Scammers claiming to be Immigration?

[SamuiSal]

Recently a couple of the island's more popular night life establishments have been visited late at night by four men. They wear dark blue Smith and Wesson Gun Club polo shirts and profess to be from the Immigration department. Their name badges do not list names or expiration dates. Just a photo and the name of some organization.

They speak with a lot of authority and make broad threats. They demand to see work permits for all foreign entertainment staff and threaten to take everyone to jail on the spot including the owners. This can be avoided by paying a massive fine. When challenged, they seem to back down. They have no handcuffs, or any other equipment that would be necessary to forcibly remove someone.

Is there any chance that these people are from immigration?

Does anyone know more?

[happylarry]

Why not ask immigration themselves???

HL

[NHJ]

when they're there, call immigration and talk about your case to the supervisor, truth will come out quite fast.

[thairaid]

when they're there, call immigration and talk about your case to the supervisor, truth will come out quite fast.

I the immigration office closes at 5 p.m.

[marklane]

Yes they are from the immigration dept but have decided to to a little freelancing :-).They are looking for any little problem with work permits,but especially live music permits which a lot of bars do not have.If you dont have all your paperwork in order be prepared to come to some "arrangement" and all your problems will disappear, along with your profits !

[Mark Wolfe]

Alleging that men are either posing as immigration officials and shaking down establishments, or are actual immigration officials and are shaking down establishments sounds like dancing on the razor's edge. Better be sure before you accuse the immigration cops of graft, unless you want things to get even more "officious" at immigration than they can already sometimes be when the guys over there find out about this.

[Rooo]

Yes they are from the immigration dept but have decided to to a little freelancing :-).They are looking for any little problem with work permits,but especially live music permits which a lot of bars do not have.If you dont have all your paperwork in order be prepared to come to some "arrangement" and all your problems will disappear, along with your profits !

I got approached some time ago by official looking gentlemen ( representing the army). I said OK , just let me call my lawyer.They left rather quick.

So upon speaking to the police, was told they were scammers & if it ever happens again to report it.

They are out of towners & come over every now & then for a sting.

Just tell them wait till you call the tourist or local police & see what happens.

What does immigration have to do with live music permits?Thai's play live music.

Again the OP said, they backed down, so I wonder if they are really Immigration officers.

So I think your comment is rather rash.

[zzaa09]

Thai version of Men In Black?

[kosh]

Recently a couple of the island's more popular night life establishments have been visited late at night by four men.

They wear dark blue Smith and Wesson Gun Club polo shirts

Where can I buy those nice polo shirts?

[koheesti]

Recently a couple of the island's more popular night life establishments have been visited late at night by four men.

They wear dark blue Smith and Wesson Gun Club polo shirts

Where can I buy those nice polo shirts?

I saw a guy in Nathon wearing one when we went to pay the electric bill and I was pretty impressed at the time. Apparently they are common - or one of these guys was shaking down the electric company.

[benton]

Recently a couple of the island's more popular night life establishments have been visited late at night by four men. They wear dark blue Smith and Wesson Gun Club polo shirts and profess to be from the Immigration department. Their name badges do not list names or expiration dates. Just a photo and the name of some organization.

They speak with a lot of authority and make broad threats. They demand to see work permits for all foreign entertainment staff and threaten to take everyone to jail on the spot including the owners. This can be avoided by paying a massive fine. When challenged, they seem to back down. They have no handcuffs, or any other equipment that would be necessary to forcibly remove someone.

Is there any chance that these people are from immigration?

Does anyone know more?

The REAL Immigration Police who do such jobs of checking aliens for Work Permits etc wear plain clothes and only a uniform on official functions..plain clothes means smart casual dress and no shirts with any advertising..they all carry correct Royal Thai Police Immigration Division ID cards and must produce them on demand.

[Mark Wolfe]

Rooo:

What does immigration have to do with live music permits? Thai's play live music.

I think that Thais are allowed to work gigs in their own country without work permits, whereas foreigners without work permits are not allowed to play live if they are being compensated, ie working (and one would expect that they are not playing for free).

[Rooo]

Rooo:

What does immigration have to do with live music permits? Thai's play live music.

I think that Thais are allowed to work gigs in their own country without work permits, whereas foreigners without work permits are not allowed to play live if they are being compensated, ie working (and one would expect that they are not playing for free).

I'm aware of that Mark.Just the way the OP said it. I think these scammers target bars & venues with one man band or duo's,hoping to rattle the owner's cage.

I wouldn't see them hitting on say Samui Shamrock, where you are or some of the larger nightclubs.Sometime you wonder if some of these DJ's do have a work permit, since they move from employer to employer.

[ChiangMaiThai]

Alleging that men are either posing as immigration officials and shaking down establishments, or are actual immigration officials and are shaking down establishments sounds like dancing on the razor's edge. Better be sure before you accuse the immigration cops of graft, unless you want things to get even more "officious" at immigration than they can already sometimes be when the guys over there find out about this.

Fraud, corruption, and graft in Thailand? Say it isn't so!

[NHJ]

dj's moving every two weeks or less don't need work permit, they can be employed under the "urgent and occasionnal" exemption after letter of approval of labour department is delivered.

must be tea money to speed up the process

[Prasert]

This happened a couple of weeks ago on Tao as well.

A phonecall to the Labour Department in Suratthani clarified a lot:

- The manager of the Labour Department had sent nobody to Tao to check workpermits

- and, according to him, if they say they're immigration they can only check your visa. Workpermits are not their jurisdiction!

It turned out to be a couple of officials from another district (not sure which), trying to scare and scam businesses here. They also demanded free food and drinks in some restaurants.

[Ecchi]

This happened in Koh Phangan two or three years ago. As it turned out, they were scammers that the police eventually rounded them up. They would come in and demand the work permit or in lieu at 10,000 baht fine. The actual fine is 1000 baht if you read in the back of the permit.

It would pay to have the local police number and make a call to them.

There is in fact a legal distinction as well. Work permits come under the Ministry of Industry ( I think) not Immigration so these guys are off base anyway. They should be asking to see if you have the correct visa in your passport.

Edited August 4, 2009 by Ecchi

[gdog205]

Recently a couple of the island's more popular night life establishments have been visited late at night by four men. They wear dark blue Smith and Wesson Gun Club polo shirts and profess to be from the Immigration department. Their name badges do not list names or expiration dates. Just a photo and the name of some organization.

They speak with a lot of authority and make broad threats. They demand to see work permits for all foreign entertainment staff and threaten to take everyone to jail on the spot including the owners. This can be avoided by paying a massive fine. When challenged, they seem to back down. They have no handcuffs, or any other equipment that would be necessary to forcibly remove someone.

Is there any chance that these people are from immigration?

Does anyone know more?

This happened to me 3 moths ago....3 tosser thai men came into my bar,i had an english customer playing behind the decks,they started taking photos of the lad,he was posing nicely.i thought sod this im the dj,so i started posing with him....next thing out came the id cards,we are immigration,can i see your work permit as your the dj,the lad scarpered quick..no probs i thought..im the manager of the bar..ive got a permit..they then picked out that the thai writing..under occupation said manager only,not dj...aha...got me,they wanted 10k bht or im off to the monkey house for the weekend,and i can then tell the judge i cant read thai.<deleted> to this,i ordered my cashier to go and get mamma,my bosses girlfriend s mum,,,whos an angry silver back looking mamasan,from our other bar,after some negotiations,and 3 free heineken,and help for them to them selves to my fags,a deal was struck...5k bht and all sorted....great....cheers lads...enjoy the coin ,ya robbin ,blaggin......im not gonna swear