Busted! Immigration goes after "begpackers" for working without a permit

 

FILE photo

 

Thailand's immigration police have turned their attention to foreigners who help pay for their holidays in Thailand by selling things in the streets. 

 

Two so called "begpackers" were arrested in Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand for working without a work permit. 

 

Thai media Naew Na referred to them as long haired "hippies" taking jobs reserved for Thais. 

 

A news conference attended by Immigration chief Lt-Gen Sompong "Big Oud" Chingduang in Bangkok yesterday was told that Immigration Division 5 in Chiang Mai were patrolling Soi 3 Moon Muang Road where Thais were selling stuff on the footpath. 

 

But also there were Zoulis, 43, a Greek and Lin, 28, a Chinese national. 

 

They were selling stuff just like the Thais.

 

Picture: Naew Na

Their tourist visas were found to be in order but they were deemed to be taking jobs reserved for Thais and working without a permit. 

 

They were handed over to the local police and booked for working illegally.

 

The bust will be of interest to usually young tourists who believe they can supplement their stay in Thailand by selling personal items or things they have made in the streets without sanction. 

 

Some sell photographs. 

 

The practice divides opinion in Thailand, notes Thaivisa.

 

Many posters online have criticized the practice as being done by entitled and essentially well-off foreigners while others take a more conciliatory view suggesting that they do no real harm.

 

Source: Naew Na

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-11-20

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5 minutes ago, webfact said:

but they were deemed to be taking jobs reserved for Thais

Yes, only Thais should be allowed to hog the sidewalks working/selling photographs of their world travels.

4 minutes ago, MJKT2014 said:

Yes, only Thais should be allowed to hog the sidewalks working/selling photographs of their world travels.

and the porn

There are so many more import things that need 

sorting out first,but go after the easy things.

They were not selling the same <deleted> as Thai's

not forcibly selling,buy the photo's or not,but

this is how its become now.not the freewheeling,

welcoming Thailand that I found 30 years ago.

regards Worgeordie 

8 minutes ago, MJKT2014 said:

Yes, only Thais should be allowed to hog the sidewalks working/selling photographs of their world travels.

"world travels" 

 

You mean domestic travels, as most/very many Thais don't ha ve a passport?

16 minutes ago, webfact said:

Two so called "begpackers" were arrested in Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand for working with a work permit. 

Did they have a workpermit or not??

 

Anyway, just get rid of them.Not sticking to the rules makes it harder for us who stays here and do the best we can to follow the rules.....

good.

There landing all the hardened criminals.

 

Good work BIB

2 minutes ago, Eddie664 said:

Did they have a workpermit or not??

 

Anyway, just get rid of them.Not sticking to the rules makes it harder for us who stays here and do the best we can to follow the rules.....

The "rules" sucks.

Shame immigration don't have better things to do, like work on the promised remedy for TM30.

Yeah?

A couple of "begpackers" eh?

 

Like wow..double wow..even triple wow if you please..????

believe they can supplement their stay in Thailand by selling personal items or things they have made in the streets without sanction. 

 

There's a FB group called "Desperately Seeking BKK" or something along those lines where there are tons of foreigners selling personal items. The cops should take a look at that group and bust all the foreigners selling their stuff.

So does this mean that we as foreigners who sell anything, even like a bike or car or jacket or computer monitor are breaking the immigration law of working with out a permit and taking a job from a Thai? This country is beginning to smell and we are all going to have to redefine the thin line of what not to cross.

Selling an individual item online wouldn't constitute "working'.  Setting up and running an online shop might do.

1 minute ago, holy cow cm said:

So does this mean that we as foreigners who sell anything, even like a bike or car or jacket or computer monitor are breaking the immigration law of working with out a permit and taking a job from a Thai? This country is beginning to smell and we are all going to have to redefine the thin line of what not to cross.

No.  Selling individual single items is fine.

I wonder if it can be done under the pretense of asking for a donation if they like the object.

16 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

Yeah?

A couple of "begpackers" eh?

 

Like wow..double wow..even triple wow if you please..????

And this is considered newsworthy ????

1 minute ago, brewsterbudgen said:

No.  Selling individual single items is fine.

Not so sure on that. It is movement and therefore working to make it happen. I wouldn't put anything past them now, but not because I am sticking up for the beg packers, just only because they can interpret anything the way they like.

I can't see why anyone would have a problem with this.

I wish my country would do more of this.

9 minutes ago, ourdon said:

And this is considered newsworthy ????

Indeed..tho' have you considered that the way to bring the magic kingdom to it's knees may be as simple as placing an embargo on vinyl?

????

1 hour ago, webfact said:

for working with a work permit. 

 

Dooooh.

52 minutes ago, webfact said:

Two so called "begpackers" were arrested in Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand for working without a work permit. 

Immigration should be feeling very pleased, they really are catching some seriously bad people - well done guys, the message is slowly sinking in, Vietnam Laos and Cambodia will be pleased with your obsessed small minded protectionism  

 

simple solution, don't come to Thailand for a holiday

 

I think that message is getting clearer

In that first picture it seems they are taking a job away from a Thai by compiling their own press conference story board.

 

They should have stayed legal by selling their rubbish on line and calling themselves cyber gypsies.

My parents used to sell jewel made of shellfish found on beach during their travel. Yes they were hippies and there is nothing wrong with that. 

29 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

So does this mean that we as foreigners who sell anything, even like a bike or car or jacket or computer monitor are breaking the immigration law of working with out a permit and taking a job from a Thai? This country is beginning to smell and we are all going to have to redefine the thin line of what not to cross.

That would be a bridge too far but who knows?

Why do they let you clean your own condo or wash your own car?

Taking a job from a Thai? For years certain foreign Hippies have sold items on walking street in Chiang Mai but they are Japanese. IGNORED by the police. The moment a westerner starts busking they pounce! Thai people need to show about $75000 assets and reason to return or rich parents to get a visa (to the US for example) thus the irritation from entitled westerners who come visa free and beg or engage in criminal activities. 

58 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thai media Naew Na referred to them as long haired "hippies" taking jobs reserved for Thais.

So "begpacking" is exclusively reserved for Thai hippies now?

 

While I don't like to be physically accosted by "begpackers" of any nationality, I have no issue with them laying out some knickknacks on a blanket for sale.

 

There are tons of Thai street performers touring European cities at any given time of the year. Should we arrest them all as well just to give Thailand and her anally-retentive officials a taste of their own medicine? I don't think so. Our constabulary certainly have more important things to be vigilant about than chasing after some harmless "hippies".  

56 minutes ago, Vacuum said:

"world travels" 

 

You mean domestic travels, as most/very many Thais don't ha ve a passport?

Why going outside Thailand which is the most beautiful country on this earth ? 

This is in any case what strongly suggests each message from  TAT 

 

For the rest, it is very easy for a Thai to get a passport in the day that costs 1,000 baht and is valid for 5 years.

36 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

So does this mean that we as foreigners who sell anything, even like a bike or car or jacket or computer monitor are breaking the immigration law of working with out a permit and taking a job from a Thai? This country is beginning to smell and we are all going to have to redefine the thin line of what not to cross.

Obviously, it does not mean that.

36 minutes ago, ourdon said:

And this is considered newsworthy ????

It's very newsworthy if it serves as a warning to others who may be doing it.  It is also newsworthy enough to encourage you to read the entire thread!