20th March is a magic date

[Ian1980]

Seems that,after Thai immigration had announced this date as the last chance to clear overstay,all overstayer are doing the right thing.And,as i am in Phuket at the moment,some of them are asking my suggestion how to sort out the problem.The last one just appear few hours ago,asking me which is the best solution from Phuket to solve a 11 months overstay and which suggested visa will be better to ask.As he is not married i think the tourist visa is the only one.But from Phuket where to fly?

[ubonjoe]

Been a lot of people asking on this forum on what to about what to do. Some with much more than the 90 day banning number.

From Phuket getting a flight to Penang would be the best place.

[sunnyjim5]

Been a lot of people asking on this forum on what to about what to do. Some with much more than the 90 day banning number.

From Phuket getting a flight to Penang would be the best place.

Agreed. A flight to Penang would be the best option from Phuket.

[stereolab]

We just received a phone call from Nong Khai Immigration saying that there is a meeting for all Farang in Nong Khai on the 19th. They will be giving a briefing on the new rules regarding overstays.

[lkv]

We just received a phone call from Nong Khai Immigration saying that there is a meeting for all Farang in Nong Khai on the 19th. They will be giving a briefing on the new rules regarding overstays.

And checking everybody's passport to make sure of their existing compliance

[sunnyjim5]

We just received a phone call from Nong Khai Immigration saying that there is a meeting for all Farang in Nong Khai on the 19th. They will be giving a briefing on the new rules regarding overstays.

I do not believe the overstayers will attend !

[ubonjoe]

We just received a phone call from Nong Khai Immigration saying that there is a meeting for all Farang in Nong Khai on the 19th. They will be giving a briefing on the new rules regarding overstays.

And checking everybody's passport to make sure of their existing compliance

If they have a phone number to call that means they already have access to their records.

[KhunBENQ]

Been a lot of people asking on this forum on what to about what to do. Some with much more than the 90 day banning number.

From Phuket getting a flight to Penang would be the best place.

Agreed. A flight to Penang would be the best option from Phuket.

Book in time, Might be busy.

[lkv]

If they have a phone number to call that means they already have access to their records.

Yea you're right haven't thought of it like that.

But why would they be educating people that are already in compliance...

They really have too much time in their hands.

[ubonjoe]

If they have a phone number to call that means they already have access to their records.

Yea you're right haven't thought of it like that.

But why would they be educating people that are already in compliance...

They really have too much time in their hands.

Perhaps for the same reason I have had to sign an acknowledgement of overstay rules that did not really exist for the past 2 years (2014/2015) when I applied for my extension.

Maybe they are going to inform people of the actual rules.

[jacksam]

OP I for one have supported and encouraged anyone on overstay to clear it up before march 20. Reading your post about the "friend " asking for advise with about a week left means this........

He will not clear overstay. This change has been on notice for quite some time and he asking you to sus out his options. Won't happen

[lkv]

OP I for one have supported and encouraged anyone on overstay to clear it up before march 20. Reading your post about the "friend " asking for advise with about a week left means this........

He will not clear overstay. This change has been on notice for quite some time and he asking you to sus out his options. Won't happen

I don't know exactly what they are thinking leaving it for the last day, but understanding some of the logic for people that overstay, I would say they're either not taking it seriously or they want to get more free time in a cost efficient way. Why would they clear it in February when they can clear it in March.

I'm just guessing.

[BritTim]

Putting the best spin on this, and bearing in mind the vicinity of the Friendship Bridge, Nong Khai immigration may want to give those on overstay a final chance for a border hop to get legal. This, in addition of course, to making it clear that future overstays are a serious business. The choice of March 19 over March 20 makes be think they are trying to be nice.

[lkv]

Yea I mean apart from the inflamatory threads that keep popping up on Thai Visa, why does it seem to me that the overstayers are mostly considered criminals by some posters here, but when they go and clear their overstay they are treated very nicely by Immigration?

Heard many reports confirming this.

Strange huh?

[Bobotie]

Yea I mean apart from the inflamatory threads that keep popping up on Thai Visa, why does it seem to me that the overstayers are mostly considered criminals by some posters here, but when they go and clear their overstay they are treated very nicely by Immigration?

Heard many reports confirming this.

Strange huh?

Not strange in the least, overstayers are breaking the law, they can end up in court in front of a judge and be locked up, ergo they are criminals, the thb 20k fine thing is an addmission of guilt fine thats all,

i think you are getting confused between getting treated professionally and being treated nicely

[ljt]

We just received a phone call from Nong Khai Immigration saying that there is a meeting for all Farang in Nong Khai on the 19th. They will be giving a briefing on the new rules regarding overstays.

Who is "we" ?

Do they only want Western caucasians to attend, or did you mean "foreigners" ?

[stereolab]

We just received a phone call from Nong Khai Immigration saying that there is a meeting for all Farang in Nong Khai on the 19th. They will be giving a briefing on the new rules regarding overstays.

Who is "we" ?

Do they only want Western caucasians to attend, or did you mean "foreigners" ?

As my first wife intercepted the phone call from immigration, I am using the "Royal" "We" to refer to myself and aforesaid wife. They want me to attend, and I posted the fact that I had received a phone call as a heads up to other members. They asked me, specifically, to tell any other "Farang" in the town that I knew, about the meeting.

I doubt there will be many Lao, Myanmar migrant workers attending the Assawan hotel on the 19th.

[jspill]

Yea I mean apart from the inflamatory threads that keep popping up on Thai Visa, why does it seem to me that the overstayers are mostly considered criminals by some posters here, but when they go and clear their overstay they are treated very nicely by Immigration?

Heard many reports confirming this.

Strange huh?

Not strange in the least, overstayers are breaking the law, they can end up in court in front of a judge and be locked up, ergo they are criminals, the thb 20k fine thing is an addmission of guilt fine thats all,

i think you are getting confused between getting treated professionally and being treated nicely

One can be arrested and end up in front of a judge for having too many parking tickets - would you call them a criminal? No.

'Locked up' - overstayers don't go to prison, they go to a detention centre, which serves just to have the court appearance and then be released as soon as they pay for a flight ticket out.

Overstaying doesn't come with a criminal record. Not all laws are criminal laws, things like parking too long on double yellow lines or parking yourself too long in a country, are classed more as administrative infractions.

I understand some people get personally offended by overstayers, they're entitled to that opinion. To me though it's offensive to lump them in with actual criminals like drug peddlers and ATM skimmers. To me you're cheapening the word 'criminal'.

I would support and assist someone who is simply broke or down and out, before brandishing them a criminal and possibly send them deeper into hiding at which point they may start committing actual crimes to get by.

Really Thailand expats should be setting up an anonymous helpline for each other and forming some kind of union or network for our own representation, but instead many foreigners here are toxic to each other from behind keyboards and avoid eye contact on the street, sour faced and thinking - 'oh God there's another one'.

Edited March 13, 2016 by jspill

[jacksam]

I hadn't heard of concept of helpline. I think that's a great idea. I know one friend in particular that cannot access things like advice from thaivisa. Very clever guy but basically illiterate. Some people need assistance beyond looking up Google.

[reenatinnakor]

Been a lot of people asking on this forum on what to about what to do. Some with much more than the 90 day banning number.

From Phuket getting a flight to Penang would be the best place.

Agreed. A flight to Penang would be the best option from Phuket.

How does a flight to Penang help at all when you can only apply for a tourist visa from the country of your passport? And you need employment letter and 200k in the bank? Or have those rules changed again also?

[ubonjoe]

Been a lot of people asking on this forum on what to about what to do. Some with much more than the 90 day banning number.

From Phuket getting a flight to Penang would be the best place.

Agreed. A flight to Penang would be the best option from Phuket.

How does a flight to Penang help at all when you can only apply for a tourist visa from the country of your passport? And you need employment letter and 200k in the bank? Or have those rules changed again also?

You seem to writing about the requirements to get a multiple entry tourist visa not a single entry visa. A single entry tourist visa can be obtained in Penang without those requirements.

Only those that are on the list of countries that can only apply for any visa in their home country would have a problem getting a single entry visa.

[jacksam]

Been a lot of people asking on this forum on what to about what to do. Some with much more than the 90 day banning number.

From Phuket getting a flight to Penang would be the best place.

Agreed. A flight to Penang would be the best option from Phuket.

How does a flight to Penang help at all when you can only apply for a tourist visa from the country of your passport? And you need employment letter and 200k in the bank? Or have those rules changed again also?

What changes first of all the "only apply from country of your passport" I can only assume your thinking about METV. NO rules have changed except for end of double and trippe TV. Your post is bit confused.

[luke000]

Yea I mean apart from the inflamatory threads that keep popping up on Thai Visa, why does it seem to me that the overstayers are mostly considered criminals by some posters here, but when they go and clear their overstay they are treated very nicely by Immigration?

Heard many reports confirming this.

Strange huh?

The Thai immigration overstay sections that deal with over stayers do so on a daily basis and thats alll they deal with .Its quite comical to imagine the Thai immigration overstay office getting angry every time an overstayer walks through the door , multiple times a day

Thats a Monty Python script that was never written

[jacksam]

Yea I mean apart from the inflamatory threads that keep popping up on Thai Visa, why does it seem to me that the overstayers are mostly considered criminals by some posters here, but when they go and clear their overstay they are treated very nicely by Immigration?

Heard many reports confirming this.

Strange huh?

The Thai immigration overstay sections that deal with over stayers do so on a daily basis and thats alll they deal with .Its quite comical to imagine the Thai immigration overstay office getting angry every time an overstayer walks through the door , multiple times a day

Thats a Monty Python script that was never written

Your correct Luke. In fact reports on related threads from people clearing overstay, some long, being treated with manners and easy process.

I guess another reason to sort overstay out quickly. You won't walk over hot coals and will leave with fingernails still in place

[reenatinnakor]

Been a lot of people asking on this forum on what to about what to do. Some with much more than the 90 day banning number.

From Phuket getting a flight to Penang would be the best place.

Agreed. A flight to Penang would be the best option from Phuket.

How does a flight to Penang help at all when you can only apply for a tourist visa from the country of your passport? And you need employment letter and 200k in the bank? Or have those rules changed again also?

You seem to writing about the requirements to get a multiple entry tourist visa not a single entry visa. A single entry tourist visa can be obtained in Penang without those requirements.

Only those that are on the list of countries that can only apply for any visa in their home country would have a problem getting a single entry visa.

Oh sorry, my bad! I automatically assumed metv but off course there's the single entry one now I guess. Before I went to Vientiane and wrote 2 or even 3 entries on the form, but now I guess can only do one.