Briton Details Thai Prison Ordeal in Bangkok

3 hours ago, JerryM said:

I think you read that wrong. It says:

... as a return for inducting or having induced,

by dishonest or unlawful means (IE a bribe), or

by using his influence,

any official, ... to exercise or not to exercise any of his functions (or use his/her discretion as interpreted by many) , which is advantageous or disadvantageous to any person (IE the client).

And this Section is addressing the activities of a facilitator, not the IO.

Plenty of quotes, zero examples. They did make the deposit more difficult so perhaps things will change. I'm not losing sleep over it.

6 minutes ago, flaming dragon said:

Plenty of quotes, zero examples.

One example: The Chuwit in Khon Kaen. But unless there is somehow some promised internal audit of "legitimate reason" extensions, it probably probably would take someone with a severe grudge to file a complaint.

On 6/15/2026 at 2:21 AM, flaming dragon said:

Looks a little pale for a denizen of Croydon. IQ level sounds about right.

"Another fine mess you've got me into..."

On 6/15/2026 at 10:21 AM, Iron Tongue said:

So this chap pled guilty and went to prison for forged documents, how then, would other countries allow a convicted felon to enter their countries?

That is the first thing Immigration officers check for.

How do immigration officers do that?

Headed to Oz a while back, had to get a visa, can't count the number of times I encountered warnings YOU NEED A VISA! So stepped up to imm. at entry, she scans my passport after nary a glance at it, hands it back to me. I asked "aren't you going to check the visa?" she said "we got it all right here." Actually a few times I got the impression Ozzie authorities were nice to me because I was a Yank; it wasn't that long after 9//11 so they probably figure the enforcement there really puts us through the ringer. Or maybe it's the Olivia Newton-John thing.

Malaysia scans your fingerprints on entry, even by land at Sadao. Been doing so for nearly 20 years.

On 6/16/2026 at 2:18 PM, richard_smith237 said:

As immigration records become increasingly digital

Information in the grey area that could not be linked 5 or 10 years ago with improved computer horse-power can tend to make the 'grey' area more black or white.

6 hours ago, bendejo said:

So stepped up to imm. at entry, she scans my passport after nary a glance at it, hands it back to me. I asked "aren't you going to check the visa?" she said "we got it all right here.

Most countries are like that these days...

Visas are already 'in the system' and as soon as you show your passport and it scans biometrics the visa pops up.

But he is lying .He did not forge the documents - the thais did . But Thailand got him to confess to another thai's crime in order to halve his sentence - are you proud of that law Thailand ?because it is stunningly disingenious......Can we have stats on the number of shady visa operators - nearly all my friends have had a bad story- It's endemic....hopefully the DTV visa will eliminate the poor human decisions made at the borders and dodgy visa enablers /disablers- .... the mechanism with dealing with foreigners is 2 tier - like the policing in UK. Thais in general believe they are above the law because they know someone and have gotten away with it before ...doe'snt make it right. Did the investigator find the muay thai visa application office that took money and not provide legit visa . because if it didnt - they are culpable- if i was this young man i would sue the Thai govt -because they have not provided safe channels for visa applications and false imprisonment. which means the police are not policing - what are they doing? running gambling sites ...? borrowing huge sums from soapy massage venues employing underage women. The thai have an image problem . one rule for you one rule for us....

On 6/15/2026 at 2:31 AM, mfd101 said:

Warning to morons everywhere: Do not visit Thailand. Ever.

People often visit Thailand for a holiday but stay to be FT morons.

The lower cost of living and lack of rules and pressures appears to enable that but stay long enough and act moronically enough and it's FAFO / deadly. Sabai sabai lulls people into assuming it's not a serious place.

On 6/16/2026 at 2:08 PM, richard_smith237 said:

From time to time there are highly publicised crackdowns, investigations, and arrests. These occur when abuses become too visible, attract media attention, generate public pressure, or inconvenience someone with sufficient influence to demand action.

Until then, many such arrangements continue to exist in the grey area between what is officially permitted and what is quietly tolerated.

This from Bangkok Post:

The Immigration Bureau will lead operations with relevant agencies to inspect foreigner databases, verify documents and evidence, review visa extension requests and examine foreign business operations.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/3253894/thailand-moves-to-uproot-illegal-foreign-activities

And if they are looking at persons staying over 90 days, versus extension of like tourist visas, one easy thing to audit is the upcountry "legitimate reason" discretion one-year extensions of stay that approach the expat population of the province

What you you say other than "DUMMY!"

On 6/15/2026 at 5:37 PM, JerryM said:

And those agents 'work' with Immigration to induce the IMM officer to invoke the "legitimate reason" 5. discretion clause and waive any financial requirement otherwise necessitated.

But as they only do so when paid a large amounts it's corruption. Also, extensions are sometimes from another province up country, which is definately illegal.

Good Luck with your travels 👍

11 hours ago, visalady said:

But as they only do so when paid a large amounts it's corruption. Also, extensions are sometimes from another province up country, which is definately illegal.

But if you post something like that on the VISA forum section you will only get laughing emojis.

3 hours ago, JerryM said:

But if you post something like that on the VISA forum section you will only get laughing emojis.

But if you post something like that on the VISA forum section you will only get laughing emojis.

Nervous laughs perhaps from people bribing officials for years. If it was legal as they claim why bother with an agent at all- just go into immigration and pay the money over yourself, after all they can make up a legitimate reason to ignore the financials, so go on just cut out the middle man.😀

18 minutes ago, visalady said:

Nervous laughs perhaps from people bribing officials for years.

Largely as a matter of their interpretation of the words "legitimate reason" in the current Immigration order, one of the resident experts said on the VISA forum said:

"They (IMM Officers) are the ones who get to decide whether or not to issue a visa/extension and under what criteria. They can both add AND remove criteria at their discretion.

To which I responded:

Last time I heard an explanation like that it was for the Infallibility of the Pope.