Thailand not a haven for foreign criminals

[webfact]

Thailand not a haven for foreign criminals
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, July 31 -- Thailand will not serve as a save haven for international criminals on the run, according to a top police officer.

Pol Gen Wuthi Liptapanlop, advisor to Thailand's national police commissioner, said French national Jonathan Piant was arrested recently on Koh Samui, Surat Thani's famous tourist site.

According to Gen Wuthi, the suspect fled prosecution in France for smuggling 750 kilogrammes of marijuana worth 3.5 million euros from Spain into France in early 2012 and had been trying to hide out in Thailand.

In July the Thai authorities scored on a number of other arrests of international concern, the top cop said.

Wanted under an Interpol warrant issued in August 2005, Hungarian Antal Racz was arrested in Hua Hin on suspicion of shooting two persons to death and seriously wounding 14 others, by gunfire and hand grenade is what Gen Wuthi described as a family feud. A Hungarian court sentenced Mr Racz to life imprisonment, but at some point he escaped to Thailand.

Italian Francesco Galdell was arrested at Bangkok's Dusit Thani Hotel last Friday. A Milan court wanted him for fraud, acceptance of stolen objects, impersonation, selling pirated goods and copyright violation.

In another case, four Taiwanese nationals Chang Chia Wei, Wang Yi Chieh, Wu Yu Shuo and Chen Li Yen were arrested for allegedly being part of a 21-member call center scam in Phnom Penh. Taiwan and Cambodian authorities earlier arrested 13 suspects in the gang in the Khmer capital. (MCOT online news)

[tna]2014-07-31[/tna]

[jaidam]

 So, we kicked out all the backpackers. Got rid of the tourist visa runners. The Chinese that we so lovingly courted didn't come as expected, and spent nothing when they did come. High end farang tourists still prefer Europe and the Carribean. Let's face it, what a cock-up.

 

 I suggest Thailand takes whatever tourists that still wash up here, and be very grateful for them. Whether they be foreign criminals or not. The luxury of choosing classes of visitor have long gone, blown by years of incompetence at TAT and immigration, and xenophobic govt policy at large.

 

[saakura]

Glad that they at least recognise the fact that international criminals are living here openly due to the lax laws and corruption and are taking steps to kick them out.

[Chang_paarp]

Maybe if the Immigration Dept used the Interpol list as a check on incoming "visitors" they might reduce the numbers. The other list they might want to integrate all the immigration systems not have them as stand alone computers, and check passport numbers against the lists of known stolen passports. This would take a little bit of IT understanding and would remove the discretion of the individual at the border.

[siampolee]

Of course there is no need or wanting of ''foreign criminals'' here in Thailand .Thailand has an ample nay oversupply of its own homegrown criminals ranging from politicians, the  law keeping (?) organisations and the public service sector in general, and of course we need to  remember the  non administrative sector too, loan sharks.  con men, pimps etc.

 

The competition is intense thus there has to be a weeding out of the more serious and better mis educted, misguided criminal fraternity in order that the home grown produce can dominate the local criminal activity market.

[siampolee]

saakura post # 3

 

Glad that they at least recognise the fact that international criminals are living here openly due to and are taking steps to kick them out. 

 

 

 

It is good to see though, in fact heartwarming that some of those ''criminals'' are now establishing new bases in France with their family members so as to escape this draconian crackdown designed to eliminate the lax laws and corruption.  

[Payboy]

Is this a non- hub statement?

[jacky54]

No it's just a haven for rich Thai criminals!

[JDGRUEN]

Last year using information I found on TVF, Google and Bing I cobbled together an estimate ('guestimate') of the number of Westerner foreigners who live in Thailand.  The number I came up with was around 550,000.  Add to that another 100,000 to 150,000 'other'  (Asian, African, assorted islanders, etc.) and my 'guestimate' comes to 650,000 to 750,000 foreigners who are living permanently or semi-permanently in Thailand.  

 

If my numbers are anywhere near correct, then the few hundred hard core criminal types who stay here is not such a horrible figure compared to the total.   And - especially not so bad when compared to the total numbers of tourists who arrive weekly.

 

Note: I do not pretend my estimates are without flaw.  And I do not recall the sources - I would have to do the searches all over again.  But - I would sincerely like to see better estimates if anyone has them.  The Thai Government has them - but I do not believe they are published ... that would be helpful if they were of course.   Such an accurate number would be useful in comparing the impact of foreigners living in Thailand to the total population of 65 million or so of Thai Citizens on any given subject.   Plus such an accurate figure would be helpful in discussing Thai Immigration policy. 

Edited July 31, 2014 by JDGRUEN

[BSJ]

If you live in Pattaya you will probably never see a farang criminal......they all live in Hua Hin, Koh Samui and Pooket.   

Edited July 31, 2014 by BSJ

[AGareth2]

They have an ex-criminal club in Pattaya!

[mrtoad]

Well i suppose that Montonegran Criminal wont be welcome then.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Strangebrew]

Pattaya houses the most crooks most have bars on walking street in  case you didn't know Just open your eyes watch where the Aussie's, Russian's and Some American ex-pats hangout at. If looking for the Nigerian crooks go to there church in Bangkok ton's of them there from Card skimmers to credit card fraud, Oh and especially drugs. Mules come in rat holing them.

[sscsamui]

If you live in Pattaya you will probably never see a farang criminal......they all live in Hua Hin, Koh Samui and Pooket.   

True about Samui...Many Farang Criminals.... And Mafia Farang Along with the Thai side. Hoping the Military will do a Big cleaning on Samui Soon 

[noitom]

Thai and foreign criminals run amok in Thailand. The Thai military dictatorship has no interest in arresting any Thai Mr. Bigs.

[Tokay]

They are taking money from the Thai criminals. That simply will not do.

[thonglover]

Not sure what everybody else thinks but personally I am very very happy about the recent moves by Thai authorities to get rid of the foreign scum in this country. 

 

Visa runs are an abuse of the immigration system. You want to stay here? Get a non-immigrant visa. You want to work? Get a work permit. 

It's too hard? Go somewhere else. You don't have any other skills than your ability to speak English? Tough luck.

 

As for criminal scumbags, we can only welcome Thailand's decision to crack down hard on them.

 

I hope the ED visas are next. What a scam. You think you can bypass immigration laws by paying a corrupt cop to procure you an Education visa? Those days are coming to an end. 

 

Thailand will do just fine without you.

 

 

Edited July 31, 2014 by thonglover

[kkup]

No doubt people on the run are on Thaivisa checkin the news. Most of the interpol guys based in Thailand spend more time in bars than looking for criminals.

[thaidel48]

Maybe if the Immigration Dept used the Interpol list as a check on incoming "visitors" they might reduce the numbers. The other list they might want to integrate all the immigration systems not have them as stand alone computers, and check passport numbers against the lists of known stolen passports. This would take a little bit of IT understanding and would remove the discretion of the individual at the border.

 

I think that the Thai gov. has a phobia about using Interpol ... just ask Mr. T

[ekkamai]

Last year using information I found on TVF, Google and Bing I cobbled together an estimate ('guestimate') of the number of Westerner foreigners who live in Thailand.  The number I came up with was around 550,000.  Add to that another 100,000 to 150,000 'other'  (Asian, African, assorted islanders, etc.) and my 'guestimate' comes to 650,000 to 750,000 foreigners who are living permanently or semi-permanently in Thailand.  

 

If my numbers are anywhere near correct, then the few hundred hard core criminal types who stay here is not such a horrible figure compared to the total.   And - especially not so bad when compared to the total numbers of tourists who arrive weekly.

 

Note: I do not pretend my estimates are without flaw.  And I do not recall the sources - I would have to do the searches all over again.  But - I would sincerely like to see better estimates if anyone has them.  The Thai Government has them - but I do not believe they are published ... that would be helpful if they were of course.   Such an accurate number would be useful in comparing the impact of foreigners living in Thailand to the total population of 65 million or so of Thai Citizens on any given subject.   Plus such an accurate figure would be helpful in discussing Thai Immigration policy. 

 

Cannot help thinking that if 550.000 ppl each have to have an income of 65.000 THB per month (required by immigration to obtain eg. a retirement visa) that would amount to 429.000.000.000 THB per year. Of course not all 550.000 are retired, but these figures are staggering. 

What a boost to Thai economy.

 

Guesstimate:  10% of the aforementioned foreigners are retired, that would mean THB 42.900.000.000 in foreign currency per year. 

+ all the fees for visas, re-entry permits etc... 

This amount buys us no rights whatsoever in Thailand. Most of us have to come crawling to immigration every year to renew visa and re-entry permits. That little package costs 5700 per person, which translates into 313.500.000 THB.

No wonder Thailand does not publish any figures as to how many foreigners reside in Thailand, and how many of these pay how much.

The figures are out there somewhere.

Edited July 31, 2014 by ekkamai

[Thaddeus]

 

Maybe if the Immigration Dept used the Interpol list as a check on incoming "visitors" they might reduce the numbers. The other list they might want to integrate all the immigration systems not have them as stand alone computers, and check passport numbers against the lists of known stolen passports. This would take a little bit of IT understanding and would remove the discretion of the individual at the border.

 

I think that the Thai gov. has a phobia about using Interpol ... just ask Mr. T

 

 

 

I aint gettin' on no plane fool..........

[Regyai]

 

 

Hungarian Antal Racz was arrested in Hua Hin on suspicion of shooting two persons to death and seriously wounding 14 others, by gunfire and hand grenade is what Gen Wuthi described as a family feud. A Hungarian court sentenced Mr Racz to life imprisonment, but at some point he escaped to Thailand.

 

 

Possibly to pursue a career in politics?

 

 

:)

[Zonka]

Not sure what everybody else thinks but personally I am very very happy about the recent moves by Thai authorities to get rid of the foreign scum in this country. 

 

Visa runs are an abuse of the immigration system. You want to stay here? Get a non-immigrant visa. You want to work? Get a work permit. 

It's too hard? Go somewhere else. You don't have any other skills than your ability to speak English? Tough luck.

 

As for criminal scumbags, we can only welcome Thailand's decision to crack down hard on them.

 

I hope the ED visas are next. What a scam. You think you can bypass immigration laws by paying a corrupt cop to procure you an Education visa? Those days are coming to an end. 

 

Thailand will do just fine without you.

 

 

And now take the blinkers off!

[fritzzz25]

Breaking news "Thailand not hub for foreign criminals, we have enough of our own criminals however we let them move to Dubai and Paris"

[Hobiecat]

 So, we kicked out all the backpackers. 

 

 

Please explain, who is "we"? Unless you hold a Thai passport I would imagine you like me are a guest in the Kingdom of Thailand and really don't have a say in the matter. Suggesting Thailand excepts criminals is pretty irresponsible don't you think. It's people with this kind of attitude which there are thousands of in Thailand are what the authorities need to get rid of. For some reason most people with attributes as shown above seem to come from one small island in Europe. 

Edited July 31, 2014 by Hobiecat

[bunuel]

An interesting news item when taken in the context of thr blizzard of new (?) or previously unenforcrd regulations against ALL foreigners visitiing or residing in the Kingdom. The implication here is that all foreigners are criminals on the run, thereby encoursging the authorities to take xenophobic action against all foreigners. TV posters who applaud these actions cannot
connect the dots, I am afraid, or live in a state of denial regarding Thai xenophobia.

Personally, as a law-abiding citizen who has made a significant contribution to the Thai economy over the past decade with
income derived from very respectable legal endeavors, I must say I find thr currrent attitude of the Thai authorities towards foreigners highly offensive. It seems that the ex-pat community is being made a scapegpat for the international lack of
" understanding" for recent political developmentts, and that is a sad,but all top predictable development.

I know I am not alone when I say I am taking my business elsewhere. Life is too short!

[SaintLouisBlues]

What they mean is they would prefer people not think that Thailand is a haven for criminals. Like everything else in the Land of Smile, the reality is other.

[smedly]

Maybe if the Immigration Dept used the Interpol list as a check on incoming "visitors" they might reduce the numbers. The other list they might want to integrate all the immigration systems not have them as stand alone computers, and check passport numbers against the lists of known stolen passports. This would take a little bit of IT understanding and would remove the discretion of the individual at the border.

 

 

By the time they appear on Interpol they are already here and hiding out, immigration likely have a record of them arriving but that's it, hence the recent crackdown and enforcement of immigration law that most here seem to be bitching about

[razer]

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If you live in Pattaya you will probably never see a farang criminal......they all live in Hua Hin, Koh Samui and Pooket.    alt=biggrin.png>

True about Samui...Many Farang Criminals.... And Mafia Farang Along with the Thai side. Hoping the Military will do a Big cleaning on Samui Soon 

 

 

I think they should send all the farang criminals back to Farang, where ever that is.

[SaintLouisBlues]

I must say I find the current attitude of the Thai authorities towards foreigners highly offensive.

You mean you've only just woken up to the Thai attitude to foreigners? "Current" is irrelevant; nothing has changed during the thirty years I've been associated with Thailand. We're in no different a position than Latinos in the US or West Indian migrants in 1950s Britain. And that's always been the case.  These days it's just more overt since there are more of us. The point of difference between us and the Latinos or the West Indians is that we've got money, and that's the only reason we are "respected".