Smokey and the Bandit

Surely the only way the can collect this "tax" is when you purchase the ticket? They can't collect from passengers landing in Thailand, as there are no ATM's air side and some folks may not have cash, only credit/debit cards, maybe? Can you imagine the lines of people? So if they do implement this tax, then everyone that sells tickets to Thailand and all airlines that travel to Thailand, even code share will have to able to collect and pass it on to the relevant authority in Thailand?

Certainly agree the province where you live must the province where the stamp is issued, otherwise somebody would pick up on it? I am not trying to justify anything! What I am saying is, as far as immigration at the airport is concerned it is a valid authentic stamp? Do they care how it was obtained?

There is no difference between the stamps? The head officer at the relevant IO has signed both of them and the information has been entered in the database?

If an official Immigration Officer stamps them in your passport and signs them, they are official stamps and are authentic and they do work! Surely if they were illegal or fake they would not work, for entering and leaving Thailand?

It is not an offense, UK citizens can have 3 legal passports. if they can say why they need them?

Quite, for some reason it seems a magnet for undesirables?

I don't want argue the point but there are quite a few Indian restaurants in and around Pattaya? Do Indians only eat Indian food, many folks come to Thailand for local dishes?

This post is about legalizing E Cigarettes, if I am not mistaken? So they should!

Some of us have a sense of humor? Sadly others do not?

Moral to this story, don't shout loudly and take drugs?????

Agreed, the police always seem to pick on BOLT and not other taxi services? And they are very good?

Yes makes sense, if you don't and its stamped incorrectly, it is sometimes difficult to get the error corrected? Of course its never the IO's fault its yours?

Ok, but then in the OP it says: "An investigation showed that Lata put the checks into her husband's account and they started spending the money on themselves." So were these the same checks or some others?

"Earlier respresentatives from two construction companies reported that they had deposited checks to the tune of 36,202,965 baht to pay off outstanding debts to the bank." So then they don't check that the checks in question had been deposited correctly?

Only if you are Chinese involved in a business? "The officers were allegedly involved in issuing visas to businessman Chaiyanat Kornchayanant and other Chinese nationals who were connected to "grey" businesses in Thailand."

Just shows not all the cops are bad?????

You are absolutely right! Americans, USA, only have around 50% vacation time, compared to Europeans? Europeans maybe have 4-6 weeks, Americans 2-3 weeks, vacation time? Scandinavian countries have more?

Certainly agree if you are breaking the law and the police give you a ticket or arrest you if its a serious crime, drugs etc? However when the police ask for money, or they threaten you with jail, like the Taiwanese young lady, its extortion! If the cops weren't corrupt of course it wouldn't happen?

Including the police, who don't seem to understand extortion is illegal?

He was 58/59, younger generation? Or were you being sarcastic?????

Will this mean that "checkpoints" will be far and few between now? Will the cops at the checkpoints be extra careful to law abiding?

Quite, the problem being if you are in Thailand, it could pose a problem for you? The Taiwanese lady had left so the RTP were powerless to do anything! My point is there needs to be an official body set up, to deal with complaints. They would be overloaded I would imagine?

One of the problems is you do get extorted by the police, who exactly do you complain to, the Police? They need a independent body who can actually do something?

Right, i remember reading that Pol Gen Damrungsak said if any of the police were found guilty they would be prosecuted to the full extent? But at the moment the only allegedly extorted the money? "The chief promised fairness to all sides and legal and disciplinary action if guilt is proven." I though some of the police already confessed?

i am sure other places, countries, have tourist traps as you say, but this article was very specific, about the floating market? Saying its a scam or rip-off is stating facts not Thai bashing!