Swede busted for selling chewing tobacco without work permit

[Rimmer]

Swede busted for selling chewing tobacco without work permit

PATTAYA:-- A Swedish man was arrested for selling chewing tobacco over the internet.

 

Stig Lennart Vahlberg, 60, was captured in a sting operation utilizing a foreign police informant Nov. 10 on Pratamnak Soi 6. The informant earlier arranged to buy 60 cans of chewing tobacco via a smartphone messaging application and police waited for the Swede to deliver.

 

Vahlberg could not produce his passport and was taken to the Chonburi Immigration Office. His passport, once presented, showed he entered the kingdom on Nov. 1 on a retirement visa with permission to stay in Thailand until Jan. 7.

 

The Swede was charged with working without a work permit.

 

 

-- © Copyright Pattaya Mail 2017-11-17

[Rimmer]

Your troll post has been removed Mr Horpestad expect your warning and suspension in the post.

 

Don't like the content then move on but do not leave your troll comments on here for others to read

[bkkenglish]

I wonder if the foreign police informant had a Work Permit?

[dictater]

How in this instance is he denying a Thai person work/income or profit? I know that is not the regulations on which the work permit is given but it is the basis on which the labor law was created. 

[RichardColeman]

Oh well, there goes that cunning plan to get round the tabacco fag ban on the beaches !

[spermwhale]

Even stranger... why would a foreigner target this guy and go to the police to set up a sting with them? 

[Thechook]

10 minutes ago, dictater said:

How in this instance is he denying a Thai person work/income or profit? I know that is not the regulations on which the work permit is given but it is the basis on which the labor law was created. 

Maybe the money isnt going into a thai account

[crazygreg44]

13 minutes ago, dictater said:

How in this instance is he denying a Thai person work/income or profit? I know that is not the regulations on which the work permit is given but it is the basis on which the labor law was created. 

of course a Thai could sit in front of the computer days and nights, selling the items on ebay, shpock, facebook, intagram et cetera. He could HIRE a Thai without revealing his supply route, yet don't do the crude work by himself. And I still suspect, maintaining and keeping up an internet platform for the sales of a product makes him already fit breaking the law regarding his Extension of Stay for retirement. ANY, yes, ANY occupational activity is banned when staying in Thailand on this visa

 

I have known quite a few Farang selling stuff on ebay and managing to keep under the radar . . . . . .I won't reveal any routes but can only warn about doing so

Edited November 17, 2017 by crazygreg44

[spermwhale]

With so many serious criminals in this country -- murderers, kidnappers, people traffickers, hit and run drivers, serious embezzlers and thieves -- once again the useless Thai cops go for the low-hanging fruit. This country never changes. 

[sanemax]

Strange story .

There is probably a bit more to this story than has been reported .

Someone thought that he was selling drugs ?

Someone with a grievance against him ?

It does seem quite a travial matter and its surprising the the Police took any action

[crazykopite]

Should we all be worried when we start selling items on Thai Visa or Bart&sold if we haven’t got a work permit

[Time Traveller]

14 minutes ago, spermwhale said:

Even stranger... why would a foreigner target this guy and go to the police to set up a sting with them? 

Just some wierdo do gooder farang watching their life fade away with nothing to do. 

Totally bizzare, but snitching on others does not help improve thailand's work laws for foreigners. Maybe they were cuaght by the thai cops on something and then let off if they snitched? Who knows

[Time Traveller]

5 minutes ago, crazykopite said:

Should we all be worried when we start selling items on Thai Visa or Bart&sold if we haven’t got a work permit

If you are doing it for a profit, then yes. If you're just clearing out unwanted stuff from your garage, then no.

[PatOngo]

Well this is a relief.......national security has been restored!

[AlexRich]

Why would any foreigner get involved in an undercover sting operation to set-up a guy over a relatively minor offence? There are reportedly foreigners engaging in boiler room and property fraud in Thailand who are noted "pillars of the community" ... I wonder why they are never targeted?

[Peterw42]

34 minutes ago, spermwhale said:

Even stranger... why would a foreigner target this guy and go to the police to set up a sting with them? 

More than likely a farang police volunteer. Thats not unheard of, to have them pose as customers etc.

Edited November 17, 2017 by Peterw42

[darksidedog]

I suspect the song and dance is because it is Tobacco (and probably untaxed tobacco at that),and we all know how the Thai Tobacco Monopoly tries to stamp out anyone infringing on their profits.

[globin]

There are two established Thai run business' selling locally made chewing, oral, snus, snuff tobacco products on the internet.

[PoorSucker]

Post with passport details removed.

[stanleycoin]

One of our own,  doing this sort of thing to the guy.

shameful. how low can you go. there is real nasty crime in this town

and on the roads.  but you help the Bib do this.

I wish you a bucketful,    of Bad karma, who ever you were. 

[CNXBKKMAN]

So what is the penalty for trading without a work permit? I am guessing it wasnt a big business. A fine , he gets deported, jail? A greater punishment than illegally storing fireworks 1000 baht?

[yellowboat]

42 minutes ago, dictater said:

How in this instance is he denying a Thai person work/income or profit? I know that is not the regulations on which the work permit is given but it is the basis on which the labor law was created. 

Your lack of understanding of Thai law comes from being brought up in a country that cherishes logic and reasoning.  He could have done this business south of the border and he would have gone completely unmolested.  Why people with drive spend so much time in Thailand is confounding. 

[robblok]

4 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

I suspect the song and dance is because it is Tobacco (and probably untaxed tobacco at that),and we all know how the Thai Tobacco Monopoly tries to stamp out anyone infringing on their profits.

I think your 100% right here.. why else is vaping not legal.

[ubonjoe]

A defamatory post containing personal information about a person has been removed.

Forum rule.

Quote

6) You will not post comments that could be reasonably construed as defamation or libel.
Defamation is the issuance of a statement about another person or business which causes that person to suffer harm. It does not have to be false to be defamatory. Libel is when the defamatory statement is published either in a drawing, painting, cinematography, film, picture or letters made visible by any means, or any other recording instruments, recording picture or letters, or by broadcasting or spreading picture, or by propagation by any other means. Defamation is both a civil and criminal charge in Thailand.

 

[khunpa]

55 minutes ago, spermwhale said:

Even stranger... why would a foreigner target this guy and go to the police to set up a sting with them? 

 

Because the informer is in trouble himself and now the Swedish guy can rat  someone else out  :-)

 

A story like this is a good example of why I would never do business here and why I never hang out with other Farangs here.

Edited November 17, 2017 by khunpa

[impulse]

17 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

50 minutes ago, spermwhale said:

Even stranger... why would a foreigner target this guy and go to the police to set up a sting with them? 

More than likely a farang police volunteer. Thats not unheard of, to have them pose as customers etc.

 

Just as likely to be someone with a personal grudge (and maybe a legitimate complaint) against the guy, and ratting him out was the only way to get it addressed.

 

I wonder if the Swede was yelling at anyone's kids at the swimming pool?

 

[PoorSucker]

1 hour ago, spermwhale said:

Even stranger... why would a foreigner target this guy and go to the police to set up a sting with them? 

A simple google search and I found four companies besides this guy selling the stuff.

If they are legitimate with work permits and pay taxes, I would be bothered with this guy.

[Juan B Tong]

Busted for working on the dark side.

[khunpa]

1 hour ago, bkkenglish said:

I wonder if the foreign police informant had a Work Permit?

Doubt it, since that would require him to have 4 full time Thai Co-Informants hired in his Informant Company.

[Becker]

38 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

More than likely a farang police volunteer. Thats not unheard of, to have them pose as customers etc.

I can totally see some of the police volunteer storm troopers ratting out fellow farangs and loving it.