7 Year Overstay Cleared

[MilesofSmiles]

C'mon, everybody knows these 5,10,100 year bans will be completely forgotten about in a year or two.

Edited April 5, 2016 by MilesofSmiles

[kingalfred]

Proud of being a lucky smart ass are you OP. Lazy is the most polite I can call you

[Eclipse]

Don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

It really is that simple.

Some of us choose to respect the law.

Some choose not to.

It really isn't that simple, judges decide what penalties to apply because circumstances vary.

It is that simple.

Respect the law or not.

That is the choice.

I chose to respect it.

You chose to not.

[tonray]

right. They should have 2 sets of Immigration laws: One for criminals and one for persons who have fallen on hard times and sufficient provisions in place to determine which is which.

It's called having judges. The framework of laws stays the same, and these people called judges decide whether or not to apply the maximum penalties.

So is there a judge at every border point now to decide whether or not the immigration officer can apply a ban?

Sure and a group of persons willing to wait in detention of some sort until their case comes before the judge.

But I'm sure if Immigration laws were re-crafted to give consideration to persons who had fallen on hard times there would be blogs and services such as "Hard Times 'R Us" to help overstayers put together sufficient documents to prove that they had indeed fallen on hard times.

Why use a service when they could just show their teacher's license as proof....

[tropo]

Happy it went as smooth as this for you, good to read.

I guess you have learnt your lesson, now a second chance has been given to you.

Good luck in the future.

He wasn't given a lesson. I would say it was more like he was rewarded for overstaying... He cleared his overstay for a paltry 20K. That's only 2,857 baht per year. No visa applications, no extensions, no border runs, no visa runs and no time wasted at the Immigration office.

[sanukjim]

Congratulations Sir,As you pointed out be prepared for all things possible by copying the correct laws and proceeding with caution.Great job.Years ago in the 80s on an overstay I was taken from the airport to down town tax office where we settled on a fair (in their words)tax on the estimate of the moneys that I would have had to spend during my overstay.

[jspill]

Happy it went as smooth as this for you, good to read.

I guess you have learnt your lesson, now a second chance has been given to you.

Good luck in the future.

He wasn't given a lesson. I would say it was more like he was rewarded for overstaying... He cleared his overstay for a paltry 20K. That's only 2,857 baht per year. No visa applications, no extensions, no border runs, no visa runs and no time wasted at the Immigration office.

Well he's hardly a burden on the country, he's restricted from any gainful employment a local could do, he can't claim benefits, all he can do is import a more valuable foreign currency into the country and pump it all into the economy, including anything he saved on visa runs and extensions over the years. Some Thaivisa posters like to act as if affluent westerners overstaying in Thailand are akin to ISIS infiltrating Europe, but it's not quite the same thing.

All he's doing is hanging out in a house he probably built, making his wife happy, and most foreigners' wives aren't that desirable to Thai guys so making a positive contribution to the population there too

Edited April 5, 2016 by jspill

[thaibreaker]

Happy it went as smooth as this for you, good to read.

I guess you have learnt your lesson, now a second chance has been given to you.

Good luck in the future.

He wasn't given a lesson. I would say it was more like he was rewarded for overstaying... He cleared his overstay for a paltry 20K. That's only 2,857 baht per year. No visa applications, no extensions, no border runs, no visa runs and no time wasted at the Immigration office.

You are missing the 7 years in fear of being arrested and sent to the nightmare-like IDC.

How come you guys always count this moneywise? I assure you its not worth the saving of money if you get caught. The hiding, laying low and not be able to breath and travel freely, is a clear downside of overstaying.

He has been given a second chance, at least that was what I felt after my own overstay and stay at the IDC.

Edited April 5, 2016 by thaibreaker

[Eclipse]

Happy it went as smooth as this for you, good to read.

I guess you have learnt your lesson, now a second chance has been given to you.

Good luck in the future.

He wasn't given a lesson. I would say it was more like he was rewarded for overstaying... He cleared his overstay for a paltry 20K. That's only 2,857 baht per year. No visa applications, no extensions, no border runs, no visa runs and no time wasted at the Immigration office.

Well he's hardly a burden on the country, he's restricted from any gainful employment a local could do, he can't claim benefits, all he can do is import a more valuable foreign currency into the country and pump it all into the economy, including anything he saved on visa runs and extensions over the years. Some Thaivisa posters like to act as if affluent westerners overstaying in Thailand are akin to ISIS infiltrating Europe, but it's not quite the same thing.

All he can do is spend more time as an illegal Immigrant.

While the rest of us (not including you) stay here legally.

[Thaidream]

Some of you are missing the point. The people who need our sympathy and understanding are those who have an emergent situation in their lives that consumes most of their money; possibly affecting them mentally and puts them in a situation where they have no money and do not have the mental awareness to handle their affairs. Your life can turn in a moment even though you thought everything was perfect. Trust me on this- a visa and an extension does not enter into your mind while you are trying to save your loved ones life. Why is this so hard for some people to understand? This is not the same as a person who flouts the law because he doesn't want to do a visa run or wants to save the money to get over on the system. The judge is the IO when one explains the situation- I have a feeling that most IO's are receptive to the truth. In fact, I would rather put my fate in their hands then some of the posters on this board who appear to have no sympathy for those who have had a life's event beyond their control.

Edited April 5, 2016 by Thaidream

[2fishin2]

Congrats on your clearing you third (or more overstay). Glad it worked out. When did you say your next overstay will happen?

[johnatong]

Some of you are missing the point. The people who need our sympathy and understanding are those who have an emergent situation in their lives that consumes most of their money; possibly affecting them mentally and puts them in a situation where they have no money and do not have the mental awareness to handle their affairs. Your life can turn in a moment even though you thought everything was perfect. Trust me on this- a visa and an extension does not enter into your mind while you are trying to save your loved ones life. Why is this so hard for some people to understand? This is not the same as a person who flouts the law because he doesn't want to do a visa run or wants to save the money to get over on the system. The judge is the IO when one explains the situation- I have a feeling that most IO's are receptive to the truth. In fact, I would rather put my fate in their hands then some of the posters on this board who appear to have no sympathy for those who have had a life's even beyond their control.

The only means of ensuing an appearance before a judge is to get arrested, charged and detained.

This can easily be arranged by refusing to pay the overstay fine when attempting to leave the country.

[Thaidream]

The 'judge' I was referring to was the Immigration Officer that has to decide whether to ban a person for a period of time. Of course, if a person refuses the fine and wants to take their case to a court, that is an option. I personally would rather have the IO or Immigration superior hear my story and take my chance that the truth would set me free. I, of course, would have documentation in the form of witness statements; hospital bills and other evidence backing my story. As once of the posters mentioned, there is the letter of the law and the spirit of the law. As I mentioned prior, be careful with your condemnations. You may think your life is going according to plan, and then a catastrophe hits that throws all those well laid plans out the window and you end up with a real unsolvable problem. Think it can't happen to you- better think again.

[jspill]

We also don't know yet how the appeals process will work, it may be possible to overturn a ban after the fact. And would anyone really be surprised if they just forget all about these bans in a few months time. I wouldn't. We've already seen people leave post March 20 without getting banned. It's Thailand.

[Chivas]

I cant fathom how people can sleep even with only a few days overstay (or even a day) let alone years. Find it just bizarre.

[2fishin2]

There is no option....you dont get a say so....you will be deported and banned. And for the record this was at least the OPs 3rd admitted overstay. Same excuses, different day and OP

[johnatong]

The 'judge' I was referring to was the Immigration Officer that has to decide whether to ban a person for a period of time. Of course, if a person refuses the fine and wants to take their case to a court, that is an option. I personally would rather have the IO or Immigration superior hear my story and take my chance that the truth would set me free. I, of course, would have documentation in the form of witness statements; hospital bills and other evidence backing my story. As once of the posters mentioned, there is the letter of the law and the spirit of the law. As I mentioned prior, be careful with your condemnations. You may think your life is going according to plan, and then a catastrophe hits that throws all those well laid plans out the window and you end up with a real unsolvable problem. Think it can't happen to you- better think again.

I very much doubt there are any excuses that the IO's have not already heard.

The Immigration Service pressed hard to get the "ban" sanction and I fully expect that it will be used.

[Eclipse]

I cant fathom how people can sleep even with only a few days overstay (or even a day) let alone years. Find it just bizarre.

Yep it really is beyond comprehension.

They seem proud of it somehow.

Edited April 5, 2016 by Eclipse

[Eclipse]

The 'judge' I was referring to was the Immigration Officer that has to decide whether to ban a person for a period of time. Of course, if a person refuses the fine and wants to take their case to a court, that is an option. I personally would rather have the IO or Immigration superior hear my story and take my chance that the truth would set me free. I, of course, would have documentation in the form of witness statements; hospital bills and other evidence backing my story. As once of the posters mentioned, there is the letter of the law and the spirit of the law. As I mentioned prior, be careful with your condemnations. You may think your life is going according to plan, and then a catastrophe hits that throws all those well laid plans out the window and you end up with a real unsolvable problem. Think it can't happen to you- better think again.

I very much doubt there are any excuses that the IO's have not already heard.

The Immigration Service pressed hard to get the "ban" sanction and I fully expect that it will be used.

We can only hope so.

[elviajero]

Some of you are missing the point. The people who need our sympathy and understanding are those who have an emergent situation in their lives that consumes most of their money; possibly affecting them mentally and puts them in a situation where they have no money and do not have the mental awareness to handle their affairs. Your life can turn in a moment even though you thought everything was perfect. Trust me on this- a visa and an extension does not enter into your mind while you are trying to save your loved ones life. Why is this so hard for some people to understand? This is not the same as a person who flouts the law because he doesn't want to do a visa run or wants to save the money to get over on the system. The judge is the IO when one explains the situation- I have a feeling that most IO's are receptive to the truth. In fact, I would rather put my fate in their hands then some of the posters on this board who appear to have no sympathy for those who have had a life's event beyond their control.

You are talking about a tiny minority of overstayers and I'm sure most TV members are sympathetic to those genuinely in dire straits. But note that the OP admits to having 1/2 opportunities to clear his overstay but chose not to. His 3rd paragraph basically confirms that he only cleared the overstay because of the bans.

[elviajero]

We also don't know yet how the appeals process will work, it may be possible to overturn a ban after the fact. And would anyone really be surprised if they just forget all about these bans in a few months time. I wouldn't. We've already seen people leave post March 20 without getting banned. It's Thailand.

You said on several occasions that you didn't believe the bans would come in to effect (or words to that effect). You were wrong. No surprise there and no surprise that you now believe they might only last a few months. How does that figure in the fight against the transnational criminals and illegal workers?

We haven't seen evidence of one single person exiting since March 20th, with a 90+ day overstay, that didn't get banned! Of course it will happen due to the corruption that exists, but it's still far to early to know how immigration officers at the borders are going to deal with the new rules. If the numbers are to be believed, a large number of overstayers left between Oct and Mar ahead of the bans kicking in, so there is likely to be a lull before we know for sure. It seems the bans are already a success in reducing overstay numbers. Shame that most of the remaining overstayers are probably the transnational criminals and illegal workers!

[lemonjelly]

Some of the members here with the "if you can't do the time, don't do the crime" mentality, it's just visa overstay for Pete's sake, no victims, nobody hurt.... You guys fantasise about being traffic wardens or something?

[johnatong]

Some of the members here with the "if you can't do the time, don't do the crime" mentality, it's just visa overstay for Pete's sake, no victims, nobody hurt.... You guys fantasise about being traffic wardens or something?

Would you overstay in Singapore ?

Maybe you would not because the punishment is often draconian !

[brainfart]

There is no option....you dont get a say so....you will be deported and banned. And for the record this was at least the OPs 3rd admitted overstay. Same excuses, different day and OP

For the record,... it was NOT my "at least 3rd" admitted overstay!

This was my one, only, and last overstay. Where you read your "facts" into my OP is beyond me. Preferential reading can only be assumed!

[lemonjelly]

Some of the members here with the "if you can't do the time, don't do the crime" mentality, it's just visa overstay for Pete's sake, no victims, nobody hurt.... You guys fantasise about being traffic wardens or something?

Would you overstay in Singapore ?

Maybe you would not because the punishment is often draconian !

No, I wouldn't, but neither would I expect a complete lack of compassion from fellow expatriates.

[2fishin2]

There is no option....you dont get a say so....you will be deported and banned. And for the record this was at least the OPs 3rd admitted overstay. Same excuses, different day and OP

For the record,... it was NOT my "at least 3rd" admitted overstay!

This was my one, only, and last overstay. Where you read your "facts" into my OP is beyond me. Preferential reading can only be assumed!

size=3]For the record, whilst I would confess to there being at least one or two prior occasions when I was able to clear the overstay and leave, those both came well after several years had elapsed and so I was just waiting for the most suitable opportune moment, which happened to coincide with the rumblings of the current 1 – 10 year ban legislation that has been applied.

Right here buddy!

You are nothing more than just another person who thinks immigration rules dont apply to you....I count THREE overstays of your own admission.

Excuses, excuses....and using the "poor me" card by writing your family into the post. You KNOWINGLY and WILLING overstayed. No sympathy from me

[johnatong]

Some of the members here with the "if you can't do the time, don't do the crime" mentality, it's just visa overstay for Pete's sake, no victims, nobody hurt.... You guys fantasise about being traffic wardens or something?

Would you overstay in Singapore ?

Maybe you would not because the punishment is often draconian !

No, I wouldn't, but neither would I expect a complete lack of compassion from fellow expatriates.

So according to you overstay in Singapore is to be avoided but overstay in Thailand is acceptable ?

Why ?

[jspill]

All he can do is spend more time as an illegal Immigrant.

While the rest of us (not including you) stay here legally.

Plenty of guys breaking laws with valid visas.

[jspill]

You said on several occasions that you didn't believe the bans would come in to effect (or words to that effect). You were wrong.

Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

[jspill]

So according to you overstay in Singapore is to be avoided but overstay in Thailand is acceptable ?

Why ?

I'd smoke cannabis in Cambodia, but not in Indonesia. What's your point?

Edited April 5, 2016 by jspill