Charges filed against 934 businesses involved in massive We Travel Together fraud estimated at 1.7 BILLION baht

[rooster59]

Charges filed against 934 businesses involved in massive We Travel Together fraud estimated at 1.7 BILLION baht

 

Image: Daily News

 

It was supposed to be a chance for hotels and restaurants to get some much needed funds after the first wave of the pandemic.

 

And also an opportunity for the Thai public to get some freebies while stimulating domestic travel.

 

But now the "Rao Thiaw Duay Gan" - Let's Travel Together - scheme is looking far more like "Let's Fiddle Together".

 

Yesterday TAT deputy governor Somrudee Jitrajon and a legal team went to report another 934 cases of corruption they had uncovered. 

 

This came after hundreds of previous cases came to light earlier. 

 

After meeting with Pol Col Anek Taosuphap of the CSD she hurried away without commenting further.

 

It appeared that the tourism authority were none too keen on this negative press.

 

But Pol Col Anek said that the new cases were in addition to previous ones reported from Chaiyaphum and Phuket. 

 

These new ones involved 448 hotels and 486 shops nationwide. 

 

A large proportion of them were in tourist areas in the south, he said.

 

He told the media that the total level of the fraud identified so far is in the region of 1.7 billion baht.

 

The new cases involved fraud like the first lot - claiming money under false pretenses, claiming cash for stays in hotels that never happened and inflating prices to swindle the state.

 

He said that the police had been working with Krung Thai bank to investigate the matter.

 

Source: Daily News

 

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[YetAnother]

3 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

It was supposed to be a chance for hotels and restaurants to get some much needed funds after the first wave of the pandemic

and it sounds like many of them got their funds, by alternate techniques

[RotBenz8888]

5 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

It appeared that the tourism authority were none too keen on this negative press.

Could it possibly get worse than it already was? 

[petermik]

Well what a pickle...fancy so many businesses trying to screw their own government...

[Emdog]

If they'd put half the effort into doing legit business that they do to cutting corners and cheating, this economy would be going gangbusters

[Phuketshrew]

They just can't help themselves (to help themselves). Thailand truly is a basket case. Later this year we'll be reading about the corruption ridden Covid-19 vaccination fiasco ....

[mtls2005]

Sheesh. If the current government were popularly elected, and enacted such a scheme (was it even authorized by Parliament?) the minions would be shutting down Bangkok with their whistles and clappers.

 

As it is. Meh. Just another day in the Kingdom. Nothing to see here.

 

"Corruption? In Thailand? I'm shocked."

 

Next you'll be telling me there's illegal gambling.

 

 

 

 

[Mavideol]

40 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

and it sounds like many of them got their funds, by alternate techniques

where I live there are many, many hotels but it caught my attention that only 2-3 of them and related restaurants were getting the week end government supported travel/holiday packages... asked one of their employees why and the answer was "boss" has good contact with TAT

[animatic]

Well I am shocked!!!

Round up the usual suspects.

[mlmcleod]

The government will soon announce that all or most of the fraud was perpetrated by farang owned businesses.  After all, we all know that Thais are as white as snow in their business practices!????????

[Surelynot]

Hardly surprising when the government's own ministers are steeped in corruption..........fraud will not really seen as something that bad......just an opportunity to level the playing field.

[tomazbodner]

Oh man! I hope TAT and the government doesn't get hit by defamation suits if they publish the names of these fine establishments.

[Boedog]

WOW such a surprise only 900 the others must gave handed over the brown envelopes,  HOW else was this going to end, they must have thought they could get away with it same as the Government,  Police and Army 

[Kalasin Jo]

So life goes on as normal. Some get busted, some don't. Wouldn't surprise me if the underlying problem is way, way bigger. It's been going on in the UK too with government awarding Covid related contracts worth billions to mates and cronies for useless  or non existent ppe equipment with no external oversight, no tendering.

[DirtyFarang]

I find it rather ironic that a government so riddled with corruption from top to bottom is going after corrupt businessmen.   Sounds like another case of the pot calling the kettle black.

[welshguy]

Corruption occurs all over the world of course..........Not just in Thailand.

 

Trouble with Thailand is....its so steeped in their culture now..Everybody there knows it happens, its just a normal part of life, its accepted and expected now.

 

of course, where I am in dear old Blighty, plenty of corruption here too....nowhere near as bad or as accepted and expected in Thailand.

 

I really have no idea as to when it will end, will it end? Do the Thai people themselves ever expect mass corruption to end?............Thats another story!

[Seeall]

3 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Sheesh. If the current government were popularly elected, and enacted such a scheme (was it even authorized by Parliament?) the minions would be shutting down Bangkok with their whistles and clappers.

 

As it is. Meh. Just another day in the Kingdom. Nothing to see here.

 

"Corruption? In Thailand? I'm shocked."

 

Next you'll be telling me there's illegal gambling.

 

 

and prostitution shock

 

 

[Oldie]

For sure this all was not fraud but a simple misunderstanding or misinterpretation. 

[Tarteso]

We Travel Together 

 

NO.

[malthebluff]

1 hour ago, DirtyFarang said:

I find it rather ironic that a government so riddled with corruption from top to bottom is going after corrupt businessmen.   Sounds like another case of the pot calling the kettle black.

It takes a thief to catch a thief 

[Mr Meeseeks]

5 hours ago, Phuketshrew said:

They just can't help themselves (to help themselves). Thailand truly is a basket case. Later this year we'll be reading about the corruption ridden Covid-19 vaccination fiasco ....

Yep.

 

They rob off each other with total disregard and immorality imagine what they do to foreigners?

 

I don't trust even one of them and i has served me well in 30 odd years here. 

 

Always assume they are ripping you off, until proven otherwise.

[Benmart]

Role models of corruption and privledge are poor examples.

[tonysilly]

The government should help the people, especially if they pay taxes. People are dying!!    Start giving. Money to be who worked in hotels and restaurant.  

[quake]

This can't be so.

I demand a recount, it will only about 3 then.

plus 931 brown envelopes.

Jobs a good'un. sorted.

TIT.

 

[impulse]

7 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Sheesh. If the current government were popularly elected, and enacted such a scheme (was it even authorized by Parliament?) the minions would be shutting down Bangkok with their whistles and clappers.

 

As it is. Meh. Just another day in the Kingdom. Nothing to see here.

 

"Corruption? In Thailand? I'm shocked."

 

Next you'll be telling me there's illegal gambling.

 

 

...officials now estimate could be $4 billion in scammed coronavirus relief funds.

 

California.  Makes Thai Covid corruption look like small potatoes.  And that's just one state, and only one of their many scams.  And no junta there to blame.  (nor many Republicans)

 

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-01-05/how-california-covid-benefits-went-out-of-state-prisoners

[Bangkok Barry]

7 hours ago, Emdog said:

If they'd put half the effort into doing legit business that they do to cutting corners and cheating, this economy would be going gangbusters

Reminds me of someone in my office when I had my first job. He put more effort into finding ways of not doing something than the effort needed to do it.

[Bangkok Barry]

2 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Yep.

 

They rob off each other with total disregard and immorality imagine what they do to foreigners?

 

I don't trust even one of them and i has served me well in 30 odd years here. 

 

Always assume they are ripping you off, until proven otherwise.

I've spent nearly as long here and I agree. There is a total lack of morality among Thais. Everything is down to money and what is good for number one, no matter what. Interesting in a so-called Buddhist culture. But then, even making merit in the temples is to benefit the giver, to gain face. When people give money for such and such, the village loudspeaker system always goes through the name of every donor and how much they gave. Pathetic.

[connda]

Welcome to the Land of Scams (LOS).  Remember!  This is Thailand. 

[ibtg68]

10 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Sheesh. If the current government were popularly elected, and enacted such a scheme (was it even authorized by Parliament?) the minions would be shutting down Bangkok with their whistles and clappers.

 

As it is. Meh. Just another day in the Kingdom. Nothing to see here.

 

"Corruption? In Thailand? I'm shocked."

 

Next you'll be telling me there's illegal gambling.

 

 

 

 

...and prostitution. 

[mtls2005]

12 hours ago, impulse said:

..officials now estimate could be $4 billion in scammed coronavirus relief funds.

 

And this whataboutism is relevant to the topic how exactly.

 

No one is saying corruption is endemic to Thailand alone.

 

Plenty of other sub-forums and threads to post your gibberish.