Thai tourist laws explained as Brit woman left to rot in 'hell on Earth' Thai jail with four-year-old son
If you're planning on heading to Thailand, it's best to be well versed in the laws of the land before you touch down.
If you weren't aware, the Southeast Asian country is notoriously tough on crime, particularly when it comes to drug offences and disrespect towards the monarchy.
But you can also find yourself on the wrong side of the law for overstaying a visa, as this British woman has found out the hard way.
Ellis Matthews, 32, claims she is currently being held in the Mothers and Children Immigration Detention Centre in Bangkok with her four-year-old son Cairo.
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She has since gone on hunger strike in protest of the 'unbearable' conditions, while describing the place as 'hell on earth' and the 'worst prison that you can imagine'.
Why has Matthews been detained?
The mum, from Lancashire, was arrested on 3 March by Thai immigration officials at her home in Pattaya after overstaying her visa, which was cancelled on 21 February.
Now, Matthews has alleged that she is the victim of an online witch-hunt, claiming her travel issues all stem from trolls who aren't a fan of her social media content fabricating 'horrible' allegations about her.
The content creator is known for stirring up controversy on TikTok with her videos explaining how UK taxpayers fund her lifestyle out in Thailand.
In one of her most recent clips before her arrest, Matthews explained she has been 'diagnosed with around six mental disorders' and 'needs ongoing treatment costs to be met by the NHS and taxpayers'.
Claiming she receives around £2,300 per month in benefits, she also alleged that this money has been 'stopped for short periods of time' in the past when people made complaints about her.
As you can imagine, bragging about how her 'rent and bills are paid for by British benefits system' didn't go down well with UK residents.
Brits can continue to claim some benefits even after moving abroad - but Matthews has now said these videos 'were just a joke' and she hasn't actually received a 'single penny' since moving to Thailand.
Matthews told the Daily Mail: "I was just lying in my videos to get more followers and make some money from my TikTok account. It was all a big hoax, that's all."
What happened after her arrest?
It's overstaying her welcome in Thailand which has led to Matthews being locked up for more than 20 hours a day inside a 'hot and overcrowded' cell with 16 other women and their children.
She alleged that her and son Cairo have got head lice as well as 'terrible' insect bites, while they are forced to survive on lumpy rice and 'rat or pigeon meat'.
"We can't sleep at night because there's so much screaming and shouting," Matthews claimed. "We haven't even got any access to medication.
"Nobody is helping me, and I've just been left here to rot. I can't stop crying and just want to get out as quickly as possible."
Despite Thai authorities informing her that she and and her young son will be freed once she buys herself a plane ticket back to the UK, Matthews says she is unable to access any cash.
She explained that although she has 'got the money' for one-way tickets home, she 'can't get to it because they won't allow her to access her bank account'.
The mum continued: "So what am I supposed to do? My visa was cancelled because some people in the UK have been trolling me and accused me of horrible things like human trafficking and child abuse.
"They got the Thai authorities involved and it's led to me ending up here. I should have left when my visa was cancelled but I couldn't because I didn't have the money at the time."
So, how can you avoid ending up in a situation like this? Apart from staying clear of making stuff up and sharing it on social media, that is.
Thai visa laws explained
Making sure your travel documents are all in check is the best place to start, as tourists can be fined, detained, deported and even banned from Thailand for overstaying their visa.
It is an illegal offence to remain in the country longer than what was agreed upon when you obtained your visa, even if it is an innocent mistake.
The UK government website explains that those found in breach of their visa terms may be arrested and held at a police station before being taken to court within 48 hours of being arrested.
It is likely that you will then be slapped with a fine before being taken to an Immigration Detention Centre - for anywhere between two weeks to three months - while awaiting deportation to the UK.
You also need to pay for a flight out of Thailand, although another person can arrange your travel on your behalf.
Thankfully, the British Embassy can also help facilitate getting you home once the police station notifies them of your arrest.
However, even the Thai Embassy acknowledges that visa violations can be an easy mistake to make, as the 'stay limit is determined by your visa, but it is not the same as the visa’s duration'.
Standard tourist visas offer a 60-day limit and your final day will be stated on your visa - but you have to leave Thailand or extend this visa before the initial 60 days are up to be on the safe side.
The Thai Embassy explains: "Overstaying a visa in Thailand is a common occurrence due to the country’s rather complex immigration policies.
"Your overstay period will begin the day after the final day of your stay limit, so you can leave Thailand on that day or extend without penalty.
"You cannot claim ignorance as an excuse, as the day you must leave Thailand is stamped into your passport.
"Even if Immigration makes a mistake on your passport as you enter the country, it is your responsibility to check that the correct date was recorded on your entry permit.
"Your stay limit is determined by the Immigration system, not what the border officer stamped into your passport."
It goes on to state that the penalty for minor overstays is 'relatively light', usually equating to a fine of 500 baht (£11.46) for each day - although the maximum fine is 20,000 baht (£458.59).
According to the Thai Embassy, children under 14 are not subject to a fine or travel bans for overstaying, however, this does not make them exempt from having the correct travel documents.
It warns that those who are detained and taken to an Immigration Detention Centre will be 'processed into the system as a criminal, at which point you will need a skilled criminal defence lawyer to help you'.
"In addition to the 20,000 THB fine, you will be blacklisted from entering Thailand for a longer period than if you had surrendered voluntarily," the Embassy added.
So, have a good look at your visa when you touch down in Thailand - or on your head be it.
Olivia Burke