British Nationals Face Increased Scrutiny as Thailand Cracks Down on Crime

[webfact]

File photo for reference only courtesy of Daily News

 

Brits Behaving Badly? Crime Surge in Thailand Raises Eyebrows!

 

British tourists in Thailand are attracting unwanted attention amid reports of increasing criminal activity linked to UK visitors. This surge has prompted Thai authorities to reconsider their visa policies, potentially slashing the 60-day visa-exempt stay due to rising concerns.

 

Columnist Stickman observed the trend, pointing to frequent news reports covering arrests involving Brits. Notorious incidents have put a spotlight on young men from cities like London, Liverpool, and Leicester, casting a shadow over travellers' reputations.

 

Although compiling exact crime statistics involving foreigners in Thailand is challenging, it's clear the situation is gaining attention. The Bangkok-based British embassy reported 220 arrests or detentions of British citizens in Thailand last year. Yet, details remain scarce, leaving questions about the severity and nature of these offences.

 

Thai police technology has made impressive strides. Advanced facial recognition tech recently unravelled the case of a British suspect using a fake passport. Tracking drones have also located Brits overstaying their visas for years. The Technology Crime Suppression Bureau is cracking down on online gambling and illegal businesses, thanks to cutting-edge technology.

 

Immigration offices now employ BMW smart cars and mobile units with onboard computers, focusing on illegal workers and visa defaulters. Furthermore, Gorilla Technology Group, headquartered in London, has partnered with Thai tourist police to enhance international databases for facial recognition and license-plate tracking. This alliance boosts efforts to track wanted individuals and identify possible offenders.

 

Public participation is also playing a crucial role. Extensive use of public video cameras and amateur footage has proven invaluable. In a recent case, a phone video captured a Brit attacking a bar girl, leading to swift justice. Another case saw a Manchester man apprehended in Pattaya after being caught on video trying to dispose of heroin.

 

Yet, the system isn't without flaws. Some officers are susceptible to bribery, and reports of foreigners bypassing judicial processes with cash are not uncommon. Nonetheless, British criminals constitute a small fraction of the foreigners involved in Thailand’s 500,000 annual criminal cases.

 

Naivety, particularly among drug mules, appears a common pitfall. These individuals often underestimate the effectiveness of Thai security and the tech designed to catch them. As a head of Phuket immigration pointed out, "If we don’t catch you, new technology will."

 

In an era of heightened surveillance and international cooperation, the message is clear for those travelling to Thailand: abide by the law or face the consequences. British and Thai authorities are united in their efforts to curb crime, striving to ensure that the friendly face of tourism isn’t marred by criminal activities.

 

Based on a story by Pattaya Mail.

 

 

-- 2025-03-25

 

 

[watchcat]

21 minutes ago, webfact said:

"If we don’t catch you, new technology will."

 

I'm not so sure about that.

[ronster]

Because the Russians kidnapping people for bitcoin regularly and Chinese running scam centres are so much more well behaved 😂

[cookie1974]

Thats all well and good as long they are going to scrutinise the criminals from Russia,China,France,Australia,Germany etc etc etc as well

[Homburg]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Collaborations like that between Gorilla Technology Group and the Thai tourist police....

....show that the BIB are not just monkeying around. 🤣🤣🤣

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand has long been a popular destination for British tourists, but recent reports suggest a concerning trend: an apparent uptick in criminal activities involving British nationals. This development has captured the attention of both Thai authorities and international observers.

A handful of cannabis smugglers trying their luck, stick to the thousands of Chinese criminals

[trevoromgh]

So why were Brits singled out by this story if, as stated at the end,  "the majority of the estimated 500,000 criminal cases dealt with annually by Thai police do not involve foreigners. Of those that do, Brits represent a small fraction, with arrests often attributed to naivety, especially in drug trafficking cases."  other nationalities are more inclined to offend ?  Seems like we're being victimised by having to lose face again.  Charming.

[Andrew65]

The only real way of scrutinising people is before they arrive, by requiring them to obtain a visa before travel. But if all the Brits with a criminal record were denied a visa it would probably drastically reduce numbers.
I think they are just getting what they're bound to get when they allow people to arrive unchecked, and as someone else mentions, it ain't just Brits. (Pre-COVID figures suggested that more Brits visit Thailand than any other farang nationality).

[mikeymike100]

So do they face more scrutiny entering or leaving Thailand?

The problem seems to be these idiots attempting to leave Thailand with their bags full of weed?

Surely they could employ sniffer dogs to combat this lunacy?

[Frankie baby]

Maybe theirs just more Brits here than other nationals. The crime figures should surely take that into consideration.

[newbee2022]

🤣🤣🤣 Again, they made it to the headline. Congrats 😂😂😂.

 

And thank you RTP to go after British (and others) riffraff. Out with the criminals.❤️

I admit there are some they can stay here 🤗. 

In this connection it will be a good and wise decision to change the visa rules 

[Peterphuket]

Logical that the English are at the top of the queue, they are one of the most visitors to this country, but then let's talk about the Russians.....

[dr_lucas]

And I thought British manners are still a thing... 

[Upnotover]

24 minutes ago, trevoromgh said:

So why were Brits singled out by this story if, as stated at the end,  "the majority of the estimated 500,000 criminal cases dealt with annually by Thai police do not involve foreigners. Of those that do, Brits represent a small fraction, with arrests often attributed to naivety, especially in drug trafficking cases."  other nationalities are more inclined to offend ?  Seems like we're being victimised by having to lose face again.  Charming.

Because the story is from a British source.

[Presnock]

17 minutes ago, Frankie baby said:

Maybe theirs just more Brits here than other nationals. The crime figures should surely take that into consideration.

can't foils the locals with logic so why try

[JensenZ]

14 minutes ago, Frankie baby said:

Maybe theirs just more Brits here than other nationals. The crime figures should surely take that into consideration.

Not even close. They're probably not even in the top 10 of foreign nationals.

 

This article is nonsense and nothing more than a journalist's effort to find something to write about.

[jvs]

6 minutes ago, dr_lucas said:

And I thought British manners are still a thing... 

I beg your pardon?

[Snackbar]

More nonsense 

[Chongalulu]

34 minutes ago, Andrew65 said:

The only real way of scrutinising people is before they arrive, by requiring them to obtain a visa before travel. But if all the Brits with a criminal record were denied a visa it would probably drastically reduce numbers.
I think they are just getting what they're bound to get when they allow people to arrive unchecked, and as someone else mentions, it ain't just Brits. (Pre-COVID figures suggested that more Brits visit Thailand than any other farang nationality).

Just ban any Brit whose passport name shows Wayne,Baz,'arry, Connor, Tyrone, Winston..or even Nobby. That'll get 90% of 'em! 

[captnhoy]

This is just the tip of the iceberg. They are finally opening their eyes to what we've known all along. 
They should look at Aussies next considering their family legacies.

[Chongalulu]

16 minutes ago, dr_lucas said:

And I thought British manners are still a thing... 

Yes we preface our actions with " I say,you cad, bounder, do pardon me old chap" before giving you a right hander. 👊 

You'll notice " stay down" tattooed on his knuckles as you hit the deck 😵 

[Yagoda]

Guess we have to carry Passports because all white folks look alike. 

[Andrew65]

4 minutes ago, Chongalulu said:

Just ban any Brit whose passport name shows Wayne,Baz,'arry, Connor, Tyrone, Winston..or even Nobby. That'll get 90% of 'em! 

My old (very wealthy) Swedish friend used to say that any Swedish man named Billy etc (name ends in a Y) has probably been in prison.

[newbee2022]

30 minutes ago, Peterphuket said:

Logical that the English are at the top of the queue, they are one of the most visitors to this country, but then let's talk about the Russians.....

The old game? Point on to others? Pathetic 😳

[Owiee]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

File photo for reference only courtesy of Daily News

 

Thailand has long been a popular destination for British tourists, but recent reports suggest a concerning trend: an apparent uptick in criminal activities involving British nationals. This development has captured the attention of both Thai authorities and international observers.

 

Noted Bangkok columnist Stickman recently highlighted an increase in the arrest of British tourists, suggesting a potential link between rising crime rates and the presence of young Brits from cities like London, Liverpool, and Leicester.

 

These reports echo concerns from Metro UK News, which notes a troubling rise in Brits attempting to import banned substances back to the United Kingdom from Thailand.

 

Quantifying this uptick, however, presents challenges. The Thai government does not regularly publish crime statistics by nationality. For instance, a 2020 snapshot by the Department of Corrections recorded 14,275 foreign prisoners of all nationalities but did not specify crimes by individual countries.

 

Similarly, a consular report issued by the British Embassy in Bangkok noted 220 arrests or detentions of British nationals in 2024 without elaboration.

 

What has become evident is the significant advancement in Thai police technology. Employing cutting-edge facial recognition software and tracking drones,

 

Thai authorities are now better equipped to identify and apprehend offenders. Recent cases, such as the capture of a British national involved in child molestation identified from fake passport details, showcase these technological advancements.

 

The Technology Crime Suppression Bureau, leveraging the latest online technologies, tackles illegal online activities, including gambling, while immigration offices use smart technology to track visa defaulters.

 

 

 

 

Collaborations like that between Gorilla Technology Group and the Thai tourist police have further enhanced crime-fighting capabilities by integrating international databases for facial and license-plate recognition.

 

Moreover, public and amateur footage has proven instrumental in bringing perpetrators to justice. For instance, a video capturing a British national's altercation with a Thai bar girl led to his prosecution, while footage recorded a Manchester man’s attempt to discard heroin, resulting in his arrest.

 

Nevertheless, the Thai legal system is not without faults. Corruption exists, with reports of some foreigners dodging judicial processes by bribing officials.

 

Yet, the majority of the estimated 500,000 criminal cases dealt with annually by Thai police do not involve foreigners. Of those that do, Brits represent a small fraction, with arrests often attributed to naivety, especially in drug trafficking cases.

 

As the head of Phuket's immigration bureau aptly stated, "If we don’t catch you, new technology will." The ongoing integration of advanced technologies continues to bolster Thailand's efforts in curbing crime, hopefully deterring potential wrongdoers in the process, reported Metro UK, Pattaya Mail.

 

-- 2025-03-25

 

 

I wonder if they are “real British citizens” or those that have recently obtained British citizenship. 

[jippytum]

  Thanks to the UK open door policy on immigration legal or illegal many people who are not British are allowed to have a British passport. However in some cases not  automatic right of entry. 

[SongSomSoda]

no visa on arival , intense background criminal checks before visas a granted for all british nationals older then 6 

[Toby1947]

Get your own house in order

[cdemundo]

1 hour ago, cookie1974 said:

Thats all well and good as long they are going to scrutinise the criminals from Russia,China,France,Australia,Germany etc etc etc as well

Sure but Brits first.

[Rimmer]

A troll post has been removed @PB172111