Overstay Fee Hassle

[BradleyTheBuyer]

I overstayed my 60day tourist visa by two days. The line for immigration was over an hour long, and having arrived to the airport about 90 minutes before my flight, I found myself with 10 minutes left to flight time and I didn't even pass the ~20 minute security check line yet. I was ordered to go to the overstay counter where the flight attendants were waiting to escort me to the front of the security line. There was another lady in front of me in the line which got into a verbal confrontation with the overstay official when she seized her passport. This lady instead just forcefully took her passport back and pretended to go back out of immigration, when in reality she just walked by the overstay desk and passed through security. The overstay fee was 1000 baht, but I only had about 700 THB. I started explaining myself to the overstay official, saying that I would give her the 700 baht, as well as 20 USD note (600baht), or pay with credit card. At that point, her nightmarket salesman mentality took hold and she started yelling at me "I no pay for your vacation", "this is my country", "you need my stamp". I was respectful up to that point and thought I was offering her a good deal (my 20 USD for her 300baht). Heck, she could have politely declined and sent me to the exchange place. Instead she took my passport out of my hands, put it in her desk drawer and told me to get the rest of the money. At that point, I lost my temper and demanded my passport back (even the exchange counter at the airport wants to see the passport) because I didn't want this cunt to have my most precious document. The flight attendants were getting angry that this was taking so long and encouraged me to just exchange the money. I had to go back past the immigration line and get the money exchanged, getting hassled by the exchange counter for not having my passport. Upon coming back, I understandably am not in the best mood and demand that this filthy whore stamp my passport and let my on my way. Apparently she didn't like the way I signed the receipt, so she made me do it again twice. Then she gave me some more lip and demanded that I tell her "Yes, I need your stamp". At that point, I already made up my mind to tell her "I need your stamp just as much as you need me to barfine your daughter 3 times a week so she can send you money for your somtam", but decided that speaking my mind probably wasn't worth getting assraped in thai prison. Instead I did an exaggeratedly prolonged sawatdeekap bow and ran to my gate.

 

I felt disrespected as a spending tourist in this country. I understand that rules are rules, but what is the point of being condescending and saying that "she wont pay for my vacation?" and then seizing my passport?

[Edge]

Sounds like you were lucky to get on your flight.

 

Did you not know that you'd overstayed 2 days and that it's 500 Baht/day?

[BradleyTheBuyer]

Sounds like you were lucky to get on your flight.

 

Did you not know that you'd overstayed 2 days and that it's 500 Baht/day?

 

I wasn't positive how to count the day of arrival and the day of departure but apparently both were counted against me. I thought that I overstayed 1 day and heard that it is sometimes overlooked. My issue with this is not the actual overstay rule, but how they enforce it. Since it is past the customs/immigration point, i think it is unreasonable for them to only accept payment in baht. After all, it is a minor currency and it isn't uncommon for people to have exchanged all their money in the terminal.

In addition, an airport official shouldn't have the demeanor of a jetski scammer and trying to assert her dominance over the very people who allow her to keep her job.

[PawYai]

mate its 500 a day and you should have had the money....recently heard of an american chappy being a bit lippy with immigration on landing snatching his passport back,he got a few months in the monkey house and deported yes it is there country and imho you were very lucky...when i go to the states i get attitude and arrogance from immigration on landing i bite my lip..yet when i see a large queue of irrate passengers in any other country you can guarantee its the american mouthing off.

You disrespected her in her country and she gave you a small lesson could have been much worst.

you even disrespect the currency (its a minor currency)ffs its thailand or is it only the great and mighty dollar they should accept! maybe ill offer to pay any fees in the states in baht next time or even afghan rupees i wonder what Chuck would say to that...get a grip

Edited June 28, 2011 by PawYai

[cariden]

gosh, could you please remove your flag, you embarass my country with your attitude.

[Edge]

I wasn't positive how to count the day of arrival and the day of departure but apparently both were counted against me. I thought that I overstayed 1 day and heard that it is sometimes overlooked. My issue with this is not the actual overstay rule, but how they enforce it. Since it is past the customs/immigration point, i think it is unreasonable for them to only accept payment in baht. After all, it is a minor currency and it isn't uncommon for people to have exchanged all their money in the terminal.

In addition, an airport official shouldn't have the demeanor of a jetski scammer and trying to assert her dominance over the very people who allow her to keep her job.

 

For the overstay it was your responsibility to know the number of days. It's easy enough to check and you should have arrived at the airport prepared for the result or you should have paid for an extension at Immigration before you went into overstay.

 

I understand what you're saying and what your point is, but you're being both arrogant and naive to think that the official is there to serve you and that you keep her in a job.

 

I see others have made the point so I won't labour that. I'll just repeat that it sounds like you were very lucky to get on that flight. There have been several cases where rudeness to officials has resulted in the offender being granted a further extension to their stay in Thailand - in the monkey house. I suggest that if you return that you try to wise up about how things work here.

 

 

 

[dave01]

The OP makes the error... and the overstay lady is at fault??? 5555 Well that will do me... Not sure who was disrespected here.. pretty sure it wasn't the whinging overstayer

[gmoule]

Fuck cant people post on this forum without getting slaTed

Edited June 29, 2011 by gmoule

[ricktoronto]

A tip to the OP. It isn't your country. Show up on time (90 minutes for people in coach is barely enough on a good day) when you know you have broken the law, shut your cake hole, have enough money to pay the fine and quit embarrassing yourself and your countrymen who know better.

 

They did have the option to arrest you, hold you for days in immigration prison and then deport you , would that havebeen preferable?

 

You don't "allow" her to keep her job. What part of being in a foreign country where you don't settle things by yelling don't you get?

[pallmall]

You overstayed. You didn't leave enough time to sort this out at Immigration. You didn't even have the correct Baht to pay the fine. But its not your fault. It is the fault of the immigration official.

 

You should speak to a non-American and ask them how courteous US Customs and Immigration are at US airports.

[jimmyjam]

mate its 500 a day and you should have had the money....recently heard of an american chappy being a bit lippy with immigration on landing snatching his passport back,he got a few months in the monkey house and deported yes it is there country and imho you were very lucky...when i go to the states i get attitude and arrogance from immigration on landing i bite my lip..yet when i see a large queue of irrate passengers in any other country you can guarantee its the american mouthing off.

You disrespected her in her country and she gave you a small lesson could have been much worst.

you even disrespect the currency (its a minor currency)ffs its thailand or is it only the great and mighty dollar they should accept! maybe ill offer to pay any fees in the states in baht next time or even afghan rupees i wonder what Chuck would say to that...get a grip

 

u eat at McDonalds all the time........... BAHAHA...........LMAO....

[jimmyjam]

Fuck cant people post on this forum without getting slaTed

 

 

sometimes it gets ugly around here man, if these mongers are not in thailand banging a few LBFMs they are hard to deal with... LMAO!!!!

[Edge]

Fuck cant people post on this forum without getting slaTed

 

Of course - often and usually...................and your opinion re the Topic is??????

 

 

 

[gmoule]

He shouldn't of overstated in first place lol but cant blame him in los can we 555

[AceFromNJ]

I must be the only one who deals with the public in my job, because this is hilariously obvious. The poor woman was just embarrassed and abused by the person in front of you in the line, and then decides (subconsciously, of course) to unload all the abuse she wanted to fire at that woman on you. That's all it was. This confrontation had nothing to do with you and everything to do with the bitch in line in front of you, is how I see it. Doesn't make it excusable, but does make it understandable.

[cariden]

"I must be the only one who deals with the public in my job, because this is hilariously obvious. The poor woman was just embarrassed and abused by the person in front of you in the line, and then decides (subconsciously, of course) to unload all the abuse she wanted to fire at that woman on you. That's all it was. This confrontation had nothing to do with you and everything to do with the bitch in line in front of you, is how I see it. Doesn't make it excusable, but does make it understandable"

 

 

I would like him to act like this to a tsa agent coming back from thailand and see what prison and cavity searches he would have to endure.. he acted like an ass and this one of the reasons that we(usa citizens)are looked down on.

10,000 use citizens could go through the lines and not make a fuss but one american does and we are all labels as jerks.

[kansuwan]

You overstayed. You didn't leave enough time to sort this out at Immigration. You didn't even have the correct Baht to pay the fine. But its not your fault. It is the fault of the immigration official.

 

You should speak to a non-American and ask them how courteous US Customs and Immigration are at US airports.

[BradleyTheBuyer]

gosh, could you please remove your flag, you embarass my country with your attitude.

 

 

You embarrass my language with your spelling.

[BradleyTheBuyer]

mate its 500 a day and you should have had the money....recently heard of an american chappy being a bit lippy with immigration on landing snatching his passport back,he got a few months in the monkey house and deported yes it is there country and imho you were very lucky...when i go to the states i get attitude and arrogance from immigration on landing i bite my lip..yet when i see a large queue of irrate passengers in any other country you can guarantee its the american mouthing off.

You disrespected her in her country and she gave you a small lesson could have been much worst.

you even disrespect the currency (its a minor currency)ffs its thailand or is it only the great and mighty dollar they should accept! maybe ill offer to pay any fees in the states in baht next time or even afghan rupees i wonder what Chuck would say to that...get a grip

 

I see and understand your point. I did not disrespect her, the currency or the country until she started with me. What I should have done is bit my lip and kept going. Say whatever the fuck you want about Americans having an attitude of entitlement, but I all I did is post my TR of the encounter with the airport official and suggested that they could have had a smoother implementation of this overstay law.

[pubstud]

I see people all the time, on this forum and many other forums, discussing overstay visa as an alternative or an option, to me that's real dumb. Overstay is illegal, you are breaking the immigration laws of the country and can go to jail, as others have pointed out. Never overstay unless it is entirely out of your hands ie due to illness, or transportation delays. Most cases of overstay will be settled with paying the penalty but if you get a nasty official you can land in the shit.

[BradleyTheBuyer]

I see people all the time, on this forum and many other forums, discussing overstay visa as an alternative or an option, to me that's real dumb. Overstay is illegal, you are breaking the immigration laws of the country and can go to jail, as others have pointed out. Never overstay unless it is entirely out of your hands ie due to illness, or transportation delays. Most cases of overstay will be settled with paying the penalty but if you get a nasty official you can land in the shit.

 

I honestly underestimated the seriousness of overstaying. I didn't think it was a big deal at all, as long as I don't get three overstay stamps in my passport. I do want to assert that I think overstaying is a victimless crime, but that isn't to excuse my prior ignorance on this matter.

[BradleyTheBuyer]

For the overstay it was your responsibility to know the number of days. It's easy enough to check and you should have arrived at the airport prepared for the result or you should have paid for an extension at Immigration before you went into overstay.

 

I understand what you're saying and what your point is, but you're being both arrogant and naive to think that the official is there to serve you and that you keep her in a job.

 

I see others have made the point so I won't labour that. I'll just repeat that it sounds like you were very lucky to get on that flight. There have been several cases where rudeness to officials has resulted in the offender being granted a further extension to their stay in Thailand - in the monkey house. I suggest that if you return that you try to wise up about how things work here.

 

I appreciate your thoughtful replies. Thanks for not jumping on the "i am so worldly, original and intellectual by being the 15th person to criticize the American for having an opinion". While, I don't think that the official is there to serve me, the fact of the matter is that tourists like myself keep her in a job. Its not a matter of opinion; north korea probably doesn't have tourist visa overstay officials. Much like your "interests" implies, tourism is a big factor in improving Thai people's lives and I think that airport policies can reflect that. With that said, upon rethinking the situation and getting some more info on the topic, there was clearly no value in showing an attitude to the official, regardless of my opinion on the matter.

Edited June 29, 2011 by BradleyTheBuyer

[cariden]

"You embarrass my language with your spelling."

 

"While, I don't think that the official is there to serve me, the fact of the matter is that tourists like myself keep her in a job."

 

 

WTF, my spelling is just fine and i am glad that you will have a new and improved attitude when going through immigration lines, but i doubt it.

you sound like a pompous ass and i don't think that you will change no matter how many people tell you that you are wrong.

You don't pay her salary and you don't keep her job secure, and it wouldn't matter to her or her family if you stayed in the monkey house for an extended stay..

Edited June 29, 2011 by cariden

[Garf66]

Last January I overstayed 1 day and hands up it was my fault.

 

On arrival, the date to leave by was clearly stamped in my passport so nobody elses fault other than my own. In fact no need to count days, no need to wonder if day in / day out mattered, the date of the stamp is simply black & white.

 

No fine for 1 day overstay and the lady on immigration was very pleasant about it, just awarded me an extra stamp in my passport.

[marko456]

I've done it 2 times now, stay for a month, oops it is a month with 31 days. Get taken to the other desk, look at passport, only 1 day , no problem.

Got stamped and on my way. No extra cost and only a 5 minute delay.

I also dont cut the time so short. Ya I hate spending 2-3 extra hours at Swampy, but so much less stress free than doing the "run through airport" crap.