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Picture: Siam Rath

 

A well known lawyer acting on behalf of the Help Crime Victim's Club has gone to Thailand's anti-corruption authorities asking them to investigate backhanders being paid at Chiang Mai immigration.

 

Atchariya Reuangrattanapong presented audio files and other evidence yesterday to Anti-Corruption and Misconduct Suppression Division director Pol Maj-Gen Jaroonkiat Pankaew, reported Siam Rath.

 

There were two cases.

 

The first concerned an immigration officer of the rank of sub-lieutenant in Chiang Mai. 

 

It is claimed that the policeman and his associates connived to charge people 1,800 baht a time extra for their visas.

 

The visa officer got 1,000 baht for stamping a visa, a broker got 800 baht.

 

This was termed as a "facilitating fee" but is illegal.

 

It is further claimed that threats were made to anyone who tried to question the practice. 

 

The second case involves the director of a Beung Kan hospital and associates allegedly mixed up in a Covid-19 insurance scam worth 3 million baht. 

 

Atchariya said that illegal practices in this regard are going on at many places. 

 

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[Guest Isaanlife]

No, say it isn't so?

 

Not Thailand the land of smiles!

 

Busted.

[tracker1]

And Ferrari Joes  wealth was never questioned This lawyer hasn't even touched the tip of the iceberg

[EVENKEEL]

The price of an agent just increased.

[Thaiwrath]

Last year at the immigration I go to, I completely forgot about my 90 day report, and ended up going a day  after the grace period.

I knew I was late, and the officer spotted it and said "you late, 2,000 baht fine". I knew he was right to fine me, so I asked if he would give me a receipt. and his reply was "no receipt, only 1,000 baht !" .

I took out my wallet, looked inside it and said "I only have 500 baht, he whispered "OK", accepted it, and slipped it into his pocket discreetly !

I think most officers are corrupt if they think they can obtain money and not get caught. 

Edited January 25, 2022 by Thaiwrath

[BritManToo]

9 minutes ago, Thaiwrath said:

Last year at the immigration I go to, I completely forgot about my 90 day report, and ended up going a day  after the grace period.

I knew I was late, and the officer spotted it and said "you late, 2,000 baht fine". I knew he was right to fine me, so I asked if he would give me a receipt. and his reply as "no receipt, only 1,000 baht !" .

I took out my wallet, looked inside it and said "I only have 500 baht, he whispered "OK", accepted it, and slipped it into his pocket discreetly !

I think most officers are corrupt if they think they can obtain money and not get caught. 

This wasn't corruption, this was haggling.

It saved you 1,500bht off a legitimate fine.

 

I've not found Chiang Mai Immigration in any way corrupt, they've never asked me for any extra payments. I just find them unpleasant and pedantic, it really wouldn't hurt them to be nicer to their customers.

Edited January 25, 2022 by BritManToo

[EVENKEEL]

28 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

This wasn't corruption, this was haggling.

It saved you 1,500bht off a legitimate fine.

 

I've not found Chiang Mai Immigration in any way corrupt, they've never asked me for any extra payments. I just find them unpleasant and pedantic, it really wouldn't hurt them to be nicer to their customers.

When I get my Residence Cert the lady throws my 500 bht in a desk drawer, no receipt. The worse they treat you the more apt you are to use an agent is my thought.

[ChaiyaTH]

39 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

This wasn't corruption, this was haggling.

It saved you 1,500bht off a legitimate fine.

 

I've not found Chiang Mai Immigration in any way corrupt, they've never asked me for any extra payments. I just find them unpleasant and pedantic, it really wouldn't hurt them to be nicer to their customers.

They never tried to bribe me either but they did suggest I go to this other location if I wanted the residence certificate the next day. Actually I wish they did bribe me, they are a pain in the ass with all the official documents, hence I arrange it elsewhere since 2 years.

Edited January 25, 2022 by ChaiyaTH

[MisterTee]

Bring back Big Joke... he swept CM Immigration clean a few years ago shortly after taking charge.

   Courtesy and efficiency improved noticably under his administration.

   Forget the shysters and the do-gooder organizations, they usually make a bad situation even worse.

   The rot has to be cleaned up from within by honest administrators.

[EVENKEEL]

1 minute ago, MisterTee said:

Bring back Big Joke... he swept CM Immigration clean a few years ago shortly after taking charge.

   Courtesy and efficiency improved noticably under his administration.

   Forget the shysters and the do-gooder organizations, they usually make a bad situation even worse.

   The rot has to be cleaned up from within by honest administrators.

The "honest administrators" will probably be more expensive.

[Thailand]

I think the well known lawyer is on to a loser here. At worst an inactive post in someone's future in regards to the immigration case.

[Mac Mickmanus]

It has long been suspected that immigration can deliberately be difficult when processing extensions with the hope that you give up and go through an agency and they receive a slice  

[equalizer1970]

The only way they can clean this up is by banning the use of third party agencies and set up an independent appeals process. I went for a marriage visa years ago and they had me running around like a blue <deleted> fly. Oh this one need colour photo copy. Oh this you need 6 copies not 2 copies. This one no good need to go get new copy, signature touching line. Blaa Blaa Blaa. I eventually did what they said until they realized i wasn't going away. I paid the 1900 baht and she gave me back my passport and a big stack of A4 photocopies. Then her last words. ''Better you go see agent next time''! If there was an independent agency you could approach and show them what you have had to go through and they came down hard on these employees this would all stop in no time.  

[jensmann]

55 minutes ago, equalizer1970 said:

The only way they can clean this up is by banning the use of third party agencies and set up an independent appeals process. I went for a marriage visa years ago and they had me running around like a blue <deleted> fly. Oh this one need colour photo copy. Oh this you need 6 copies not 2 copies. This one no good need to go get new copy, signature touching line. Blaa Blaa Blaa. I eventually did what they said until they realized i wasn't going away. I paid the 1900 baht and she gave me back my passport and a big stack of A4 photocopies. Then her last words. ''Better you go see agent next time''! If there was an independent agency you could approach and show them what you have had to go through and they came down hard on these employees this would all stop in no time.  

Equalizer, you've made the best proposal I have seen in years...

[BestB]

Do not know why so many of you getting excited when most of you do not have 800000 in the bank for your extensions .

 

If immigration starts doing everything by the book, half of you will be kicked out 

[Jimbo53]

1 hour ago, equalizer1970 said:

The only way they can clean this up is by banning the use of third party agencies and set up an independent appeals process. I went for a marriage visa years ago and they had me running around like a blue <deleted> fly. Oh this one need colour photo copy. Oh this you need 6 copies not 2 copies. This one no good need to go get new copy, signature touching line. Blaa Blaa Blaa. I eventually did what they said until they realized i wasn't going away. I paid the 1900 baht and she gave me back my passport and a big stack of A4 photocopies. Then her last words. ''Better you go see agent next time''! If there was an independent agency you could approach and show them what you have had to go through and they came down hard on these employees this would all stop in no time.  

Your obviously having a Senior moment lol  ????????????

[Confuscious]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Atchariya said that illegal practices in this regard are going on at many places.

Exactly my toughts.
But don't hold you breath ....

[jesimps]

27 minutes ago, BestB said:

Do not know why so many of you getting excited when most of you do not have 800000 in the bank for your extensions .

 

If immigration starts doing everything by the book, half of you will be kicked out 

Have you organised a recent survey to come to that conclusion? I think most do have the required amount in the bank but a lot prefer to use an agent to prevent them having to spend an hour in the black hole with the possibility of being treated like dirt for their trouble. Personally, I don't use an agent, but if I could afford to, I would without hesitation.

[Tarteso]

6 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

When I get my Residence Cert the lady throws my 500 bht in a desk drawer, no receipt. The worse they treat you the more apt you are to use an agent is my thought.

It happened to me the same a few years ago, paid B800.- No receipt. But I needed urgently the RCertif. I didn't want to wait and come back another day to get it. BTW.. I got a big Thai smile from the lady.

Edited January 25, 2022 by Tarteso

[Card]

6 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

Last year at the immigration I go to, I completely forgot about my 90 day report, and ended up going a day  after the grace period.

I knew I was late, and the officer spotted it and said "you late, 2,000 baht fine". I knew he was right to fine me, so I asked if he would give me a receipt. and his reply was "no receipt, only 1,000 baht !" .

I took out my wallet, looked inside it and said "I only have 500 baht, he whispered "OK", accepted it, and slipped it into his pocket discreetly !

I think most officers are corrupt if they think they can obtain money and not get caught. 

So why didn't u keep on insisting on a receipt for the 500 baht and pretend to not know what was going on? If u persist they will give in in case you create a scene etc.

[SymS]

6 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

When I get my Residence Cert the lady throws my 500 bht in a desk drawer, no receipt. The worse they treat you the more apt you are to use an agent is my thought.

Once I asked for a receipt for the 500 Baht I paid for the residence certificate.
They told me to wait a moment. The two staff talked together in Thai..
"We can't give a receipt, what should we do?"
"Just wait, he will just go away".

then asked me to sit and wait!

[BestB]

36 minutes ago, jesimps said:

Have you organised a recent survey to come to that conclusion? I think most do have the required amount in the bank but a lot prefer to use an agent to prevent them having to spend an hour in the black hole with the possibility of being treated like dirt for their trouble. Personally, I don't use an agent, but if I could afford to, I would without hesitation.

I did not realize you personally meant  most of Asean posters and expats, but all the power to you.

They prefer to use an agent, because they do not have 800 000 to keep in the bank, and not for any other reason, same applies to marriage extension of stay and more.

 

So once again, if Immigration did everything by the book, at least half would be kicked out and other half would be whining how bad it is and how good it use to be

 

Always amazes me how many moan about corruption and yet are not able to meet the requirements.

 

How about just being happy that corruption exists and makes your life easier because you were in a country without corruption, your stay would be very short. Ask all the Malaysian expats who had their life turned up side down, over night with new minimum required capital 

[BusyB]

7 hours ago, BritManToo said:

This wasn't corruption, this was haggling.

It saved you 1,500bht off a legitimate fine.

 

I've not found Chiang Mai Immigration in any way corrupt, they've never asked me for any extra payments. I just find them unpleasant and pedantic, it really wouldn't hurt them to be nicer to their customers.

It deprived the state of a legitimate 1500 baht.

[farangroby]

What's the news? A couple of "way" and all will be right

[Caldera]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

The first concerned an immigration officer of the rank of sub-lieutenant in Chiang Mai. 

It's pretty much inconceivable that someone of such a junior rank did this on his own. Let's see how thorough the investigation, if any ensues, will go!

[Lacessit]

I was using an agent at CM Immigration years ago, until I figured out all it did was save me some waiting time, as I still had to assemble all the paperwork for the agent. It was general knowledge the wife of the agent was related to one of the more senior immigration officers.

One time, I had a choice of paying 1000 baht for a residence certificate, and getting it the next day, or getting it free with a wait of one month. If that's not corruption, I don't know what it is. I paid the 1000 baht.

I can remember one white-haired IO at CM whose treatment of people was so rude I was surprised nobody fronted up to the counter with a machete or gun. I only had to deal with him once, fortunately.

When Big Joke "cleaned up" CM Immigration, the change I noted was wait times were longer, even for people using agents. 25 minutes became 2 hours for me, which was when I decided to go it alone. My wait time after was 3 hours, which made my time worth 2500 baht/hour in terms of the money I saved on the agent.

I must say dealing with Chiang Rai Immigration in the two years I have been here has been a breeze in comparison. As long as one has the paperwork correct, in and out very quickly. Of course, they have far fewer people to deal with than in CM.

[BritManToo]

2 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I must say dealing with Chiang Rai Immigration in the two years I have been here has been a breeze in comparison. As long as one has the paperwork correct, in and out very quickly. Of course, they have far fewer people to deal with than in CM.

My last two 1 year extensions took less than two hours each.

(from driving in to driving out)

[Lacessit]

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

My last two 1 year extensions took less than two hours each.

(from driving in to driving out)

IIRC, last extension about 30 minutes at CR.

I was 10 days late with my last 90 day report. All ready to pay the 2000 baht fine, was never mentioned.

You wouldn't want to move here though. Not all that many young bar/massage girls. Most in their forties.

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

This was termed as a "facilitating fee" but is illegal.

Thailand is corrupt to the core, and no chance of ever stopping it with this lot in power.

Every level and every opportunity is taken to gouge money one way or another.

[BritManToo]

45 minutes ago, BusyB said:

It deprived the state of a legitimate 1500 baht.

I'd rather give it to the immigration guy than give it to Prayut.