News Forum - South African man on 6-month overstay couldn’t afford to get home

[Thaiger]

A South African man was busted for an overstay of about 6 and a half months. The man was arrested in the Thalang district of Phuket and was found to have finished the stamp on his passport 196 days ago. When captured, he gave the excuse that he did not have enough money to get back home. The man was identified as 30 year old Richard Reynolds from South Africa. He had originally entered Thailand back in April of 2019 and had stayed for some time on a non-B visa, the non-immigrant status designated for business travellers. He had been […]

The story South African man on 6-month overstay couldn’t afford to get home as seen on Thaiger News.

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[HolyCowCm]

Not enough money and went on the run. Now how will this be pasted on to all of us to affect us all. Raise the bar for how much we have to have and keep in the bank? Or just show the money upon arrival and at Immigration pit stops or suprise visits from Immigration to where you stay?

[Poolie]

How is he going to be returned to S Africa if he doesn't have enough cash for a ticket?

[Guest1]

19 minutes ago, Poolie said:

How is he going to be returned to S Africa if he doesn't have enough cash for a ticket?

A couple of days in Bangkok Hilton, and the family send everything, he needs. Most often it is enough, to mention that for "no money to buy a ticket", plus that every day ads 300 Baht (I think)  onto the bill he has to pay, before he can leave.

[Poolie]

Not to wish anything on anybody, but if he has family, why is he skint and why expect them to help now? Why not back in May instead of digging the deeper hole?

[Guest1]

Oh, I just read about, all the crackdowns in the past 2 weeks were a 01.12-10.12 operation. If that is true, we will here less about this, for the next couple of weeks. Can anyone confirm, what Pattaya News wrote?

"Operation "

-The campaign is officially running from December 1st to December 10th and is aimed at ensuring safety for the upcoming Christmas and New Year’s holidays.-

Also the immigration offered "no arresting", in case overstayers did come and talked to them?

Did not read anything about that, before.

But that campaigne would explain, why they "found" all the short time overstayer so easily: newest records in the systems

[Guest1]

6 minutes ago, Poolie said:

Not to wish anything on anybody, but if he has family, why is he skint and why expect them to help now? Why not back in May instead of digging the deeper hole?

Not wanting to leave is different than have to leave or go to prison?

[Fanta]

1 hour ago, Poolie said:

How is he going to be returned to S Africa if he doesn't have enough cash for a ticket?

He will go to court and get a fine of 20,000 baht and either pay that or spend 40 days X 500 baht in Immigration Detention Center (IDC) for the fine. Then he sits in IDC until someone buys him a direct flight to S.A. People have been stuck in IDC for years waiting for a ticket home. 

[Poolie]

1 hour ago, Guest1 said:

Not wanting to leave is different than have to leave or go to prison?

Fair comment, but when you're nicked it's harder to say you tried convincingly. 

[Wackamole]

2 hours ago, Fanta said:

He will go to court and get a fine of 20,000 baht and either pay that or spend 40 days X 500 baht in Immigration Detention Center (IDC) for the fine. Then he sits in IDC until someone buys him a direct flight to S.A. People have been stuck in IDC for years waiting for a ticket home. 

afaik IDC adds like 800 bahts a day to what you owe. I think that when after a while it becomes clear you're stuck they just take you to a normal prison with Thais.

[HolyCowCm]

57 minutes ago, Wackamole said:

afaik IDC adds like 800 bahts a day to what you owe. I think that when after a while it becomes clear you're stuck they just take you to a normal prison with Thais.

Wow - really? This 800 baht a day is criminal and corrupt in itself.

[Wackamole]

4 minutes ago, HolyCowCm said:

Wow - really? This 800 baht a day is criminal and corrupt in itself.

It's not all bad though. You get to stay with 40 people in 15m² and the shower-toilets are filthier than in your wildest dreams.

[HolyCowCm]

2 minutes ago, Wackamole said:

It's not all bad though. You get to stay with 40 people in 15m² and the shower-toilets are filthier than in your wildest dreams.

That I have seen via through links or videos. I understand it is segregated as well depending who you are and from where. Aren't Americans the most despised by the inmates? Or is it only the biggest cry baby?

[Wackamole]

4 minutes ago, HolyCowCm said:

That I have seen via through links or videos. I understand it is segregated as well depending who you are and from where. Aren't Americans the most despised by the inmates? Or is it only the biggest cry baby?

I don't think it's segregated and I'd expect inmates to act decently when each other because the vast majority aren't criminals, but everybody's in a s**tty situation. Probably even an American would be fine! Well provided he behaved.