Gangsters’ paradise? Killing spotlights Thailand’s reputation as criminal hideout

[webfact]

Tourists walk on a beach on the Thai island of Phuket last year. Photo: AFP

 

Vijitra Duangdee in Bangkok

 

● For decades, criminals of all stripes have felt the pull of Thailand, from drug traffickers and Russian arms dealers to Chinese and Korean scam artists

 

● Pandemic-era restrictions made it easier for the authorities to catch wrongdoers, but will that all change as virus curbs ease and tourists start to return?

 

The killing of an Indian gangster on Phuket island has highlighted Thailand’s reputation as a hideout for foreign criminals, even amid a pandemic that has restricted global travel and heightened scrutiny of people’s movements.

 

Jimi “Slice” Sandhu, 32, was gunned down as he left his car on the night of February 4 by two hooded suspects lying in wait outside his rented villa.

 

Sandhu was widely believed to have links to the criminal underworld of Vancouver, having been deported from Canada several years ago.

 

Days after the killing, Interpol in Thailand issued a “red notice” for two Canadians suspected of carrying out the hit. They were allegedly on the island for several weeks and tracked their victim by using a GPS device attached to his car, among other methods.

 

Full story: https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3168888/gangsters-paradise-killing-spotlights-thailands

 

-- © Copyright South China Morning Post 2022-03-02

 

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[RandiRona]

"The pandemic has also made criminals’ lives more difficult, as the number of flights in and out of the country fell and multiple pre-departure document checks were introduced, with the authorities tracking new arrivals"

 

Well, there you have your reason Thai govt using to justify tracking and Thai pass BS forever....because ...Why not??

[spidermike007]

When I lived on Samui many years back, it was well known that there was an entire subculture there, that were wanted by the law, all over the world, and they were able to stay in Thailand legally, without any repercussions. That is likely the case all over Thailand. Does immigration turn a blind eye? Are they bought and paid for? Are the Thai databases inadequate? Or are they simply indifferent? 

[RafPinto]

I have the solution.
 

Upgrade your semaart cars.

3 series BMW is not working for the sophisticated criminals.
A new GLS Benz  semaart would be better or even a Labojii Countass would be fine.

[Whale]

It always seemed strange to me that those who retire on a an O-A and all the hoops that entails have to have a clean police record certified by their home country police. Yet the O route requires nada. Do other long stay visas require anything from the police? 

[Dan747]

Makes you wonder that the RTP have ID'ed the criminals very quickly, but have a very hard time IDing where the Red Bull (Boss) heir is! 

[Will B Good]

There are about 200,000 of these gangsters, all wandering about in brown suits, in broad daylight.

Edited March 2, 2022 by Will B Good

[JingerBen]

Somerset Maugham first said it about the French Riviera in the 1920s.

It applies even more to the Thailand that I've known and loved since first coming here in the late '70s.

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, Dan747 said:

Makes you wonder that the RTP have ID'ed the criminals very quickly, but have a very hard time IDing where the Red Bull (Boss) heir is! 

What makes you think that the RTP, or any other forces, do not know Vorayuth's whereabouts?    Just knowing where he is, outside Thailand, doesn't help them much.

 

The Canadians were arrested by the Canadian authorities because they had issued arrest warrants for them.  No country, apart from Thailand, has issued arrest warrants for Vorayuth.

[TropicalGuy]

This has Nothing to do with Me as I live here Well Away from the Violent Crime Subculture. Part of my “ Protect Yourself at all Times” style.
 

SAFE being my top reason for living here.Compared to unsafe U.K. / London where anyone can be Knifed on the street without Cause.

 

Go Looking for Trouble here & you WILL find it & quite fast……

[RafPinto]

Poor guys at the rear didn't pay enough to get a chair.

[RafPinto]

Must be my laptop. Resolution?
It seems that some of them have a head out of proportions.

[wensiensheng]

When this assassination hit the news, it did make me wonder how, with all the hoops that foreigners have to jump through, a publicly denounced gangland figure in Canada who was deported for that reason, simply waltzed into Thailand. By all accounts, he was hardly unknown to police authorities around the world.

[JimHuaHin]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

When I lived on Samui many years back, it was well known that there was an entire subculture there, that were wanted by the law, all over the world, and they were able to stay in Thailand legally, without any repercussions. That is likely the case all over Thailand. Does immigration turn a blind eye? Are they bought and paid for? Are the Thai databases inadequate? Or are they simply indifferent? 

I was told decades ago by a farang friend who worked at a foreign embassy in Bangkok that wealthy foreign criminals could pay certain Thai government officials to get permission to stay in Thailand, and even buying Thai cirizenship and passport was possible.

[TimBKK]

32 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

What makes you think that the RTP, or any other forces, do not know Vorayuth's whereabouts?    Just knowing where he is, outside Thailand, doesn't help them much.

Of course it does, presuming extradition is possible between whatever county the cop killer is in and Thailand.  It is a simple matter of picking up the proverbial diplomatic phone - but it is also clear that Thailand willingly chooses not to do this.

 

Because Thailand chooses not to pursue the cop killer while he is abroad, in some sense where he is doesn’t help much, as you state, but that is by Thailand’s clear choice.

[JonnyF]

Somewhere as corrupt as Thailand is a dream come true for criminals with plenty of cash to bribe officials.

 

All you have to do is make sure you don't commit a crime here that attracts media attention and you can stay under the radar for many years, paying bribes that are basically peanuts for any criminal who has made decent money.

[AsiaCheese]

2 hours ago, Whale said:

It always seemed strange to me that those who retire on a an O-A and all the hoops that entails have to have a clean police record certified by their home country police. Yet the O route requires nada. Do other long stay visas require anything from the police? 

Non-Immi O requires a police record as well.

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Does immigration turn a blind eye? Are they bought and paid for? Are the Thai databases inadequate? Or are they simply indifferent? 

Yes

yes

yes

yes

[Smithson]

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

When I lived on Samui many years back, it was well known that there was an entire subculture there, that were wanted by the law, all over the world, and they were able to stay in Thailand legally, without any repercussions. That is likely the case all over Thailand. Does immigration turn a blind eye? Are they bought and paid for? Are the Thai databases inadequate? Or are they simply indifferent? 

It's been said some countries are happy when wanted criminals leave, because if they're locked up it will only be for a short time, then they will be out and up to no good again. Whereas if they leave it's likely they won't come back unless forced to.

[Whale]

46 minutes ago, AsiaCheese said:

Non-Immi O requires a police record as well.

Which Category? I ask as all the ones I read on the website do not mention that as a requirement? 

[TigerandDog]

4 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

When I lived on Samui many years back, it was well known that there was an entire subculture there, that were wanted by the law, all over the world, and they were able to stay in Thailand legally, without any repercussions. That is likely the case all over Thailand. Does immigration turn a blind eye? Are they bought and paid for? Are the Thai databases inadequate? Or are they simply indifferent? 

the answer to all of your questions is YES

[Fab5BKK]

1 hour ago, AsiaCheese said:

Non-Immi O requires a police record as well.

Since when??? Could you please show us some evidence ???

[Zack61]

4 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

When I lived on Samui many years back, it was well known that there was an entire subculture there, that were wanted by the law, all over the world, and they were able to stay in Thailand legally, without any repercussions. That is likely the case all over Thailand. Does immigration turn a blind eye? Are they bought and paid for? Are the Thai databases inadequate? Or are they simply indifferent? 

I think they are here because it’s so easy to buy their way in. Money talk$

[Shocked farang]

There's even a movie on Netflix about this subject (paradise Island). I started to watch but couldn't finish due to the sickening violence. The gangsters are mostly Arab-French. 

[Millcx]

Well Putin knows where he can hide and feel safe “;0)

[BangkokReady]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Pandemic-era restrictions made it easier for the authorities to catch wrongdoers, but will that all change as virus curbs ease and tourists start to return?

Well, if two hit men were able to come to Thailand, acquire two pistols, stalk and kill a known criminal, then escape, the facts don't really support this claim.

[bkk6060]

You can tell a lot from tattoo's there are enough people I have seen here with prison tattoo's.  They are fairly noticeable, crude and representative then those from a commercial shop.  Or specific tattoo's representing their place in a criminal hierarchy or past misdeeds.   Russians in particular are well known and proud of this type identification.

[NeoDinosaw]

5 hours ago, Whale said:

It always seemed strange to me that those who retire on a an O-A and all the hoops that entails have to have a clean police record certified by their home country police. Yet the O route requires nada. Do other long stay visas require anything from the police? 

Good question !    The cost of the Police certificate in UK is not cheap !

[Mitkof Island]

This has been known for years old news. Hundreds perhaps thousands of foreigner criminals have been hiding here for years.

[robertson468]

6 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

When I lived on Samui many years back, it was well known that there was an entire subculture there, that were wanted by the law, all over the world, and they were able to stay in Thailand legally, without any repercussions. That is likely the case all over Thailand. Does immigration turn a blind eye? Are they bought and paid for? Are the Thai databases inadequate? Or are they simply indifferent? 

I think the home gown "gangsters" far out weigh the imported ones!