Ukrainian Man Held Hostage By Thai Employer For 14 Years

[kuffki]

I think many of you guys need to slow down a little and wait and see the full story follow up.

To start with, it is NOT an unheard of for Thai employees to hold "hostages"

Keep in mind, his English probably was not/is not the best, factory is NOT located in the city center, but rather in the sticks where no one can speak English. So to seek help could be a challenge.

Also being NOT from the West, many Russians or former USSR do not know of their rights and what can be done, especially if he does not speak the language and has no one to ask for help

Story may well be not 100% true, but rest assured no one makes up something like that.

Now that this has become public and embassy's are involved, i really do not think Thai Police will play micky mouse with nuclear state, and rest assured Russian will not just sit and watch and will do all it can to "help" just to get back at Thailand for Victor.

Some mentioned that its very strange that his family did not notice him missing, but perhaps they did and dealt with the fact that he is missing, "gone"

What exactly could they do, fly over and start to walk around the soi's to look for him?!

All good points , no fun in getting the facts this is much more entertaining... also the USSR fell in 1991 , 25 years ago.. 10 years before he went missing.

Its irrelevant when USSR fell apart. Even today many Russians or people from former states who come here for holiday have no idea about rules, culture or anything else.

PS. I am sorry but i do not see the fun part at someone else's misfortune or/and family tragedy.

Edited January 24, 2011 by kuffki

[SICHONSTEVE]

I'm sure just a simple misunderstanding.

Yes, I'm sure it was!!!!! - shame it took 14 years to resolve and only because of the kind hearted actions of this Burmese man reporting this despicable company owner to the relevant authorities. The factory owner was probably making sure that the Ukranian worker didn't lose his passport (what an admirable gesture) . As for paying him no salary, perhaps he thought he was a voluntary worker that enjoyed slaving away for all of those years just to make him rich and happy in return for carefully looking after his passport (safely locked away in his safe). Something has just occurred to me, as he didn't have any money then this safe storage MUST have been free of charge - what a generous man!!!!

Seriously (yes I can be), they should lock him up for 14 years and transfer the company ownership to this unfortunate (frightened to do anything) Ukranian man - on the grounds that he pay his workers a fair salary and improve their living conditions. Oh!!! I almost forgot, and let them look after their own passports!!! He can keep the safe for legitimate, future hard earned money so that the ensuing years are far happier than those '14 lost years' at the hands of this tyrant.

Just a thought!!! but knowing what Thai jurisdiction is like (for Thai's benefitting at the expense of a farang) he will probably get a slapped wrist and be told not to do it again as this was just plain 'naughty'!!!!

[lee68]

HA HA love it

That's quite an overstay. It took the family 14 years to notice he was missing?

[travelmann]

That's quite an overstay. It took the family 14 years to notice he was missing?

Modern day slavery, but Im sure as imigration throw him out they wont forget about the overstay and chanrge accordingly!!

[BOS2BKK]

I am sure it can be blamed on Thaksin and or a KeNok British punter.

[softgeorge]

No pay for 14 years??Think of his first wage packet when he gets it!!

Deduct accomodation and meals I would guess about 150 baht.

[torasap]

but knowing what Thai jurisdiction is like (for Thai's benefitting at the expense of a farang) he will probably get a slapped wrist and be told not to do it again as this was just plain 'naughty'!!!!

It's in the middle of their national anthem, even - something in the direction of "all Thais intend to gang up together"

[coma]

sounds like a good discription of marriage to me

I will go with that one.

[MegaRanter]

His Thai language skills must have improved quite a lot. He now prefers Beer Leo to Vodka.

[maapaa]

.... I am sorry but i do not see the fun part at someone else's misfortune or/and family tragedy.

Totally true.

As far as we don't know what is rue or not it's much too early to try to get the title of "Mr. Funny Joke" here.

Most of the comments are meant to be funny or whatever. They are not.

The man is from the Ukraine - but I would like to see your reactions here if this would happen to a person from the States or UK ... still funny?

maapaa

[Bagwan]

The Ukrainian had language difficulties; wouldn't the same apply to the Burmese? How did the Burmese communicate with the Ukrainian family? Esperanto? Some language expert this Burmese?

Can we expect the factory owner to retaliate by presenting evidence to the BiB (with some folding stuff) so that a criminal charge of defamation of character is brought? And besmirching the good name of Thailand in the international community. (Stop laughing!!!)

You couldn't make up a story like this could you. Oops, sorry y I forgot where I was. Stuff like this is typical soap opera material here.

[DangerfieldLives]

What is with you trolls? Do you think that the Ukrainian ambassador would have went on the record about this case if there wasn't something to it?

Nah, better to just sit there at your keyboards and say that the whole thing could never have happened.

[scania]

sounds like a good discription of marriage to me

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA GENIUS ;-)

[meelousee]

I can tell by reading some of the comments that none of you have been to the Ukraine, look back at 1969 FBI fact book, get a snap shot of what it was like.

I have family that(did ?) worked/s there for the oil companies, you need a ton of cash to get anything done drivers license, birth cert. buy a house with cash and pay 10 different ministries bribes so you can move in and apply for electricity water mail service... intimidation to the max. His family most likely knew for some time, and could do nothing but wonder what happened.

I think that he was intimidated quite easily since his mind set was Ukrainian,

What will happen? We may never know as this is Thailand only the rich get second stories

[MaxYakov]

Sounds like a typical engineering position to me ... and he survived it.

Did he, at least, get smoke breaks?

He's lucky his job wasn't outsourced to some over-the-top sweat shop.

[Screws]

Very odd.

This is unbelievably odd...In fact now that I think about it, I believe that I was held hostage in Thailand too when I realized how much I would have to pay in 14 years of over-stay fees.

41 days overstay - 20,000 baht fine

14 years overstay - (~ 5114 days) - 20,000 baht fine.

[rotary]

Let this one play out - it should be interesting ...

Indeed an amazing story. But one day later NOTHING. No follow up, zilch. On the face of it this is an story of a 'white slave' and we have not any of those for yonks. Perhaps its all being saved up for next Sunday or an exclusive in the Ukraine because i could easily have read a longer interview with the guy

he wrote a diary I found part of it on twitter

Day 235 This sucks

Day 835 This sucks

Day 1232 This sucks

Day 2235 This sucks

Day 4235 This sucks

[sirchai]

thought he was in pat pong

Or Patong????:jap:

[rotary]

Wow just when ya think u heard it all something like this comes up. Best guess is his Thai girl friend held him hostage........

This is either a big hoax or this guy is S-T-U-P-I-D. Really looks like an excuse to get out of an overstay.

[bangkockney]

It will be interesting to see how this is handled by the Thai police. Hopefully, the newspapers will follow it up and report on it.

It was first reported in the newspapers.

[MaiChai]

Wow, you guys are amazing with your speculation. Nothing to do today?

There is much more to this story; I am quite happy to wait until more facts appear.

[bangkockney]

Wow just when ya think u heard it all something like this comes up. Best guess is his Thai girl friend held him hostage........

This is either a big hoax or this guy is S-T-U-P-I-D. Really looks like an excuse to get out of an overstay.

Wow, just then ya think u heard it all................

[wolf5370]

Lot of people jumping on the badwagon accusing the guy mof trying to cover up an overstay.

Commenbts imply that it is impossible - why? Because he didn't escape? Where would he go? Assuming he speaks no Thai, no English, only his native tongue - and not knowing that the Ukrane now has an embessy here - with threats that the police would just return him because they are on the payroll - with a locked door at night in his cell - possibly with fear that others he lived with (same situation?) woulkd suffer if he did escape - and so on, its not hard to see why he didn't escape. There are all sorts of mental issues too that arise from long captivity - think of that Austrian who locked his own kids up in the basement and raped them and and kids by them, for a similar amount of time - no one else knew (even mum apparantly) and such a lonmg time before an escape there too (and those kids spoke the local lingo and lived in a country with decent police force.

I have the feeling either a lot more facts will come out and then we will know (and I suspect that there is something to his story) or it will disapear from the lime light completely.

Reminds me of the Thai/Filipino "maids" that get the same imprisonment/no pay treatment in the middle east (documentary on it a while back).

Edited January 24, 2011 by wolf5370

[SICHONSTEVE]

sounds like a good discription of marriage to me

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA GENIUS ;-)

Your marriage maybe - poor you!!!! but you shouldn't speak for others.

[chuang]

Ha2 an amazing story...waiting for 'next change'.... :jap:

[joka]

Let this one play out - it should be interesting ...

Indeed an amazing story. But one day later NOTHING. No follow up, zilch. On the face of it this is an story of a 'white slave' and we have not any of those for yonks. Perhaps its all being saved up for next Sunday or an exclusive in the Ukraine because i could easily have read a longer interview with the guy

he wrote a diary I found part of it on twitter

Day 235 This sucks

Day 835 This sucks

Day 1232 This sucks

Day 2235 This sucks

Day 4235 This sucks

LMAO!

[animatic]

That's quite an overstay. It took the family 14 years to notice he was missing?

The family had been looking for him, instigated by his daughter who was young at the time of his disappearance. There was no Ukrainian Embassy in Thailand at the time he went missing. Where do you start to look with no assistance when you have no idea where he was?

Also once he was stiffed for pay except a minimal sustenance allowance,

no doubt malnutrition set in and with it a fuzzy brain that makes it difficult,

to think your way past simple problems. No doubt the poor man has some mental issues,

and the clearly depraved and greedy Thai boss took full advantage.

It will be interesting to hear what was told to the Ukraine tied in company,

to explain the guys disappearance...

I hope this DOES get full and long lasting press coverage,

this factory boss needs some serious jail time as an example,

and this poor SOB needs back pay with serious interest penalty.

Edited January 24, 2011 by animatic

[loonodingle]

Well Guys just booking my trip to Thailand / BKK.

Going to work on some Aircon in Nana Plaza, In the Girls restrooms Out back.

Might just have to burn myself and need some medical treatment that i wont be able to pay Bumrungrad for.

Oh dam_n 14 years held captive in Nana Plaza, the very thought hey.

Just hope i dont end up trapped in one of those Ladyboy bars. You know the ones on the 1st floor where they are all 6 foot tall and look like rugby players.

Stil i suppose i will get used to it.

hahahaha

Amazing Thailand

[moskito]

Is the factory owner eventually a Thai-CHINESE? My wife told me once funny stories of children hold in factories all over Thailand and forced to work for a little bit or no money at all.

How things like these can be possible without the authorities know about it? ....or do they just close both eyes for a little bit tea money?

BTW, the good thing to the story is that there is a maximum overstay fee of 20.000.- Baht ONLY

Edited January 24, 2011 by moskito

[jocko]

If he had been a Pole he could have vaulted over the fence