Immigration's BMW "smart car" nabs snitched on overstaying Australian pensioner - he thought hiding in a country village would keep him safe

[holy cow cm]

3 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

To meet immigration requirements for those who can't or won't do the easy thing and put money in an interest bearing account. I'm sure billionaires would rather keep their money in stocks and share, but there aren't too many billionaires whinge about 6200 baht.

Just creating pandemonium. Seems like they are trying to P-Off the expats so we get up and say F-Off Enough is Enough. I am still in no way near to the point of leaving or going to overstay as pretty well together to take the punches and stay with my family. But if they did do the insurance thing to O, they better do it quick while I can still qualify without an exam being under 60.. 

[emptypockets]

3 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

Hope he still has some supportive family members back in Australia. Very expensive private rental, long waiting list for social housing, increased by the bush fires. 

Food more costly, not to mention utilities

 

Hope he has money for the airfare. Detention centre is very nice apparently.

[ttrd]

7 hours ago, rkidlad said:

What does this even mean? He was snitched on. That’s how immigration suspected he was on overstay. What on god’s green earth does a waste-of-money BMW have to do with it? Other than the fact that the immigration officers could have been driving a tuk tuk and it would have made zero difference to the outcome. 

Hey, let them at least try to justify the use of the expensive BMW smart car that can't move any smarter than any other vehicle that are able to move ... 

[RocketDog]

6 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

Have you seen a Farang wandering aimlessly around? 

 

You don't know where he lives?

 

If the answer is yes to both the above questions then he is almost certainly an overstayer.

 

Call 1178 Immediately. Our BMW smart car is already on its way! 

 

 

Forget the wandering part and just report him. Better safe than sorry. (sarcasm) 

Edited February 15, 2020 by RocketDog
Make clear that post was sarcasm.

[owl sees all]

Poor sod. 

 

I would not be grassed up by any of the villages in my area. They like me too much, except the ones that owe me money.  

 

My mate Fritz had a visit from the immigration police in December. Everything was OK. But they asked for some baht to help with vehicle  expenses. 

Edited February 15, 2020 by owl sees all

[RJRS1301]

3 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

Poor sod. 

 

I would not be grassed up by any of the villages in my area. They like me too much, except the ones that owe me money.  

 

My mate Fritz had a visit from the immigration police in December. Everything was OK. But they asked for some baht to help with vehicle  expenses. 

Paying for your own confirmation check, vehicle expenses indeed, for vehicle supplied, serviced and maintained by the government. 

How very Thai

 

[emptypockets]

6 minutes ago, RocketDog said:

Forget the wandering part and just report him. Better safe than sorry. (sarcasm) 

That is exactly what happened apparently.

[ThailandRyan]

So, it's all the BMW smart car that's finding these folks.  Let's back track a little.  Snitch calls in a possible scofflaw, police show up, find said scofflaw, check his ID against the data base and find out he is here on overstay.  How the heck is this any different than immigration stopping you, calling in to their command and having your info run, it's not, the smart car is a tool that should have a fingerprint reader as well as a daily updated data base such as we had in the US to find out who the person was on the side of the road that was lying to us and had no Identification.  Photos from the data base, linked to the print and other identifying information is what makes a smart car.  This smart car is only as smart or as dumb as the people using it.  Waste of Money.  Could be done from a smartphone with a wifi connection.  Sheesh.....

[sambum]

3 hours ago, bkkcanuck8 said:

If they are an overstayer then they likely are one of two categories - one a criminal (the smaller group) - or two they do not have the means to qualify (and thus have little benefit to Thailand allowing him to live here).  It does not even indicate he is married and thus might have a reason to stay here even though he cannot afford to.   I expect there is a finders fee for turning in overstayers (a small reward).  He is definitely not smart if he thinks moving out to a small village (where you get to know who is local and who is not) to avoid immigration.  Criminals tend to be smarter IMHO.  I use to live in a small city that had the distinction of having 5 prisons... If ANY one escaped the first thing they would do his head as quickly to a major city to blend in.  If they stay local eventually with a smaller population that person will run into someone who is able to identify that he is an escapee - even without an active manhunt.  Simply put, allowing someone who does not even have the funds to stay locally is not going to improve the economy.

It does not even indicate he is married and thus might have a reason to stay here even though he cannot afford to.

 

One of my touchy points! A "farang" man married to a Thai National now has to prove income of a minimum of 40,000 baht a month deposited into a Thai bank from abroad in order to qualify for an extension based on marriage. On the other hand, a single man requiring an extension based on retirement has to deposit a minimum of 65,000 baht a month! Since when is it more expensive for a man to live on his own than to live with his wife and possibly her children?

 

And who decides that he needs these amounts in order to be able to "afford to live here"? I know of many (farang) people who can afford to live here on substantially less than the figures quoted, and I would hazard a guess that there are MILLIONS of Thais who don't have that income!

[SunsetT]

7 hours ago, rkidlad said:

What does this even mean? He was snitched on. That’s how immigration suspected he was on overstay. What on god’s green earth does a waste-of-money BMW have to do with it? Other than the fact that the immigration officers could have been driving a tuk tuk and it would have made zero difference to the outcome. 

As it drives around the villages It has a loud speaker system which, with special BMW software,  can announce loudly in any foreign language and accent: "Special promotion! today only! 'Free icecold beer"....and out they come with tongues hanging out! It works like a charm....????????????!

[Hoppyone]

7 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

63 year old pensioner, WOW, last check, you had to be 67 + to get the pension in the land of Oz. Maybe he is on a disability pension ?

 

I can tell you one thing, if these clowns think they are funny by claiming this guy to be a hiding kangaroo because of his nationality, it just goes to show how pathetic and child like minds they have, real "racists" trying to justify the taxpayer dollars spent for their BMW ride.

If he was on disability pension would only be good for 28 days per year ,so income after that ,unless he had big bank balance to survive on.

[CraigInBangkok]

1 minute ago, sambum said:

One of my touchy points! A "farang" man married to a Thai National now has to prove income of a minimum of 40,000 baht a month deposited into a Thai bank from abroad in order to qualify for an extension based on marriage. On the other hand, a single man requiring an extension based on retirement has to deposit a minimum of 65,000 baht a month! Since when is it more expensive for a man to live on his own than to live with his wife and possibly her children?

While I do agree with you in principle ... my wife actually goes to work, so it is cheaper for me to live here with my wife, than on my own

[emptypockets]

6 minutes ago, sambum said:

It does not even indicate he is married and thus might have a reason to stay here even though he cannot afford to.

 

One of my touchy points! A "farang" man married to a Thai National now has to prove income of a minimum of 40,000 baht a month deposited into a Thai bank from abroad in order to qualify for an extension based on marriage. On the other hand, a single man requiring an extension based on retirement has to deposit a minimum of 65,000 baht a month! Since when is it more expensive for a man to live on his own than to live with his wife and possibly her children?

 

And who decides that he needs these amounts in order to be able to "afford to live here"? I know of many (farang) people who can afford to live here on substantially less than the figures quoted, and I would hazard a guess that there are MILLIONS of Thais who don't have that income!

Irrelevant what you think, thems the rules. In my case my wife works and owns her own home. We can live very well on 40,000 baht. Much better than a single man on 65,000 I would bet.

[RJRS1301]

6 minutes ago, Hoppyone said:

If he was on disability pension would only be good for 28 days per year ,so income after that ,unless he had big bank balance to survive on.

He may well have a TPI entitlement from his superannuation fund which can be paid at any age 

[sambum]

4 hours ago, scorecard said:

I wonder how many derelict / ignorant / abusive / violent or dishonest foreigners who frighten folks and kids have been reported by Thai folks?

And I wonder how many derelict / ignorant / abusive / violent or dishonest Thais who frighten folks and kids have been reported by "farang" folks?

 

It's a pointless question as we'll never know, but the posts I have seen recently about violence in Thai schools perpetrated by teachers on their pupils leaves a lot to be desired! They certainly wouldn't be allowed to get away with it in the West! And let's not forget the thuggish behaviour by bouncers on people who dispute their bills, or Thai people shooting somebody through "road rage" or..... I rest my case, but it's not exactly on topic, is it?

[kentrot]

A harmless old guy, judging from the report. And probably supporting a Thai family in a manner they never had before.  

 

That would make some other Thai family jealous and decide to 'snitch' on him.

What is happening to the people of this Land of Smiles ???

 

Soon it will be like Nazi Germany with us farangs wearing arm bands to identify us. And then the next step - the ghettos , followed by the  ..... You think I'm over reacting ? The frog in a pot of slowly heated water never jumps out and gets boiled to death. Too late !  

 

Our Thai families love and appreciate us. All others are envious and want us out so they don't have to feel inferior. I've seen it in my own neighbourhood ...... gossip , jealousy, greed, and status seeking are killing the spirit of this beautiful country.  And you get a daily 12 hour dose of that on Thai soap operas (Lakorn) Just my rambling opinion.

[Sparkles]

Try calling the BIB buffaloes and see how you go,any volunteers ?

 

A fleet of BMW's and they say they don't have money to provide more staff in CM Imm

[justin case]

7 hours ago, rooster59 said:

But 63 year old Mr Daniel proved no match for immgration's BMW Smart car after he was snitched on by fellow villagers.

wait, smart car bullsheeze while being snitched ...

[emptypockets]

18 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

So, it's all the BMW smart car that's finding these folks.  Let's back track a little.  Snitch calls in a possible scofflaw, police show up, find said scofflaw, check his ID against the data base and find out he is here on overstay.  How the heck is this any different than immigration stopping you, calling in to their command and having your info run, it's not, the smart car is a tool that should have a fingerprint reader as well as a daily updated data base such as we had in the US to find out who the person was on the side of the road that was lying to us and had no Identification.  Photos from the data base, linked to the print and other identifying information is what makes a smart car.  This smart car is only as smart or as dumb as the people using it.  Waste of Money.  Could be done from a smartphone with a wifi connection.  Sheesh.....

Or they get a call from a village about an unknown man wandering around. By the time the cops get there he has wandered off and they can't find him. Send in the facial recognition equipped vehicle and drive around scanning farang. Match faces with immigration database in Bangkok and there you have him . Computers are wonderful things.

Or are you suggesting you'd prefer stop, question and house to house every foreigner every time a report is made?

Seems pretty smart to use the technology available. Certainly saves time and resources.

Fingerprint scanning yes as a secondary check to confirm you have the right person.

Move with the times, facial recognition is here to stay. Australian immigration is considering using it instead of passport checks, and I don't mean the existing system, but where a couple of hundred people get of a plane and simply walk to customs with each and every one scanned.

Edited February 15, 2020 by emptypockets

[sambum]

3 hours ago, hellohello123 said:

I love it how they have to keep on mentioning what sort of car  was used,

 

they make it sound as the thought the BMW SMART CAR got a mind of its own and decided to chase down overstaying foreigners

[Polaky]

Crikey!, Snichers are everywhere now, your friendly thai neighbor with the big smile on his face every morning, secretly suspects your a wandering kangaroo or koala or wombat, and drops you in, and as they cart you away his smile opens to uncontrollable laughter, it's not only immigration that want farangs out, watch your back, trust no one ????

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, rooster59 said:

But 63 year old Mr Daniel proved no match for immgration's BMW Smart car after he was snitched on by fellow villagers.

So the smart car didn't find him... someone snitched!!

[emptypockets]

9 minutes ago, kentrot said:

And then the next step - the ghettos , followed by the  ..... You think I'm over reacting ? 

I think we already have farang ghettoes.

[sambum]

3 hours ago, Antonymous said:

And THIS is the primary reason why it makes perfect sense to use an agent even when you have all the necessary means to get a visa legitimately. Yes, the IO can and do make changes occasionally that you wouldn't have heard about, and also on any given day and with certain officers they can and do add a rule or two that are seemingly arbitrary. Why risk this happening to you when for about 3,000 baht a year you can avoid this? 

 

I have all the means to get my Visa but choose to use an agent  for the reason above. Plus I save hours of my time and absolutely zero stress in the process. Just do it.

"Why risk this happening to you when for about 3,000 baht a year you can avoid this?"

 

The cheapest I've heard of is jut less than 14,000 baht - where do you live - in the "Inactive Posts" suburbs? Or somewhere similar?

 

Mind I do agree with you about the hassle - totally uncalled for!

[P100]

To me it is at this point enough to read such b.s. here. It's not a smart car that get immigration violators. Stop talking respectively reporting in this childish way. A car that has internet? My phone has internet too. My car too. Every time I sit there I even can use my laptop with intetnet inside my old Citroen smart car. What is the exact contribution of that overpaid car to these type of arrests. What's the name of the car? Let me guess! Kid?

One more immigration BMW smart car report here and I stop reading this forum.

Edited February 15, 2020 by P100

[emptypockets]

2 minutes ago, P100 said:

To me it is at this point enough to read such b.s. here. It's not a smart car that get immigration violators. Stop talking respectively reporting in this childish way. A car that has internet? My phone has internet too. My car too. Every time I sit there i even cann use my laptop with intetnet. What is the exact contribution of that overpaid car to these type of arrests. What's the name of the car? Let.me guess! Kid?

One more immigration BMW smart car report here and I stop reading this forum.

Does your car come equipped with a facial recognition camera attached to the roof? Can you connect to the immigration database?

Edited February 15, 2020 by emptypockets

[emptypockets]

3 minutes ago, sambum said:

"Why risk this happening to you when for about 3,000 baht a year you can avoid this?"

 

The cheapest I've heard of is jut less than 14,000 baht - where do you live - in the "Inactive Posts" suburbs? Or somewhere similar?

 

Mind I do agree with you about the hassle - totally uncalled for!

I think you two are in the wrong thread.

[Scot123]

17 minutes ago, kentrot said:

A harmless old guy, judging from the report. And probably supporting a Thai family in a manner they never had before.  

 

That would make some other Thai family jealous and decide to 'snitch' on him.

What is happening to the people of this Land of Smiles ???

 

Soon it will be like Nazi Germany with us farangs wearing arm bands to identify us. And then the next step - the ghettos , followed by the  ..... You think I'm over reacting ? The frog in a pot of slowly heated water never jumps out and gets boiled to death. Too late !  

 

Our Thai families love and appreciate us. All others are envious and want us out so they don't have to feel inferior. I've seen it in my own neighbourhood ...... gossip , jealousy, greed, and status seeking are killing the spirit of this beautiful country.  And you get a daily 12 hour dose of that on Thai soap operas (Lakorn) Just my rambling opinion.

Well said and very true. 

[Gracas]

The little Aussie battler, taken down by a Smart car. Very sad indeed. I wonder if he is leaving behind family, or where they the ones that booked his ride.

 

If they are going to come and get you it would be better to go in a BMW than the back of a pickup. Maybe the only ride some of us will ever have in a BMW.

[Oziex1]

5 hours ago, chainarong said:

Yeah , if he's 63 he wouldn't even qualify for the previous age of 65 

There other pensions, he maybe on a disability pension.

 

I'm 62 and qualify at 65.