Did I just unwittingly participate in Immigration corruption/graft?

[freedomnow]

Sometimes its just the price of convenience...paid it myself before and done...move on to next square.

[Elkski]

It starts here at acceptance.  Corruption. 

Letting taxis charge to much.  Same accepting attitude posted here as in my taxi not using a meter thread years ago.  You are the enablers!

[Lee65]

Sometimes it's just easier to justify paying than to admit to yourself what a coward you are.

 

Edited February 14, 2023 by Lee65

[DrJack54]

25 minutes ago, Elkski said:

It starts here at acceptance.  Corruption. 

Letting taxis charge to much.  Same accepting attitude posted here as in my taxi not using a meter thread years ago.  You are the enablers!

So next time you go to CW (not your immigration office not the point) to obtain a certificate of residence and they charge you 200baht and mail it out sms in 1-2 weeks you are the righteous one that's going to dig your heels in and not pay? 

 

That will mean you are the chum leaving without obtaining a certificate of residence. 

 

Quite ridiculous really

Edited February 14, 2023 by DrJack54

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, Lee65 said:

Sometimes it's just easier to pay than to admit to yourself what a coward you are.

How much did you pay last time you went to eg Koh Samed.

200baht and the Thai gf 40baht...

You were not a coward? 

Meaning you took bat and ball home refused to pay. 

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

I think that even the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act differentiates between an informal "expediting fee" for quicker service and a bribe for obtaining something that one is not entitled to. The former is ok, the latter not. 

 

So, for me, a "tip" to get things done quicker is fine.

 

 

[phetphet]

Better to just pay it. If too much pressure, and they have to do it for free, they may just stop issuing them altogether.

 

 

[marcusb]

 I got two CofR in the last 5 months. Drop off the paperwork, pop back in a couple hours with 500 in hand and pick up my paper.  

 I don't mind at all. Its usually the only 'tip' they get from me and in the past they have patiently helped me with retirement visa, non b visas, and overlooked errors which would have cost me money at other IOs. Give and take. 

[BritTim]

I think it is very much a matter of cultural expectations. Someone from New York would think nothing of being expected to leave an almost mandatory $15 tip to the surly waiter on a $50 meal. The argument is that it is necessary for the waiter to have a living wage. If you are aware of the basic pay for immigration officials, you might be less judgmental about mandatory unofficial tipping for certain services by officials in Thailand. For what it is worth, I think Thais are subjected to mandatory tips to officials more often than foreigners. I do not especially like the system, but is harmless compared with what unscrupulous businessmen are allowed to get away with by paying off senior officials.

[proton]

25 minutes ago, marcusb said:

 I got two CofR in the last 5 months. Drop off the paperwork, pop back in a couple hours with 500 in hand and pick up my paper.  

 I don't mind at all. Its usually the only 'tip' they get from me and in the past they have patiently helped me with retirement visa, non b visas, and overlooked errors which would have cost me money at other IOs. Give and take. 

the 500 baht is the tip you do not need to pay, one born every minute.

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, proton said:

the 500 baht is the tip you do not need to pay, one born every minute.

Please stop.

As I have posted above using CW as just one example.

Pay the 200b for certificate of residence to be posted sms or you don't obtain one.

Simple choice. 

So many nonsense replies in this thread. 

[marcusb]

21 minutes ago, proton said:

the 500 baht is the tip you do not need to pay, one born every minute.

Personal attack, nice.

 

Also very poor reading comprehension if that is your conclusion. 

 

" the tip you do not need to pay"

 

It makes me wonder if you understand what a "tip" is? It's only 3 letters. As far as I am aware you never HAVE to "tip" anywhere.  Maybe check Websters for a clearer understanding.  

 

 

[Lee65]

15 hours ago, BritTim said:

If you are aware of the basic pay for immigration officials, you might be less judgmental about mandatory unofficial tipping for certain services by officials in Thailand. 

Then you should be grandly tipping the honest Thais who make even less for doing harder work for you - cleaning your building, cooking your food ... from the minute you wake 'til the minute you drop.  

 

Gotta laugh how people can string together non-sensical, though convenient, rationalizations.  Pathetic, actually.

 

 

[BritTim]

52 minutes ago, Lee65 said:

Then you should be grandly tipping the honest Thais who make even less for doing harder work for you - cleaning your building, cooking your food ... from the minute you wake 'til the minute you drop.  

 

Gotta laugh how people can string together non-sensical, though convenient, rationalizations.  Pathetic, actually.

Do you use the same arguments to try to avoid tipping taxi drivers and waiters in New York? Certainly, there are people who earn less, especially in other countries.

 

Are you aware that the minimum pay for a junior immigration official can be as low as 6,800 baht per month in some provinces? It can be below 9,000 baht even in Bangkok. Out of that, they are supposed to pay for their own uniforms.

 

I think paying people so little that they cannot survive without some degree of corruption is very unhealthy, and I wish everywhere was like Japan. I repeat what I said above, though. I dislike the system but, if corruption is inevitable (and it is) I prefer this fairly harmless kind to construction companies paying off senior officials to avoid complying with safety regulations; or buying the right to destroy national parks for strip mining or resort construction.

[IvorBiggun2]

56 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Are you aware that the minimum pay for a junior immigration official can be as low as 6,800 baht per month in some provinces? It can be below 9,000 baht even in Bangkok. Out of that, they are supposed to pay for their own uniforms.

They knew the pay and conditions of a IO before they took the job on. Please don't try and make my heart bleed. The incentive is there to better yourself and in doing so increases their pay. We've all been there at sometime in life.

[Lemsta69]

22 hours ago, Elkski said:

It starts here at acceptance.  Corruption. 

Letting taxis charge to much.  Same accepting attitude posted here as in my taxi not using a meter thread years ago.  You are the enablers!

you rail against "corruption" and label us "enablers" yet you typed your sermon on an electronic device. the corruption that's built into the capitalist supply chain far exceeds the couple of extra bucks our cabbie wanted the other night. oh let me guess, it's not corruption it's just business ????????????

[NotReallyHere]

14 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

...the corruption that's built into the capitalist supply chain...

Jeeeeesus Christ...

[Thomas KH]

Be grateful for the privilege of being served expeditiously and painlessly. Time is precious.