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

[jocko]

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

No chance Facebook would crash.

[cup-O-coffee]

It's really quite simple. All foreigners should begin to spam this facebook page with photos as much as possible; rendering it impossible to sort through. Shame on these racist scum for engaging in these tactics to profile people based on their skin color and subsequently bring them under police scrutiny as potential criminals. Fight fire with fire in this case and Spam 'em I say.

[VINCENT2012]

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...

i think we are working for the good health of thailand when we all give here our opinion.but who gives a f.u.c.k anyway....

[Paul888]

Thailand finally becomes a hub of something.

[Westaurel]

“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.

And the taxes should pay the foreign travel agency to the thai government ? I think it's enough in compensation. As in Europe all the foreign enterprises who get millions with local workers they pay taxes but get a lot of bucks sent back to the mother firm !

"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.

LOL and imagine that this foreigner is Norwegian or Spanish and speak to his nationals in his own language, how Thais who know the most only Thai and few % english too could compete against him !

Stop the bulls.... The day Thais are be able to speak one minimum Westerner language other than English we can speak back but now close your dog mouth !!

[Fullstop]

It's really quite simple. All foreigners should begin to spam this facebook page with photos as much as possible; rendering it impossible to sort through. Shame on these racist scum for engaging in these tactics to profile people based on their skin color and subsequently bring them under police scrutiny as potential criminals. Fight fire with fire in this case and Spam 'em I say.

I'd set up an anonymous email address and corresponding Facebook account for that if I was you.

[rct99q]

The point of the pre packaged tours though is a good one. Many tour operators negotiate deeply discounted rates for rooms at hotels as they guarantee to fill "x" amount of rooms. They in turn package together with local tour operators for transportation, restaurants and tour guides. These are completed through the services of a "management" company that in turn hires out local services.

By the time your $1,999 air, hotel and transfer package has been filtered out very little will end up in the hands of any local Thai person. It is a model that is used all over the world (Mexico, Caribbean and Hawaii or prime examples) of this type of practice.

The so called "backpacker" or independent traveler will leave more money in the hands of the SME businesses and local people by paying cash directly to the provider not through a management company.

Anybody working here illegally should be asked to either conform to the existing rules, stop working or leave the country. Whether the rules are fair or not or whether your home country have different rules or not, you should respect them.

[VINCENT2012]

thats why i dont go to phuket.....too many street thais looking for money only.

[jocko]

If you are not nice to me i will shop you.

Be careful.

[rct99q]

It's really quite simple. All foreigners should begin to spam this facebook page with photos as much as possible; rendering it impossible to sort through. Shame on these racist scum for engaging in these tactics to profile people based on their skin color and subsequently bring them under police scrutiny as potential criminals. Fight fire with fire in this case and Spam 'em I say.

Can you define for me how this is racist?

[VINCENT2012]

“Foreigners use Thai people to register companies, but only give them a little money in return.

1)-well if foreigners can do it ,it is because it is legal....so what kind of bullshit complain is that ? if u dont like it change the law !

“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,”

2) this is another stupid argument.if a foreigner pay for a package in a tourism agency abroad ,the agency will pay in return the hotel,air plane company fairs etc etc ..of course the money goes to thailand....! this boss person has no idea about what he is talking about.

the dsi should investigate the real local mafias, ask the government to make fair laws for foreigner entrepreneur, teach his own people about languages and tourism policy , instead of complaining that foreigner try to make business without thais.

the same way the thais dont help us, we wont help them.....arent we stupid!

[VINCENT2012]

CTRL + Q to Enable/Disable GoPhoto.it

“Foreigners use Thai people to register companies, but only give them a little money in return.

WELL LITTLE WORK ( JUST A FEW SIGNATURE)....THEY GET LITLE MONEY ( IS MORE THAN FAIR ENOUGH).

To all foreigners ,if u can ...and have a wife u can trust ....dont make companies in thailand ,it is a waste of time and money.The business on the name of your wife and sharing the spences ...you will pay really less taxes,and no paperwork.still u can have workpermit for your activity.minimum 2 m baths investment.

and no puat mua !

[jmccarty]

I only see money going from falang tourist to the Thai girls down on Walking Street. Never seen a falang bar owner get a cut!

[eezergood]

Thats why Thailand bought all those tablet PC's for kids then...................

[pizzachang]

I seriously doubt that farangs are flocking to Thailand to "steal money" from Thai people. I suspect that a real list of foreigners would show that most permanent residents have an O or O-A visa and the others (business and students visas) are more closely monitored, anyway. All the rest are here on tourist visas. Can anyone suggest another scenario? Tourists spend money and retirees spend money - much more than they could ever earn here. This breakdown leaves little room for the statements in the article - frankly, it sounds bigoted.

[Africanteacher]

Tempted to upload my boss' pic there, just for fun.

[Hecate]

I don't think Russian businesses are bad for Thailand. They're going to bring more Russian tourists here, and they spend money in Thai businesses too. It's unrealistic to expect Thais to get all of the business, especially when they don't speak Russian. Same for the Chinese.

Work permit regulations are too strict and they put off a lot of would-be expats. I can't teach without a work permit, and no one will give me one for part time work, so I don't work at all. I sit at home and read every week how there is a crisis because Thais have poor English. Maybe if Thais didn't expect us to work long hours for low pay and threaten to jail or deport us??

[wattaman]

“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,”

5 years in los and still haven't seen any foreigner driving a taxi, with or without plates. <deleted> is he talking about?!

[skorchio]

"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"

This is how you illustrate your point?

[steveyinasia]

"“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." Has this monkey been asleep for the last 20 years or so, the main issue has always been about the rip off taxi's at the airport with no meters....now he suggests this. Good luck implementing it!!!!

[Smalls]

Everyone living in Thailand for a while knows that you can do anything you want for a price. This is clear as certain bars stay open all night, frequented by police while others are closing at the "mandatory" time. Police who let you off from some moving violation for 200 baht cash instead of paying with ticket in hand at the station. Bars that clearly offer prostitution but never get shut down. It's rampant.

After being here for a while you develop a network of honest Thai business operators that you can trust. You also get to know how much things should cost which further insulates from being ripped off. However, as a tourist you're subject to heavily inflated prices based on the color of your skin. I'm not just talking about in the markets where bartering is expected. It's infuriating to me.

This is where some of the airport pick-up taxis at the airport from guesthouses (perhaps run by non-Thais) is really helpful. If you just show up to BKK or CM or Phuket, you will immediately be innundated with offers for 700-1000 baht taxis taking you to places they receive commissions from. Restaurants will have you paying 80thb or more for pad krapow and simple dishes. Room rates increase proportionately. It's unfair. I couldn't imagine working in the service industry back home and feeling good about charging Asians double, triple or more for items and services I charge a fraction of to others.

Sorry for the rant, but this hits close to home. The police should be worrying about internal corruption before they start a witch hunt for the odd foreigner offering tours, running a taxi or working in a bar. There aren't that many b/c the pay is pretty <deleted> for these services anyway. There are plenty of foreigners teaching english on tourist visas, too. What are they going to do - rip them out of the classrooms? The problem is not so much the ill intent or corruption from outside of Thailand - the problem is the corruption and greediness inside of Thailand.

*disclaimer: Thai people in general are beautiful, wonderful, generous people who are not generally trying to rip you off. However, when you arrive in the tourist destinations on holiday, you're not interacting with Thai people "in general." You are interacting with the people who are looking to make as much money as possible from a transient group of tourist who have money to spend. They will try to extract as much from you as they can get away with (for the most part) and the police/local governments are right on board.

[sirchai]

“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.

Gotta love this sentence....-

[Fullstop]

5 years in los and still haven't seen any foreigner driving a taxi

Whereas in Western countries, most of the taxi drivers are 'foreigners'.

[MobileContent]

Department of Special Investigations (DSI) are now chasing foreigners that pickup someone from the airport.

For what the labour department has a so large budget every year. They should just stay 2 -3 days at the airport to investigate the matter and get is cleared up.

The DSI should look after more serious issues such as the large numbers of farangs expiring during a holiday, getting the drug dealers of the street as CNB seems to be not able to handle it and of course stop those rip-offs.

[Fgis]

Good move ! Bye bye Russian !

[Suffinator]

I wonder if the Government would like to open an FB page to name and shame all the corrupt officials, violent tuk tuk drivers, jetski scams, land scam - I'm sure it would be a far more popular page than having a witch hunt for a few foreigners.

Of course cleaning up their own act is not in the mix as without all the corruption and scams they wouldn't be able to make any money.

[jacko45k]

I just don't know where to start on this... there are so many racist, inaccurate and blatantly silly points I am surprised it is all on one page.

Anybody want to submit any photos and videos of illegal activities to this guy. I suggest you do not limit it to those of foreigners.

Russian taxi drivers are undercutting the Thai mafia...I find it hard to dig up sympathy.

Perhaps they should reduce their prices.....

Edited April 26, 2013 by jacko45k

[Time Traveller]

I thought the DSI would be busy investigating the countless deaths and violence that occurs almost daily in Thailand from riots or terrorism in the southern provinces. Is it that the Immigration dept and Labor dept are just to overwhelmed filing 90 day reports that they need help from the DSI to investigate those evil foreigners that are destroying this country by working here without the correct permit.

What's next - Swat teams ?

[stingray]

Foreign owned companies creates Jobs for Local Peaple, and usually they pay better salaries to the locals. Tourists come shopping, money goes to the Locals again, they buy properties, even they have no legal rights to own the propertie, money goes to the local construction companies and real estate dealers, which creates jobs again. Thai ladies married with foreigners (same as my wife), can go to Europe, working or doing business, what ever they like, without any work permit or without any work restrictions, in this case i have to say, that they stealing jobs from nativ European citicens, Thai Peaple can own houses and Land in Europe. Fooreigners who invest money in LOS, can't really work, the way they want, just bring money in this country, lose it and go home. This is what some peaple like to see. It doesn't make sense. In this case it's time to transfer investments and tourist buusiness to some neighboour countries. LOS isn't the only tropical country in this world. There are plenty other opportunities like Pillipines, Cambodia, Bali, Dom Rep, All caribean islands, Paraguay, Brasil, Uruguay, etc. It's time to wake up. Btw, what the gonna do in 2015, when all the burmeses, cambodians, laotians come in for jobs? Then the taxi drivers have reason to worry about their jobs and income.

[amykat]

Don't Thai travel agents sell tours to international destinations ?? Or has the world banned them from this activity? I wonder if they manage to sell those at the same whopping profit margins ..."only passing on 10%" to the destination country?