Korean man arrested on fraud charges amid temple bell-ringing probe

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Korean man arrested on fraud charges amid temple bell-ringing probe

By The Nation

 

 

Immigration police have arrested a South Korean man in Bangkok who is suspected of being involved in seven fraud cases.

Lee Seungkun, 42, was arrested after immigration officers checked foreign residents at the Star View Condominium at Wat Sai in Bangkok's Rama III area following a controversy over the 4am bell ringing at a nearby temple.

 

Bangkok district office was prompted to order the temple to lower the sound of its pre-dawn ritual following complaints from residents at the condominium.

 

Pol Maj Gen Surachet Hakpal, acting chief of the Immigration Bureau, said Seungkun was arrested after officers checked foreign residents at the condo and found he was wanted in seven cases involving frauds worth 190 million won (Bt5.5 million).

 

The controversy began after the temple informed the public that it had been served an order by the the Bang Kho Laem district to lower the sounds of its pre-dawn bell tolling, or change the time of the ritual. Social media erupted in uproar and online attacks were made against the district office and the condo residents.

 

Following the uproar, several celebrities living at the condo said that most residents had no problem with the sound of the bell tolling, except a young Thai woman and a Thai man who allowed a western man to rent their room.

 

After the report that the room was rented to a foreigner, Surachet dispatched officers to check all foreign tenants at the condo.

 

He said they checked whether the foreign tenants had properly registered their residence in Thailand with the Immigration Bureau and whether the Thai owners had informed the bureau about renting their rooms to foreigners.

 

Surachet said police found most of the foreign tenants had properly registered their locations with the bureau but most Thai owners had failed to inform police about the room rentals. He said the Thai owners would be summoned to face fines.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30355941

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-10-06

[from the home of CC]

Better just to cross all the t's than get caught up in some unrelated event.

[rkidlad]

Buddha would have his face in his palms after witnessing all this. 

[Darcula]

There's probably equal chance of finding as many lawbreakers on the temple premises, as there is in that condominium.

[bluesofa]

1 minute ago, Darcula said:

There's probably equal chance of finding as many lawbreakers on the temple premises, as there is in that condominium.

Likely there's more sexual deviants in the temple too. Surely it's a prerequisite.

 

[Odysseus123]

Ah..so anyone who makes any form of complaint against the Thai can look forward to a prospective visit from the Thai knight in shining armour..Sir Mordred le Grand Giggle.

 

That figures..

[sanemax]

Talk about "blameing the victim"

[petedk]

1 hour ago, Odysseus123 said:

Ah..so anyone who makes any form of complaint against the Thai can look forward to a prospective visit from the Thai knight in shining armour..Sir Mordred le Grand Giggle.

 

That figures..

Yes, it is true.

I know of two cases where foreigners have complained about noise and a few days later the immigration turned up. One of them was forced to leave the country. Not sure why though.

[BigBadGeordie]

Karma is a Bitch

[DeeMak9]

1 hour ago, petedk said:

Yes, it is true.

I know of two cases where foreigners have complained about noise and a few days later the immigration turned up. One of them was forced to leave the country. Not sure why though.

Imagine having a kid and family here, or being the care taker of a Thai.

[baansgr]

Only sprung into action once they thought a Westerner was involved....typical thai nastiness towards visitors.

[richard_smith237]

 

20 minutes ago, baansgr said:

Only sprung into action once they thought a Westerner was involved....typical thai nastiness towards visitors.

 

Or typical Thai Visa cherry picking of bias against foreigners...  

 

From the very same article its clear that the follow up was nothing more than checking into the legality of residents, hence, some of the Thai owners being summoned to face fines for not registering foreigners. 

 

5 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Surachet said police found most of the foreign tenants had properly registered their locations with the bureau but most Thai owners had failed to inform police about the room rentals. He said the Thai owners would be summoned to face fines.

 

Thus, it would appear you have jumped the gun in your accusation of  'Thai nastiness against poor farang'.... back to your barstool... 

[OJAS]

5 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Social media erupted in uproar and online attacks were made against the district office and the condo residents.

No doubt the vast majority of those who made the online attacks live sufficiently far away from the temple as to not have their beauty sleep disturbed at 4am.

[YogaVeg]

So yeah, according to this, it was the concept of a westerner involved by proxy that spurred the immigration investigation.

 

Bottom line: play by the rules and have your affairs in order lest someone you live near or rent from ruffles feathers. 

 

[A1Str8]

Ah. Poor guy. That's a bad way to get caught. The **** bell got him. 

[StayinThailand2much]

12 hours ago, from the home of CC said:

Better just to cross all the t's than get caught up in some unrelated event.

And don't mess with royalty, religion, or the powerful, cause Thailand is (still) a feuturisticdal society! ????

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and the replies have been removed. 

[overherebc]

9 hours ago, DeeMak9 said:

Imagine having a kid and family here, or being the care taker of a Thai.

Imagine if you were and also totally legal.

[captnhoy]

3 hours ago, overherebc said:

Imagine if you were and also totally legal.

Yes, then you would imagine that you would be totally safe. Unless you were the complainer then I imagine they would find a way to show you out. "you can't fight city hall"

[Andrew Dwyer]

Reminds of that old saying :
“ neither a snitcher nor a complainer be “ !!

[edwardflory]

The solution is simple, MOVE!  When the bells toll at 4AM, it's a wake up call for monks - to get ready for the daily round, and for the people to get ready for the monks visit.  This is Thailand, respect the religion and the culture.

 

I don't like doing a 90 day report, but I do it because the Kingdom allows me to stay, and its the regulation.  I can leave anytime.

[OneMoreFarang]

13 hours ago, baansgr said:

Only sprung into action once they thought a Westerner was involved....typical thai nastiness towards visitors.

I think few Thais would complain about the noise from a temple.

[OneMoreFarang]

I think this is the interesting part about living in Thailand.

Lots of people get away with lots of things. And mostly nobody cares.

And because of this lots of foreigners don't take all the rules and laws too serious - because nothing happens.

Until the moment that the foreigner pi$#$# off the wrong people. Then it's normally easy to find something which he made wrong...

[RichardColeman]

Wonder if his pregnant thai wife or G/f did it for massage sex

[Hallib]

How about the noise from modified motorcycles, the bell is like the Muslim morning prayers, this is Thai life, but I think motorbikes noise is too much for normal health.

[TMNH]

1 hour ago, edwardflory said:

The solution is simple, MOVE!  When the bells toll at 4AM, it's a wake up call for monks - to get ready for the daily round, and for the people to get ready for the monks visit.  This is Thailand, respect the religion and the culture.

 

I don't like doing a 90 day report, but I do it because the Kingdom allows me to stay, and its the regulation.  I can leave anytime.

And your point being?

[YogaVeg]

3 minutes ago, TMNH said:

And your point being?

His points are clear:

1) if you don't like it, move

2) respect the culture

3) play by the rules

 

[Dap]

1 hour ago, edwardflory said:

The solution is simple, MOVE!  When the bells toll at 4AM, it's a wake up call for monks - to get ready for the daily round, and for the people to get ready for the monks visit.  This is Thailand, respect the religion and the culture.

 

I don't like doing a 90 day report, but I do it because the Kingdom allows me to stay, and its the regulation.  I can leave anytime.

I only do the 90 day because (if I don't) the fine is atrocious  

[Hallib]

We need to inspect our future dwellings before signing a rental agreement, I learned from a mistake of renting BETWEEN 2 Mosks so I got morning prayers in sterio, my fail. Now I ask before signing the rental agreement, if there is any mosk or temple close by.

But I guess nobody cares about the noise of the motorcycle, but I am worried having my son, who is autistic come for a visit.

[Thian]

17 hours ago, baansgr said:

Only sprung into action once they thought a Westerner was involved....typical thai nastiness towards visitors.

I hope that westerner is doing a very important job for the Thai, like brainsurgery or so...how can he sleep well if they ring that bell at 4 am??