Could sham marriages in Thailand be enabling foreign criminals?

[webfact]

Could sham marriages in Thailand be enabling foreign criminals?
By STAFF WRITER


Featured image is via Stuff Happens

BANGKOK: -- Bogus marriages are about to come under the microscope of the Thai immigration department in a bid to combat the numbers of foreign criminals residing in the country.

It’s thought that international criminals could be using Thailand as a place to hide from crimes they have committed elsewhere. By marrying Thai nationals, they are entitled to stay here long term with minimal oversight from immigration authorities – just a visa renewal once a year, according to the Bangkok Post.

It is thought that some may be engaging in ‘marriage for hire’ in order to best take advantage of this.

The crackdown has come about as it was found that 150 Thai women in just one district of a northeastern province had recorded marriages to foreign men in the last few months alone. The high number alerted the Public Anti-Corruption Commission, who duly alerted the Immigration Bureau.

Pol Lt Gen Nathathorn Prousoontorn, chief of the bureau, commented that, “The number is unusually high, and it triggers suspicion about marriage ‘for hire'”.

Full story: http://whatsonsukhumvit.com/could-sham-marriages-in-thailand-be-enabling-foreign-criminals/


-- (c) What's on Sukhumvit 2016-04-11

[Ireland32]

Maybe Overstayers looking for protection from immigration

[terryp]

it was also reported that almost HALF A MILLION overstayers have been deported in the past 5 months around 3 THOUSAND a Day

i will treat this story like everything else from the mouths of immigration .....total Bullocks

[tracker1]

I dont know how these criminals are getting here to stay in the first place ? I know Australia was a penal settlement but the bullshit I had to go thru I would say there is a bit of corruption behind the scenes somewhere !!!!!!

[rkidlad]

Well, they make work permits overly complicated, they took away double entry visas and they now enforce deportation for immigration. Did no one think foreigners would go the marriage route?

I guess we can expect more stringent rules for people applying for extensions based on marriage. And when I say more stringent, I mean you must have more money.

[SoFarAndNear]

Dont you have to proof your marriage with photos, interviews, witnesses and even home visits to get a year extension?

[lemonjelly]

Maybe Overstayers looking for protection from immigration

Getting married won't clear an overstay

[phoenixdoglover]

Just enforce the visa rules,and stop with the speculation about foreign criminals living in your midst.

Xenophobia and racism are not pretty.

[leeneeds]

Many people circumnaviagte rules by

marriage depending on where as to how much,

money and time spent together on the ruse.

saw it first hand in the USA, Australia, Indonesia

no different here,

[lostinisaan]

The crackdown has come about as it was found that 150 Thai women in just one district of a northeastern province had recorded marriages to foreign men in the last few months alone.

If it's Udon Thani, the marriages won't last long anyway.....

[Hawk]

All foreigners out now?

[55Jay]

Just mention a crack down, they'll start crawling out of the woodwork.

[BritManToo]

No need for a sham marriage in Thailand, you can pay the sinsot and have a real marriage.

[thai3]

I thought all marriage was more or less a sham? is when you been in one 10 years +

[leeneeds]

I thought all marriage was more or less a sham? is when you been in one 10 years +

narrow minded post, many happy couples go way further than 10 years,

[cooked]

An Immigration officer told me at the beginning of March that he had already arrested about 20 people living in sham marriages. Racist bit coming up: he mentioned Uganda, Nigeria and a couple of other countries in that region. Buriram province.

[PomRakBKK]

The elite visa seems like a cheaper option over any real marriage

[thaiduncankk]

An Immigration officer told me at the beginning of March that he had already arrested about 20 people living in sham marriages. Racist bit coming up: he mentioned Uganda, Nigeria and a couple of other countries in that region. Buriram province.

Quite a few of them living in Khon Kaen too.

[parryhandy]

This is connected to the registry office story last year where Thai women were married to foreigners without them even knowing. They only found out they were "married" already when trying to get genuinely married. Corruption at its finest.

Edited April 11, 2016 by parryhandy

[Rayk]

This has got nothing to do with criminals in Thailand and everything to do with being able to stay in Thailand legally long term. I am 43 years old and have lived here for 3 years using a combination of visa exemptions and double entry tourist visas. I have been with my girlfriend for just as long and we are now going to get married earlier than planned in order for me to continue living here due to them eliminating the 2 entry tourist visas and scrutiny on visa exempts. I am not a criminal. In my 43 years i have only been arrested once when I was 14 for having 1/2 a gram of hashish. I don't work in Thailand as I don't need to, but also don't like wasting money on things like Thai Elite. I worked hard and invested and saved so I could retire and enjoy myself when I turned 40 which is exactly what I plan on continuing to due whether it be in Thailand or elsewhere.

Edited April 11, 2016 by Rayk

[worgeordie]

First,they came for the Overstayers,and rightly so,now marriages are to be strictly investigated,

next it will be the turn of Retirees to be hassled,Thailand ain't freewheeling anymore,as more

and more rules and laws are brought into force,Thailand's changing,but not sure, for the better.

regards Worgeordie

[thesetat2013]

Dont you have to proof your marriage with photos, interviews, witnesses and even home visits to get a year extension?

Yes, if they went by the book. However, a lot of corruption and laziness on the officials are to blame for their inaction in following all of the rules. So they will just take it out on the foreigners. When I applied for my visa they came to the house and talked with neighbors and spoke to the family and looked around. It's not hard to see if a foreigner lives there. We accumulate much more valuable things than a Thai would and have many conveniences that Thais don't care about.

[happy chappie]

A friend pointed out a farang to me the other day and told me he's....wait for it .......28 yrs overstay yes 28...he only speaks fluent Thai and is black from working in the fields all day and the only thing that gives him away is his nose.i thought to myself if he's on the run it must be more serious than 28 yrs hard labour and living on rice.

[thesetat2013]

This has got nothing to do with criminals in Thailand and everything to do with being able to stay in Thailand legally long term. I am 43 years old and have lived here for 3 years using a combination of visa exemptions and double entry tourist visas. I have been with my girlfriend for just as long and we are now going to get married earlier than planned in order for me to continue living here due to them eliminating the 2 entry tourist visas and scrutiny on visa exempts. I am not a criminal. In my 43 years i have only been arrested once when I was 14 for having 1/2 a gram of hashish. I don't work in Thailand as I don't need to, but also don't like wasting money on things like Thai Elite. I worked hard and invested and saved so I could retire and enjoy myself when I turned 40 which is exactly what I plan on continuing to due whether it be in Thailand or elsewhere.

If things continue with immigration giving all foreigners a hard time. Living elsewhere may be a better option than marrying a woman you don't love and perhaps she is only with you for the money or, future chance at your money. Try the Philippines. Their visa system is a lot easier and cheaper with less demands for documentation to stay a long time. They also have beautiful, sexy, attentive young ladies at your disposal. Just don't go to far south. Everywhere else is just as good as here.

[Rayk]

This has got nothing to do with criminals in Thailand and everything to do with being able to stay in Thailand legally long term. I am 43 years old and have lived here for 3 years using a combination of visa exemptions and double entry tourist visas. I have been with my girlfriend for just as long and we are now going to get married earlier than planned in order for me to continue living here due to them eliminating the 2 entry tourist visas and scrutiny on visa exempts. I am not a criminal. In my 43 years i have only been arrested once when I was 14 for having 1/2 a gram of hashish. I don't work in Thailand as I don't need to, but also don't like wasting money on things like Thai Elite. I worked hard and invested and saved so I could retire and enjoy myself when I turned 40 which is exactly what I plan on continuing to due whether it be in Thailand or elsewhere.

If things continue with immigration giving all foreigners a hard time. Living elsewhere may be a better option than marrying a woman you don't love and perhaps she is only with you for the money or, future chance at your money. Try the Philippines. Their visa system is a lot easier and cheaper with less demands for documentation to stay a long time. They also have beautiful, sexy, attentive young ladies at your disposal. Just don't go to far south. Everywhere else is just as good as here.

I certainly wouldn't be as naive as to think that she may not want my money because it's definitely a possibility, but I can say that she has a very well paying career working for a Japanese company, owns her own home and car and has never in the 3 years we have been together asked me for one single baht. Her parents are getting old and when they finally pass she will stand to gain about 10million baht plus plenty of land so i don't really see it as a money thing with her although it could very well be. We are roughly the same age, she's 40 and I'm 43 so It works. I know she really does love me, I would never question that, although I myself still like to indulge in the younger specimen ever now and again.

The only reaon why i stay here in Thailand is because of her, otherwise I would probably go to Vietnam or Japan or another Asian country.

Unfortunately I detest Philippino woman so that option wouldn't work for me bit thanks for your feedback.

[ratcatcher]

Well, they make work permits overly complicated, they took away double entry visas and they now enforce deportation for immigration. Did no one think foreigners would go the marriage route?

I guess we can expect more stringent rules for people applying for extensions based on marriage. And when I say more stringent, I mean you must have more money.

"And when I say more stringent, I mean you must have more money."

If you're already in the system and legitimately married to a Thai woman and have a family involved, I doubt very much anyone needs to worry. It's the wide boys that have "loadsamoney" in some of the more popular resort areas that need to be careful.

[skorp13]

Like someone can't come into the country, commit crime, and leave before getting caught???

[mihalis]

Why not, happens elsewhere in the world..

[NickJ]

Close the majority of the language schools or only give an Ed visa if working on a degree. Raise the age of retirment visas to 62. ......That would see a mass exodus.

[godden]

it would be a sad lady to marry me