German To Be Deported Over No Work Permit

[teacup]

Nope I wasn’t making any false statement, just merely stating my own assumption that he must have known what he was doing since the beginning,..or rather shouldn't be doing....and had accepted the risks involved that may or may not come later

Just like many of you here are making assumption that he got stitched up big time by his partner or whoever, even though the case and the investigation are still pending.

Edited July 12, 2007 by teacup

[baboon]

Something very definately stinks about the whole thing.

[Naam]

I would never dreamed of partnering with the German. Well I don't like them....loud, obnoxious, and rude!

what German would enter a partnership with a teacup?

[bruceboy]

At the end of the day working without a valid work permit is against the law. If he had obeyed the law he wouldn't have been so easily "stitched up" (if that is what actually happened)

[Oleg_Rus]

Cause he was,set up big time..."dug his own grave"???? crap.

Oh please! He may ,or may not, had been set up toward the end of the story, but I would assume he knew all about the risks involved of going into this type of business as a foreigner in Thailand.

“Land development” – without a proper work permit because he knew he couldn’t get one

“He had designed the project” – act #2 – performing an architectural works

“He was inspecting the layout of the pipe” – act #3 – performing a civil engineering works

He was doing all above with the disguised under “a consultant”

At 52 yrs old with that much money, how dumb can you be? It’s his own greed at the beginning and may be a bad choice of partner, that brought his own disaster downfall toward the end.

So you agree then that this is morally and ethically OK?

Nope, just merely stated what appeared "to me" to be the bones of this soup, based on the report

He knew what he was doing since the beginning, that he also knew he couldn't do it legally. But due to his own greed so he then went around the book of laws and got the work permit somehow and I would have to assume, disguised it as "a consultant" hence this seems to be the case of many farangs here in thailand with the professional background that fall under "prohibited occupations"

In his own mind, it was legal...well until he got caught

Teacup, you're not the "other business partner are you?"

I would never dreamed of partnering with the German. Well I don't like them....loud, obnoxious, and rude!

And why I would want to do a realestate business in thailand eventhough I'm a thai, when I can do it even better and easier in the US

What a bold statement!

well let me return it back, you heard about "goes around comes around, right ?"

btw what are you doing in states ? teacup - making your first mil through tea cup cleaning frechise ?

[Maestro]

Seconded, I also assume that the Racist element is also out of order isn't it?

Very much so, and a number of other members have already chided him for it.

--

Maestro

[rainman]

Sounds fishy to me as well. I've never seen immigration officers inspecting anything anywhere ...so why would they be at the construction site that day? Especially, immigration officers at a construction site?

[KhunG]

Sounds fishy to me as well. I've never seen immigration officers inspecting anything anywhere ...so why would they be at the construction site that day? Especially, immigration officers at a construction site?

In the newspapers they periodically have stories of Immigration police raiding construction sites, as there are a lot of Burmese, Khmer and Laotions illegally working in that industry.

[LPCustom69]

Sounds fishy to me as well. I've never seen immigration officers inspecting anything anywhere ...so why would they be at the construction site that day? Especially, immigration officers at a construction site?

It certainly appears that he was set up, as not many were aware of the wp situation, and he had been legal until then. He should have had Sunbelt, or someone similar, who knew the ins and outs of the law, working on his behalf to ensure that the necessary paperwork was handled properly, and in a timely manner.

I think that it is time that western countries invoked similar reciprocal rules against foreigners in our countries.

So what happens to a persons assets when they are deported? Do they lose everything?

[farang prince]

Sounds fishy to me as well. I've never seen immigration officers inspecting anything anywhere ...so why would they be at the construction site that day? Especially, immigration officers at a construction site?

In the newspapers they periodically have stories of Immigration police raiding construction sites, as there are a lot of Burmese, Khmer and Laotions illegally working in that industry.

And in these newspaper articles, have you heard of Immigration police arresting a Farang at these construction sites?

[KhunG]

Sounds fishy to me as well. I've never seen immigration officers inspecting anything anywhere ...so why would they be at the construction site that day? Especially, immigration officers at a construction site?

In the newspapers they periodically have stories of Immigration police raiding construction sites, as there are a lot of Burmese, Khmer and Laotions illegally working in that industry.

And in these newspaper articles, have you heard of Immigration police arresting a Farang at these construction sites?

No, because there usually aren't any farangs working illegally at those sites.

I'm not saying that he wasn't set up, he may have been. I was saying that it didn't strike me as strange for Immigration police to raid a construction site. It's possible that they were tipped by his partner.

Edited July 12, 2007 by KhunG

[farang prince]

Sounds fishy to me as well. I've never seen immigration officers inspecting anything anywhere ...so why would they be at the construction site that day? Especially, immigration officers at a construction site?

In the newspapers they periodically have stories of Immigration police raiding construction sites, as there are a lot of Burmese, Khmer and Laotions illegally working in that industry.

And in these newspaper articles, have you heard of Immigration police arresting a Farang at these construction sites?

No, because there usually aren't any farangs working illegally at those sites.

I'm not saying that he wasn't set up, he may have been. I was saying that it didn't strike me as strange for Immigration police to raid a construction site. It's possible that they were tipped by his partner.

Ya think, Sherlock?

[Huw]

PHUKET CITY: German architect Frank Witzel is awaiting deportation following his arrest on June 22 by Immigration officials. He was arrested for working without a work permit while on a building site in Patong, and for performing work prohibited to foreigners.

Witzel pleaded guilty to the charges in court in February. He was fined 1,000 baht and handed down a one-month jail sentence, which was suspended for two years.

Witzel explained to the Gazette that the events that led to his deportation began with his company, Modern Architecture & Design, and its Patong View Talay project on the Patong hillside.

The project, built on land that Witzel owned on the hill opposite the Esso gas station on Phra Barami Rd, will consist of 14 apartments priced from 4.2 million to 18.6 million baht each.

Witzel, 52, had designed the project, but when it came time to renew his work permit at the beginning of the year, he ran into problems. He first tried to go to the Phuket Provincial Labor Office to renew the permit, he said, but it was closed due to a holiday.

He said that when he returned, he was told that the work permit had expired on the holiday that the office was closed and was told that he would have to apply for a new permit.

He relayed the information to his staff, who failed to submit the application.

On February 3, he was called out to the work site by his development partner to answer questions about where pipes should be laid. At first Witzel declined since he had no work permit, he said, but his partner assured him it would be a fast job, and he drove out to the construction site.

Once there, he pointed out where the pipes should be laid, but suddenly found himself confronted by Immigration officers who had driven out to the site to do a “spot inspection”. Unable to produce his work permit, Witzel was taken to the Immigration Office in Phuket City and charged with working without a permit.

He was also charged with performing work prohibited to foreigners – specifically, working as an engineer and architect.

Witzel faced a penalty of a 2,000-baht fine and two months in jail, but when he pleaded guilty, his penalty was reduced to 1,000 baht and one month in jail.

Since he had no criminal record his month in jail was suspended for two years, so he paid the fine and was released. He thought that would be the end of it, he said, but he was unclear about the rest of the legal ruling, Witzel said.

However, he still had to deal with Immigration regulations that state that any foreigner convicted of a crime is subject to deportation. According to the Immigration Act, B.E. 2522, Section 12, any foreigner who violates Ministerial regulations can be prevented from entering the Kingdom after being deported.

Witzel said he was never made aware of those regulations and was surprised when he was arrested again June 22, thrown in the Immigration detention facility and told that he would have to remain outside the country for at least two years.

His lawyers – and he has gone through three lawyers so far – have been in negotiations with Immigration officials to try to reduce his time out of the country, and Witzel has been told that he may be barred from entering Thailand ever again if the Immigration officials in Bangkok deem it so.

In the meantime, Witzel, who had a heart attack and bypass operation in Germany last year, was transferred out of the Immigration jail after spending six days in custody and into Mission Hospital, and finally released again on bond, awaiting deportation.

Witzel’s German business partner has bought out most of his interest in the Patong project and his architecture firm. Witzel said he is afraid he stands to lose a large investment if he is forced to stay out of Thailand.

From the Phuket Gazette

Sounds like he was stitched up to me.

Me too

certainly seems like a stitch-up. Spot check by immigration my hat...

staff failed to do the application? I wonder why.

H

[teacup]

[btw what are you doing in states ? teacup - making your first mil through tea cup cleaning frechise ?

or rather….making my mils while polishing my most favorite teacup

Ohh dearly Old Rus…..jealous by any chance?

[seykota]

I agree with LPCustom69, I never delegate such important tasks, it does not matter which country I am in. Contracting a professional ie Sunbelt or like, at least gives some comeback if problems arise. "Trust" and assumption of responsiblity are commodities that must be handled with great care.