PM Prayuth to decide on tough new penalties for foreigners who overstay

[sjaak327]

sjaak327 - You mentioned - No the laws for overstaying in Thailand have never been lax. Yes there was a way to get out with only a fine (up until 20K baht) but only if you made it to the border or airport without being caught on overstay at random passport checks anywhere in the country.If you are caught on overstay before reaching the border, you have a high chance to be detained and deported from the country, unless you are lucky and are offered to pay tea money to stay out of the police cell and ultimately the IDC.No such worries currently exist in Cambodia any more than in Laos.Are you seriously supporting a law where some tourist would face deportation and a five year ban from the country on something so trivial as a one day overstay, just because that tourist was caught before he could reach the airport ? The airport where he would receive an overstay stamp but no fine at all for the exact same offence ?

Who says that one day overstay will get you banned for 1 or 5 years?

I had experience with the IDC in the past but also have to say that many of those peoples arrested on overstay or having no passport deserved it. Behind every overstay is a story of course as everyone has a different reason, normally involving the their Thai GF or wife steal their passport and call the police, some burn the money on bargirls or some just run out of money and got court because their were at the wrong place at the wrong time.

As for me, my farang business partner stole my passport and reported me to the police. I was in IDC almost one month as I refused to sign the court papers and to save my assets in Thailand. As my passport was never never given back my embassy issued me a Travel Document when I finally agreed to return to Germany.

I went to court for illegal entry and was deported. The German that died was an alcoholic and as far as I remember another one died as well. Also in Singapore no one dies in detention but for this a lot of foreigners are dying in Malaysia and Indonesia.

I still believe overstay laws are to lax in Thailand and the one month in IDC was an eye opener for me but Thai jails are not European jails and people die. Any one that can't handle IDC should never become overstay and not burn all the money on some woman and get broke and have proper insurance during their stay.

Read the OP, an overstay of less than one year, when caught leads to a five year ban. Nothing new, as these plans are over one year old, and have been discussed on here last year.

If you believe that locking people up over an overstay is lax, I love to see what you consider harsh !

As you like to compare Thailand's law to others, I wonder what happens in your home country of Germany ? Their neighbors which happens to be my home country, doesn't lock people up on overstay, in fact technically speaking, overstaying your visa isn't even an offense. That's how real civilized countries do it...

[sjaak327]

sjaak327

How was the Loa "partner" caught if there was only a few days overstay and how was the overstay discovered in the absence of the passport?

The "theft" of the passport was immediately reported to the police ? .....Was it ?

An Emergency travel document could have been issued as soon as the Embassy opened and most Embassy's will issue such documents out of hours in emergency situations.

Sounds like smoke being blown ...........................

Where did I claim he was caught ? I claimed he was on an overstay, which he was, are you calling me a liar now ? And no, we tried to contact the embassy and weren't able to, a bit hard to be issued that emergency document when nobody answers either the door or the phone.

The emergency document was issued on the first day they re-opened, by which time the overstay was three days. He wasn't even charged an overstay fine, but that is not the point, the point is there are plenty of reasons people are on overstay that is beyond their control.

By the way it is a Lao Partner, and has been for the past eleven years, so "partner" is not necessary.

There will be thousands of Lao partners affected by this, if it does come in. Up to now overstayers returning to Laos have only had to pay a minimal fine and allowed to leave. As border runs have been suspended/stopped, they will now have little alternative but to overstay if they want to remain with their family in Thailand.

Mine isn't as we don't reside here. I do know quite a few other Lao people, married to Thai citizens and having Thai children. Getting a non immigrant visa beyond their financial reach, many of them already overstay for extensive periods of time. But alas, the idiots on this forum would gladly have them deported, after all the law is the law..

I have no sympathy nor respect at all for people without compassion or a severe lack of common sense, they don't' deserve any. These Lao people in difficult situations do and have my full support.

Amy normal human being would and should.

[Napht10]

I read one of you guys saying you don't get charged for overstaying if sick or in hospital, well sad to say not true! I had a serious motorbike accident week before my visa was up, I spend three months in hospital then two months before was aloud by doctors to fly out of Thailand. Immigration was noctiflied first week I was in hospital after 200,000 hospital I still had to pay overstaying fees. Why do you guys say time for tougher immigration actions against others its like the pot calling the kettle black there may be reasons why people overstay and this is mans law, when the earth belongs to us all no matter where we are born.

[Time Traveller]

I read one of you guys saying you don't get charged for overstaying if sick or in hospital, well sad to say not true! I had a serious motorbike accident week before my visa was up, I spend three months in hospital then two months before was aloud by doctors to fly out of Thailand. Immigration was noctiflied first week I was in hospital after 200,000 hospital I still had to pay overstaying fees. Why do you guys say time for tougher immigration actions against others its like the pot calling the kettle black there may be reasons why people overstay and this is mans law, when the earth belongs to us all no matter where we are born.

So you overstayed because of an accident that left you in hospital?.

Sorry dude, but that's a worse crime than murder, genocide, rape, pedofillia etc etc.

Seriously, what a dispicable crime that is. You should be spending 50 years in the big house. Banned from re-entry for life. Fined 50 million baht, and then be ordered to issue a public apology, not to the thai people, but the those Farangs who claim you make them look bad.

So go ahead, apologise to the TV keyboard warriors for making their lives difficult even though they are all law abiding and make HUGE contributions to the thai economy just by breathing.

[ldiablo]

far-right fascist government playing to the home-crowd with measures to punish foreigners when they could be reforming their visa requirements to make it easier for visitors to stay legally and allow them to properly support the local economies...

Fits right in with their moralistic views on drinking, films about monks, and scantily clad motorshow dancers...

what a BS

There are tourist visa's for visitors and if you have enough money to support the local economy you can get an investment visa.

BS. We support the local economy without investment visa's.

if you call buying a leo and some rice supporting the local economy.

Just get a proper visa.

Thai's eat rice, foreigners eat bread.

[Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere]

Liar Liar Hanes on fire... Been a few days already and no decision. Maybe Prayut is too busy.

[oncearugge]

I read one of you guys saying you don't get charged for overstaying if sick or in hospital, well sad to say not true! I had a serious motorbike accident week before my visa was up, I spend three months in hospital then two months before was aloud by doctors to fly out of Thailand. Immigration was noctiflied first week I was in hospital after 200,000 hospital I still had to pay overstaying fees. Why do you guys say time for tougher immigration actions against others its like the pot calling the kettle black there may be reasons why people overstay and this is mans law, when the earth belongs to us all no matter where we are born.

Extensions of stay are easily obtained for medical reasons.

A letter from a Hospital Doctor setting out the reasons you cannot travel is required. Up to 90 days at a time will be given. Most private hospitals will facilitate this via their Patient Liaison service.

The medical extension must be applied for prior to slipping into overstay.

[FritsSikkink]

far-right fascist government playing to the home-crowd with measures to punish foreigners when they could be reforming their visa requirements to make it easier for visitors to stay legally and allow them to properly support the local economies...

Fits right in with their moralistic views on drinking, films about monks, and scantily clad motorshow dancers...

what a BS
There are tourist visa's for visitors and if you have enough money to support the local economy you can get an investment visa.

BS. We support the local economy without investment visa's.

if you call buying a leo and some rice supporting the local economy.
Just get a proper visa.

Thai's eat rice, foreigners eat bread.

i know Thai's who eat bread and foreigners that eat rice

[ldiablo]

far-right fascist government playing to the home-crowd with measures to punish foreigners when they could be reforming their visa requirements to make it easier for visitors to stay legally and allow them to properly support the local economies...

Fits right in with their moralistic views on drinking, films about monks, and scantily clad motorshow dancers...

what a BS
There are tourist visa's for visitors and if you have enough money to support the local economy you can get an investment visa.

BS. We support the local economy without investment visa's.

if you call buying a leo and some rice supporting the local economy.
Just get a proper visa.

Thai's eat rice, foreigners eat bread.

i know Thai's who eat bread and foreigners that eat rice

I was referring to a comment made by the PM in which he said Thai's eat bread, forei... ahhh never mind.

[Yahooka]

I read one of you guys saying you don't get charged for overstaying if sick or in hospital, well sad to say not true! I had a serious motorbike accident week before my visa was up, I spend three months in hospital then two months before was aloud by doctors to fly out of Thailand. Immigration was noctiflied first week I was in hospital after 200,000 hospital I still had to pay overstaying fees. Why do you guys say time for tougher immigration actions against others its like the pot calling the kettle black there may be reasons why people overstay and this is mans law, when the earth belongs to us all no matter where we are born.

Extensions of stay are easily obtained for medical reasons.

A letter from a Hospital Doctor setting out the reasons you cannot travel is required. Up to 90 days at a time will be given. Most private hospitals will facilitate this via their Patient Liaison service.

The medical extension must be applied for prior to slipping into overstay.

Not always easily obtained or given.Have experienced of the opposite myself.

[oncearugge]

I read one of you guys saying you don't get charged for overstaying if sick or in hospital, well sad to say not true! I had a serious motorbike accident week before my visa was up, I spend three months in hospital then two months before was aloud by doctors to fly out of Thailand. Immigration was noctiflied first week I was in hospital after 200,000 hospital I still had to pay overstaying fees. Why do you guys say time for tougher immigration actions against others its like the pot calling the kettle black there may be reasons why people overstay and this is mans law, when the earth belongs to us all no matter where we are born.

Extensions of stay are easily obtained for medical reasons.

Up to 90 days at a time will be given. Most private hospitals will facilitate this via their Patient Liaison service.

The medical extension must be applied for prior to slipping into overstay.

Not always easily obtained or given.Have experienced of the opposite myself.

You fail to provide any insight into why you were refused and by which immigration office

Were the requirements met ?

1.Was a letter from a Hospital Doctor setting out the reasons you could not travel provided ?

2. Was application made prior to overstay occurring?

[Yahooka]

I read one of you guys saying you don't get charged for overstaying if sick or in hospital, well sad to say not true! I had a serious motorbike accident week before my visa was up, I spend three months in hospital then two months before was aloud by doctors to fly out of Thailand. Immigration was noctiflied first week I was in hospital after 200,000 hospital I still had to pay overstaying fees. Why do you guys say time for tougher immigration actions against others its like the pot calling the kettle black there may be reasons why people overstay and this is mans law, when the earth belongs to us all no matter where we are born.

Extensions of stay are easily obtained for medical reasons.

Up to 90 days at a time will be given. Most private hospitals will facilitate this via their Patient Liaison service.

The medical extension must be applied for prior to slipping into overstay.

Not always easily obtained or given.Have experienced of the opposite myself.

You fail to provide any insight into why you were refused and by which immigration office

Were the requirements met ?

1.Was a letter from a Hospital Doctor setting out the reasons you could not travel provided ?

2. Was application made prior to overstay occurring?

1.Yes

2.Yes

[sjaak327]

It boggles the mind why such an extension of stay must occur before the permission to stay runs out.

So you get into some serious mishap on your last day into the county, and if you are sensible enough to actually worry about the possible overstay and doing something about it, it will probably be too late.

Apparently the term leniency is something Thai immigration is unaware off.

To the person claiming extensions due to medical reasons are easily obtained, maybe imagine that these persons might be unable to obtain them due to their condition, might be unaware of them and quite frankly I don't blame them if a possible overstay isn't exactly their greatest concern.

Thai immigration should tread these people with compassion and not fine them for overstay. It is quite frankly a bloody shame.

Edited October 28, 2015 by sjaak327

[Wilsonandson]

Tough rules, tough PM, tough luck. Immigration is a word you learn when you get to Thailand. In your home country you never think about that word, over here you fear the very mention of it. Nerves jangle every visa run you make. No your not smuggling drugs. Your just trying to stay in Thailand legally. Passports aswell, in your home country you just throw it in a draw and forget about it. Here you treat it like the bible, wrapping it in plastic in case it gets wet. Keeping any paper reciepts you get, folding up the arrival card carefully. I check my passport once a week, where is it? Ok its still there, whens the visa expire? Ok. God sometimes I wish I could get Thai Citzenship and leave all this visa bs behind. Still I can't be the only one who feels like this. Carry on we must.

[FritsSikkink]

It boggles the mind why such an extension of stay must occur before the permission to stay runs out.

So you get into some serious mishap on your last day into the county, and if you are sensible enough to actually worry about the possible overstay and doing something about it, it will probably be too late.

Apparently the term leniency is something Thai immigration is unaware off.

To the person claiming extensions due to medical reasons are easily obtained, maybe imagine that these persons might be unable to obtain them due to their condition, might be unaware of them and quite frankly I don't blame them if a possible overstay isn't exactly their greatest concern.

Thai immigration should tread these people with compassion and not fine them for overstay. It is quite frankly a bloody shame.

stop moaning and get a proper visa

[billd766]

I have never overstayed a visa and I never will. 0.2% of westerners who overstay have no effect on my life in Thailand. Buying a house using a scheme through setting up a company and dodgy lawyers is also illegal. I think general should go after those people. It's a more serious crime :-)

buying a house is a crime? wow

Buying a house as a foreigner certainly is legal but not the land so if a company owned by a foreigner buys a house with land it is illegal.

Foreigners can't own companies and buying a house with an Usufruct is completely legal

but we veer wildly off-topic

Not true at all.

Foreigners CAN own a company legally. As you say owning a house with an usufruct is legal but you don't need a company to do that. On the other hand if you love and trust your wife why would you need an usufruct?

I used to own a company but it was a working company and I paid all the taxes that were levied.

It was NEVER used to buy land and/or property.

The land and property are all in my wife's name and she owns it not me. When she dies it will all go to our son.

When I die I figure that as I can't take it with me, so why do I need to own it.

[Yahooka]

It boggles the mind why such an extension of stay must occur before the permission to stay runs out.

So you get into some serious mishap on your last day into the county, and if you are sensible enough to actually worry about the possible overstay and doing something about it, it will probably be too late.

Apparently the term leniency is something Thai immigration is unaware off.

To the person claiming extensions due to medical reasons are easily obtained, maybe imagine that these persons might be unable to obtain them due to their condition, might be unaware of them and quite frankly I don't blame them if a possible overstay isn't exactly their greatest concern.

Thai immigration should tread these people with compassion and not fine them for overstay. It is quite frankly a bloody shame.

stop moaning and get a proper visa

Yupp,because you cannot overstay on a proper visa .

[Rimmer]

A post in caps has been removed

[dhream]

When I die I figure that as I can't take it with me, so why do I need to own it.

Because TiT, and plenty people, not necessarily your trusted wife, but maybe her evil second cousin, might reach exactly this conclusion, and help you both on your way to the boneyard!

I'm sorry, but until this country has rule of law, every expat would do well to trust NO ONE, or at least have a whole set of checks and balances, or a limited amount of assets here, for the sake of their own health, wealth, and general longevity.

[Kitsune]

So what's going on?

Is he still holding the pen? or has he signed yet?

[brewsterbudgen]

So what's going on?

Is he still holding the pen? or has he signed yet?

No news is good news! Hopefully it will just be quietly forgotten about; the warning notices will stay up (they've been up for ages already) but nothing will actually change!

[Kitsune]

So what's going on?

Is he still holding the pen? or has he signed yet?

No news is good news! Hopefully it will just be quietly forgotten about; the warning notices will stay up (they've been up for ages already) but nothing will actually change!

What a sense of drama Prayuth has!

He invites all the press to say he is just about to do it.

We have the picture of him with a pen ready to sign.... and .....nothing !!!

Pure actor studio

[maxman71]

I wish the US would adopt similar penalties. Obeying immigration laws in the US is merely a faint suggestion.

The Thais are getting this one right.

[shaggy28303]

If you look at it this way a visa extension is 1900B a year so under the current fine of 20000B its ten times the original fee . I don't agree with overstays but a higher penalty would be out of control

[FritsSikkink]

If you look at it this way a visa extension is 1900B a year so under the current fine of 20000B its ten times the original fee . I don't agree with overstays but a higher penalty would be out of control

your math is wrong as there are people overstaying on tourist visa's and emptions. out of control then don't overstay, pretty simple

[mrrizzla]

I know a few guys that would be absolutely screwed if they were caught (and they would never voluntarily go). Yet they are still here and out in the open.

I think it will be business as usual with token arrests here and there.

[lust]

Many overstayers are from 3rd world countries which is why the fine is 20,000baht.

Or perhaps many of the members on this site would prefer another 2 tier system in this country based upon skin color?

[elviajero]

Many overstayers are from 3rd world countries which is why the fine is 20,000baht.

Or perhaps many of the members on this site would prefer another 2 tier system in this country based upon skin color?

The fine was set 30+ years ago.

[lust]

Oh, I forgot how rich SEA was 30 years ago. Silly me.

[MaeJoMTB]

The land and property are all in my wife's name and she owns it not me. When she dies it will all go to our son.

When I die I figure that as I can't take it with me, so why do I need to own it.

That's great for you Billd,

But most of us married hookers that would kick our bums out, and move their real Thai husbands in, the moment they got their hands on our wedge.

Edited December 25, 2015 by MaeJoMTB