Foreign Volunteer Cops Accused Of Extorting Phuket Businesses

By Teeranai Charuvastra, Staff Reporter

 

A video screencap of one of two men accused of extorting bribes from business owners in Phuket province. Image: Spotlight Phuket

 

PHUKET — The chief of tourist police on Phuket on Tuesday declined to discuss accusations that two volunteer members of his force targeted foreign business owners and migrant workers in a racketeering scheme.

 

Reached for comment on the accusations made in a video published Sunday to Facebook, tourist police commander Col. Thongchai Wilaiprom said he had work to do and ended the call. The provincial immigration police commander said Monday he had instructed his deputies to look into the accusations.

 

Full Story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/2017/10/10/foreign-volunteer-cops-accused-extorting-phuket-businesses/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2017-10-10

Bad foreign mafia people. Good Thai people - no mafia at all. Taxi/Tuk Tuk's good . BiB good. All Foreigners cause all the crime .... ho hum 

Indian ? 

If you employ illegal workers you open yourself up to all kinds of unsavoury things.

Operate legally and these things don't happen.

9 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

Bad foreign mafia people. Good Thai people - no mafia at all. Taxi/Tuk Tuk's good . BiB good. All Foreigners cause all the crime .... ho hum 

Don´t stand anything anyware that can create such an assumption. I must say, though, that you are a very seasoned expert to reading between the lines. 

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

Operate legally and these things don't happen.

If only things were that simple in Thailand.

If they look long enough they can always find something illegal, and otherwise they just make it up which is possible with the broad interpretation of laws here.

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

tourist police commander Col. Thongchai Wilaiprom said he had work to do and ended the call.

He was interrupted counting envelopes and had to start all over again. Frustrating, ain't it?

Sounds like they learned too much from how the local "real" police go about their business. Forgot to check that extortion by government types is a protected profession not open to foreigners

9 hours ago, balo said:

Indian ? 

General Sheridan had it spot on ! Extortion by these people is not considered a crime, it is normal practice

3 hours ago, stevenl said:

Operate legally and these things don't happen

Not true at all. Are you saying the police follow the law?

47 minutes ago, Deez said:

Not true at all. Are you saying the police follow the law?

Broadly?

5 hours ago, stevenl said:

If you employ illegal workers you open yourself up to all kinds of unsavoury things.

Operate legally and these things don't happen.

nonsense.

well come to los volunteer and collect envelopes... the usual... in rome do AS the Romans... 

8 hours ago, stevenl said:

If you employ illegal workers you open yourself up to all kinds of unsavoury things.

Operate legally and these things don't happen.

If you legally employ people (to perform some of the duties similar to that of Thai cops) from countries that are as corrupt, or even more corrupt than Thailand, you shouldn't be surprised if they are as corrupt or more corrupt than the Thai Police.

 

Then again they have the language skills to deal with (and sometimes help) increasing numbers of Indian tourists.

10 hours ago, stevenl said:

If you employ illegal workers you open yourself up to all kinds of unsavoury things.

Operate legally and these things don't happen.

Thought for a minute you were talking about the police there, employing dodgy volunteers................

9 hours ago, Bob12345 said:

If only things were that simple in Thailand.

If they look long enough they can always find something illegal, and otherwise they just make it up which is possible with the broad interpretation of laws here.

Yes, it is that simple.

I understand that bars are having this problem in many places in Thailand. Those foreigners really get around!

23 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

Bad foreign mafia people. Good Thai people - no mafia at all. Taxi/Tuk Tuk's good . BiB good. All Foreigners cause all the crime .... ho hum 

You know, I didn't see where it said all foreigners are bad and all Thais are good.

 

In fact, I saw, “Thais extorting Indians, I’m not very [surprised]. But I just learned there are Indians extorting Indians!” says the narrator, who only identifies himself as “Joe.”

 

So, I suppose you wouldn't care if foreigners moved into your country and started committing crimes?

2 minutes ago, smotherb said:

You know, I didn't see where it said all foreigners are bad and all Thais are good.

 

In fact, I saw, “Thais extorting Indians, I’m not very [surprised]. But I just learned there are Indians extorting Indians!” says the narrator, who only identifies himself as “Joe.”

 

So, I suppose you wouldn't care if foreigners moved into your country and started committing crimes?

 

I stated foreign mafia bad ... so most foreigners not in that catagory.

 

God knows how many foreigners in my country committing crime (a big number) ... thats why I left almost 30 years ago. But that's off topic.

"In the video, which had been watched more than 35,000 times as of Tuesday afternoon, a whistleblower accuses two volunteers of extorting “protection money” from business owners and collecting bribes for their Thai supervisors on the force."

 

Just following orders it seems to me

As stevenl says if you get your papers in order they can't bribe you.

If they catch you out and you then clear the problem then they can only bribe you once

I do wish they would not refer to the volunteers as cops- they are not.  Two were strutting around Kamala market the other week dressed like storm troopers- black from head to foot and with lots of jangly things on their utility belts, it looked  ridiculous.

 

Apparently the new Col has changed the them to the black uniform from the more user-friendly white shirt. As they are supposed to be in SUPPORT of the police it was interesting to see no RTP or REAL Tourist police with them.

On 10/10/2017 at 10:47 PM, LivinginKata said:

Bad foreign mafia people. Good Thai people - no mafia at all. Taxi/Tuk Tuk's good . BiB good. All Foreigners cause all the crime .... ho hum 

I thought extortion was a reserved occupation.

13 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

 

I stated foreign mafia bad ... so most foreigners not in that catagory.

 

God knows how many foreigners in my country committing crime (a big number) ... thats why I left almost 30 years ago. But that's off topic.

You also said, " . . . All Foreigners cause all the crime . . ."

18 hours ago, stevenl said:

Yes, it is that simple.

 

Don't you or your staff pick up "customers" from the airport? 

 

Couldn't that be looked upon as working illegally in the transport industry here, if they wanted to? 

 

These Volunteer Cops should receive the same punishment as provincial police do for committing the same crime. 

 

They should be transferred to an "inactive post."   That will teach them.  

On 10/12/2017 at 1:31 AM, LivinginKata said:

 

I stated foreign mafia bad ... so most foreigners not in that catagory.

 

God knows how many foreigners in my country committing crime (a big number) ... thats why I left almost 30 years ago. But that's off topic.

 

"thats why I left almost 30 years ago" - to come to a country where the police are the mafia. 

 

 

 

 

On 10/12/2017 at 11:14 AM, NamKangMan said:

 

Don't you or your staff pick up "customers" from the airport? 

 

Couldn't that be looked upon as working illegally in the transport industry here, if they wanted to? 

Why the need to make a general discussion personal.

 

No need to answer, please stay away.

On 10/11/2017 at 9:58 PM, Goldieinkathu said:

"In the video, which had been watched more than 35,000 times as of Tuesday afternoon, a whistleblower accuses two volunteers of extorting “protection money” from business owners and collecting bribes for their Thai supervisors on the force."

 

Just following orders it seems to me

As stevenl says if you get your papers in order they can't bribe you.

If they catch you out and you then clear the problem then they can only bribe you once

I'm fairly sure your post was ironic, but a few will miss the intended humour - so (as I'm as subtle as a brick), I'll be more obvious.

 

"a whistleblower accuses two volunteers of extorting “protection money” from business owners and collecting bribes for their Thai supervisors on the force."

 

Just following orders it seems to me "

 

 

That's a good excuse for foreign volunteer cops extorting bribes?  But it does help explain why foreign volunteer cops are disliked so much by so many!

 

You're right of course insofar as "if you get your papers in order" it makes it far more difficult for bribes to be demanded.  Assuming, of course, you have the energy/stamina/determination not to give in and come to the decision that it's easier to just pay the money - for the sake of future peace and harmony.....

 

I don't own a business or even work here - but have to make similar decisions (with the landlord's 'repair man') every time I have a problem with my rented house....

Yes, it is that simple

7 hours ago, stevenl said:

Why the need to make a general discussion personal.

 

No need to answer, please stay away.

 

I'm not making it personal. 

 

Bob12345 said, "If only things were that simple in Thailand."

 

You replied, "Yes, it is that simple."

 

Then I put to you that some of your business, and I didn't even mention "underwater guiding" works in the "grey area" that is set up by authorities to be able to extort you at any time. 

 

It's nothing personal.  It's just the way it is here, yet, you deny it occurs.  Why is that?

1 hour ago, NamKangMan said:

Yes, it is that simple

 

I'm not making it personal. 

 

Bob12345 said, "If only things were that simple in Thailand."

 

You replied, "Yes, it is that simple."

 

Then I put to you that some of your business, and I didn't even mention "underwater guiding" works in the "grey area" that is set up by authorities to be able to extort you at any time. 

 

It's nothing personal.  It's just the way it is here, yet, you deny it occurs.  Why is that?

As I said, why make it personal, and please don't answer.

 

You answer and make it more personal .