Picture: Siam Rath

 

The former chief of Thai immigration, who is now deputy commander of the whole Thai police after a fall from grace, is going after foreigners on overstay and criminal foreign gangs.

 

He has also said that he has possibly bent immigration officers in his sights after unchecked student visas were issued.

 

Now it is back to the pre-pandemic days when former lieutenant general now General Surachate Hakpan called for:

 

"Good Guys In Bad Guys Out" of Thailand.

 

Siam Rath reported comments made by Surachate at RTP HQ yesterday in Bangkok.

 

He was referring to a brazen torture/sadism attack for ransom of a Chinese man called Ren Haibo, 41. 

 

Ren had his eyes wound up in black tape and was trussed up in rope to the arms, legs and neck.

 

He then had his right pinkie cut off and a video was sent to his Thai girlfriend demanding 150 million baht ransom.

 

He said that most Chinese criminals arrive on tourist visas then change them in Thailand to student visas.

 

In this case both the victim and his tormenters knew each other.

 

The gang were on overstay of more than a year and had changed their status to "students" at Udon Thani immigration in the north east citing an educational foundation.

 

Surachate said they were all mixed up in illegality whether it be call center crime, drugs or entertainment places in Bangkok.

 

They had probably had a business dispute with the victim.

 

They were using Thailand as a base for criminal activity.

 

The victim had changed his status to student at the immigration office in Phrae in the north.

 

There was clear evidence that both Udon Thani and Phrae immigration had been defective in failing to check the criminals' claims they were students.

 

They were not studying of course.

 

If it can be shown that immigration officers in those places acted incorrectly he promised decisive action against them. 

 

In the light of the case Surachate ordered a nationwide crackdown on overstayers and criminal foreigners using Thailand as a base.

 

He said that he has provided lists to the Chinese Charge d'Affaires to crosscheck against people wanted on warrants in China. 

 

He said that he had instructed all borders and all immigration offices nationwide to go after foreigners committing crime to get them out.

 

ASEAN NOW notes that Surachate spectacularly and mysteriously fell from grace several years ago when he was sacked as immigration chief by Thai PM Prayut Chan-ocha.

 

But after a while in the wilderness and shuffling paper at the PM's office - plus a shooting incident in Bangkok where his car was attacked - he was remarkably rehabilitated to a special advisory role.

 

His rehabilitation was completed after he became a general and deputy commander of the Royal Thai Police.

 

Now today he is going after immigration and returning to familiar territory of "Good Guys In, Bad Guys Out", his pre-pandemic mantra. 

 

Many speculated years ago that the poster boy cop who is always in the media, had stepped on the toes of RTP bigwigs bigger than himself. 

 

While his critics see another cop on the take, his supporters see him as an honest man in a cesspool of corruption at the RTP and even a possible future politician or PM.

 

-- © Copyright  ASEAN NOW 2022-11-04

 

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Will he succeed in drilling down and draining the corruption swamp here in this Government........One can only hope.

Will it be chinese on student visas getting looked at or 'all' on student visas getting looked at?

Putting all those eggs in the Chinese basket doesn't seem to be working out too well.

35 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Will he succeed in drilling down and draining the corruption swamp here in this Government

no

[quote]

...

He then had his right pinkie cut off and a video was sent to his Thai girlfriend demanding 150 million baht ransom.

[/quote]

 

Thank heavens they included the word 'right'!  I thought that perhaps they cut off another kind of pinkie ????. His GF would have been none too pleased... ????

3 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Will he succeed in drilling down and draining the corruption swamp here in this Government........One can only hope.

Lets hope not, because he will be coming for the rest of us once he's done with the real criminals.

 

5 minutes ago, ukrules said:

Lets hope not, because he will be coming for the rest of us once he's done with the real criminals.

 

Why would ever think that is likely? 

Despite being a 'good guy' I never liked that motto. It doesn't sound friendly for visitors.

Edited November 4, 20223 yr by Lacrimas

4 hours ago, overherebc said:

Will it be chinese on student visas getting looked at or 'all' on student visas getting looked at?

Or farangs paying 20k so they don't need 800k in the bank?

4 minutes ago, Andrew65 said:

Or farangs paying 20k so they don't need 800k in the bank?

I hope so.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

In the light of the case Surachate ordered a nationwide crackdown on overstayers and criminal foreigners using Thailand as a base.

 

He said that he has provided lists to the Chinese Charge d'Affaires to crosscheck against people wanted on warrants in China. 

Won't mean a thing unless the Russians are included in the crackdown.

6 minutes ago, John Drake said:

Won't mean a thing unless the Russians are included in the crackdown.

Last time I looked, Russians are foreigners. 

Why do people think that he is not corrupt and all the other people in those positions are TIT

If good guys in and bad guys out applied to the RTP as well then there wouldn't be a man left in any police station to turn the lights out. There might be a lady or two.

15 minutes ago, John Drake said:

Won't mean a thing unless the Russians are included in the crackdown.

Exactly Russians are using the ‘Learn Thai Language’ education visa for an extended stay, for many it’s their only option 

11 minutes ago, TheFishman1 said:

Why do people think that he is not corrupt and all the other people in those positions are

Because he's an honest lad from Songkhla.

Prior to covid all efforts went into getting rid off as many as possible and making it as hard as possible. during covid all efforts were in keeping whoever was left  and now back to making it as hard as possible.

 

No idea why he or anyone is surprised with Chinese, unless they never heard triads or seen what has happened in neighboring Cambodia.

 

Triads criminal activities are worldwide and every country struggles dealing with it.

 

If he thought other crims were bad, he might soon find out triads are 100 times worse and his life is not safe if he starts to go after them

The immigration computer knows the overstayers. Why not put their personal data with the photo on the Internet and pay for every reported information that leads to the capture of such people for instance 5000 Baht?! Why not??? They are just talking all the time... 

16 minutes ago, CANSIAM said:

Exactly Russians are using the ‘Learn Thai Language’ education visa for an extended stay, for many it’s their only option 

My Thai digital nomad friends tell me it's difficult to find a rental property in many parts of the country because so many Russians are staying longer term in the country.

Once I sat at an immigration office talking to a guy telling me he was renewing his student visa because he ran a guest house with his girlfriend... Nothing has changed ????

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Ren had his eyes wound up in black tape and was trussed up in rope to the arms, legs and neck. He then had his right pinkie cut off

Ouch !

1 hour ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

I hope so.

kick all the white trash expats out who won't put 20k into a Thai bank that pays very little interest.  deny entry to the Russians as well.  send them back to Putin

Edited November 4, 20223 yr by malibukid

5 hours ago, webfact said:

He said that he has provided lists to the Chinese Charge d'Affaires to crosscheck against people wanted on warrants in China. 

Pretty sure that Mr. Ping would have changed his name to Mr. Pong by the time thai immigrations finds hi in 30 years

Here we go again.

It will all soon turn to us as the focus, 

after 1 or 2 immigration officers are thrown under the bus.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 4, 20223 yr by Orinoco

It sickens me when I see the ruthless immigration rules of Thailand.

While in 'my' country (France), we open Foreigners with welcome arms.

"Bad guys included".

 

My Thai Wife easily obtained a 10 years "visa".

Got herself a card (Carte Vitale™) allowing her free medical treatment everywhere in France.

Getting paid and lodged by the government in case of non-employment.

And so much more...

 

While Thailand is on the chase of the "bad overstayers" that didn't get their stupid stamp...

6 hours ago, proton said:

 

I was referring to Thailand's treatment not the UK or Europe. The Rohingyas when they were rejected by both Malaysia and Thailand.

1 hour ago, Stocky said:

Because he's an honest lad from Songkhla.

are you saying there are no corrupted people in Songkhla

2 hours ago, ukrules said:

Lets hope not, because he will be coming for the rest of us once he's done with the real criminals.

 

only if you use an agent because you can't actually meet the requirements to stay long term.

3 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

are you saying there are no corrupted people in Songkhla

????