Koh Tao's other little secret: police extortion

[restart67]

2,000 unregistered migrant workers paying 500 Baht a head... That's 1,000,000 Baht a month. How many police officers are normally on the island working full-time? Sounds like a generous monthly bonus to me. No wonder a lot of the photos depicting police with high tech mobile phones can be seen over the past couple of weeks.

[Dogmatix]

"Koh Tao's Thailand's other little secret: police extortion"

Alien labourers are not limited to Koh Tao, nor is police extortion.

[Dogmatix]

2,000 unregistered migrant workers paying 500 Baht a head... That's 1,000,000 Baht a month. How many police officers are normally on the island working full-time? Sounds like a generous monthly bonus to me. No wonder a lot of the photos depicting police with high tech mobile phones can be seen over the past couple of weeks.

I think I read that there were 6 full time BIB there but I could be wrong.

[robertson468]

Not exactly confined to KT is it?

Nor to Thailand. I remember a case a couple of years ago where illegal migrant workers in the UK who were harvesting cockles (I think) and several of them drownd. Sure its wrong, but can people please give up the "shock horror" when thing happen in Thailand that is happening equally badly in other Countries.

[restart67]

2,000 unregistered migrant workers paying 500 Baht a head... That's 1,000,000 Baht a month. How many police officers are normally on the island working full-time? Sounds like a generous monthly bonus to me. No wonder a lot of the photos depicting police with high tech mobile phones can be seen over the past couple of weeks.

I think I read that there were 6 full time BIB there but I could be wrong.

6 officers? Give or take a few part-timer's? Wow, that's phenomenal. I wonder what they'll do now for their bonuses.

[halloween]

Not exactly confined to KT is it?

Nor to Thailand. I remember a case a couple of years ago where illegal migrant workers in the UK who were harvesting cockles (I think) and several of them drownd. Sure its wrong, but can people please give up the "shock horror" when thing happen in Thailand that is happening equally badly in other Countries.

Besides the fact that they were illegal immigrants, what relevance is there to this topic? Are you suggesting the UK police were extorting money from these people?

[Time Traveller]

The only questions that this murder needs answered is why are tourists still coming to Thailand. Are they stupid or just like risking their lives?

Ever since 2006 - the first coup to overthrow Thaksin - there have been targeted bombs in Bangkok killing and injuring people including foreigners, Airport shutdowns by protestors, city shutdowns by protestors, numerous reports of local mafia extorting money from tourists in tourist areas, threats both physical and criminal against people (Thai and foreigners)who have made official complaints with authorities, regular suspicious deaths of tourists, overcharging, etc etc.

Thailand is what it is, but the fact is every western country has many travel warnings against the dangers in Thailand, but still foriegn people ignore them and visit then find themselves in trouble. Why are people surprised when we hear of terrible events like this? It's not the first time tourists have been raped and murdered, nor likely to be the last

The only way Thailand will change is when it is forced to. But with 20 million tourists a year there is no reason to

Edited October 5, 2014 by Time Traveller

[Bluespunk]

Not exactly confined to KT is it?

Nor to Thailand. I remember a case a couple of years ago where illegal migrant workers in the UK who were harvesting cockles (I think) and several of them drownd. Sure its wrong, but can people please give up the "shock horror" when thing happen in Thailand that is happening equally badly in other Countries.

Were the British police aware of their illegal status? Did they use this information to extort money from them at every turn?

[pookiki]

Let's face it folks, migrant workers, documented or undocumented and irrespective of nationality, are profit centers: 1) For the BIB who extort then; and 2) for their employers who exploit them. All the talk of the two migrant workers who allegedly confessed to the murders on Koh Tao have caused Thai authorities to talk about a crackdown on undocumented migrant workers. Curiously missing in this situation is that there is absolutely no talk of arresting or charging the business owners who knowingly cheat or knowingly employ undocumented workers. No matter how you cut the cake, it is always the fault of migrant workers!

[dieseldave1951]

I would like to know where all the people who cry "Thai bashing" on this forum are, maybe because the truth is the reality of this country.

there are not living there thats for sure

[patjem]

No secret there: it's been common practice throughout Thailand with migrant workers, be the Burmese, Khmer, Vietnamese, whatever... and on construction sites, bars, gardeners, Gogo bars, fishing parks, wherever.

Back to one of the roots of the issue is police training and pay: not a truly professional force, nor paid well, corruption seems to be a way to make that career choice even viable.

[dieseldave1951]

get your fax straight feb 6th 2004 hardly a couple of years ago morcombe bay.

When the UK find illegle workers we de-port them NOT extort them and it far lass prevelant in most first world

countries

Thailand on the other hand as with most asaen countries openly practice this and the enforcers charged with protecting us from extortion actually are the one doing it

Not exactly confined to KT is it?

Nor to Thailand. I remember a case a couple of years ago where illegal migrant workers in the UK who were harvesting cockles (I think) and several of them drownd. Sure its wrong, but can people please give up the "shock horror" when thing happen in Thailand that is happening equally badly in other Countries.

Were the British police aware of their illegal status? Did they use this information to extort money from them at every turn?

[12DrinkMore]

The "Police" here need to remove that word beginning with an "R" from their "designation" . . . they are an insult to this country and its people.

The "Royal" was added to the English translation only in 1998.

In Thai they are called the "National Thai Police"

"Tamruat haeng chat"

Prior to 1998 they were called the Thai National Police Department, no "Royal" at all.

[Suffinator]

Hardly a secret, Koh Tao's reputation is now known worldwide for its mafia and corruption after the sham investigation by The BIB.

I doubt 99% of tourists have a clue how far police extortion goes in Thailand.

Anyone knows how many cops/immigration officials partage the monthly fees from the Myanmar workers?

500Bx2000 workers = 1 million B/month.....

Hey Good General, wake up!

Funny how I keep reading expats calling for the Thais to wake up, especially the authorities. You could do what I did ... leave in protest. You see how quickly the Thais wake up if they saw a couple of hundred thousand expats crossing the border!

As long as the expat community remains so with all the issues because the Thais have become accustom to the fact that the expat community will remain not matter what atrocities are leveled upon others, be it murder or extortion.

Each of you has the power to make change but it's time you stopped asking the Thai authorities to take action and did took matters into your own hands. Yes I left two days after the murders... remaining would have, in my view, been an insult to their families and their memories.

You all have a choice ... bar stool or border ... which one will it be I wonder?

[Bluespunk]

get your fax straight feb 6th 2004 hardly a couple of years ago morcombe bay.

When the UK find illegle workers we de-port them NOT extort them and it far lass prevelant in most first world

countries

Thailand on the other hand as with most asaen countries openly practice this and the enforcers charged with protecting us from extortion actually are the one doing it

Not exactly confined to KT is it?

Nor to Thailand. I remember a case a couple of years ago where illegal migrant workers in the UK who were harvesting cockles (I think) and several of them drownd. Sure its wrong, but can people please give up the "shock horror" when thing happen in Thailand that is happening equally badly in other Countries.

Were the British police aware of their illegal status? Did they use this information to extort money from them at every turn?

It wasn't my post that made this nonsensical comparison.

[whaleboneman]

how is this news;

we all know it..

same goes on here in Phuket,

there is a Burmese village 100 meters up the road from my house 25% are illegal.

How can you know this unless you are checking their documents?

[easybullet3]

really? thai police accept bribe money ? woww

I would never have thought.

[jaywalker]

It's no secret you've to pay millions to become an important police officer and it's also no secret this is very good investment - and that's not because of the 20K income you might get.

The police in Thailand is a totally corrupt mafia style organisation. It does more bad than good.

It's not just a Ko Tao thing. It's all over the country. The Thai police is a disgrace for Thailand.

It has always been like that, and the new dictator seems to be perfectly happy with the situation (I wonder why ...... ), because he didn't announce any serious police reform.

Years ago, my wife's younger brother was going through his teen years, about 17 at the time, doing a few stupid things, when I naively suggested to her that he might consider going to the "Police Academy" (STUPID ME thought they had such a thing).

She was aghast. "What? Are you stupid? It costs a LOT of money to be police!!!!!"

I'd have helped the kid out, and at the time I was making about 4 million baht a year, but she said there was no way we could afford it. I was thinking maybe 40-50 thousand baht & she said at least 2 million baht!

[55Jay]

Hardly a secret, Koh Tao's reputation is now known worldwide for its mafia and corruption after the sham investigation by The BIB.

I doubt 99% of tourists have a clue how far police extortion goes in Thailand.

Anyone knows how many cops/immigration officials partage the monthly fees from the Myanmar workers?

500Bx2000 workers = 1 million B/month.....

Hey Good General, wake up!

Funny how I keep reading expats calling for the Thais to wake up, especially the authorities. You could do what I did ... leave in protest. You see how quickly the Thais wake up if they saw a couple of hundred thousand expats crossing the border!

As long as the expat community remains so with all the issues because the Thais have become accustom to the fact that the expat community will remain not matter what atrocities are leveled upon others, be it murder or extortion.

Each of you has the power to make change but it's time you stopped asking the Thai authorities to take action and did took matters into your own hands. Yes I left two days after the murders... remaining would have, in my view, been an insult to their families and their memories.

You all have a choice ... bar stool or border ... which one will it be I wonder?

Where did you go?

[DaveinAsia]

It wouldn't surprise me if this trial never sees the inside of a court

Edited October 5, 2014 by DaveinAsia

[Bakseeda]

where there is a will there is a way.

And therein lies the problem.

where there is a will..... there is a dead man...!

[55Jay]

Hardly a secret, Koh Tao's reputation is now known worldwide for its mafia and corruption after the sham investigation by The BIB.

I doubt 99% of tourists have a clue how far police extortion goes in Thailand.

Anyone knows how many cops/immigration officials partage the monthly fees from the Myanmar workers?

500Bx2000 workers = 1 million B/month.....

Hey Good General, wake up!

Funny how I keep reading expats calling for the Thais to wake up, especially the authorities. You could do what I did ... leave in protest. You see how quickly the Thais wake up if they saw a couple of hundred thousand expats crossing the border!

As long as the expat community remains so with all the issues because the Thais have become accustom to the fact that the expat community will remain not matter what atrocities are leveled upon others, be it murder or extortion.

Each of you has the power to make change but it's time you stopped asking the Thai authorities to take action and did took matters into your own hands. Yes I left two days after the murders... remaining would have, in my view, been an insult to their families and their memories.

You all have a choice ... bar stool or border ... which one will it be I wonder?

Where did you go?

Never mind, I saw your post few days back, you went to Malaysia.

Do you plan to stay there until Thailand is no longer what it was that led you to leave in the first place?

[kannot]

Not exactly confined to KT is it?

Starts at the border checkpoints, they let them all in for a "fee" Burmese staff we had told us.

[jerome2]

If they go to immigration it's 4000 baths for 4 months ,i heard ,which is even a worst rip off ,when you know their salary

[kinmaew]

Once again corruption has played a key role as the cause of these murders. Allowing thousands of illegals onto a small island is a recipe for disaster; no accountability of who is doing what, their background, infrastructure and social services planning commensurate with population just large bank balances and blaming the rest of the world for their problems.

Sick of Thais calling foreigners "Rich". We are direct and are freely allowed to talk about all our problems in society at every level.

Why is Thailand so poor then darling tell me that?

"things that Thai authorities hate to discuss" = cause of your austere lives. Long live poverty in LOS as long as this stance is maintained.

and when Thais are put on the spot and can't answer "ok you go now"

[ParadiseLost]

Funny how I keep reading expats calling for the Thais to wake up, especially the authorities. You could do what I did ... leave in protest. You see how quickly the Thais wake up if they saw a couple of hundred thousand expats crossing the border!

As long as the expat community remains so with all the issues because the Thais have become accustom to the fact that the expat community will remain not matter what atrocities are leveled upon others, be it murder or extortion.

Each of you has the power to make change but it's time you stopped asking the Thai authorities to take action and did took matters into your own hands. Yes I left two days after the murders... remaining would have, in my view, been an insult to their families and their memories.

You all have a choice ... bar stool or border ... which one will it be I wonder?

As far as I can tell, this is the total sum of all your postings. Well done, you have (supposedly) left in protest.

Good luck to you, but some of us are not willing to cut our noses to spite our faces.

Now I must add you to my ignore list so I don't get the stuck record annoying me all day

[transam]

Hardly a secret, Koh Tao's reputation is now known worldwide for its mafia and corruption after the sham investigation by The BIB.

I doubt 99% of tourists have a clue how far police extortion goes in Thailand.

Anyone knows how many cops/immigration officials partage the monthly fees from the Myanmar workers?

500Bx2000 workers = 1 million B/month.....

Hey Good General, wake up!

Funny how I keep reading expats calling for the Thais to wake up, especially the authorities. You could do what I did ... leave in protest. You see how quickly the Thais wake up if they saw a couple of hundred thousand expats crossing the border!

As long as the expat community remains so with all the issues because the Thais have become accustom to the fact that the expat community will remain not matter what atrocities are leveled upon others, be it murder or extortion.

Each of you has the power to make change but it's time you stopped asking the Thai authorities to take action and did took matters into your own hands. Yes I left two days after the murders... remaining would have, in my view, been an insult to their families and their memories.

You all have a choice ... bar stool or border ... which one will it be I wonder?

For me it will be not to run away but face stuff.

[Sydebolle]

Hear, hear!
In Pattaya there is that story where some lump sum of THB 30'000 were shelled to avoid trouble in a Jomtien restaurant employing aliens illegally. Once that was settled the monthly "turn-the-head-the-other-way-round-fee" is THB 1'500. Combined with the THB 500 the alien pays ......... just wondering where all that money goes

[Traveller45]

Reform has nothing to do with Change, so much is clear.

Since the start with Change will need a complete lockdown on law enforcement, in order to change the existing force into a normal functioning democratic police force.

Can't be done in a year!

sure about that?

Quote wikipedia: "In 2005. Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili fired "the entire traffic police force" of the Georgian National Police due to corruption,[2] numbering around 30,000 police officers.[3]

A new force was built around new recruits.[2]The United States State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law-Enforcement Affairs has provided assistance to the training efforts.[4] Patruli was first introduced in the summer of 2005 replacing the traffic police, which were accused of corruption.[5]"

currently there are 42,000 serving police officers

source: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_enforcement_in_Georgia_(country)

where there is a will there is a way.

...and of course, the new Police in Georgia are not corrupt !

[Number 3]

Other little secret ? Are we kidding ?

Secret to who ?