Happy Fourth of July - US man donates 500,000 to Thai police

[piraterum]

The people least in need of a fund for loans are the Thai police! I can think of a dozen better ways to spend that money than give it to police who daily pick the pockets of poor Thai people. Is it just an over the top bribe for these people who are to protect you but take from you?

[Ulic]

That guy is just one huge dufus. I shake my head.

[Yann55]

To the police....of all things

'things' ... perfect choice of words ...

[GeckosDiving]

l

[Yann55]

Aliens have been among us for centries. There isnt anything they dont know about our species including all of our cultures and various mindsets around the world.

Right now an Alien is filling out the paperwork to file a report on their home planet 50,000 light years away that they have located the dumbest MFer on planet Earth.

Or perhaps the cleverest, depending on how you look at things ...

[Prbkk]

Could very well be a message to others given the public manner of the presentation; on the other hand it might simply be a well-intentioned man of means.

[bubba]

Maybe we should just give Mr Gebhard the benefit of the doubt here. I just did a bit of googling and found that he is a retired US Air Force colonel with a long history of generosity and community service, and prior to this one, donations to schools, clinics and orphanages in Udon.

Before doing good stuff for Udon, things like this:

http://www.mvariety.com/cnmi/cnmi-news/local/58882-more-donations-for-the-manamko-from-pacific-amusement

I say good for you, Jim. Keep making a positive difference in the world.

I will probably cop a bit of flack for this........but, given the fact he was an air force colonel he gets less benefit of the doubt from me, that isn't an honourable profession at all.

Alright then...forget about the part where he is a retired USAF colonel.

He still has a good history of being charitable with his resources, both here and in the USA.

After donating to schools, clinics and orphanages in Udon, if he felt like setting up a loan fund for police officers there because they are not wealthy or highly paid, then good for Jim. I see no justification to second guess his motivation or suggest that he has ulterior motives. Maybe more of us here could do less judging and more charity to a cause of our own choosing.

[Wilsonandson]

The guy was a C.I.A agent between 2008-2010 based in Thailand. Cannot send a link as it's a pdf file.

Just type into google:-

Col Jim Gebhard USAF

CIA

[ljd1308]

Maybe we should just give Mr Gebhard the benefit of the doubt here. I just did a bit of googling and found that he is a retired US Air Force colonel with a long history of generosity and community service, and prior to this one, donations to schools, clinics and orphanages in Udon.

Before doing good stuff for Udon, things like this:

http://www.mvariety.com/cnmi/cnmi-news/local/58882-more-donations-for-the-manamko-from-pacific-amusement

I say good for you, Jim. Keep making a positive difference in the world.

I will probably cop a bit of flack for this........but, given the fact he was an air force colonel he gets less benefit of the doubt from me, that isn't an honourable profession at all.

Alright then...forget about the part where he is a retired USAF colonel.

He still has a good history of being charitable with his resources, both here and in the USA.

After donating to schools, clinics and orphanages in Udon, if he felt like setting up a loan fund for police officers there because they are not wealthy or highly paid, then good for Jim. I see no justification to second guess his motivation or suggest that he has ulterior motives. Maybe more of us here could do less judging and more charity to a cause of our own choosing.

That is true, but it doesn't sit right because it isn't a charity. The police are a government(Royal in Thailand) organisation with salaries, benefits(and there are a lot of benefits besides the obvious ones) and pensions.....don't you(and him) see that is a bit different to giving money to an orphanage?

He may well of nothing but good intentions(apart from his chosen career), but obviously questions about his judgement will be asked because even people who will defend him could think of 20 different actual charities that he could have donated too instead that actually need the money more.

And that isn't even mentioning all the unsavoury stories surrounding Thailand's finest.

[Moonmoon]

at least he did something. what have you done today?

[lungnorm]

Complete and utter fool. Must have early onset dementia.

[MissAndry]

>This guy's either clever or soft... <<

I go for clever .

Probably a better investment than a 'Thai Elite' card.

I'm guessing he'll never have Work Permit, VISA or 90 day reporting problems.

Edited July 5, 2016 by MissAndry

[DrTuner]

A 5y get out of jail giftcard.

[jaffacakes1]

If you think this guy is a mug, then you are. He's a serial entrepreneur with international business interests and financially successful enough to afford such a gift. His philanthropy doubtlessly comes from a good place but at the same time I'm sure life and business can just run that little bit more smoothly with influential friends. Very schrewd and very smart. Well played.

[balo]

at least he did something. what have you done today?

I bribed the police.

[DuiDui48]

"cops who get paid peanuts to do their jobs"...yes...BUT most of them DO NOT their job(s)..And YES,not all cops are bad,BUT..if i could say that MOST of the Thai cops do a good job..well then i would say -good on you for helping then out...BUT those i met during my 15 years here are NOT good workers..BUT good on him and his Thai wife to support the corr*** policeforce..He and his wife will have 110% support from the local P-force..Sorry to sound synical,BUT this is my personal thoughts..

Sounds to me like he is doing a good deed and helping out some up-country cops who get paid peanuts to do their jobs, many of which find themselves in serious financial hardship (especially the ones trying to do an honest job without taking kickbacks. Yes, its true, some do not take bribes). If it was a payoff for protection, it wouldn't be a public donation like this. Come on TV'ers, put your cynicism away for one day. Not all cops in Thailand are bad. Believe it or not, you may rely on them to save your skin one day.

[MobileContent]

Real benevolent donations done without the fanfare and photo opp.....

the fact the donor will benefit from his generosity someday,

is not lost on anyone....

He has his benefit already. Making a show of giving. I have a lot more respect for someone who gives anonymously.

Oh god, please understand the logic here. The guy give money to police they so happy, gf work in bar as dj so now police will not go bar if open after hours. An pay tea money. Everything sorted.

Get it now.

She is a DJ at the radio station.

[MobileContent]

"cops who get paid peanuts to do their jobs"...yes...BUT most of them DO NOT their job(s)..And YES,not all cops are bad,BUT..if i could say that MOST of the Thai cops do a good job..well then i would say -good on you for helping then out...BUT those i met during my 15 years here are NOT good workers..BUT good on him and his Thai wife to support the corr*** policeforce..He and his wife will have 110% support from the local P-force..Sorry to sound synical,BUT this is my personal thoughts..

Sounds to me like he is doing a good deed and helping out some up-country cops who get paid peanuts to do their jobs, many of which find themselves in serious financial hardship (especially the ones trying to do an honest job without taking kickbacks. Yes, its true, some do not take bribes). If it was a payoff for protection, it wouldn't be a public donation like this. Come on TV'ers, put your cynicism away for one day. Not all cops in Thailand are bad. Believe it or not, you may rely on them to save your skin one day.

I have been in Thailand for 28 years and most of the cops I know just do their job and I have been befriended with them for a very long time. I have many cop friends at Thonglor Police Station and they never once took a bribe.

As for the American gent that coughed up 500,000 Baht I think he did a good deed and as he has given before to other charities I guess he has a good chance to apply for Thai citizenship in the very near future. When their was last time flooding around Bangkok our office bought water and distributed it via the police station in Nonthaburi. A photo was taken as well and it was valued at around 150k.

[kannot]

guess thats his "get out of jail free" card sorted then

[mankondang]

The money could have been better spent feeding poor children, or since itsto celebrate American Independence Day, help clean up the unexplored bombs they have left over S. E. Asia. Bet TV take this blog off, as being an American business it won't allow the truth to be told. Anywhere else in the world where a foreign businessman gives money to the police would be investigated and possibly acceptance refused.

[Skeptic7]

Just paying for his "protection" in advance. Probably gave him a discount off the amount they would have extorted out of him in the future...

[Psimbo]

I wonder which one is her 'brother'.

[Skeptic7]

"cops who get paid peanuts to do their jobs"...yes...BUT most of them DO NOT their job(s)..And YES,not all cops are bad,BUT..if i could say that MOST of the Thai cops do a good job..well then i would say -good on you for helping then out...BUT those i met during my 15 years here are NOT good workers..BUT good on him and his Thai wife to support the corr*** policeforce..He and his wife will have 110% support from the local P-force..Sorry to sound synical,BUT this is my personal thoughts..

Sounds to me like he is doing a good deed and helping out some up-country cops who get paid peanuts to do their jobs, many of which find themselves in serious financial hardship (especially the ones trying to do an honest job without taking kickbacks. Yes, its true, some do not take bribes). If it was a payoff for protection, it wouldn't be a public donation like this. Come on TV'ers, put your cynicism away for one day. Not all cops in Thailand are bad. Believe it or not, you may rely on them to save your skin one day.

I have been in Thailand for 28 years and most of the cops I know just do their job and I have been befriended with them for a very long time. I have many cop friends at Thonglor Police Station and they never once took a bribe.

And you know for a fact...with 100% certainty...that they have never once taken a bribe, how? ? ? Really impossible to know, don't you think? Alot of guys and gals...who actually live with and share lives with...swear their spouse/significant other has never cheated on them. All of the sudden...D'OH!

Impossible to know one way or the other...

Edited July 5, 2016 by Skeptic7

[somchai jones]

Gotta chuckle at the usual WOF (whinging old fart) brigade on Thai Visa........you can feel the envy coming through with every crass, bitter post they write.

If they'd only taken the time to read the article they'd have seen that this couple have already donated to other causes such as local projects, schools, etc.....and anyway, it is their money after all.

They would have gotten more respect on this sorry forum if they spent their time and money doing what the WOFs do, i.e. sitting on their bar stools moaning about the state of affairs in their adopted home all day without actually doing a thing to help either Thailand or their own pathetic selves........

Edited July 5, 2016 by somchai jones

[Khon Kaen Dave]

And i thought Harold the ferang needed his head testing,when he gave his sweety pie all his earnings.Police have hard jobs?

[mrperfectclean]

Very obvious what happened here... he got busted doing something un-savoury and being an astute business man offered a tax deductible donation instead of a straight out bribe. Will remember to take an oversized cheque with me next time I am pulled over driving whilst white.

[Gracas]

Yes I have read on TV about the Elite Visa program, this is just another option ?

[mikiea]

Hmm...

sounds like a money washing machine set on large load double rinse cycle .

[HOOD Robin]

"...donated half a million baht to Udon police recognizing the hardships they face in their difficult job."

Is he serious ?? What an ass !!!!

These coppers enrich themselves more than enough already !

What's wrong with donating to the REAL poor people ???

So his wife is a DJ eeh ?

Then i assume he holds the wrong gal as the one on the left looks more like an entertainer...

[asean]

its a trick. cheque not signed