Blogger Richard Barrow Tweets Pic Of Corrupt Thai Official

[tragickingdom]

Oops, Richard Barrow will never ever need a tax document again. He will not get an extension of his work permit and otherwise he will soon be in some kind of other trouble and that for a lousy 1000 THB

[lemoncake]

Great. I've got a car cam with sound in my car just waiting for the cops to ask for a bribe or another vehicle to cause a crash Everyone should do the same. This is something we can do to help stop corruption instead of whinging about it all the time.

Planning on getting myself one - what is it, where did you buy it, how much was it? Can you give a few details please?

(sorry, off-thread question, but then again, one could take the cam from the car to the tax office )

You will find all the answers here, just go the the last pages http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/624072-traffic-cop-loses-face-in-car-video-camera/

[AsiaCheese]

Great. I've got a car cam with sound in my car just waiting for the cops to ask for a bribe or another vehicle to cause a crash Everyone should do the same. This is something we can do to help stop corruption instead of whinging about it all the time.

Planning on getting myself one - what is it, where did you buy it, how much was it? Can you give a few details please?

(sorry, off-thread question, but then again, one could take the cam from the car to the tax office )

You will find all the answers here, just go the the last pages http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/624072-traffic-cop-loses-face-in-car-video-camera/

Thanks a bunch!

[george]

UPDATE:

RichardBarrow: British citizens, if you try to bribe a Thai government official here in Thailand you may face imprisonment in the UK http://t.co/nB3jEPq9mG

[gentlebreeze]

Fair play to you Richard!!!

Most thai corrupt officials think it's the "NORM" to bribe farangs because it is acceptable and ignored by the authorities and corrupt police whom themselves are experts in duping Money from non nationals at every opportunity.

It really is time that the Thai goverment woke up and smelt the coffee and realises that these non nationals and guests to their country already help and spend a great deal of their hard earned cash investing and bulking up the Thai tourist industry and unless they get their fingers out of their fat pockets and take action then unrepairable damage will hit their economy and tourists and so called " STUPID FARANGS" will vote and show their fastest ion and anger with their feet!

[Chua]

This story offers an intriguing way to reduce corruption. Individuals who think they can extract bribes will soon loose their power once they understand they can easily be videotaped and exposed to a wide audience.

[Loptr]

Meh, he will be sued for defamation. End of story.

[Guest]

The coming Google Glasses and similar devices might have a good chance to change the life in the corrupted society. While wearing the glasses, corrupted officials can not really tell if the bribe request is recorded or not and then put to Youtube.

[Thai at Heart]

So what will Mr Mark Kent do about it when we report it to him or the honoury consulates in the regions ,there is only one answer " NOTHING "

so why make such a stupid statement.

It's your responsibility to not pay the bribe, and make sure you don't get caught, not his. Edited March 11, 2013 by Thai at Heart

[MongersSyndicate]

Some farangs' idealism is so annoying. Corruption works both ways. Those same mere 1,000 bahts could get you out of trouble somewhere and save you days instead of going through all the official red tape and formalities... If one hates "corruption" so much, why not take up residency in Florida or Spain if that is your thing. But no, they have to bring their "upholder of Anglo good-boy morality" everywhere they go

Time to realize that most of the things that make Thailand such a great alternative to live for farangs are precisely all those little things that go against mainstream Anglo morality.

While they're at it, those guys could also militate for mandatory social security and retirement plans, welfare benefits, road safety, women equality, mass immigration and against tax evasion and pretty soon it will be just as expensive, limitative and boring as your regular Euro/US/Australian watering hole. Farangs in the end are creating their own hell.

"Until the end, I will remain a child of Europe, of worry and of shame; I don't have any hopeful message to deliver. For the Western world, I
don't feel hate, at the most an utter contempt. I only know that, as much as we are, we stink of egoism, masochism and death. We have
created a system in which it has become simply impossible to live; and furthermore, we keep exporting it." -- Michel Houellebecq ("Extension of the Field of Struggle"), author of a trilogy on the misery of human, social and sexual relationships of modern Westerners.

Edited March 11, 2013 by MongersSyndicate

[OldgitTom]

If you think Thai corruption is bad, go home & enjoy your native version. UK banks have been rigging the basic, LIBOR, interest rate for years - robbing the populace. HSBC bank has been caught laundering Mexican drug money. HSBC was set up to handle the Chinese opium trade! Wall Street & The City of London Banks make the mafia look like petty pickpockets. The bank owners are too big to prosecute, becoz they bribe & own the pols. They even get HUGE handouts from taxpayers. C'mon you guys. You came here to escape being rogered over a financial barrel in the West. Complain by all means, but don't come on like Thailand is worse than back home. There, tea money is just better hidden & legal, usually called 'taxes' - which go mostly to the banksters.

Edited March 11, 2013 by metisdead
: Font size reset to normal.

[fish fingers]

Do not you realize this officers family wwill now starve on his regular salary

Thats his choice. Funny that all thai's clicked 'Like'

sums it up really...

remember that overseas values are different to thai values.. 'Bribe to survive' isnt the answer! don't be surprised if we 'farangs' get pissed off once in a while!

[kriswillems]

I have complained about corrupt officers in the past and have reported them to every possible instance I could think of (starting with their boss). There was never any follow up. The people I called reacted almost like "the farang doesn't understand things are done this way". My opinion is that Richard doesn't have to fear anything. Thai people like to avoid direct conflicts. He won a small battle, but I would avoid any further battles if I would be him.

[kimamey]

British Ambassador to Thailand Mark Kent joined Barrow on his anti-corruption movement on Twitter by tweeting: "UK Bribery Act applies to UK citizens overseas. We encourage any UK citizen who is asked for a bribe to report it."

Report it to whom? The local police? The British embassy in Bangkok? Why on earth would they care?

Fair play to the guy if this is a true story.

Maybe Mark Kent wishes to remind the british expats that is ilegal to offer or give a bribe in any country.

Isn't that what he did?

[Charlie Cheap]

Some farangs' idealism is so annoying. Corruption works both ways. Those same mere 1,000 bahts could get you out of trouble somewhere and save you days instead of going through all the official red tape and formalities... If one hates "corruption" so much, why not take up residency in Florida or Spain if that is your thing. But no, they have to bring their "upholder of Anglo good-boy morality" everywhere they go

Time to realize that most of the things that make Thailand such a great alternative to live for farangs are precisely all those little things that go against mainstream Anglo morality.

While they're at it, those guys could also militate for mandatory social security and retirement plans, welfare benefits, road safety, women equality, mass immigration and against tax evasion and pretty soon it will be just as expensive, limitative and boring as your regular Euro/US/Australian watering hole. Farangs in the end are creating their own hell.

"Until the end, I will remain a child of Europe, of worry and of shame; I don't have any hopeful message to deliver. For the Western world, I

don't feel hate, at the most an utter contempt. I only know that, as much as we are, we stink of egoism, masochism and death. We have

created a system in which it has become simply impossible to live; and furthermore, we keep exporting it." -- Michel Houellebecq ("Extension of the Field of Struggle"), author of a trilogy on the misery of human, social and sexual relationships of modern Westerners.

Copout

[Charlie Cheap]

If you think Thai corruption is bad, go home & enjoy your native version. UK banks have been rigging the basic, LIBOR, interest rate for years - robbing the populace. HSBC bank has been caught laundering Mexican drug money. HSBC was set up to handle the Chinese opium trade! Wall Street & The City of London Banks make the mafia look like petty pickpockets. The bank owners are too big to prosecute, becoz they bribe & own the pols. They even get HUGE handouts from taxpayers. C'mon you guys. You came here to escape being rogered over a financial barrel in the West. Complain by all means, but don't come on like Thailand is worse than back home. There, tea money is just better hidden & legal, usually called 'taxes' - which go mostly to the banksters.

Copout

[skorchio]

Yes I should think false allegations (and evidence) of child pornography, or some other deviance which is rather distasteful to the general public, are going to appear with Mr. Twitter's name all over. This geezer (the Taxman) has been made to look like a <unt, and he is going to sort you out for that mate. White man don't do that to local official in this country without reprisal.

[Basil B]

UPDATE:

RichardBarrow: British citizens, if you try to bribe a Thai government official here in Thailand you may face imprisonment in the UK http://t.co/nB3jEPq9mG

Very good point, but what will the UK government's representatives in Thailand do to assist those who refuse to pay???

[fish fingers]

I like anything that challenges the accepted bribery values of thais and also the thai 'save face' BS - hence why thais are tweeting about it and at the same time pretending they arent interested

[Neeranam]

Do not you realize this officers family wwill now starve on his regular salary

Thats his choice. Funny that all thai's clicked 'Like'

sums it up really...

remember that overseas values are different to thai values.. 'Bribe to survive' isnt the answer! don't be surprised if we 'farangs' get pissed off once in a while!

What makes you think they are Thais who clicked like?

I assume you were made come and live here? You suggest that Thai people are a different species to us Westerers

[CNXTim]

Barrow and you mob of braying hounds remind me of the low-life's who spat on uniformed Diggers returning from Vietnam. If you truly care and want to make a change - go after the bas...ds who created and support the system. Shaming one foot soldier will have no effect whatsoever.

[Thaddeus]

Shaming one foot soldier will have no effect whatsoever.

It's a start, or would you prefer the alternative, silence?

Edited March 11, 2013 by Thaddeus

[Arkady]

As Seneca said, "He who scorns his own life is master of yours".

Watch out for more farang suicide attacks, Revenue officials.

[Pochana]

While i admire his bravery and stand against corruption, i also find it silly in a number of ways.

To start with corruption is a way of life here, like it or not.

The only way to get things done fast and easy is to pay someone to do it fast and easy.

The amount was rather small, so lets hope he has all his paperwork in 100% order, because rest assured he would be audited in the near future.

Yes some Thai have supported him, but just like with everything else in Thailand it passes by pretty fast.

The next year he will try to renew his visa or WP he may find a number of obstacles, not to mention being refused, as WP and Visa is not granted but up to the discretion of issuing officer.

All those claiming to have never paid any bribes, either too oblivious or talking out of their backside.

100 % agree - live and let live especially in Thailand

[Fgis]

Thank you Richard, you are so smart, soon every document or process will cost officially more and the money will be officially dispatched among officers. Why not going back home if you are looking for expensive administration processes ?

[Thaddeus]

Thank you Richard, you are so smart, soon every document or process will cost officially more and the money will be officially dispatched among officers. Why not going back home if you are looking for expensive administration processes ?

Without Richard the world would be a slightly worse place to be..... now, let's work on your epitaph.

[Fgis]

People who complain about corruption should go home. I like it and will stay here until it works this way !

[eddie61]

Meh, he will be sued for defamation. End of story.

I bet he has a lot more than 21000 followers on twit now.....The thai govt always capitulates when face is at stake..... its in the genes.. add his tweets....

[RedQualia]

Great. I've got a car cam with sound in my car just waiting for the cops to ask for a bribe or another vehicle to cause a crash Everyone should do the same. This is something we can do to help stop corruption instead of whinging about it all the time.

Maybe. On the other hand, there's something to be said for being able to give a cop a few hundred baht and be on your way, rather than spending time in traffic court and paying more. Unlikely to get out of it so cheaply in the western world.

[Satcommlee]

What his Excellency fails to understand is that there is a difference between Bribery and Extortion.

If you are caught at that traffic stop and the police demand 200 baht from you, that is Extortion..

If you offer the police 200 baht instead of getting a ticket then that is Bribery..

In this case, Barrow was being Extorted for 1000 Baht, if he had paid it then Barrow would face no consequence..

But if Barrow had tried to gain an advantage for himself by offering a bribe then he could potentially fall foul of the bribery act.

Mark Kent needs to join the real world!!