Pirates Of The Caribbean

[skippybangkok]

Just learnt of a new and interesting practice....the cops that raid the counterfeit shops for bags, watches etc...... guess what they do after prosecuting the "purpetrators"....

...yep, u guessed it, they go on to sell the goods them selves.

Never ceases to amaze me.

[sceadugenga]

Just learnt of a new and interesting practice....the cops that raid the counterfeit shops for bags, watches etc...... guess what they do after prosecuting the "purpetrators"....

...yep, u guessed it, they go on to sell the goods them selves.

Never ceases to amaze me.

Welcome to the Land of Smiles. After you've been here more than 24 hours you'll find that that sort of story ceases to amaze you very quickly.

[Acquiesce]

Well when i saw the title of the thread it conjured up images of romantic swashbuckling buccaneers or at the very least vicious organised crime syndicates that take cargo ships, oil tankers and private yahts around the waters of Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Realy, if storys about the countries finest selling confiscated counterfeit goods shocks you, then your in the wrong country my friend.

[HarryHacker]

That even happens in the UK

[dumspero]

"They?" All cops? 50%? 10%? 5%? .02%?

Of course corruption happens in every country. The more meaningful issues are the extent of it and whether it's trending down or up.

[ColPyat]

"They?" All cops? 50%? 10%? 5%? .02%?

Of course corruption happens in every country. The more meaningful issues are the extent of it and whether it's trending down or up.

Rule of the thumb here is in every police station:

10% are clean

30% are acceptably corrupt

the rest is corrupt beyond redemption

The problems are enormous, such as young officers already start their working life in debt. Acceptance into the force only comes with money paid under the table (unless you have sponsors in the force), guns, uniform, etc. have to be bought. And they start off with a base salary of about 6000 Baht.

Low ranked officers have hardly any legal training.

Rank has to bought, without being part of a "puac" - a peer group - there is very little hope to either get good ranks, or good positions.

And don't think that the military is any different.

[qwertz]

That even happens in the UK

The German customs officers who routinely ransack my bags all wear snide Breitlings and Rolexes. One of them told me that in Germany it isn't illegal to accept or buy snide copies but selling them on is.

[sceadugenga]

"They?" All cops? 50%? 10%? 5%? .02%?

Of course corruption happens in every country. The more meaningful issues are the extent of it and whether it's trending down or up.

Rule of the thumb here is in every police station:

10% are clean

30% are acceptably corrupt

the rest is corrupt beyond redemption

The problems are enormous, such as young officers already start their working life in debt. Acceptance into the force only comes with money paid under the table (unless you have sponsors in the force), guns, uniform, etc. have to be bought. And they start off with a base salary of about 6000 Baht.

Low ranked officers have hardly any legal training.

Rank has to bought, without being part of a "puac" - a peer group - there is very little hope to either get good ranks, or good positions.

And don't think that the military is any different.

One of the guys in the village is in that 10%, he's a good friend and quite well off as his wife is childless and works in a bank. They own a lot of land and a big fish pond so their income and lifestyle is quite good. Why do I think he's honest? At 45 he's still junior man at the station in a small village.

[suiging]

Hard to blame the cops.

Had a portuguese pal in Macao who was so poorly paid that when he " retired " in his early forties to take over a minor Island in the South Pacific, some folk were shocked that he could afford it.

Not me , as the lad explained the Asian rule which I think is still being applied in the LOS.

" You see " said he,

" When the Government pay you nothing and allow you to buy your way to the top, they are accepting that in order for you to survive, you have to go on the take. If they paid you a decent salary, well that would be another story".