Question For The Tourist Police Volunteers

[seadoo]

Being the Group Leader of the Foreign Tourist Police Assistants, I would like to add a few things and clear up a few points of discussion.

The FTPA cannot directly uphold the law, we assist the regular Thai Tourist Police to do this. For example, if I grabbed one of these non-Thais in a Kebab Shop and marched him/her to the TP Mobile Unit and informed the officer that he was working without a work permit, I would be in "trouble".

I have also seen an increase in these people working around the Walking Street area. Do I really need to explain why they are permitted to do this?

Personally it annoys me they are allowed to do this as I pay a lot of money every year for my one year visa and work permit and why should these people be allowed to openly break labor laws and avoid prosecution? But, I am not in the business of shopping people like this to the Police. They know about these people, so if they wanted to arrest them they would have done so by now.

Finally, such an arrest can be carried out by any division of Police, however the suspects would eventually be transferred to Immigration for processing.

By the way, they do make good Kebabs, have you tried one yet?

Thanks Howard for clearing this up - BTW a pat on the back for you and the rest of the team - and good to see you share my annoyed thoughts on this matter and I too pay a lot of money each year like you to ensure I am legal in what I am doing. The unfortunate part, the more you make yourself legal in terms of visas, wp and owning a legitimate business the more you end up paying each year.

Once again, well done on what you do.

[britmaveric]

So what about all the Indian tailors and waiters around?

Why haven't they been busted too?

Well I think as Howard put in not so many words...... bribes.

[basjke]

So what about all the Indian tailors and waiters around?

Why haven't they been busted too?

Because as far as I know the indian tailors have work permits and many of them are Thai residents.

[SOEYCHANLOY]

I was reading your comments on the foreigners volunteers of Tourist Royal Thai Police in Pattaya, and i found myself smiling...

I've been living in Pattaya almost 10 months and i would like to say something about the foreigner volunteers. Do you know how Thai locals call them ? ...

I dont know if i should say it... give me advise, i dont wanna break any rule of this forum.

Publish and be damned!

Let's hear it...

And YOU will get a warning for pushing him into posting it.

Well, I just saw a couple of comments on my question and it seems that here there is the right of talk without hurting anyone, so i will not say how they use to be called by some (most) locals but, it has to matter with 2 words 1 is the name of an animal & the other has to do with how they are officially called. Nothing really bad... Only funny. Then if you wanna know, turn around Pattaya and ask..

I will just come back to the topic about the kebab seller on WS, well on my opinion everything is possible in this Country. Could be a matter of bribes, or as i saw posted upper also a matter of relationship by family with the guy who is the friend of the guy who can make possible that no one could disturb them selling kebabs or those kind of pizzas with 3 centimeters thick of bread and only tomato concentrate with pseudo-cheese, just a the door of a well known disco on WS.

Anyway I think it's not fair for people like me for example, who spend lots of time setting all the papers in order to stay in accordance with the Thai law for updating visas, work permits etc.etc.etc. and finally, what i get ? PAY, PAY PAY everywhere i go and dont get the half of what i ask. Then, it is in the hands of the OFFICIAL AUTHORITIES to get the people respecting the law. Not thew job of any volunteer. HAve good day bye !

[Phil Conners]

By the way, they do make good Kebabs, have you tried one yet?

You think so? I tried the one on 2nd Road, just around the corner from Pattaya Tai, and I wasn't impressed. I think the ones made by the Thai woman at the Walking Street/Soi Diamond intersection are much better.

"I could not see how these types of businesses could generate enough money to pay the special taxes to be able to operate in the WS area."

What special taxes? The rents are higher but I have never heard of special taxes before.

and I am with loong - who says they are not Thai? Thais come in may different flavours - and also if they are that "in your face" how would they get away with it? Don't you think someone would have complained long before now? and I mean other businesses in WS.

AKA "Bakshish"

Personally it annoys me they are allowed to do this as I pay a lot of money every year for my one year visa and work permit and why should these people be allowed to openly break labor laws and avoid prosecution? But, I am not in the business of shopping people like this to the Police. They know about these people, so if they wanted to arrest them they would have done so by now.

If you do it yourself and above the table its actually not much.

It is if you count all the things that are needed before you can even apply for one. A limited company with min. 4 staff that has to be paid and paying taxes and social security. Then there is the min. income of 50,000 baht/month required for a farang to get a WP, of which again you need to pay taxes and social security. THEN comes the fee for the work permit itself, the cost of going up to Chonbury to deal with it, or even more, have someone do it for you in order to not be forced to run circles in the bureaucracy. Yes, it is actually much when you add it all up!

[taffylee]

Why not get the police volunteers to make the Kebabs, it will give them something useful to do.