Top lawyer calls for corruption investigation into officer at Chiang Mai immigration

[connda]

11 hours ago, Thailand said:

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.

Then how healthy will the lawyer remain in the future?  How does he benefit?

[Black Angus]

I said it before, there's Corruption and Honest Corruption. The former being the greedy ones. The latter being the ones that make enough to pay for their uniforms etc. Difference is 1000/2000Bht fine as to a 100/200 one. I always told proplr if Police want they former amount you say OK but we go pay at Police station, amazing how they suddenly seem to have to go elsewhere saying "You lucky not do again."

[cncltd1973]

12 hours 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.

that explains why he was demoted and transferred!

[BritManToo]

2 hours ago, arithai12 said:

Sorry that this is your experience, and perhaps that of many who liked your post.

After the Big Joke changes some years ago, I find CM Imm just fine overall (can't say the same of the previous era when we had to camp at 3am in a parking lot in January to get a number).

BJ didn't do anything.

From  around 2016-2019 I flew to Saigon to get my VISA because CM was just too busy.

What made the difference was COVID, and all the Chinese leaving.

Without the masses of tourists, it was easy to just walk in and get the extension immediately.

The previous 'era' I would just book an online appointment, which still took 1/2 day.

I was never daft enough to camp all night.

[BritManToo]

3 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

I've had a similar experience. but relating to reporting my address. 2000 is the maximum fine, so a legal ask for 500 for a one day late report would have been in order. Demanding 2000 was bullying and harassment.

I just didn't bother to report my address.

Between 2009 and 2020 I never reported my address.

Only did it once in 2020 during COVID.

They did ask why they had no record of my address in their computer (even though I'd been here 11 years).

I said, 'beats me, you came round to visit me every year', and that was the end of it.

[cncltd1973]

6 hours ago, Mywayboy said:

Why do you guys live in Thailand all you all do is <deleted> n moan about the Country every day.

Go back to whence you came.

how to deal with corruption and how it might be beneficial is a core concern for expats. so far I'm seeing helpful stories that could help fellow expats.

 

I've noticed more Thai posters recently, and I'm guessing english isn't your first language. but what I'm unclear on is what do the Thai posters do with the information of the expat posts on this forum? Is it being used to make better policies or collected to use against individuals?

[arithai12]

38 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

BJ didn't do anything.

From  around 2016-2019 I flew to Saigon to get my VISA because CM was just too busy.

What made the difference was COVID, and all the Chinese leaving.

Without the masses of tourists, it was easy to just walk in and get the extension immediately.

The previous 'era' I would just book an online appointment, which still took 1/2 day.

I was never daft enough to camp all night.

This confirms that you and I live in alternate universes.

[Silencer]

In the past month, I have been asked for money to speed up a building permit, get a driver's license, and speed up the processing of a new Chanote. Didn't need anything sped up and their disappointment was palpable. 

[kiwikeith]

18 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. 

Something I have observed personally even with the traffic police, discount if paid on the spot, no need to clog the courts up. 

[teelac5]

BIB Investigation team; have you taken backhanders?  No

                                        have you taken backhanders?  No

                                        have you taken backhanders?  No

                                        have you taken backhanders?  No  

investigation over and "there are no backhanders being taken here, no corruption, anyone who says different will be in court for defamation.

[kiwikeith]

41 minutes ago, teelac5 said:

BIB Investigation team; have you taken backhanders?  No

                                        have you taken backhanders?  No

                                        have you taken backhanders?  No

                                        have you taken backhanders?  No  

investigation over and "there are no backhanders being taken here, no corruption, anyone who says different will be in court for defamation.

Correct you passed 100%

[Leonard Desharnais]

What we all need to understand is corruption in the government begins before you even start your first day of work. How did you get that position? Govt jobs are not advertised. You either got it thru family or paying a higher up(promotion) for the job. Example, I dated a girl 10 yrs ago who worked in  a local administration office (uncle was her boss). She would find rental cars for incoming brass and would receive kickbacks from the car dealer and then would have to share with her boss. This 1 example is just the beginning of the ladder up the govt.

 

Now, regarding immigration, I did my Type O based on retirement for the first time this year. I transferred the money and began the journey. At each stage I was offered an easy way to get it done. Price was 23000 at each stage but being retired I have the time and patience. Finally after 7 trips to immigration I received my 1 yr extension stamp 2 weeks ago.

 

Now I have a choice. Keep the 800000 in my acct and do it myself again next year or pay anywhere from 10 to 15000 and have an agent do it for me. The only benefit of using an agent is keeping my money generating interest in my bank over seas which at a modest interest would be somewhere around 40000 baht. But, if they were to clean up the corruption and put agents out of business I would be scrambling to get everything in order like having the funds in the account for 2 months before application.

 

I will struggle with the option but I am already leaning towards keeping the 800000 in my acct here just in case some do gooder trys to change things like this lawyer is doing. It will happen sooner or later

[Joules]

20 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. 

You are a smart guy perpetuating the problem.  I, too, completely forgot about he 90 day report and came in one day late.  I had 2,000 baht clip to the 90 day report and said, "I'm a day late.  Here is my fine."  I got a receipt.  I have never given them one satang to do their job.  They have a salary.

[Andycoops]

15 hours ago, hotchilli said:

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.

And 99% corruption is Thai on Thai corruption, nothing to do with farangs.

[hotchilli]

8 minutes ago, Andycoops said:

And 99% corruption is Thai on Thai corruption, nothing to do with farangs.

As farang I find that to be not correct.

[EVENKEEL]

6 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

As farang I find that to be not correct.

My wife just paid 4500tbh to have her Dr license renewed in one day. No appointments. 2 vans full with agent to walk them through.

[kcpattaya]

What a joke!
Those are just petty crimes. 
Allegations will not be taken serious anyway.
This country is in a very deep mess.
The rich are getting richer and the poor are starving.

[brianthainess]

20 hours 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 .

I resent "Most of you" but there are certain extenuated circumstances when for no real fault of their own, have lost all their money. I can only give one example of my friend, who is severely disabled and even unable to use an ATM was on a marriage extension, his wife managed to steal ALL of his 400 K <deleted> off and left him. He was left with no other option than to use an agent for a retirement extension.

[SymS]

19 hours ago, BritManToo said:

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

(from driving in to driving out)

When I was married, it calculated it took about 20 hours to complete each one year extension at Chiang Mai immigration. From going to the bank to collect papers, take and print a photo with the wife, photocopy all documents, driving to immigration twice (once for application, once for collection), going at 6am to collect the waiting number, before going to see the immigration officer at 3pm, etc....

Now that I'm working I could not be happier, it just takes around 2 hours including riding my bicycle to the immigration office,  It takes about 20 minutes at the office, as we have an appointment. I also get a 2-year extension each time. So this year, I don't expect to go to immigration at all.

[crazykopite]

Lawyers are no better I know from experience when she accepted a golden handshake from the person I was challenging how do I know this one of her assistants who had a soft spot for me told me what happened I stopped using her and refused to pay the bill she never chased me for it either corruption in Thai society is everywhere even within families 

[crazykopite]

7 hours ago, Leonard Desharnais said:

What we all need to understand is corruption in the government begins before you even start your first day of work. How did you get that position? Govt jobs are not advertised. You either got it thru family or paying a higher up(promotion) for the job. Example, I dated a girl 10 yrs ago who worked in  a local administration office (uncle was her boss). She would find rental cars for incoming brass and would receive kickbacks from the car dealer and then would have to share with her boss. This 1 example is just the beginning of the ladder up the govt.

 

Now, regarding immigration, I did my Type O based on retirement for the first time this year. I transferred the money and began the journey. At each stage I was offered an easy way to get it done. Price was 23000 at each stage but being retired I have the time and patience. Finally after 7 trips to immigration I received my 1 yr extension stamp 2 weeks ago.

 

Now I have a choice. Keep the 800000 in my acct and do it myself again next year or pay anywhere from 10 to 15000 and have an agent do it for me. The only benefit of using an agent is keeping my money generating interest in my bank over seas which at a modest interest would be somewhere around 40000 baht. But, if they were to clean up the corruption and put agents out of business I would be scrambling to get everything in order like having the funds in the account for 2 months before application.

 

I will struggle with the option but I am already leaning towards keeping the 800000 in my acct here just in case some do gooder trys to change things like this lawyer is doing. It will happen sooner or later

I now use an agent for 10+ years I had the 800k I  still have it but two years ago my bank decided to deduct 200 baht commission from my account for my debit card leaving my account short of 165 baht and 75 setangs for 12 hours my IO turned down my renewal fortunately I have another bank account and 4 hours later after running around like a headless chicken getting another letter and bank statement I managed to get my 1 year extension I promised myself never again. I’m happy to pay my 14 k to an agent to sort my extension for me all I do is send them my passport and some passport photos nothing else no medical ,no bank statements no need to stand in front of a miserable looking IO officer it’s money we’ll spent meanwhile my 800k is earning interest just in case I need it for a rainy day

 

 

[Thaifish]

Fortunately there are not many corrupt Imm Officers in Thailand.

[Harveyboy]

On 1/25/2022 at 7:16 AM, 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. 

yes in this case you got off light corruption worked for you why you complaining 

[NoshowJones]

23 hours 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 

I would leave the country before I would put 400.000 or 800.000 Baht in a bank account, it's not that I couldn't afford it, I just don't trust the country.

There is a reason why the bank protection of 5million Bt went down to 1million Bt.

[Sydebolle]

So you want to tell me that the "No Tips Please" campaign is over already? 

[scorecard]

On 1/25/2022 at 12:02 PM, 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.  

Another possibility is to convert 'everything' to online and or online and telephone.

 

Australia has been quite successful with this approach and most transactions are completed on the spot or within 24 hrs. 

 

They've also made it quite easy to find the gov't agency website you need.

[berrec]

Give it a day, it will be old news tomorrow, just like the rest of the alleged past corruption cases that have now been swept under the carpet.

 

Let's face it, it's just normal every day horsetrading in Thailand, from the taxi driver to the highest levels of business and government.

 

It's only a rort if you're not in on it!