SIMON BURROWES is to be held in detention at Immigration HQ in Phuket City overnight and will be placed on a flight for Singapore at 5pm tomorrow, Phuketwan has learned. The decision on what to do with the British holidaymaker, caught in a visa and passport nightmare, was made late today.


SIMON Burrowes, kept in Thailand for an extra three months for being ''rude,'' didn't quite make it back to the Immigration counter at Phuket Airport today.

He missed his flight at 3pm. Then he missed his second chance at a flight at 4pm.

But he kept his temper.

Late this afternoon, officials were trying to determine what happens next in the saga of the British holidaymaker who, it seems, is always going to have problems making it home.

Today's difficulties came because of the obstacle course of paperwork that he had to negotiate at both ends of the island.

This arose because the visa of the 44-year-old martial arts trainer expired while he was in Phuket Jail for three weeks, before being bailed.

He was later fined 500 baht for his impolite behavior, which involved some swearing at the Immigration counter.

Everything seemed to be going well. He was on the way home.

All he needed was to have his expired visa renewed by going to a police station near the airport, towards the northern extreme of the island, then 40 kilometres or so back to Immigration in Phuket City, then back to the airport . . .

But he didn't make the flight.

And another problem: the flight was paid for by an anonymous Thai benefactor who wanted to show that Thailand could do the right thing.

The fare is not refundable.

Mr Burrowes lost the fare on his first failed flight home on January 31 because of the incident at Phuket airport. As he was forced to stay in Thailand awaiting his court appearance, he lost his rented apartment in Britain, and his job.

Now the whole affair is, well, up in the air again, even if Mr Burrowes is not.

Late this afternoon Mr Burrowes was back at Immigration in Phuket City, having his fingerprints taken and a new photo shot for a special visa that will now be necessary to get him through Immigration to catch a flight back to Britain.

Because of the circumstances of the case, an officer was originally going to have to fly with him as far as Bangkok.

Then alternative exits were sought, with Kuala Lumpur and Singapore providing more direct routes out of Thailand.

And the money had to be found to pay for another attempt to help Mr Burrowes get home to Britain after his long and adventurous holiday in Thailand.

A friend came to his aid again, undertaking to pay his fare. The latest plan is for him to leave Thailand tomorrow evening for Singapore, where he can wait for a connecting flight and will not need an officer as escort.

Late today, Mr Burrowes was receiving plenty of assistance. Everyone seems to want him to be on the earliest possible aircraft home.

Phuket's 'Rude' Tourist Given Air Ticket to Ride
Latest A mysterious Thai benefactor comes to the aid of British tourist Simon Burrowes, who suffered unfair punishment after swearing at Phuket airport. So long, Simon, and good luck!
Phuket's 'Rude' Tourist Given Air Ticket to Ride

Rude Phuket Awakening for 'Impolite' Tourist Simon
Photo Album As he waited to catch a flight home from Phuket in January, British tourist Simon Burrowes had no idea that his holiday in Thailand was about to take a troubled twist.
Rude Phuket Awakening for 'Impolite' Tourist Simon

Briton Fined 500 Baht for Being Impolite
Latest A British man whose case was widely noted when he was jailed after an encounter at Phuket Airport Immigration has been fined 500 baht in a Phuket court.
Briton Fined 500 Baht for Being Impolite

Jailed Tourist Blames 'Embassy Passport Error'
Latest Two British newspapers have published Simon Burrowes' version of the Thai Immigration encounter that left him in jail for three weeks. He faces prison for allegedly swearing at officials.
Jailed Tourist Blames 'Embassy Passport Error'

Lessons from One Phuket Tourist's Nightmare
Latest Analysis Phuket's Burrowes affair probably alarms many people. Tourists can sympathise with a man who wants to catch a flight and is wrongly accused of carrying a faked passport.
Lessons from One Phuket Tourist's Nightmare

Arguing with Phuket Immigration: Is It Safe?
Latest Questions are being asked by tourists about the case of a man who was arrested and jailed following an argument with Immigration officials at Phuket Airport. Is it too high a price to pay?
Arguing with Phuket Immigration: Is It Safe?