Is offering tea money a crime?

[Neeranam]

I am asking this question as I've a lot of friends that ask me what to do with their pensioners and marriage extensions when they don't have the money required

 

 

Personally. I know what I would do and what other long term exists friends do, but don't want to advise on a forum, if it is against the law.

[FritsSikkink]

It is called a bribe and yes that is a crime.

[Neeranam]

Just now, FritsSikkink said:

It is called a bribe and yes that is a crime.

Do you know what the penalty is?

[Neeranam]

Is there anyone here who hasn't paid, "sin nam jai"? 100 baht to the traffic cop. Etc.

There are many times, especially in the land office etc, where things are made very difficult if not offered.

[Percy P]

11 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

It is called a bribe and yes that is a crime.

Correct

[overherebc]

6 minutes ago, Percy P said:

Correct

How about,

A gift in return for a future favour. ?????

[Rally123]

Offering tea is illegal. Due to the clampdown on police you'll notice they wear headcams on their helmets these days at traffic stops.   

 

 

Edited February 22, 2019 by Rally123

[Neeranam]

27 minutes ago, Rally123 said:

Offering tea is illegal. Due to the clampdown on police you'll notice they wear headcams on their helmets these days at traffic stops.   

 

 

I wonder what is more serious.  A policeman asking for tea money, or a person offering tea money.

Has anyone ever been arrested or fined for offering tea money to the police, including immigration?

[scubascuba3]

Offering tea is illegal. Due to the clampdown on police you'll notice they wear headcams on their helmets these days at traffic stops.   
 
 

These batteries die after about 1-1.5 hours, so they are just a deterrent really.

For the Op, innocently offer to pay a fee

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, Neeranam said:

what to do with their pensioners and marriage extensions when they don't have the money required

Hire an agent, no need for you to do anything illegal.

[Henryford]

6 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Hire an agent, no need for you to do anything illegal. 

Surely using an agent is illegal (to bypass the law).

[bbko]

Many years back I was opening a small business in Pattaya with my wife, as we were applying for the business license, the government lady processing out license paperwork held a "donation" box for what appeared to be for a orphanage and asked my wife for 1000 baht, my wife turned to me and translated the request, I quickly replied "we already donate to a orphanage", the Thai lady shot a look of disdain towards me, I just kept a blank poker face and sat there...555.

[BritManToo]

10 minutes ago, Henryford said:

Surely using an agent is illegal (to bypass the law).

In many SEA countries it's entirely normal to hire an agent to get your VISA.

No need to ever see immigration officials.

Edited February 22, 2019 by BritManToo

[Neeranam]

2 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

In many SEA countries it's entirely normal to hire an agent to get your VISA.

No need to ever see immigration officials.

Normal, but illegal.

[FritsSikkink]

1 hour ago, Neeranam said:

Do you know what the penalty is?

The Thai Criminal Code criminalizes both active and passive bribery. For example, according to Section 144, the punishment that may be imposed for the bribing an official is imprisonment up to 5 years or a fine of 10,000 THB, or both. This includes even the offering of a bribe to a policeman or other official can result in jail time.

[FritsSikkink]

3 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

In many SEA countries it's entirely normal to hire an agent to get your VISA.

No need to ever see immigration officials.

Doesn't make it legal to use a crooked one.

[BritManToo]

1 minute ago, Neeranam said:

Normal, but illegal.

There's no other way to get a VISA inside Cambodia or Vietnam.

[LoS itaint]

I have always understood that bribery & prostitution were not unlawful in Thailand


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[AGareth2]

In Pakistan it is called an incentive

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, Neeranam said:

Is there anyone here who hasn't paid, "sin nam jai"? 100 baht to the traffic cop. Etc.

There are many times, especially in the land office etc, where things are made very difficult if not offered.

Never. And I run a business here, have been doing so for 15+ years already.

14 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Normal, but illegal.

Hiring an agent is not illegal.

[roobaa01]

i take always ferrero or mon cherie chocolate for the immi girls love it and its no bribery.

 

wbr

roobaa01

[Pattaya46]

31 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

In many SEA countries it's entirely normal to hire an agent to get your VISA.

No need to ever see immigration officials.

26 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

There's no other way to get a VISA inside Cambodia or Vietnam.

Who cares in this thread how it works in other countries?

Thailand clearly says (and writes) :

APPLICANT MUST SUBMIT THE APPLICATION IN PERSON 

[OneMoreFarang]

In my own experience and what I heard from other you don't have to offer a bribe. If the recipient is interested in a bribe he/she will tell you.

And if you absolutely want to offer a bribe you could ask something like: xyz takes a long time, can we solve this faster if I pay something - or something similar to that.

The recipient will understand what you are saying but you can always deny this was about a bribe. You just wanted to help.

[Thailand]

Directly,illegal.

Indirectly,encouraged.

[Rally123]

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

These batteries die after about 1-1.5 hours, so they are just a deterrent really.

There's such a thing as 'spare batteries'.

[scubascuba3]

There's such a thing as 'spare batteries'.

Most people carry one spare, but its too much of a faff so i think you'll find most policeman cameras are dead. Over a course of a day they'd need 5-10 a day, constant changing and recharging over night, then give up with the faffing.

 

What's your experience with them?

 

 

 

 

 

[Rally123]

33 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Most people carry one spare, but its too much of a faff so i think you'll find most policeman cameras are dead. Over a course of a day they'd need 5-10 a day, constant changing and recharging over night, then give up with the faffing.

I doubt very much a policeman would spend a continuous day on traffic stops. He'd rotate. Allowing battery change.

 

35 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

i think you'll find most policeman cameras are dead.

Are you prepared to take the chance and offer him tea money?   

[Mavideol]

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Hire an agent, no need for you to do anything illegal.

and I thought agents were illegal and BJ was going after them... but I could be wrong

[BestB]

Tea money is illegal however donations are not ????

[Mavideol]

4 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

It is called a bribe and yes that is a crime.

agree it's a bribe and a crime but never had any government official (land office, Dl, police, IMO, etc.) turning it down or pushing it away