'Tourists' Held Over Money Lending

[george]

IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN: Indian 'tourists' held over money lending

City-wide round-up nets 35 allegedly involved in illegal business activities

BANGKOK: Immigration Bureau Police have arrested 35 Indian nationals illegally involved in money lending in Bangkok. They entered the country as tourists but became involved in selling goods under a pay-by-instalment method and the off-system loan business with high interest rates, said Maj-General Pongsapat Pongcharoen, police spokesman and deputy commissioner of the Immigration Bureau.

The suspects were arrested on Saturday at various locations around the city such as the Din Daeng, Huai Khwang and Don Muang markets, Pongsapat said.

He added that their customers for high-interest loans were merchants in the markets and Thai residents in general.

"The debtors have to pay these lenders per day or per month at an interest rate of 20 per cent or more," he said.

All have been recorded on a blacklist to ensure they are not able to gain entry into the Kingdom again after repatriation to their homeland, he said.

Pongsapat said Immigration Police were beginning to be stricter in examining tourists who enter Thailand and become involved in illegal activities, causing problems for local people.

He added that immigrants involved in businesses prohibited by law were not limited to Indian nationals but also other nationalities.

"Immigration Police will watch out for them," he said.

--The Nation 2004-01-26

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Oh my very goodness gracious

[sanook]

"causing problems for locals" ....it seems as though the Thai government causes more problems than anyone, for the locals, with their coverups and lying so why not arrest them too??? Whenever the Thai government screws up (which is often)

they start purges to take the heat off themselves.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

"causing problems for locals" ....it seems as though the Thai government causes more problems than anyone, for the locals, with their coverups and lying so why not arrest them too??? Whenever the Thai government screws up (which is often)

they start purges to take the heat off themselves.

Is it a purge and a diversionary tactic to act against illegal aliens that are working and loan sharking?

[penzman]

When I paid off that loan i got a nice '' Thank you! Come again.

[mrentoul]

Is it a purge and a diversionary tactic to act against illegal aliens that are working and loan sharking?

These people are barbarians. Deporation is way too good for them.

They obviously give not a toss for Thais - and spare me the tripe about how they are meeting market demand.

One of the best things the Thaksin govt could do for ''local people'' is to get rid of the undergound lending market.

He says he'll do it. Let's see.

I suspect Thaksin is a man of compassion, despite initial impressions to the contrary.

Certainly he's achieved more than any other PM I've had the opportunity to watch.

[NedKelly]

The record of loan sharks in India is nothing short of amazing. There are countless stories of incredible loans being given to farmers who use thier land as colateral. This is one reason there are so many poor people sleeping on the streets of big cities like Calcutta - the sharks got their farm. The interest rates they charge are just rediculous. And to make matters worse their target market is the already poor. Thailand has enough problems - send them packing and never let em come back for sure.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

This lot won't be back but other entrepreneurs from the subcontinent will.

[fat_bald_farang]

this kind of thing really is bad. yes the thai's have enough problems of their own and they don't need foreign criminals exploiting them and yes these people are probably targeting the already poor and needy.

i say throw them in jail to teach them a lesson, before sending them packing. i really find these kind of people nauseating. barf

[mraloha]

The same type of sharks have been taking advantage of Black People in America for years. the Thai gov should hammer the loan sharks hard, Thais are really vulnerable to this type of thing, likes blacks in america...i hope they don't let the vermon take hold here. smart folks don't buy nothin on credit baby...they pay cash

[Kringle]

mraloha, I don't know where your brain is, but why do you limit it to just the BLACKS in America? ALL people (white , black, green or purple) get scammed by pricks like this. I grew up down south and had "THE POOR BLACKS" shoved down my throat all my life. I was adopted and my parents didn't have enough money to do some of the things they could have done to take care of me (proper dental and health care and be able to eat all the right things) They made enough to stay off WELFARE and so didn't qualify for all the FREEBIES that came with the welfare system, I remember seeing BLACK GUYS driving NEW Cadilacs and they were living on WELFARE. I DO NOT appreciate you giving the WRONG impression or limitting your OPINION to just one race in America.

[Felt 35]

Is praise to the authorities the way to go after the last weeks circumstances!

Maybe an idea to look at the reason to that people have to fall so low that they use a "foreign", or local loan shark, and how they(the loan shark) can establish themselves here, before we praise anyone for catch them.

[Guest chingy]

so does that mean those people that borrow the loan doesn't have to pay back now, since nobody around to collect.

[Dove]

Oh yes goodness gracious they are doing that in Thailand too. Singapore had that problem but they were lending money to fellow indians and they were robbing and killing one another too.

If anyone ever visits Singapore one should try visiting little Indian on a Sunday, it is really quite marvellous how they can come flock together and meet in a jungle of people. There are money lenders, remmitance agents Indian maid all valking along the road. No respect for the cars. Many a times there were stabbing cases in the past involving these people trading in money.

It is very easy to control these money lenders and touts. Just tie ther hands and they cannot speak, one must notice like in MTV they must swing their hands when they talk. This they learned in Malaysia when they were questioning a close Indian associate of their minister Mr. Anwar who was arrested for sodomy. The police were so desperate that the man would not speak so they seek the assistance of many until another Indian minister came and told them "How do you expect the poor man to speak if his hands are handcuffed? " When they release his handcuffs they couldn'y stopped him talking.

Brace their necks so they cannot shake their heads, if they cannot shake their heads they cannot negotiate.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

so does that mean those people that borrow the loan doesn't have to pay back now, since nobody around to collect.

They might get a break...unless the lenders have family in Bangkok

[dtoodnut]

Those boombize, mumbais, whatever....are at it again!!! The Thais deported them they will just end up getting H1b visas and getting jobs in the USA as Software Developers as our government it owned by the tech industry, and Congress and The Senate gets Millions from Indian Lobbies. Clueless Subcontinentals with minimal college education come to the states via greedy tech companies on ridiculous Visa programs that has the sheeplike american public convinced that they are getting all these Einsteins and Fermis. In reality Americans will be working as butlers, maids, and drivers for these very people that will be moving into their houses after foreclosure!

General Clark, presidential candidate and Clinton Lapdog commented that "Americans will have to work other jobs" in response to all these tech jobs going overseas or labor being shipped in. The most recent 4 star says that if another attack happens that the US will have to suspend it's constitution and impose a military Dicatatorship.

THAILAND, here I come!!!! HELP!!!!!

These greedy chaps have their hands in many Philipino pockets, riding their hondas around and getting mofo PAID. They Philipinos tend to be more laid back like the Americans.

Thailand is lucky to have a Monarchy and Prime Minister that cares enough about its own naturalized citizens to do something about being exploited by outsiders!

GOOD WORK..ridding youself of such vermin. Keep the money lending in the Family!!!

[snoophound]

yes its way overdue these "Entreprenuers from the Subcontinent" were shipped out.

SOI4 has way too many and its hard to believe all those tailor shops pay their bills selling cheap suits to falangs

[Martin]

Well done, Thailand!! (for getting rid of these loan sharks). Protecting the exploitable is one part of a Government's job of law and order. Pity that they've got away without a spell in the "Bangkok Hilton", but it would take a lot of police time and effort to get the evidence together for court, and may be difficult to get victims to give testimony.

I only hope that Thailand finds ways of keeping out these, and other sorts of undesirables, before there is a popular demand for them to be kept out. My fear is that such a demand would be quickly met by an ending to the practice of allowing immediately consecutive 90-day visas.

[NedKelly]

I was once approached in a bar in Bangkok by a Indian guy who offered me a girl who was one of two standing next to him. She looked no older than 13. I told him that if he wanted to live, he should get the flock out of my face real quick. Why do people get these reputations by getting involved in this sort of thing.

[dtoodnut]

Now if England had sent one of them thar injinz or pakkiz to negotiate with Hitler rather than that weak dick Neville Chamberland the UK would own half the European continent!

[george]

More Indian 'lenders' arrested

BANGKOK: Another 45 Indian nationals have been rounded up on charges of loan-sharking and overstaying their visas, police said yesterday.

The arrests were made between Thursday and Saturday and followed the arrests of 35 Indians on the same charges on Wednesday, police spokesman Pongsaphat Pongcharoen told a press conference.

Of the 45 arrested, 24 were actual lenders and the rest were hired to collect payments, he said.

He said all 80 Indians arrested this week had entered the country on tourist visas but had overstayed and been lending money. Most of their customers were vendors, from whom they collected interest and principal on a daily basis, he said.

Pongsaphat said the lenders charged interest of about 20 per cent a month.

He said all the Indians would be deported and blacklisted.

One of the suspects, Tiwari Rajendra, was taken to Charoenphol Road to re-enact his provision of loans to street vendors.

One of his debtors, Sanwian Sisila, 52, said she bought an electric cooker from Rajendra and ended up paying Bt1,800 for the model, which normally retails for Bt800.

Police have been cracking down on loan sharks following the launch of the government's scheme to register the poor and their problems. Most of those who registered listed debts to loan sharks as their main problem.

--The Nation 2004-02-02

[dr_Pat_Pong]

240 percent.....bloody hard to handle that

[Khutan]

Mind you this could be a good opportunity to get one back on our "Keek" friends.

Why not go and borrow as much as you can, then go and complain to immigration.

If they cannot collect the money isn't the debt discharged ????

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Mind you this could be a good opportunity to get one back on our "Keek" friends.

Why not go and borrow as much as you can, then go and complain to immigration.

If they cannot collect the money isn't the debt discharged ????

Now you are talking. I like that idea.

[Khutan]

Even better;

Get a Thai to get the loan;

Let the Loan shark hassle the Thai.

Get the Thai to go to the ploice claiming there was no documentation and they thought it was a gift. (From memory consumer finance in Thailand is well controlled)

If the Thai explains to the police how fearful they are of these Keek Criminals, I think from what the wife just said to me, the police would be vigerous in their handing out of justice.

If they lend to a farang, the police may not be too quick to act.

OR

Go 50-50 with the police

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Even better;

Get a Thai to get the loan;

Let the Loan shark hassle the Thai.

Get the Thai to go to the ploice claiming there was no documentation and they thought it was a gift. (From memory consumer finance in Thailand is well controlled)

If the Thai explains to the police how fearful they are of these Keek Criminals, I think from what the wife just said to me, the police would be vigerous in their handing out of justice.

If they lend to a farang, the police may not be too quick to act.

OR

Go 50-50 with the police

You are a real thinker Matt. I like your ideas...the lads from the subcontinent may not go for you in a big way

[Khutan]

Dr Pat;

If you look close at the spreadsheet I sent you you will see what company I work for.

I have had to travel there about 10 times, and I have been amazed by how little life seems to mean.

Like - Being offered 10 year old girls at a truck stop.

Being offered young girls for free if I bought a Kashmir carpet.

Watching people deficate in the street.

Watching the police fire live ammunition into a Bus Drivers Strike.

Constantly being harassed by beggars.

Having Evian re-bottled and being sick for a onth from it

Need I go on.

BUT I got my own back....

I got to fire 120 of the most imcompetant people I have ever met from the IT industry. Apart for a very few situations the concept of Keek's doing IT work and having any value have nothing in common.

GO ON FLAME ME - I HAVE THE EMAILS TO PROVE IT !!!!!