Phuket Russians Targeted In Thai New Year Crackdown

[webfact]

Phuket Russians targeted in Thai New Year crackdown
Phuket Gazette


Kathu District Chief Weera Kerdsirimongkol. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- Kathu District Chief Weera Kerdsirimongkol, who took up his position in Phuket less than a month ago, will target Russians, Nepalese and Vietnamese working illegally in Phuket, starting on April 14, the first day of the Thai new Year, he told a Provincial Hall meeting yesterday.

“Initially, we will work with Phuket Employment Office and issue warnings to businesses involving foreigners and we will post public notices. The raids will start on April 14,” he said.

“We will target Russian, Nepalese and Vietnamese businesses. We have received a lot of complaints from Thai people accusing Russians of stealing their jobs. The raids will also target Vietnamese and Nepalese working illegally on the island,” he added.

Vice Governor Somkiet Sangkaosuttirak explained that the crackdown follows Governor Maitri Inthusut ordering each of Phuket’s three vice governors to step up law enforcement on illegal foreign nationals in each of Phuket’s three districts.

“Each vice governor has one district in which to follow up and suppress foreigners working illegally and foreigners using Thai nominees to set up companies. Kathu District is my responsibility,” V/Gov Somkiet explained.

“Our team has to carefully distinguish which foreigners are genuine tourists and which foreigners are businessmen pretending to be tourists and using Thai nominees to open businesses,” he added.

According to Mr Weera, 3,017 work permits have been issued to foreigners in Kathu District, which includes Phuket’s key resort town of Patong. Of those, only 221 have been issued to Russians.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Phuket-Russians-targeted-in-Thai-New-Year-crackdown-20558.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-03-20

[Chicog]

"We have received a lot of complaints from Thai people accusing Russians of stealing their jobs."

They do make me laugh!

[Jimi007]

As usual, let's blame all the problems here in Phuket on the foreigners...

[thaicbr]

It would be a good day when they sort out the taxi and tuktuk Mafia. But that will never happen as its mostly a family concern... most Phuket local politicians and governors are in on it..

[Judo Chop]

If they truly wanted to catch these illegal workers, they would not have announced the raid.

[keestha]

Vietnamese businesses? What Vietnamese businesses are there in Phuket? Enlighten me.

[NamKangMan]

Vietnamese businesses? What Vietnamese businesses are there in Phuket? Enlighten me.

No Vietnamese businesses, but plenty of Vietnamese staff. They work hard, and for cheaper. Of course, they are only employed by Thai's. If a farang employed them, they would be raided in a few days.

Funny how there is no crackdown on Burmese. :)

[eezergood]

They can come to my condo, 3 or 4 have seem to have set up a mobile tour business - that aside I do love these raids on illegal workers! <removed> me go to any building site in ANY provence & show me a Thai labour force

Edited March 21, 2013 by LivinginKata
email removd as per forum rules

[NamKangMan]

This crackdown on illegal Russian workers is only happening on "Planet Phuket."

Go to Pattaya and you will see it's business as usual up there. Thousands of Russian package holiday tourists, with their bus for transport and their guide/interpreter to help them with everyday necessities.

Also, Russians working on tour desks. If the Russian tourist's can't speak English, and a Thai tour desk sales person can't speak Russian, how do the "influential people" on Phuket hope to sell them anything, thus, make money????

In Pattaya, everyone's making some money, including corrupt payments, and the Russian tourists are happy.

Phuket will lose the Russian market completely if they lock all the Russian workers up and deport them. The Russian package holiday operators will just sell Pattaya holiday packages because they can offer a better service to their customers in Pattaya, and no doubt, at a cheaper price.

[cup-O-coffee]

I am sure it is not as bad as it seems. This is the usual pomp and circumstance they emit from their asses before they go cherry picking at selected outlets. Thais like foreign influence to show them how to do business until they think (HAH!... they think) they know how to do it themselves. Then they get the crackdowns going to cut out the foreign competition that taught them how to do it and attracted all the foreign customers in the first place. Then the Thais monopolize the demographic and make it F.U.B.A.R. in a matter of months and the market dries up, and the foreign small businesses come back and the cycle begins all over again. Don't believe me? Just watch NAT GEO and observe how a stray monkey comes into a troop of monkeys and sordidly moves up the chain of seniority until he is the troop leader.

[muratremix]

Not just in Phuket but they also work illegally in small vendors at Central Plaza, selling dead sea cosmetics. I think they work illegal because they almost never use Thai people to sell cosmetics and they need 4 thai per one work permit. They have several Russian ladies working on different Central plazas trying to sell these dead sea products. Unless they own a factory where they employ 100s of Thais to make this much work permit for Russians, they are doing it the illegal way.

[Wombat6]

Vietnamese businesses? What Vietnamese businesses are there in Phuket? Enlighten me.

No Vietnamese businesses, but plenty of Vietnamese staff. They work hard, and for cheaper. Of course, they are only employed by Thai's. If a farang employed them, they would be raided in a few days.

Funny how there is no crackdown on Burmese.

Or Indians........where are all the Thai Shirt sellers gone ???? Most Shops selling shirts around Soi Banghla are staffed by Indians.

[Wombat6]

This crackdown on illegal Russian workers is only happening on "Planet Phuket."

Go to Pattaya and you will see it's business as usual up there. Thousands of Russian package holiday tourists, with their bus for transport and their guide/interpreter to help them with everyday necessities.

Also, Russians working on tour desks. If the Russian tourist's can't speak English, and a Thai tour desk sales person can't speak Russian, how do the "influential people" on Phuket hope to sell them anything, thus, make money????

In Pattaya, everyone's making some money, including corrupt payments, and the Russian tourists are happy.

Phuket will lose the Russian market completely if they lock all the Russian workers up and deport them. The Russian package holiday operators will just sell Pattaya holiday packages because they can offer a better service to their customers in Pattaya, and no doubt, at a cheaper price.

What a load of crap. The largest number of Tourists to Phuket are Australians...ok....some Thais speak English....but you don't see Australians working there...ie Australian Touts trying to sell Australian Hookers...???

[Kananga]

This crackdown on illegal Russian workers is only happening on "Planet Phuket."

Go to Pattaya and you will see it's business as usual up there. Thousands of Russian package holiday tourists, with their bus for transport and their guide/interpreter to help them with everyday necessities.

Also, Russians working on tour desks. If the Russian tourist's can't speak English, and a Thai tour desk sales person can't speak Russian, how do the "influential people" on Phuket hope to sell them anything, thus, make money????

In Pattaya, everyone's making some money, including corrupt payments, and the Russian tourists are happy.

Phuket will lose the Russian market completely if they lock all the Russian workers up and deport them. The Russian package holiday operators will just sell Pattaya holiday packages because they can offer a better service to their customers in Pattaya, and no doubt, at a cheaper price.

What a load of crap. The largest number of Tourists to Phuket are Australians...ok....some Thais speak English....but you don't see Australians working there...ie Australian Touts trying to sell Australian Hookers...???

Well thats one thing to be thankful for.

[axel2001]

This crackdown on illegal Russian workers is only happening on "Planet Phuket."

Go to Pattaya and you will see it's business as usual up there. Thousands of Russian package holiday tourists, with their bus for transport and their guide/interpreter to help them with everyday necessities.

Also, Russians working on tour desks. If the Russian tourist's can't speak English, and a Thai tour desk sales person can't speak Russian, how do the "influential people" on Phuket hope to sell them anything, thus, make money????

In Pattaya, everyone's making some money, including corrupt payments, and the Russian tourists are happy.

Phuket will lose the Russian market completely if they lock all the Russian workers up and deport them. The Russian package holiday operators will just sell Pattaya holiday packages because they can offer a better service to their customers in Pattaya, and no doubt, at a cheaper price.

What a load of crap. The largest number of Tourists to Phuket are Australians...ok....some Thais speak English....but you don't see Australians working there...ie Australian Touts trying to sell Australian Hookers...???

Just let you know

"China (22 per cent), Russia (15 per cent), Australia (10 per cent), South Korea (9 per cent) and Malaysia (4 per cent)."

[tragickingdom]

Russians account for 15% of the tourists and for 27% of Phuket's income from tourism. It makes much more sense to protect them and to go after the taxi and Tuk-tuk mafia or the Thai companies ripping the Russian tourists off. If I were Putin I would immediately tell my fellow Russians that Burma has gorgeous resorts and that they would be welcomed there.

[netcyberg]

Crime has no nationality. Deal with it.

But Thais in Phuket clearly do not understand it instead waging a racisms and
nationality hassle all over.

[a bkk]

The Dead Sea Product Sales People I spoke to said, I repeat said, they were Israeli. I think most Tailors here (Thailand in General) have Nepalese staff, I don't know why, maybe its because they look Indian but speak English with less of an accent(?) or are tolerated better by Thais?

Edited March 21, 2013 by athenabkk

[cnx355]

About Nepalese staff, iIspoke to a few in Kho Samui ( tour guide on boat trip and many selling stuff in shops ) and Chiangmai ( working in shop and night bazar). Yes, they can speak English ! They have Burmese ID Card and came from Burma. I guess they moved from Nepal to Burma in the past with their family.

[Fishface]

Its just possible the Russians may crack open and expose this silly Thailand for what it is. Silly pointless laws that can be bought and arrested with a wry smile. Too many Russians on not so many police and its-- its sooo hot today,--lets arrest them tomorrow.

[NamKangMan]

This crackdown on illegal Russian workers is only happening on "Planet Phuket."

Go to Pattaya and you will see it's business as usual up there. Thousands of Russian package holiday tourists, with their bus for transport and their guide/interpreter to help them with everyday necessities.

Also, Russians working on tour desks. If the Russian tourist's can't speak English, and a Thai tour desk sales person can't speak Russian, how do the "influential people" on Phuket hope to sell them anything, thus, make money????

In Pattaya, everyone's making some money, including corrupt payments, and the Russian tourists are happy.

Phuket will lose the Russian market completely if they lock all the Russian workers up and deport them. The Russian package holiday operators will just sell Pattaya holiday packages because they can offer a better service to their customers in Pattaya, and no doubt, at a cheaper price.

What a load of crap. The largest number of Tourists to Phuket are Australians...ok....some Thais speak English....but you don't see Australians working there...ie Australian Touts trying to sell Australian Hookers...???

So a country with only 22 million population is Phuket's biggest tourist market. Really???? Give me a break. It's been annouced, just today, that the Chinese are the biggest and make up 22%.

The Thai's speak enough English to get by working to cater for English speaking tourist. The Thai's speak ZERO Russian. That means they can't sell them anything, the Russians can't buy anything from them, and that means a loss of money that could be earned, if they were to allow some Russian to work in the tourism industry.

As for "but you don't see Australians working there" - every second bar is some form of "Aussie Bar." Who do you think own them, Germans????

You are certainly living up to you avatar. :) :)

[stevenl]

This crackdown on illegal Russian workers is only happening on "Planet Phuket."

Go to Pattaya and you will see it's business as usual up there. Thousands of Russian package holiday tourists, with their bus for transport and their guide/interpreter to help them with everyday necessities.

Also, Russians working on tour desks. If the Russian tourist's can't speak English, and a Thai tour desk sales person can't speak Russian, how do the "influential people" on Phuket hope to sell them anything, thus, make money????

In Pattaya, everyone's making some money, including corrupt payments, and the Russian tourists are happy.

Phuket will lose the Russian market completely if they lock all the Russian workers up and deport them. The Russian package holiday operators will just sell Pattaya holiday packages because they can offer a better service to their customers in Pattaya, and no doubt, at a cheaper price.

What a load of crap. The largest number of Tourists to Phuket are Australians...ok....some Thais speak English....but you don't see Australians working there...ie Australian Touts trying to sell Australian Hookers...???

So a country with only 22 million population is Phuket's biggest tourist market. Really???? Give me a break. It's been annouced, just today, that the Chinese are the biggest and make up 22%.

The Thai's speak enough English to get by working to cater for English speaking tourist. The Thai's speak ZERO Russian. That means they can't sell them anything, the Russians can't buy anything from them, and that means a loss of money that could be earned, if they were to allow some Russian to work in the tourism industry.

As for "but you don't see Australians working there" - every second bar is some form of "Aussie Bar." Who do you think own them, Germans????

You are certainly living up to you avatar.

Of course Russians are allowed to work in the tourism industry. But just like other nationalities they need to have workpermits and correct visa.

[NamKangMan]

Not just in Phuket but they also work illegally in small vendors at Central Plaza, selling dead sea cosmetics. I think they work illegal because they almost never use Thai people to sell cosmetics and they need 4 thai per one work permit. They have several Russian ladies working on different Central plazas trying to sell these dead sea products. Unless they own a factory where they employ 100s of Thais to make this much work permit for Russians, they are doing it the illegal way.

Which is better for the Phuket economy and tourism?

Allowing a Russian girl to sell Dead Sea cosmetics, or arresting the Russian girl and deporting her, then putting in a Thai to do the job, and then selling nothing, so the business ends and the Thai is out of a job as well????

The Russian girl is probably only making enough to enjoy living here for a while. It's not like she is making thousands of dollars and sending it home to Russia every month. She has to pay for accommodation, food, transport etc etc. It all keeps the local economy ticking over.

If they allow her to sell Dead Sea cosmetics, she creates a job for a Thai simply by living here and being a consumer.

Sure, don't allow foreign waiters/waitresses and barmen/barmaids etc etc but the Thai's can not speak ANY Russian. If they want the Russian tourism market, they will have to make some allowances.

[NamKangMan]

This crackdown on illegal Russian workers is only happening on "Planet Phuket."

Go to Pattaya and you will see it's business as usual up there. Thousands of Russian package holiday tourists, with their bus for transport and their guide/interpreter to help them with everyday necessities.

Also, Russians working on tour desks. If the Russian tourist's can't speak English, and a Thai tour desk sales person can't speak Russian, how do the "influential people" on Phuket hope to sell them anything, thus, make money????

In Pattaya, everyone's making some money, including corrupt payments, and the Russian tourists are happy.

Phuket will lose the Russian market completely if they lock all the Russian workers up and deport them. The Russian package holiday operators will just sell Pattaya holiday packages because they can offer a better service to their customers in Pattaya, and no doubt, at a cheaper price.

What a load of crap. The largest number of Tourists to Phuket are Australians...ok....some Thais speak English....but you don't see Australians working there...ie Australian Touts trying to sell Australian Hookers...???

So a country with only 22 million population is Phuket's biggest tourist market. Really???? Give me a break. It's been annouced, just today, that the Chinese are the biggest and make up 22%.

The Thai's speak enough English to get by working to cater for English speaking tourist. The Thai's speak ZERO Russian. That means they can't sell them anything, the Russians can't buy anything from them, and that means a loss of money that could be earned, if they were to allow some Russian to work in the tourism industry.

As for "but you don't see Australians working there" - every second bar is some form of "Aussie Bar." Who do you think own them, Germans????

You are certainly living up to you avatar.

Of course Russians are allowed to work in the tourism industry. But just like other nationalities they need to have workpermits and correct visa.

They are not allowed to work in the occupations where, in my opinion, they are most needed in order to make the Russian tourism market a success - tour guide and translator.

[stevenl]

What a load of crap. The largest number of Tourists to Phuket are Australians...ok....some Thais speak English....but you don't see Australians working there...ie Australian Touts trying to sell Australian Hookers...???

This crackdown on illegal Russian workers is only happening on "Planet Phuket."

Go to Pattaya and you will see it's business as usual up there. Thousands of Russian package holiday tourists, with their bus for transport and their guide/interpreter to help them with everyday necessities.

Also, Russians working on tour desks. If the Russian tourist's can't speak English, and a Thai tour desk sales person can't speak Russian, how do the "influential people" on Phuket hope to sell them anything, thus, make money????

In Pattaya, everyone's making some money, including corrupt payments, and the Russian tourists are happy.

Phuket will lose the Russian market completely if they lock all the Russian workers up and deport them. The Russian package holiday operators will just sell Pattaya holiday packages because they can offer a better service to their customers in Pattaya, and no doubt, at a cheaper price.

So a country with only 22 million population is Phuket's biggest tourist market. Really???? Give me a break. It's been annouced, just today, that the Chinese are the biggest and make up 22%.

The Thai's speak enough English to get by working to cater for English speaking tourist. The Thai's speak ZERO Russian. That means they can't sell them anything, the Russians can't buy anything from them, and that means a loss of money that could be earned, if they were to allow some Russian to work in the tourism industry.

As for "but you don't see Australians working there" - every second bar is some form of "Aussie Bar." Who do you think own them, Germans????

You are certainly living up to you avatar.

Of course Russians are allowed to work in the tourism industry. But just like other nationalities they need to have workpermits and correct visa.

They are not allowed to work in the occupations where, in my opinion, they are most needed in order to make the Russian tourism market a success - tour guide and translator.

Why don't you say what you want to in the first place, in stead of coming with qualifying statements later.

[justathought]

The Russians beat the living day lights out of foreigners they accuse of stealing their jobs. And usually these are Russians but not ethnic slavs such as chechens and other Asian Russians who have the right to work but are treated as foreigners in a very brutal manner

[stevenl]

The Russians beat the living day lights out of foreigners they accuse of stealing their jobs. And usually these are Russians but not ethnic slavs such as chechens and other Asian Russians who have the right to work but are treated as foreigners in a very brutal manner

Are we still talking about Phuket here?

[belg]

yes because that is the main problem in phuket, right ?

what about enforcing the public busses and not givin into pressure of the taxi and tuk tuk maffia ?

because tourists need to be ripped off so everybody overthere can have a good life

have competetion and choice, no way...

i wonder how the trains will be able to stop or go trough phuket if they ever build the 2200 billion infrastructure

[VINCENT2012]

workers stealing their jobs.....! what an accusation from old fashion idiots.

it reminds me in europe 25 years ago before the CEE,spain or italy had the same stupid laws regarding foreigners, when germany where i was at that time working in a 5 star hotel had no problem to give stay and work permit to everyboddy at once.THEY where more inteligent they used us to build their country...and become the first again.

it is demonstrated that when a foreigner for example find a work like in thailand or somewhere else ...it is because they need his knowledges otherwise it is more simple and cheaper to get a local one.

especially in the tourism industry where the language is so important,in thailand still today........you can not discuss with anyboddy.

noboddy understand you in any kind of language.it is terrible.i speak myself 6 languages and i have to speak thai to get understand here.

even in english they have no idea !so how can you expect them to help with the russians? it is impossible!

the thai government shoul really consider to give work permit to people who are necessary in a business with foreigner, not only for a french chef or a top hotel manager.

[kinmaew]

How about the million Thais in the US and all over the world, are they being accused of taking local jobs or are they welcomed into society?