New immigration boss vows deep investigation of expats

[webfact]

New immigration boss vows deep investigation of expats

By Boonlua Chatree

 

Pol. Col. Songprode Sirisukha is the new Chonburi Immigration chief.

 

CHONBURI: -- The newly appointed head of the Chonburi Immigration Office said anyone applying for long-term visas would be thoroughly investigated.

 

Pol. Col. Songprode Siri­sukha was introduced as the new Pattaya area immigration chief June 27. Pol. Maj. Satawat Srirattanapong was named deputy in the annual reshuffle.

 

Songprode told his new staff he intends to dedicate his work and commitments toward the security of visitors to Pattaya and the surrounding areas.

 

Part of that will be ensuring that those on long-term visas are safe to have in the country. Therefore, people who are requesting a long-stay permit will be thoroughly investigated for the safety of the community and the nation, he said.

 

Full story: http://www.pattayamail.com/news/new-immigration-boss-vows-deep-investigation-expats-179907

 

-- © Copyright Pattaya Mail 2017-07-07

[ezzra]

I'm not sure what to make out of this statements....

Such a vague statement, it really could mean anything by saying ' to insure

people with a long term visa are safe in this country, followed by ' we

will deeply investigate all those who wish to have long term visa '

so what were they doing so far? not investigation those who wanted

long terms visa?....

...

[baansgr]

Charming

 

[SoFarAndNear]

How about controlling the officers in charge not to take anymore bribes?! You want only good and honest foreigners, how about start being honest yourself? 

[DeeMak9]

So much problems they cause those legal expats with legal long term visas!!

[darksidedog]

I am interested to know how this is going to work. As an applicant will you be required to provide police reports from every country you have ever been in, to show you are not a criminal? I don't see that they have the resources to be able to conduct such international checks on every foreigner here.

So it is either just bullshit to make wrongdoers think twice about applying for visas here, or it is just bullshit to make Thai people think he is actually working. Either way, to me it still sounds like bullshit.

[animatic]

New guy in the chair MUST say something big and show his strength. Yada yada yada.

 

Appearances are everything, and makes a good excuse for busywork.

And of course teamoney for the rank and file.... One of the few fluid things in life that flows up hill not down

 

[Dogmatix]

He added that illegal immigrants and international criminals will also be a priority.

 

This looks to be nothing more than a reafirmation of existing policy.  International criminals are already given priority, as long as they can pay, e.g. the boiler room gangs that have been allowed to operate out of Pattaya and occasionally murder each other in turf wars.  Tony Kenway was allowed to operate a criminal enterprise employing a number of boiler room boys in Pattaya for many years without so much as a work permit for the lot of them.  He didn't even bother to register a company.  I would guess that is par for the course for well heeled criminals willing to pay.  

 

Perhaps the policy will actually be stated as  good crims in, bad crims out.     

 

* Definitions: good crims = those who pay generously; bad crims = those who pay very little or not at all.  

 

 

Edited July 7, 2017 by Dogmatix

[biker Bob]

4 minutes ago, animatic said:

New guy in the chair MUST say something big and show his strength. Yada yada yada.

 

Appearances are everything, and makes a good excuse for busywork.

And of course teamoney for the rank and file.... One of the few fluid things in life that flows up hill not down

 

Yada yada yada 55555555555555555 funny but true.

[NUUM]

Should read

 

New immigration boss vows deep investigation of employees requesting tea money from expats

 

Or maybe that's for the next new immigration boss...

[Dave67]

Needs to start investigating Thais first they do more damage to the country than a few Expats

[petermik]

Its not what I do but what I say that matters..............

[4MyEgo]

New long tern visa application to determine of you the Falang are  considered a dangerous person: if yes comment below the question.

 

1. Have you ever shot or intend to shoot anyone:  Yes/No 

 

2. Have you ever stabbed another person in anger or do you intent to do so: Yes/No  

 

3. Have you ever used a baseball bat to hit a car window in anger for being cut off or hit by another car: Yes/No

 

4. Have you ever beat someone unconscious with a gang and kept kicking the unconscious person in the head, or intent to: Yes/No

 

5. Have you ever ripped a gold chain of another person/s neck while being a passenger on a motorbike: Yes/No,  

 

6. Have you ever killed someone while driving a vehicle and being under the influence of alcohol or drugs: Yes/No

 

When you have completed these answers, see the immigration office and hand him this paper, attach money to it to receive paper 2 which have more questions for you, so that we can determine if you will place any danger upon our calm and smiley society.

[4MyEgo]

20 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

I am interested to know how this is going to work. As an applicant will you be required to provide police reports from every country you have ever been in, to show you are not a criminal? I don't see that they have the resources to be able to conduct such international checks on every foreigner here.

So it is either just bullshit to make wrongdoers think twice about applying for visas here, or it is just bullshit to make Thai people think he is actually working. Either way, to me it still sounds like bullshit.

Interesting, back in Oz when I applied for my Mrs to get a permanent residency visa, she had to provide police checks from back in Thailand, this was again carried out when she applied for her Citizenship.

 

Perhaps they are catching with the rest if the world, no doubt if it isn't BS, we will have to provide them with some more paperwork, oh, dear, oh my...

 

 

Edited July 7, 2017 by 4MyEgo

[DeeMak9]

1 minute ago, 4MyEgo said:

Interesting, back in Oz when I applied for my Mrs to get a permanent residency, she had to provide police checks from back in Thailand, this was again carried out when she applied for Citizenship.

 

Perhaps they are catching with the rest if the world, no doubt if it isn't BS, we will have to provide them with some more paperwork, oh, dear, oh my...

 

 

 

You do understand theres a huge difference between permanent residency/citizenship and thailand's long term visas right?

[AGareth2]

23 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

Either way, to me it still sounds like bullshit.

good sound bite

[Suradit69]

46 minutes ago, DeeMak9 said:

So much problems they cause those legal expats with legal long term visas!!

The fact that the new boss and so many TV members think that most long term stayers are here on visas is indicative of something.

[hansnl]

34 minutes ago, Dave67 said:

Needs to start investigating Thais first they do more damage to the country than a few Expats

Quite.

But is always easier to blame other nationalities, they can't defend themselves.

[hansnl]

3 minutes ago, Suradit69 said:

The fact that the new boss and so many TV members think that most long term stayers are here on visas is indicative of something.

Very difficult, obviously, to understand the difference between a visa and an extension of stay.

And not only for TV members.

Obviously.

[Thechook]

Oops pattaya population may drop a few.  Good idea as no country needs to import undesirables and it may go a long way to clean up Pattaya's reputation as the criminal paradise as reported in another thaivisa thread

[Suradit69]

37 minutes ago, Dave67 said:

Needs to start investigating Thais first they do more damage to the country than a few Expats

The same could be said about the US, Europe, Australia, etc. It's convenient to blame/ban foreigners.

 

Fortunately here at Thai Visa we use the opposite approach of blaming anything that goes wrong anywhere in the world on Thais and Thailand.

 

I wonder why so many TV posters are so anxious about such a meaningless politically inspired comment from an Immigration Officer. Me thinks they doth protest too much.

[owl sees all]

4 minutes ago, Suradit69 said:

Fortunately here at Thai Visa we use the opposite approach of blaming anything that goes wrong anywhere in the world on Thais and Thailand.

Not too sure about that. I blame my own stupid self for my predicament. Thai wife didn't help though.

[jmccarty]

Sounds serious, rubber gloves etc. Prepare for impact!

[Dave67]

Just now, Suradit69 said:

The same could be said about the US, Europe, Australia, etc. It's convenient to blame/ban foreigners.

 

Fortunately here at Thai Visa we use the opposite approach of blaming anything that goes wrong anywhere in the world on Thais and Thailand.

 

I wonder why so many TV posters are so anxious about such a meaningless politically inspired comment from an Immigration Officer. Me thinks they doth protest too much.

Ordinary people blame foreigners in those countries not high ranking immigation officials

[transam]

So a meet at the farang blokes bar that belongs to his Mrs it seems....

[connda]

Ah huh.  Somewhere I read that the government considers all of us expat males to be a security risk to the well-being of Thailand.  Wish I can find that source again.  However, this is exactly what Pol. Col. Songprode Siri­sukha is directly saying: All expats are a potential security risk until we have been thoroughly vetted.  Then, after we have been thoroughly vetted, the standard immigration policies and procedures are in place to continually check on us to make sure we don't suddenly become stupid and develop some aberrant behavior that threatens  the well-being of Thai society.  
Some things ain't ever gonna change.  And those who come from other countries and take up residence in our home countries complain and gripe about xenophobic immigration policies that our government impose.  Obviously those immigrants have never been to The Land of Smiles.
I wonder when immigration will be by again to check that I'm not making mischief or taking rice from the mouths of Thai babies?  

 

"His policy will be to provide services and welcome visitors with open arms as if they were family, staffers said."

Humm, hate to be a member of this guys family.  Everyone being followed around by a detective, getting background checks, yearly house visits, 90 day address reports and all. 

 

Edited July 7, 2017 by connda

[Lupatria]

I thought it may be a tough task to ignore the many shortcomings in his shop and put the focus on the pesky farrangs. But he did it. Instead of improving the services of his department, educate the staff, and seriously go after bribery and corruption, he took the well known easy path. Says a lot about his qualification, if he has nothing better to offer. 

[Deli]

How much did he pay to get on this chair ?

Hmmm....

[Bill Miller]

2 minutes ago, hansnl said:

Very difficult, obviously, to understand the difference between a visa and an extension of stay.

And not only for TV members.

Obviously.

I just returned from Savannakhet with a 90 day multiple entry visa, which I can "recharge" every 90 days by stepping out of the Kingdom.
Is one year to be "long stay", or does the requirement to exit make it a serial short stay?
Can I do this until the last 30 days, and then apply for a one year extension based on retirement?
And now to segue back to the original topic, is the "new broom" going to do anything about IO officers who want 16,000 baht to "smooth the path" for a 1,999 baht non "O" visa, (and who knows what other schemes)?
Is it really a department requirement to travel to Bkk to Foreign Affairs department to have them notarize (stamp)  an already US Embassy notarized statement of income?
Is it an immigration/RTP policy to require your landlord's ID card, house book, etc., etc.,  as proof of place of  residency? Isn't the landlord supposed to report all that? Or is this an instance of somebody is too lazy to enforce this on Thai landlords  and "we will just shift it to the damned farangs"? 
My small act of rebellion was to go to Savannakhet and get my visa, at a savings after travel, hotels, etc., of over 4,000 baht, and included an upgrade to the 5,000 baht multiple entry visa.
This is not just TV bitching and moaning. I really would like to know if the system is really just totally corrupt and anarchistic, or is there an actual set of rules and laws that is supposed to govern these procedures?

[Chip Allen]

Here we go again. Another xenophobic prat who wants to keep Thailand "pure".  These types do nothing to help anyone and assure that the country will remain cowering in fear of the rest of civilization. "Thai Supremacy Syndrome" rears its ugly head once more.