Face off! Japanese fugitive allegedly changed his face and hid in Thailand 10 years

[webfact]

Japanese fugitive allegedly changed his face and hid in Thailand 10 years
By Teeranai Charuvastra, Staff Reporter


Changing face of Yasuo Tsubaki as shown on evidence board at Friday’s police news conference.

BANGKOK — A Japanese man who police say had his face reconstructed to evade capture for a decade was arrested Wednesday in Bangkok.

Yasuo Tsubaki, 62, wanted by Japanese authorities since 2007 for allegedly fleecing his company of 4 billion baht worth of securities fraud, was nabbed at the Immigration office on Wednesday evening when he tried to renew his visa, authorities said.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/crime-crime/2016/07/29/japanese-fugitive-allegedly-changed-face-hid-thailand-10-years/


-- Khaosod English 2016-07-29

[clockman]

And why do criminals come to Thailand. Because they know it is a totally corrupt society. Anybody can be bought.

[pgrahmm]

He changed his face - but not his name?

[ClutchClark]

And why do criminals come to Thailand. Because they know it is a totally corrupt society. Anybody can be bought.

...and caught.

[ClutchClark]

He changed his face - but not his name?

I am skeptical he changed his face.

It looks more like the ravished of being 9 years older and on the run.

[nausea]

Oh, don't be a spoilsport ClutchClark, I much prefer the "face off" angle.

[GeorgesAbitbol]

He kinda look like an old asian Nicolas Cage

[halloween]

The word is dissipation. 10 years in Thailand with unlimited funds, I'd probably look the same. Less hair though.

[Hawk]

He changed his face - but not his name?

A brilliant ninja tactic.

[NCC1701A]

The word is dissipation. 10 years in Thailand with unlimited funds, I'd probably look the same. Less hair though.

I have been here for two years doing the dissipation thing and I look 10 years older. no joke.

And 4 billion baht worth of securities is $114,807,309 USD at today's exchange rate. I would have gone to some place better than Thailand and just got a new ID and passport..

Edited July 29, 2016 by NCC1701A

[White Christmas13]

Oh, don't be a spoilsport ClutchClark, I much prefer the "face off" angle.

Nah save face sounds much better

[trogers]

The word is dissipation. 10 years in Thailand with unlimited funds, I'd probably look the same. Less hair though.

I have been here for two years doing the dissipation thing and I look 10 years older. no joke.

And 4 billion baht worth of securities is $114,807,309 USD at today's exchange rate. I would have gone to some place better than Thailand and just got a new ID and passport..

Dubai comes to mind...

[ChrisY1]

It's not hard to hide here in Thailand......sone expats have been here for years....passports long expired....not running from the law.......they just keep a low profile and it seems it's not difficult at all.....likely similar in many western countries as well.

[pgrahmm]

The word is dissipation. 10 years in Thailand with unlimited funds, I'd probably look the same. Less hair though.

I have been here for two years doing the dissipation thing and I look 10 years older. no joke.

And 4 billion baht worth of securities is $114,807,309 USD at today's exchange rate. I would have gone to some place better than Thailand and just got a new ID and passport..

Paraguay is nice at that time of year.....

[oldsailor35]

The word is dissipation. 10 years in Thailand with unlimited funds, I'd probably look the same. Less hair though.

I have been here for two years doing the dissipation thing and I look 10 years older. no joke.

And 4 billion baht worth of securities is $114,807,309 USD at today's exchange rate. I would have gone to some place better than Thailand and just got a new ID and passport..

Dubai comes to mind...

Why Dubai, please explain ?

[Sheryl]

A post with profanity has been removed

[berybert]

Just like Superman. All he had to do was take his glasses off and the Thai police didnt stand a chance.

[gk10002000]

The word is dissipation. 10 years in Thailand with unlimited funds, I'd probably look the same. Less hair though.

10 years on the run can be very stressful. One is constantly looking over your shoulder, wondering if somebody is watching you, worrying about every transaction and how or if or when you will be detected.

Edited July 29, 2016 by gk10002000

[ClutchClark]

I have been thinking of getting cosmetic surgery for some years. I would like to add some bags under my eyes similar to the cosmetic work this fellow had done.

Any one know of a good clinic?

Thank you.

[Alive]

Must be loads more around Thailand. Most westerners hiding out like this guy buy a yellow shirt, wear amulets, wai everyone politely always, say krub, show their love of Buddhism and other Thai institutions and stand at 8am and 6pm.

[sharecropper]

He used his own name, his accomplices were arrested years ago, did the cops think that paying off police and others in huge sums might be more likely the reason why this guy wasn't arrested? His face has little to do with it.

Re this recent spate of International arrests - all of them should have been arrested years ago, instead of now, when International Agencies come calling with warrrants, having done the Thai police's work for them. They all know the game here. So do senior police.

You don't get rich by doing your job.

[ClutchClark]

He used his own name, his accomplices were arrested years ago, did the cops think that paying off police and others in huge sums might be more likely the reason why this guy wasn't arrested? His face has little to do with it.

Re this recent spate of International arrests - all of them should have been arrested years ago, instead of now, when International Agencies come calling with warrrants, having done the Thai police's work for them. They all know the game here. So do senior police.

You don't get rich by doing your job.

What is the going rate for Farang felons to pay Thai police to turn a blind eye?

Is it too personal for me to ask what you pay?

You seem to have quite alot of first hand knowledge on this subject.

[PlastikbinLina]

It's not hard to hide here in Thailand......sone expats have been here for years....passports long expired....not running from the law.......they just keep a low profile and it seems it's not difficult at all.....likely similar in many western countries as well.

And there are those who do stay legally until, and unfortunately, suffer dementia as they get older and simply forget to renew their extension. I did help one person who had not been to immigration for several years by finding the whereabouts of his family in the US. Eventually they came to Thailand and took him home. He was not penalized for the overstay.

[SOTIRIOS]

...yeah right....

...any medical records...???

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

He used his own name, his accomplices were arrested years ago, did the cops think that paying off police and others in huge sums might be more likely the reason why this guy wasn't arrested? His face has little to do with it.

Re this recent spate of International arrests - all of them should have been arrested years ago, instead of now, when International Agencies come calling with warrrants, having done the Thai police's work for them. They all know the game here. So do senior police.

You don't get rich by doing your job.

What is the going rate for Farang felons to pay Thai police to turn a blind eye?

Is it too personal for me to ask what you pay?

You seem to have quite alot of first hand knowledge on this subject.

Ok OP lets look at it logically. This guy stole B 4 bn and stayed on his own name with his Japanese passport in Thailand. For ten years he was here legally as the article said he was caught when he renewed his visa. So why was he not caught before ? The article don't say exactly when Japan informed Thailand about him but it looks like round about 2007 - "A court in Japans Saitama prefecture in 2007 issued a warrant for Tsubakis arrest. Japanese police later alerted Thai police, Chakthip said, after determining he had gone into hiding in here." He was here on a retirement visa so why was he not arrested before ? His face got nothing to do about it as he was on his Japanese passport which was traced by Japan to Thailand. The chance of him staying here without being arrested is zero, the only thing that makes sense is that he paid bribes.

[Artisi]

He used his own name, his accomplices were arrested years ago, did the cops think that paying off police and others in huge sums might be more likely the reason why this guy wasn't arrested? His face has little to do with it.

Re this recent spate of International arrests - all of them should have been arrested years ago, instead of now, when International Agencies come calling with warrrants, having done the Thai police's work for them. They all know the game here. So do senior police.

You don't get rich by doing your job.

What is the going rate for Farang felons to pay Thai police to turn a blind eye?

Is it too personal for me to ask what you pay?

You seem to have quite alot of first hand knowledge on this subject.

Ok OP lets look at it logically. This guy stole B 4 bn and stayed on his own name with his Japanese passport in Thailand. For ten years he was here legally as the article said he was caught when he renewed his visa. So why was he not caught before ? The article don't say exactly when Japan informed Thailand about him but it looks like round about 2007 - "A court in Japans Saitama prefecture in 2007 issued a warrant for Tsubakis arrest. Japanese police later alerted Thai police, Chakthip said, after determining he had gone into hiding in here." He was here on a retirement visa so why was he not arrested before ? His face got nothing to do about it as he was on his Japanese passport which was traced by Japan to Thailand. The chance of him staying here without being arrested is zero, the only thing that makes sense is that he paid bribes.

Bribes in Thailand - no never ....

[MaxLee]

Well, see, see,... that's the way how to truly and professionally "save face"....

[ClutchClark]

He used his own name, his accomplices were arrested years ago, did the cops think that paying off police and others in huge sums might be more likely the reason why this guy wasn't arrested? His face has little to do with it.

Re this recent spate of International arrests - all of them should have been arrested years ago, instead of now, when International Agencies come calling with warrrants, having done the Thai police's work for them. They all know the game here. So do senior police.

You don't get rich by doing your job.

What is the going rate for Farang felons to pay Thai police to turn a blind eye?

Is it too personal for me to ask what you pay?

You seem to have quite alot of first hand knowledge on this subject.

Ok OP lets look at it logically. This guy stole B 4 bn and stayed on his own name with his Japanese passport in Thailand. For ten years he was here legally as the article said he was caught when he renewed his visa. So why was he not caught before ? The article don't say exactly when Japan informed Thailand about him but it looks like round about 2007 - "A court in Japans Saitama prefecture in 2007 issued a warrant for Tsubakis arrest. Japanese police later alerted Thai police, Chakthip said, after determining he had gone into hiding in here." He was here on a retirement visa so why was he not arrested before ? His face got nothing to do about it as he was on his Japanese passport which was traced by Japan to Thailand. The chance of him staying here without being arrested is zero, the only thing that makes sense is that he paid bribes.

When a warrant is issued for someones arrest, it typically means within the borders of the country he committed the crime.

That is true everywhere. Ofcourse, eithin the EU, that might include other member countries as well.

But it is not automatically an international warrant--do you have any idea the mess that would create?

They don't attach an immediate notification on the guys passport.

So time goes on and law enforcement wait for the suspect to surface.

It is not typical to check passport history to see if he is living abroad.

If he surfaces in another country then a determination is made as to how high priority the charges are and if they are worth the effort.

Its not just a 1-2-3 as you seem to think.

[elgordo38]

Oh, don't be a spoilsport ClutchClark, I much prefer the "face off" angle.

Yeah his face does look like it may have been hit by a hockey puck.

[elgordo38]

He used his own name, his accomplices were arrested years ago, did the cops think that paying off police and others in huge sums might be more likely the reason why this guy wasn't arrested? His face has little to do with it.

Re this recent spate of International arrests - all of them should have been arrested years ago, instead of now, when International Agencies come calling with warrrants, having done the Thai police's work for them. They all know the game here. So do senior police.

You don't get rich by doing your job.

What is the going rate for Farang felons to pay Thai police to turn a blind eye?

Is it too personal for me to ask what you pay?

You seem to have quite alot of first hand knowledge on this subject.

Ok OP lets look at it logically. This guy stole B 4 bn and stayed on his own name with his Japanese passport in Thailand. For ten years he was here legally as the article said he was caught when he renewed his visa. So why was he not caught before ? The article don't say exactly when Japan informed Thailand about him but it looks like round about 2007 - "A court in Japans Saitama prefecture in 2007 issued a warrant for Tsubakis arrest. Japanese police later alerted Thai police, Chakthip said, after determining he had gone into hiding in here." He was here on a retirement visa so why was he not arrested before ? His face got nothing to do about it as he was on his Japanese passport which was traced by Japan to Thailand. The chance of him staying here without being arrested is zero, the only thing that makes sense is that he paid bribes.

Did his luck and his money run out at the same time??