I am not sure where to put this, but I feel I must put this out there if it can help another individual. What I am about to write does not relate to or point the finger at the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but to the individuals that are hanging outside and targeting tourist, locals, out of towners, and anyone needing to get in to get a simple stamp from the MFA.
What should be a simple process has now turned into the next scam. Let me back up a second. Having read and been privy to witness 3 other scams in the last three days, I can tell you how this all is the normal. I would think any tourist or anyone wishing to visit should understand the grafting and racketeering that takes place at every turn.
First I read in the forums that there were individuals at Bali Hai extorting money to park and the authorities got involved. Next a lady friend of mine parked her truck and a local decided to chain her tires, tow it away, erect no parking signs after the fact, and tried to extort money from her, she went to the police and of course they made the criminal give her truck back, next we are riding through toll station and her sticker has expired. I felt of course she should be ticketed, but the individual that pulled her to the side asked for a small amount. She refused and asked for a ticket. The individual promptly handed her license back and we were on our way, which brings me to the latest that I wish someone would do something about.
I know the country continues to preach anti corruption, so when I see it happening right outside the MFA I cant help but think how large of a facade is that statement. Ok so, today I have an appointment at my Embassy, in and out less than 20 min. Got the stamp. We drive to MFA for translation of documents, easy enough and then we should be able to walk to window hand in documents to get the stamp and return a day or so later to pick up, but that’s not the case. We went up to MFA window, not a person there waiting to been seen. No one, not one person. The ladies were sitting at their window waiting. I attempted to hand in my documents but they said I needed a cue. Are you hearing this there was no one there, and the cue is a QR code. So I walk over to scan to get a cue and it says next available 10 March, two weeks out.
We drove from Issan, not one person there. What has happened is the locals that live in Bangkok have applied and taken the cues and are holding them for ransom. How do I know this? Because its fact, they have the cue and have you sign a piece of paper giving them the authority to turn in a document for you. It cost nothing for the stamp. You pay them to translate, and to turn in and give back to you. You cant get the cue unless you physically walk in and scan the qr. I approached the supervisor, who played the, "I don’t know" card. He don’t know and he's the supervisor. Not one person was there to walk to the window. It's all the criminals outside, extorting money from Thais and foreigners, and no ones doing anything about it either they don’t know or don’t care.
It's the same kind of extortion that’s happened for Parking at Bali Hai, and seems to be growing. These four criminal activities all happened in less than three days. If anyone needs to go to MFA, or anywhere do your diligence and find out in advance if there is walk in or a cue. If there is a cue you just might run into extortionists, and its not being curbed at the facility.
So when I seen that I couldn't be seen for 14 days and we drove down from Issan. The criminal told me she could get it done in three days, and mail to me. 500thb for the cue! How does one fight corruption like this that should lot be happening in first place? Why are they allowing or ignoring it at MFA?
Insightful. Your empathy is overwhelming.
sounds like an operator error ????
