Big swoop on five Chinese tour companies - but officials find nothing wrong

[webfact]

Big swoop on five Chinese tour companies - but officials find nothing wrong

 

Image: Thairath

 

LAT KRABANG: -- More than 100 tourist police, soldiers and land department officials and representatives of government departments went to check on Chinese tour company offices in Lat Krabang near Bangkok yesterday.

 

They were going to check up on licenses and seek evidence about illegal guides but found absolutely nothing wrong, reported Thairath.

 

The exercise looked more like a PR exercise than a raid with everyone happy to help.

 

Tourist police chief Surachet Hakphan was armed with a search warrant from a Minburi court but was received with open arms and shown around the first company - Royal Gems International - that caters to large groups of Chinese tourists.

 

The manager of the company Chartchai Rotrungrangsri said that he was confident that they would find nothing untoward though he did express surprise at the large numbers in the "raiding party".

 

Other tour companies checked were Bangkok Handicraft Centre, OA Transport, Royal Thai Herb and Royal Paradise Co Ltd. 

 

The raid spent an hour at each company but everything was above board though they did say that everything would need to be checked in further detail just to make sure.

 

Source: Thairath

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2016-08-25

[NongKhaiKid]

I don't suppose there was any chance of advance warning   ?

Sorry just what could possibly make me think that   ?      

[rkidlad]

Very disappointed. I wanted to see some finger wagging. 

[Sphere]

Too bad traffic police were not involved. Otherwise they could've got them for blocking 2, sometimes 3, lanes of the 3-lane Onnut - Ladkrabang road.

[Thian]

25 minutes ago, Sphere said:

Too bad traffic police were not involved. Otherwise they could've got them for blocking 2, sometimes 3, lanes of the 3-lane Onnut - Ladkrabang road.

 

You mean Chinese tourbuses blocking the road? They're allowed to do so, also on beachroad Pattaya. 

And on the highway they even get police-escort to drive 130 on the fast lane nonstop.

[FloridaExport]

Interesting tour office names. I suppose they are the shops that pay to have tour buses stop to show tourists shopping spots in the "real" Thailand. I can't see how they are registered as tour companies though.

[Srikcir]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Tourist police chief Surachet Hakphan was armed with a search warrant from a Minburi court

What was the reasonable cause for the search warrant? RTP didn't need a search warrant to check licenses or work permits. Apparently, the police went on a fishing expedition having no informant or other evidence to indicate possible illegal activities.  And found absolutely nothing wrong. RTP gambled for PR and lost. They're lucky the companies don't bring a defamation suit against the RTP.

[yellowboat]

"ore than 100 tourist police, soldiers and land department officials and representatives of government departments went to check on Chinese tour company offices in Lat Krabang near Bangkok yesterday."

 

After reading this story, why would anybody think twice about opening a business in military controlled Thailand? 

[rmacee]

Now that they got an 'All clear' ..back to business as usual ..

[terminatorchiangmai]

Those are not tour company's ! They are the tourist traps.

[clockman]

Maybe brown envelope exercise!

[Jimbo2014]

Talk about prodding the golden goose

[TheFishman1]

lol TIT

[SOTIRIOS]

...harassment and abuse....

 

...and who do you think sent them....

 

...the local !@#$%^&* that cannot compete.....

 

...the sad news is...they probably will not stop there...

[JAG]

Wonder why the troops needed body armour and helmets to check tour company licences?

[Khon Kaen Dave]

Absolutely nothing wrong.

And they all walked away with their brown envelopes secreted about their persons.

[mesterm]

$ure. Nothing wa$ wrong.

[digibum]

Photo contains nobody pointing at anything.  No need to read the story.  

[mca]

9 hours ago, JAG said:

Wonder why the troops needed body armour and helmets to check tour company licences?

The all you can eat seafood buffet opening in an adjacent restaurant coincided with the arrival of three busloads  full of  tourists from Shangai?

Edited August 25, 2016 by mca

[DrTuner]

99% of the companies are located in China, there won't be much to find in a tiny rep office here.

[sahibji]

On 25/08/2016 at 1:20 PM, rkidlad said:

Very disappointed. I wanted to see some finger wagging. 

is it  not gratifying to note that enforcement action has helped to clean out some of the mess.

[sahibji]

2 hours ago, DrTuner said:

99% of the companies are located in China, there won't be much to find in a tiny rep office here.

not necessarily. they had to confiscate substantial resources of some of the companies recently.maybe they have now cleaned their act.