From Fodor'sTravel — a firsthand account of a seasoned traveler who found himself detained at Pattaya airport and banned from Thailand.
Why? He miscounted the days between July 30 and August 30.
Kimanzi Constable, a business consultant turned digital nomad, was living the dream in Pattaya.
"We walked to the beach every day, as it was less than a 10-minute walk from our $400-a-month Airbnb. We soaked up the Southeast Asia heat and enjoyed the cheaper cost of living. We ate delicious food that was never more than $10 a meal. We spent hours walking the two impressive malls near our Airbnb."
He and his wife planned a six-month exploration of Asia, searching for a new home base. But their plans unraveled when immigration officials discovered he'd overstayed his 30-day visa—by one day.
"I've traveled to 88 countries and never overstayed a visa. This was terrifying," Constable wrote. What followed was hours of detention, questioning, and a formal investigation. Thai officials were blunt: "Thailand is tired of digital nomads overstaying visas and ignoring the rules."
The penalty? A fine, a written apology, a six-month ban, and an overstay stamp on his passport. "The fear and uncertainty were vivid lessons," Constable wrote.
Previously:
• My life on the road: A lost passport, no ID, and bullshit paperwork trying to get back to Canada
• Boy named after Star Wars character denied passport
• Man denied passport because of his naughty name
• Passport ownership prevents diabetes
• Pretty-looking, RFID-blocking passport and ID card sleeves
• Your passports are full of tech
• Passports, ranked by country
