Crackdown on foreign tourism abuses with police in hotspots targeting Chinese and Russian gangs

[webfact]

Director-general of the Department of Tourism Mr Chaturon Phakdiwanich (centre) briefed the media last week on the closure of a Thai registered tourism concern after its licence was withdrawn following an inspection. 

 

by Carla Boonkong & Pranee O' Connor

The crackdown involves targeting firms licensed in the foreign tourism sector run by foreigners that are not on a pre-approved list while police in tourist hotspots such as Phuket are also reining in the illegal involvement of foreigners here, staying on extended visas, in commercial activities related to the industry especially residents from China, Russian and Eastern Europe.

Thai authorities last week announced the closure of a Thai registered tourism business which ran up ฿14 million in unpaid debt and the withdrawal of the firm’s licence by the Ministry of Tourism. The news comes as a nationwide crackdown by police forces and government inspectors has also been launched into abuses within the foreign tourism industry particularly in tourism hotspots such as Phuket where foreigners, notably Russian nationals, on extended stays on the island, have begun to undertake unregulated and illegal commercial activities linked with the tourism industry. The moves are also being accompanied by a renewed crackdown and tightening of regulations in the visa regime.

 

Authorities in Thailand have begun a crackdown on rogue traders and corruption within the tourism industry seen as responsible for tarnishing the country’s perception in key tourism markets and also responsible for undermining the benefit of the industry to local operators.

 

Full story: https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2023/05/08/crackdown-on-hotspot-foreign-tourism-abuses-russia-china-eastern-europe/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Examiner 2023-05-09

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

[BayArea]

 

21 minutes ago, webfact said:

Authorities in Thailand have begun a crackdown on rogue traders and corruption within the tourism industry seen as responsible for tarnishing the country’s perception in key tourism markets

" Shutting the barn door after the horse has bolted." ????

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The news comes as a nationwide crackdown by police forces and government inspectors has also been launched into abuses within the foreign tourism industry particularly in tourism hotspots such as Phuket where foreigners, notably Russian nationals, on extended stays on the island, have begun to undertake unregulated and illegal commercial activities linked with the tourism industry

Well they came to miss the Russian draft, now they need finances to stay as they are not going home.

TAT praised themselves for elevating the tourism trade effort, now they are reaping what they sowed.

 

[steven100]

some good news for a change   !

[jacko45k]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The moves are also being accompanied by a renewed crackdown and tightening of regulations in the visa regime.

Pah, they have made what used to be a straightforward procedure, the extending of a tourist entry, into a chore and money making opportunity with the TM30 nonsense!

[Hakuna Matata]

Most of them are under 50 years old and are buying ED visas from schools in Phuket. Start cracking down on the schools to eradicate this illegal business.

[Hakuna Matata]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

Pah, they have made what used to be a straightforward procedure, the extending of a tourist entry, into a chore and money making opportunity with the TM30 nonsense!

Stop all extensions.

[StayinThailand2much]

7 minutes ago, Hakuna Matata said:

Stop all extensions.

Shut the borders...

[stoner]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

now they are reaping what they sowed.

they never thought this far ahead....as per usual. 

[ChipButty]

27 minutes ago, stoner said:

they never thought this far ahead....as per usual. 

You mean they never thought about it, 

[jacko45k]

53 minutes ago, Hakuna Matata said:

Stop all extensions.

Certainly the BS ones, like ED visas and retirement extensions obtained without the listed requirements, fake marriages too. My comment wrt tourist entries, was more to whine how the welcoming holiday country the place once was, is becoming  less welcoming. 

[quake]

1 hour ago, Hakuna Matata said:

Most of them are under 50 years old and are buying ED visas from schools in Phuket. Start cracking down on the schools to eradicate this illegal business.

Yes agree.

But also get the bent immigration officers involved in it,

as well. 

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, stoner said:

they never thought this far ahead....as per usual. 

They don't think... full stop

[Karma80]

Make ED visas a max of 6 months unless you're enrolling in an accredited university. Suddenly nobody will be very interested in pretending to learn Thai and the Russian population suddenly declines.

 

 

Edited May 9, 2023 by Karma80

[stoner]

27 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

They don't think... full stop

kind of makes me giggle now when i hear thai .....farang think too mut.....maybe its not that we think too much.....

[Adumbration]

Exactly as I predicted back in early January:

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1283510-massive-wave-of-russian-overstayers-and-illegal-workers/

[ChipButty]

9 minutes ago, Adumbration said:

Exactly as I predicted back in early January:

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1283510-massive-wave-of-russian-overstayers-and-illegal-workers/

Yes and your post had no link and now closed, 

[John Drake]

This is precisely what happens when you have an influx of people from these two nations. Chinese triads and Russian crime syndicates. Why is anyone surprised?

[proton]

1 hour ago, ChipButty said:

Yes and your post had no link and now closed, 

But he was right

[Enoon]

Who issues the licences to these companies in the first place?

 

And who fronts them during that process?

 

Thailand makes of itself the perfect environment for rats (domestic and foreign).......and then blames the rats for making the most of it.

 

That, like it or not, is the real "reputation" of Thailand.

 

Hub of self-delusion.

 

 

 

[Ralf001]

14 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Pah, they have made what used to be a straightforward procedure, the extending of a tourist entry, into a chore and money making opportunity with the TM30 nonsense!

I did my TM30 myself, it cost me nothing but time.

 

what is the money making opportunity ?

[Ralf001]

11 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Certainly the BS ones, like ED visas and retirement extensions obtained without the listed requirements, fake marriages too. My comment wrt tourist entries, was more to whine how the welcoming holiday country the place once was, is becoming  less welcoming. 

Ban the agents as well.