Fast track Immigration Scam: In and out of Thailand for 50 baht - no passport required!

[webfact]

Fast track Immigration Scam: In and out of Thailand for 50 baht - no passport required!

 

Image: Sanook

 

SURIN: -- It sounds like a dream but reporters have shown how easy it is to enter and leave Thailand - for just 50 baht a time.

 

And no documents of any kind are required when using the "fast track" lane in Surin.

 

When immigration officials were approached about the issue they clammed up.

 

Reporters from sanook.com said that they conducted an operation after complaints received that it was possible to get over the border so easily at the Kab Cherng checkpoint into and out of Cambodia.

 

The team prepared 50 baht notes and when they arrived saw a long queue to the left of the checkpoint. When they reached the window they just handed over 50 baht to the official.

 

No receipts were handed back and no documents of any kind were needed.

 

Later they questioned an immigration official in the office - no name was given - who clammed up and referred them to the head office of Surin immigration for a comment.

 

So the reporters went there - and were told they would not be given an interview or issued with a comment of any kind.

 

The reporters claim that other locals and tourists on business or visiting area casinos were paying between 50 and 500 baht to cross the border.

 

They also said that it was a major issue with illegal Cambodians being allowed to slip into Thailand to work without documents for just 50 baht a time.

 

Source: Sanook

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2016-09-13

 

[trogers]

In the golden Colonial days, it's called 'in the service of Queen and country'...

[SABloke]

This clearly shows the need to toughen up on the requirements for marriage,  retirement and work visa extensions. 

[BigBadGeordie]

I first started using this crossing about 14 years ago when I stayed here with multi entry visas, it was the same situation then. 100s of Thais a day cross here to visit the casino at O'Smach, no passport, no visa just 50 Baht to the officer on the desk.

Until last moth when I took a friend to activate a visa entry I had not been for many years (I now stay here on an extension based on retirememt) and it was exactly the same situation 50 Baht in and out.

 

Cambodians enter Thailand for work/business at the nearby Chong Chom market in exactly the same manner.

 

I have entered/exited Thailand at many border posts and with the exception of the post in Amphur Ban Kruat this is the most "open" border I have ever crossed.

[madmitch]

Not a problem. Thailand is going to be free of corruption in twenty years.

[FireMedic]

Same in Sadao.....With a passport you have to pay 2 ringgit. Others pay more and walk through.......

[trainman34014]

Perhaps the Big Pumpkin would like to go down there incognito and hand over his 50 Baht to catch them red handed.   Ah; just a minute, this is the bottom end of the gravy train that eventually leads to his and his cronies pockets right ?

 

Corruption gone in 20 years my ass...200 years would be a struggle !

[rkidlad]

Well, corrupt immigration officials can only mean one thing - a crackdown on 'foreigners' getting legitimate visas. 

 

After all, there would be no corruption in immigration if it wasn't for those nasty foreigners. 

 

 

 

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

  

 

“Good guys in, bad guys out”, says Thailand Immigration chief

[Fookhaht]

Darn it.  Our dirty little Isaan secret exposed.  

[hanuman2543]

I know a Cambodian guy who works at this border. He told me several years ago that at the weekends 5000 Thais daily crossing the border to visit the casino. That is 500,000 Baht per weekend and that the money is split between Immigration and Army.

[silverado]

1 hour ago, hanuman2543 said:

I know a Cambodian guy who works at this border. He told me several years ago that at the weekends 5000 Thais daily crossing the border to visit the casino. That is 500,000 Baht per weekend and that the money is split between Immigration and Army.

if you stay on the road (214 ) that leads to the border , you can see all day the coaches coming from all the province full of gamblers.  round trips non stop . also many times a day with minivans from all the villages around .....

 

[silverado]

2 hours ago, hanuman2543 said:

I know a Cambodian guy who works at this border. He told me several years ago that at the weekends 5000 Thais daily crossing the border to visit the casino. That is 500,000 Baht per weekend and that the money is split between Immigration and Army.

if you stay on the road (214 ) that leads to the border , you can see all day the coaches coming from all the province full of gamblers.  round trips non stop . also many times a day with minivans from all the villages around .....

"....that the money is split between Immigration and Army...." : certainly police too , as the coaches drivers are allowed to speed and driving like crazy near markets, hospitals, schools and........... police station

Edited September 13, 2016 by silverado

[khwaibah]

"Kab Cherng checkpoint into and out of Cambodia."

 

No such check point by that name anywhere in Thailand.

[colinneil]

1 minute ago, khwaibah said:

"Kab Cherng checkpoint into and out of Cambodia."

 

No such check point by that name anywhere in Thailand.

 

Kap chung is the village 7 kilometers away from the border (immigration office here)

CHONG CHOM is the name of the border crossing.

[silverado]

5 minutes ago, khwaibah said:

"Kab Cherng checkpoint into and out of Cambodia."

 

No such check point by that name anywhere in Thailand.

 

2 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Kap chung is the village 7 kilometers away from the border (immigration office here)

CHONG CHOM is the name of the border crossing.

[silverado]

cap scheun !!! 

[cumgranosalum]

Of course in the EU crossing borders is free.

 

maybe they are just getting ready for ASEAN - 'coz that starts soon.....last year wasn't it?

[khwaibah]

Actually Surin Immigration is in Kap Choeng and its 12 km from there to the Chong Chom Crossing.

Edited September 13, 2016 by khwaibah

[harrycallahan]

No doubt dual pricing applies here too.

[strawpanda]

Thanks to Brexit Brits may in future be paying £10 to go to France and £50 to go across Europe. Great, huh?

[vogie]

17 minutes ago, strawpanda said:

Thanks to Brexit Brits may in future be paying £10 to go to France and £50 to go across Europe. Great, huh?

 

Yeah and thanks to Brexit Brits they are going to make clown service compulsary!

[prakhonchai nick]

41 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Kap chung is the village 7 kilometers away from the border (immigration office here)

CHONG CHOM is the name of the border crossing.

 

Coming the other way the border crossing is known as O'Smach

[MJCM]

30 minutes ago, khwaibah said:

Actually Surin Immigration is in Kap Choeng and its 12 km from there to the Chong Chom Crossing.

 

 Khwaibah is absolutely correct in this

 

Kap Choeng Immigration (or Surin Immigration )

https://goo.gl/maps/oeivBxZMkCF2

 

Border crossing of Chong Chom

 

https://goo.gl/maps/FqEhAcHHVR22

 

[nakhonandy]

19 minutes ago, strawpanda said:

Thanks to Brexit Brits may in future be paying £10 to go to France and £50 to go across Europe. Great, huh?

Really based on what precedent? 

 

I have travelled across Europe for 40+ years and never paid anything! 

 

Incidentaly what has that to do with corrupt immigration here? 

[denkiblue555]

Hmm - sounds like they should think about building a wall over there too...not just on the Malaysian border lol.

[sahibji]

3 hours ago, BigBadGeordie said:

I first started using this crossing about 14 years ago when I stayed here with multi entry visas, it was the same situation then. 100s of Thais a day cross here to visit the casino at O'Smach, no passport, no visa just 50 Baht to the officer on the desk.

Until last moth when I took a friend to activate a visa entry I had not been for many years (I now stay here on an extension based on retirememt) and it was exactly the same situation 50 Baht in and out.

 

Cambodians enter Thailand for work/business at the nearby Chong Chom market in exactly the same manner.

 

I have entered/exited Thailand at many border posts and with the exception of the post in Amphur Ban Kruat this is the most "open" border I have ever crossed.

and how is one expected to monitor and control issues like terrorism, general crime and social problems created by this  easy movement of people.

[sahibji]

2 minutes ago, denkiblue555 said:

Hmm - sounds like they should think about building a wall over there too...not just on the Malaysian border lol.

wall in the us, wall in malaysia and wall in cambodia. societies are breaking down the walls.

[davidbond]

4 hours ago, trogers said:

In the golden Colonial days, it's called 'in the service of Queen and country'...

not lot has changed since  the colonial days  apart from the amount money that changes hands

[denkiblue555]

5 minutes ago, sahibji said:

...societies are breaking down the walls.

 

Clearly with a cool fitty baht note in this case!