Travel company stole money.What can be done?

[leverito]

Does anybody faced with a case,when you pay money in the shop,take the receipt but the vendor don't give your purchase?..

Some months ago I visit a travel company in Trendy building who offered quickly visa application and renewal for me and my wife.Had to pay 27000 baths,take receipts.

Week after week passed without any result.After about a month the young lady returned our passports without visas.

But not our money...As she say,the money she already give to immigration officer...

We have long correspondence with her by sms,I ask to meet with her boss,hoping that he will be more responsible because never before in any country I see this kind of rough cheating...

I write two letters to the office of no.1 police general.After the first I wait one month-no any reply.Then send second letter...

It passes 15 days after the second letter-no any reply.

Need your advice - what can be done,who to contact in this situation.

Thanks in advance...

[Bobotie]

My answer is you have paid an excessive amount of money to pay a bribe to secure your visa, so with that info...what you think your next step is ?....you have been stitched up, but at the same time you have paid over a bribe, tough situation to be in

Edited March 15, 2016 by Bobotie

[leverito]

Thinks,next step is to explain,that it was not for bribe,but for my comfort and saving time...

[luke000]

Which Passport do you have, which visa was you applying for ?

[Bobotie]

Thinks,next step is to explain,that it was not for bribe,but for my comfort and saving time...

Paying money to shortcut a system above and beyond normal visa fees and the fact you mention a police general already infers this money was intended as a bribe, dont fool yourself

Given it seems a high ranking BIB is involved..you mzy be better walking away lesson learned

Edited March 15, 2016 by Bobotie

[Bobotie]

27000 for what...?

Police tea fund

Contribution to the Generals new Merc

Edited March 15, 2016 by Bobotie

[scorecard]

27000 for what...?

There are plenty of 'Visa agencies' who guarantee a visa in regard to countries who are very picky about visa issuance, but with very large / outrageous fees. A few also say 'no visa, no charge'.

Little doubt they are aiming at customers who really have little chance of getting the visa, or customers who have already convinced themselves of failure / listened to too failure stories (often on TV) so they turn to such agencies.

No doubt these 'agencies' have quite a few customers. Are they all a total scam? How long is a piece of string?

[lostinisaan]

OP, so your wife AND you are without a visa now, right?

Solution: Waiting for Godot.-

Edited March 15, 2016 by lostinisaan

[leverito]

We have now...

[dddave]

In the basement level of the Immigration building at Chang Wattana, there is a walk-in service center for the Consumer Protection division. If you really want to pursue your case, it might be worth a visit. Make sure you have all your documentation in order.

[RawboneFunksta]

The Brit Embassy visa dept is in the Trendy building. Are other countries visa sections there also?

[leverito]

Thank you,dddave,may be this is a way...

[inbangkok]

Can you provide a bit more information? What were the visa renewals for you and your wife? I am a bit confused regarding the 27,000 baht part....

[fey]

i would threaten them and say you will report your passport stolen if they don't pay up. list their names and address on theft report to your government. take photos of then in the shop and can bring in theft report to fill out there.

give them back your passports until the visa's you paid for are issued.

[luke000]

i would threaten them and say you will report your passport stolen if they don't pay up. list their names and address on theft report to your government. take photos of then in the shop and can bring in theft report to fill out there.

give them back your passports until the visa's you paid for are issued.

Falsely accusing someone of stealing passports to the Police, really isnt a good idea

[KittenKong]

In the basement level of the Immigration building at Chang Wattana, there is a walk-in service center for the Consumer Protection division. If you really want to pursue your case, it might be worth a visit. Make sure you have all your documentation in order.

Consumer protection department is definitely the place to go. The OP may find that a refund is quickly forthcoming.

[CharlieH]

There is a "pinned" thread at the top of the "general forum"

NCPO Thai government. 24 hour Call Center 1111 http://www.1111.go.th/

They deal with any and all complaints related to anything and everything.

Noise, schools, retailers, builders, police or anything else.

Consumer Protection Board. http://www.ocpb.go.t...?filename=index

This agency deals with all retails, real estate and alike problems, including faulty products, incomplete jobs, warranty's etc.

It also deals with unlicensed restaurants of food sellers.

[leverito]

Thanks....

[fey]

i would threaten them and say you will report your passport stolen if they don't pay up. list their names and address on theft report to your government. take photos of then in the shop and can bring in theft report to fill out there.

give them back your passports until the visa's you paid for are issued.

Falsely accusing someone of stealing passports to the Police, really isnt a good idea

your right involving the police is a fools move, especially in thailand, this would be a government report.

im not playing 100% fair here, iits a sticky situation. i would simply give the passports back until the contract is fulfilled and the visa is issued or refund given. they have a receipt which should cover them against a false accusation. if no result then they are reported stolen/confiscated.

if you want to be completely above board, just take the loss, but in the real world you need to get your hands dirty sometimes or pay off someone else to do it unless you can afford not to.

main thing is the threat, you could still never register the theft. main thing is to be very convincing.

this is a good deal of money. its easy to say just walk away on a forum, bit i dont think most people could be completely comfortable with that.

Edited March 16, 2016 by fey

[humqdpf]

In future, never pay such people in advance. If they ask, you tell them they already have your passport and therefore no need.

In any case, you should not need to a) pay so much money and unless it is a reputable company do not pay at all.

You can put your case through the official channels as suggested by others on this forum. You can also set out your case on social media, including naming and shaming the individuals who own the company and the company name. You would be doing a social service by naming the company here.

[SOTIRIOS]

....not sure what you were seeking....nor what you paid for...

.....you put yourself in this situation.....

...a shame you did not take a little more time...or make an effort....and ask around....

...and paying a stranger up front......

...sorry for you....

[mcfish]

In future, never pay such people in advance. If they ask, you tell them they already have your passport and therefore no need.

In any case, you should not need to a) pay so much money and unless it is a reputable company do not pay at all.

You can put your case through the official channels as suggested by others on this forum. You can also set out your case on social media, including naming and shaming the individuals who own the company and the company name. You would be doing a social service by naming the company here.

No visa company will do it that way. What if the guy is black listed or on a fake passport. Doubt the visa company would risk losing any of their own cash

[Bangkok Barry]

There is a "pinned" thread at the top of the "general forum"

NCPO Thai government. 24 hour Call Center 1111 http://www.1111.go.th/

They deal with any and all complaints related to anything and everything.

Noise, schools, retailers, builders, police or anything else.

Consumer Protection Board. http://www.ocpb.go.t...?filename=index

This agency deals with all retails, real estate and alike problems, including faulty products, incomplete jobs, warranty's etc.

It also deals with unlicensed restaurants of food sellers.

Have you actually used them? My experience regarding a CTH complaint was a total waste of time. Over two months ago they said they'd be back in touch in one month. Nothing happened. I'm sure if I followed up they'd just say that CTH didn't respond. That is what happened with me too, so what is the point of using the NCPO. No different to CTH.

[bazza40]

Walk away, write it off to experience. Unfortunately Thailand is a place where there are reputable travel agents side-by-side with thieves. Which is true for a number of occupations here. Word-of-mouth among falangs is not a bad guide.

[Jedsada3]

It's always a big risk to give passport and such official documents to someone you don't know.

I prefer lose time and check for my visa by myself than entrust my passport to anyone non official.

[louse1953]

Thinks,next step is to explain,that it was not for bribe,but for my comfort and saving time...

Paying money to shortcut a system above and beyond normal visa fees and the fact you mention a police general already infers this money was intended as a bribe, dont fool yourself

Given it seems a high ranking BIB is involved..you mzy be better walking away lesson learned

Some of you blokes go straight for bribe the BIB theory, where no mention of that happened .He wrote to the Police general to expose the so called scam and get help.He is still waiting.

[louse1953]

27000 for what...?

Police tea fund

Contribution to the Generals new Merc

Rubbish.

[louse1953]

It's always a big risk to give passport and such official documents to someone you don't know.

I prefer lose time and check for my visa by myself than entrust my passport to anyone non official.

Why do people do it.I do the time honoured way of doing it my self.At least i have control of the situation.

[captnhoy]

There is a "pinned" thread at the top of the "general forum"

NCPO Thai government. 24 hour Call Center 1111 http://www.1111.go.th/

They deal with any and all complaints related to anything and everything.

Noise, schools, retailers, builders, police or anything else.

Consumer Protection Board. http://www.ocpb.go.t...?filename=index

This agency deals with all retails, real estate and alike problems, including faulty products, incomplete jobs, warranty's etc.

It also deals with unlicensed restaurants of food sellers.

Have you actually used them? My experience regarding a CTH complaint was a total waste of time. Over two months ago they said they'd be back in touch in one month. Nothing happened. I'm sure if I followed up they'd just say that CTH didn't respond. That is what happened with me too, so what is the point of using the NCPO. No different to CTH.

Same here. I contacted CPB through their email system and got no response. I felt that was the best way to start the process as I live 10 hours from Bangkok. I've since filed that experience under what my friends refer to as "cultural differences". I have tried to be a retail customer of 5 places via their websites within the past 2 weeks and also have recieved no reply. My lesson learned - Go in person or learn to read and write in Thai.

[inbangkok]

27000 for what...?

Police tea fund

Contribution to the Generals new Merc

Rubbish.

Are you denying there is corruption at immigration offices? Are you actually claiming that people do not pay extra money to certain IO's to get things done or fast tracked? If you believe this, I would be curious to know what time you landed yesterday........