Why is Thailand heaven for foreign criminals? Thai media talk to immigration

[rooster59]

Why is Thailand heaven for foreign criminals? Thai media talk to immigration

 

Image: Thai Rath

 

In what they called an all bases covered exclusive influential Thai media posed a question to a leading figure at Thai immigration:

 

Why do foreign fugitives and criminals love to come and settle and hide out in Thailand.

 

Many of the responses of Pol Col Thatchapong Sarawanangkoon would read as a list why anyone would want to come and live in Thailand.

 

Thai Rath started in their preamble saying that especially in the last ten years or so there have been many cases of high profile criminals hiding out in Thailand. 

 

They printed pictures and profiles of some of the ones that the Thais with the help of foreign agencies have managed to track down and return to justice. 

 

These included Japan's number one wanted Yakuza 72 year old Chigeharu Shirai who was in the kingdom for years. There was also former KGB agent Victor Anatoljevitch and the Filipino kidnapper Patrick Philip Gutierrez.

 

But the list went on and on of those who saw Thailand as the perfect haven

 

Pol Col Thatchapong outlined why.

 

He said that one reason was ease of entry to Thailand, ease of leaving and the fact that there are lots of natural unmanned borders. 

 

High up on the list was also the ease of movement in the country itself - province to province travel was unrestricted and simple. 

 

Then he explained the other reasons: There is plenty of everything.

 

He spoke of internet everywhere, lots of food to eat, a cheap cost of living especially when compared to many parts of the world.

 

"Everything is easy" he said and the Thai people are lovely". 

 

Asked if foreign criminals take into consideration the ability of the Thai cops to arrest them he demurred saying that that was not high up on their thinking. They were more likely to consider the other factors that he had already mentioned related to the ease of living in Thailand. 

 

Source: Thai Rath

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-08-04

[rkidlad]

3 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

"Everything is easy" he said and the Thai people are lovely".

Yes, and a lack of proper law enforcement and lots of corruption. 

[PatOngo]

6 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Why is Thailand heaven for foreign criminals?

In a country where money talks, why would'nt they come here?

[worgeordie]

Corrupt officials,corrupt Police,corrupt immigration officers,

I think the food and cost of living will be a far off second.

regards worgeordie

[flyingtlger]

Because MONEY TALKS.....

 

[55Jay]

The world's villains come to Thailand. 

Thailand's villains head to Cambodia.

[the guest]

When you have a country that only worships money, and embraces corruption, where would you go if your a criminal?

[stanleycoin]

100% self inflicted.

The Bad boys feel at home here. 

Edited August 4, 2018 by stanleycoin

[dotpoom]

No more so than like Spain is in Europe.

[Fex Bluse]

I know Thai people generally probably don't want to accept it, but a significant reason so many foreign criminals come to Thailand is because so many Thai criminals are in Thailand. 

 

Like attracts like. A large number of low quality local people will attract a disproportionately high number of low quality foreign people. That simple. 

 

Overwhelming majority of Thai people break THIER OWN LAWS. So, why would they expect foreingers to take those laws seriously? 

 

When Thai people begin to show consistency of following their own laws, irrespective of money, power, status, they can then expect far fewer low quality people showing up in their country. 

[mush78]

First finish corruption, mostly police taking money with illegal worker , mostly tourist police taking money .. so how come u stop all , all restaurant at Nana area sukhumwith ,police don't know ? Tourist police don't know , all are babies hahahahahah


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Fex Bluse]

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

He spoke of internet everywhere, lots of food to eat, a cheap cost of living especially when compared to many parts of the world.

Sorry. Most Thais really seem to lack any introspection at all. What a ridiculous answer. 

 

I could debunk that silly answer, but, why bother.

 

Maybe a longer interview would have him saying "Foreign criminals come to Thailand for the temples and good shopping." It's like their only external understanding of their country is the propaganda from the tourism drives. 

 

Bizzare 

Edited August 4, 2018 by Fex Bluse

[kaonoister]

Criminals change the country where they are wanted.all around the world.and sure not only only to thailand.???

[Oziex1]

Based on this story and another recent headline it would seem that it is now "Bad guys in good guys out"

 

Come on Big Joke, where are you! 

[Bob12345]

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Asked if foreign criminals take into consideration the ability of the Thai cops to arrest them he demurred saying that that was not high up on their thinking. They were more likely to consider the other factors that he had already mentioned related to the ease of living in Thailand. 

Are you kidding?

They value internet speed and food but care little about the risk of being arrested?

 

Number 1 prioroty is, of ccourse, the chances of getting arrested and inprisoned/deported. All else comes second.

 

 

Idiot.

[mok199]

where else can you leave your bag full of ''loot'' in a taxi and have it returned to you that evening....T-land

Edited August 4, 2018 by mok199
speliings

[fimo]

I perfectly understand that immigration has to check the new comers but why bother and treat as criminal the residents who have visa and stayed at least more than 5 years ?

There will be 2 benefits:

- It will attract more people who want to retire in Thailand (and invest in the country)

- Immigration officers will save time (and money) and will have more time to check the potential criminals

[akirasan]

Not really a mystery when you what the RTP considers "effective policing"

 

Edited August 4, 2018 by akirasan

[Andrew65]

Lots of tourists & expats here also, so easy to merge into that scene.

 

I was in Burma almost 20 years ago ('99). Definitely a place where one could have "disappeared" oneself. I saw 5 falang in 5 days in Rangoon.

 

Way back then I thought of "Myanmar" as "Asia's best kept secret", which it was.

Edited August 4, 2018 by Andrew65

[Cheops]

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

He spoke of internet everywhere, lots of food to eat, a cheap cost of living especially when compared to many parts of the world.

That's it, he cracked the mysterie. 

 

Let's see:

• internet everywhere. Well, the heavily sensored and monitored internet for sure is NOT a reason to come here!
• lots of food to eat. Yes, this is it. All the criminals need to eat daily, so this is the reason! Good job to crack this case Pol Col Thatchapong Sarawanangkoon!
• a cheap cost of living. I think a lot of other surrounding countries are much cheaper, so no, this isn't the reason.

 

[Megasin1]

They probably asked a similar type of question years ago in the wild West. Oh why oh why does our lawless society attract so many criminals? Bit of a rhetorical question really.?

[fxe1200]

1 hour ago, dotpoom said:

No more so than like Spain is in Europe.

Number one in Europe definitely is Bulgaria.

[tonysilly]

Do not blame the criminals.  Its easy to pay people off in Thailand.  Correction.  That is the issue.   Its like blaming foreigners for the dirty beaches.   

[thecyclist]

Foreigners also brought Aids and prostitution to Thailand. Thailand is no 1 and whatever goes wrong in paradise must be because of foreigners :Thais have an infinite ability to rationalize and project. 

[robertthesculptor]

I truly doubt there are more or worse criminals here than anywhere. but the media loves to scream about it.

ease of movement from area to area...no that is untrue. all foreigners here are very monitored. much more so than Europe or the US or Mexico.  

truly there is a strong xenophobic feeling in official Thailand. I was not allowed to get a SIM card from DTack even though I am married to a Thai and have lived here for over 6 years with no problems.

[over2you]

5 minutes ago, robertthesculptor said:

I was not allowed to get a SIM card from DTack even though I am married to a Thai and have lived here for over 6 years with no problems

Could you explain more please.

I've never had a problem. Except more recently had to show my passport. 

[StayinThailand2much]

4 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Why is Thailand heaven for foreign criminals? Thai media talk to immigration

Because in a country of so many scams, gangs, drug trade, human trafficking, corruption, etc., etc., they feel right at home? ?

[Monomial]

5 minutes ago, over2you said:

Could you explain more please.

I've never had a problem. Except more recently had to show my passport. 

 

He means a postpaid SIM card.  For that, you either need to be Thai or have a work permit.

[Tradewind777]

3 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Corrupt officials,corrupt Police,corrupt immigration officers,

I think the food and cost of living will be a far off second.

regards worgeordie

 Birds of a feather flocking together: way aye man!

[Mattd]

4 hours ago, rooster59 said:

"Everything is easy" he said and the Thai people are lovely". 

Roughly translated it really means "Everything is lovely" he said and the Thai people are easy to bribe".