100,000 pages of evidence in 40 boxes - Big Joke prepares cases against 116 corrupt immigration men - offices named

[hotchilli]

22 hours ago, webfact said:

There are 40 cardboard boxes for the Weluwan police in Khon Kaen, where the investigation goes next, to sift through.

Almost there, should be 2025 before I'm done

[In the jungle]

18 minutes ago, Gecko123 said:

If you are "entirely legal," "have never used an agent," and are using 800K as a basis of comparison, you appear to be making an argument about the merits of using the income method versus the on-deposit method for a retirement visa. That has nothing to do with the thread topic which is immigration office corruption.

 

Your argument in favor of the income method ignores several other realities and drawbacks. First and foremost, the 800K functions as an emergency fund, the key point being that the funds are readily available. So to do an apples to apples comparison of investment returns, you would have to compare overseas bank yields to Thai bank yields, not a comparison, for example, to returns on stock market or crypto investments which are riskier, and are generally inappropriate for emergency funds.  True, right now there's a huge differential between overseas and Thai bank yields, but for most of the past 20 years overseas bank rates haven't been that much higher than Thai banks. For a long time after the financial crisis overseas bank rates were lower than Thai banks and in some cases negative.

 

Your analysis also ignores that the income method subjects the visa holder to interest rate risk as interest rates fluctuate from month to month. Look at how many people from Great Britain using the monthly income method got caught with their pants down when the Pound collapsed after Brexit.

 

Also, it should be noted that any unspent funds transferred under the monthly income method probably end up being parked in a local bank anyway.

 

Finally, my post wasn't self-righteous. It comes from resentment from having experienced mistreatment on a couple of occasions at immigration.  I suspect the officer was deliberately trying to make things as difficult as possible in the hopes that I would become so exasperated that I would resort to using an agent, which would in turn provide additional under-the-table revenue as well.

 

It was not an argument in favour of the income method.  That has significant drawbacks as you rightly point out.

[ThailandRyan]

10 hours ago, itsari said:

Please explain why you hope that foreigners will be investigated for using a legal agent in Thailand ?

The better question to ask is did the agent provide the IO with items required that the pensioner/retiree/visa holder, did not have which was and is required to obtain such visa or extension if stay and which those seeking said visa/extension of stay  did not have.....that is illegal.

[Olmate]

7 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

The better question to ask is did the agent provide the IO with items required that the pensioner/retiree/visa holder, did not have which was and is required to obtain such visa or extension if stay and which those seeking said visa/extension of stay  did not have.....that is illegal.

No.The question was why Proton would wish trouble for a fellow expat! 

[itsari]

1 hour ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

Just because it hasn't been reported on here doesn't mean it has never happened. What is positive  is that immigration have now got a leader in charge that may put a stop to corruption.        

If a foreigner had been charged with paying bribes for immigration purposes you can be sure all would of known about it .

 

[itsari]

21 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

The better question to ask is did the agent provide the IO with items required that the pensioner/retiree/visa holder, did not have which was and is required to obtain such visa or extension if stay and which those seeking said visa/extension of stay  did not have.....that is illegal.

How can that scenario you make  be illegal when nobody has been convicted .

 

[IvorBiggun2]

40 minutes ago, itsari said:

If a foreigner had been charged with paying bribes for immigration purposes you can be sure all would of known about it .

 

It's readily available out there.

 

The crackdown has already begun in Phuket, where police are searching for 142 foreigners believed to be bribing various officials as much as THB100 million (US$3 million) per month over visa issues.

[itsari]

13 minutes ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

It's readily available out there.

 

The crackdown has already begun in Phuket, where police are searching for 142 foreigners believed to be bribing various officials as much as THB100 million (US$3 million) per month over visa issues.

You are quoting a case that has little to do with immigration.

[jacko45k]

29 minutes ago, itsari said:

How can that scenario you make  be illegal when nobody has been convicted .

 

The absence of conviction does not confirm an absence of crime. 

[IvorBiggun2]

9 minutes ago, itsari said:

You are quoting a case that has little to do with immigration.

It's got much to do with immigration and the bribing of officials.

[proton]

13 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

If I'm ever forced to stop the monthly deposit for extension, I'll go the agent route. Spending 15K/yr for not having to stick 800K in a Thai bank seems worth it. If they had accounts where a second person could be listed on my account, a big maybe.

 

I don't see this investigation will have any effect on Farang using an Agent. I believe they're after much bigger fish. No matter the bad luck some posters are wishing upon their brothers who use an agent.

Justice and an end to corruption needs to follow on from these arrests, nothing to do with bad luck. I think it's wishful thinking to  to hope nothing will ever be done about people getting extensions through bribery when they are not entitled to one. Around 20 years ago they raided agents who were routinely doing visa runs for people without them leaving home, they were just getting the passports stamped at the border. People were confident then that would carry on and there was nothing wrong with it

[bangon04]

"Thailand takes corruption cases very seriously and on conviction officers could face years behind bars.

At least three have the word general in their titles."

 

so do many politicians.......

 

lucky that Thailand has so many spare Generals sitting around with little or nothing to do.

 

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, itsari said:

How can that scenario you make  be illegal when nobody has been convicted .

 

So I can drive at 180kph through town and if not stopped, cited and convicted its not illegal...what planet are you on, surely not ours.. 

[itsari]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

The absence of conviction does not confirm an absence of crime. 

It can mean no crime if the law has not been used .

That is the case with the use of agents working with immigration.

 

[ThailandRyan]

4 minutes ago, itsari said:

It can mean no crime if the law has not been used .

That is the case with the use of agents working with immigration.

 

You know your starting to sound like someone who can do what they want because the laws are not enforced....hilarious dude. Just hilarious as a crime is being committed.

[itsari]

Just now, ThailandRyan said:

You know your starting to sound like someone who can do what they want because the laws are not enforced....hilarious dude. Just hilarious.

You are entitled to your opinion as I have .

[EVENKEEL]

49 minutes ago, proton said:

Justice and an end to corruption needs to follow on from these arrests, nothing to do with bad luck. I think it's wishful thinking to  to hope nothing will ever be done about people getting extensions through bribery when they are not entitled to one. Around 20 years ago they raided agents who were routinely doing visa runs for people without them leaving home, they were just getting the passports stamped at the border. People were confident then that would carry on and there was nothing wrong with it

Not sure why you're so anti agent. Everyone benefits and no body is a victim. If I had no family here in Thailand I would be using an agent 100%. With nobody to will 800K to in case of death, it makes little sense to keep money in Thai bank. That's how I see it. There's corruption in every aspect of life in Thailand. Why single out this victimless corruption with regards to expats.

[IvorBiggun2]

14 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

Everyone benefits and no body is a victim.

Why should agents and corrupt IO's be able to benefit from an illegal act. The law is the law. BTW I don't benefit from their actions.

[xylophone]

3 hours ago, soalbundy said:

Pompeii,.....my bad.

No probs, only kidding SAB????

[geisha]

On 3/10/2023 at 7:54 AM, jacko45k said:

I suspect Pattaya will become more interesting to him in the future....sheer volume and the way they now seem to push people towards agents will warrant it!

I’m quite sure that Mr Surachate is well aware of the situation in Pattaya and phuket. 

[xylophone]

13 hours ago, natway09 said:

Bangkok survived this round,,,,,,,,How ???

Connections in high places.

[proton]

18 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

Not sure why you're so anti agent. Everyone benefits and no body is a victim. If I had no family here in Thailand I would be using an agent 100%. With nobody to will 800K to in case of death, it makes little sense to keep money in Thai bank. That's how I see it. There's corruption in every aspect of life in Thailand. Why single out this victimless corruption with regards to expats.

Anti corruption not anti agent. People doing things legitimately are victims of bribes paid via agents. Not only do we have to keep money in the bank longer now in a futile effort to stop the fraudsters, we have to wait longer in the office when an agent pushes in front of the line with a handful of pass ports. Of course it makes sense to keep 400/800k in the bank if you do not have 65k a month income- that's how you legally stay here on extensions. Immigration corruption is certainly not victimless.

[xylophone]

15 hours ago, rudi49jr said:

If they did, almost the entire RTP would have been sacked and prosecuted by now. The whole cabinet, including Dear Leader, would have been fired and prosecuted. The list is endless, Thailand is corrupt to the core. These 116 corrupt immigration officers are just a tiny, tiny tip of the huge iceberg of corruption.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad they’re doing this now, but it’s going to be a very long and uphill battle to go after the bigger fish, higher up in the food chain. 

"Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad they’re doing this now, but it’s going to be a very long and uphill battle to go after the bigger fish, higher up in the food chain".

 

So it won't happen......as too many people in powerful places will be affected. Loss of income and wealth, as well as loss of face. 

 

A couple of months and things will be back to "normal".

[ThailandRyan]

37 minutes ago, itsari said:

You are entitled to your opinion as I have .

Explain that to a courtroom and judge when arrested and charged..... "Your honor it's not my fault I did like all of the other lemmings did, so why am I being singled out and charged, it's the laws fault really and then the police never enforced the law, so tell me why it was not ok"  your begging to be classified as Woke.

[ThailandRyan]

34 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

Not sure why you're so anti agent. Everyone benefits and no body is a victim. If I had no family here in Thailand I would be using an agent 100%. With nobody to will 800K to in case of death, it makes little sense to keep money in Thai bank. That's how I see it. There's corruption in every aspect of life in Thailand. Why single out this victimless corruption with regards to expats.

How is corruption victimless? It creates many more victims who are forced to do it the corrupt way by those who want more money...

[EVENKEEL]

25 minutes ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

Why should agents and corrupt IO's be able to benefit from an illegal act. The law is the law. BTW I don't benefit from their actions.

Corruption happens in every aspect of Thai life. you don't benefit nor do you suffer.

[sambum]

On 3/10/2023 at 8:32 AM, In the jungle said:

100,000 pages and 40 boxes.

 

And that is just my application for an extension. 

That's got to be a "Marriage" extension! Is there a photo of the roof of your house there?

[EVENKEEL]

5 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

How is corruption victimless? It creates many more victims who are forced to do it the corrupt way by those who want more money...

I said this particular corruption is victimless not corruption in general. 

 

Does the best candidate for a job get hired? Perhaps but not before they pay handsomely. 

[EVENKEEL]

22 minutes ago, proton said:

Anti corruption not anti agent. People doing things legitimately are victims of bribes paid via agents. Not only do we have to keep money in the bank longer now in a futile effort to stop the fraudsters, we have to wait longer in the office when an agent pushes in front of the line with a handful of pass ports. Of course it makes sense to keep 400/800k in the bank if you do not have 65k a month income- that's how you legally stay here on extensions. Immigration corruption is certainly not victimless.

Not sure you can blame guys using agents for having to keep money in bank longer. Corruption is part of the Thailand charm is it not?

[IvorBiggun2]

11 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

Corruption happens in every aspect of Thai life. you don't benefit nor do you suffer.

Irrespective of whether I gain or lose from corruption the fact is it is illegal.

 

Quote

A person who abuses public power through coercion, or accepts an inducement to act or not to act, faces penalties of imprisonment for a term of five years to 20 years, or imprisonment for life, and a fine of 100,000 to 400,000 baht, or death.

 

Quote

The Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand (the Constitution), which provides the basis for the rule of law in Thailand, has several provisions relating to corruption. To illustrate, one of the duties of Thai people is not to participate in or support all forms of corruption and wrongful conduct.³ It also sets a mission for the state to promote, support, and provide knowledge to the people on the dangers resulting from corruption and wrongful conduct in both the public and private sectors; to provide efficient measures and mechanisms to prevent and eliminate corruption and wrongful conduct rigorously; to promote collective participation by the people in a campaign to provide knowledge on counter-corruption; and to enable people to provide leads under the protection of the state, as provided by law.

⁴https://thelawreviews.co.uk/title/the-anti-bribery-and-anti-corruption-review/thailand#:~:text=Penalties for officials demanding or,to 400%2C000 baht%2C or death.