Suvarnabhumi Immigration arrest Russian for using stolen visa label

[webfact]

Russian Arrested For Using Stolen Visa Label
By Khaosod Online



BANGKOK: -- Immigration Office at Suvannabhumi airport arrested Mr. Linenko Alexander, 26, a Russian national, after he used a visa label listed as stolen from Royal Thai Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

The news followed the revelation that 300 visa labels have been missing from the Thai Embassy in Malaysia. Other individuals have been arrested as they attempted to cross the border with

Mr. Alexander confessed that he had bought the label from a shopping mall in the Malaysian capital before he used it to try entering Thailand.

The immigration office announced that other 11 people arrested are from Cameroon, Guinea, Pakistan, Iran and India.

Mr. Jakkrit Srivali, an official at the Ministry of Affairs, said that the Foreign Minister, Mr. Surapong Towijakchaikul had acknowledged the issue and insisted to bring charges against those who used false documents, and those who stole the labels from the Thai Embassy.

He said the massive theft is the first case of its kind in over a decade.

The Ministry is also looking for options preventing such problem, such as providing each embassy a security safe, and developing the system of electric visa in the near future.

The Royal Thai Embassy in Kuala Lumpur is reported to be processing Visa Services as normal.

Source: http://www.khaosod.co.th/en/view_newsonline.php?newsid=TVRNM056STFPREk0TUE9PQ==

-- KHAOSOD English 2013-08-24

[webfact]

MISSING VISAS
Drug suspect found with 'stolen' visa
Sekchai Siriboon,
Visith Chuanpipatpong
The Nation



Man caught in phuket had sticker missing from KL; 'Mama' said to be behind scam

BANGKOK: -- A THAI VISA sticker believed stolen from the Thai Embassy in Malaysia has been found in the passport of a suspected drug smuggler in Phuket, according to an informed source.

The suspect was arrested by Phuket immigration police yesterday morning on charges of possessing an undisclosed amount of cocaine.

"Further checks reveal that he entered Thailand with his passport containing one of the visa stickers that had been reported missing," the source said, adding that police were investigating the case further in a bid to nail down all accomplices.

According to the Foreign Ministry, more than 250 of the "missing" visa stickers have already been used and 105 people with passports with stolen stickers had already left the country. It was recently reported that 300 of the visa stickers disappeared from the Thai Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

Immigration Bureau chief Pol Lt-General Panu Kerdlarppol said yesterday that 11 people with the stolen visa stickers had been arrested so far.

"Immigration officials nabbed five of them at Suvarnabhumi Airport," the immigration chief said.

Meanwhile, a source said a Thai woman referred to as "Mama" was allegedly behind this case.

"She's active in Bangkok's Pattanakarn area. She's still in Thailand," the source said.

Ongoing investigation suggests that the foreign nationals handed over their passport, a photograph and Bt10,000 to "Mama" to apply for the visa, and a few days later, they were required to pay another Bt20,000 to retrieve their passport with the relevant visa.

Pol Colonel Chartchai Iamsaeng, deputy commander of the Immigration Bureau, said yesterday that one or more embassy officials might be part of "Mama's" gang.

"We are working with the Foreign Ministry to determine the connection [between embassy officials and the gang]," he said.

He added that members of the gang were not Muslim, though security agencies were looking into the case to see if it might have a hand in the unrest in the deep South.

A source who was once part of the Immigration Bureau's investigation team said he had learnt that Thai visa stickers had gone missing at other Thai embassies as well.

"Registered complaints show the number of missing slips is more than 1,000," the source, who worked with the team from 2005 to 2006, said.

The source also believes that some embassy officials might have a hand in the illegal trade of Thai visa stickers.


-- The Nation 2013-08-24

[retell]

30.000 thb for a visa 555 why they not make a normal visarun even with airplane would be cheaper

and they didn't know that all visa are numbered ?

[CiaranO]

I would say these guys have good reasons for not getting visas in the normal way

[chooka]

30.000 thb for a visa 555 why they not make a normal visarun even with airplane would be cheaper

and they didn't know that all visa are numbered ?

My 1st thought also, cheaper just to pop into the embassy especially if you are already in the city and you can collect it the next day and not wait 2 days.

[chooka]

The source also believes that some embassy officials might have a hand in the illegal trade of Thai visa stickers.

Na the source is wrong, they have already completed a thorough investigation and publically announced that "NO" thais are involved is this racket.

[lemonjelly]

It feels like the emphasis is shifting towards the foreigners to distract attention from the fact that the visa stickers stolen and re-sold by embassy staff.

Edited August 24, 2013 by lemonjelly

[Notstupid30]

I can see more visa rules coming into affect due to this what's happened ....

[noitom]

Why in the world would 300 foreigners pay Big Mama Thai 30,000 baht for a false Thai visa?

[ToddWeston]

Why in the world would 300 foreigners pay Big Mama Thai 30,000 baht for a false Thai visa?

I agree, however what sends shivers down my spine is that these people either don't have the funds to enter( if that is a requirement in some cases) or they have a shadey past and realise they wouldn't be granted a visa in the first place. But finding so many undesirables in days is what is really scary -yikes

[angsta]

Seriously? What checks are made when you enter Thailand that you would need to pay 30,000 baht to avoid them? Something just doesn't feel right.

[phuketrichard]

how did she find 300 people to buy visas for 30,000 baht??

are there that many that cant enter by legal means?

ie just walk across and get 15 days

Wonder how many are false/stolen passports

This just does not ring well;

Meanwhile, a source said a Thai woman referred to as "Mama" was allegedly behind this case.

"She's active in Bangkok's Pattanakarn area. She's still in Thailand," the source said.

Ongoing investigation suggests that the foreign nationals handed over their passport, a photograph and Bt10,000 to "Mama" to apply for the visa, and a few days later, they were required to pay another Bt20,000 to retrieve their passport with the relevant visa.

Edited August 24, 2013 by phuketrichard

[4evermaat]

This may explain why last week in ranong there were 2 immigration officials in the arrivals window @ Ranong. One took the passport and scanned it/took photo. The other person looked at the passport longer and then stamped it.

I originally thought it was to speed up the line. Normally one person does it all.

Or maybe they were training someone.

"...the 2nd best time to plant a tree is today." Sent from ThaiVisa app (Galaxy Note 2).

[bigbamboo]

MISSING VISAS

Drug suspect found with 'stolen' visa

Sekchai Siriboon,

Visith Chuanpipatpong

The Nation

Man caught in phuket had sticker missing from KL; 'Mama' said to be behind scam

BANGKOK: -- A THAI VISA sticker believed stolen from the Thai Embassy in Malaysia has been found in the passport of a suspected drug smuggler in Phuket, according to an informed source.

The suspect was arrested by Phuket immigration police yesterday morning on charges of possessing an undisclosed amount of cocaine.

"Further checks reveal that he entered Thailand with his passport containing one of the visa stickers that had been reported missing," the source said, adding that police were investigating the case further in a bid to nail down all accomplices.

According to the Foreign Ministry, more than 250 of the "missing" visa stickers have already been used and 105 people with passports with stolen stickers had already left the country. It was recently reported that 300 of the visa stickers disappeared from the Thai Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

Immigration Bureau chief Pol Lt-General Panu Kerdlarppol said yesterday that 11 people with the stolen visa stickers had been arrested so far.

"Immigration officials nabbed five of them at Suvarnabhumi Airport," the immigration chief said.

Meanwhile, a source said a Thai woman referred to as "Mama" was allegedly behind this case.

"She's active in Bangkok's Pattanakarn area. She's still in Thailand," the source said.

Ongoing investigation suggests that the foreign nationals handed over their passport, a photograph and Bt10,000 to "Mama" to apply for the visa, and a few days later, they were required to pay another Bt20,000 to retrieve their passport with the relevant visa.

Pol Colonel Chartchai Iamsaeng, deputy commander of the Immigration Bureau, said yesterday that one or more embassy officials might be part of "Mama's" gang.

"We are working with the Foreign Ministry to determine the connection [between embassy officials and the gang]," he said.

He added that members of the gang were not Muslim, though security agencies were looking into the case to see if it might have a hand in the unrest in the deep South.

A source who was once part of the Immigration Bureau's investigation team said he had learnt that Thai visa stickers had gone missing at other Thai embassies as well.

"Registered complaints show the number of missing slips is more than 1,000," the source, who worked with the team from 2005 to 2006, said.

The source also believes that some embassy officials might have a hand in the illegal trade of Thai visa stickers.

-- The Nation 2013-08-24

So Mama is the 'big noodle' then.

[laurentbkk]

Thats a very strange story ... Russian can entenr the kingdom without Visa and stay 3 months. Why he would need a visa ?

[bangkokheat]

this was just a test case for the well oiled money extraction machine, now they realise farangs are stupid enough to pay 30,000 bht for a visa so they can now raise the visa fees

[4evermaat]

Thats a very strange story ... Russian can entenr the kingdom without Visa and stay 3 months. Why he would need a visa ? 

Is that by air or land?

"...the 2nd best time to plant a tree is today." Sent from ThaiVisa app (Galaxy Note 2).

[laurentbkk]

Thats a very strange story ... Russian can entenr the kingdom without Visa and stay 3 months. Why he would need a visa ?

Is that by air or land?

"...the 2nd best time to plant a tree is today." Sent from ThaiVisa app (Galaxy Note 2).

I only know BY AIR ... but the bilateral agreement bewteen Thailan and Russia says no visa for both nationality when entering the country. Thai dont need Visa for Russia, except when they want to work.

[yankee99]

Seriously? What checks are made when you enter Thailand that you would need to pay 30,000 baht to avoid them? Something just doesn't feel right.

Not sure what type of visa it is. People pay that kind of money for student visas all the time....I dont know that all 300 even knew they were getting fake visas. Again many here in thailand drop their passports at visa agencies and pick them up assuming they are getting real visas.

[Songhua]

฿30000 for a visa. The article doesn't mention what category of visa this is, but surely people would only be paying that amount for a visa they're not eligible for.

[trainman34014]

So; the remaining people with these hot stickers will be going back to 'Mama' for a refund then ? LOL.

[realenglish1]

Visas have numbers on them This guy is really stupid

[yimlitnoy]

"providing each embassy a security safe"...

Where do they keep our passport when they keep them overnight?

[klauskunkel]

The Ministry is also looking for options preventing such problem

The source also believes that some embassy officials might have a hand in the illegal trade of Thai visa stickers.

How to prevent this problem? Well, do not employ any Thai at any embassy anywhere, including the ambassadors. Problem solved, Ministry can thank me later...

[Pib]

So; the remaining people with these hot stickers will be going back to 'Mama' for a refund then ? LOL.

Mama don't do refunds.

[richard_smith237]

Quote: "The Ministry is also looking for options preventing such problem, such as providing each embassy a security safe, and developing the system of electric visa in the near future"

Is this to suggest that the Thai Embassies don't even exercise the same security measures as most hotel rooms with an in room safe ?

[hanno]

The Ministry is also looking for options preventing such problem

The source also believes that some embassy officials might have a hand in the illegal trade of Thai visa stickers.

How to prevent this problem? Well, do not employ any Thai at any embassy anywhere, including the ambassadors. Problem solved, Ministry can thank me later...

The usual Thai bashing has begun. A small reminder: hundreds of visas were illegally issued by the US Embassy in HCMC a few years back; the same happened at German Embassies in some of the old Soviet block countries. And I do not think they were hiring Thais.

[SOTIRIOS]

....come now.....a Thai...........???

....they never do wrong...........it must be a foreigner....

[joboss]

So; the remaining people with these hot stickers will be going back to 'Mama' for a refund then ? LOL.

Mama don't do refunds.

Sorry,,, Cannot refund... My connections can special fix for you. No problem. Please 10000 baht more for high up connections.

[Chicken George]

Off subject a little but do Thais go to Russia and if so what for?