Petchaburi Brit tops the overstay list in latest crackdown on foreign criminals

Pictures: Thai Tourist Police Bureau

 

 

A 70 year old British pensioner was named at the top of the list of overstaying foreigners in the 15th "X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner" nationwide crime sweep.

 

Under the auspices of crime buster Maj-Gen Surachet "Big Joke" Hakpal in cooperation with other agencies, the Tourist Police Bureau announced the arrest of 110 foreign undesirables in 83 raids throughout the country.

 

 

People were busted for running romance scams, skimming operations, drug running and overstaying their welcome.

 

Top of the list of 11 overstaying was 70 year old Colin Michael Laverack who was living in Petchaburi.

 

He had been here 187 days over his visa, ahead of a Vietnamese on 165 days and a Myanmar national in third place.

 

 

A total of five came from Myanmar and one each from Vietnam, the UK, Cambodia, Germany, Nigeria and Russia.

 

Some 92 people were arrested for illegal entry with Myanmar leading the way with 59 cases. There were 11 from Laos, 9 from Cambodia, 5 Indians, 3 Vietnamese and one each from Malaysia, China, Nigeria the US and Sweden.

 

 

 

Seven others including three Thais were arrested on other charges. 

 

Source: Thai Tourist Police Bureau

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-06-22

 

187 days is nothing.

 

I bet there are still guys hiding out on 10+ years overstay. Award a gold Rolex to the cop who rugby tackles him.

I wonder how they located Mr. Laverack?

 

Petchaburi is very off the radar.

 

 

 

Just now, NCC1701A said:

I wonder how they located Mr. Laverack?

 

Petchaburi is very off the radar.

 

 

 

Even the I.T. incompetent Immigration Police should be able to get a list, from entries and exits, of who has overstayed.

 

Then it is just a question of getting the address from TM6 and TM30 (filed by hotels, guesthouses and condos) records and knocking on the door. I don't think people like this 70-year-old are hiding like criminals, rather they are hoping the system forgets about them. I stayed one night in a hotel in Nakhon Phanom and when I went to extend my visa, the rather difficult I.O. was claiming I had moved to Nakhon Phanom. My point being that hotels do file TM30's sometimes and this information is retained on the immigration database sometimes.

Anyone who hasn't got the message by now that overstaying your visa is a serious problem deserves what comes their way. There is clearly a nationwide crackdown and Big Joke is not someone who seems likely to stop anytime soon.

2 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

Anyone who hasn't got the message by now that overstaying your visa is a serious problem deserves what comes their way. There is clearly a nationwide crackdown and Big Joke is not someone who seems likely to stop anytime soon.

no joke!

Germans, Russians Netted In This Week’s ‘X-Ray’ Foreigner Raids

By Jintamas Saksornchai, Staff Reporter

 

Maj. Gen. Surachet ‘Big Joke’ Hakpan, standing in brown, addresses a group of foreign detainees outside the Montien Hotel in Bangkok’s Bang Rak district.

 

BANGKOK — More than 100 foreigners were arrested Thursday night in yet another raid targeting schools, hotels and restaurants nationwide.

 

The latest round of the tourist police’s weekly operation saw 110 foreigners rounded up from 83 locations across the country for allegedly overstaying their visas, entering the country illegally or committing drug-related crimes.

 

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/crime-crime/2018/06/22/germans-russians-netted-in-this-weeks-x-ray-foreigner-raids/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2018-06-22

9 minutes ago, chippendale said:

187 days is nothing.

 

I bet there are still guys hiding out on 10+ years overstay. Award a gold Rolex to the cop who rugby tackles him.

Right, this is small fry.

 

15 years ago here in Chiang Mai, I knew a 62 year old English guy who had overstayed 9 years. His nickname was sailor because he claimed to be ex-navy. Not only was he on overstay he even boasted about it. As far as I can remember he never got caught. 

 

As you say; chippendale, bet there are those who have overstayed for years and managed to stay off the radar. But now with technology it`s becoming much easier to tag these people and it`s going to be much more difficult to buck the system. The banks, hospitals and the separate police departments are beginning to communicate with each other, not only nationally, but also internationally. Welcome to the technological age of Big Brother.

2003 IDC  was at times 40+ in each cage.

Wonder what it looks like now??

1 hour ago, NCC1701A said:

I wonder how they located Mr. Laverack?

 

Petchaburi is very off the radar.

 

 

 

Not particularly publicized but village officials are frequently questioned by police and local provincially based Immigration officers about details of foreigners residing in their villages. 

No place is entirely off the radar.

Typical British traveller, think the empire still exists and they can still colonise any land they step foot on.

Now let's see who's dumb enough to take offence at this without me having to spell it out

2 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

I wonder how they located Mr. Laverack?

 

Petchaburi is very off the radar.

Probably easier to overstay in the big cities actually as we blend in more and landlords don't usually bother filling in the forms. I did 4 years overstay on Bangkok. 

Whether it is 10 days or 10 years it is an overstay and he needs kicking out regardless of where he comes from in comparison with the other recalcitrants.

Well done big joke

5 minutes ago, Expatthailover said:

Whether it is 10 days or 10 years it is an overstay and he needs kicking out regardless of where he comes from in comparison with the other recalcitrants.

Well done big joke

Well i was on overstay for 35 days 4 years ago, so according to you i should have been kicked out.

9 minutes ago, grumbleweed said:

Typical British traveller, think the empire still exists and they can still colonise any land they step foot on.

Now let's see who's dumb enough to take offence at this without me having to spell it out

One guy overstayed his visa , rather stupid to suggest that this is "typical behavior" , because for it to be typical , the majority would have to be doing it (But even that comment, was sensible, when compared to you "colonise" suggestion

Just now, sanemax said:

One guy overstayed his visa , rather stupid to suggest that this is "typical behavior" , because for it to be typical , the majority would have to be doing it (But even that comment, was sensible, when compared to you "colonise" suggestion

Wind yer neck in. As I was saying "let's see who's dumb enough..."

The clue was in "spell it out"

traveller

colonise

offence

are British spellings.

So allow me to spell it out for you:

(a) I'm British

(b) It was a wind up

 

 

2 hours ago, Briggsy said:

Even the I.T. incompetent Immigration Police should be able to get a list, from entries and exits, of who has overstayed.

 

Then it is just a question of getting the address from TM6 and TM30 (filed by hotels, guesthouses and condos) records and knocking on the door. I don't think people like this 70-year-old are hiding like criminals, rather they are hoping the system forgets about them. I stayed one night in a hotel in Nakhon Phanom and when I went to extend my visa, the rather difficult I.O. was claiming I had moved to Nakhon Phanom. My point being that hotels do file TM30's sometimes and this information is retained on the immigration database sometimes.

Not sure they have the complete records all the time, I know of guy who was 6 years overstay, paid an immigration guy to have it cleared on his way out back to the UK and he wasn't in the system as having arrived.

2 hours ago, chippendale said:

187 days is nothing.

 

I bet there are still guys hiding out on 10+ years overstay. Award a gold Rolex to the cop who rugby tackles him.

 

I doubt it.   Immigration have all the entry records computerised and can print off a list of people.   The problem is in figuring out where they've moved to.

Someone I know had immigration turn up at his condo in Thong Lor a couple of years back.  They had a printed list with his name on and the length of his overstay.

2 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

I wonder how they located Mr. Laverack?

 

Petchaburi is very off the radar.

 

 

 

having spent some time in IDC most of the westerners were there because they had a fallout with their gf and gf reported them

2 hours ago, Briggsy said:

Even the I.T. incompetent Immigration Police should be able to get a list, from entries and exits, of who has overstayed.

 

Then it is just a question of getting the address from TM6 and TM30 (filed by hotels, guesthouses and condos) records and knocking on the door. I don't think people like this 70-year-old are hiding like criminals, rather they are hoping the system forgets about them. I stayed one night in a hotel in Nakhon Phanom and when I went to extend my visa, the rather difficult I.O. was claiming I had moved to Nakhon Phanom. My point being that hotels do file TM30's sometimes and this information is retained on the immigration database sometimes.

 

I last entered Thailand on 26th May 2009 and haven't left since.

 

However I am not on overstay and I show the TM6 everytime I renew the extension.

 

FWIW I think that the pensioner was legal up to 18 months ago and perhaps is now not able to afford to renew the extension and the Immigration office in Petchburi got prodded by BKK to check their files and the pensioner was shown up as not renewing the extension.

 

His address was on record so they paid him a visit. Up until lately they would probably have ignored him.

10 minutes ago, seancbk said:

 

I doubt it.   Immigration have all the entry records computerised and can print off a list of people.   The problem is in figuring out where they've moved to.

Someone I know had immigration turn up at his condo in Thong Lor a couple of years back.  They had a printed list with his name on and the length of his overstay.

The vast majority of the overstays would have filled in where they are currently staying - or are staying not far from that location -- since when they entered ... most of them had no forethought that they would be overstaying so they answered truthfully.  Most people by the time they overstay have already visited for a lengthy time, and have preferences on where they want to stay.  Compiling that list of data, you would likely be able to track down the majority of the overstays.

 

Offer a portion of the fines as a reward for information leading to capture - and you would likely even get more up to date information.

42 minutes ago, grumbleweed said:

Typical British traveller, think the empire still exists and they can still colonise any land they step foot on.

Now let's see who's dumb enough to take offence at this without me having to spell it out

What?? The Empire's gone??

When did this happen, why wasn't I told?? ?

1 hour ago, dddave said:

Not particularly publicized but village officials are frequently questioned by police and local provincially based Immigration officers about details of foreigners residing in their villages. 

No place is entirely off the radar.

 

To be fair, he probably lives in Cha Am, which is in Phetchaburi. Fair few elderly expats living there.

19 minutes ago, grumbleweed said:

Wind yer neck in. As I was saying "let's see who's dumb enough..."

The clue was in "spell it out"

traveller

colonise

offence

are British spellings.

So allow me to spell it out for you:

(a) I'm British

(b) It was a wind up

 

 

Funny how it became a wind-up only after someone criticises it. 

I had English friend Steve... how many years? 5? 10? Homeless living on Jomtien Beach, depending on the kindness of strangers and friends. Was even on CNN and another channel that escapes my mind. Would get locked up by cops time and again. Then released: he had no money so nothing in it for them. Was a good guy, kept himself neat & clean tho seemed to live to get drunk. Even wrote a book "Paradise Gone Wrong". Cops finally bit the bullet and kicked him out year or so ago. I miss him.

21 minutes ago, billd766 said:

 

I last entered Thailand on 26th May 2009 and haven't left since.

 

However I am not on overstay and I show the TM6 everytime I renew the extension.

 

FWIW I think that the pensioner was legal up to 18 months ago and perhaps is now not able to afford to renew the extension and the Immigration office in Petchburi got prodded by BKK to check their files and the pensioner was shown up as not renewing the extension.

 

His address was on record so they paid him a visit. Up until lately they would probably have ignored him.

Yes, another possible scenario.

2 hours ago, cyberfarang said:

Right, this is small fry.

 

15 years ago here in Chiang Mai, I knew a 62 year old English guy who had overstayed 9 years. His nickname was sailor because he claimed to be ex-navy. Not only was he on overstay he even boasted about it. As far as I can remember he never got caught. 

 

As you say; chippendale, bet there are those who have overstayed for years and managed to stay off the radar. But now with technology it`s becoming much easier to tag these people and it`s going to be much more difficult to buck the system. The banks, hospitals and the separate police departments are beginning to communicate with each other, not only nationally, but also internationally. Welcome to the technological age of Big Brother.

Well not too sure about that! 

I realised yesterday had totally forgotten about my 90 day - was a month late. 

 

So dressed very smartly - popped down to immigration - apologised profusely- and was let off -“put a reminder on your phone - good advice.

 

Anyway on their system - had my address from 6 years ago - even though I have moved 3 times and always notified them of my new address ( I rent and just move if not 100% happy ) - so maybe not so efficient?

58 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Well i was on overstay for 35 days 4 years ago, so according to you i should have been kicked out.

Yes

No excuses for overstaying, particularly for extended periods. The rules are the rules, and well known.

 

However, it's a bit galling to see the weekly spectacle of these foreigner sweeps, when serious criminals, both Thai and farang, run around scot free because they've paid off or are in cahoots with some Thai authorities.

 

Like the boiler room guy who ultimately got assassinated by his own colleagues in Pattaya -- he had been targeted for deportation, but apparently had a friendly official stop it for him. So he was running around running a business stealing millions and living the high life, and the Thai authorities let him.

 

It would be nice if the Thai authorities could actually bring some sense of priority and importance to the cases they pursue and prioritize, in terms of real actual criminals and bad doers vs. folks just minding their own business and otherwise law abiding except for overstay.

 

How about weekly sweeps and press conferences of arresting really BAD criminals? Like those who embezzle millions of baht of government funds intended for Thailand's poorest people?  Is Mr. Joke out arresting them? Don't think so.

 

Any Immigration officers at  the land borders arrested for accepting/taking/demanding bribes like those paid by the Erawan bombers? How about the school operators who facilitate fraudulent ED visas? Any of them arrested, any schools closed? Don't think so!

1 hour ago, grumbleweed said:

Typical British traveller, think the empire still exists and they can still colonise any land they step foot on.

Now let's see who's dumb enough to take offence at this without me having to spell it out

I take offence and I'm not British. However, I've met many British travelers and NONE of them are as you describe. And don't bother spelling anything out for me.