12 Thais arrested trying to re-enter kingdom illegally after gambling losses

By Thanapat Kijjakosol 
The Nation

 

 

Twelve Thai nationals, who reportedly lost all money in gambling at a casino in Cambodian border town of Poipet and failed to retrieve their Thai passports from a creditor there, were arrested while trying to cross a border fence into Thailand in Sa Kaew's Aranyaprathet district on Wednesday.

 

Khlong Leuk police said on Thursday that six men and six women, aged 48 to 69, were apprehended by Ranger Company 1201's paramilitary rangers on routine patrol, as they were spotted crossing the border fence, north to the Ban Klong Leuk permanent border pass. 

 

The group told police that they tried to sneak back into the country by bypassing a proper immigration channel because they left their passports with a creditor as collateral to guarantee they would repay their gambling debts. 

 

They insisted they had no choice as they could not get money or borrow from anyone in Cambodia to get their passports back.

 

After interrogation, Pol Lt Colonel Paisin Kaewsikhao used his authorised discretion to impose a fine ranging from Bt100 to Bt500 on each of them on the charge of entering Thailand without due process, which is punishable with a maximum fine of Bt1,800.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30359917

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-12-06

And what about making thailand look bad internationally??

 

1800 baht for entering illegally is A LOT cheaper than buying a real visa....

And??? What's the problem? Just another Photo-Session.

10 minutes ago, fruitman said:

 

1800 baht for entering illegally is A LOT cheaper than buying a real visa....

That is only if you are a Thai entering. If you are a farang, it is off to the nick.

I note with amusement in the story, there is no mention of them being forced to pay their debts to the neighbouring country.

Let them off with a pittance of a fine, and let them get away with it. That to me is a poorer performance, making Thailand look bad, than these obviously piss poor gamblers crossing illegally.

9 minutes ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

That is only if you are a Thai entering. If you are a farang, it is off to the nick.

I note with amusement in the story, there is no mention of them being forced to pay their debts to the neighbouring country.

Let them off with a pittance of a fine, and let them get away with it. That to me is a poorer performance, than these piss poor gamblers crossing illegally.

"Private" dept in a foreign country isn't the issue of Thai immigration. Get a new passport and keep away, far enough, from the Cambodian border (lol).

27 minutes ago, fruitman said:

And what about making thailand look bad internationally??

 

1800 baht for entering illegally is A LOT cheaper than buying a real visa....

Thais don't need a visa for Thailand. "Green" border crossing for domestic citizen should be free of charge at all!

The (ahem) "organization" that runs the border gambling operations has deep roots in Thailand and they are most disinclined to let deadbeats off the hook as it sets a bad example.  With their passports in hand, the collectors will have little problem finding these noobs and when they do, it won't be pleasant. They will end up paying a lot more than they lost.

555. Nuff said and laughed!

"After interrogation, Pol Lt Colonel Paisin Kaewsikhao used his authorised discretion to impose a fine ranging from Bt100 to Bt500 on each of them on the charge of entering Thailand without due process, which is punishable with a maximum fine of Bt1,800."

 

this must be one unchanged for 50 years.

it would be time to adjust to inflation, a visa or re-entry stamp cost more than this!!

AND there isnt even mention of jail time.

 

these guys lost on gambling, but laugh in the end, back to Thailand for 100-500thb, debt unpaid.

low risk "investment". 

next trip Laos?

And why wouldn't they think that the loan shark mafia would come looking for them in Thailand? Borrowing against a passport? These guys and gals have a serious problem.

Sure the kind friendly Cambo casino boss will return the passports to the correct owners possibly with a lead message ???? 

1 hour ago, sammieuk1 said:

Sure the kind friendly Cambo casino boss will return the passports to the correct owners possibly with a lead message ???? 

...or he can try to sell the passports on the 'black market'.

ha ha...at least they still had their shirts for the photo.

Finally they found Tom, Dick and Harry from Thailand!

Where's Big Joke? How could he miss a photo opportunity like this?

 hmmm, wonder if they were carrying contraband?  i.e importing Darts to make some money back... and the Rules changed whilst they were away

5 hours ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

That is only if you are a Thai entering. If you are a farang, it is off to the nick.

I note with amusement in the story, there is no mention of them being forced to pay their debts to the neighbouring country.

Let them off with a pittance of a fine, and let them get away with it. That to me is a poorer performance, making Thailand look bad, than these obviously piss poor gamblers crossing illegally.

The debt is nothing to do with immigration , that would have to be dealt with by other authorities .

   They just got fined for the offences they were charged with , it would be up to the Cambodians to press further charges 

6 hours ago, fruitman said:

And what about making thailand look bad internationally??

 

1800 baht for entering illegally is A LOT cheaper than buying a real visa....

Why would they need a visa...They were Thai people entering Thailand?

7 hours ago, fruitman said:

And what about making thailand look bad internationally??

 

1800 baht for entering illegally is A LOT cheaper than buying a real visa....

Why would a Thai need a visa to get into Thailand?

Wondered why so many Thai people at Chaengwattana - they are all getting passports so they can go to Cambodia and lose all their money

That is only if you are a Thai entering. If you are a farang, it is off to the nick.

Much people breaking into their own home verses breaking into someone else’s, yes?

7 hours ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

That is only if you are a Thai entering. If you are a farang, it is off to the nick.

I note with amusement in the story, there is no mention of them being forced to pay their debts to the neighbouring country.

Let them off with a pittance of a fine, and let them get away with it. That to me is a poorer performance, making Thailand look bad, than these obviously piss poor gamblers crossing illegally.

As such applies to Farang, it would be a rare case that he/she might spend too much time in holding - they're looking for a cash payout, most importantly. 

6 hours ago, tingtong said:

"After interrogation, Pol Lt Colonel Paisin Kaewsikhao used his authorised discretion to impose a fine ranging from Bt100 to Bt500 on each of them on the charge of entering Thailand without due process, which is punishable with a maximum fine of Bt1,800."

 

this must be one unchanged for 50 years.

it would be time to adjust to inflation, a visa or re-entry stamp cost more than this!!

AND there isnt even mention of jail time.

 

these guys lost on gambling, but laugh in the end, back to Thailand for 100-500thb, debt unpaid.

low risk "investment". 

next trip Laos?

Welllll, they did lose their passports and they will indeed be forced to pay their gambling debts as well as the "interest" on the late payments which I'm guessing will be higher than 100 to 500 baht. I dare say hardly "low risk investment".

So they commit a crime in Cambodia, and immigration let them back in knowing that they have effectively lost their passports in a gambling debt, and thats ok ! The mind boggles

Why go to Cambodia? There are four Casinos in Pattaya alone, maybe more.

5 hours ago, Vacuum said:

...or he can try to sell the passports on the 'black market'.

Psst......

Anybody wanna buy a passport?

Got 12.

Thai.

6 male. 6 female.

Going cheap.

A maximum fine of 1,800 baht is an absolute joke... 

I wonder what the fine for a farang would be ??

51 minutes ago, simtemple said:

Why go to Cambodia? There are four Casinos in Pattaya alone, maybe more.

If you lose in Cambodia you do a runner & pop the fence back into Thailand, if you get caught you get a fine of 1,800 baht.
Lose a gambling debt in Pattaya & try to do a runner you'll lose a lot more if you get caught by the owner !!'

Think before you post !!!

A maximum fine of 1,800 baht is an absolute joke... 
I wonder what the fine for a farang would be ??

Going back to their home country?

Pulling a runner on a gambling debt, how typical is that for a Thai?