Immigration Decended On My Office

[oops]

You have violated two things stated on your work permit already.

1. Not having your WP at the place of work.

2. Working at a location not stated in your work permit.

Did you get a fine, you should have got 3000 baht fine.

Page 31 in work permit.

Paragraph 1: not keeping WP at place of work during office hours, 1000 baht.

Paragraph 2: engage in work at location not specified in WP, 2000 baht or one month in prison or both.

You can have two addresses on legal document for the company, but you must have address in WP where you actually work( can be several offices )

They do not make raids like this without cause, someone has tipped them off.

I didn't get fined and my attorney told me that I only need to keep a copy of it. In which I had....1 in my truck and 1 in my office and the actual WP at my home office. I didn't photo copy the second page which showed my the other location and also the one that says I have the right to move from location to location. They didn't fine me, and just told me to copy the second page and keep that in my truck and in the secound office.

[oops]

Install security video cameras in your offices, record 24/7.

Make sure the recorder isn't easy to find, or record over Internet if you have a connection.

Webcam pointing at the door and the right software would do the trick.

This I will certianly do because they came in with a camera like they were shooting a bad porn film

[oops]

Yep, my first thought was someone's trying to do your legs and bubbled you up to immigration.

Didn't work the idiots. I am totally legal by Thai law....

[WarpSpeed]

Yep, my first thought was someone's trying to do your legs and bubbled you up to immigration.

Yep, one of those concerned shop owners peering in around you was my first thought..

[oops]

Is this rrelated to the recent post by another TV member that was rippred off for 100K ??

In this instance, if you had complied with the regulations regarding work permits... you would have nothing to fear.

No it wasn't related but it is easy to be in fear when you haven't been subjected to this type of treatment before. I was totally legal but, I work with many people that are shaken down on a regular basis. I have one client who told me that he has to take care of 25 ppl every month. That to me would mean it is time for me to get out of what ever he is doing. I am a simple but very legal person. And your right I didn't have anything to be afraid of....it's just that they were very aggressive when they first came in and it startled me.

[oops]

refused to show ID?

question 1

What sort of business

question 2

Any "nearby competitor" (Chinese or Viet?)

NK had a case of foreigner.......famous bar and food.......came in sight of the most powerful chinese entrapeneurs family.

long story short...............he had to leave!

To make a clear case of immigration involvement ...go to your immigration office and repy/complain.

We have a Chinese business across the street that has now barracaded all the street parking so we can't use. They told we could use the parking down the street on the other side of their building. It's a polite way of F'n you with a smile. We only really require one spot for parking for people who come in and out including me......after a long battle we have decided to move. They shouldn't be allowed to do block off a public road but then it is done all the time here...that's why if your walking it is usually in the street with the traffice

[oops]

refused to show ID?

question 1

What sort of business

question 2

Any "nearby competitor" (Chinese or Viet?)

NK had a case of foreigner.......famous bar and food.......came in sight of the most powerful chinese entrapeneurs family.

long story short...............he had to leave!

To make a clear case of immigration involvement ...go to your immigration office and repy/complain.

Complain about what, that he was breaking the law? He didn't have his work permit with him and the wrong address - now HE has to make a complaint? Takes a foreigner to do that!

I wasn't breaking the law.......I had a copy of my work permit in the office and in my truck. I had all my licenses on the wall. I did everything that the attorney's asked me to do....except copy the second page. You would think that they could check all this out at immigration. Now as instructed by these immigration officers I only need to keep the copies of both pages unless I go out of the province.

[oops]

BrianCR - don't be an idiot.

The WP was not at the place of business, fair enough

The WP was delivered to his place of business BY HIS THAI WIFE - instantly

Problem solved - save for the WP is for his home, not office. But can he legally work in Thailand - YES. Was he doing the job he applied for on the WP - YES.

Only someone looking to make something out of nothing would hassle this guy at the point the WP was produced.

To take up the side of "police" that would not (note WOULD NOT) identify themselves is really astonishing.

Other than the fact that they told me they were from immigration and they had what looked to badges on a string around their necks but were covered by a case or something....while I know the cops do this, I couldn't tell that it was a badge or make out what it was because it was covered

[oops]

All Police officers whether Immigration Police Officers or not, MUST show credentials to verify their real identity before making any real legal inquiries, what so ever, either about your work permit, visa status or any other matter.

If they do not then it is time to start taking lots of pictures with several smart phones and ask one of your staff to discreetly go to the Police Station in your area with one of the smart phones containing picture of these supposed officers to show the local police officers. Please go directly to the Superintendent of the station and report the activity. This will cause a serious reaction by the local Police as I have seen it on several occasions!

I believe Police have no authority to ask how much you make, only labor department officials and tax department official have this authority.

I think this is excellent advice. Many years ago I has a somewhat similar experience. In my case I think it was a disgruntled ex-employee that had managed to arrange this "bust". We were all legal and the only offence they were able to find was not having one of the three work permits on hand. Yes by law the WP has to be with the employee. However in real life the chance that it is away with a lawyer or a messenger as part of some beauracratic process is quite high. It is a minor offence but the modus operandi of these guys is to be as inimidating as possible. For me it was a very unpleasant experience which caused me to reevaluate my being in Thailand. I can really sympathise with the op here.

Badbanker, if you don't mind I have a couple of questions for you.

1 - What rights of entry do these guys (immigration inspectors?) have? If as in my case it is just a quiet office not open to the public, can they just barge in without a warrant of some sort?

2 - Is it within your rights to ask to record details of whatever ID card is presented? I ask this because most people would have no idea what an official ID card looks like. It would be pretty easy to make a fake ID card then wave it in your face. In the panicked situation that they create you won't remember the details.

If a similar thing ever happened to me again, I would remain calm, call the local police (even dial 191) and not follow any of these thugs instructions until the police arrived, no matter what they did or said.

Thanks in advance.

I didn't have a problem following their instructions until I could assertain who they were and if they really were legitiment. My problems began when they said they wanted to take me away...this is when I began to worry and I was looking for an escape route. I know that there are problems here and I truly believe when someone turns up dead it is because they got into someones vehicle and was unable to get out alive. I was fine with them checking everything even though I believe they could of checked from their office then just came to speak with me to see if I was in compliance, but they made me feel like a criminal to the point that I didn't work the rest of the day...I have enough stress on me and yes I was thinking if I should continue or just close down....these was to me the wrong approch to dealing with any company....they should do their homework first before bursting in. Oh, I did go to immigration and ask, and the gay cop that is always at the front desk wouldn't answer my questions but pointed me to a wall of pictures and said....go look at the pictures and if you see him up then go talk with him. You can ask him your questions....he always acts like he doesn't want to be there or like we are beneath him......

[Online]

or you could say 'he always acts like he doesn't want me to be there or like we farang are beneath him....

Sorry to hear about your experience, but it doesnt surprise me. I really don't understand why foreigners even bother try here, I think most Thais hate us with a passion.

Edited April 10, 2012 by Online

[kawaiimomo]

Oh man, I feel very sorry about this awful experience. However you should stay firm and don't give up! Maybe you should try to make friends with that cop at immigration, I would think Songkran should be a good time to bring some fruit baskets to that people at that office as someone more knowledgeable already said ;-)