Serious Visa Overstay

[lopburi3]

He could be living in less expensive accommodations at any time.

[Tolley]

Well he has left himself open for someone to take advantage if they wanted to.

That information in the wrong hands could prove very costly.

[dantilley]

Interesting topic in light of a converstion which i had with a good friend of mine last night.

He has been in Pattaya for 6 months and staying at a very upmarket hotel for the whole time.

Last night i asked him about his visa status.

He said that it was five months overdue and that he had worked it out and that seeing that the maximum fine was 20k baht it was cheaper than doing all the visa runs!!!

He seems to think because he has bucketloads of money nothing is a problem.

Sounds like the sort of person who probably wouldn't listen anyway. Probably best just to let "nature" take it's course, if you know what I mean. He'd still be pretty unlucky to get caught, but it sure would be a wake up call if he did!

[LivinLOS]

Ok, so I already know I'm going to get flamed for this, but I have a serious question and was hoping I could get some honest opinions. I was wondering what you all think the chances of getting caught for visa overstay are. If I was to never carry my passport on me, the worst they would do to me would be a fine??? I know this isn't the ideal solution but even the max fine on the way out would be ok. Also if I was staying on an isolated bay of Ko Phangan the chances of getting "busted" would be much less right? Please help, thanks,

Zach.

You will be looking over your shouder forever.

And.. How will you get there? The police often get on the buses these days and check everybodies passports and ID cards as they have nothing much else to do between Hua Hin and Chumphorn in the middle of the night.

You can never again check into a hotel or rent a motorbike or car, cannot buy one, and if you are ever in an accident of any kind, the game is up and you are in the wrong regardless as you shouldn't have been there

Just get a Thai driving license

[LivinLOS]

Oh, and should you ever want to leave Thailand even if it's just for one day, you're screwed.

Hardly screwed you just pay the 20k..

Its the getting caught before leaving the country thats the problem..

[astor]

If you never carry your passport they'll gaol you until you produce it. If you get caught in-country you will be gaoled until you produce enough money to buy a ticket out.

I never carry my passport with me. Because I don’t want get the risk to theft, loose or damage the book . The passport validity is 10 years. But if I keep my passport for 7 / 8 years in the pocket or wallet, after that time my passport book is suitable to recycle bin .

In case of steal or loose is a big trouble only for me, not for them.

So I carry only a copy , if they want to look my passport they may came in my home and I 'll show it .

[JimsKnight]

If you never carry your passport they'll gaol you until you produce it. If you get caught in-country you will be gaoled until you produce enough money to buy a ticket out.

I never carry my passport with me. Because I don’t want get the risk to theft, loose or damage the book . The passport validity is 10 years. But if I keep my passport for 7 / 8 years in the pocket or wallet, after that time my passport book is suitable to recycle bin .

In case of steal or loose is a big trouble only for me, not for them.

So I carry only a copy , if they want to look my passport they may came in my home and I 'll show it .

You can get passport covers to protect you passport though astor.

To that rich dude who thinks his dough will protect him, he may still have to do the jail time if he gets caught and then may end up black-listed. Big Money won't erase that so easily!

[astor]

If you never carry your passport they'll gaol you until you produce it. If you get caught in-country you will be gaoled until you produce enough money to buy a ticket out.

I never carry my passport with me. Because I don’t want get the risk to theft, loose or damage the book . The passport validity is 10 years. But if I keep my passport for 7 / 8 years in the pocket or wallet, after that time my passport book is suitable to recycle bin .

In case of steal or loose is a big trouble only for me, not for them.

So I carry only a copy , if they want to look my passport they may came in my home and I 'll show it .

You can get passport covers to protect you passport though astor.

To that rich dude who thinks his dough will protect him, he may still have to do the jail time if he gets caught and then may end up black-listed. Big Money won't erase that so easily!

And against risk of steal ? How can I do against that?

I heard you can just be fined , but anything about jail, and black list .

You can be arrested and blacklisted in the case your passport is not genuine ,or expired . But not because you just not carry it.

Where did you hear that?

[lopburi3]

The post is about overstay - not about not having passport with him. If he is caught by police he will go to jail.

If you are unable to produce photo id (and for foreigners that seems to be passports these days) you can be held in custody until such time as it is delivered to the police station involved so it could make for a very bad day, or night.

[astor]

The post is about overstay - not about not having passport with him.

Some previous posts talkin about that also.

If he is caught by police he will go to jail.

The source?

If you are unable to produce photo id

But I not unable to produce my passport. If the copy is not enough ,I pick up my passport in my house .it takes only 10 minutes .

(and for foreigners that seems to be passports these days) you can be held in custody until such time as it is delivered to the police station involved so it could make for a very bad day, or night.

Many friends of mine came in Thailand as a tourists , but everybody keep the passport in the safety box of the hotel. Nobody carry the passport , only a copy.

[dantilley]

The post is about overstay - not about not having passport with him. If he is caught by police he will go to jail.

If you are unable to produce photo id (and for foreigners that seems to be passports these days) you can be held in custody until such time as it is delivered to the police station involved so it could make for a very bad day, or night.

But a photocopy's OK, correct? I hope so anyway because that's all I've carried around for ages!

[lopburi3]

It is up the the police. In most cases they are not strict and will accept a photo copy of drivers license but some have found this not the case, especially during drug tests, and have spent some time in local police station until friends could deliver passport. But in most cases they would escort you to retrieve if same town. I would not be too worried in local area but always carry when traveling elsewhere.

[bendix]

I feel nothing but contempt for these people who treat Thaiand's immigration lawyers as a game - something not to be taken seriously. There are thousands of us who live here, work here, pay taxes and go to great lengths to ensure our stay is legal. Then you get arrogant pricks like the deliberate over-stayers who flagrantly take the piss and cause the authorities to tighten up the laws for everyone else.

Tossers.

The problem, of course, is the paltry 20,000 baht maximum fine. People take the chance they won't get stopped by police in the meantime and know they only have to pay up when they leave.

Frankly, I would have no problem at all if they increased that to a million baht, and those who couldn't pay were made to do some IDC time.

[webfact]

>and those who couldn't pay were made to do some IDC time.<

I spend some time in IDC - 18 years ago. Trust me - it was pure hel_l and conditions these days haven't changed from 18 years ago!

[dantilley]

It is up the the police. In most cases they are not strict and will accept a photo copy of drivers license but some have found this not the case, especially during drug tests, and have spent some time in local police station until friends could deliver passport. But in most cases they would escort you to retrieve if same town. I would not be too worried in local area but always carry when traveling elsewhere.

Good, that's pretty much my routine. I don't generally carry it about with me in Bangkok but will always have it with me when outside. Photocopy is always kept in the wallet though.