Whilst not being the record overstay for a foreigner in Thailand, it’s certainly a worthy place-getter. A 60 year old man from New Zealand has been arrested in Pattaya by immigration officials. He was arrested on Friday for staying beyond his visa’s expiration date by almost…. SIX years, according to the police.
The man has been identified as Grant Douglas Corrine, and was apprehended near a convenience store close to Jomtien Beach, just south of Pattaya. Pol Lt Col Weerachai Thinkhamut, superintendent of the Immigration Police for Chon Buri province, reported the matter to Thai media.
This arrest was part of a campaign named “X-ray,” aimed at clearing Pattaya of visa violators and foreigners involved in criminal activities, or encroaching on professions restricted to Thai citizens.
The local Pattaya crackdown is an extension of a wider national suppression of ‘foreigners behaving badly’ which kicked off in Phuket because of the alleged assault of a young female Thai doctor by a Swiss man back in February.
Upon interrogation, Mr. Corrine confessed to overstaying his visa for a total of 2,173 days. He acknowledged that he had managed to evade detection for nearly six years by avoiding public appearances and refraining from making local connections.
He also told police that he purposefully left his residence only during evenings to purchase essential items, to reduce any potential encounters with authorities.
The police have informed him of his violation, and he is currently undergoing legal proceedings in Pattaya prior to deportation.
