Multiple Thai women accused officials at district offices in Phuket of extorting money from them and their foreign husbands. The alleged malpractice involves overcharging them between 3,000 to 8,000 baht for marriage certificates, a substantial increase from the standard 200 baht fee.

 

These complaints were brought to the attention of a Facebook news page called Phuket Info Centre, whose administrator shared the grievances with the public on November 21.

 

The first woman claimed that while she had not personally encountered the issue, she witnessed her friend and the friend’s foreign husband falling victim to corruption at the district office. Acting as a witness for the couple, she observed officials instructing them to pay 3,500 baht.

 

The witness further disclosed that the officials assured the couple an expedited processing, enabling them to bypass the regular queue and obtain the certificate later in the afternoon. In contrast, numerous netizens revealed having to endure waiting times of one to two months to secure their appointments.

 

She added that the officials also looked down on Thai women who also had foreign husbands.

 

Another Thai woman said that she and her foreign husband had visited the district office four times to make sure that all their documents were correct. She had all the necessary documents but an official told her that for some reason she could not sign the marriage certificate that day.

 

By Petch Petpailin

Caption: Photo via The Asian Parent

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2023-11-23

 

- 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.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

I do not see the issue here. 

Win-Win.

If you do not wanna pay the "fee" for faster process, just take the normal processing time?

 

I am waiting for the registration of my marriage abroad in my home country since almost 9 months now. I wish there would be corruption in The West.

8 minutes ago, FarAway said:

 I wish there would be corruption in The West.

so much idiocy in a single comment - it's too hard to unravel..

32 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

a substantial increase from the standard 200 baht fee.

 

32 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

expedited processing, enabling them to bypass the regular queue and obtain the certificate later in the afternoon.

 

What a scam!

 

Outside Korat, walk-in service, no appointment, no witnesses.

30 minutes processing.

20 baht paid for two certificates.

5 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

She had all the necessary documents but an official told her that for some reason she could not sign the marriage certificate that day.

 

It's hatred, pure hate - that's the reason.

 

It is very simple TIT. Especially as Thai you should know it. And yes you are living in an extremely corrupt environment. As you know civil servants are so underpaid here that they have to make a correct living utilising their power, for example signing the paper giving the certificate or not....I also don't understand why you are involving a third party in your problem. So stop your Calimero, pay the amount that is an alms for the farang and happy marriage.

3 hours ago, vangrop said:

It is very simple TIT. Especially as Thai you should know it. And yes you are living in an extremely corrupt environment. As you know civil servants are so underpaid here that they have to make a correct living utilising their power, for example signing the paper giving the certificate or not....I also don't understand why you are involving a third party in your problem. So stop your Calimero, pay the amount that is an alms for the farang and happy marriage.

So wrong on so many levels... I'm glad that I do not know you... you are part of the problem in the world today.

Hope there will be a follow-up to this outrageous scam, and that the officials involved will be fired on the spot without the option to ever having an official function again.

But this is Thailand, so can only hope...

Totally logical foreigners pay 100% more TIT

4 hours ago, vangrop said:

It is very simple TIT. Especially as Thai you should know it. And yes you are living in an extremely corrupt environment. As you know civil servants are so underpaid here that they have to make a correct living utilising their power, for example signing the paper giving the certificate or not....I also don't understand why you are involving a third party in your problem. So stop your Calimero, pay the amount that is an alms for the farang and happy marriage.

what level of buffoonery is this?? 

11 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Multiple Thai women accused officials at district offices in Phuket of extorting money from them and their foreign husbands. The alleged malpractice involves overcharging them between 3,000 to 8,000 baht for marriage certificates, a substantial increase from the standard 200 baht fee.

It's only extortion if you pay the price, otherwise gain evidence and report the "extra service for payment" 

Was directed by the officer to a lady next to the Bang Rak office, that was after waiting for our number for over an hour, who asked for B4,500 to facilitate my divorce because I'd changed my name. I refused to pay, and they asked me to change my name back to match my marriage certificate or go get an updated letter from my embassy (the previous one was outdated) and take it to the consular dept of the foreign ministry for an endorsement, which the tom refused unless I deposited my passport with her. I did the divorce overseas.

11 hours ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

 

What a scam!

 

Outside Korat, walk-in service, no appointment, no witnesses.

30 minutes processing.

20 baht paid for two certificates.

Korat sounds like a scam to me!...:)

Ours took like 30 mins in bangkok 10+ yrs ago.

A cooling off period could be a blessing

Why does it seem its always Phuket that scams happen.?

 

5 hours ago, vangrop said:

It is very simple TIT. Especially as Thai you should know it. And yes you are living in an extremely corrupt environment. As you know civil servants are so underpaid here that they have to make a correct living utilising their power, for example signing the paper giving the certificate or not....I also don't understand why you are involving a third party in your problem. So stop your Calimero, pay the amount that is an alms for the farang and happy marriage.

 

They are 'so underpaid'? Did you make that up to suit your own agenda, to support their corruption? I know people in the service who are paid a reasonable salary and - a major, major incentive to work there in a country with all but no financial help for the aged - a good pension. By the way, those I know charge 200 and not 3000+ for the service and have nothing but contempt for those corrupt officials.

52 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

It's only extortion if you pay the price, otherwise gain evidence and report the "extra service for payment" 

 

All you need to do is to get your phone out and make to start recording. I did that at the airport when I was taken aside to an office when leaving the country and told there was something wrong with my brand new passport. Once they saw the phone they waved me to leave. I suddenly wasn't worth the hassle.

The greed of these people is off the charts, isn't it. 3000 or more for something that costs 200, and they expect no-one to kick up a fuss? Add arrogance is off the charts too.

7 hours ago, ukrules said:

 

It's hatred, pure hate - that's the reason.

 

These officers are stuck with their Thai hubbies. They are simply jealous.

 

My advice to anyone in these situations is to point a few fingers, shout a few obscenities, do some stamping and bang the table a few times. They will soon buck-up and do their jobs proper.

29 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

My advice to anyone in these situations is to point a few fingers, shout a few obscenities, do some stamping and bang the table a few times. They will soon buck-up and do their jobs proper.

 

That never works in Thailand. They'll just look through you as if you don't exist.

Phuket = Island of corruption and scams.  We will NEVER again visit there - from being hit by the taxi mafia on arrival to all the rip-offs and scams, it was extremely annoying. Annoying to get them thrown at you every day, but even more annoying seeing dumb tourists paying up without complaint. Great beaches and some fantastic spots - but when even the leader of a Military Junta is told to 'shove off', you know the corruption is endemic and will never change. If it sank into the ocean, as long as all the Expats, tourists and Thai workers survived, I would be very happy.   

14 hours ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

 

What a scam!

 

Outside Korat, walk-in service, no appointment, no witnesses.

30 minutes processing.

20 baht paid for two certificates.

Same on KC.

1 hour ago, owl sees all said:

These officers are stuck with their Thai hubbies. They are simply jealous.

 

My advice to anyone in these situations is to point a few fingers, shout a few obscenities, do some stamping and bang the table a few times. They will soon buck-up and do their jobs proper.

Nah no need for me to do that, my missus would nag them so much they would just give up, after all my money is for her not for them. 

Easy to set up a sting, but I'd guess these officials are still at work as I type.  

2 hours ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

Why does it seem its always Phuket that scams happen.?

 

It's ingrained in the culture in Phuket

The standard line, at least at Jomtien when this crap occurs, is that there's a standard waiting time, but one can pay a fee to expedite.

19 hours ago, FarAway said:

I do not see the issue here. 

Win-Win.

If you do not wanna pay the "fee" for faster process, just take the normal processing time?

 

I am waiting for the registration of my marriage abroad in my home country since almost 9 months now. I wish there would be corruption in The West.

 

There's plenty of corruption in the West. It's just less visible, perhaps more at higher levels of society. 

9 hours ago, TroubleandGrumpy said:

Phuket = Island of corruption and scams.  We will NEVER again visit there - from being hit by the taxi mafia on arrival to all the rip-offs and scams, it was extremely annoying. Annoying to get them thrown at you every day, but even more annoying seeing dumb tourists paying up without complaint. Great beaches and some fantastic spots - but when even the leader of a Military Junta is told to 'shove off', you know the corruption is endemic and will never change. If it sank into the ocean, as long as all the Expats, tourists and Thai workers survived, I would be very happy.   

Indeed. These rascals are giving Thailand a bad name.

11 hours ago, wolf81 said:

 

There's plenty of corruption in the West. It's just less visible, perhaps more at higher levels of society. 

 

Exactly. Inaccessible for plebs like us. In Thailand everyone can benefit from corruption, even us small plebs :)