Confidence and trust in Thailand damaged by Chinese VIP tourist services advertised online

[webfact]

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan ocha (right) and National Police Commissioner government Damrongsak Kittiprapat (left) on Wednesday after a meeting of the National Police Commission. He was questioned by reporters on a viral video clip published online in China. It showed Royal Thai Police force officers providing a special VIP service to an incoming Chinese tourist party including a motorcycle escort to Pattaya and traffic sweeping along the way.

 

by Joseph O' Connor

Problem facing Thai authorities relates to the new online world where discreet services can be advertised cheaply and effectively while the activities of Chinese tourists in Thailand appear to go beyond simply seeking rest and relaxation. Many Chinese tourists arriving in the kingdom want to open bank accounts or seek medical services such as IVF as well as vicarious thrills that are provided by VIP experiences catered to by enterprising Thais seeking to provide a service at a profit.

Despite growing public anger this week prompting statements from Prime Minister Prayut Chan ocha and Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, it appears that three police officers involved in providing a VIP service to an incoming Chinese tourist party including fast-track immigration clearance and a police escort service to Pattaya, will not face serious legal consequences although they will face disciplinary proceedings. The scandal has led to a tourism industry chief calling on the government to deal with online advertising in China revealing not only that such services are available at all Thai international airports but that they extend to a range of offerings provided by both public and private sector actors extending to opening bank accounts, IVF services and other personal services to Chinese visitors. The tourist boss warned that the situation has resulted in a ‘tremendous downgrade’ of security confidence in Thailand as a destination. The President of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, Mr Sisadiwat Cheewaratanaporn, said such services continued to be advertised on popular Chinese retail sites this week.

 

Responding to growing public anger over the affair on Wednesday relating to confirmed reports that police officers were providing special services at Suvarnabhumi Airport to incoming Chinese tourists, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan ocha, after chairing a police commission meeting and in the presence of National Police Commissioner General Damrongsak Kittiprapat said the practice was clearly wrong and called for those involved to be punished.

 

Full story: https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2023/01/26/confidence-trust-damaged-over-vip-police-escort-services/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Examiner 2023-01-27

 

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[harleyclarkey]

Love it.....confidence and trust in Thailand damaged!! 

You do mean....even further damaged, if at all possible? 

The country is ground zero for corruption with all the BIB gorging at the trough. 

[geisha]

What on earth is happening ? And being underpaid doesn’t cut it for me. 
 

Not a week goes by without some poor farmer being bankrupted / destroyed because some crazy pit bull/ dog has attacked killed his child. Chinese being police escorted to their hotels, tourists being held in the dark in frightening situation , immigration officers taking bribes from  Chinese criminals , drugs added to that , photos of small kids with a bong near the beach in broad daylight ( and please do not put all that down to bad tourists !!)  . It’s a breakdown of Thai society , it’s falling apart. 

[spidermike007]

The trust and confidence was damaged many years ago. These incidents are not of much meaning. Everybody knows the cops here are as crooked as they come. 

 

Just the fact that these guys will not face suspensions alone is enough to make everything very clear, to everyone. These guys are protected at the highest levels. 

 

Perhaps what Cha Cha really meant to say was: we know you work sidelines and we condone the corruption. Just don't get caught, or don't make deadlines. Please. 

[d2b2]

I thought one of the coup czar’s main goals was to restore confidence in the government by ridding it of corruption. Tick tock tick tock, eight + long years later and here we are. 
…as that goes, it seems not much at all has been accomplished in the past 8 years.

 

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The tourist boss warned that the situation has resulted in a ‘tremendous downgrade’ of security confidence in Thailand as a destination. The President of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, Mr Sisadiwat Cheewaratanaporn, said such services continued to be advertised on popular Chinese retail sites this week.

Damaging the image of corruption riddled Thailand... how so?

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Perhaps what Cha Cha really meant to say was: we know you work sidelines and we condone the corruption. Just don't get caught, or don't make deadlines. Please. 

That's the truth right there... 

[Aussieroaming]

Lack of confidence and trust is a commodity that both the politicians and the RTP have in spades.

 

 

 

 

 

[steven100]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

as well as vicarious thrills

meaning what exactly ?

[daveAustin]

What confidence? What trust? Lol Everyone knows Thailand has a price. While tempting to jump all over the Chinese, this carry on can apply to all visitors with clout. Only reason it is a thing is because it’s out. Nice one, Thailand. Don’t worry, we all know the score; your reputation remains untarnished. > irony filter off >>

[soalbundy]

The police are secret entrepreneurs. A paid police escort from the airport to hotel, booked online in China. This had to be well organized with online contact people in Thailand, an online bank account, ID the customer at the airport, a rota for the escort police, money sharing, etc. This wasn't an occasional past time side line, this was/is a limited company.

[mjakob007]

One of the major objectives during the past decade was to restore happiness to nationals... 

 

It appears happiness is limited to select personal among nationals!!!

[Willy Wombat]

They have a convicted heroine smuggler who spent time in an Aussie jail serving in the Thai parliament and cops escorting some Chinese bimbos is embarrassing to them ????

[Andycoops]

The tourist summed it up perfectly, everything is for s**e in Thailand because they don't give a stuff about the image of the country, only how much money they can make through criminal activity.

It's all, me, me, me

[nikmar]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Perhaps what Cha Cha really meant to say was: we know you work sidelines and we condone the corruption. Just don't get caught, or don't make deadlines. Please. 

During the PDRC demonstrations orchestrated by my wife's hero - Sutthep - Dr Seri ( I forget his full name ) gave a live interview on a stage to Jonathon Head and stated "Thai people accept some corruption but Thaksin went overboard" .

 

Corruption is condoned, and the only surprise here is that people are shocked. Prayut is just paying lip service to it for appearances sake. 

[Reigntax]

2 hours ago, geisha said:

What on earth is happening ? And being underpaid doesn’t cut it for me. 
 

Not a week goes by without some poor farmer being bankrupted / destroyed because some crazy pit bull/ dog has attacked killed his child. Chinese being police escorted to their hotels, tourists being held in the dark in frightening situation , immigration officers taking bribes from  Chinese criminals , drugs added to that , photos of small kids with a bong near the beach in broad daylight ( and please do not put all that down to bad tourists !!)  . It’s a breakdown of Thai society , it’s falling apart. 

It’s not a breakdown of Thai society. That is normal Thai society.

[Reigntax]

15 minutes ago, Andycoops said:

The tourist summed it up perfectly, everything is for s**e in Thailand because they don't give a stuff about the image of the country, only how much money they can make through criminal activity.

It's all, me, me, me

I think you’ve e summed that up pretty accurately except maybe you left out 2 things. Pretend it not that way and stuff everyone else

[stoner]

Confidence and trust in Thailand damaged by Chinese VIP tourist services advertised online

 

as it should be. 

 

[Tropposurfer]

It won't fix the endemic corruption but paying officers and training them better, and having independent ethics and behaviour body (doesn't exist here it seems) wouldn't hurt.

[klauskunkel]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

three police officers involved in providing a VIP service to an incoming Chinese tourist party will not face serious legal consequences

and therein lies the rub

[thailand49]

What is the problem going on for years!   Government elites top to bottom, special tours buses escorted by police done all the time.  

[Sydebolle]

It remains unclear, why a tourist should not be able to open a bank account to facilitate travelling without a handbag full of cash. It remains unclear, why Thailand's legislative is lenient - to say at least - while the executive help themselves at random like in a 7/11 without a cashier till on the way out. 

Thailand's biggest enemy is its own selection of thieves, crooks, touts and ignorant, uneducated opportunity chancers. 

But keep the smoke screen up; the "dirty farang" traffic (which paid WAY more per capita than the Chinese, Indian or Middle Eastern avalanche) has been properly depleted with immigration hurdles (blue ink pen only, photocopies leaving the back side empty, 90 days notification where more than 50% of the locals do NOT live at their registered address and then the TM30 reporting with a whiff of the German Democratic Republic's "Stasi" system). Racism clearly contradicts Thailands statement of "everybody is the same" - some are more same than others ???? 

Good luck Thailand, it was nice having known you ......... 

[Chongalulu]

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

5 hours ago, webfact said:

as well as vicarious thrills

meaning what exactly ?

I think it’s something to do with "whelks" if you learn to Google it…. ???? 

[BarraMarra]

What next a couple of Chinese caught stealing and telling the Police officer " Hey back off were Chinese we are saving your country, sorry sorry Mr Chong please accept this basket of fruit as an apology "

[KhunLA]

24 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

But keep the smoke screen up; the "dirty farang" traffic (which paid WAY more per capita than the Chinese, Indian or Middle Eastern avalanche) 

And yet, I haven't seen any 'go fund my stupidity' posts involving those folks.

 

Most farangs could leave tomorrow, and Thailand wouldn't even notice.

[Mike k]

3 hours ago, d2b2 said:

I thought one of the coup czar’s main goals was to restore confidence in the government by ridding it of corruption. Tick tock tick tock, eight + long years later and here we are. 
…as that goes, it seems not much at all has been accomplished in the past 8 years.

 

It did make sure that the military is permanently installed in the govt with it's majority unelected senators 

[Social Media]

Reported flame post and responses to it have been removed.

[brianthainess]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Problem facing Thai authorities

The Problem facing Thai authorities, ARE the Thai authorities !

[ChrisKC]

3 hours ago, d2b2 said:

I thought one of the coup czar’s main goals was to restore confidence in the government by ridding it of corruption. Tick tock tick tock, eight + long years later and here we are. 
…as that goes, it seems not much at all has been accomplished in the past 8 years.

 

Nothing can be accomplished if nothing is done! 

[shackleton]

No matter how much bad publicity Thailand gets on scams corruption 

Ect Tourists still come to Thailand in their millions ????

Must have something good going for it beaches Temples  food or maybe its cheap to visit good value for the $ ????