Anti-corruption boss says Phuket 'most corrupt' in Thailand

[webfact]

Anti-corruption boss says Phuket 'most corrupt' in Thailand

Phuket Gazette

 

          

Phuket Governor Chokchai Dejamornthan asked relevant officers to investigate the allegations and report back to him by February 17. Photo: Phuket PR

 

PHUKET: -- A Facebook post by the Anti-Corruption Organization of Thailand prompted an emergency meeting of the island’s top bosses yesterday to 'investigate' allegations of corruption laid against officials from major sectors of the government.

Phuket Governor Chokchai Dejamorthan, while insisting that he himslef had not accepted bribes, did launch an initiative called "White Phuket’"for the public to provide him with evidence or information regarding corruption (story here).

The Facebook post was created by Dr Mana Nimitmongkol, secretary-general of the Anti-Corruption Organization of Thailand.

One of the examples of corruption that he mentioned in his post was the often heard complaint about demands from government officers for 'tea money' (bribes) to register migrant workers. 

“It starts out with illegal workers being arrested and hauled down to a police station, but usually ends with officers asking for money to make the case ‘go away’. The ‘price’ for a Burmese worker is 20,000 baht. Businesses owners sometimes negotiate a monthly payment system, or in some areas, a group of shops make a collective arrangement to pay the amount,” Dr Mana stated.

 

Full story: http://phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Anticorruption-boss-says-Phuket-corrupt-Thailand/66265

 

-- © Copyright Phuket Gazette 2017-02-16

[the guest]

Anyone that has been here for a long period will already know what is going on in Phuket.

 

Foreigners getting fleeced everyday, is a common past-time, and there seems no impetus to address the problem.

 

Phuket is the second richest province in Thailand, but with appalling infrastructure, should give you enough proof as to what is really going on with the coffers.

[clockman]

A rare commodity in Thailand, The truth!

[GiantFan]

Guv gone in 6 months.  New Guv will revisit about a year from now.  Repeat........

[GeorgeCross]

don't worry we will investigate.. you can trust us..

[TheFishman1]

Lol all of Thailand is corrupt come on TIT

[soalbundy]

The anti-corruption organization obviously hasn't been getting it's tea money lately

[Srikcir]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Anti-corruption boss says Phuket 'most corrupt' in Thailand

 

I thought Bangkok would have taken that label with a population over 70 times the population of Phuket.

[ubonjoe]

Some off topic posts meant to derail the topic have been removed.

[harleyclarkey]

 

Here's your chance guys 'n girls. Your real opportunity

 

If ever you have been scammed then report it! Stop talking and moaning about it in the bar......report it.

Swamp this idiot with tales of corruption, scam, payoffs. There must be thousands.

 

Let this guy at the top of the corruption pile how utterly vile Phuket has, very regrettably, become.

 

I know some friends of mine are sending in files.

Edited February 16, 2017 by harleyclarkey

[Flustered]

Back in 1979, I purchased some land in Rawai, Phuket (30/30/30) with a long term view to early retirement on a beautiful and peaceful island.

 

My wife and I loved the island, it was so peaceful and we made great friends among the locals. Patong only existed as a nice beach resort with three hotels. Surin was deserted.

 

Phukets downfall came with the Tsunami and the even greater problem caused by all of the NGOs who "found" Phuket and blazened it across the world news.

 

The Mafias moved in, corruption became the order of the day and a massive land grab took place all along the west coast and up into Khoa Lak.

 

We now have decided on the far North where although there is "service as normal", it is manageable.

 

We gave the land away as we would not live in Phuket if you paid us. I just wish our Thai friends would move up north with us but Phuket is their family home.

[chiang mai]

7 minutes ago, Flustered said:

Back in 1979, I purchased some land in Rawai, Phuket (30/30/30) with a long term view to early retirement on a beautiful and peaceful island.

 

My wife and I loved the island, it was so peaceful and we made great friends among the locals. Patong only existed as a nice beach resort with three hotels. Surin was deserted.

 

Phukets downfall came with the Tsunami and the even greater problem caused by all of the NGOs who "found" Phuket and blazened it across the world news.

 

The Mafias moved in, corruption became the order of the day and a massive land grab took place all along the west coast and up into Khoa Lak.

 

We now have decided on the far North where although there is "service as normal", it is manageable.

 

We gave the land away as we would not live in Phuket if you paid us. I just wish our Thai friends would move up north with us but Phuket is their family home.

When you write, 30/30/30, do you refer to a renewable lease?

[Flustered]

Yes, in those days you could go for 90 years in one hit.

[jolive]

So the anti-corruption boss says Phuket most corrupt in Thailand and what can they going to do about it?? Setting up an anti corruption task force in phuket to take action or....


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[chiang mai]

2 minutes ago, Flustered said:

Yes, in those days you could go for 90 years in one hit.

When you say that I presume you mean the law had never been tested in court, it's only in fairly recent times that the courts have ruled that anything greater than 30 years is invalid, it sounds as though you got out just in time.

[Flustered]

My lease was set up by the only 5th stage lawyer in Phuket in those days and everything was above board and verified by the Land Office. In 2009, it was again rubber stamped by the Land office for the next 30 year extension.

 

The lease included a clause that allowed the freehold to be transferred to a Thai in the event I wanted to sell the land. I gave the land to the daughter of one of our Thai friends as a wedding present.

 

I suppose that as it is Phuket, it all depends who your lawyer is and how much influence they have as well as dealing with established local people.

 

Anyway, at our age I have no interest in owning property in Thailand, it's easier to rent and move on when you feel like it.

[chiang mai]

13 minutes ago, Flustered said:

My lease was set up by the only 5th stage lawyer in Phuket in those days and everything was above board and verified by the Land Office. In 2009, it was again rubber stamped by the Land office for the next 30 year extension.

 

The lease included a clause that allowed the freehold to be transferred to a Thai in the event I wanted to sell the land. I gave the land to the daughter of one of our Thai friends as a wedding present.

 

I suppose that as it is Phuket, it all depends who your lawyer is and how much influence they have as well as dealing with established local people.

 

Anyway, at our age I have no interest in owning property in Thailand, it's easier to rent and move on when you feel like it.

Subsequent to your lease ownership the 30/30/30 rule was tested in the courts and found to be invalid, as a consequence the maximum allowable lease period in Thailand is now 30 years. Having said that, you and many others were very fortunate to have acquired and also exited those leases before the law was challenged.

[Flustered]

I agree. We were lucky.          

 

When I came up for the 30 year extension, the old Thai lawyer (fantastic old guy in Phuket town who smoked these long thin cheroots) had passed on so I had to use another. He said that the lease details were rock solid and the best he had ever seen. They should be, they cost me over 100,000 baht in those days which was a lot of money.

 

However, the law today is what the courts decide and it all depends on who you know. That's why it's rental properties which are so easy to sort out.

[RDavis]

30/30/30 has never been legally recognized and even though illegal it is still used today to sell properties to foreigners. It is not worth the paper it is written on! If the Lessor decides he will not extend the lease for the 2nd 30 year term, there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. I know - it cost me THB 800,000 in a civil law suit to find out.

[Flustered]

Water under the bridge for me. It was "family" who sold it to me and "family" to who I gave it.

 

To be honest, I would have trusted them if they said "build on our land and you can stay here forever" but I wanted it legal.

 

This was back in 1979 and I would put good money on it being legal then especially as it was a 5th stage lawyer who is of course, above reproach in any court in the Kingdom.

[hanuman2543]

3 hours ago, Flustered said:

Water under the bridge for me. It was "family" who sold it to me and "family" to who I gave it.

 

To be honest, I would have trusted them if they said "build on our land and you can stay here forever" but I wanted it legal.

 

This was back in 1979 and I would put good money on it being legal then especially as it was a 5th stage lawyer who is of course, above reproach in any court in the Kingdom.

Could you please explain what a 5th stage lawyer is?

[Flustered]

From memory, it was a lawyer who had reached the highest levels of his profession and was then appointed to the Judiciary. A 5th level was appointed by the King.

 

This chap had retired but was still doing an occasional bit of work for locals.

[zorro1]

When the Thais admit it's a dump then farangs should get the hell out of there.. Unfortunately selling up may be impossible

Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Tapatalk

[Flustered]

I agree. Phuket used to be heaven on earth but now it's a living hell. If you want to escape most of the corruption and vice, you have to go to the east side which of course has no decent beaches.

 

I still look at my old pictures of Nai Harn Bay when there was not even a BBQ stall there. Sad aint it?

[Ulic]

Of course, corruption is going to follow the money. Tourists/tourist areas have the money,

crime and corruption follow. The old question "why do you rob banks.......because that is where

the money is" comes to mind. Why do you rob tourists, .........they have money, plus once they

go home there are no more problems. Case closed. They will not be flying back to testify

if you are caught. You just have to be patient and weight it out. Lots of reports of crime, a

few reports of criminals getting caught, almost no report on the consequences for the criminals.

Crime and corruption, everyone wants their cut. 

[Flustered]

Nai Harn Beach circa 1980

 

Not much difference between then and now?

 

 

 

 

 

[Karry Yokie]

On 2/16/2017 at 1:04 PM, Ulic said:

Of course, corruption is going to follow the money. Tourists/tourist areas have the money,

crime and corruption follow. The old question "why do you rob banks.......because that is where

the money is" comes to mind. Why do you rob tourists, .........they have money, plus once they

go home there are no more problems. Case closed. They will not be flying back to testify

if you are caught. You just have to be patient and weight it out. Lots of reports of crime, a

few reports of criminals getting caught, almost no report on the consequences for the criminals.

Crime and corruption, everyone wants their cut. 

 

Totally true! What these brain-dead idiots fail to understand is that they are killing the tourist industry on which Thailand so heavily relies. I know heaps of Brits and Aussies that used to head to Thailand for their annual holiday every year for decades. Thailand may have nice beaches, cheap beer (well, at least in 7-11, lol), and a few girls with hot bods, but so does Vietnam, and that is where most of them now go every year. The problem with 'shooting yourself in the foot' is that there's a real danger of 'blowing your toes off'. Then, of course, there's the incredible 'suicide rate'. Thailand must have the most creative 'suicides' in the world. I mean, diving to the bottom of the sea, tying yourself up, and then slitting your own throat must rate as one of the most creative 'suicides' ever! Tourists are simply not welcome, but their wallets are. The government will soon issue a new rule stating that all planes carrying tourists into Thai airspace must instruct their passengers to throw their purses and wallets out of the plane, then just keep on flying. Thailand doesn't deserve a tourist industry.

[madmitch]

2 hours ago, Karry Yokie said:

 

Totally true! What these brain-dead idiots fail to understand is that they are killing the tourist industry on which Thailand so heavily relies. I know heaps of Brits and Aussies that used to head to Thailand for their annual holiday every year for decades. Thailand may have nice beaches, cheap beer (well, at least in 7-11, lol), and a few girls with hot bods, but so does Vietnam, and that is where most of them now go every year. The problem with 'shooting yourself in the foot' is that there's a real danger of 'blowing your toes off'. Then, of course, there's the incredible 'suicide rate'. Thailand must have the most creative 'suicides' in the world. I mean, diving to the bottom of the sea, tying yourself up, and then slitting your own throat must rate as one of the most creative 'suicides' ever! Tourists are simply not welcome, but their wallets are. The government will soon issue a new rule stating that all planes carrying tourists into Thai airspace must instruct their passengers to throw their purses and wallets out of the plane, then just keep on flying. Thailand doesn't deserve a tourist industry.

Thailand's tourist industry isn't dying, as the number of arrivals reported would indicate, but it is changing and it's changing quickly. 

[zorro1]

 
Totally true! What these brain-dead idiots fail to understand is that they are killing the tourist industry on which Thailand so heavily relies. I know heaps of Brits and Aussies that used to head to Thailand for their annual holiday every year for decades. Thailand may have nice beaches, cheap beer (well, at least in 7-11, lol), and a few girls with hot bods, but so does Vietnam, and that is where most of them now go every year. The problem with 'shooting yourself in the foot' is that there's a real danger of 'blowing your toes off'. Then, of course, there's the incredible 'suicide rate'. Thailand must have the most creative 'suicides' in the world. I mean, diving to the bottom of the sea, tying yourself up, and then slitting your own throat must rate as one of the most creative 'suicides' ever! Tourists are simply not welcome, but their wallets are. The government will soon issue a new rule stating that all planes carrying tourists into Thai airspace must instruct their passengers to throw their purses and wallets out of the plane, then just keep on flying. Thailand doesn't deserve a tourist industry.

Nice rant. I see no evidence of tourists not being welcome in Thailand. Stay away from jet ski, mopeds and wildly drunken nights in go gos=no problems. Every one I know that has been coming to Thailand for decades have all gone to Vietnam.. Once! And continue to come to Thailand. The thing is every alternative destination has various positives but not a single one combines them all like Thailand. That's just the way it is .. Not perfect but still the best package.

Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Tapatalk

[impulse]

On 2/16/2017 at 5:44 PM, harleyclarkey said:

 

Here's your chance guys 'n girls. Your real opportunity

 

If ever you have been scammed then report it! Stop talking and moaning about it in the bar......report it.

Swamp this idiot with tales of corruption, scam, payoffs. There must be thousands.

 

Let this guy at the top of the corruption pile how utterly vile Phuket has, very regrettably, become.

 

I know some friends of mine are sending in files.

 

I hope they're using a VPN, and not their own IP address.