Police break up network aiding foreigners to stay in Thailand

[VBF]

9 hours ago, wensiensheng said:

I think that the companies did no actual business other than holding a condo in which the Russian resided. And yet the Russian obtained a work permit via the company so as to be able to stay in Thailand.

I was going to say similar.

I believe that if a company is audited and found not to be actively engaged in a legal business  then that is illegal.

Someone mentioned the nominee companies used for property purchase, I believe this is similar in the eyes of the authorities.

[Robbie2618]

Its easy enough to do it the legal way, open a legit noodle shop or whatever. It doesn't need to be profitable just as long as it breaks even and you're a legitimate business owner. What these people were doing was registering a company on paper only, and foolishly using this same Thai lady that already had her name on hundreds of nonexistent businesses. 

[Robbie2618]

17 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

...but gave no specific details in the story. Other than the business must not have more than 49% foreign ownership. A very greay area as to what is "fraudulent" or "bogus". The companies were formed as per the rules by all accounts (or they wouldn'y have been formed) but the authorities don't like it. OK the Thai lady has interests in 270 companies. Maybe she's just very successful. It is clear that "authorities" do not like what is happening but to call it "fraud" is a stretch. Who is actaullay being defrauded and losing their money? As usual the story is light on specifics.

"The companies were formed as per the rules by all accounts" Thats only half of it, you actually have to have a legit running and operating business to go with that business registration, what they were doing was registering a business that was on paper only. It's easy enough to do it legally, open a noodle shop or some other small enterprise, it doesn't even need to be profitable just as long as it breaks even, you're legitimately running a business. Guaranteed there was not 270 businesses up and running that this Thai lady had her name on. 

 

[firemans35]

19 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

 

...but gave no specific details in the story. Other than the business must not have more than 49% foreign ownership. A very greay area as to what is "fraudulent" or "bogus". The companies were formed as per the rules by all accounts (or they wouldn'y have been formed) but the authorities don't like it. OK the Thai lady has interests in 270 companies. Maybe she's just very successful. It is clear that "authorities" do not like what is happening but to call it "fraud" is a stretch. Who is actaullay being defrauded and losing their money? As usual the story is light on specifics.

 

If I remember correctly technically each Thai shareholder is supposed to have a certain amount of money. I forget the exact amount but it was around 1,000,000 baht. I doubt this Thai has 270,000,000 but it's possible. No more than two years ago I read an article written by a Thai legal expert about foreigners forming companies skirting the system with the sole purpose of buying land to live on. The article said a true company must have employees, actually doing some business and all the documents taxes etc that go with a true business. If the Thai government found the company wasn't a true business the foreigner could have his land taken. Perhaps in the case of this article these companies were being formed with the sole purpose of skirting the immigration laws, the companied weren't a true business and were only formed to allow people to stay in Thailand.

[firemans35]

1 minute ago, firemans35 said:

If I remember correctly technically each Thai shareholder is supposed to have a certain amount of money. I forget the exact amount but it was around 1,000,000 baht. I doubt this Thai has 270,000,000 but it's possible. No more than two years ago I read an article written by a Thai legal expert about foreigners forming companies skirting the system with the sole purpose of buying land to live on. The article said a true company must have employees, actually doing some business and all the documents taxes etc that go with a true business. If the Thai government found the company wasn't a true business the foreigner could have his land taken. Perhaps in the case of this article these companies were being formed with the sole purpose of skirting the immigration laws, the companied weren't a true business and were only formed to allow people to stay in Thailand.

Yeah I know my comment posted twice. I clicked submit but the was no action that let me know my comment posted. 

[firemans35]

7 hours ago, jacob29 said:

 

Not in itself illegal, I would wager a great number of shell companies exist, and not just in Thailand.

 

Citation? Employment agencies are very routine, found in all countries - they sit between employer and employee and skim a commission. It's a legitimate business, and the work permit is incidental to this operation.

 

What is illegal, is Thai nominee shareholders, and (where it applies) not actually employing four Thai employees per foreign work permit, not paying tax etc. In this case it sounds like the issue was Thai nominees, and potentially bogus Thai employees on payroll.

No more than two years ago I read an article written by a Thai legal expert about foreigners forming companies skirting the system with the sole purpose of buying land to live on. The article said a true company must have employees, actually doing some business and all the documents taxes etc that go with a true business. If the Thai government found the company wasn't a true business the foreigner could have his land taken. 

[sabaiguy]

13 hours ago, Kinok Farang said:

Then we can start on the Yanks.

I'd say maybe put the Brits slightly ahead of the Yanks.  A Yank

[sabaiguy]

12 hours ago, thairookie said:

 

This scam model could not have worked without the involvement of a lawyer qualified by Lawyer's Council of Thailand. 

 

The foreigners sought the advice of lawyers, and it was the lawyers who advised them on the status of law and gave the go-ahead.  The foreigners relied solely on the legal advice of such lawyers who were supposed to provide correct legal advice and regulated by Lawyer's Council of Thailand.

 

The witch hunting mustn't stop just at the foreigners.  The Thai nominees were willing participants in the scam, the lawyers were directing the scam, and the foreigners relied on the Lawyer's Council of Thailand to regulate the conduct of the lawyers.  The lawyers didn't just breach their professional conduct, they were aiding and abetting the foreigners to scam the Government, and they were emboldened by the silence of the Lawyer's Council of Thailand, as silence could be construed as tacit permission.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All absolutely true.  But why would you expect Thai lawyers to have higher ethical standards than any other Thai 

[JBChiangRai]

I think it's unlikely that most of these companies were trading or had any employees and that any suggestion the company gave them some kind of visa is also wrong.

 

I think you will find that most of these companies were set up for one reason only, and that was to allow the company owners to acquire villas in Phuket.

 

It's possible that some of them are actually trading with the required number of Thai employees and taxes paid, but unless the businesses are profitable, it's a very expensive way to get a visa to stay here. 

 

I suspect this is all going to go quiet, there is too much money involved.  A lot of officials are going to get rich over this.

[metisdead]

A post with a derogatory slang comment toward Americans has been removed.

[john donson]

how do you get a work permit with the labor office not doing the investigation??? $$$

 

will the crooked lawyers go to jail and get their belongings seized?

 

probably not

 

will they be barred ? 

 

probably not

 

no AI in thai government that could trace that somchai suddenly is shareholder of 1,10,100,500 companies?

 

Edited June 2 by john donson

[Maitdjai]

On 6/1/2024 at 11:58 AM, crazykopite said:

This is what happens and will continue to happen when you make it much easier to obtain visa especially for Russians and Indians I notice a lot of individuals have arrived recently from Israel 

It's not about Russians, or whatever nationality. It's about wannabe “super smart” foreigners. Some getting lured into dodgy setups, indeed.
By shady lawyers, agencies, other expats lurking around, pretending to be “friends”.

This circumvents to bend the law (if it's “intelligent” or not, is another issue), are as old as the law itself, and is common practice since decades.
Nobody cares, everything is so fine, and super easy. Until someone steps out of bed with the wrong foot.
Suddenly, a lot of “smarts" are dumbed.
And within the “crackdowns” cheering crowd, many thinking about themselves, they're completely “legal”,
because they're not “Russian”, or not from Timbuktu.
Very secure about, what they did sign here, and there…
The opportunities to buy property, to work, to set up business on the safe side, are not too many. But it's possible, though complicated. 
Aka, at least, there should have been a couple of "Sang Som", or a dinner with “Somchai”, (the 51% nominee) together.
Knowing his real name would also be an advantage.

But in many cases it looks like, the urge to buy land/condos, to set up businesses, to work in LalaLands “thriving” economy (with a weed shop?),
is stronger as common sense, or cautiousness.
Maybe, “outsmarting” all the hurdles, is the challenge.

[cjinchiangrai]

On 6/1/2024 at 11:06 AM, impulse said:

 

What's this "we" crap?  You got a mouse in your pocket?

 

Yanks don't even need Thai nominees.  We can own 100%.  That's gotta sting.

 

 

Nonsense

[Marco100]

On 6/1/2024 at 9:31 PM, Robbie2618 said:

Its easy enough to do it the legal way, open a legit noodle shop or whatever. It doesn't need to be profitable just as long as it breaks even and you're a legitimate business owner. What these people were doing was registering a company on paper only, and foolishly using this same Thai lady that already had her name on hundreds of nonexistent businesses. 

Noodles Shop ? 🍜 are u shure ? Isn't it only for Thai Citizens . Asking for a friend 

[MarkBR]

On 6/1/2024 at 10:21 AM, Galong said:

Not all Americans are jerks. What delightful country is lucky that you left?  

Many Americans are good, decent people.  All countries have problematic folk. But most are good.

[freeworld]

19 hours ago, Karlik Pu said:

I

its obvious that puti-russians create big problems not only for the world security but for Thailand as well.

 

There is a risk that US Treasury  and OFAC will impose financial sanctions on Thai banks and stop their  access to US banking system for  helping Russians to avoid EU and US sanctions followed by Putin invasion of Ukraine .Some Thai banks  easily open accounts for Russian nationals and their bogus  companies in Thailand , issue Visa and Master cards  for them ( Visa and MC are  under sanctions in Russia) and helping them in money laundering by investing in Thai real estate sector across the country!

Russian corruption and puti-russian mafia activity is spreading across Thailand and is becoming a threat to national security!.

Stop allowing  exclusively russian passport holders to stay in Thailand  visa-free up to 3 months.. Join world community sanctions against Putin regime and support Ukraine in their fight against invaders!.

You think its the Russians.

 

The ones being reported the last few years are nationals from India, Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Chinese, Germans, Poland and Russians etc... The sums of money involved are unbelievable and these crimes are all traced back to Thailand.

 

There really needs to be greater scrutiny on Thai banking deposits who can and how to open bank accounts and detailed KYC on the business models.

 

There also needs to be greater scrutiny on who buys property and luxury goods and the source of the funds for those purchases.

 

For eg a few of the crimes detected and being investigated:

• Mr. Wang and his Chinese associates
• On May 15th, the SSD officers reportedly operated and captured two suspects, publicly identified only as Mr. Jayden, a Singaporean national, and Ms. Ketdao, a Thai national, Ms. Maria, a Philippine national, and Mr. Joel, a Singaporean national
• culminated in the arrest of the man, Kittinan,
• A Chinese businessman arrested in Bangkok, Qaing Ma, Arrest warrants were issued for 109 suspects in the June 16-22 police operation to shut down the network, he said. Police apprehended 74 suspects, including 13 already in prison, while 35 remain at large
• In Lat Krabang area Thailand police swooped to bust a clandestine operation producing counterfeit flea and tick treatments for pets, uncovering over 40,000 illicit products
• The suspects, including five Indian nationals and 15 Thais, have been charged with involvement in transnational crime, fraud by impersonating others, fraud of the people, inputting false information into computer systems that causes damage to others, money laundering and conspiring to launder money.

etc....

[Karlik Pu]

On 6/1/2024 at 8:00 AM, Hellfire said:

 The same type of “crime” is executed by thousands of foreigners all over Thailand (not only Russians). I am pretty sure that many users of this forum participated and still participate in this kind of schemes. I wonder if those are the same people who are posting “russian mafia” messages in this thread? What level of hypocrisy is that?

 

 

Russian trolll hiding behind Ukrainian flag?:))) That’s something new for putinoids.

[Rimmer]

An unattributed multi posted conspiracy post has been removed