Prawit orders crackdown on ‘illegal’ foreigners

[webfact]

Prawit orders crackdown on ‘illegal’ foreigners

By THE NATION 

 

File photo

 

Immigration bureau given one month to go after thousands suspected of overstaying or being involved in criminal activities.

 

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan yesterday instructed the Immigration Bureau to crack down on foreigners overstaying their visas or using Thailand as safe haven for criminal activities. The bureau has been given one month to arrest and deport thousands of foreigners suspected of staying in the Kingdom illegally. 

 

 

Prawit, who oversees security matters, issued the order during a meeting of the military, police and Interior Ministry security agencies yesterday, according to Defence Ministry spokesman Kongcheep Tantra-wanit. Prawit told them to step up efforts to keep foreign tourists safe and to crack down on transnational criminals who enter the Kingdom posing as tourists.

 

The spokesman quoted Prawit as saying the government had received complaints about foreigners involved in illegal activities and businesses in several provinces including Bangkok.

 

The Immigration Bureau was told to strictly enforce the law, weed out foreigners without visas and overstaying their visas and deport them within one month. It was told to check whether foreigners doing business here were working in professions that were legally reserved for Thais, he said. 

 

 

Pol Maj-General Surachate Hakparn was recently promoted to acting Immigration Bureau chief after spearheading a series of raids and spot checks that have so far found more than 1,000 foreigners overstaying their visas.

 

Surachate has strong connections with Prawit whose popularity has been declining after the luxury-watch scandal. The police commander had recently made a name for himself with his crackdowns on crimes related to foreigners as deputy commander of Tourist Police.

 

Thailand welcomes more than 30 million visitors annually for tourism. The country is also home to millions of documented and undocumented migrant workers from all over the world. Illegal entry and overstay are not unusual for the country. 

 

 

The Immigration Bureau announced on its website yesterday that there were 1.6 million foreigners living in Thailand between January and August. 

 

Canadians were the biggest group – 9,872 migrants – followed by 9,583 Dutch people, 9,566 Bangladeshis and 9,483 Italians. During the same period, more than 10 million foreign tourists entered the Kingdom, the bureau said. Following Prawit’s order, Surachate led police yesterday in collaring 22 citizens of African nations and a Myanmar man on Bangkok’s Sukhumvit Soi 3.

 

But eight of them had their documents in order and were released. Surachate told reporters that Luke Okoli, 18, of South Africa, was charged with possession of marijuana and unlawful entry into the Kingdom. Kevin Asok, 29, from Guinea, and Ake Dikajvuidi, 25, and Ramaqami Kapita Mwati, 27, of Congo, were charged with carrying fake passports.

 

Ten others were charged with entering Thailand illegally, including the Myanmar man identified only as Suneil, 22. The others were John Omo, 26, of Zimbabwe, Chers Igbosonu, 24, of Mozambique, Gabriel Williams, 29, of Liberia, Yamoah Gilbert, 19, and Boyyant, 27, of Ghana, Chibueze Casmir, 31, of Nigeria, and Masud Masata, 23, and Mongolola Jacques Pilipili, 19, of Congo.

 

Surachate yesterday called a press conference to talk about measures to help victims of call-centre gangs and romance scams. Police operations over the past years to suppress foreign gangsters has managed to return Bt27 million to 133 victims of such crimes, he said. 

 

A crackdown on crimes related to foreigners is ongoing and the court has issued more than 600 arrest warrants for call-centre gang members. More than 30 cases of romance scams are now under investigation. 

 

Thai nationals involved in or facilitating such criminals would also be arrested, he warned.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30356060

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-10-09

[webfact]

One-month campaign launched to crack down on overstaying foreigners

 

File photo: Immigration Bureau

 

BANGKOK, 9 October 2018 (NNT) - The Ministry of Defense plans to crack down on any foreigners who might possibly stay in Thailand beyond the expiry of their visa under a one-month campaign. 

The Ministry of Defense's Spokesman Lt Gen Kongcheep Tantravanich said Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwan has ordered national security agencies in military and administrative sectors to enhance their measures to protect visitors and eliminate alleged transnational criminals who might possibly enter the country as tourists. 

He said the authorities have recently received many complaints from the general public regarding communities of foreigners residing in Bangkok and other provinces, alleged to run some suspicious businesses. 

The immigration bureau has been instructed to strictly enforce the immigration law to any foreigners residing in Thailand beyond the expiration or revocation of their visa, especially regarding any blacklisted persons, along with the verification of a foreigner's work permit within the one- month time. 

The immigration bureau is yet to speed up the establishment of the foreigners' biometric identification database, the immigration screening system, and linking the visa information system electronically at all immigration units to enable immigration officials to access a centralized information which includes the information about visas from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, information about a residency report by the Ministry of Interior, and information about the accommodation of tourists by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. 

He said the operations are yet to be done with transparency, and encouraged the general public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity of foreigners to authorities.

 

-- nnt 2018-10-09

[Crash999]

Those numbers don’t seem right. How can there be 1.6m foreigners and Canadians are the biggest group at 9,872?

 

 

[Esso49]

Well if that actually happens, then Pattaya will become a ghost town very shortly

[Dave67]

YAWN !!!!

[jaltsc]

“Prawit orders crackdown on ‘illegal’ foreigners”

 

Just as long as there is no crackdown on "illegal" governments. 

[Wilsonandson]

Make sure you carry your passport or have a photocopy with you when out and about in Bangkok.

Sent from my SM-A700FD using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[bluesofa]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan yesterday instructed the Immigration Bureau to crack down on foreigners overstaying their visas or using Thailand as safe haven for criminal activities. The bureau has been given one month to arrest and deport thousands of foreigners suspected of staying in the Kingdom illegally. 

Prawit therefore really means then: If you're illegal, keep your head down for a month, then it will all be over...

A whole month for a crackdown - that is serious. Usually it's less than two weeks.

 

[Darcula]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Prawit, who oversees security matters

 

A watchman, technically.

 

[YetAnother]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

and report any suspicious activity of foreigners to authorities.

more of the 'us versus them'  (thais:non-thais) atmosphere

[colinneil]

  During the meeting Ole Fatty said.... Hey you foreigners i will be watching you.

[NCC1701A]

16 minutes ago, Wilsonandson said:

Make sure you carry your passport or have a photocopy with you when out and about in Bangkok.

Sent from my SM-A700FD using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

OH NO! Not the start of the dreaded "you need" or "don't need" "in 20 years I never" comments.  

 

good advice though.

[BEngBKK]

Whats the trouble... A photocopy in the wallet or on the smartphone and you are off the hook.

P.s
In 8 years I have not yet have been stopped on the street for paper visa/passport controll..  Maybe I smell..

pps:
Prawit..... Is that not the man that was a lot in the news because he like expencive watches...... ???? (well if you can walk on water... why not do it)
 

[Oziex1]

BJ is on to it Prawit, no need for you to compete for publicity. He's a bit more photogenic than you.

[stanleycoin]

Get them foreign criminals out now.

They keep interfering in local criminal activity,

Revenue is down this year,   this just won't do. 

 

 

 

[bluesofa]

6 minutes ago, Oziex1 said:

BJ is on to it Prawit, no need for you to compete for publicity. He's a bit more photogenic than you.

Argh no! After the Thais Pointing At Things website, will will now see a copycat "Thai bureaucrats making an arse of themselves at a photo-opportunity" website?

 

[generealty]

22 people from African Nations 'collared' but 8 released for being legal suggests they arrested 8 innocent people. If they continue that then harassment of innocent foreigners will hit the international media. Will not bode well.

[chicowoodduck]

53 minutes ago, Wilsonandson said:

Make sure you carry your passport or have a photocopy with you when out and about in Bangkok.

Sent from my SM-A700FD using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

The last thing I would do when going to BKK.....????????

[Esso49]

3 minutes ago, chicowoodduck said:

The last thing I would do when going to BKK.....????????

Its actually a Thai requirement to do so as has been reported in this forum many times

 

 

[mikebell]

Good Guys (Thai) - Bad Guys (Farang.)

[zzidenn]

54 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

more of the 'us versus them'  (thais:non-thais) atmosphere

I also got a bit of a Stasi, Nazi Germany vibe from that one. Let’s find all the (suspicious) foreigners and round them up.... 

[StayinThailand2much]

So, what was Kevin ASOK from Guinea doing with a fake passport in Nana Soi 3? ????

[NextStationBangkok]

1 hour ago, Darcula said:

 

A watchman, technically.

 

No Watchdog ?

[bluesofa]

2 minutes ago, NextStationBangkok said:

No Watchdog ?

No, because it might bite Prawit's arse, causing him to have another 'medical emergency' again.

 

[Maejo Man]

Shades of Kristallnacht!!

[unamazedloso]

this is just a popularity contest on the lead up to elections perhaps. Prawit and little joke playing in to the hands of the naturally brainwashed racists for votes. Possible..?

On the other hand illegal is illegal. Problem is no one gives hoot about thai criminals. We have dobbed in an organized logging group. Consists of mayors, police, etc all protecting them. Called upon special task forces to deal with it, the forestry department and all thats happened is these people are told not to go pass our house because they are on camera. They still do! Insanity. How can you take officials seriously?

This country will never understand that if you want quality tourists you have to be quality hosts. You wont see loser, poor scum tourists in places that arent corrupt. FACT! There will always be the exception but from this article and many like it apparently most tourists are criminals. Surely these morons could do there job without the media. It is misleading and spreads racism and hate in my opinion. One must question the motives.

[BigT73]

 I am guessing that since big joke was getting involved in immigration and by thai media seemed to be getting the job done with the usual round of applause.  So Prawit sensing Big Joke could be stealing the limelight he issues this decree to show everyone whos really running the show.  So anymore immigration stories all credit will go to Prawitt and Big Joke the upstart has just been neutered.

[Sydebolle]

Since the hunt is really on now may I humbly suggest to facilitate the "legal visa types". I am a PR for the last 30 years, travel a lot and crossed many borders with neighbouring countries. I came across many immigration officers who could not handle my (legal) paperwork. 

So happened at departure Chiang Mai airport, departure Chiang Khong, arrival at Nakhon Phanom, departure Mukdahan, arrival Pudu and arrival Mae Sot. I do not blame those immigration officers; the entire procedure and kind of legal visas, stamps, papers and books could be facilitated.
I see that some people have a blue "Certificate of Residence" while I have - for decades - a white booklet which gets stamped and once full, exchanged against a new white booklet. 
I've been asked on arrival, where the departure part of TM6 card is, which I explain. More than once they did not believe me and, in the case of Pudu/Uttaradit they had to call Bangkok. 

Not complaining - just suggesting ???? 

[wvavin]

Need not go far, Soi Nana has more than one thousand of them for you. Go to Huay Kwang if you are interested in business proxies!

[Srikcir]

Four years in power and now the Ministers of Defense, the Interior and the Foreign Affairs, and the National police are ordered to crackdown on foreigners overstaying or being involved in criminal activities.

Doesn't this suggest four years of failure?

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Immigration bureau given one month to go after thousands suspected of overstaying or being involved in criminal activities.

Not the police, Defense, Interior but Immigration Bureau that is part of the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Why only Immigration that surely has the smallest workforce available for investigations and enforcement?

The coincidence of Prawit's order with the recent promotion of "top cop" Pol Maj-General Surachate Hakparn Immigrationn Bureau chief might suggest a hidden agenda for the order. Hakparn has been chief less than half a month, coming from the Royal Thai Police organization. In short he is new to Immigration without prior experience within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Prawit's order feels like a set-up.