CRUNCHER

Hello All,

How and what do we need to do to set up our condo committee?

Thanks in advance.

Norman

They are appointed or elected at an AGM/EGM. JP should sort this out and details (Chairman at least) need to be registered at the Lands Office.

I'm surprised Ceylon Tony hasn't been used as a scapegoat.

Then again the Danish tourist scam happened in June around the time the two Brits went public.

In one report a few weeks ago the Police said something that was in effect throwing the blame towards Ceylon Tony.

He must have scarpered.

To the people who are calling all the 'victims' shoplifters and aren't innocent will you be boycotting KP or will you be taking a punt next time you're at the airport.

This is a good point, but I am not sure I would call him a scapegoat. In reality, apart from the bail money, there is no "evidence" that the police or King Power got anything at all. Of course you can make assumptions and say "we all know what goes on". The fact is in this case we don't know.

It would be nice to get some sort of statement from the authorities as to what is being done about Tony. His guilt is more clear than anyones.

Then again if he was arrested he might reveal just what did go on.

The law does not differentiate sinking fund and management fees. It is all dealt with under money for maintenance. (Sorry don’t have Condo Act with me at the moment and forget wording.) Sinking fund, management fees etc are issues that should be dealt with by the committee and voted on by AGM/EGM.

If money is not paid, in addition to interest, use of facilities can be denied and this includes disconnection electricity and water. Voting rights are suspended. Also JP cannot issue a letter of “being debt free” if a delinquent owner sells his unit. i.e. ownership cannot be transferred.

As has been said, if you own condos it is a good idea to get the amended act (original act as amended by the so called “new condo act”) and read it carefully.

As the title says. Today went to the licensing office and turned up at 10.40am Was given the number 52 at the little desk at the front.

Walked upstairs...........the screen is showing number 51. COOL !

Had my number called out 2 mins later. Handed my docs over, pictures taken. Walked out at 11.10am with two licenses in my mitts.

Docs I had were passport with two copies of ID page and Visa page with TM6. Two medical reports (100 baht each) on Soi Theprrasit.

Two letters of residence from Patts Imm. (400 baht ) and my 1 Yr licenses.

I was not asked to do any 'tests' such as perception, colour etc........basically straight in and out.

Very efficient service.

Thanks for the tip on timing Phatcharanan. Did even better than you today. Got out of my car at 10 40am. Left the building with my 5 year license (from 1 year) at 10.50. Yes only 10 minutes. Everyone friendly, polite and helpful.

Perhaps only the early birds have to take the tests.

For information I took copies of everything, but I only needed:-

Passport (Picture page, entry stamp and departure card

Certificate of Residence from Imigration

Medical Certificate.

They gave me back:-

Visa page from passport

International driving permit.

I don't understand why people wouldn't get a class 'O' Non immigrant visa from your home country before coming here, it means that you can stay here for 15 months, you just have to leave the country every 90 days. It costs £100 which is about 5600 Baht very quick and easy to apply for.

Going home every year and a quarter is no huge problem, maybe going back every now and then is actually a good idea as it will make you grateful for the life you have here. however I'm sure there are one or two people out there who are running from various things at home

Thousands of teachers are living on Thai wages and can't afford a flight home plus expenses. You don't have to be running away from home or living some scummy drunken sex tourist lifestyle to find flights and living expenses in the West too expensive.

I know some very respectable hard working primary school teachers who don't have degrees so they are working illegally and they don't earn enough money for flights to Singapore let alone London or New York.

The sad thing is is some of the decidedly slimy time share operators are given their work permits and visas easily. No questions asked.

Those of you who think that being skint and working under the radar makes you scum and a drain on Thailand who should be sent home (with a short stay in the monkeyhouse) should think again.

If you think that those with bags of money living in gated communities and eating in high end establishments are all upstanding members of the community who should be welcomed with open arms you are wrong once again.

Some people who are living here illegally on a budget are contributing to the community and some rich farangs don't have any contact with the Thai population unless they are cleaning their condo or sex workers.

It works both ways and economic status says nothing about whether your a good person or not.

I certainly do not think these people are scum - I know one or two and they are great people. The point is though, these people are breaking the laws of Thailand. If you go to a foreign country you should follow the laws and customs of that country. If they get caught they they must accept the consequences.

You did not make this claim, but many others have and that is they are pouring in money and supporting the Thai economy. In reality they contribute little. Their income is from Thailnad ( so they are to some extent taking and pay no tax), they live just above the poverty line and without degrees or good teaching qualifications they are not exactly top drawer teachers.

Do you believe that such people are an asset to Thailand. I do not think so and if I am right why should Thailand make it easy for them to stay here?

Well I know plenty of kids with degrees who aren't up to teaching and plenty of us long in the tooth worldly wise buggers with no degree who are naturals. So in answer to your question, some teachers are an asset to Thailand some are not and that applies equally to those with degrees as to those without.

The thing is the Thai authorities know that most government school teachers only have TESOL qualifications and no degree because the government sector doesn't pay the kind of wages that most graduates expect. So the Thai authorities are aware of the situation.

They have three choices.

1.crack down on the law breakers imprison and fine us then deport us and have a paucity of native English speaking teachers in gov schools. (which a lot of the financially sorted expats posting here seem to to be rubbing their hands with glee at the idea of seeing us budget wanke_rs in a cage with thirty Burmese illegals)

2.Up the wages to attract university graduates.

3.Start issuing work permits to people with TESOL certification.

or of course carry on as we are and turn a blind eye to us criminalising us in the process.

I would completely respect their wishes if they told me that I couldn't work in Thailand because I needed a teaching degree plus a TESOL. (Although I would be a tad peeved if I was hauled off to the monkey house considering the Thai authorities, the TESOL schools and the teaching agencies all unofficially know, allow and encourage TESOL graduates to work in the public sector)

So having a degree says nothing about your ability as a teacher and even though we might not be contributing financially we are not a drain on the economy and we are involved in Thai communities in a way that many of the wealthy yacht owning gated community dwelling VIP visa crew are not.

My gripe is not with the Thai authorities who are actually very accommodating, it's with the wealthy expats posting on here saying.

"Oi budget scum get legal it's easy or piss off if you can't afford it"

I take your point on the relevance of a degree to teaching. However, if I remember correctly this was required because there were too many of a third kind i.e. useless idiots with no degree teaching. A hamfisted approach maybe, but obviously the authorities were trying to set some sort of standard. Perhaps they should have cracked down on schools who employed useless teachers instead.

This is just the way that immigration issues are often dealt with. The authorities see people copmplying with the letter of the law (sometimes not even that), but not the spirit. They then try to get compliance with the spirit. In short close loopholes. That this is often done with a clumsy knee jerk cannot be denied, but you cannot blame them for trying.

I do not think that teachers who are not legal are scum per se. Like other sections of society some are, most are not. My only complaint against them, such as it is, is that they cause tightening of regulations that in turn affects people who would not otherwise have a problem. This has never affected me, but I know people who it has.

What bugs me is the people who exploit loopholes and when those loopholes are closed vehemently run down, in insulting, derogatory and racist terms the Thai Government, the Immigration Department and the people of Thailand generally. This is unecessary, unfair and unjustified. Quite frankly I wonder why some of these people stay here, but that is their choice. If you can exploit a loophole fair enough. When it is closed find another. If you can't shut up and get out. Don't stay and insult your hosts.

To your credit you are not one of these.

It is not up to a consulate to stop illegals from working here this matter should be handled by the authorities IN the country and I wish they would.

They should crack down on illegal working teachers, divers and the like..... That way people who are here as long term tourists might have less hassle obtaining a TR visa even consecutive ones.

As some have already stated but no one gives a clear answer since there isn't any, some of us are indeed financially set for life without having the right age to retire, willing to marry or operate a business.

Well for those of us there isn't an option except getting consecutive TR visas.

Personally I'll be getting married next month so will be out of the line of fire yet I have sympathies for sincere money spending long term tourists.

Do me a favour. Immigration control is most certainly one way of controlling illegal working.

Good luck with your marriage. It is the married (to Thai) men I have most sympathy for. This is one area where I certainly think Thai immigration policy could be relaxed some. (For the record my wife is not Thai.)

I don't understand why people wouldn't get a class 'O' Non immigrant visa from your home country before coming here, it means that you can stay here for 15 months, you just have to leave the country every 90 days. It costs £100 which is about 5600 Baht very quick and easy to apply for.

Going home every year and a quarter is no huge problem, maybe going back every now and then is actually a good idea as it will make you grateful for the life you have here. however I'm sure there are one or two people out there who are running from various things at home

Thousands of teachers are living on Thai wages and can't afford a flight home plus expenses. You don't have to be running away from home or living some scummy drunken sex tourist lifestyle to find flights and living expenses in the West too expensive.

I know some very respectable hard working primary school teachers who don't have degrees so they are working illegally and they don't earn enough money for flights to Singapore let alone London or New York.

The sad thing is is some of the decidedly slimy time share operators are given their work permits and visas easily. No questions asked.

Those of you who think that being skint and working under the radar makes you scum and a drain on Thailand who should be sent home (with a short stay in the monkeyhouse) should think again.

If you think that those with bags of money living in gated communities and eating in high end establishments are all upstanding members of the community who should be welcomed with open arms you are wrong once again.

Some people who are living here illegally on a budget are contributing to the community and some rich farangs don't have any contact with the Thai population unless they are cleaning their condo or sex workers.

It works both ways and economic status says nothing about whether your a good person or not.

I certainly do not think these people are scum - I know one or two and they are great people. The point is though, these people are breaking the laws of Thailand. If you go to a foreign country you should follow the laws and customs of that country. If they get caught they they must accept the consequences.

You did not make this claim, but many others have and that is they are pouring in money and supporting the Thai economy. In reality they contribute little. Their income is from Thailnad ( so they are to some extent taking and pay no tax), they live just above the poverty line and without degrees or good teaching qualifications they are not exactly top drawer teachers.

Do you believe that such people are an asset to Thailand. I do not think so and if I am right why should Thailand make it easy for them to stay here?

My Thai girlfriend has a 10 year multiple entry tourist visa for the United States, good for six months at time. Only 3,500 baht for it too.

As an American in Thailand I get...3 months double entry?

Good thing nobody wants to go to the U.S...

Would you care to share with us the simple procedure of obtaining such a visa

---snip----

Sure.

We made an appointment at the embassy using the online system, filled out and printed the forms online. All 2 pages of forms. Meanwhile, I read up on what supporting documentation to bring.

The embassy was never very specific regarding what an interviewee should bring with them, but merely indicated that it should adequately demonstrate the the visitor was there for their stated purpose and would then depart the U.S. We collected the following documents, some of which they were interested in and others not;

Deed to her property (house) in Isaan

Letter from her employer stating that she was on vacation and what day she was expected to return to work

A letter from my mother (who was paying for the trip) stating that all her expenses would be paid while in the U.S, including her return ticket to Thailand. This was notarized by a notary public in the U.S. making it a legally binding document.

At the interview they asked her a few questions about her trip, then alot of questions about me. I was summoned to the embassy to explain my part in things, and for some reason they asked to see my Thai work permit, which I did possess at the time.

They issued the visa and returned her passport. The whole thing took less than a month, but it could have been much faster if we had scheduled the interview earlier.

She was then given a single entry 6 month "partial" visa with a "OAC" restriction, meaning she could only enter the United States together with me.

We did our trip and returned to Thailand.

About a year later we decided to do another trip, applied prepared all the same documents as before.

This time they didn't care about her supporting documents, about me, my work permit, nor did they ask many questions.

They saw that she had previously visited the United States, so they issued her a full tourist visa, which in the United States is 10 year multiple entry, six months per entry.

I liked the bit about not having to provide all the documentation the second time. Thailand could sure use that.

But for the rest, my one year multiple Non-O from Birmingham is a lot less hassle. It only requires one form, which is on my computer. I just change the date each year. The whole process, printing the forms, travelling to and from my home, waiting for the visa is about one hour. (I admit it would be longer if I lived further away). I do not need to travel with my wife, I pay for my own trips and my wife does not need to own a house.

Most of the moaners here do not have a wife with a house, do not have a mother-in-law to pay for the trip and pay for their expenses whilst in Thailand. They do not want to stay here for short visits; they want to stay here full time. So even if Thailand operated such a system they would not qualify.

I could be cynical and say that since your wife has money the USA welcomes her, but the real point is, for some people it is easy for others it is more difficult. It is the same the world over. Last I heard, to stay in USA Mexicans had to enter illegally in the first place.

My Thai girlfriend has a 10 year multiple entry tourist visa for the United States, good for six months at time. Only 3,500 baht for it too.

As an American in Thailand I get...3 months double entry?

Good thing nobody wants to go to the U.S...

Would you care to share with us the simple procedure of obtaining such a visa

Most people complaining here are EU/UK/US/CAN passport holders and as such have not experienced the nightmare it is trying to get into your own, or another 1st world country.

I am not such a passport holder and as such have jumped through many hoops for the wonderful privilege of working or touring in many of your countries. While working (legally) in UK for 3 years I was unable to visit EU countries without letters of invite, hotel bookings etc. etc. I was treated like garbage in several London embassies and felt humiliated every time.

I recently investigated obtaining an Australian tourist visa (for Thai wife and I) for a 3 week visit: I have given up before even starting... No internet application available - instead a 10 page visa application requiring more info than my Thai 1 year extension, an interview to prove our 3 year marriage is "real" and lastly proof of lots of... money. Fee AUD 105 each for the privilege. We live in the South, so a 5 day trip to BKK is of course required and just adds to the cost. In fact I decided screw this when the airfare and visa cost reached parity...

Thank you for setting this out. Too many posters think that they have a god given right to come and go as they please in Thailand and that the Thai Government has no right to impose restrictions on what foreigners do in Thailand. They often justify this by siting their own countries. Utter rubbish as your post shows. It is good to see the other side of the coin.

Almost by definition immigration laws the world over a discrinatory. Some people get in easy: some have to climb a mountain. Same same Thailand, same same England, same same USA etc etc.

I see a lot of protests directed to the Thai goverment about this subject, but this seems to be the policy of the consulate in Penang, not of the Thai government.

You are right Mario. There are too many people who see anti farang conspiracies everywhere directed from on high. It was the same with King Power.

A friend sent me this:

I've had my own headache with Thailand: My flight on day 30 was scheduled to leave at 11:40PM. The quota-hungry petty bureaucrats said, "You'll still be in our airspace after 12AM! You have to pay the fine for overstaying!" They held me for more than half an hour, and I barely made it to the gate to get on the flight.

I told them at the gate (politely, to avoid further trouble) that I wouldn't be going back to their country ever again for that reason. If the pricks had not been scrounging for every foreign dollar they could extort for government coffers, I might have gone back several times. The Thais were, on average, the nicest people I've met in any country I've been to.

Sorry. Don't believe it. For a start there is no charge for the first day.

There are two wrongs here and neither is an excuse for the other.

First these two are thieves who deserve to be punished. This is no excuse, however, for the subsequent corruption involving definately Tony, almost certainly one or more police officer and possibly staff of King Power and maybe other airport staff.

This corruption, however, is no excuse to offer sympathy to a pair of thieves.

I would also add that corruption is a two way street involving not only a receiver, but a giver. Both are guilty.

I'm confused. So this is a case of someone who got caught stealing and then got con and extorted ?

Perhaps an over simplification, but, in my opinion, a good summary.

I believe they did steal the wallet. When they were taken to the police station somehow, I am not sure how, the Sri Lankan got involved. Maybe he was, amongst other things he acting as a bail bondsman. Whatever, the couple paid him about 8,000 pounds to sort the case out. Presumably some of it went towards the bail. Who and how much he paid off is not known. Indeed as far as I can see there is no evidence that he paid anyone, but it is not an ilogical assumption.

So yes, they got caught stealing, got conned (by the Sri Lankan) and, by extention, extorted (by the police).

Nevermind. So are theycoming back to get money back, file charges?

Think before you post, aswin

He is a UK Government consultant , she is ex UN

Things will be done quietly. No face lost

A little bit of the pot calling the kettle black here. How do you know there will be no fuss or loss of face?

Getting your picture plastered all over Times Online is hardly a no fuss start.

Personally I would like to see them have a go if they still claim they are innocent. But since they preferred to pay 8,000 pounds to the Sri Lankan conman rather than 50,000 baht for a lawyer I am not holding my breath.

This couple are a disgrace...i honestly believed their story when i first read it.

The nerve of some people, even getting their photo taken for the newspaper when they knew they were guilty as sin...

Aahhhh...another Farang Judge who found the 100% truth before a Thai court did.

Thailand isn't short for Farang Judges, that's for sure. This country would fall to pieces if Farang Judges would take care of justice....

LaoPo

Like you Dave I believed their story when I first read it, although I did feel there might be more to the story as per my first post in this thread. As more came out I changed my mind. If still further information comes to light I could well change it back. I hope I am not unreasonably stubborn.

This couple are not being tried before a criminal court and never will be. They are being tried before the court of public opinion. In a criminal court the standard of proof is beyond reasonable doubt (and long may it remain so); in the court of public opinion it is on the balance of probabilities, a lower standard. Unfair some will say. Perhaps, but that's life; that's reality.

On the other hand a judge in a criminal court has advantages over us. Possibly better CCTV pictures, cross examination of witnesses, the chance to question witnesses himself etc. etc.. He is, therefore, better able to discharge his duty of being satisfied beyond reasonable doubt before convicting or aquitting if he is not.

The consequences of being convicted before a criminal court are much more serious than before the court of public opinion and hence the need for the higher standard of proof. Prison, criminal receord, deportation etc. etc.

In the Ingrams' case there could well be further serious consequences. As he works for the UK Government he could well lose his job or at least have promotion prospects dented. Much the same for his partner. She would never get another job with UN again.Even the risk of such a situaion is an incentive to pay out £8,000.

As to why he should make a fuss when he got home, I can only speculate, but it is not impossible his bosses found out. If he was in a sensitive post he might well have to report incidents overseas. You can bet your socks that the Embassy has to report incidents involving Brits in Thailand to the Foreign Office. Since they are part of the UK Government they might well tell his department. I note it took 2 months for this to become public. Just my speculation I admit, but did he suddenly find himself having to explain to his bosses?

In Pattaya Sukhumvit, when you come in from Laem Chabang. Well before Pattaya Nua. You can't fail it.

Thanks Moo9. I didn't go far enough north. Lesson learnt.

NO, instead, they sadistically grill an innocent businessman, bringing lots of money to the country

Sorry i didn't realise they were sadistic from your words I thought they just looked stern and asked questions.

BTW how would they know you were innocent without the very questions you castigate them for?

.....and should lots of money have made a difference had you for instance slipped into the country, perhaps on the run for a serious offence? Oh and how would they know anything about your money......without asking questions?

Get my drift?

ps: sorry you found some comment of mine ugly and nasty do point out where and I'll amend it.

Maybe you should read my original post again and a little better this time. I never blamed the airport police officers.

I expressed my fear that I was taken away and was scared to death that someone put drugs in my suitcase, especially because they didn't say WHY they took me.

It wouldn't have been the first time somebody was framed and how does anybody explain his/her innocence if they find drugs in your suitcase ?

THAT is why I was scared.

You turn it into an excuse for the officials; I never blamed them.

Read better!

LaoPo

Errr... You accused them of giving you a "sadistic" grilling. Is that not blaming them? Hardly friendly comments. ...and you have to go back 25 years to dredge this up???

Could someone please tell me exactly where on Sukhumvit that the Nissan Service Centre is locatedd? Couldn't find it the other day, but driving in heavy trafic didn't help.

Thanks

It's apparent that some posters do not understand law nor understand that evidence in a court of law is used by the prosecution to prove their case.

It should not be in a proper functioning legal system, although often is the case in Thailand, up to the accused to prove their innocence. It is up to the prosecution to build a case, and prove beyond any reasonable doubt, that the accused is guilty.

That's how it works. They have not been able to do so in this case to my knowledge.

That the couple were not apprehended while leaving the store with the item, that the cctv footage is inconclusive, that the couple were apprehended in the food court in different clothing, that the couple were not found in possession of the item, and many other factors, ensure the prosecution may not have had sufficient evidence to get a prosecution.

Very plausible scenario, hence the subsequent extortion and lack of due process.

Quite simple and any decent lawyer would have p*ssed this case if the prosecutors were even foolish enough to take it to court.

None of us knows how a court would interpret the evidence because none of us is looking at what a court would see. A lot would depend on how the prosecution presents it's case and how it attacked by the defence. None of us can assess the demenour of the witnesses and form an impression of their truthfulness. We don't even have all the facts that might be presented to a court.

For example it appears they were interviewed by police, but we do not know whether or not they were shown the CCTV footage. If so did they admit or deny it was them? If they did admit it was them the CCTV footage would be strong evidence.

The rest is circumstantial.

Sitting at different tables - not usual behaviour

Change of clothing - the exact details of this need further explanation. Did, for example, they have the clothing shown on the CCTV footage in their possession.

Ingram leaving the restaurant instead of going to see what the police wanted with his wife - very odd behaviour.

The stolen property being found along his line of flight.

We simply do not have all the details of the circumstantial eveidence. How this comes out in court could have would have a bearing on the outcome. A conviction is quite possible and so is an aquittal. There would certainly appear to be a prima facie case.

Most of us, myself included, draw our conclusions on less evidence than a court would have, which is just as well as we don't have to decide whether they are guilty or not. At this point in time I am satisfied they did it, but if I got more information I would be quite prepared to change my view. Even if aqitted by a court this does not mean they did no do it. It means the prosecution could not prove it's case.

I give my views based on whether they did or did not do it not whether they are legally guilty or not. Since this is not going to court that will never be known.

Does anyone have any idea why they supposedly threw the wallet in the bin?

Because if they had the idea of retrieving it later, they would not be able to as the cleaners are forever emptying the bins at the airport to make sure some idiot doesn't place a bomb in one like was done years ago by the Pattani crowd.

Having seen his wife approached by police, one possibility for disposing of the wallet in this way is that he wanted to avoid being caught with it in his possession. I.e. getting rid of the evidence. Just my thought.

Whew, i was just in that store last week.

Never again!

Thanks for the warning everyone.

just wondering or am i a little confused - what in hells name are any of the Embassies or more importantly TAT doing about this - seeing that TAT in fact control the tourist police -- have u ever noticed that the tourist police are driving better cars - have smart new looking uniforms - all paid out of the TAT budget - so if this sort of things is inpacting on the tourist sector - which has been suffering numerous down turns and bad publicity why the hel_l is TAT allowing this sort of thing or are they just turning a blind eye -- and how the hel_l can this Sri Lankan embassy gangster be allowed to roam the airports and also work as a so called volunteer translater for the police -- or is this just another amazing case of amazing thailand - i had to laugh earlier when some TV poster was extolling the virtues of this country - was this the sort of thing that he condones - oh well keep the thai smiles going and ummmm TIT --

Apparently the British embassy offered to help and the couple turned them down.

In light of the footage showing the couple clearly stealing, its fairly obvious why they didn't want the embassy to help settle the matter legally.

Obviously what they wanted was new passports and plane tickets out of Thailand.

As one old Thailand hand told me years ago, there is good and bad in Thailand. The bad is that if you get into trouble you have to pay. The good is that you can pay. Unacceptable, but fact never-the-less.

The footage isnt exactly like watching a Plasma screen so im probably wrong, but didnt she take the wallet round to the opposite side of the stand and leave it there.

Agreed the picture is not very good, but if you watch many times you can make a few deductions. At first the woman seems to put back all the wallets she picked up. The man seems to twice pick up a wallet with his right hand and transfer it his left hand. He then tansfers them back to his right. When the woman walks round to the other side of the counter she is clearly holding one or more wallets. Here I have to make a deduction. Having originally put back all the wallets she picked up, the only logical explanation for her having the wallets in her left hand is that the man passed them to her. In fact she has two wallets in her hand. She puts one down, turns away and puts the other one in her bag.

Note also that both of them are carrying something else in their left hands. Presumably to hide what they are up to.

In Singapore, if you are caught, you are caught. You cannot buy your way out, like these Brits, no matter how much you pay.

In another discussion, I am disapointed to hear that most of the Thai people think that corruption is OK in Thailand. IMHO this is the root of the problem.

You are absolutely right. To stop this sort of thing, in fact to stop corruption in general, will require a major cultural shift in Thailand. (In fact to one degree or another that applies to most of S.E. Asia.)

If faked it is pure propaganda meant to deflect from our ongoing list of KP compaints

leaning towards them losing business, and our disbelief at their total innocence in this matter.

Sorry folks,

I looked again and I don't see anything conclusive that a theft occurred,

and LESS that this same British couple are in the video.

And even less again that 8,000 lbs sterling is warrented for ANYTHING.

Why in hel_l would these two Brits go public like this, if they were REALLY THIEVES?

No reasons at all. Grifters would know it was time to move on quietly.

Maybe K.P. should hire the Killer Ladyboys from Carradine's mystery for their next film.

Anyone who thinks that this video is faked is deluding themselves. She looks younger than the photograph on page 1 post #1 because the camera angle hides her double chin. Notice how the whole incident is so quick, she is in and out in just seconds, he, however stays in the shop and appears to distract the staff at the end of the video.

It seems a lot of people here haven't clicked on the KP letter and read the .pdf file. The security followed him to a toilet where he got rid of the wallet in a toilet bin.

The couple contacted the press in the U.K. because they paid 8,000 GBP in bribes and felt cheated. That is a different matter.

The Thai Police probably couldn't prosecute, and have a case because;

1. The Video footage is not conclusive.

2. The wallet was not discovered 'on' their persons (it was disgarded).

However they could have fingerprinted the wallet (too much effort).

I am not saying that scams do not happen in KP duty free especially the 'free gift' placed in the plastic bag trick. But this case seems conclusive. The couple were thieves and ended up paying the price. 8,000 GBP for a 121 GBP wallet.

Just deserts IMHO.

This video is wortless in court. It shows nothing.

A thief is someone who has the stuff still in his position, not somewhere in the toilet!

Pardon!

Could have put on jackets because air conditioning was up full.

Also if the security guards are in on it every thing they say is suspect.

And it is easy enough to watch two people at ADJACENT tables.

I have taken up two different tables because of carry on baggage.

One gets up to pee, they accost the other

and then someone plants the wallet in the bin to nail the other.

Wait don't all farangs look alike? Mistaken identity

but gotta go through with it rather than lose face backing down...

Reading King Power's letter there is nothing about ADJACENTtables just different tables. There is nothing to say that they had a lot of baggage and this does not show up in the CCTV footage. I agree that changing outer clothing is not that clear, but if it was jackets they are not carrying them in the CCTV footage.

They were kept under observation whilst awaiting police and "as" security guards and police approached the woman the man walked off. If it was you wouldn't you want to see what was happening to your wife? Of course they went to the woman first because she was the one seen putting the wallet into her bag.

If they are all in on it why plant the wallet in the bin, why not just plant on either one of the couple or say you saw the man throw it in the bin? Makes a much stroger case if you are setting someone up.

The KP letter is quite detailed and on what basis can we say it is not true? The silence from the couple, the Times and other media is deafening.