British man claims he got 16 months’ jail in Thailand for trying to shortcut visa paperwork
A British man found out the hard way that cutting corners with official paperwork can sometimes land you in jail.
Oliver Hardy claimed that he spent 16 months inside a Thai prison after he was jailed for trying to take shortcuts, and ending up with falsified visa documents.
He told his story on LADbible’s “Minutes With” that was published on 23 Aug. The video has since garnered over 952,000 views and a mixed response.
Getting false visa documents
In 2023, Hardy booked a one-way flight to Thailand for a fresh start.
He took advantage of the 45-day visa-on-arrival that Thailand offered at the time, and was even planning on extending his stay using the Muay Thai education visa.
Source: LADbible Stories on YouTube
After a couple of days in Bangkok, he went to Pattaya to visit the Fairtex Training Centre.
During his visit, he found what he called a “visa agency company” which offered its services for ฿50,000 (about S$1,925).
Hoping for a cheaper option, Hardy instead went with what he described as a French man who offered to do the same service for ฿40,000 (about S$1,540).
“I went with that option of course,” he said.
He handed the man his passport and would later receive it back along with some documents. Hardy left satisfied, believing that he would be set to stay in Thailand for the next year.
However, he discovered that he had been scammed while sharing the cheaper service with other foreigners. To make matters worse, he would get scammed again trying to fix the problem.
When the fix is also a scam
He paid a visit to a visa agency where the lady claimed she could fix this problem. She said it would cost “a lot of money”, and that he would have to pay a fine for the overstay, but it would be sorted.
Relieved that his issue had been sorted, he would later leave Thailand for Bali. His life changed, however, when he returned to Thailand so that he could travel with his sister.
Source: www.thaiembassy.com for illustration purposes only
Upon landing, immigration officers detected an anomaly in his passport — that Hardy had apparently been stamped for leaving Thailand to return to the UK and back even though he had never done so.
The anomaly prompted further investigations and Hardy was then charged for fraudulent documents and overstaying his visa. He was sentenced to a total of 16 months inside a Thai prison.
Hardy also recounted his time in the Thai prison, which he called “inhumane”.
His stories have been met with a mixed response online, with many expressing disbelief and ridicule.
Source: LADbible Stories on YouTube
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Featured image adapted from Suvarnabhumi Airport on Facebook and LADbible Stories on YouTube.
