D S I Turns To Facebook To Catch Illegal Foreigners In Phuket

[webfact]

DSI turns to Facebook to catch illegal foreigners in Phuket
Phuket Gazette


DSI Deputy Director-general Yanapol Yungyuen is considering using Facebook to catch foreigners working illegally in Thailand. Photo: Saran Mitrarat

PHUKET: -- The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is considering launching a Facebook page so that people can report foreigners working illegally in Thailand by uploading photos directly onto the Internet.

The news came after DSI Deputy Director-general Yanapol Yungyuen heard a slew of complaints from Phuket business owners at a meeting in Cherng Talay yesterday.

“I will open an official email address to specifically receive complaints, and we can also start a Facebook page, which might be easier for users to upload photos and tag them,” Pol Col Yanapol said.

“If anyone sees a foreigner working without a work permit or working in an occupation reserved for Thais, please take a photo of them and send it to us,” he urged.

After making it clear that foreign guides were still operating seemingly unhindered in Phuket, Supachai Wattanaparinton, Vice-President of the Phuket Professional Guide Association (PGA), went on to bring up the issue of Thai nominees.

“Foreigners use Thai people to register companies, but only give them a little money in return. I saw a woman who was the ‘owner’ of a tourist company riding an old motorbike and living in a tiny rental room,” Mr Supachai said to illustrate his point.

“I hear that tourism can generate a great deal of income for Thailand, but in fact, very little of that money from tourism goes to Thais. The money paid upfront in countries abroad never enters Thailand,” he told those at the meeting.

“Thais can generate a little money through transportation and shopping, but now foreigners also are coming to 'steal' that income from us,” he added.

Samart Duwao, a taxi driver, brought the DSI’s attention to the fact that it is easy for foreigners to operate black plate taxis to and from the airport.

“A foreigner can just rent a car and pick up passengers at the airport. It’s too hard for law enforcement agencies to check because they can just claim they are picking up a friend,” Mr Samart explained.


“I want government officers to look into this problem,” he said.

Kitti Panmai, a restaurant owner who attended the meeting, expressed his concern not that foreigners were operating restaurants, but was worried that restaurant reviews were written on the wrong criteria.

“Please do not slander a restaurant because those working their can’t speak your native tongue. Restaurants should be compared based on the quality and taste of their food,” he told those present.

Col Yanapol set to address the many concerns expressed at the meeting as it drew to a close.

“About the taxi situation, I would suggest using meters to provide transparency and show passengers that you are giving them a fair price so they trust the services of local taxis. As for the restaurants, I don’t see this as a critical situation,” Col Yanapol explained.

“Government officers need the cooperation of every department, as well as villagers, in tackling these problems,” he said. “I’m afraid we will affect the tourism image of Thailand, but this will not affect the income of Thais too much, because tourists pay for tour packages in their home country.”

“Every service that a company uses should be reasonably taxed, because it will provide revenue for Thailand – Thailand must receive full benefits from the tourism industry,” Col Yanapol said.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/DSI-turns-to-Facebook-to-catch-illegal-foreigners-in-Phuket-20886.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2013-04-26

[webfact]

‘Help us target illegal foreign firms in Phuket’ – DSI
Nattha Thepbamrung


The Deputy Director of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) Pol Lt Col Yannapon Yangyeun.

PHUKET: -- The Deputy Director of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has called on the people of Phuket to submit pictures and videos of illegal foreign businesses in action.

At a meeting with local authorities and local businesses, including taxi drivers, restaurant owners and tour guides in Cherng Talay yesterday (April 25) the Deputy Director, Pol Lt Col Yannapon Yangyeun, said, “Local people are the best option for keeping an eye out for illegal businesses.

“If you see foreigners working illegally, take pictures and send them to us. We will deal with it.”

Panompon Thammachatniyom, President of Phuket Tour Guide Association, said in the meeting that he wants more serious action from all departments involved to stop foreigners working illegally as tour guides.

“There have been many attempts but all have failed, yet there are many foreigners as guides in plain daylight all over the island.

Jaifu Saelee, a Chinese-speaking Thai tour guide complained, “I speak Chinese as my mother tongue but I cannot compete with the illegal Chinese guides imported from China, who say bad things about Thailand and damage Thailand’s image.”

He said that the illegal Chinese tour guides “have no standard of service” and do not know much about Thailand but “always talk about Phuket and Thailand in a bad way”.

He added that Chinese-speaking tour guides will visit Provincial Hall on Monday (April 29) to present a letter of protest to the Governor.

Mr Panompon complained, “The illegal foreign businesses always say they bring large amounts of money to Thailand but after I checked, I found that their monthly accounts show a loss. Thailand might get around 10 per cent of that ‘large amount of money’; the rest goes back to their home country.

“It’s not fair because Thai people pay the taxes that are used to build the infrastructure that the foreign companies use.”

Labour Development Office Chief, Nimit Kangkajit, revealed in the meeting that there are 3,366 businesses in Phuket with legal foreign shareholdings of less than 50 per cent – 1,748 in Muang District, 544 in Thalang and 1,074 in Kathu.

“We have adapted the regulations to the situation. Now companies with foreign shareholders must send the report of their income to us,” said Mr Nimit.

A multiplicity of complaints were aired in the meeting. Taxi representatives complained once again that illegal Russian taxi services are still available in the area. Some of them use normal saloon cars so that no one can figure out the if the people in the car are tourists with a driver or just a group of friends.

The restaurant representatives said that staff of a Russian restaurant at Bang Tao beach frequently tell Russian customers to avoid local restaurants because they are unhygienic and provide poor service.

“We don’t mind foreign businesses provided they are legal, but let’s compete fairly,” one of the restaurant representatives said.

After the meeting, Col Yannapon promised that the DSI would do its best to investigate and suppress the foreign wrongdoers.

“We take action seriously in every case. It is not fair for Thailand to have this kind of business,” he said.

And he warned, “Nominee shareholders who help foreigners set up illegal businesses in return for a little money should realise that they will be in trouble when the foreigners run away from Thailand. It’s not worth it.

“Phuket, Samui, Pattaya and Chiang Mai all have the same kind of problems, which seem to be increasing.”

He said that the DSI team have checked and will continue to check many aspects of suspected business including taxes paid, their business licenses or work permits. However, cooperation from local people is the most important thing.

Anyone having photographs or videos can send them to Pol Lt Col Somboon Sarasit, email [email protected], tel 085 660 0845.

The DSI is also considering launching an official Facebook page to which pictures and videos of suspected illegal foreign businesses or workers in action can be uploaded.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/%E2%80%98help-us-target-illegal-foreign-firms-in-phuket%E2%80%99-dsi-38966.php


-- Phuket News 2013-04-26

[dezy1801]

“We don’t mind foreign businesses provided they are legal, but let’s compete fairly,” one of the restaurant representatives said

[KED]

and what facebook page should Jet Ski scams and mafia taxi operators be sent?

[retell]

well racism roars its ugly head in public

so the next time i see a foreigner working i will ask for show me his/her WP and if they want to pose for me on a picture

i'm sure they will al comply smiling

[retell]

and what facebook page should Jet Ski scams and mafia taxi operators be sent?

www.facebook.com/Thaitrashbin

online now

Edited April 26, 2013 by retell

[cmiuc]

Can you imagine the chaos...most thais live on facebook, so everyones pic will be on facebook...too much for DSI to follow up on....meanwhile the innocent stand with the guilty...again the purpose? Has FB become an international court of law... overwhelming to say the least on this brain scam...

[CrisRMenumate]

next they will start saying that people who make comments on ThaiVisa need a work permit because it is a kind of labor to do this... Big Brother with small brain is watching...

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

if there weren't so many rip off taxi's then I think so called black plate taxi's would not exist.

What's next black plate jet ski's?

How about fixing all the broken corrupt stuff in Thailand?

REALITY BOMB

[Thaddeus]

"We are inept and completely incapable of doing the job assigned, please do it for us"

"We're a bit on the lazy side as well"

[zappalot]

When do western countries apply same laws to Thais moving to the west?

Thais who come to Germany through marriage for example can open a business/start to work right away "stealing income and work from germans" (what a bullshit, I know. Not much brain around in Thailand but even high ranked officials suck...)

[animatic]

So the Phuket police encouraging the general public, meaning Thais in competing industries,

to publicly out people as illegals on Facebook with absolutely no idea if they are legal or not?

And at the instigation of the Taxi Mafia, whining about saloon cars, so that can't tell who's in them...

So much for due process and rule of law (5555555) as if it had a chance.

Basically in hard times the evil up their game.

[Payboy]

I hear that tourism can generate a great deal of income for Thailand, but in fact, very little of that money from tourism goes to Thais.

It would if Thais would put in more effort to do a better job at a competitive price, instead relying on their govt to put protectionist obstacles to promote substandard services at higher cost.

[jbrain]

“Foreigners use Thai people to register companies, but only give them a little money in return. I saw a woman who was the ‘owner’ of a tourist company riding an old motorbike and living in a tiny rental room,” Mr Supachai said to illustrate his point.

“I hear that tourism can generate a great deal of income for Thailand, but in fact, very little of that money from tourism goes to Thais. The money paid upfront in countries abroad never enters Thailand,” he told those at the meeting.

I want it all I want it all I want it all and I want it now ( courtesy of Freddy Mercury )

[Docno]

When do western countries apply same laws to Thais moving to the west?

Thais who come to Germany through marriage for example can open a business/start to work right away "stealing income and work from germans" (what a bullshit, I know. Not much brain around in Thailand but even high ranked officials suck...)

Western countries are unusual in this regard (and I'm sure so-called Western countries vary in their policies too). Here where I live in Singapore, it's not so easy for a spouse to start working. Also, Thais can only be hired to do certain kinds of work. They cannot be maids here, for instance (that's reserved for Filipinas, Indonesians, and Sri Lankans). I don't think anyone would accuse Singapore of 'lacking brains', but that's how it works here...

[bangkokrick]

and what facebook page should Jet Ski scams and mafia taxi operators be sent?

Try this one.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002210836697&fref=ts

[ajarnmarc]

People around the world, but especially here, think they have somehow gone up in status by having a FB page...yet social media is just advertising yourself for everyone to see and for sure the long arm of the law, your exgirlfriends, ex-wives, tax collectors ect are looking through before they leave the office. We are just blindly making the people who want to find us, or know about us, all that much more easier...people in Thailand, and probably around the world think they are so smart because they are posted for all to see and comment on. I just don't get it-why?

When people ask me, do you have a FB page, which lately has been more often than I care to count; I say why would I want to be posted on a stupid site, how does it benefit me?

[retell]

as far as i know the foreigners are the ones making the viasruns ,pay income tax ,renewWP fee, company tax ,employ staff , make the tourist destinations worth for the tourists , are the ones that have a decent webpage in english , and so on

but offcourse after all the hard work is done there is always someone who want to claim it as their work

[Equalizer]

Oh i see, take a picture of someone driving from the airport with a few people in the back and this is evidence enough to begin making arrests. There have been bar owners in Pattaya who only drink in there and have been fined up to 50,000 bht for shaking hands with people. One guy got fined for doing the 4 balls in a golf bar and writing up the days events on his PC to send to the Pattaya mail. Do these people not understand that the foreign customers come to see the guy who ownes the bar in a social setting and that without him the bar would not get customers and this would result in loss of jobs for the service staff etc. Yanapol Yungyuen listen to me sir, you people are racist and look at foreigners as a load of Buffalo who you think are here to line your pockets. Look to yourselves first, Jet Ski scams, Taxi scams, raping of femail tourists, false imprisonment of tourist are rife. Murder of tourists. Bailing murderers purely for financial gain. You expect us to be a walking wallet that you can plunder at will sir. Well you can but you set the sceen and now people are sick of it and playing you at your own game.

[monkeycountry]

“Phuket, Samui, Pattaya and Chiang Mai all have the same kind of problems, which seem to be increasing.”

Dunno about the other places, but on Samui according to both local Thai business/hotel owners and their customers, the only problem is the Thai taxi mafia. This small group are behind the vast majority of complaints from the tourists, behind a large proportion of the crimes and scams committed, behind most traffic jams, and none of them have ever paid any taxes. Yet they are always the ones complaining about everyone else.

I urge the authorities to make a survey on Samui, amongst registered voters only, and ask what they think is a bigger problem? The Thai taxis on Samui, or the problems mentioned in the OP?

[Equalizer]

When do western countries apply same laws to Thais moving to the west?

Thais who come to Germany through marriage for example can open a business/start to work right away "stealing income and work from germans" (what a bullshit, I know. Not much brain around in Thailand but even high ranked officials suck...)

Western countries are unusual in this regard (and I'm sure so-called Western countries vary in their policies too). Here where I live in Singapore, it's not so easy for a spouse to start working. Also, Thais can only be hired to do certain kinds of work. They cannot be maids here, for instance (that's reserved for Filipinas, Indonesians, and Sri Lankans). I don't think anyone would accuse Singapore of 'lacking brains', but that's how it works here...

So Singapore is backwards also

[chrisinth]

When do western countries apply same laws to Thais moving to the west?

Thais who come to Germany through marriage for example can open a business/start to work right away "stealing income and work from germans" (what a bullshit, I know. Not much brain around in Thailand but even high ranked officials suck...)

But look at the other nationalities that Germany also allow into the country to do exactly the same.

Germany has its laws, Thailand has its own. Ask yourself which is better for protecting the 'homeland', who has it right?................

[madmitch]

I think this is possibly the most xenophobic article I have read in Thailand, and that is saying something.

They seem to conveniently forget the upside of foreign businesses, as mentioned in Retell's post above.

[monkeycountry]

The authorities should ask themselves why there are no problems with foreigners operating taxis etc. in Bangkok?

The answer of course is that most taxi's in Bangkok operate legally (with a meter), so there is no market for foreign operated ones.

[spermwhale]

Soon he'd have us wearing yellow stars on our clothing to show we are legal. Maybe he will also push to have us all live in the same neighborhood too.

Edited April 26, 2013 by spermwhale

[thelongshoot]

Stupid, moronic, capricious, unkind and backward thinking. Sometimes, most of the time recently, the Thais anger me to a point that I want to line every one of them up and slap some sense into them. The notion that anyone can simply take a picture of any random Westerner and post on a website for all to see that they are "illegal" is unbelievable.

And as for the that d1ck of a DSI chief.... As if the audience isnt ignorant and dim witted enough, he goes and tells them that 'only a tiny percent of the tourist money actualy goes to Thais". Incredible. What is the average price of flights for a family of three from Europe? $2500? How much would they spend in Thailand whilst here on the hotel, eating out and day to day stuff? The same again im betting.

And the ex pats spend ALL of there money here. I alone pump around 300,000 baht a month into this country and just one of tens of thousands of ex-pats who have a healthy monthly income.

Absolutley full of <deleted>. The lot of them.

[Rorri]

Well, I see this as an invasion of privacy, therefore we should petition Facebook to close the site.

[Richard Hall]

When do western countries apply same laws to Thais moving to the west?

Thais who come to Germany through marriage for example can open a business/start to work right away "stealing income and work from germans" (what a bullshit, I know. Not much brain around in Thailand but even high ranked officials suck...)

Western countries are unusual in this regard (and I'm sure so-called Western countries vary in their policies too). Here where I live in Singapore, it's not so easy for a spouse to start working. Also, Thais can only be hired to do certain kinds of work. They cannot be maids here, for instance (that's reserved for Filipinas, Indonesians, and Sri Lankans). I don't think anyone would accuse Singapore of 'lacking brains', but that's how it works here...

So Singapore is backwards also

Nope. Compared to Germany they ain't tend to live in a dreamworld where all people are good and law-abiding citizens and hence got the appropriate laws. So has Thailand.

[Minnehaha]

"Mr Panompon complained, “The illegal foreign businesses always say they bring large amounts of money to Thailand but after I checked, I found that their monthly accounts show a loss. Thailand might get around 10 per cent of that ‘large amount of money’; the rest goes back to their home country."

1. I was managing director for a Thai company, owned by a Thai national, who happened to be half Thai but born here before the laws changed. He is 100% Thai, ID, votes, everything. But he looks like a foreigner, although speaks Thai fluently cause he was raised here. He was lucky to have a father who believed in his start up and they plowed money into it for many years, employing hundreds of Thais, and when it came time to claim back the withheld tax while the tax loss carryforward was in effect, the revenue dept said No. I took a lawyer and pointed out this was illegal. The Thais said there is no way a Foreigner or any person would logically put this much money in a business to make it run a profit. And if we took them to court they would examine every return to find a penny out of place and fine us the maximum amount. I pointed out again and again that he was not a foreigner. The owner was Thai. The Revenue Dept officer smiled. It is still in the courts.

2. This representative of tourist agency thinks all the money stays abroad. Well, that may be true but its between his companies and the international agencies they do business with not the Tourists here or the local operators.

3. Again, I think if it really does start to happen, we should send them pictures of friends who live back home and give addresses and fake info and FILL THAT MAIL INBOX with leads for them to look through until they drown. It would be fun to see my mates posted on their facebook page. Many would get a laugh.

Thai government and Thai people really do not like foreigners. Its an interesting dynamic.

[mancub]

The fact that this deputy is also a police colonel says all we need to know.!