PHUKET: Double trouble for illegal Kyrgyz tour guide

[Lite Beer]

PHUKET: Double trouble for illegal Kyrgyz tour guide
The Phuket News

Pindiurin was tooled up for a day of hustling armed with tourist maps and tour package receipts.

PHUKET: Tourist police today (Nov8) arrested Dmitrii Pindiurin, 27, a native of Kyrgyzstan for working illegally as a tour guide.

Under orders to crack down on illegal tour guides, Tourist Police officers arrested Pindiurin at 10.30am while he was showing two tourists around in Karon.

Pindiurin was not able to produce a work permit when questioned by the officer
He then admitted he had sold the couple a tour package on November 3 and had picked them up today at Jiraporn Hill Resort in Patong.

Officers searched Pindiurin and found several invoices for tour packages from various companies, as well as tourist maps and price lists for tours conducted in Russian.
Pindiurin also had in his possession an iPad, US$900 and B13,000 in cash.

Pindiurin initially faced charges of working without a work permit but the guide made his situation worse when he offered police a B40,000 bribe to drop the case.

Officers led Pindiurin to believe they would accept the bribe and allowed a midday appointment to be set up for an accomplice of Pindiurin's to bring the bribe money to the police station, where the event would be captured on security cameras.

The accomplice, who has not been named, arrived as arranged.
Police seized the bribe money and slammed Pindiurin with an additional charge of bribery.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/double-trouble-for-illegal-kyrgyz-tour-guide-49550.php

-- Phuket News 2014-11-09

[NamKAheng]

Great, the BiB made B40, 000 and arrest 2 people.

[shirtless]

Yet i see foreign touts on walking street every night , Thailand the hub of crackdowns.

[ClutchClark]

Yet i see foreign touts on walking street every night , Thailand the hub of crackdowns.

Sure, and when you are speeding in traffic you see other people speeding in traffic as well, but the traffic cop might ticket you or the other guys. Its all luck of the draw and if you are going to take the risk, as this guy chose to do, then you accept the chance you will get caught.

[ColdSingha]

and there we go kids.. no more bribes to the RTP

Edited November 9, 2014 by ColdSingha

[Sviss Geez]

Great, the BiB made B40, 000 and arrest 2 people.

The point is exactly the opposite, they did not make 40,000B

[grumpyoldman]

"He then admitted he had sold the couple a tour package on November 3 and had picked them up today at Jiraporn Hill Resort in Patong."

Why wouldn't he just say "these are my visiting friends and I'm just showing them around".............seems weird, they must've been informed of his activities prior.

[stevenl]

"He then admitted he had sold the couple a tour package on November 3 and had picked them up today at Jiraporn Hill Resort in Patong."

Why wouldn't he just say "these are my visiting friends and I'm just showing them around".............seems weird, they must've been informed of his activities prior.

Yes, that is always the case. Same as with the 'random checks' for visa: 'we stopped him and see, he was on a 2 year overstay'. No, you were told to find this guy. And my guess is that he was flagged for running a tour business, not for illegal guiding.

Edited November 9, 2014 by stevenl

[iReason]

"...Police seized the bribe money..."

[Bung]

So what happened to the bribe money? Maybe they need to brush up on their negotiating skills.

[Gentmartin]

Well done to the Tourist Police. A nail (albeit very small) in the coffin of corruption and another crook off the streets.

[zaZa9]

Im sure it was all a "misunderstanding".

It just so happens over here that with the language difficulties and such , that airport officials are constantly being handed 100 baht by hurried and confused tourists ... and Expats , who you'd think would have gained a bit better "understanding" by now , are forever thinking they need to give away 300 baht for a Certificate of Residency ... all "misunderstandings" , you know...

[Maestro]

Removed some off-topic posts.

[konying]

Great, the BiB made B40, 000 and arrest 2 people.

The point is exactly the opposite, they did not make 40,000B

The point is exactly they did. They seized the money, did you think they would refund it?

[Baerboxer]

Great, the BiB made B40, 000 and arrest 2 people.

The point is exactly the opposite, they did not make 40,000B

What has happened to the 40k ThB? Evidence? Then what after the trial?

You think all the cash will be returned. Nice.

[richard10365]

While he cannot be a tour guide, he could have legally had a tourism agency (up to 49% equity) as joint venture with a Thai person and then paid the Thai to guide the tours. Of course he would have had to go through the process of legally setting up the business. For that, it's best to get a lawyer before the business starts rather than after.

Perhaps he thought differently because a Thai person could do in his country what he was doing in Thailand.....assuming they went through the process of legally starting a business in Kyrgyzstan .

[Scouse123]

Great, the BiB made B40, 000 and arrest 2 people.

The point is exactly the opposite, they did not make 40,000B

Do you think for one minute that the 40,000 Baht will not disappear into their coffers and never be queried or mentioned again?

[Yann55]

Hehehe, understandably everyone is wondering if he police pocketed the 40K or not. Clearly no one really knows how it works in a case like this. I'd venture to say that they did, I don't know why ...

Quote : Officers led Pindiurin to believe they would accept the bribe (...)

And, lo and behold, he did believe them ! How can that be, in a country where the police are known for their spotless incorruptibility ?

Edited November 9, 2014 by Yann55

[Yann55]

I want to add something : Frankly I find that entrapment method shocking and despicable.

If they were that good and righteous, the one thing to do was tell the guy 'get lost, we don't want your bribe'. But no, they had to trick him into this scenario so that they could reap both the glory and the money (most probably) It's just like charity, the truly charitable people are not the ones who clamour urbi et orbi how much money they gave to this and that Foundation.

It takes two to tango. If the guy offered a bribe, it's because he knew that it's common practise. And why is it common practise ? Because these righteous gentlemen in brown do take bribes. Small, medium and large. All the time. From everyone. In all kinds of situations. I bet they would have taken the money from a Thai, but given the present atmosphere a farang is a liability because he could boast about it. This really stinks.

Again : , and

[ClutchClark]

Hehehe, understandably everyone is wondering if he police pocketed the 40K or not. Clearly no one really knows how it works in a case like this. I'd venture to say that they did, I don't know why ...

Quote : Officers led Pindiurin to believe they would accept the bribe (...)

And, lo and behold, he did believe them ! How can that be, in a country where the police are known for their spotless incorruptibility ?

What are you talking about? It does not say they asked for a bribe, it states they allowed him to think they would accept the bribe [he offered].

They couldn't arrest him for a bribe if no cash actually exchanged hands (its called proof of intent or evidence) so they allowed him to think they accepted his offer until he could get someone to deliver the cash for him to follow through on his intent to break the law.

Pretty easy to follow.

[cookee68]

I want to add something : Frankly I find that entrapment method shocking and despicable.

If they were that good and righteous, the one thing to do was tell the guy 'get lost, we don't want your bribe'. But no, they had to trick him into this scenario so that they could reap both the glory and the money (most probably) It's just like charity, the truly charitable people are not the ones who clamour urbi et orbi how much money they gave to this and that Foundation.

It takes two to tango. If the guy offered a bribe, it's because he knew that it's common practise. And why is it common practise ? Because these righteous gentlemen in brown do take bribes. Small, medium and large. All the time. From everyone. In all kinds of situations. I bet they would have taken the money from a Thai, but given the present atmosphere a farang is a liability because he could boast about it. This really stinks.

Again : , and

I agree with you, who knows maybe they did want the money but thought well if we get it on camera, we will be highly trusted officers, and we will be rewarded by our police force, who knows, but by encouraging a further crime to happen after one crime is commited is wrong

[cookee68]

Hehehe, understandably everyone is wondering if he police pocketed the 40K or not. Clearly no one really knows how it works in a case like this. I'd venture to say that they did, I don't know why ...

Quote : Officers led Pindiurin to believe they would accept the bribe (...)

And, lo and behold, he did believe them ! How can that be, in a country where the police are known for their spotless incorruptibility ?

What are you talking about? It does not say they asked for a bribe, it states they allowed him to think they would accept the bribe [he offered].

They couldn't arrest him for a bribe if no cash actually exchanged hands (its called proof of intent or evidence) so they allowed him to think they accepted his offer until he could get someone to deliver the cash for him to follow through on his intent to break the law.

Pretty easy to follow.

But had he not already broke the law, and should have been arrested and off the street and job done

[rethaier]

Addressing only the bribe, it was unethical of the police to pretend all was good when the offer was made. If they wanted to bust him for bribery that was the time to do it. They just wanted the money too. Bustards!

[ClutchClark]

Hehehe, understandably everyone is wondering if he police pocketed the 40K or not. Clearly no one really knows how it works in a case like this. I'd venture to say that they did, I don't know why ...

Quote : Officers led Pindiurin to believe they would accept the bribe (...)

And, lo and behold, he did believe them ! How can that be, in a country where the police are known for their spotless incorruptibility ?

What are you talking about? It does not say they asked for a bribe, it states they allowed him to think they would accept the bribe [he offered].

They couldn't arrest him for a bribe if no cash actually exchanged hands (its called proof of intent or evidence) so they allowed him to think they accepted his offer until he could get someone to deliver the cash for him to follow through on his intent to break the law.

Pretty easy to follow.

But had he not already broke the law, and should have been arrested and off the street and job done

Yes, he broke one law and then he broke another by offering a bribe.

If he had broken another law by hitting the police officer then he could have had additional charges filed against him and if he then tried to escape then he could have had even more charges filed.

This is the nature of police bribes the world over, they are offered after an original offense.

[ClutchClark]

Addressing only the bribe, it was unethical of the police to pretend all was good when the offer was made. If they wanted to bust him for bribery that was the time to do it. They just wanted the money too. Bustards!

What?

It would have only been unethical IF they had accepted the money and not reported it.

The fact they allowed him to make good on his intent to break the law of bribing a police officer is in no way unethical. Its the way it works.

Had he offered to sell them yaba then do you think it would have been unethical for them to "go along" with it as well?

[ronrat]

No different to offerring an undercover copper money for a hit. They have to accept the money to make the charges stick.

[SiggiCM]

Great, the BiB made B40, 000 and arrest 2 people.

The point is exactly the opposite, they did not make 40,000B

so you think he will get the money back? dream on....

[ChoakMyDee]

I wonder about those foreign guys I see selling real estate in the malls. They usually have a kiosk set up selling condos or houses. How are they allowed to do that? I would think a foreigner wouldn't be allowed to be selling property in Thailand.

[ClutchClark]

Great, the BiB made B40, 000 and arrest 2 people.

The point is exactly the opposite, they did not make 40,000B

so you think he will get the money back? dream on....

As would occur in any country, the money will likely be forfeited--as it should be.

Isn't this the new change everyone wants? To see the RTP clean up their act and quit taking bribes?

It certainly seems like some TV posters are a fickle bunch--they complain when bribes are taken and they complain when bribes are made illegal.

[millwall_fan]

All this guy was doing was acting as a tour guide. Its hardly murder! So he stole the job of some useless cretin who couldn't speak English properly and certainly no other language, who would take tourists only to places where he'd get commissions on top of his guide fee - in short do as little work as possible for the maximum money. Time to de-classify tour guiding as an occupation reserved for Thais and acknowledge that it would be better for Thai tourism to employ guides who understood the preferences - and languages - of their customers.