gets to court. However, bottom line, you get caught while working illegally, expect to be deported. However, there could also be ways of returning without being (previously) blacklisted. Or even that this manager has connections that with money changing hands, she gets a retrospective work permit.

Remember, money talks here. (And I'm not condoning breaking any laws.)

[Soutpeel]

As a suggestion, she might want to go and talk to other Filipinos working at Sunrise Tacos ... The manager is quite approachable and he has many Filipinos on his books working so they will know exactly what to do or they may give your friend some good contacts to discuss her problem with.

Just a thought ..

Yeah, I'd go along with this suggestion before it gets to court. However, bottom line, you get caught while working illegally, expect to be deported. However, there could also be ways of returning without being (previously) blacklisted. Or even that this manager has connections that with money changing hands, she gets a retrospective work permit.

Remember, money talks here. (And I'm not condoning breaking any laws.)

I don't think you get declared persona non grata for working illegally, lets not confuse being deported to being declared PNG (blacklisted)

[shirtless]

The fine might be as high as 70 k and the owner will also be fined she will most likely be deported anyway , this new government have a hard stance on these issues .

[SOTIRIOS]

...you are suggesting she address an illegal act....by another illegal act.....'report it stolen'.....

...anyone condoning that would be considered an accomplice.....

[Bernard Flint]

What about overstay too???? 500 baht a day????

[ubonjoe]

A off topic post and a reply to it has been removed. Also an abusive and inflammatory post.

All such posts will be removed without notice from now on.

[Bung]

Shes been told by the police that it may take 3 months to process her case. They will keep her passport and she will have to report every week.

Can that be possible or are the police angling for some tea money? It'll make life very hard if she is stuck here for 3 months. She needs to be able to move on. How can she support herself for that time? Get another job?

I would have thought in cases like this they would have her move on sooner than later.

[ubonjoe]

Shes been told by the police that it may take 3 months to process her case. They will keep her passport and she will have to report every week.

Can that be possible or are the police angling for some tea money? It'll make life very hard if she is stuck here for 3 months. She needs to be able to move on. How can she support herself for that time? Get another job?

I would have thought in cases like this they would have her move on sooner than later.

The 3 months does not seem unusual.

As I wrote before she need to get legal help. A lawyer might be able to get things done sooner.

[thailandforumaddict]

I know someone who had to pay 700k...

[brewsterbudgen]

3 months is standard. As it's in the court system and bail has been paid there is really no alternative but to wait it out. At least she got bail! Presumably she has friends to stay with - someone must have paid the bail money!

[konying]

Why not ask the owner to "deal" with it?

Surely the owner knows who is who and who needs what

[brewsterbudgen]

Why not ask the owner to "deal" with it?

Surely the owner knows who is who and who needs what

Too late now. It's in the court system. A good lawyer might help, but as she's already out on bail she just needs to wait it out, have her day in court, pay the fine and get deported.

[Bung]

Good info, thanks a lot guys. Have to see what transpires on July 3rd

[konying]

Why not ask the owner to "deal" with it?

Surely the owner knows who is who and who needs what

Too late now. It's in the court system. A good lawyer might help, but as she's already out on bail she just needs to wait it out, have her day in court, pay the fine and get deported.

Many cases get lost or evidence "found" just requires correct donations to correct people.