Passport withheld by authorities - How to to renew extension of stay...

[zappalot]

If ones passport is withheld by authorities - how to do 90 day reporting, renew extension of stay, renew work permit?

 

[ubonjoe]

Who and why do they have your passport.

If taken by the police to keep you from leaving the country they can assign somebody to escort you to immigration.

[zappalot]

The passport of a friend is withheld by court. Me and a friend are accused of a minor Offense. In the worst case scenario we would need to pay 30,000 Baht in damages and about 5000 baht as a fine , so not really something to worry about. But my friend is in Thailand and I am not. And the judge wouldn't want to separate the case so it is always postponed until I get back into Thailand which I do not have a plan for the next two or three months if not really necessary.

Even then (if I get back to Thailand) it would need up to another year to get through with all court hearings…

So they took my friend's passport and it is with the court now…

[ubonjoe]

If he has a lawyer he could contact the court about arranging things so he could do the work permit application and extension of stay.

He could do the  90 day report online.

[zappalot]

thx so much, that helped me a lot...

[EricTh]

What is this 'minor' offence? If it is truly minor , they wouldn't have taken his passport away.

 

 

[zappalot]

The offense is that we checked our buildings firefighting equipment. We knew that it was not working. So we are accused now of checking the fire equipment without permission from the management. They are accusing us to have intentionally broken a lock of a fire cabinet. Now, unfortunately for them there never was and there still is no lock at the fire cabinet. Just when the judge asked the management representative if he can prove that we broke the lock the management said yes, they can prove it. Photos and videos prove otherwise, but as the case is not on trial yet the judge was not interested in evidence, their word was enough. Furthermore the management said that we acted against the condo law which prohibits Co owners from using the fire equipment even in case of a fire. The management also confirmed that they could prove that this law would exist. When the judge accepted the case the Bangkok Metropolitan authority had not checked yet if our accusation of the management of not maintaining the fire equipment of the building properly was true or not. We have it now confirmed, in writring, by the Bangkok Metropolitan authority that our buildings fire equipment is in bad shape or not working at all. The government set a deadline to the building to fix the issues.

[DrJack54]

2 hours ago, zappalot said:

The government set a deadline to the building to fix the issues.

So in the meantime you 2 guys decided to sort it. Brilliant choice of action. Not!

Would love condo side of what occurred.

Interesting you in your second post casually dismissive of possible 30k damage along with fine.

My guess is you both stuffed up.

Your story sounds like a nonsense re who is at fault.

 

[zappalot]

I made a complete list... from the first to the 34th floor. confirmed now officially by BMA. No need to stuff up anything here. This list is just part of the whole thing... Of course it was submitted in Thai as well. District department did not react but finally BMA stood up and took action, quite serious actually... Land department issued a report to the police station, probably after BMA investigated because they did not ddo sth. in 1 year and 8 months...

[zappalot]

Here a picture of the inspector who was in the building who has my highest respect. The management could not fool around with him, he did not accept any excuses. He was very well educated with a broad knowledge about what he did. He knew all details about dangers and what should be and what should not be.

If there is some danger for the life either of my family or the people I rent apartments out too I take action. I'm not the one sitting still. I understand and accept that most people don't care. But I know most would complain a lot if in case of an incident people would suffer or be harmed. I do not want to belong to the group who complains when it is too late. In this particular building four Co owners signed complaints to the government, three of them foreigners. Unfortunately 99.9% of the Thai co owners did not want to take any action.

The photo was done during and unannounced visit. (See the missing firehose? They knew that a management that bad (we showed them pictures) would try to hide things if they would announce their coming. Anyway after he left the management accused us to bring in an illegal person to the building. They went to the police, they thought that now we certainly would go to prison for making things up. They really looked very very bad when they had to find out that he was a real government inspector. Even worse, this inspector came back again with one of his superiors to make sure the management would understand that this is no joke.

The management stated during an annual general meeting that everything would be fine , that every single fire cabinet is in perfect shape , ready to fight a fire. Despite the fact that everyone could see by themselves  such a fire cabinet without a hose the majority of the people joining the annual general meeting believed the management.

[Susco]

4 hours ago, zappalot said:

They are accusing us to have intentionally broken a lock of a fire cabinet.

 

To me it sounds illogical that there would be a lock on any fire cabinet.

 

What they do in case of fire, go search for the key?

[spidermike007]

4 hours ago, zappalot said:

The offense is that we checked our buildings firefighting equipment. We knew that it was not working. So we are accused now of checking the fire equipment without permission from the management. They are accusing us to have intentionally broken a lock of a fire cabinet. Now, unfortunately for them there never was and there still is no lock at the fire cabinet. Just when the judge asked the management representative if he can prove that we broke the lock the management said yes, they can prove it. Photos and videos prove otherwise, but as the case is not on trial yet the judge was not interested in evidence, their word was enough. Furthermore the management said that we acted against the condo law which prohibits Co owners from using the fire equipment even in case of a fire. The management also confirmed that they could prove that this law would exist. When the judge accepted the case the Bangkok Metropolitan authority had not checked yet if our accusation of the management of not maintaining the fire equipment of the building properly was true or not. We have it now confirmed, in writring, by the Bangkok Metropolitan authority that our buildings fire equipment is in bad shape or not working at all. The government set a deadline to the building to fix the issues.

 

 

How unbelievably petty. Management would be hanging their heads in shame, if they have one iota of pride, self esteem, decency or manhood. They simply lost face, and behaved like juvenile delinquents. What clowns. What inane stupidity. One wonders why a sensible judge would not have just thrown out the case and reprimanded the plaintiff. 

[edwardandtubs]

27 minutes ago, zappalot said:

Here a picture of the inspector who was in the building who has my highest respect. The management could not fool around with him, he did not accept any excuses. He was very well educated with a broad knowledge about what he did. He knew all details about dangers and what should be and what should not be.

 

If there is some danger for the life either of my family or the people I rent apartments out too I take action. I'm not the one sitting still. I understand and accept that most people don't care. But I know most would complain a lot if in case of an incident people would suffer or be harmed. I do not want to belong to the group who complains when it is too late. In this particular building four Co owners signed complaints to the government, three of them foreigners. Unfortunately 99.9% of the Thai co owners did not want to take any action.

The photo was done during and unannounced visit. (See the missing firehose? They knew that a management that bad (we showed them pictures) would try to hide things if they would announce their coming. Anyway after he left the management accused us to bring in an illegal person to the building. They went to the police, they thought that now we certainly would go to prison for making things up. They really looked very very bad when they had to find out that he was a real government inspector. Even worse, this inspector came back again with one of his superiors to make sure the management would understand that this is no joke.

The management stated during an annual general meeting that everything would be fine , that every single fire cabinet is in perfect shape , ready to fight a fire. Despite the fact that everyone could see by themselves  such a fire cabinet without a hose the majority of the people joining the annual general meeting believed the management.

 

 

 

 

 

Seriously petty and vindictive behaviour by the management against their own co-owners. I assume this isn't one of the big condo projects you see in Bangkok.

[Dan O]

If I understand it correctly you said you were involved in the incident and went to court at least initially. You also said your not in Thailand right now.  Why did the court only take your friends passport so he can not leave but they didn't take yours and you left the country. Something isn't adding up here about that part of the story. 

[zappalot]

@Dan O: The whole thing went to court but since I was not in Thailand I couldn't be there in court. I certainly did not say that I was in court in person on any day

 

I just checked, I have never written that I have been in court. Maybe I am blind but I cannot find this my wording.

Please everyone read first carefully before trying to make up a story that just isn't there

[cleopatra2]

8 hours ago, zappalot said:

@Dan O: The whole thing went to court but since I was not in Thailand I couldn't be there in court. I certainly did not say that I was in court in person on any day

 

I just checked, I have never written that I have been in court. Maybe I am blind but I cannot find this my wording.

Please everyone read first carefully before trying to make up a story that just isn't there

 

This arises because in your 3rd post you state the judge said, and the judge did not accept.

This implies first hand knowledge, whereas your subsequent posts now suggest that what happened in court is only what you have been told.

 

[peeglen]

 

.

11 hours ago, Susco said:

 

To me it sounds illogical that there would be a lock on any fire cabinet.

 

What they do in case of fire, go search for the key?

 

You break the glass in a separate compartment to get the key. The cabinet is locked to prevent tampering/misuse and theft of the equipment.

Good work by the OP and his friend, their actions might end up saving lives and minimizing property damage resulting from a fire

 

[ChipButty]

11 hours ago, Susco said:

 

To me it sounds illogical that there would be a lock on any fire cabinet.

 

What they do in case of fire, go search for the key?

You are right there should be no locks 

[ChipButty]

At least you have the equipment all you need now is to get it working, many building dont have any fire equipment.

One thing to remember when checking fire equipment and the building, I s how would you stop the spread of fire or flames? would the staircase's close off? There should be fire doors not aluminum and glass doors, 

 

[peeglen]

1 hour ago, ChipButty said:

You are right there should be no locks 

I stand corrected.

 

In my last apartment building (in Vancouver) there was a lock and a "break glass" for the key.  The hoses in my workplace had the locks disabled years ago, as did the ferry I'm working on at the moment.  The locks in the OP have hokey locks that were added after manufacture.  My apologies.

I've added "the exception that proves the rule" but the public doesn't have access to this area.

[bradiston]

15 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

So in the meantime you 2 guys decided to sort it. Brilliant choice of action. Not!

Would love condo side of what occurred.

Interesting you in your second post casually dismissive of possible 30k damage along with fine.

My guess is you both stuffed up.

Your story sounds like a nonsense re who is at fault.

 

Thank God you're not on the jury

[zappalot]

16 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Would love condo side of what occurred.

Me as well. But they continue spreading lies that everything is just fine. Refusing to have a look on site. Refusing any checks or tests... Lazy committee and JPM without any detectable management experience believe the word of the management...

Picture shows just a tiny fraction of findings...

[zappalot]

6 hours ago, cleopatra2 said:

This arises because in your 3rd post you state the judge said, and the judge did not accept.

This implies first hand knowledge, whereas your subsequent posts now suggest that what happened in court is only what you have been told.

 

The lawyer requested the official script that was written by court and the judge - If not the word of the lawyer I guess that counts as first hand knowledge?

[chainarong]

15 hours ago, Susco said:

 

To me it sounds illogical that there would be a lock on any fire cabinet.

 

What they do in case of fire, go search for the key?

You break the glass.

[chainarong]

No one is allowed to interfere in any fire appliance , anywhere, you report the matter to the fire authorities, then if the building burns down you can say what you did.

[zappalot]

15 minutes ago, chainarong said:

No one is allowed to interfere in any fire appliance , anywhere, you report the matter to the fire authorities, then if the building burns down you can say what you did.

It was reported to different authorities in 2016, in 2017, in 2018 and in 2019. Absolutely nothing happened. A committee member has good connections to district office and land Department. In my country we would call that corruption. As written before: I protect the ones I love.

Do you have by any chance the paragraph of the law at hand stating that it is not allowed to use the fire equipment except of by fire man?

[zappalot]

49 minutes ago, chainarong said:

You break the glass.

So let's assume there is a fire. You run to the fire cabinet knowing that you have not more than 1 or if lucky 2 minutes to extinguish the fire before you better run away rescuing your loved ones and yourself. Fire cabinet is locked. How do you break the glass now? Do you run back into your apartment searching for something suitable? The Clock is ticking , time is running out and you waste your time searching something to destroy the glass instead of having the equipment ready to fight the fire?

Remember that you are also in panic.

[StevieAus]

38 minutes ago, zappalot said:

So let's assume there is a fire. You run to the fire cabinet knowing that you have not more than 1 or if lucky 2 minutes to extinguish the fire before you better run away rescuing your loved ones and yourself. Fire cabinet is locked. How do you break the glass now? Do you run back into your apartment searching for something suitable? The Clock is ticking , time is running out and you waste your time searching something to destroy the glass instead of having the equipment ready to fight the fire?

 

Remember that you are also in panic.

 

My understanding and recollection from a large building we occupied in Sydney was that the glass in the cabinet that houses the key can easily be broken by using your elbow.

It is there to deter vandalism obviously if you had to find a hammer or something I agree it would defeat the object.

[scubascuba3]

1 hour ago, zappalot said:

 

 

Do you have by any chance the paragraph of the law at hand stating that it is not allowed to use the fire equipment except of by fire man?

 

Nothing in the condo regs or Condo Act? 

[a10ams]

19 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

So in the meantime you 2 guys decided to sort it. Brilliant choice of action. Not!

Would love condo side of what occurred.

Interesting you in your second post casually dismissive of possible 30k damage along with fine.

My guess is you both stuffed up.

Your story sounds like a nonsense re who is at fault.

 

 

How do you take your humple pie, orally or otherwise?

 

Two guys decide to check out emergency fire fighting equipment and find it faulty. Well done lads. First thing I do when I get to a hotel room is find out how to get out in an emergency.

 

Been on umpteen fire fighting course over the last forty years and not one fireman would go against what these lads did.