Arrest warrant check in Thailand for 30000+ baht! Scam or Real?

[Jenkins9039]

34 minutes ago, GrandPapillon said:

1000 USD an hour for a Thai lawyer in a Thailand located law firm?  this is not NYC,

Law firms in NYC usually charge about 5-10k a hour as you are not paying for one individual but many (the company).

 

Same as it appears to be the case in this post... 

[cocoonclub]

1 hour ago, GrandPapillon said:

1000 USD an hour for a Thai lawyer in a Thailand located law firm?  this is not NYC,

That’s their rates. 

[PATTTAYA]

3 hours ago, Jenkins9039 said:

 

If you'd be so kind to fill us in on what the perp has been accused of, and whether its a state or private prosecution then we could have some additional input. 

 

His Thai Ex gf accuses him of trespassing and theft of money.

Although she dont have any witness, evidence or CCTV.

 

I am sorry i dont know if its state or private prosecution.

[Jenkins9039]

10 hours ago, PATTTAYA said:

His Thai Ex gf accuses him of trespassing and theft of money.

Although she dont have any witness, evidence or CCTV.

 

I am sorry i dont know if its state or private prosecution.

Sounds like a state prosecution via a police filing.

 

Theft has a rather long Statute of Limitations, trespassing compounds the offence, so provably if filed, not a chance of return within 5 yrs from the event.

[Liverpool Lou]

On 8/28/2021 at 10:38 AM, robblok said:

To be asking this question about a check is a sure indication that there has been an event. 

He didn't say that he needed to know if there's been an event, he just wants to know if he's (still) wanted for it!

[Liverpool Lou]

15 hours ago, PATTTAYA said:

His Thai Ex gf accuses him of trespassing and theft of money.

Although she dont have any witness, evidence or CCTV.

 

I am sorry i dont know if its state or private prosecution.

If there's a warrant for him and he's legal here, not hiding his address, he would have had a knock on the door by now.   Arrest warrants aren't issued just because an ex requests it with no reason!

[robblok]

29 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

He didn't say that he needed to know if there's been an event, he just wants to know if he's (still) wanted for it!

Sure, and I meant if he knew he did something and really wants to know he can either pay up or take the risk. If he did something and is worried about it then he should pay up, or just take the risk. I mean its not too bad a price if you escaped jail before and now want to come back and want to know if its safe.

[007 RED]

15 hours ago, PATTTAYA said:

His Thai Ex gf accuses him of trespassing and theft of money.

Although she dont have any witness, evidence or CCTV.

 

I am sorry i dont know if its state or private prosecution.

OP…. Although you have not indicated how much money was reportedly stolen, I personally don’t think that your friend has anything to worry about unless his ex GF claims that he stole tens or hundreds of thousands of THB.  Regarding the alleged matter of trespass, again without evidence/witnesses etc. it is unlikely anything will come of her allegations.

 

However, if his ex GF claims that he stole only a few THB, or that your friend entered her property whilst she was not there, and she has a family member with high connections, then that may be a different story.

 

FYI… Both theft and trespass are deemed to be criminal matters in Thailand.

 

If your friend’s ex GF has filed a complaint with the local police (assuming that she claims that a large sum of money has gone missing) or that your friend entered her property without her permission, she would have to produce reasonable evidence that the money was originally in her possession, or that he did enter her property without her permission, for the police investigating officer to consider submitting a file to the Local Prosecution Office (LPO) for consideration. 

 

The LPO would then consider if the case should proceed or not, based upon the evidence submitted by the police.  If the LPO decide that it should proceed, they would then apply to the local criminal court of the ‘first instance’ for an arrest warrant to be issued.

 

Many people assume that it is the police that issue an arrest warrant.  This assumption is incorrect.  An arrest warrant is issued by magistrate/judge, who in theory should look at the evidence submitted by the LPO/police and decide if a prosecution is warranted.  If an arrest warrant is issued then it is the police’s responsibility to apprehend alleged offender and bring him before the Court.

 

In the case of an arrest warrant having been issued against a foreigner, the local police would inform the Royal Thai Police HQ in Bangkok, who would enter the information into their database, and at the same time, they would inform their colleagues in immigration.  Immigration will also enter the warrant details into their computer database against the alleged offender’s immigration record.

 

Assuming that an arrest warrant has been issued, and your friend then subsequently attempts to return to Thailand from overseas by plane, the likelihood is that he will be denied boarding when he checks in for his flight.  This is because the airlines are required to submit passenger details (biographical data from the passenger’s passport) to Thailand authorities prior to passengers boarding the flight.  This is done through the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS). 

 

When your friend’s biographical data is received in Thailand it is passed to immigration and a number of other government agencies.  If any of the government agencies databases indicates anything untoward against him e.g., an arrest warrant is active, then the APIS will send a ‘do not board’ code back to the airline.  The airline will not be given any reason(s) for the denial.  The airline will face heavy financial penalties if they allow a person to travel after having received a do not board notification.

 

If he tries to enter Thailand via a land boarder the moment the immigration officer places his biometric passport onto the scanner the officer will be alerted to the fact that an arrest warrant is active against the person.  The officer may decide to refuse entry (go back from where he came) or allow entry and then execute an arrest against that warrant.

 

FYI…. Unless it is deemed a really, really, serious offence the Thai police do not inform Interpol as a matter of course that a 'homeland' arrset warrant exists.

 

So how can your friend establish if he has an arrest warrant issued against him here in Thailand?

 

He could try to fly back, but as I’ve indicated above, if a warrant is outstanding against him he will be denied boarding by the airline which will prove costly in terms of loss of air fare due to cancellation.  The airline will maintain that he is responsible for ensuring he his eligible to enter the country.

 

Yes as has been suggested by other members, he could go through a lawyer to find out if there is a warrant outstanding against him, but this will cost him, possibly mega bucks for a few minute work.  If he wants to go down that route, do a Google search “obtaining a Thai police certificate” and this will throw up several firms that offer such a service.

 

Alternatively, he could request a Thai police certificate his self, details are given in the following Royal Thai Police web link: http://pcscenter.sb.police.go.th/filedownload/infomation-service-4.pdf   Cost: 100THB plus some minimal postage fees.

 

Hope this helps.