Picture: Siam Rath

 

Immigration police were suspicious of a couple on a motorcycle in the parking lot of the First Tower in Sukhumvit Soi 1, Bangkok.

 

The couple tried to flee when approached but were arrested.

 

They were Syrian Saeed A., aged 32, and his wife Houda M., 23, from Morocco. 

 

Picture: Siam Rath

 

He was on overstay of 2,612 days and she had overstayed 750 days. 

 

Pol Col Yot-ek Raksuwan of Immigration Region 1 said this was part of action against middle easterners and people of color, gangs and was intended to limit Covid-19 prevention.

 

Saeed had fled court bail on a robbery charge, he said, and been overstaying more than 7 years.

 

The couple were handed over to the Lumpini police for processing, reported Siam Rath. 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-04-28

 

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Overstay for 7 years! I hope he filed his 90 day reports.

The cat's out of the bag. I bet she's not feline to good now ....

Yeah (assuming that's Houda M. in the photo), maybe best not to wear skin-tight leopard bodysuits if trying to "blend in"?

 

 

Just to make things clear: How long has Morocco been a 'Middle eastern' country? Last time I looked at a map, it was still in North Africa.

And how does anyone like him even make money for food on such a long overstay? Selling fake Cialis on the sidewalk? Of course, if robbery was indeed his area of expertise...

32 minutes ago, apex2000 said:

Just to make things clear: How long has Morocco been a 'Middle eastern' country? Last time I looked at a map, it was still in North Africa.

You obviously didn't learn geography at a Thai government school.

It must be Middle eastern, all school kids here know Africa is a country.

35 minutes ago, apex2000 said:

Just to make things clear: How long has Morocco been a 'Middle eastern' country? Last time I looked at a map, it was still in North Africa.

Thais aren't taught any Geography outside of what they can see ????????

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Pol Col Yot-ek Raksuwan of Immigration Region 1 said this was part of action against middle easterners and people of color, gangs and was intended to limit Covid-19 prevention.

This is beyond racist statement. And then to "limit prevention" is probably the opposite of what he meant. So it makes me wonder if he really said that or if this is just a very bad translation, or something made up by the journalist who first reported it?

 

On another thought - with 7 years overstay the man hasn't been out of the country longer than that. How is he COVID risk?

I don’t believe he said “people of colour” 

1 hour ago, bluesofa said:

2 hours ago, apex2000 said:

Just to make things clear: How long has Morocco been a 'Middle eastern' country? Last time I looked at a map, it was still in North Africa.

You obviously didn't learn geography at a Thai government school.

It must be Middle eastern, all school kids here know Africa is a country.

 

Arrested 32-year-old SAEED ABOHSTAB of Syrian nationality (permission expired 2,612 days) and HOUDA MAGHANIM, Moroccan nationality, age 23, passport authorization expired 750 days)

 

Middle Eastern AND People of Colour.... Thus those ridiculing the ‘geography’ and concentrating on one location perhaps need to improve the reading comprehension. 

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Pol Col Yot-ek Raksuwan of Immigration Region 1 said this was part of action against middle easterners and people of color, gangs and was intended to limit Covid-19 prevention.

 

 

The ‘People of Colour’ comment is typically clumsy for a Thai announcement - What they really meant was ‘part of action against Middle Easterners and Africans’. 

 

It’s profiling and in many of our Western Countries the Immigration Police would be accused of racism even when profiling brings results.

1 hour ago, bluesofa said:

u obviously didn't learn geography at a Thai government school.

It must be Middle eastern, all school kids here know Africa is a country.

And denial is not a river in Africa.

 

????

3 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Yeah (assuming that's Houda M. in the photo), maybe best not to wear skin-tight leopard bodysuits if trying to "blend in"?

 

 

The leopard must have changed its spots then, That's a tiger bodysuit.

Maybe it is time to bring back caning for overstayers?

Only 2600 days, huh? So over 8 years? Nice. He deserves whatever he gets.

 

They should put these people in the Bangkok Hilton rather than deporting them.

He can claim political asylum 

6 hours ago, Brierley said:

Overstay for 7 years! I hope he filed his 90 day reports.

Obviously not.

Big ploblem for landlord not doing TM-30

4 hours ago, tomazbodner said:

This is beyond racist statement. And then to "limit prevention" is probably the opposite of what he meant. So it makes me wonder if he really said that or if this is just a very bad translation, or something made up by the journalist who first reported it?

 

On another thought - with 7 years overstay the man hasn't been out of the country longer than that. How is he COVID risk?

 

I suppose he's talking about the African and middle eastern drug dealing gangs that operate out of Soi 1. He likely thinks calling them "middle eastern and people of color" is less racist so the easily offended shriek less.  He should just say what he means. "We are targeting the African and middle eastern drug dealing gangs in Soi 1". If that is what they have decided to do. But why he would announce that before the gangs have been shut down, I'm not sure.

6 hours ago, bluesofa said:

7 hours ago, apex2000 said:

Just to make things clear: How long has Morocco been a 'Middle eastern' country? Last time I looked at a map, it was still in North Africa.

You obviously didn't learn geography at a Thai government school.

It must be Middle eastern, all school kids here know Africa is a country.

 

I was talking with a service provider who asked where I was from. I told her 'London' and she said, "Ah, America'. And I have a relative here, a school teacher, who believes that New York is on the west coast of America.

1 hour ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

I was talking with a service provider who asked where I was from. I told her 'London' and she said, "Ah, America'. And I have a relative here, a school teacher, who believes that New York is on the west coast of America.

So, what you are saying it's not?

2 hours ago, Ketyo said:

But why he would announce that before the gangs have been shut down, I'm not sure.

 

Because thats not profitable...  IF all these gangs get caught and shut down how will the BiB take their cut?

 

These gangs and dealers and only shut down when there is no more money left...  Business 101 for the BiB in that area. 

 

 

 

 

6 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Arrested 32-year-old SAEED ABOHSTAB of Syrian nationality (permission expired 2,612 days) and HOUDA MAGHANIM, Moroccan nationality, age 23, passport authorization expired 750 days)

 

Middle Eastern AND People of Colour.... Thus those ridiculing the ‘geography’ and concentrating on one location perhaps need to improve the reading comprehension. 

 

 

 

The ‘People of Colour’ comment is typically clumsy for a Thai announcement - What they really meant was ‘part of action against Middle Easterners and Africans’. 

 

It’s profiling and in many of our Western Countries the Immigration Police would be accused of racism even when profiling brings results.

"They were Syrian Saeed A., aged 32, and his wife Houda M., 23, from Morocco." As posted above, not as you have it written in your comment.
It was written so poorly that I could see why, if someone was scanning the article rather than reading in any kind of careful manner, the country "Syrian" could be missed and passed right over as being the man's first name. That's how the grammar of the sentence reads, leading one to believe they are both from Morocco. And foreign names can be a funny thing, so they are very easy to subconsciously pass by without even trying to read them, but the brain knows the grammar already and goes with that.
Not sure where you got your English version. It is very different from the version posted. Yours is quite clear. The article posted is not. The Thai language article is also quite clear. The translation in the post above is atrocious. It doesn't surprise me in the least that some would miss this point.

7 hours ago, faraday said:

And denial is not a river in Africa.

 

????

Nor is Missus Hippy.????

11 hours ago, apex2000 said:

Just to make things clear: How long has Morocco been a 'Middle eastern' country? Last time I looked at a map, it was still in North Africa.

99% of Moroccan people are considered Arab, so perhaps by ethnicity she 

Is " middle Eastern", but clearly, in geographic terms Morocco is in North west Africa.

 

Would Mo Farah be considered European as he lives in and 

represented Britain in the Olympics?

 

I'm not one of those types who say a certain person cannot be

a particular nationality  because of colour or creed, I have a lot 

of respect for Mo and others given the chance to improve 

their lives in a wealthier, more stable environment.

 

 

 

We don't know his story......please don't judge before............

 

oh wait, we do know his story.

 

off to the gulag!!!  note:  gulag is a Brazil reference if you ever go to Austria, which is an island. 

 

geography is hard.  

On 4/28/2021 at 11:53 AM, tomazbodner said:

intended to limit Covid-19 prevention.

Anybody want to take a shot at explaining this phrase?

1 minute ago, dddave said:

Anybody want to take a shot at explaining this phrase?

I better not try...