IB "Hidden Dragon" crackdown on foreigners with two passports - 3 Chinese on warrants, 19 on overstay

[webfact]

Picture: Siam Rath

 

Thailand's immigration chief Pol Lt Gen Phakphoomphiphat Sajjaphan and several deputies appeared at Suan Phlu HQ in Bangkok yesterday to announce the results of a crackdown on foreigners holding two passports who are living in Thailand that began on Thursday.

 

The drive is called "Mangorn Son Kai" or Hidden Dragon.

 

ASEAN NOW notes that when the word mangorn is used it invariably refers to Chinese people.

 

Deputy Pol Maj-Gen Phanthana Nuchanat said that with the help of a foreign embassy 117 people with passports of two nationalities were checked, reported Siam Rath.

 

Seventeen of these were named in warrants from China for mostly running Ponzi schemes and engaging in other fraud.

 

The crimes were committed in China and those responsible had fled to hide in Thailand.

 

Of these 14 had already managed to escape Thailand and would be blacklisted.

 

Picture: Siam Rath

 

Three are now in custody facing deportation back to China.

 

They were all given assumed names after their arrests in Bangkok:

 

Siaw was arrested at a luxury condo on Rama 9 Road in Huay Khwang. He faces a warrant for running a Ponzi scheme.

 

Lee, 33, wanted for fraud was taken into custody at a hopuse in Pattanakan.

 

Chern,a woman wanted for fraud,was arrested outside a restaurant in Silom.

 

Fifty eight of the dual passport holders are on overstay.

 

Region 1 and 3 immigration police and another branch managed to arrest 31 of these all of whom will be deported and blacklisted.

 

-- © Copyright  ASEAN NOW 2023-02-11

 

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[bamnutsak]

9 minutes ago, webfact said:

The drive is called "Mangorn Son Kai" or Hidden Dragon.

Did they already do "Crouching Tiger"?

 

 

[bendejo]

Is this a ploy to arrest a certain former PM, should he return, who is known to have a portfolio of assorted passports?

????

 

 

[Neeranam]

Nothing to do with having two passports. This is not a crime anyway. 

[sammieuk1]

Next TAT will be announcing 40 million Chinese arrivals in a month ???? 

[Neeranam]

Another thing, they are not foreigners if they have a Thai passport. 

[KhaoNiaw]

4 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Another thing, they are not foreigners if they have a Thai passport. 

That could depend on how they received their Thai ID in the first place? I think a lot of the ongoing crackdown stems from Chinese illegally receiving a Thai ID.
Are there ways that Thai citizenship once acquired could be forfeited for criminal behaviour? Though presumably there should be due process in that case? 

[Neeranam]

4 minutes ago, KhaoNiaw said:

That could depend on how they received their Thai ID in the first place? I think a lot of the ongoing crackdown stems from Chinese illegally receiving a Thai ID.
Are there ways that Thai citizenship once acquired could be forfeited for criminal behaviour? Though presumably there should be due process in that case? 

Theoretically, the Thai citizenship can be revoked but doesn't usually happen. Only recorded cases are that of those born here to foreign parents over 30 years ago, who made use of their other passport. 

The expert on such matters is @Arkady

[paul1804]

It is not unusual or against the law in many countries to hold 2 passports issued by different countries, I presume these offenders have 2 passports issued by the same country which is an offence. 

[Big Bert]

9 minutes ago, paul1804 said:

It is not unusual or against the law in many countries to hold 2 passports issued by different countries, I presume these offenders have 2 passports issued by the same country which is an offence. 

I hold 2 UK passports, not an offence at all.

[mikosan]

8 minutes ago, paul1804 said:

It is not unusual or against the law in many countries to hold 2 passports issued by different countries, I presume these offenders have 2 passports issued by the same country which is an offence. 

Do you mean that it is an offence to have two Thai passports in the same name?  Because in the UK it is certainly not an offence to have two UK passports in the same name. I and many others have legitimately done so, mainly for work purposes.

[kuzie57]

10 minutes ago, paul1804 said:

It is not unusual or against the law in many countries to hold 2 passports issued by different countries, I presume these offenders have 2 passports issued by the same country which is an offence. 

It is not an offence to hold 2 current passports from one country. I have 2 friends who hold 2 current passports from Australia.

[trainman34014]

So; the 'Crackdown' started on Thursday and finished on Friday.    Sounds about normal for Crackdowns here !

[Thomas KH]

With the help of a foreign embassy... multiple assumed identities

 

This is a seriously scandalous national security threat.

[HuaHinHim]

10 minutes ago, kuzie57 said:

It is not an offence to hold 2 current passports from one country. I have 2 friends who hold 2 current passports from Australia.

Can you tell me how they do that because I enquired about it because mine was filling up with immigration stamps due to my work and was told it’s not possible I could only have one passport. If it fills up then apply for a new one

[Scouse123]

You cant beat a ' crackdown ' by the RTP.

 

Must have been hours I have been waiting for one!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Al BB]

28 minutes ago, mikosan said:

Do you mean that it is an offence to have two Thai passports in the same name?  Because in the UK it is certainly not an offence to have two UK passports in the same name. I and many others have legitimately done so, mainly for work purposes.

Correct! My brother worked in Israel doing Pipeline Surveys. His next job was in Iraq,  which meant he had have a 2nd passport, without an Israeli "Stamp" in it.

[SoilSpoil]

Can of worms opening up. there are tens of thousands of mixed race children with 2 passports, Mine do.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Quote

 

Seventeen of these were named in warrants from China for mostly running Ponzi schemes and engaging in other fraud.

...

Of these 14 had already managed to escape Thailand and would be blacklisted.

 

 

So they actually managed to arrest THREE of the 17 fraudsters they supposedly were looking for... and the other 14 had managed to vanish!

 

Wonder what the odds are that some of those got tipped off prior to the crackdown, perhaps by the same kinds of folks who were issuing them pay-off illegal visas in the first place.

 

If Immigration was a professional baseball player, with a batting average like that, they'd be sitting on the bench!

 

[Tropposurfer]

Good guys in bad guys out ????????????????

[Orinoco]

57 minutes ago, Big Bert said:

I hold 2 UK passports, not an offence at all.

+1 

[Nong Khai Man]

58 minutes ago, Big Bert said:

I hold 2 UK passports, not an offence at all.

It IS If they are in DIFFERENT Names .....

[Muhendis]

3 hours ago, KhaoNiaw said:

Are there ways that Thai citizenship once acquired could be forfeited for criminal behaviour? Though presumably there should be due process in that case? 

As far as I know, any government can take away a persons passport as long as that person is not made stateless by such action.

[Neeranam]

1 hour ago, mikosan said:

Do you mean that it is an offence to have two Thai passports in the same name?  Because in the UK it is certainly not an offence to have two UK passports in the same name. I and many others have legitimately done so, mainly for work purposes.

Actually, I just got a new Thai passport and they didn't do anything to the old one, so I have 2 Thai ones and one British one. I have a few old British ones but they cut off the corner.

[ignore it]

A new word 

 at a hopuse in Pattanaka

 

 

[soalbundy]

4 minutes ago, Muhendis said:

As far as I know, any government can take away a persons passport as long as that person is not made stateless by such action.

Yes, a passport belongs to the state not to you, it is a means of identification which you have to pay for.

[Maejo Man]

1 hour ago, SoilSpoil said:

Can of worms opening up. there are tens of thousands of mixed race children with 2 passports, Mine do.

Both of my children hold three current passports from 3 different countries.

[sandyf]

47 minutes ago, Nong Khai Man said:

It IS If they are in DIFFERENT Names .....

The fact he said "I" would  suggest the same name.

But quite right, nearly a page of debate on 2 passports without any clarity on the actual offence.

[NotReallyHere]

21 minutes ago, Muhendis said:

As far as I know, any government can take away a persons passport as long as that person is not made stateless by such action.

I think Australia and some other western countries have done this to prevent known sex offenders from traveling to foreign countries to continue their abuse.

[sandyf]

26 minutes ago, Muhendis said:

As far as I know, any government can take away a persons passport as long as that person is not made stateless by such action.

Not entirely true. The UK revoked the citizenship of Shamima Begum, the Court of appeal overturned the decision but Supreme Court ruled against her and she remains stateless.