Royal Dutch Embassy Bangkok Under Investigation

[Mario2008]

The Dutch newspaper Telegraaf reports that the Dutch Embassy in Bangkok is under investigation by a secret team from the Netherlands for corruption and abuse of power. The arrival of the team was meant a secret, but revealed by the acting ambassador.

Story (in Dutch) here: http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/7486685/__Ambassade_Bangkok_doorgelicht__.html

Edited August 27, 2010 by Mario2008

[EvilDrSomkid]

Ik heb het gelezen. Typisch...

I was pushing a good mate of mine to get a job there.

I guess that's out of the window...

[LaoPo]

DUTCH EMBASSY IN BANGKOK SCREENED

BANGKOK - Friday August 27 - 2010

A special team of Foreign Affairs is landing in secrecy today in Bangkok to investigate signals about abuses at the embassy. There would have been corruption and abuse of power.

The entire embassy will be screened tomorrow. According to diplomatic sources the arrival of the team had to remain secret, but the Deputy Ambassador Hans van Santen has been talking off his mouth about the surprise operation, this to the fury of the top of the ministry.

Passports

The research team will check what is true of disturbing reports about senior officials at the embassy, including the ambassador himself.

According to statements to De Telegraaf there would have been tampered with passport applications and naturalisations. Even Dutch citizens in emergency situations have been treated in a disconcerting way by the consular department, according to a detailed report of a family who sought help after the sudden death of a family member.

Hundreds of thousand of Euros Robbed

The investigation of corruption and abuse of power accelerated, led by the widespread fraud at the embassy which was discovered earlier this year.

A Thai accountant who worked already for over ten years at the Dutch Embassy, lost € 350,000 in Dutch treasury money. The man, Phasith Somboon, was recently sentenced by a Thai court to 28 years imprisonment.

The head of administration and management in those days, responsible for overseeing the finances, got away with it with an internal reprimand. He left Bangkok and now has a job at the Ministry in The Hague, on the financial economic affairs department.

Embassy staff was shocked that this diplomat, of whom they think that he should have indicated that Somboon was stealing money for fourteen months (after Financial Research it shows it was even 450,000 Euros of taxpayers' money that was gone) was "kicked upstairs" despite the blunder .

Employees also associate the diplomat with an earlier case of fraud in Sri Lanka during his period of service there. "Unbelievable how this man is held above the main account ", they say.

Impure

Embassy Staff Employee Dirk-Jan van Beek claims to be "totally taken aback hit by the impure reports sent to The Netherlands, the declarations that were made just before or over the edge and self-interest above human aid requests has been made. In my department alone hundreds of thousands of Euros per year of taxpayers' money have been squandered. "

Van Beek expressed his complaints earlier this year to Van den Hout (Ambassador Tjaco T. van den Hout - LP). He says the situation at the embassy after that conversation has not improved and ruined the support to Van den Hout in rapid tempo.

"When Bangkok was on fire this spring and everyone was endangered by the unrest, it appeared that Van den Hout and his family including cook sought refuge in the five-star Shangri-La Hotel, a few kilometers from his residence. Nobody at the embassy had been informed by him.

I found out because I was on duty and was phoned on the Emergency telephone of the Embassy by the hotel who were asking when Van den Hout was coming to check in.

In the end the hotel bill arrived at the mbassy and the account is for the taxpayer. "

Foreign Affairs confirms that after reported abuses they are investigating the same on the spot.

Translated from:

http://www.telegraaf...rgelicht__.html

LaoPo

[Piengrudee]

Is this a joke?

[Moonrakers]

A special team of Foreign Affairs is landing in secrecy today

Shhhhhhh.

It's a secret!

[Thaifan2]

Was Echo involved ? ....he does seem like a dodgy young man

[salty]

They should send in Mark Van Bommel to investigate. He would be well able to put the boot in.

[jeanpierre]

Ik heb het gelezen. Typisch...

I was pushing a good mate of mine to get a job there.

I guess that's out of the window...

koopman?

[moe666]

Is this a joke?

No, the dutch donot joke around. Just whine when they lose the world cup.

[moe666]

So the guy is at one Embassy and money goes missing. Then he is transfered and money missing again did he put the Thai guy up to it and gets a kick back. The plot is found out Thai guy goes to jail the Dutch guy gets promotion and this is after same thing happened at a previous post.

I think the Dutch need to put Iodine in their salt because thier IQ is really low.

[robblok]

Is this a joke?

No, the dutch donot joke around. Just whine when they lose the world cup.

Yea Dutch are fuc_king whiners.. Cant do anything right not like those hooligan Brits or warmonger Americans.

[stopnow]

Yes the IQ is very low, they even make shoes from wood haven't they heard of leather?

[robblok]

Yes the IQ is very low, they even make shoes from wood haven't they heard of leather?

Dont you know.. that is to keep afloat when the water is rising.

[LaoPo]

Yes the IQ is very low, they even make shoes from wood haven't they heard of leather?

Dont you know.. that is to keep afloat when the water is rising.

Exactly.....many people along Thai rivers wish they had such a wooden shoe when the rivers are flooding; Do leather shoes float ? One needs IQ to figure that out

LaoPo

[stopnow]

So when the dam breaks one will be able to walk on water and mimic Jesus if wearing the said footwear.

Next time you need to cross the Mekong please feel free to try your notion out and let us know how the law of physics prevail.

btw im just having a laugh.

[Mario2008]

The story continues today here in the Dutch newspaper " De Telegraaf"

http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/7621938/__Ambassade_Bangkok_in_opspraak__.html?p=34,1

Google translation:

<SPAN id=result_box class=long_text>Embassy Bangkok discredited by Johan van den Dongen

BANGKOK - Corruption and abuse of power. Tampering with papers. Doubtful contacts. Disturbing signals were sufficient for Foreign Affairs for an investigation team to the Dutch embassy in Bangkok to send.

Whistleblower Dirk Jan van Beek Bangkok Photo: RUNGROJ YONGRIT

Half week long been the stronghold turned inside out. The researchers of the ministry, some have recorded statements with red ears. Such as an information source on the embassy was asked: "Your embassy is known as highly corrupt, and as leaky as a sieve."

Immense tensions

In a green oasis in the heart of Bangkok exudes a serene Her Majesty's Embassy, but inside the building atmospheres immense tension. The Dutch representation is in an uproar by a thorough investigation into the integrity of the ambassador and his staff. Because the embassy is a cesspool of corruption, as we reported from outside and inside to believe.

Wiped and blue fingers typed the team stepped on the plane Tuesday Foreign Affairs to report back to the top of the ministry in The Hague. Whoever thinks that the delegation had to address a jaunt to the bustling metropolis, is wrong. It was blown work, employees, officers and Ambassador Tjaco van den Hout itself to the tooth to feel about possible abuses.

At the Ministry had received several signals, but the key for the analysis is a principal staff member in February to the ambassador went to report what he found at the embassy. His name: Dirk Jan van Beek, until this week, employee of the immigration service IND at the embassy. <EM>The annual contract was not renewed by the whistleblower.

Since Van Beek in February after the interview did not improve, he mailed his findings on June 10 to the IND in Rijswijk. Four days later, his office empty. "My jacket hung inside the door and my desk drawers were empty," he told the research team.

[webfact]

we wait for a better translation of the posted article

[Insight]

Dirk, what have you done???

Edited September 12, 2010 by Insight

[scotbeve]

Yes the IQ is very low, they even make shoes from wood haven't they heard of leather?

Dont you know.. that is to keep afloat when the water is rising.

And yet they still live where the water will rise....

[chockdee]

I think you guys are jealous on the Dutch,because we at least came to the worldcup finals.

For a country that is really small,we are well known.

We are the world leaders in making boats,bridges,tunnels, dykes,cheese ,marihuana,xtc and many more

I am from Rotterdam,and i find it insulting what you guys speak about the Dutch IQ s.

I have my own company herein Thailand,and am not a whining.type.

We are integer people and we not show off.

We have a well known saying:

''Just do normal,then you are already crazy enough''

Yes the IQ is very low, they even make shoes from wood haven't they heard of leather?

Dont you know.. that is to keep afloat when the water is rising.

And yet they still live where the water will rise....

[PoorSucker]

When in Rome......

[rubl]

First part of 'De telegraaf' article. This is the part covered by #17 from Mario2008.

(BuZa = Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Embassy in Bangkok discredited by Johan van den Dongen.

BANGKOK - Corruption and abuse of power. Tampering with papers. Doubtful contacts. Disturbing signals were sufficient for BuZa to send an investigation team to the Netherlands Embassy in Bangkok.

Whistleblower Dirk Jan van Beek Bangkok Photo: RUNGROJ YONGRIT

For half a week the stronghold was turned inside out. With some of the statements collected the ears of the investigators of the ministry must have been burning. Such as the one from an information source who was invited at the embassy: "Your embassy is known as highly corrupt, and as leaky as a sieve."

Immense tensions

In a green oasis in the heart of Bangkok Her Majesty's Embassy exudes a serene tranquility, but inside the building immense tension can be felt. The Netherlands representation is in an uproar caused by the thorough investigation into the integrity of the ambassador and his staff. The embassy is a cesspool of corruption, if we may believe the reporting from outside and inside.

Done in and fingers numb from typing the BuZa team stepped on the plane Tuesday to report back to the top of the ministry in The Hague. Those who think that the delegation had a jaunt are mistaken. It was hours of intense work to interrogate employees, officers and Ambassador Tjaco van den Hout himself, about possible abuses.

The Ministry BuZa had received several signals, but the last straw was when an embassy employee went to the Embassador to report what he had found. His name: Dirk Jan van Beek, until this week employee of the immigration service IND at the embassy. The one-year contract the whistleblower had was not renewed.

As van Beek didn't see any improvements after February he mailed his findings to the IND in Rijswijk on the 10th of June. Four days later his office was empty. "My jacket hung inside out on the door and my desk was emptied," he told the investigation team. "The Embassador said: 'You will

understand that your e-mail to the IND has you finished here. We can solve this in good or in bad grace. Bad grace means we will both get hurt, in good grace I will arrange a royal settlement.'"

to be continued (maybe, translating in a sensible way ain't easy)

Edited September 12, 2010 by rubl

[rubl]

To all those criticizing Dutch, please remember one of the advantages we have over you lot:

We don't need to drink to talk double Dutch

Take this from a genuine Dutch uncle

[scotbeve]

To all those criticizing Dutch, please remember one of the advantages we have over you lot:

We don't need to drink to talk double Dutch

Take this from a genuine Dutch uncle

Rubl,

Don't take the bait so easily... I didn't even pass gas at the idiotic statement that (the rest of) us Americans are as daft as Georgie - Porgie W. - see above.

[souvenirdeparis]

Don't they all do like this ?

[rubl]

To all those criticizing Dutch, please remember one of the advantages we have over you lot:

We don't need to drink to talk double Dutch

Take this from a genuine Dutch uncle

Rubl,

Don't take the bait so easily... I didn't even pass gas at the idiotic statement that (the rest of) us Americans are as daft as Georgie - Porgie W. - see above.

Which part didn't you like, the 'double dutch' or the 'dutch uncle' bit. Don't worry, this is a 'dutch treat' you only pay for your part

For your information most of these expressions come from before your time. It's from the English - Dutch rivalry during the period of the Anglo-Dutch Wars in the 17th and 18th century.

Edited September 12, 2010 by rubl

[scotbeve]

To all those criticizing Dutch, please remember one of the advantages we have over you lot:

We don't need to drink to talk double Dutch

Take this from a genuine Dutch uncle

Rubl,

Don't take the bait so easily... I didn't even pass gas at the idiotic statement that (the rest of) us Americans are as daft as Georgie - Porgie W. - see above.

Which part didn't you like, the 'double dutch' or the 'dutch uncle' bit. Don't worry, this is a 'dutch treat' you only pay for your part

For your information most of these expressions come from before your time. It's from the English - Dutch rivalry during the period of the Anglo-Dutch Wars in the 17th and 18th century.

Indeed before my time.... I'm not familiar with the Dutch Uncle bit...

[rubl]

To all those criticizing Dutch, please remember one of the advantages we have over you lot:

We don't need to drink to talk double Dutch

Take this from a genuine Dutch uncle

Rubl,

Don't take the bait so easily... I didn't even pass gas at the idiotic statement that (the rest of) us Americans are as daft as Georgie - Porgie W. - see above.

Which part didn't you like, the 'double dutch' or the 'dutch uncle' bit. Don't worry, this is a 'dutch treat' you only pay for your part

For your information most of these expressions come from before your time. It's from the English - Dutch rivalry during the period of the Anglo-Dutch Wars in the 17th and 18th century.

Indeed before my time.... I'm not familiar with the Dutch Uncle bit...

From wikipedia:

"Dutch uncle is a term for a person who issues frank, harsh, and severe comments and criticism to educate, encourage, or admonish someone. Thus, a "Dutch uncle" is a person who is rather the reverse of what is normally thought of as avuncular or uncle-like (which would be indulgent and permissive)."

Btw regarding 'dutch treat' or 'going dutch', Wikipedia says "In Thailand, the practice is referred to as อเมริà¸à¸±à¸™à¹à¸Šà¸£à¹Œ "American Share"."

[Mario2008]

A better translation of the whole article in De Telegraaf:

BANGKOK - Corruption and abuse of power. Tampering with papers. Doubtful contacts. Disturbing signals were sufficient for Foreign Affairs for an investigation team to be send to the Dutch embassy in Bangkok.

A week and a half long the stronghold has been turned inside out. The investigators of the ministry must have recorded some statements with red ears. Such as information form an intelligence source who was invited to the embassy: "Your embassy is known as highly corrupt, and as leaky as a sieve."

Immense tensions

In a green oasis in the heart of Bangkok Her Majesty's Embassy is a source of serene peace and quit, but inside the building there is an atmosphere of immense tension. The Dutch representation is in an uproar by a thorough investigation into the integrity of the ambassador and his staff. Because the embassy is a cesspool of corruption, if we may believe reports from the in- and outside..

Exhausted and with blue fingers from typing the team from the Foreign Ministry stepped on the plane Tuesday back to the top of the ministry in The Hague. Whoever thinks that the delegation had to pleasure trip to the bustling metropolis, is wrong. It was work, work work, interrogating employees, officers and Ambassador Tjaco van den Hout itself to the tooth about possible irregularities.

At the Ministry several signals were received, but the main source for the investigation is a staff member who went to the ambassador in February to report what he saw at the embassy. His name: Dirk Jan van Beek, until this week, employee of the immigration service IND at the embassy. The annual contract of the whistleblower was not renewed.

Since Van Beek after the interview in February did not see any improvement, he mailed his findings on June 10 to the IND in Rijswijk. Four days later his office was empty. "My jacket hung outside the door and my desk drawers were empty," he told the research team.

"The ambassadeur said: " you understand that after your email to the IND you are finished here. We can solve this in a friendly manner or with a fight. With a fight means we will both get damaged, in a friendly manner means I will take care of a royal arrangement'."

Van Beek made an official complain.

　

Van Beek is not the only one to be critical. A colleague mentions in an internal mail a lack of transparency, a bad working environment and puts question marks at the integrity. 'Management is not interested, only busy with themselves. Real problems and wrongdoing are not dealt with but swept under the carpet. If someone becomes trouble, all is put in motion to get rid of these persons instead of addressing the issue. The head of management (in the meanwhile transferred to The Hague, editor) even intimidated people'.

In January Foreign Affairs also flew in a team, when it was discovered that 350,000 euro was missing. The Thai accountant Phasit Somboon, who worked already for 10 years at the embassy, had for over a year invoiced bills double and transferred tax money to his private account. When early Januari questions where raised about a certian bill, Somboon reported himself sick with 'headache' and run away.

For over a month nothing was done, till De Telegraaf revealed the scandal on February 10th. And with that the lid of the cesspit began to slide. Van Beek: "Only because of the newspaper report did they started to look for the accountant and was a complaint filed with the police. After his disappearance I started looking almost every day if he was home. Al that time his padlock hang untouched at his door. One would expect that you would search the home of a person who disappeared with 3,5 ton. You send the police. Why has nobody been there?"

Scapegoat

After the police complaint the accountant was located, arrested and sentenced to 28 years in prison. A lower employee was fired as scapegoat. The head of management, responsible for the financial control, received a new function at the ministry in The Hague.

According to Van Beek it is the second time in 7 years time that this diplomat miraculously survived a fraud scandal. "In April 2003 this man was manager in Sri Lanka, when it came to light that a Dutch employee at the visa section there seriously had abused her position. For enormous amounts of money she sold visas, which she made on forged IND-documents (IND is Dutch immigration services). Many people from Sri Lanka traveled in this way with a false visa to The Netherlands in 2002 and 2003. The scandal was swept under the carpet. The Sri-Lankans were left alone, just as the diplomat".

And there are much more strange statements and messages. Like the experienced embassy employee in Bangkok who allegedly has tampered with adoption papers and naturalisations. "He skimmed to the pages of a damaged Dutch passport of an elderly Thai woman at the counter and gave permission for a new one. In reality the woman was his transsexual ex-wife, with whom he had adopted two Thai children. The ex and two children received Dutch nationality in an irregular way, but the man is still in function" says Van Beek. This is also being investigated.

Or take the Dutch man who liked to travel and with his Cambodian adoption child visited the visa counter regularly and so suddenly became a suspect in an investigation at grand scale child smuggling. In Mei 2008 Meld Misdaad Anomien (Report Crimes Anonymously) was tipt about an international organization which would trade very young children from Cambodia. Dutch police investigated it and received information from the at that time head of visa services in Bangkok. According to the investigation report this civil servant gave the name of someone who he thought fit the profile: the Dutch man with Cambodian adoption child. The investigation report states: "Suspect has adopted a Cambodian child under his own name. Also because he exerts great pressure on the embassy to receive a visa for the child for a holiday in The Netherlands the suspicion is raised that the child will possibly will be the victim of child trade'. The man was shadowed for a long period of time, without any results. Inquiries with the Public Prosecutors office this week learns that the investigation 'didn't result to signaling any crimes'. Van Beek: "A frustrated embassy employee who out of the blue connects people at the counter with child trade. Outrages"

Explosive

Explosive is the information the investigating team received from an intelligence source was was invited to the embassy. He stated: "I know the Americans wont exchange confidential information anymore with your embassy, in particular relating to drugs investigations. The Americans think your embassy corrupt and leak as a basket. Some time ago the Dutch national Eric de S would be arrested in Thailand, based on a investigation by the DEA. His apprehension failed because De S was informed by a contact at the embassy that he should flee".

Van Beek angered recently the wife of Tjaco van den Hout, former ambassadress of Letland Baiba Braze, by claiming in De Telegraaf that the couple with daughter and cook flee to a 5 star hotel because of the unrest in the city. "Lies which severely damaged my good reputation in The Netherlands", says Braze. " We stayed longer in our residence than most other ambassadors. Bangkok was rurly, but not yet in flames. To be sure we would make our flight the next day to Yangoon, where we had to be for the Queens birthday celebration we went to a hotel. What really is too ridiculous for words is that we took our cook with us".

Van Beek raises his shoulders about it. That the cook went with them, I can indeed not proof. But look at the map: the Shangri-La hotel is further from the airport than the residence. At the taxpayers expense they had to stay by al means in a 5 star hotel, while that same day embassy gardener Bang Sri and coffee server Khun Honey were fired. Budget cuts. The indignation at the embassy was great when the captain left the ship".

Van Beek also declared to the team that a member of the embassy staff has dubious connection with the underworld. "The man has relations with a friend of the Mieremet family and approached me at the end of 2009 with the strange request to check if the Dutch criminal W was on the blacklist of Thai immigration. This W was earlier caught with tens of fake passports and had been in prison for a few years for human trafficking. This member told me that he became friends with W and that he had used embassy letterhead paper to check his status with the Thai police. The police didn't respond. He thought that I as immigration official would be able to get the information. He just wanted to know if his friend would be arrested if he arrived at the border. I went with this information to my chef, who was shocked by this and reported t the ambassador that this staff member was an unacceptable risk for the embassy. Never heard anything about this. The man is still in function".

Against the investigators Van Beek stated: "I am worried about repercussions because of my statements about the contacts of this staff member. The company he keeps, is no good. I talk and now i make myself vulnerable. I still think I should do it".

Within 3 months Van Beek will hear the results of the investigation. "I have the feeling over and over that the ambassador doesn't care a bit. There is a cowboy mentality of people who think they are above the law. It has become a ship at drift".

Ambassador Van den Hout refuses to comment. "I will not make any statements. We are all up-set about what has been reported in the newspaper. I think it is good that it is investigated. For further comments I refer you to Foreign Affairs".

The ministry in The Hague says in a reaction not to want to respond while the case is being investigated. His wife Braiba Braze, former ambassadress of Letland, says she feels mainly being personally attacked by the whistle blower.

[Mario2008]

For more information about Mieremet: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Mieremet

Johannes (John/Johnny) Mieremet (May 10, 1960 – November 2, 2005) was a Dutch underworld figure associated with the Willem Endstra extortion and assassination. Mieremet's former lawyer Evert Hingst was gunned down on Monday October 31st, 2005. His murder was one of several in a string of three related underworld liquidations during late October and early November 2005 and one in a longer series of liquidations that has started in 2000.

Born in Amsterdam, Mieremet was murdered while conducting business in Pattaya, Thailand at around 10:00 a.m. local time. He had survived several earlier assassination attempts; one in 2002, and another on February 26th, 2005, when he was shot in the leg and stomach by two perpetrators on a motorcycle.