Overstay - No Big Deal huh?

[Edge]

How I see it is that he could have gone down to Immi' at Jomtien and none of this needed to happen.

 

He says he's been here for 10 years, so why he went to the BiB I can't imagine.

 

Lifted from Thaivisa :-

 

OVERSTAY IN PARADISE

Miracle Thailand?

 

Kent, 52 from Sweden, Got heart problem- was thrown in jail!

 

Arrested- when Kent Melmblom realized that his visa expired after he had been discharged from hospital,

he went to the police station in Pattaya. But received no help - but was arrested immediately. Photo: Jonas Bilberg

 

Kent Melmblom, 52, got heart problems when he was in Thailand and was hospitalized. So long that his tourist visa in Thailand run out. Then began the worst 12 days of his life.

 

- I never thought that Thailand could be so dangerous, says Kent Melmblom.

 

Kent Melmblom from Stockholm rented a house in the town of Pattaya southeast of Bangkok, when he got a chest pain and was admitted to Bangkok Hospital in Pattaya.

 

When Kent Melmblom was discharged from the hospital, knew that his visa expired. One week after discharge, he went to the police station in Pattaya for advice.

 

But he did not receive any help - he was arrested on the spot.

 

- I was thrown into a detention cell. There was one person there. During the night it had been filled with other inmates, 67 people pressed together in five by five meters, said Kent Melmblom.

 

Chained with other The day after he was brought to justice. He was sentenced to pay 2000 Baht, 480 Swedish crowns, and would be released within one hour.

 

- It sounded reasonable.

 

But Kent Melmblom was not released. Outside the hall was instead a group of policemen waiting for him.

 

- I was handcuffed, shackled and chained with a lot of prisoners and taken to a cell. I had to live under terrible circumstances, he says. He was forced to pay another 1800 Baht, but not released. Went lost 16 kg weight.

 

He was arrested on July 16, but would remain in the narrow cell for several days. Every day he received a small bag of rice and a bottle of water. There was a fan of the cell to relieve the heat, but it broke after a few days.

 

- I lost 16 kg. I got diarrhea of the infected water and threw up every day. The sweat ran down on me. It was so crowded on the floor it just went to lie down on the page.

 

Began to feel increasingly ill.

 

One morning a man lay cold beside him. He had died, but was to remain in the cell. In two days. No one took him away. Kent Melmholm did not understand how he got there - in the cell that appeared to be the worst possible nightmare.

 

- There was no dignity at all. After two days he began to smell.

 

Kent Melmblom had no access to his heart medication and was feeling increasingly ill, both mentally and physically. He had no watch and could not see out any windows.

 

- I did not know if it was day or night. We only had a stone floor and opposite water bottle to rest your head on. And the toilet in privacy was not to speak of.

 

Bribed free by lawyer

 

The news reached after a few days, Kent's mother in Sweden who in turn contacted the Foreign Office. One day, opened the door in the cell. Someone searched for Kent.

 

With the help of a lawyer who knew the police chief could Kent Melmblom bribe himself free.

 

It cost a further 30 000 Baht, just over 7260 Swedish kronor.

 

Then the trip home went very quickly. He was not given the opportunity to either pick up their belongings in their house or change clothes.

 

Was flown home in the same clothes the same day, July 29, he was thrown into a car, was taken to Bangkok airport and put on a plane to Sweden. In the same clothes as he was jailed in July 16 - a pair of shorts, sandals and a tank top.

 

- I stank of urine, faeces and sweat, and would sit on a plane among the common people.

 

And totally uncovered without money or a few belongings.

 

Now he has had time to shower and rest, but still feel very bad for what he had.

 

- I do not know if I should laugh or cry. I did not know that Thailand was so dangerous. I still lived there previously for ten years and was no novice. I want to warn others. The police were just looking for my money, says Kent Melmblom.

 

Several similar cases of UD (Swedish Ministry of Foreign affairs)

 

One month after his arrival in Sweden, he finally had time to gather strength to talk to the Swedish police, his insurance company and the Foreign Ministry.

But Kent's case is not unusual.

 

- We have many of these matter. It is common to be taken for not having valid visas. One must follow the laws and regulations in the country, says Karin Nylund.

 

She would not comment on individual cases but said that UD (Swedish Foreign affairs) has many similar cases on their desk.

 

Translated from Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet today: http://www.aftonblad...icle13567329.ab

 

-- Aftonbladet 2011-09-03

[stumpthai]

There must be more to this story ?? Sounds like pay back from police for something he got away with OR do I just walk around Pattaya on cloud 9 with a smile on my face!!

[Cerberus]

A visit to soi 5, (Immigration), would have done him better, with a letter from the hospital.

[Pattaya_Brian]

Another story that just doesn't add up.

 

Being the western media, it is surely hyped, but which parts we'll never know.

 

The only possible reason for going to the police instead of immigration is that he didn't have the money to cover the overstay. Regardless, making yourself known to the police when you have an expired visa is just plain stupid. The rules are very clear. You go straight to jail.

[Wolf Cat]

Wow, 4 years ago I overstayed for 9 months (me thinking my one year Non-Imm O visa meant I could stay in Thailand for a year straight). I simply did my visa run paid my 20,000 baht at the border and carried on. I know the laws have changed since then but this story seems way over the top. I had a friend overstay 10 days and the hotel staff directed him to a local doctor, he paid the doc a few thousand baht to write a letter saying he was too ill to make a visa run and it went through.

 

A dead body in a jail cell for 2 days?!? I hope this story is the work of a fiction writer cause if it's true I'm shocked.

[Kandinski]

Is the story for real? Lost 16 kg in 12 days, straigt from the cell to airplane? and, oh dear, had to sit among the common people

[ExpatDave]

speechless.

[Anokanite]

When I was in Bangkok Pattaya hospital they had a dept., just to take care of visa extensions for medical reasons,

right in the hospital.

[THAJEC]

I think this story can be true. Partially was problem on his side but proceeding can be real. Imigration policy is hard everywhere especially in Thailand. Everybody can get to similar problems. I do not make illusion that this story is partly embroider and partly is real.

[stevxpl]

Doesn't Bangkok Pattaya have some deal going with Immigration where if hospitalised they can get you extensions? I know Bumrungrad (how ever the hell you spell it) in Bangkok does.

 

Either way blows my mind how they locked him up and then how they dispatched him without his gear.

[LaaMok]

He must have been rude or didnt pay when asked.

[Cerberus]

If you are hospitalized or to sick to travel the hospital/doctor merely writes you a note accordingly and its a done deal. Last time I was in the doctor gave the note to my mrs who went to soi 5 with my passport and the letter and the extended the visa there and then.

[Edge]

If you are hospitalized or to sick to travel the hospital/doctor merely writes you a note accordingly and its a done deal. Last time I was in the doctor gave the note to my mrs who went to soi 5 with my passport and the letter and the extended the visa there and then.

 

Correct :-

From Police order 777/2551

 

2.25 In the case of medical treatment or convalescence or to look after a patient:

Permission will be granted for a period of not more than 90 days at a time.

(1) Confirmation and request has been made by a physician responsible for the treatment. The Physician must describe the details of treatment and advised that the illness is a barrier for travelling.

(2) In the case of looking after a patient, confirmation and request has been made by the physician responsible for the treatment or by an embassy or consulate.

(3) Patient Carer, except parents, spouse, children, adopted children or children of spouse, shall be granted no more than 1 extra person.

 

I don't know if it would have made any difference, but it seems he was on Visa Waiver rather than a proper Visa.

 

I enlarged the picture of his passport and it looks like the page has a simple (non-visa) Thai entry and exit stamp along with the stamp showing an overstay was paid.

 

It's odd that it wasn't dealt with by the Hospital, but even odder that he didn't go to Immigration either at Jomtien or better still at BKK when he checked in for a flight home.

 

 

Meanwhile there is a lot of gossip about Kent's colourful life, including an alleged association with a criminal gang and this :-

 

Photo: Mrkonjic Suvad

"I thought she was dead '

World Star Leila K have been gone without a trace for several weeks. Rumors of her death has been disseminated in a variety of Internet sites and the police have been involved in the search for her.

- We have now found Leila. She is doing under the circumstances and needs rest. She has of his own free will remained hidden, says her manager Kent Melmblom.

 

It was just over a month ago as a number of Internet sites started spreading rumors that Leila K, 35, was dead.

For her manager Kent Melmblom it came as a shock. He was one of those who believed in the death rumor.

- I had been to Tallinn to arrange gigs for Leila. When I got home I was met by a variety of rumors about her death.

- When I managed to get hold of her, I was as worried as everyone else. I called around to relatives and friends. No one knew where she was. It was horrible, he says.

Called the police

Kent was scared and sad when he read that Leila K would have been found dead by a security guard outside a school in Stockholm.

- I called the police to find out if it was true, but they refused to say anything.

Time passed and Kent Melmblom became more and more convinced that the rumors were true. Until one day when he stood outside Scheele pharmacy in Stockholm.

- When I see a little girl in red dress that comes running towards me. It is Leila and I are so happy.

Bought clothes

Kent and Leila K was going out and bought new clothes and makeup for her.

- She now wants to take it easy and just rest. She has not wanted to go into detail on where she has been.

- She was quite furious when I told him about the death rumors on the internet. She does not care as much for themselves. There is more to her relatives are worried.

Kent and Leila is now planning a big comeback.

Must give his version

- We have a number of things going on that can become a reality before the summer. But first let Leila just rest and then we take hold of her music career.

- Then she will also give their own version of what has happened in recent months.

 

 

[QuotaMan]

Sounds very shady all around.