Thai marriage scam probe finds most foreigners used fake names

[webfact]

Scam probe finds most foreigners used fake names
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A police probe into Nong Bua Lamphu's fake marriage scam, in which 600 Thai women's names were sold for foreign men for use for immigration purposes, has found that most foreigners involved used fake names, an informed source reported yesterday.

The Immigration Police Command 4 (Nakhon Ratchasima) that initially probed the case has urged their Udon Thani-based counterparts to check any foreigners who may be involved. If found guilty, the expats' visas would be revoked, they would face legal action and they could be blacklisted from re-entering the country, the source said. Police suspected some might be involved in transnational drug trafficking.

A female former official at Tambon Noen Sang municipality, who was implicated by the former registrar in the scam, has dismissed claims she was a mastermind and supplied Thai women's names for fake marriages with foreign men. She said she had no knowledge of any wrongdoing, and did not get paid for keying in the information for the former registrar.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Scam-probe-finds-most-foreigners-used-fake-names-30246475.html


-- The Nation 2014-10-29

[phutoie2]

More from the hub of paranoia , fake names, involved in transnational drug trafficking. Informed source - my hoop.

[mca]

I resent the allegations that fake names are being used to get marriage certificates. I have been married to a Thai for 15 years and if there's a morsel of truth in the matter then my name's not Homer Simpson. DOH!

[cougar52]

What is unbelievable is this thinking. Everyone has a Passport, and you have to provide Bank info for your Visa. Plus how many of the women are using their given name? And how many have Thai husbands? I know of quite a few. :-(.

[chrisinth]

................"for use for immigration purposes, has found that most foreigners involved used fake names........."

How does that work then? If the foreigners were using false names for immigration purposes does that mean they were using the same false names for counterfeit passports?

Am I missing something or is this a much larger problem far removed from extensions through marriage that I first thought?

[banglassie]

What is this all about? Westerners looking for easy visa access? Or other Chinese, Russians or other nationalities with other intentions? (I seriously haven't followed these news)

It's really a shame.. Wouldn't surprise me it's because of all scumbags that we have to give the immigration our life-history, photos of bedroom, toilet and underwear or whatever they now ask for up in chaeng wattana. It really doesn't surprise me many prefer to go and get a new multiple non imm "o" over in Laos instead. Sure, you might have to leave the country every 3rd month, but at least you are spared a piece of privacy

(if you care for such things.. I know many state that they have nothing to hide so it doesn't matter. But I still believe that no matter one has something to hide or not big brother should not have the right to know every step you take in your life, I'm sure we all will never agree on that issue though so better just leave it be...)

[banglassie]

................"for use for immigration purposes, has found that most foreigners involved used fake names........."

How does that work then? If the foreigners were using false names for immigration purposes does that mean they were using the same false names for counterfeit passports?

Am I missing something or is this a much larger problem far removed from extensions through marriage that I first thought?

I really don't get it as well.

When I got married I needed to send a form to my tax office in Sweden, got back document that stated that I was single and free to marry. I went to my embassy and showed I had enough income from abroad and they wrote a new document.

Went to translate that and took it to Chaeng wattana to certify it with their stamps.

Went to the amper with two of my wife's friends from work as witnesses.

I even had to fill in all the forms at the amper in Thai or find a certified translator. So it took awhile (I can't say I writ fast by hand in Thai in this computer age...)

So how does one go about to make these marriage certificates the illegal way? Seems like there is quite much work needed? I would assume the reason the consulate in Savannakhet is so relaxed is because they know people with a marriage certificate already have proven their income to the amper office(?) (cause they are still very hard on retirement visas from what I've heard when it comes to showing your funds).

very perplexing. Might be just me who don't really get it, but seems like the corruption is higher up in the chain.

[thesetat2013]

What a load of BS. There is a lot more here not being said.

To get a marriage cert you need many things, one of which is a translated cert by your embassy stating you are eligable for marriage here. That translation and the original document need to be stamped and signed at the Thai ministry. Then there is the passport issue showing you are legal in the country.

This article makes it seem that it is as simple as walking into an Amphur office with a women and saying we want to be married now.

[Thaddeus]

................"for use for immigration purposes, has found that most foreigners involved used fake names........."

How does that work then? If the foreigners were using false names for immigration purposes does that mean they were using the same false names for counterfeit passports?

Am I missing something or is this a much larger problem far removed from extensions through marriage that I first thought?

Sounds like a fabrication that a five year old would come up with doesn't it.

[konying]

If fake name was used, how was visa issued to a real name?

[Bluespunk]

"The Immigration Police Command 4 (Nakhon Ratchasima) that initially probed the case has urged their Udon Thani-based counterparts to check any foreigners who may be involved."

So how will that work then?

They have no idea who was involved because false names were used.

Will they just hassle every foreigner on the grounds they are foreign and therefore may be involved?

That should be fun.

Edited October 29, 2014 by Bluespunk

[chainarong]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I resent the allegations that fake names are being used to get marriage certificates. I have been married to a Thai for 15 years and if there's a morsel of truth in the matter then my name's not Homer Simpson. DOH!

Pleased to meet U Mr Simpson, welcome to LOS

[ramrod711]

A female former official at Tambon Noen Sang municipality, who was implicated by the former registrar in the scam, has dismissed claims she was a mastermind and supplied Thai women's names for fake marriages with foreign men. She said she had no knowledge of any wrongdoing, and did not get paid for keying in the information for the former registrar.

It's the Sgt. Schultz defense, "I know nothing". There could only be a select few in a position to pull this off, and they would have to work for immigration.

[noitom]

The root of the problem are the Thai Big Men rounding up Thai women to "pay" them for their complicity in the marriage scam. Round up the Thai Big Men running the hustle and you will have no foreigners participating in the scam. Busting a few foreigners for falsifying records keeps the Thai Big Men in business and solves nothing. Where is the "racketeering" crime prevention in Thailand? Who is running crime prevention - the Thai military or the Thai police?

[Thormaturge]

I believe a crack team is currently assigned to arrest Messrs. M. Mouse, D. Duck, R. Rabbit, and Y. Bear.

[Thormaturge]

Will they just hassle every foreigner on the grounds they are foreign and therefore may be involved?

The Thais aren't that stupid.

They only need to round up all the married foreigners.

[Briggsy]

Are you sure this was not a service for Laos or Chinese men?

Yet again, yet again, Thai Visa reproduces a story about an immigration fraud and the usual posters launch into tirades about "farangs". There are many other nationalities in the world, many of whom live in countries with harsher economic conditions than Thailand.

[Halion]

You just have to look at the nonsense that abounds in this country to get picture of just how screwed up it really is.

[Bluespunk]

Will they just hassle every foreigner on the grounds they are foreign and therefore may be involved?

The Thais aren't that stupid.

They only need to round up all the married foreigners.

Except in this case they won't be as the marriages didn't take place........so should all the single guys should be worrying a little now...logically speaking.........

[jaltsc]

" If found guilty, the expats' visas would be revoked, they would face legal action and they could be blacklisted from re-entering the country..."

This punishment is a lot less harsher than for many of the men who legally got married and have no way out.

Edited October 29, 2014 by jaltsc

[Thormaturge]

" If found guilty, the expats' visas would be revoked, they would face legal action and they could be blacklisted from re-entering the country..."

This punishment is a lot less harsher than for many of the men who legally got married and have no way out.

I have this impression of a long line of men volunteering to be arrested.

[62strat]

This doesn't make much sense as a type O visa to remain with wife is a lot of paperwork (wife ID, house card, marriage certificate from Amphur etc) to produce and an interview with the 'fake' wife... then next year do it again.....if you are going to bribe your way here and use fake documents then this seems too complicated. A fake passport with a fake visa (or bribed stamp) seems a more likely route. Unless of course an immergration officer with a Visa company has suggested this way to people having Visa problems. and they have the necessary names and proofs already for this use...

[jaltsc]

" If found guilty, the expats' visas would be revoked, they would face legal action and they could be blacklisted from re-entering the country..."

This punishment is a lot less harsher than for many of the men who legally got married and have no way out.

I have this impression of a long line of men volunteering to be arrested.

As Henny Youngman said: "Take my wife. Please"

[mca]

If found guilty, the expats' visas would be revoked

Say it ain't so!

[MobileContent]

Looks to me more and more that those fake names then applied for a Thai-id card.

To become Thai you need to be married to a Thai woman. The names have to be fakes otherwise they can be tracked back to their home country.

After that just pay a million Baht and you are Thai.

This whole issue has nothing to do with farangs. I put my money on Mainland Chinese and Pakistani's.

We will never hear the trust about this story and the issue will be closed in the very near future.

[SOTIRIOS]

......anything to shift the blame.........

[tracker1]

I just did my marriage visa 2 copies of everything plus photos and yesterday my wife was contacted by Immigration who asked her a heap of personal questions regarding my parents and family whom some she has never met as them being deceased plus what kind of home we live in and how much pension I receive to support her, also they informed her that the Immigration Detectives will be visiting our home to check on what I don't know. I told the Mrs they can also have the last toilet paper I use too !

[maidee]

if they used fake names and blacklist the fake name

they can re-enter next week / month with their real passport

not a thai official will notice

so they did not do 90 days reporting & other crap ?

[Commerce]

If I recall correctly, the 600 marriages did not involve caucasians, but primarily Indians and alike.

No need for white farangs to be concerned, we all do it the legal way. This was a back-handed route for other nationalities which exclude caucasians.

The comments refer only to the 600 cases discovered, and do not apply to all who are married, or we'd all be down there knocking on the door proving innocence.

Edit: having said that, the OP could have made it a bit clearer, and included the original commentd and statements, because we all know Thais associate the word 'foreigner' primarily with caucasian farang. A bit unfair, me thinks.

Edited October 29, 2014 by Commerce

[catweazle]

Wow, the RTP found that out all by themselves? I am impressed...