Thai police chief asks PM Prayut to clean up the immigration police bureau

[oxo1947]

First stop Chiang Mai I hope,thought it would be an improvement

when they opened the new office,but its a right mess,with everything

pushing you to use agents.

regards worgeordie

Lets make Udon Thai high on the list also------ if you don't buy get your Visa through them they wont even do your 90 check.......they just tell you to go back to where you got it from.....hopefully the internet 90 will fix that

[Eric Loh]

Did not they completely reform the entire police forced when Prayuth came to power anyway?

The cut and few heads to make headlines, but bottom line is nothing has changed.

It did started with noble intention and police reform was ranked among the top priorities of the military junta. However a year after, priorities appear to have changed and some sort of brotherly camaraderie seems to be cultivated and developed between Somyot and Prayut and out the window goes the police reform. The camaraderie could be laundry list of criminal acts committed by the military that being used as trade off. Seem the trafficking case by Lt-Gen Manas went a bit quiet and witnesses were intimidated and given no police protection.

[Alex Sharp]

Maybe the Thais should ask their Chinese counterparts on how best to handle the corruption issue. Chinas anti-corruption campaign is pretty efficient and sentences ruthless. I guess the Chinese are more committed to wiping out or at least minimizing corruption.

[Sandy Freckle]

How much irony and contradiction can one country have.........,
* (rhetorical question)

[Cabra]

have been..... ASKED..." Pretty Please" by the national police chief to clean up the immigration police bureau.

Get into Him

[arrowsdawdle]

I know I am a bit of a cynic, so I wonder if the headline is in fact 'Police chief ordered to ask the prime minister to clean up the immigration police bureau'...

The meaning is that the tea money didn't trickle to the top so now the police guy wants PM's blessing to go clean up.

[hugh2121]

He is still the chief , isn't he... well he should sure get punishment if all what he accused the officers of is true .......

If not, its a precedent and also prime ministers can not be held responsible for happened behind their back.

So bring him in, after all he's responsible.

"prime ministers can not be held responsible for happened behind their back."

Unless your name is Yingluck maybe????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

[gmf1313]

Come again? The police chief accusing other departments of corruption and abuse of authority? You just can't make this crap up!

We call that "The kettle calling the stove black" (old cast iron kettles and wood stoves were both black cast iron)

[darren84310]

Me thinks the Chief of Police should worry about the corruption within his own durisdition as it is damaging Thailand easily a thousand times more than any corruption at the Immigration Police.... at least when someone pays the Immigration Police they have a choice and they get something for their money.... more than can be said for his lot.

[NoshowJones]

I acknowledge vast improvements in Immigration, but I wish that Thai Immigration officers would have more respect for those of us who abide by the Thai immigration laws.I know their job is tedious but we are the ones respecting their laws.

I wish that all immigration offices had the same rules, not some will allow this and some will not.

It seems that IOs can make up any rule they want.

[billd766]

Complains about extortions of billions of Baht in the last years of tourist and expats and no one cared. Congratulation But now they want to clean up. But anyway these people entered with false passports... I dont think that it was really Immigration blame if someone entered with good forged passport. Happens daily around the globe....

That's not what happened. Uighur militants entered Thailand without any passport, by paying a bribe of about 18,000 baht for each entry. While in Thailand, they were able to obtain fake Turkish passports which had been provided by ISIL. It is estimated that 50,000 Uihgurs have passed through Thailand in this manner. Thailand was both a safe haven for terrorists, and a hub for ISIL's trafficking of its militants.

Do you have any links, references quotes with real names to play with?

Me, being a bit old and dim, would think that it would be easier and cheaper to take the passports out of Thailand than smuggle 50,000 people into Thailand.

[Baerboxer]

Did not they completely reform the entire police forced when Prayuth came to power anyway?

The cut and few heads to make headlines, but bottom line is nothing has changed.

"Did not they completely reform the entire police forced when Prayuth came to power anyway?"

No, he graciously decided to leave that to the "next government" and wisely decided to concentrate on worthier causes like the lottery reform

Rather ironic.

The police chief was removed and the current, about to retire incumbent installed. Not exactly covered himself with glory during his tenure.

Now he asks the person who installed him, his boss, to clean up part of his organization. So he's failed in that respect, without seemingly ever trying. He also skillfully avoided any responsibility for stripping Thaksin's old police rank title. Wonder if he'll manage to finalize the SIG pistol contract before month end? How much did his recent killing on the stock market yield? Wonder if that will be checked for insider trading by the SET?

If the real extent of corruption, and the size of rewards, were ever known, I'm sure we'd all be gobsmacked. Much more than we even imagine.

And no, none of those involved, whatever faction, are going to give it up easily.

[NanLaew]

That's not what happened. Uighur militants entered Thailand without any passport, by paying a bribe of about 18,000 baht for each entry. While in Thailand, they were able to obtain fake Turkish passports which had been provided by ISIL. It is estimated that 50,000 Uihgurs have passed through Thailand in this manner. Thailand was both a safe haven for terrorists, and a hub for ISIL's trafficking of its militants.

Is this a published theory or you precariously joining the dots from the 'facts' so far reported on the newswires?

Fake Turkish passports 'provided by ISIL.' Proof or conjecture?

Estimates that 50,000 Uighur 'militants' have 'passed through Thailand'. Going where?

Thailand as 'as safe haven for terrorists.' Nobody has stated it was a terrorist act and no terrorist group has admitted responsibility.

Trafficking its militants? Wrong terminology completely.

Maybe you mean that some militants OR some terrorists were smuggled through Thailand but your numbers and who's managing the whole affair beggars belief.

But back on topic, there's a whole world of pain coming down on the Immigration Police and not before time. Witness how easy it was for thousands of Rohingya's to be trafficked through southern Thailand to Malaysia.

[Puccini]

It looks to me like the police chief is blaming the Prime Minister for the mess and excessive corruption in the immigration department. Not clever, I think. Then the police chief goes on to say that if he were kept in office, he would clean up the department, which is an admission that he failed to perform his duty during the 12 months he was in office.

Edited September 11, 2015 by Puccini

[JAG]

Maybe he is angling for an extension?

After all, He is running out of time to clinch the deal on those new pistols, and there are " opportunities," in being the man tasked with cleaning up immigration!

[Puccini]

Incidentally, Pol Gen Somyot Poompunmuang, the national police chief, put a lot of his energy into a campaign to get casinos legalised in Thailand, without success.

How old is he? Has he reached the retirement age of 60?

[waldroj]

Is he or is he not the Thai Police Chief?

Ah, yes he still is!

So, one could infer from this that he is also the person with ultimate responsibility for the Immigration Police Bureau.

That said, it would be reasonable for one to also assume that he is (at the very least) culpable of:

1. Being aware of the issues he has put to Tuu,

2. Knowing what the consequences would be, and

3. Not taking preventative and timely action in accordance with his position of responsibility.

The little general (as head of the NCPO) must share some responsibility for this profound "revelation", through his protracted pace of reform. Unfortunately for Thailand, he would rather bully and intimidate the inept local media pack instead of tackling the country's rampant police force (talk about low hanging fruit).

On a lighter side, at least Somyot is not going to achieve his stated aim of being the first police chief to implement legal casinos in Thailand (http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/police-chief-backs-legalisation-of-casino-operations).

[Yann55]

Can't help but notice that the first evil listed is 'allowing foreigners to stay longer in Thailand' ... and I'm not saying it's right to bribe the local immigration office in order to stay longer than the law permits, but what I am saying is : exactly how does that put National Security at stake, compared to, say, allowing some individuals to come in illegally when the very look of them (and, of course, the fact that they're trying to enter illegally) should arouse maximum suspicion ? Oh yes, silly me, of course, suspicion is soluble in money.

Sadly, xenophobia is alive and well among Thais, especially those with uniforms, power, or both.

I know that, all the expats in Thailand know that, but it doesn't stop the travel brochures around the world to continue presenting Thailand as a tourist haven where foreigners are so very welcome, loved and pampered.

When I go through immigration at Suwarnabumi, I still do find the odd officer who actually says something nice, offers a smile, and 30 years ago it was systematic, whereas now it's the absolute exception. Most of them are downright unpleasant, unwelcoming and unhelpful. Sorry for the rant, and I know it's off topic but I do love this country and wish it wouldn't keep shooting itself in the foot.

Edited September 11, 2015 by Yann55

[little mary sunshine]

To paraphrase William Shakespeare ..." What do you call 2000

Thai politicians, police, PM, other High Officials at the bottom

Of the ocean"?.... A good start!!

[MZurf]

Did not they completely reform the entire police forced when Prayuth came to power anyway?

The cut and few heads to make headlines, but bottom line is nothing has changed.

"Did not they completely reform the entire police forced when Prayuth came to power anyway?"

No, he graciously decided to leave that to the "next government" and wisely decided to concentrate on worthier causes like the lottery reform

Rather ironic.

The police chief was removed and the current, about to retire incumbent installed. Not exactly covered himself with glory during his tenure.

Now he asks the person who installed him, his boss, to clean up part of his organization. So he's failed in that respect, without seemingly ever trying. He also skillfully avoided any responsibility for stripping Thaksin's old police rank title. Wonder if he'll manage to finalize the SIG pistol contract before month end? How much did his recent killing on the stock market yield? Wonder if that will be checked for insider trading by the SET?

If the real extent of corruption, and the size of rewards, were ever known, I'm sure we'd all be gobsmacked. Much more than we even imagine.

And no, none of those involved, whatever faction, are going to give it up easily.

"And no, none of those involved, whatever faction, are going to give it up easily."

And from that unfortunate fact stem my less than rosy predictions for Thailand's immediate future.

[wabothai]

Why does he have to ask Prajuth?

He is the chief.

Some "friends" involved?

[balo]

This news is a bit worrying for folks over 50 who use an agent to get a non imm. visa. It's a well known fact that if you pay 20000 baht to the agent you'll get the visa without having 800k in the bank. If they start a crack down on agents a lot of retired people on low pensions could face some serious problems.

[dunks]

POT. KETTLE. BLACK much?

[phoenixdoglover]

The prevailing opinion is that corruption in the RTP is longstanding and evident from top to bottom.

It would be unreasonable to expect a higher up in the RTP to act against this. Who cuts his own throat?

Thus, there is some logic in Somyot's appeal. Even if he is an inept clown.

Edited September 11, 2015 by phoenixdoglover

[phrodan]

Any among us going to admit to being on a visa smoothed by immigration contacts?

Any among us going to admit to even knowing you could do it?

Any among us going to admit that they have been approached and offered said "service,"?

I'll admit to two and three - but due to my circumstances I've never required any form of long stay visa that would require greasing.

I know for a fact that there are several active Thaivisa members who have taken advantage of the "greasing," system.

It's far more common that many of you would ever guess.

Who's going to admit to it?

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

and how many millions of dollars did Somyot make from corruption over the course of his illustrious career?

How much did he have to pay for how current position?

Pot...meet the kettle.

[phrodan]

ps - I've just reviewed this thread and who's posting on it. Two people who have used the grease system are crying foul. That's two that I know of - I don't know you all.

Hypocritical and hilarious in equal measure.

[Basil B]

May be the PM should remind the Police Chief that Thailand is ranked very high by the WHO (not the 70's pop band), on the list of road fatalities V population.

And it is his department that is responsible for law enforcement, and remind him that it is common knowledge police offices are bribed to look the other way...

Give him 1 year to reduce road fatalities or else...

[soalbundy]

Maybe he is angling for an extension?

After all, He is running out of time to clinch the deal on those new pistols, and there are " opportunities," in being the man tasked with cleaning up immigration!

yes, think of all the ''get out of jail free'' money from all the detected wrong doers. Don't you ever do that again ( not on my watch anyway )

[phrodan]

This news is a bit worrying for folks over 50 who use an agent to get a non imm. visa. It's a well known fact that if you pay 20000 baht to the agent you'll get the visa without having 800k in the bank. If they start a crack down on agents a lot of retired people on low pensions could face some serious problems.

Correct.

This is a sickening thread for many people to read this morning.