9 years overstay

[BritTim]

13 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

I'd definitely risk the ~1000-baht ticket to Malaysia, head to the airport, and try to avoid the IDC.  That said, 9 years is a long time.  Maybe take a bit of extra cash, which might come in handy, given how things work here.

If I was ever so careless as to be in the OP's position, that would be my choice also. I would also arrive at the airport many hours before the flight is due to leave, allowing the immigration police time to make inquiries about me should they choose to do so.

[Moonmoon]

Problem is I see people in recent times being arrested and sent back to Suan Plu with a dead ticket and a "check this guy out for any outstanding legal issues call" !

 

You may be lucky but then again you may not!  If you can afford the potential wasted ticket that is fine!

 

 

BadBanker, are you saying that even with legal travelling documents, an air ticket out, enough to pay the 20,000baht fine, might get one sent back to the IDC for check of criminal records?

 

I had overstayed b4 ( not proud of it), went to the airport with all of the above, answered all enquiries by the immigration (they were very nice to me), flew out without any problems and came back within a month.

 

 

Edited May 6, 2017 by Moonmoon

[ThaiWai]

7 hours ago, Doiger said:

I wonder if the ops friend even has a valid passport to travel on.

if he is already 9 years overstay then good chance his passport is close to or already expired.

Took the words from my mouth.  At this point maybe subject the expired passport to a tragic accident (a fall from a balcony comes to mind) then go get an emergency travel document and play extremely dumb on the way out of the airport.  I would tape a dozen Snicker bars to my ribs just to be safe.  Got a feeling the chow in the airport lockup ain't all that.  IDK.  Quick derailment, my "friend" is pissing razor blades.  Any TV doctor's along with deportation experts out there.  For my "friend" naturally.

[realenglish1]

4 hours ago, impulse said:

 

I would guess that you didn't have a wife or business partner that cleaned you out, or a medical expense that made it impossible to leave -for economic or whatever reason- or any one of a hundred other things that may have happened to the OP's friend that may have found him in dire financial straits just as the rules about overstay changed.

 

Keep in mind that, until 2 years ago, problems like his were treated so casually by Thailand Immigration that he could have left one day with a 20,000 baht fine, and returned the next day with all forgiven.  Go back in the search function and you'll find hundreds of posts in dozens of threads about guys who were in the exact same situation- and were out of trouble and into their next  Thailand adventure a week later.

 

I haven't a clue why the OP's friend is in the position he's in.  So I'm not going to pass judgment on him.

 

You dont need to pass judgement He broke the law No reason for breaking the law and stop trying to justify what he did 

[overherebc]

26 minutes ago, ThaiWai said:

Took the words from my mouth.  At this point maybe subject the expired passport to a tragic accident (a fall from a balcony comes to mind) then go get an emergency travel document and play extremely dumb on the way out of the airport.  I would tape a dozen Snicker bars to my ribs just to be safe.  Got a feeling the chow in the airport lockup ain't all that.  IDK.  Quick derailment, my "friend" is pissing razor blades.  Any TV doctor's along with deportation experts out there.  For my "friend" naturally.

They don't feed you in the airport lock up. In IDC you get some bread rolls and a bit of rice.

Zitromax tablets. Google it

[hawker9000]

8 hours ago, dbrenn said:

There but for the grace of God my friend. I've known great guys - decent and honest by nature - who married wrongly, hit the booze, drugs, ran out of money and then lived hand to mouth teaching on overstay - unable to get themselves out of the hole that they'd drifted into.

 

It would make you sound a lot more human if you knew the facts surrounding each case before rushing to condemn one of your fellow expatriates.

You mean the hole they dug for themselves, shovelfull by shovelfull.  "Drifted into....".  Lol.  Yeah,  a strong breeze came up all of a sudden and kind of blew them in.  Blame prevailing wind patterns.   

 

Rewrite the narrative with a cute euphemism.

 

The non-euphemized truth is that long overstayers like this, wanting to know if they can hide like little girls by throwing their passports away, just add to the increased scrutiny everyone else playing by the rules must endure.

 

I don't know if an unidentified individual would take up prison residence until identified or not, but the idea gets my vote.

[DerekMarshall]

A foreigner on overstay! Oh my god! lets slaughter him! throw book at him ..full weight of the law! 

 

 

....All while pretty much letting a rather well of high so that killed and dragged a policeman dozens of meters down the road flaunt the law and get away pretty much scott free for years! 

[Moonmoon]

2 minutes ago, DerekMarshall said:

A foreigner on overstay! Oh my god! lets slaughter him! throw book at him ..full weight of the law! 

 

 

....All while pretty much letting a rather well of high so that killed and dragged a policeman dozens of meters down the road flaunt the law and get away pretty much scott free for years! 

Derek calm down, most here are not lynching this foreigner.

Most are just offering their 0.2 worth and some more valuable.

 

As for the hiso getting away with anything is pretty irrelevant to bring up here.

 

[hawker9000]

15 minutes ago, DerekMarshall said:

A foreigner on overstay! Oh my god! lets slaughter him! throw book at him ..full weight of the law! 

 

 

....All while pretty much letting a rather well of high so that killed and dragged a policeman dozens of meters down the road flaunt the law and get away pretty much scott free for years! 

Let's obscure the discussion with some totally irrelevant hyperbole followed by a wild deflection.  At least until we can think of something on topic to contribute...

[Badbanker]

The reason we have a bit draconian overstay punishment is that many people overstayed and broke the law and complained about being punished for it!

 

The reason people are not just sent to Singapore or Hong Kong anymore is, because of one British gentleman who was being deported back to the UK but not under guard to serve jail time for human trafficking, but decided he would jump ship at a transit point and fly back to Cambodia where he still lives.  This upset Thai Immigration and since then it has been flag carrier only to country of origin, with passport in hand of captain!

 

Some people were deported on reasonable grounds but did it again and again.  One Swedish man was deported after 3 months overstay, 10 years in row!

 

Immigration looked at other Western countries laws and modeled this new regulation after them!

[Moonmoon]

4 minutes ago, hawker9000 said:

Let's obscure the discussion with some totally irrelevant hyperbole followed by a wild deflection.  At least until we can think of something on topic to contribute...

yea his comment pretty much made it seem like some here are ready to mete out justice to this 9 years overstayer but willing to let the hiso red bull heir go for his crime. 

 

??? ???

[BritTim]

14 minutes ago, Badbanker said:

The reason people are not just sent to Singapore or Hong Kong anymore is, because of one British gentleman who was being deported back to the UK but not under guard to serve jail time for human trafficking, but decided he would jump ship at a transit point and fly back to Cambodia where he still lives.  This upset Thai Immigration and since then it has been flag carrier only to country of origin, with passport in hand of captain!

Presumably, the British gentleman in question was due to be detained by the authorities on arrival back in the UK. I can understand why, in such a case, the Thais would wish to ensure the gentleman arrived at his intended destination. The position of those being deported for overstay is surely rather different. I could imagine many countries not wanting to receive a deportee but, with him not expected to face criminal proceedings anywhere, I cannot see why the Thai authorities should really care where he ends up. The main thing is that he has left, and will be unable to return should that have been decided.

[Hereinthailand]

I can honestly say after living here in the same fairly large city for 9 years in the NE it isnt hard to stay here without any visa or passport. The only time i have ever been asked for a passport is when I renew my visa or conduct official gov. business and I have been been stopped by police at their roadblocks too many times to remember. All they want is to see my drivers license and its from my home country. I know BKK and surroundings are different but outside that area nobody checks or cares regarding passports, hell they cant read my license let alone my passport so why bother.

[Doiger]

14 minutes ago, Hereinthailand said:

I can honestly say after living here in the same fairly large city for 9 years in the NE it isnt hard to stay here without any visa or passport. The only time i have ever been asked for a passport is when I renew my visa or conduct official gov. business and I have been been stopped by police at their roadblocks too many times to remember. All they want is to see my drivers license and its from my home country. I know BKK and surroundings are different but outside that area nobody checks or cares regarding passports, hell they cant read my license let alone my passport so why bother.

I agree in general with what you say, I have never been asked for my passport when randomly stopped by the police when driving, only my license.

But whether bad luck or not, I have been visited by the police at my house at least once a year for the last 3 years.(small village in surin province)

everytime I have been requested to show my passport and they have checked to make sure my permission to stay is in order.

Edited May 6, 2017 by Doiger

[Ian1980]

Its quite easy to hide in the jungle, if you like this kind of life and you are ready to never see again your homecountry and maybe friends or relatives over there.

Twice i try to travel to Chang Mai to Phuket, once by bus and one using plane: i was never asked for my passport, and when they asked for an ID, driver license was totally enough

 

[YetAnother]

if he has already been here for 9 years, chances are that if he sees the new issues with thai immig, he would just opt to continue his stay

[Doiger]

2 minutes ago, Ian1980 said:

Its quite easy to hide in the jungle, if you like this kind of life and you are ready to never see again your homecountry and maybe friends or relatives over there.

Twice i try to travel to Chang Mai to Phuket, once by bus and one using plane: i was never asked for my passport, and when they asked for an ID, driver license was totally enough

 

You could say that for anywhere, doesn't need to be the jungle, you could easily get lost in Bangkok, Pattaya or Phuket.

it all comes down to whether you are willing to play the system.

people who say it is easier to hide in the jungle have obviously never lived there.

[Ian1980]

4 minutes ago, Doiger said:

 

people who say it is easier to hide in the jungle have obviously never lived there.

I did, from 2002 to 2005: regular job in Korat, but back every day in my home in the jungle....

[Ian1980]

6 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

if he has already been here for 9 years, chances are that if he sees the new issues with thai immig, he would just opt to continue his stay

At this point i agree with you.....i know personally a dutch man that lives here in overstay situation for 17 years...

[Doiger]

11 minutes ago, Ian1980 said:

I did, from 2002 to 2005: regular job in Korat, but back every day in my home in the jungle....

That was 12 years ago, and yes it was much easier then.

but for someone who had been asking within the last couple of months about how to extend there visa or how to get a new visa in savannakhet then obviously you are not too much up to speed with the new regulations.

you mentioned earlier you could get anyone off with overstay regardless of the length of time for 35000 baht at the Malaysian border, if that is the case then why can't you sort a proper visa or permission to stay for yourself?

 

[Ian1980]

1 minute ago, Doiger said:

 

you mentioned earlier you could get anyone off with overstay regardless of the length of time for 35000 baht at the Malaysian border, if that is the case then why can't you sort a proper visa or permission to stay for yourself?

 

i am on Non O visa based on my marriage, with work permit.....which kind of proper visa should i apply for?

[Doiger]

8 minutes ago, Ian1980 said:

i am on Non O visa based on my marriage, with work permit.....which kind of proper visa should i apply for?

I am sorry for being so wrong but by your past posts (asking where you can get a tourist visa in April).

cetainly didn't think you had a non o and a work permit.

[madusa]

Well, you really have a problem there if this is true (9 years).  People who do the border crossing for criminals. In other words they pay off for you and you cross over without problem. You have two payments to make, the money for officials to look other way, the money for this guy who arrange for this to happen.

 You will be dealing with crooks, hardcore type. Or you deal with crooks in uniform and I don't know if they send you to prison. I think you are better off dealing with crooks in uniform. If you are badly treated contact the Internationally Amnesty.

[Ian1980]

Just now, Doiger said:

I am sorry for being so wrong but by your past posts (asking where you can get a tourist visa in April).

cetainly didn't think you had a non o and a work permit.

Oh yes you are right, but the questions are always for friends or guests

[Doiger]

12 minutes ago, Ian1980 said:

Oh yes you are right, but the questions are always for friends or guests

Yeah, really, ok, so your not aware that you can get a 60 day extension based on marriage 

 

Edited May 6, 2017 by Doiger

[chrisinth]

7 hours ago, gandalf12 said:

Of course it is about the laws, you know those things that you have to comply with or have problems with the law. Every country has them.

 

I would agree. However, the vast majority of countries stick with the laws that govern them and do not relax/ignore these laws to increase tourism.

 

As @impulse stated earlier, this was the scenario in Thailand, the authorities were lax on the immigration laws allowing people to be flexible with them. And yes, of course there were those who abused them.

 

However, IMO. it was not the over-stayers that changed the game plan but rather the changing threat from terrorism, real or imagined, that made the authorities enforce their border regulations. And rightly so!

 

And as you should very well know if you have been living here since 1982, the relaxation has been going on for most if not all of that time. I only know from the late 80's when it was only 15(?) days you got for visa exempt. We used to fly in from Hong Kong on a regular basis and stay anywhere up to 3 weeks and just pay the daily 200 baht fine for days over the 15 day mark. It was handy and it was good, especially for people like us who couldn't plan an agenda as we would only know last minute when we were on leave.

 

I never classed myself as a criminal for taking advantage of relaxed regulations.

 

This is not a dig at you gandalf12, just using your comment as a platform to express an opinion (that may have turned into a bit of a rant)..............................

[hobobo]

15 hours ago, dbrenn said:

I think that the OP came to this forum for advice, rather than moralising. He obviously is aware that his friend has broken the law, and that there is a price to pay for doing that.

If he wanted to give his friend advice based on facts and the law, he should have suggested his friend go to any IO because they, better than anyone else, know the law.

[pattayahenry]

15 hours ago, colinneil said:

 

It shows a total disregard for the law, total lack of respect for Thailand.

 

everbody shows disregard for the law, who is drunk driving, bribing a policeman, not carrying an ID at all times, stopping a bahtbus outside of a busstop, driving a car shirtless, has no valid driving license, is using prostitutes , is drinking in bars after legal hours, or does not arrest the red bull boss, in short, everybody in thailand shows disregard for the law, thats why we come here.

 

[overherebc]

9 hours ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

from what i have seen it is possible to pay a lawyer to sort it all out and pay the 20 000thb fine. then you can still stay in thailand. if i was ever in the situation and i was out of cash i would probably hop into cambodia or laos. not sure what i would do then. wonder if it is just a matter of getting a new passport.

Hop into Cambodia when out of cash?? Love it.

Sure you could probabably get over the border into Cambodia and there you are with no cash, your words, no entry stamp, no exit stamp from Thailand and sitting at the side of the road.

It's not the movies, honestly. In the movies you turn up at the Embassy and everybody will take care of you, in real life you won't even get in the gate.

[brucegoniners]

I'm sure many on this board have lots of knowledge here.

 

However my advice would be to have your "friend" talk to a good immigration attorney and see if they could help you, uh, I mean your "friend" out of this mess.

 

9 years? Wow, your uh "friend" must be very forgetful...