Bandar Seri Begawan - A 33-year-old Thai national got eight months' jail and three strokes of the cane after he pleaded guilty to overstaying in the Sultanate for six years and eight months before the Magistrates' Court in Bandar yesterday.

According to the prosecution, Chalit Chomphoonimit was arrested during an Immigration inspection on a car workshop at Spg 124-122-60, Kg Sengkurong `B' on April 8 morning.

The defendant failed to provide valid documents and admitted to remaining here illegally. He said he had served a two-month jail term here in 1997, also for overstaying.

According to the prosecution, he was given a `Special Pass' upon his release from prison that year while waiting to be repatriated to Bangkok but the Thai had run away until his arrest recently. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin