Jonathan Swift

You're right. I recently saw Chinese battleships conducting military exercises in the Chao Praya River. Not.

Hopefully Bolt and others will drive these scammers out of business.

Bolt is fantastic

I think the question you should be asking is why you are attracting these kinds of encounters. Any good therapist would start exactly there. The mirror. I've been living here 10 years and find most people to be interesting and full of Joie de vivre. As far as the general human race, the same cross section applies anywhere, there are going to be a certain percentage of dysfunctional ones, and Thailand in its unique way will attract some of those for specific reasons.

I tell people over and over that trying to avoid red tape and bureaucracy by using unofficial channels opens one up to unnecessary risks. This is but one example. The proliferation of visa services, which bend if not outright breaking the rules, including falsification and money laundering of the 800,000 baht requirement, serves to make people vulnerable to these scams.

I'm with you brother, I escaped the US 10 years ago.

"Mammary"? Is the word "breast" illegal? Or are they calling her an animal?

there probably is a video and that would be how they were caught.

I believe so according to the original story in the Mail

wise words

Not only that, but with the new policies of intolerance to corruption, any one of these "agents" could take a hit along with any of their clientele. As you say, tolerated does not make it legal. So continue to ask questions until you are sure of yourself.

No different from a hundred other countries. Thailand is simply a lot sillier in its methods

I went back and watched some reruns of this show, and it was really a well done and well acted comedy. Carter and Pyle characters were played so well off of each other, each one brought his character convincingly to life. Those shows stand up even now. "memories". Yup, I'm old, 66

And your home country is perfect? Has nothing of the sort?

I'm just someone who observes but knows his opinions are not based on any comprehensive insight into the given subject. It seems to me that immigration enforcement should search all of the Chinese passports on file, as well as any permits issued, and track these people's movements, looking for any red flags. I don't know what else to suggest, but Chinese organized criminals are a horrible scourge tainting an otherwise wonderful place.

From Iraq, too bad he didn't just seek asylum. I think stupid and careless, but harmless. Sad story

Let's do the math and add some business sense. If this happened in the US, as you may know, the cost to settle after a lawyer got involved would likely be a million DOLLARS or more in negligence and punitive damaes,. In this case, the original fee was 2500 baht. The victim sought 200,000. Now they cry about lost business, but they were warned and could have prevented it. If that lost business is 80 lost customers that equals the 200,000 baht. How many customers do you think in the next year they will now lose as a result of the publicity? If there were an average one lost customer per day for the next year at 2500 baht, 365 x 2500 baht fee = 912,500 baht. And that's a very conservative guess. I'm sure they stand to lose at least that much, and they brought it on themselves. At today's exchange rate it's a little under 6000 US dollars. Measure that against the gross yearly income and the likely loss of "tourim". And so another example of that lack of common business sense that is so common. And, it's likely they could have negotiated down as much as to half at 100,000 baht. That is usually to be expected. Instead, the business owner decided to play victim and cry to the press, which only made things worse because now thousands more know about this and will not come.

rather than make comments that are not based on reliable facts, and reflect little to no knowledge of the actual science, you people could actually research this yourselves. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caesium-137 and https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/radiation/emergencies/isotopes/cesium.htm There wasn't enough in that capsule to present any danger if it was smelted or burned unless someone was in close proximity at the time. The only danger would have been to anyone who handled it, or if someone at the factory inhaled fumes from it, and that is unlikely. That's the REAL science. But believe what you want.

"You" and "they" could research this yourself. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caesium-137 and https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/radiation/emergencies/isotopes/cesium.htm There wasn't enough in that capsule to present any danger if it was smelted or burned unless someone was in close proximity at the time. The only danger would have been to anyone who handled it, or if someone at the factory inhaled fumes from it, and that is unlikely. That's the REAL science. But believe what you want.

Is that what you think?

He who smelted it dealted it. I think they will eventually consult with outside experts.

Anyone who uses one of the "visa services" had better be cautious and have some kind of backup plan, like learning how to do it yourself. Especially if it's the kind of service that makes that fake deposit of the 800,000 baht. Money laundering of that sort can be traced.

Anyone who uses one of the "visa services" had better be cautious and have some kind of backup plan, like learning how to do it yourself. Especially if it's the kind of service that makes that fake deposit of the 800,000 baht. Money laundering of that sort can be traced.

Racist comments are a violation of forum policy, and an offense to the rest of us. Self deport please.

Only a heartless and calloused individual would "blame the victim" in a case like this. Especially not being directly involved or privy to specific details, but rather judging by a mere news story. I have no respect for judgmental narrow minded people who lack empathy or compassion for fellow human beings. Such people do not fit with the Thai culture around them, and don't belong here. People are emotionally vulnerable, especially when it comes to searching for love to fill a lonely life, it's how we're made, and anyone can be victimized by a good con artist. That's why romance scammers have proliferated unchecked for decades. No victim deserves it, or deserves to be vilified for making that mistake.