Solving the Transit Scam: Protecting Foreigners in Thailand

[webfact]

Picture courtesy: Siam Rath

 

Thailand's national police chief, Pol. Gen. Kittirat Phanphuet, is taking decisive action to address the growing issue of foreign nationals being deceived into using the country as a transit point. In a recent meeting, he focused on combating illegal immigration and transnational criminal activities perpetrated by foreign groups misusing Thailand's openness.

 

The meeting, held both in-person at the Royal Thai Police Headquarters and via video conferencing, brought together senior police officials, including Deputy Police Chiefs Pol. Gen. Thana Chuwong and Pol. Gen. Prachya Wongsook, as well as representatives from related agencies.

 

Central to the agenda was the launch of comprehensive measures to curb crimes that threaten public wellbeing and national security. This includes tackling organised crime by foreign entities and ensuring strict regulation of immigration and employment practices to protect Thailand’s international reputation and tourism industry.

 

Key directives include:

 

1. Strict monitoring of police conduct to prevent corruption, with senior officials accountable for oversight.

 

2. Coordination among various police divisions and related agencies to enforce local and national crime prevention strategies. This includes the deployment of checkpoints and collaborative investigations to root out illegal activities, especially at border regions like Mae Sot in Tak province, known for substantial illegal crossings.

 

3. Improved data sharing and operational integration spearheaded by the Immigration Bureau to keep track of foreign nationals' movements and activities.

The actions are in line with directives from the Prime Minister, aiming to dismantle networks involved in illegal trafficking and scams while boosting Thailand’s image as a safe and welcoming destination for tourists.

 

The initiative seeks not just enforcement but a national effort to root out illicit activities impacting the country's economy and international standing. Authorities have been tasked to demonstrate tangible progress within a week, particularly in hotspot areas.

 

In highlighting the collaborative efforts and public outreach required, Pol. Gen. Kittirat implores Thai citizens to play their part in presenting the kingdom as a hospitable nation, thus fostering a positive environment for tourism and boosting economic growth, reported Siam Rath.

 

-- 2025-01-21

 

 

[JoePai]

1. Strict monitoring of police conduct to prevent corruption   🤣

[ronster]

Think he will find it's not a transit point and the criminals just come here and hide out .Or the cocky very rich ones just swan around doing as they please 🙄

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

In a recent meeting, he focused on combating illegal immigration and transnational criminal activities perpetrated by foreign groups misusing Thailand's openness.

Of course it's those dirty rotten stinking foreigners again, not Thai s who provide transportation ?

[khunjeff]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

enforce local and national crime prevention strategies. This includes the deployment of checkpoints

 

For the love of god, their answer to every problem is...checkpoints.

 

Not only are checkpoints a very poor and inefficient strategy for crime prevention in general, but foreigners who were victimized by these scams have reported that they were stopped at checkpoints while being transported to the border, and were waved through when the officers recognized the faces of the traffickers.

 

So yeah, it still all comes down to "Directive 1" on his list, as usual - and we know how successful that's likely to be.