PATTAYA, Thailand – Lancashire-born Ellis Matthews, 32, is now consigned with her four-year old son to the women and children’s section of the immigration detention center in Bangkok. She was arrested in Pattaya for visa overstay for which the penalty is a fine, deportation and blacklisting against returning to Thailand.
Ellis, well-known on TikTok, had previously claimed that British taxpayers had been funding her luxurious life in Thailand. But she has now admitted that wasn’t true, but rather a ploy to earn money from social media publicity about her antics. British hardship state benefits are not payable in Thailand. She is currently complaining about the food, overcrowding and noise in the Bangkok facility.
Thai immigration rules determine that convicted foreigners must be returned to the country of their passport used to enter Thailand. Ellis has stated that she does not wish to return to UK with her son, but would prefer Cambodia or Turkey according to reports in the UK press. But her wishes are irrelevant in this context.
How long Ellis and her son remain in Bangkok detention depends on purchase of the air tickets. If she has available funds or friends who can contribute, the British embassy acts as the liaison point and can quickly make the purchases. If there is no such cash, the embassy will pay from charitable funds following a review, but further foreign travel will be prohibited until the costs are refunded in UK.
Ellis claims she has been left to rot in jail in Thailand. In reality, she is making her way through an unpleasant immigration procedure experienced by hundreds of other overstayers on an annual basis. Her best hope now is that the involvement of a youngster will speed up the several bureaucracies involved.
