'Mama' arrested over Thai visa theft
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- Police are beginning to unravel a fake visa racket, having arrested a Thai woman nicknamed "Mama" implicated in the disappearance of 300 visa stickers from the Thai consulate in Malaysia.

The investigation started after the immigration police in Mukdahan arrested a Cameroon national as he crossed into Thailand from Laos on July 20. Samuel Ncha Ekwale possessed a visa supposedly issued by the Thai consulate in Kuala Lumpur, but authorities were suspicious about how he had obtained it as there was no entry or exit stamp from Malaysia in his passport.

The suspect allegedly confirmed he had not travelled to Malaysia and admitted he obtained the visa from Mama, who had offered to help him get a Thai visa without going through the usual lengthy procedure. He paid about THB30,000 for the service.

They tracked Samuel’s payment and found he had transferred the money to a bank account belonging to a Nigerian man he believed was Mama's husband. With this information, officers were able to identify Mama as Piyamat Bandasak, 39, who is a former Spanish interpreter for the Colombian consulate in Thailand. [read more...]

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2013/09/16/mama-arrested-over-thai-visa-theft


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-09-16

Unbelievable investigation report. Is mama an embassy staff, or did she fly to Malaysia to heist the visa stickers?

Mentioning Nigerian husband, Cameroonian suspect and Colombian embassy detracts from the issue at the core.

Who gave mama the stickers? Mickey mouse?

A Nigerian involved in a scam.

That's a first.

A Nigerian involved in a scam.

That's a first.

I am absolutely gobsmacked a Nigerian was involved here. Just shows you how wrong one can be.

Damn... nobody's buying this "foreigner" issue... Quick! Find a Thai scapegoat but shroud it in as much smoke and mirrors as you can generate...

If i remember correctly the inital response from the Foreign Ministry when this story broke was that there was nothing wrong with the system and no Thais were involved anyway but 5 Malaysian staff were suspected.

As usual a Thai spokesman giving definitive information when the situation was far from clear and now proved wrong as a Thai is involved but the whole issue is a complex nightmare.

What's the bet that it will be too difficult for Thai investigators who will quit while their ahead and a suitable statement issued.

A Nigerian involved in a scam.

That's a first.

Scratch that.

The mastermind is allegedly married to a Nigerian.

if I remember well , the same statement from the same people was saying that FOREIGNER did that .... now it seems she is Thai .... another way to sell the Bear's skin before killing it . Nigerian husband , colombian embassy ..... etc ...

A Nigerian involved in a scam.

That's a first.

Scratch that.

The mastermind is allegedly married to a Nigerian.

Sometimes minds think alike. Yes/No.

A Nigerian involved in a scam.

That's a first.

I am absolutely gobsmacked a Nigerian was involved here. Just shows you how wrong one can be.

I thought they were all engaged in more profitable ventures.

A Nigerian involved in a scam.

That's a first.

I am absolutely gobsmacked a Nigerian was involved here. Just shows you how wrong one can be.

I thought they were all engaged in more profitable ventures.

Think the post is a bit iffy in this part of the world. .............(you must be quick for that one).............

If Mama had used her noodle, she wouldn't be in the soup, would she?

Perhaps Mama slipped in unnoticed while the Thai embassy staff in KL were on their 90 minute lunch break.

That's thai smartness at it's finest. Doing shady things then getting paid by having money transferred to your own bank account that is under your name.

Sent from one of my devices using the internet

Dam foreigners always making a mess of Thailand! If it was not for them there would be no corruption in Thailand, people would drive in a sane safe way and there would not be any need for bar girls/prostitutes in Thailand!

As scams go, its a pretty lame one, bound to failure. Giving people visas when they have no entry / exit stamps to the visas where the visas were supposedly issued. Doh!

Who is a former Spanish interpreter for the Colombian consulate in Thailand.

Sounds like it may have been snowing visas as well as charlie in Phuket.

Dada picked his target well "Ha Mama"

Edited September 16, 201312 yr by Calimotty

What a muddled report.

One has to think that this story, which would have appeared first in the Thai press, may have ulterior motives. e.g. to get suspects to hand themselves in, to get people with the fake stickers to come forward, to flush out Ms Piyamat, etc.

If it is a genuine news article, one wonders if it was written by a reporter on their first day in the job.

Common Guys Get over it . This is Thai Visa the worst journalism has to offer. Half of what they think is good translation is totally NOT understood and people have complained for years but their level of writing will never improve because they will not hire an English journalist .

So if you read about an elephant who gave up his Thai citizenship to back to America then you know you have found Thai visa

Dam foreigners always making a mess of Thailand! If it was not for them there would be no corruption in Thailand, people would drive in a sane safe way and there would not be any need for bar girls/prostitutes in Thailand!

Who employs this particular group of foreigners and allows them to stay on mass in Bangkok?

Inching very slowly to the REAL perpetrators of the theft,she seems just

to be the middle woman.

regards Worgeordie

Don't forget the Indian who is reported to be friendly with a member of the embassy staff in KL.

Furthermore, what is fake about stolen visa stickers? They are the real thing, just not officially endorsed.

The Thai mama was obviously framed, and soon to be released, when it becomes clear she was not involved.

Now where are the perp photos (with pointing police officers) from the guys and gals who obviously planned and executed every step of this fraud? I mean the guy from Cameroon, The Nigerian, the entire Colombian consular staff and every other Spanish speaker in Thailand?!

I would blame the 'spirits' ....

Unbelievable investigation report. Is mama an embassy staff, or did she fly to Malaysia to heist the visa stickers?

Mentioning Nigerian husband, Cameroonian suspect and Colombian embassy detracts from the issue at the core.

Who gave mama the stickers? Mickey mouse?

Could be the ambassador himself. In The Hague a previous Thai ambassador tried to sell the land on which the embassy was located for private purposes. He was half way before they could just stop the deal. Everything possible, in- & outside Thailand. Red Bull gives you over-creative wings.....

Mama... short for Mamasaan?

A Nigerian was involved? Does that mean I get one less email now telling me about the millions of dollars I have waiting for me to claim?

If Mama had used her noodle, she wouldn't be in the soup, would she?

Was it MAMA or Yum Yum

Unbelievable investigation report. Is mama an embassy staff, or did she fly to Malaysia to heist the visa stickers?

Mentioning Nigerian husband, Cameroonian suspect and Colombian embassy detracts from the issue at the core.

Who gave mama the stickers? Mickey mouse?

....again....the Thais are never guilty of anything....always some foreigner's fault.....

As scams go, its a pretty lame one, bound to failure. Giving people visas when they have no entry / exit stamps to the visas where the visas were supposedly issued. Doh!

That really isn't the scammer's problem. The Cameroonian paid 30,000 baht for the visa sticker, times that by 300.

So obviously he wasn't a tourist! and as there is no honour among thieves etc! Naming her was his only way of getting some revenge!