Thread: German retiree arrested for overstay

A German man was arrested in Pathum Thani’s Lam Luk Ka district on Tuesday (June 23) for overstaying by 2,241 days.


Gunther Zadrazil, 61, had last filed for an extension of his retirement visa in 2014, and not contacted the immigration office after that.

Retirement visas are granted for a period of 12 months and must be renewed annually.

“This operation is part of an urgent policy implemented by Immigration Police chief Pol Lt-General Sompong Chingduang to track down and deport overstaying foreigners to prevent them from using Thailand as a base for illegal operation during the Covid-19 shutdown,” said Pol Colonel Jaroenphong Khantilo, chief of Pathum Thani Immigration Police.

People who have information on overstaying foreigners are encouraged to call the 1178 immigration police hotline.

German retiree arrested for overstay

Originally Posted by misskit

using Thailand as a base for illegal operation during the Covid-19 shutdown,”

Originally Posted by misskit

last filed for an extension of his retirement visa in 2014,

Hardly a COVID issue.

There's a cull in the pipeline.

Six years is taking the piss. Gives all farangs a bad name.

Wonder what the fine will be

Originally Posted by Shutree

Six years is taking the piss. Gives all farangs a bad name.

Many already have this distinguished honour [bad name] without too much effort.
Comes by their nature.

^Much of it comes about through the inability to communicate clearly with the local population and a complete misunderstanding of the culture.

Makes one wonder how HL gets by in Portland.

Originally Posted by misskit

A German man was arrested in Pathum Thani’s Lam Luk Ka district on Tuesday (June 23) for overstaying by 2,241 days.


Gunther Zadrazil, 61, had last filed for an extension of his retirement visa in 2014, and not contacted the immigration office after that.

Probably a bit ironic him being taken away in a BMW.


5 years overstay is a bit much, was there a big change in financial requirements around 2015? My extensions aren't based on retirement, but weren't the requirements bumped up to 800k savings from 400k, or 65k p/m from 40k p/m income a few years ago.

Anyway, sad to see the elderly come a cropper like that.

Originally Posted by misskit

“This operation is part of an urgent policy implemented by Immigration Police chief Pol Lt-General Sompong Chingduang to track down and deport overstaying foreigners to prevent them from using Thailand as a base for illegal operation during the Covid-19 shutdown,

Originally Posted by Edmond

Anyway, sad to see the elderly come a cropper like that.

Well he was clearly conducting some nefarious operation involving the 800K THB he'd freed up by not renewing.

Originally Posted by NamPikToot

Well he was clearly conducting some nefarious operation involving the 800K THB he'd freed up by not renewing.

He probably didn't have it in the first instance.

Originally Posted by NamPikToot

Well he was clearly conducting some nefarious operation involving the 800K THB he'd freed up by not renewing.

The 5k per month house and car worth 40k baht were probably the clue to his illegal operations during Covid-19.

Originally Posted by NamPikToot

Well he was clearly conducting some nefarious operation involving the 800K THB he'd freed up by not renewing.

EDIT

add eau de irony

^^^ What an odd pic to change to.

Originally Posted by Buckaroo Banzai

Anyway. there is a 500 bht a day fine with a maximum overstay fine of 20,000 bht . so I guess after 40 days overstay you are on the free. you might as well let it ride. .

The wife and her family probably won't like the blacklist.


I guess he'll probably have to pay for the flight back + minimal IDC expenses to get deported. So 20k+ whatever. 50-60k in total. Cheaper than doing 5 years of Multi entry Visa runs, presuming he had a wife.



Will probably be on the first flight from Germany to Cambodia. Living in a Phnom Penh hostel next to Phonm Penh Pat within a week.

I did not know he was married. In the article i read "Retirement visa" and I assumed he was single.
On a retirement visa, if he was single he would need 800 K in the bank or 65 k per month income. If he did not have either of them then I guess the rest would had been academic.
Of course I am speculating , other than the above article , I know nothing else about this case.

^ Isaan is full of old guys who can't make the 800k in the bank requirement but visa agents temporarily take care of all that as part of the service.

i have had well over my retirement amount in a bank that has never been touched for 11yrs.yet i am not registered in the system,hence i cannot do my 90day report on-line,so its no wonder those who have entered thailand before 2013,and dont have the funds, wont get caught unless someone reports them,so whats the point of giving imm.2,000bht,for fyuk all.but aggravation.

Originally Posted by Mendip

^ Isaan is full of old guys who can't make the 800k in the bank requirement but visa agents temporarily take care of all that as part of the service.

When Phuket became a ghost town after 2004, there was a peripatetic Bt800,000, to which a number of people had contributed, being deposited in various bank accounts to get visas renewed.

Of course I think it's supposed to be there for some period of time (two months seems to be the time most commonly mentioned), but enforcement is of course entirely random depending on where you live.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

but enforcement is of course entirely random depending on where you live.

..I don't think that's entirely true...unless you're referring to corruption...in which case, every eventuality is true...

Originally Posted by tomcat

..I don't think that's entirely true...unless you're referring to corruption...in which case, every eventuality is true...

I've heard differing times for how long the money stays in the bank depending on: What office you go to, what officer you deal with, what fucking mood they're in, your willingness to "improve their mood" *cough*, etc.

In Phuket their only interest in that point was that the money was in the bank.

May be different now of course, that was 15 years ago.

Originally Posted by Mendip

Isaan is full of old guys who can't make the 800k in the bank requirement but visa agents temporarily take care of all that as part of the service.

And there's probably more who can't make the 400K. The VA the choose due to good service is in Soi Post Office Pattaya. The Buriram IO are a bunch of scammers.

Originally Posted by Buckaroo Banzai

If he did not have the money in the bank for an extension,and did not want to go back , I guess it was either leave then, or wait and see how long it will be until they found him and send him back. I bet he was hopping never.
Anyway. there is a 500 bht a day fine with a maximum overstay fine of 20,000 bht . so I guess after 40 days overstay you are on the free. you might as well let it ride. .

My understanding is if you're busted before handing yourself in, you could be arrested and face the music regardless of any overstay fine. I think years back there was a discussion on a board with someone supposedly knowledgeable in such matters, to the effect that even if you were waiting in an immigration office with a number and the correct fine tucked into your passport, intending to pay it, you could still technically be arrested before your number comes up.

If they want you they got you.

Originally Posted by jabir

I think years back there was a discussion on a board

Always where I get my legal advice.