Putting things in perspective, here is an excerpt from how Thailand deals with not just illegal immigrants, but those who have overstayed their visa by even just one day:


"It is important to remember that if your visa has expired even for just one day, and you do not surrender but are apprehended by immigration officials or the police, you will automatically be taken to court. If your court hearing is held on a Friday and you pay your fine the same day, in accordance with the court order, it does not mean that your case has ended. The Immigration Bureau still has to pursue your case by deporting you. Therefore, you will need to have a confirmed air ticket together with sufficient money for transportation to the airport. If you cannot meet those requirements, you will be detained in the Immigration Bureau jail until you are able to acquire a confirmed ticket and sufficient cash for the trip to the airport.

In addition, if your court hearing is not completed until Friday afternoon other problems can arise, even when you have everything you need for your departure from Thailand. The officer who escorts you to court is not the same officer who has to arrange for your departure documents. Therefore, you will have to arrange for the completion of the documentation by the officer concerned. That officer will need to present all the papers concerning your deportation to his superior officers who have the authority to approve your release. However, in reality, you will not be able to do so because you are in jail and will have no opportunity to see the documentation officer. Unless you have a friend or a representative (e.g., a lawyer) who can make the necessary arrangements with the officer concerned, you will be unable to settle the matter.

It is even more difficult if you are not going back to your own country. For example, if you are an Australian but you have a job in Singapore, you will have to go to Singapore instead of Australia. That will involve more paperwork and people, thus extending the time needed to complete the required documentation for your departure.

You should keep in mind that the Immigration Bureau’s office hours end at 4.30 p.m. Therefore, if your court hearing is held on a Friday, and since it takes more than half a day to complete all the necessary procedures, you can expect to remain in the Immigration Bureau jail until the following Monday. Even worse, if the following Monday is a public holiday, you will have to wait until the next working day before your departure can be approved."

There is no free bus ride to the border.