News Forum - Visa la Vida: British man busted in Chiang Mai after 25-year overstay

[Thaiger]

In a stunning immigration crackdown, Chiang Mai Immigration arrested a British man who had overstayed his visa by an astonishing 9,135 days – more than 25 years. The man, whose name has not been released, managed to evade authorities for over two decades, making this one of the longest visa overstays ever recorded in Thailand. … …

The story Visa la Vida: British man busted in Chiang Mai after 25-year overstay as seen on Thaiger News.

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[AussieBob]

Given the maximum fine is 20,000 Baht for overstays - I make it that he will have paid 800 Baht a year - plus he has avoided all the 90 days reporting (about 100 times) - and he has avoided the annual begging to stay another 12 months process for 25 times - and he has no change of address notifications.  Well done mate - credit where it is due. 

[ChrisS]

  On 2/25/2025 at 10:45 AM, AussieBob said:

Given the maximum fine is 20,000 Baht for overstays - I make it that he will have paid 800 Baht a year - plus he has avoided all the 90 days reporting (about 100 times) - and he has avoided the annual begging to stay another 12 months process for 25 times - and he has no change of address notifications.  Well done mate - credit where it is due. 

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Not so clever maybe I suspect he will be getting 'not allowed back' status after his deportation!

[Ramanathan.P]

Anyway he hold the guiness world record for staying  longest in Thailand with a single tourists visa

[23RD]

  On 2/25/2025 at 11:18 AM, ChrisS said:

Not so clever maybe I suspect he will be getting 'not allowed back' status after his deportation!

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That's the worse part 25 years in The Land of Smiles and now heading back to the UK and I dare say this Chap burnt all his Bridges there a long time ago. 

[cowslip]

I wondr how many others with long stays there are?

[Khunmark]

Gold watch? Where I come from you get a gold watch after 25 years of service.

[Pinetree]

  On 2/25/2025 at 10:45 AM, AussieBob said:

Given the maximum fine is 20,000 Baht for overstays - I make it that he will have paid 800 Baht a year - plus he has avoided all the 90 days reporting (about 100 times) - and he has avoided the annual begging to stay another 12 months process for 25 times - and he has no change of address notifications.  Well done mate - credit where it is due. 

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and he's a criminal and just makes life more difficult for us law abiding folk.  He's a menace and an idiot.  Good riddance. 

[AussieBob]

  On 2/25/2025 at 11:18 AM, ChrisS said:

Not so clever maybe I suspect he will be getting 'not allowed back' status after his deportation!

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Yes definitely will be banned from entry again - and not likely to ever be allowed in any other country as his details will be on the 'black list'.  But what a ride - 25 years and no hassles and minimal costs.

[AussieBob]

  On 2/25/2025 at 12:08 PM, Pinetree said:

and he's a criminal and just makes life more difficult for us law abiding folk.  He's a menace and an idiot.  Good riddance. 

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Yes he is a criminal - but he has not hurt anyone. Your view is only valid IMO if he was making money here (untaxed etc.) or was engaged in any illegal activities. But given there has been none of that reported, perhaps he was 'self funded' from back home (he did renew his Passport a few times). 

But what it clearly shows to me, and I wish it would be seen that way by Thai authorities, is that the whole Immigration Police system for Expats, especially the 90 day reporting, is a total load of khrapp and should be changed. The current system clearly does not work, and all it does is in your words is 'make life more difficult for us law abiding folk'. 

There has to be a system of control/management, but think about this - in that same 25 year period, many law abiding folks did have to go through all that bulldust and deal with all the ever changing BS rules and regulations and report every 90 days. Do you remember that TM30 clamp down for anyone staying outside their registered province for more than 24 hours?  Expats were fined and their 90 day and 12 months applications were rejected (if a hotel reported them). 

The whole Immigration enforcement system here is khrapp and unfair - and that he was able to avoid it all (while hurting no one) is IMO OK (unless as I said above, he was engaged in any illegal activities).  But if he was just living quietly and enjoying life here using his own money, then I say 'well done mate'. 

[Pinetree]

  On 2/26/2025 at 4:23 AM, AussieBob said:

Yes he is a criminal - but he has not hurt anyone. Your view is only valid IMO if he was making money here (untaxed etc.) or was engaged in any illegal activities. But given there has been none of that reported, perhaps he was 'self funded' from back home (he did renew his Passport a few times). 

But what it clearly shows to me, and I wish it would be seen that way by Thai authorities, is that the whole Immigration Police system for Expats, especially the 90 day reporting, is a total load of khrapp and should be changed. The current system clearly does not work, and all it does is in your words is 'make life more difficult for us law abiding folk'. 

There has to be a system of control/management, but think about this - in that same 25 year period, many law abiding folks did have to go through all that bulldust and deal with all the ever changing BS rules and regulations and report every 90 days. Do you remember that TM30 clamp down for anyone staying outside their registered province for more than 24 hours?  Expats were fined and their 90 day and 12 months applications were rejected (if a hotel reported them). 

The whole Immigration enforcement system here is khrapp and unfair - and that he was able to avoid it all (while hurting no one) is IMO OK (unless as I said above, he was engaged in any illegal activities).  But if he was just living quietly and enjoying life here using his own money, then I say 'well done mate'. 

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All that may be true, but all I think is that I fervently wish the UK had such a system for its 'guests'.  

[Skip]

  On 2/26/2025 at 4:23 AM, AussieBob said:

Yes he is a criminal - but he has not hurt anyone. 

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Ah, but he has... he and those like him create an atmosphere of distrust by Thailand immigration that is passed on by default, right or wrong, to those of us that abide by the laws.

[Mamachigawa]

  On 2/26/2025 at 11:31 PM, Skip said:

Ah, but he has... he and those like him create an atmosphere of distrust by Thailand immigration that is passed on by default, right or wrong, to those of us that abide by the laws.

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So he is dragging us down?

Since he may not have actually harmed anybody or been a burden on Thailand in fact he has been bringing in money every year unless he has been working or stringing off a woman maybe lets talk about why we need a boarder or a visa anyway. A win win situation

Edited February 26 by Mamachigawa

[Mamachigawa]

  On 2/26/2025 at 4:09 AM, AussieBob said:

Yes definitely will be banned from entry again - and not likely to ever be allowed in any other country as his details will be on the 'black list'.  But what a ride - 25 years and no hassles and minimal costs.

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No any other country cares or knows he overstayed in Thailand he can get a new passport and be sat up in Cambodia soon if he has money. He should have been able to save a large on photocopies over 25 years alone

[AussieBob]

  On 2/26/2025 at 11:31 PM, Skip said:

Ah, but he has... he and those like him create an atmosphere of distrust by Thailand immigration that is passed on by default, right or wrong, to those of us that abide by the laws.

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Rubbish. It means SFA to them - you clearly dont understand Thais. What creates the distrust is 2 things - elitist racism and the poor behaviours of many Expats. 

[AussieBob]

  On 2/26/2025 at 8:04 AM, Pinetree said:

All that may be true, but all I think is that I fervently wish the UK had such a system for its 'guests'.  

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Cannot argue with that.

[AussieBob]

  On 2/26/2025 at 11:53 PM, Mamachigawa said:

No any other country cares or knows he overstayed in Thailand he can get a new passport and be sat up in Cambodia soon if he has money. He should have been able to save a large on photocopies over 25 years alone

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Not true anymore. Once black-banned by a country linked with others under international treaties, people are generally banned from entering other countries. Maybe Myanmar or some African countries will not care, but certainly not Cambodia. 

[Manu]

  On 2/26/2025 at 11:31 PM, Skip said:

Ah, but he has... he and those like him create an atmosphere of distrust by Thailand immigration that is passed on by default, right or wrong, to those of us that abide by the laws.

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Now this one is funny...

Firstly, how???

Secondly but mostly: I guess you are not taking into account the countless dodgy visas offered by... yes, immigration itself, through countless of "agents" all over Thailand. Even a certain bank is in it. I know a fair amount of people who have had a retirement visa exactly that way.

The whole immigration is the first one to not abiding by the laws, cashing out big from those going the doddgy way to obtain a visa, the main reason being that they do not want or are not able to transfer 800 000 bths in a Thai bank. Is this practice also being passed on to those abiding the laws? Nope, nothing is passed on to anybody in a country where the law is a very vague concept.

This guy did not just avoid for many years the immigration laws but also the immigration crooks. I'd say, well done!

[Pinetree]

  On 2/26/2025 at 11:50 PM, Mamachigawa said:

So he is dragging us down?

Since he may not have actually harmed anybody or been a burden on Thailand in fact he has been bringing in money every year unless he has been working or stringing off a woman maybe lets talk about why we need a boarder or a visa anyway. A win win situation

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Do I have to point out the  obvious,  again, he broke immigration law, in spades, in a country where he is an alien. The guy is a dick and deserves all that's coming to him.  

[Fanta]

  On 2/27/2025 at 11:49 AM, Pinetree said:

Do I have to point out the  obvious,  again, he broke immigration law, in spades, in a country where he is an alien. The guy is a dick and deserves all that's coming to him.  

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He didn’t harm anyone, only offended the delicate sensibilities of the prim and proper. 

Sidenote: I know I can count on you to sign my petition to neuter all the underdogs. Check your DMs for the link. 

[Pinetree]

  On 2/27/2025 at 12:05 PM, Fanta said:

He didn’t harm anyone, only offended the delicate sensibilities of the prim and proper. 

Sidenote: I know I can count on you to sign my petition to neuter all the underdogs. Check your DMs for the link. 

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People can't pick and choose what laws they want to follow and ones they will disregard. Thais might do that, we can't.   I presume that expats wouldn't do that in their own country, so what makes him, and others on here, think that you can do it here, without severe consequence.  To think otherwise is the height of foreign arrogance and idiocy. The same people bleating on here that he hasn't harmed anyone are often the self same people who bitterly complain about the need for yearly extensions, 800K bank accounts, re entry stamps and 90 day reports.  It's precisely why the Thais insist on these measures,  to stop illegal immigration and over stays.   This idiot, and those like him, just ensure that these measures will not only stay in place, but will no doubt be strengthened in coming years.,  i have no doubt at all that more stringent financial requirements for expats will come. Blame that in part on people like him. 

[Skip]

  On 2/27/2025 at 4:05 AM, AussieBob said:

  the poor behaviours of many Expats. 

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And overstaying is exactly that... my point

[AussieBob]

  On 2/27/2025 at 11:49 AM, Pinetree said:

Do I have to point out the  obvious,  again, he broke immigration law, in spades, in a country where he is an alien. The guy is a dick and deserves all that's coming to him.  

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So you never break any Thai rules or laws? What a hero to us inferior flawed people. Lodged that tax return yet? Do you get a tax clearance certificate before leaving the country? Report to Immigration whenever staying outside the Province for more than 24 hours? I could go on and on about all the ridiculous rules and laws in this country - most of which are ignored by both Thais and Expats with any sense. 

[AussieBob]

  On 2/27/2025 at 11:49 AM, Pinetree said:

Do I have to point out the  obvious,  again, he broke immigration law, in spades, in a country where he is an alien. The guy is a dick and deserves all that's coming to him.  

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Yep - a 20K Baht fine and sent back to home country and black banned. The only trouble he is/will have is staying in the Immigration Detention Centre (but far better than in a Thai Jail).

[AussieBob]

  On 2/27/2025 at 1:33 PM, Pinetree said:

People can't pick and choose what laws they want to follow and ones they will disregard. Thais might do that, we can't.   I presume that expats wouldn't do that in their own country, so what makes him, and others on here, think that you can do it here, without severe consequence.  To think otherwise is the height of foreign arrogance and idiocy. The same people bleating on here that he hasn't harmed anyone are often the self same people who bitterly complain about the need for yearly extensions, 800K bank accounts, re entry stamps and 90 day reports.  It's precisely why the Thais insist on these measures,  to stop illegal immigration and over stays.   This idiot, and those like him, just ensure that these measures will not only stay in place, but will no doubt be strengthened in coming years.,  i have no doubt at all that more stringent financial requirements for expats will come. Blame that in part on people like him. 

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Have a beer and take a pill mate - calm down - he has not been abusing children or selling heroin mate or raping women or killing people or running scam call centres, etc etc etc.