Immigration crackdown: Thousands of foreigners charged for illegally entering Thailand

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Thousands of foreigners charged for illegally entering country

BANGKOK:-- More than 9,000 foreigners were busted for illegally entering the country - four of them wanted by Interpol - during a weeklong police crackdown that finished Sunday.

Police said of the 9,265 foreigners napped, 9038 had been charged with violating the Immigration Act 1979, 18 for violating the Criminal Code and 209 were charged in accordance with other laws.

The arrests include Kristina Monka, 23, a Russian wanted by Interpol on fraud charges, was arrested on Wednesday.

Grigory Lyaskov, 24, a Russian wanted by Interpol on fraud charges, was arrested along with Kristina.

Working as a bank manager in Russia, it is alleged Kristina transferred Bt4 million from a client's account to her secret account and Bt945,000 to Grigory's account.

Russian police issued arrest warrants and cancelled their passports and sought Interpol's help in arresting them.

Immigration Bureau police arrested them in Pattaya.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Thousands-for-foreigners-charged-for-illegally-ent-30271571.html

-- The Nation 2015-10-25

RELATED: PM Prayuth to decide on tough new penalties for foreigners who overstay

[steven100]

Why is it Pattaya gets all the quality tourists !!

[pinkpanther99]

9,000!!!

Jesus.

One has to ask how 9,000 were allowed to enter illegally in the first place.

Clearly Immigration has no idea what the hell is going on.

[gandalf12]

Good they have had a crackdown. Just shows how many scum bags are in the country

[Wilsonandson]

9,000!!!

Jesus.

One has to ask how 9,000 were allowed to enter illegally in the first place.

Clearly Immigration has no idea what the hell is going on.

Maybe their Syrian refugees claiming asylum?

[bino]

A week long crackdown that ended today, with more than 9000 arrested? How is it possible that nobody knew anything and that this story is only breaking now?

To find all these people who were charged, immigration surely had to have encountered enough legitimate foreigners in this crackdown that averaged more than 1000 arrests per day.

Where are more than 9000 being detained?

Edited October 25, 2015 by bino

[konying]

9000 were busted but mention only 2? What happened with other 8998 and how did they do the busts? Street checks or ??

[Pdaz]

Maybe Germans come to escape the Syrians ?

[Pib]

Something sounds fishy/wrong about this story....over 9000 over one week which was this week. And the crackdown ended today but they are also reporting numbers today...seems like the earliest the final reporting would occur is tomorrow/Monday. Plus it seems like if this many people were getting arrested over such a short period we would have heard about it before now.

[jonw8uk]

Entered illegally - How?, and how would they then be tracked down?

Is it possible that the majority are overstayers?

Something doesn't seem right with this news somehow

[easybullet3]

its good they said the Crackdown finished today.

so now all the real big criminals can walk around again and not need to worry about the crackdown.

its nice that the thai police let the criminals know that its is safe for them again.

[chrisinth]

For those figures to be correct i would assume there has been a crackdown with surrounding countries labour forces coming across the borders going on at the same time.

Either that or there really is a huge immigration problem, considering those figures are only the ones caught..........................

Edited October 25, 2015 by chrisinth

[steven100]

so they stopped 9000 quality tourists entering Pattaya .........

[Just1Voice]

Can't put my finger on it, but something just doesn't seem quite right with this story.

[willyumiii]

Why is it Pattaya gets all the quality tourists !!

When you cater to people who need to pay for sex, you get a lot of tourist who need to pay for sex.

Maybe that is why???

[Hawk]

Burmese, Cambodians, Lao, Vietnamese?

[willyumiii]

Some people will do almost anything to get a free t-shirt!

I wonder what it costs for 9000 t-shirts?

Edited October 25, 2015 by willyumiii

[amerasianex]

So the Russians may have done what many Thai bankers do. Steal money then flee to another country?

That was a bad example to bring up...ha ha ha. And that 9000 people that wont be spending money here. So what! Hundreds of thousands of Cambodians and Lao are here with no money ? doing Thai work for half the price..stupid

[willyumiii]

Entered illegally - How?, and how would they then be tracked down?

Is it possible that the majority are overstayers?

Something doesn't seem right with this news somehow

Ed visa with no education involved, multiple tourist visa...

I believe you are correct and chronic overstayers will be the next to be cracked down upon

[Petchabun Man]

My hunch is there are at least 40,000 here. Well 9,265 less now. There are at least a dozen hiding in my area.

[amerasianex]

So the Russians may have done what many Thai bankers do. Steal money then flee to another country?

That was a bad example to bring up...ha ha ha. And that 9000 people that wont be spending money here. So what! Hundreds of thousands of Cambodians and Lao are here with no money ? doing Thai work for half the price..stupid

[konying]

Why is it Pattaya gets all the quality tourists !!

When you cater to people who need to pay for sex, you get a lot of tourist who need to pay for sex.

Maybe that is why???

Or may be because people with money go to fun places, instead of farms in the middle of the jungle

[Petchabun Man]

They are everywhere. Have been saying this for years. Pissed off numerous TV posters in the past. Looks like i was correct all this time.

Good they have had a crackdown. Just shows how many scum bags are in the country

[Thai at Heart]

9000. And people on here argued with me that immigration wasn't bent.

[Reigntax]

9,000 for someone educated in Thailand could be anywhere between 5 and infinity.

Whats the chance the number was just made up to enable an impressive announcement.

When to we find out that the corrupt immigration officers who allowed the aliens to enter have been arrested and charged.

[petedk]

Burmese, Cambodians, Lao, Vietnamese?

Not really. Look at the photo.

Also very strange they are all wearing black t-shirts from immigration. Have all 9,000 received a black t-shirt?

The whole story sounds strange to me.

[ChrisY1]

They are everywhere. Have been saying this for years. Pissed off numerous TV posters in the past. Looks like i was correct all this time.

Good they have had a crackdown. Just shows how many scum bags are in the country

Well done.......did you inform the Thai authorities, in the past about all these illegals?

[gandalf12]

They are everywhere. Have been saying this for years. Pissed off numerous TV posters in the past. Looks like i was correct all this time.

Good they have had a crackdown. Just shows how many scum bags are in the country

we all know there are more illegal than legal especially in Pattaya

[aguy30]

Thousands of foreigners charged for illegally entering Thailand

Actually 9038 from India, Bangladesh and Africa were charged with OVERSTAYING, not illegal entry, according to the OTHER Bangkok newspaper website. I will miss them.

Edited October 25, 2015 by aguy30

[Guitar God]

I just got back from a trip to Nong Khai, there's a river a few hundered miles long separating Laos and Thailand. I'm sure if somebody wanted to cross they could easily find someone with a boat that would take them across for a few dollars.

I've accidentally gone from the U.S. to Canada while fishing more than once, Mounties never caught me. Maybe the people here illegally didn't fly into BKK and show their passport?

9,000!!!

Jesus.

One has to ask how 9,000 were allowed to enter illegally in the first place.

Clearly Immigration has no idea what the hell is going on.