News Forum - Kuwaiti overstayer busted in Koh Pha Ngan, Thailand

[Thaiger]

Police have busted a Kuwaiti overstayer on Thailand’s island of Koh Pha Ngan, as Thai cops continue to crack down on overstayers.  The man, 56 year old Rashed Hea Juma, has overstayed his visa by 16 days, according to police. Surat Thani Immigration officers arrested Rashed at a house in the Baan Tai sub-district earlier this week.  Rashed was taken to the Koh Pha-ngan Police Station to face overstaying charges, and is waiting to be deported, The Phuket Express reported. This news comes after another two foreigners were reported to have been arrested for overstaying just yesterday. One foreigner arrested […]

The story Kuwaiti overstayer busted in Koh Pha Ngan, Thailand as seen on Thaiger News.

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[Soidog]

Why doesn’t he claim he’s a refugee?  Oh wait. Thailand is one of a handful of countries that didn’t sign the 1951 UN charter on refugee status and unlike many of the other countries who didn’t sign, set up alternative arrangements, hasn’t done that either. They are making some progress, but looking at the timeline below, this looks like another grin fu*#ing exercise on the part of the Thai government.

[Wackamole]

It is worrying that they crack down on such short overstays.

Sometimes shlt happens, you can't make your flight, and the ones in the few days after that are 10x the price.. Used to feel like a fair option to get to airport and pay the 500x days fine on your way out, given that it maxes out at 20k, one could be forgiven for thinking they had 40 days to deal with a situation.

[Marc26]

  On 12/9/2022 at 12:06 AM, Wackamole said:

It is worrying that they crack down on such short overstays.

Sometimes shlt happens, you can't make your flight, and the ones in the few days after that are 10x the price.. Used to feel like a fair option to get to airport and pay the 500x days fine on your way out, given that it maxes out at 20k, one could be forgiven for thinking they had 40 days to deal with a situation.

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No one should overstay their visa for 40 days!

[Manu]

  On 12/9/2022 at 12:06 AM, Wackamole said:

It is worrying that they crack down on such short overstays.

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Politic mate. BJ makes an announcement, they arrest 6 people within a few weeks, make a big deal out of it in the media, it makes the most conservatives voters happy (so therefore the government since it is the idea), that's all. So 6 within a few weeks as mentioned in the article, how many 100s or most probably 1000s are out there? How many got away with it by...well, you know, a brown enveloppe? This is not what I call a crackdown, just a little bit of publicity for the government ahead of the elections coming soon. A classic and so obvious political move. This is the reason and the only reason of BJ reinstatement by Prayut.

[Wackamole]

  On 12/9/2022 at 1:43 AM, Marc26 said:

No one should overstay their visa for 40 days!

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Of course not but once in a lifetime unforeseen circumstances can happen and leave you stranded. If that ever happens, I don't see the harm in letting someone stay for 500 baht a day.

[HolyCowCm]

When they announce and pounce one needs to take it serious that they are looking and will try to find you. They do take their silly little campaigns serious and they do get results, if they want to.

[Pinetree]

  On 12/9/2022 at 6:09 AM, HolyCowCm said:

hey do take their silly little campaigns serious and they do get results

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why is it 'silly' to arrest overstaying people ?  I dont get that comment at all. 

[Soidog]

  On 12/9/2022 at 12:06 AM, Wackamole said:

It is worrying that they crack down on such short overstays.

Sometimes shlt happens, you can't make your flight, and the ones in the few days after that are 10x the price.. Used to feel like a fair option to get to airport and pay the 500x days fine on your way out, given that it maxes out at 20k, one could be forgiven for thinking they had 40 days to deal with a situation.

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I think if you have a genuine problem with a flight or even an illness, the correct thing to do would be to contact immigration and make them aware. It’s the staying and looking like you had no intention to leave that’s the problem. Honesty is always the best course, even in Thailand and its immigration department. 

[Marc26]

  On 12/9/2022 at 5:31 AM, Wackamole said:

Of course not but once in a lifetime unforeseen circumstances can happen and leave you stranded. If that ever happens, I don't see the harm in letting someone stay for 500 baht a day.

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There is always harm from overstayers 

It's puts more scrutiny on people trying to obtain visas and abide by the rules properly

Unless you are incapacitated there is zero reason to overtstay even for a few days 

[Soidog]

  On 12/9/2022 at 1:40 PM, Marc26 said:

Unless you are incapacitated there is zero reason to overtstay even for a few days 

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Having the money to leave or fear of what may happen to you on your return home could be a couple of reasons. If Thailand took a more sympathetic view of such issues then maybe fewer people would act illegally? I’m not trying to justify overstayers, it’s wrong in the vast majority of cases, but there are exceptions to every rule. 

[HolyCowCm]

  On 12/9/2022 at 1:07 PM, Pinetree said:

why is it 'silly' to arrest overstaying people ?  I dont get that comment at all. 

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Because it is only a song and dance show with them sprouting from a hot Triad story in the news, so they try to act hard and proactive. It will die down again. It is only a dog and pony show, especially with Joke at the helm. 

[Marc26]

  On 12/9/2022 at 1:47 PM, Soidog said:

Having the money to leave or fear of what may happen to you on your return home could be a couple of reasons. If Thailand took a more sympathetic view of such issues then maybe fewer people would act illegally? I’m not trying to justify overstayers, it’s wrong in the vast majority of cases, but there are exceptions to every rule. 

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Sorry but none of that makes sense........

They should be more lenient on people who irrepsonsibly flew to another country without enough money? And they should be worried about what happens to them on their return home?

That's ridiculous thinking

As someone who has been doing Immigrant visas for almost 20 years now for me and my family, I have zero sympathy for anyone who deliberately overstays

As I stressed before, losers who overstay make it harder for people who are trying to do it the right way

[HolyCowCm]

  On 12/9/2022 at 3:25 PM, Marc26 said:

As I stressed before, losers who overstay make it harder for people who are trying to do it the right way

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Unfortunately 

[Marc26]

  On 12/9/2022 at 3:16 PM, HolyCowCm said:

Because it is only a song and dance show with them sprouting from a hot Triad story in the news, so they try to act hard and proactive. It will die down again. It is only a dog and pony show, especially with Joke at the helm. 

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The "show" has a purpose

How else will people know they go after overstayers........

You need people to be aware to then not do it themselves

Now, as you said, they may go back to doing nothing about it.....but it does have a purpose

[Soidog]

  On 12/9/2022 at 3:25 PM, Marc26 said:

Sorry but none of that makes sense........

They should be more lenient on people who irrepsonsibly flew to another country without enough money? And they should be worried about what happens to them on their return home?

That's ridiculous thinking

As someone who has been doing Immigrant visas for almost 20 years now for me and my family, I have zero sympathy for anyone who deliberately overstays

As I stressed before, losers who overstay make it harder for people who are trying to do it the right way

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Well things can change Marc. Perhaps you are lucky not to have faced issues and your life as an American living in Canada is very comfortable. This guy is Kuwaiti and who knows what his family or professional circumstances are?

As I said, I have little if any sympathy with overstayers and certainly only in exceptional circumstances would I have sympathy. My point however,  is that my sympathy level is still a whole lot better than the official stance of the Thai authorities. As an American you will also find the US authorities would have more sympathy. 

[HolyCowCm]

Yes it does have a purpose, but it is ridiculous how they always go about things especially with Joke back in the spotlight.I always am above board, but one has to always wonder then worry if they tighten the screws down a little harder which will effect us. 

[Marc26]

  On 12/9/2022 at 3:35 PM, Soidog said:

Well things can change Marc. Perhaps you are lucky not to have faced issues and your life as an American living in Canada is very comfortable. This guy is Kuwaiti and who knows what his family or professional circumstances are?

As I said, I have little if any sympathy with overstayers and certainly only in exceptional circumstances would I have sympathy. My point however,  is that my sympathy level is still a whole lot better than the official stance of the Thai authorities. As an American you will also find the US authorities would have more sympathy. 

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Although I am very sympathetic to illegal immigrants( I LOVE Mexicans) I also would never complain about the law being enforced on them

And there may be a "legitimate" reason to overstay a few days but anything more then it was just a disregard of the rules/law

[Marc26]

  On 12/9/2022 at 3:38 PM, HolyCowCm said:

Yes it does have a purpose, but it is ridiculous how they always go about things especially with Joke back in the spotlight.I always am above board, but one has to always wonder then worry if they tighten the screws down a little harder which will effect us. 

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And that goes back to the point I made initialy

Overstaying isn't a "victimless crime"

We are the potential victims

[HolyCowCm]

  On 12/9/2022 at 3:40 PM, Marc26 said:

And that goes back to the point I made initialy

Overstaying isn't a "victimless crime"

We are the potential victims

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Yep. We have potential to get caught up in the fallout as we all get lumped together. 

[Soidog]

  On 12/9/2022 at 3:39 PM, Marc26 said:

Although I am very sympathetic to illegal immigrants( I LOVE Mexicans) I also would never complain about the law being enforced on them

And there may be a "legitimate" reason to overstay a few days but anything more then it was just a disregard of the rules/law

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Well neither of us know the full circumstances of this person. He could well be a lazy cheeky SOB who needs fining and kicking out. Equally, he could be concerned about returning home due to circumstances changing in the time he’s been away which could endanger him. My point is that either way, he will be fined and kicked out by the Thai authorities. 

[Saunk]

  On 12/9/2022 at 1:47 PM, Soidog said:

I’m not trying to justify overstayers,

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That's exactly what you're doing lol.

[Soidog]

  On 12/13/2022 at 2:30 PM, Saunk said:

That's exactly what you're doing lol.

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No I’m not. That’s why I said it. I simply tried to say that sometimes things are not black and white.