Top brass move in on "zero dollar" tour raid in Jomtien

[webfact]

Top brass move in on "zero dollar" tour raid in Jomtien

 

Picture: TNews

 

PATTAYA: -- Top police officials and a host of other authorities moved to shut down two companies running so called "zero-dollar" tours centered on Jomtien.

 

Tnews said that the raid - that netted assets worth more than 200 million baht - was under orders from the Prime Minister and his deputy to shut down businesses with foreign nominees and foreigners assuming Thai identity to run tour companies in Thailand.

 

The businesses running in such circumstances are said to be siphoning money away from the Thai economy, said Tnews.

 

Surachet Hakphan of 191 cops led the raid that resulted in the arrest of Anuchit Maorungroj.

 

The authorities say he is not Thai but a foreigner.

 

The businesses involved in the raid have been offering tours to Chinese people. They are Thai Thong Yi and Muang Thai International Travel Group.

 

The companies have had their licenses suspended pending an investigation.

 

Simultaneously files claiming wrongdoing have been made in several police jurisdictions across Thailand.

 

Tnews said that the move was to protect the Thai tourism industry from outsiders and ensure that money from tourism stayed in Thailand.

 

Thaivisa notes that several raids were carried out on "zero dollar" companies last year with high profile arrests made at companies in Bangkok. The moves led to less Chinese tourism but authorities hope the long term future will ensure that more money ends up in the Thai coffers.

 

More than a quarter of all tourists are said to come from China.

 

Source: TNews

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-07-19

[mikebell]

5 minutes ago, webfact said:

netted assets worth more than 200 million baht

This explains why Pattaya police crawled out from behind their desks.  'Serve and Protect' our revenue source.

[colinneil]

-First commandment in the polices bible. !! Thou shall not allow others to encroach on our scams !!

[clockman]

Look at them! They could not catch a monk! Its just a photo call.

[champers]

191 officers to arrest 1 man. There's overkill, then there's the RTP.

[NanLaew]

54 minutes ago, champers said:

191 officers to arrest 1 man. There's overkill, then there's the RTP.

191... is the RTP's Special Branch

[champers]

15 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

191... is the RTP's Special Branch

More like a forest.

[baansgr]

Ive never worried about the sabar rattling that raises its head every year or so about nominee companies. However it seems very likely there will be many investigations forthcoming. After 15 years of relative easy living, Thailand is becoming very draconian in its outlook towards any foreigners. Valid visas and people being refused entry is just one example. Anyone thinking of investing even dot 1 baht should think twice. Foreign "owned" property will surely be on the list next, its already impossible to register a Foreign nominee company at the land office, changes are made directly after transfer to circumvent this.

[yellowboat]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The moves led to less Chinese tourism but authorities hope the long term future will ensure that more money ends up in the Thai coffers.

Had the word "finesse" been in the Thai dictionary,  perhaps the flow of tourism could have been uninterrupted, but 191 officers showing up says it all. 

 

In the future, Thais need to do a better job marketing their country to China.  These Zero Baht guys probably advertise and have offices all over the  PRC.   

[williamgeorgeallen]

5 hours ago, champers said:

191 officers to arrest 1 man. There's overkill, then there's the RTP.

think they were all needed to carry away the 200 million of assets. wonder where all the booty ended up.

[Redline]

They will never stop the Chinese from doing this.  They are smarter and very persistent.

[WhizBang]

Stand by for the complaints that the Chinese market is drying up.

[Classic Ray]

Why don't other countries need to do this to protect their tourism industries? In the U.K. anyone can open a business and provide these services.

 

The businesses that survive are the ones that provide the best service at the most reasonable cost

 

Why does Thailand need to be protected from market forces? This policy reduces competition and restricts the market to those who are the most corrupt and who pay off the right people.

[pumpjack]

6 hours ago, NanLaew said:

191... is the RTP's Special Branch

elite task force ?  

[MyFriend You]

1 hour ago, Redline said:

They will never stop the Chinese from doing this.  They are smarter and very persistent.

Two down and about 30 more to go............I have an easy solution, start refusing entry at Swampy and Don Muang to "Chinese Tour Groups"  make them all return when discovered they are on "Zero Dollar" vacations, or more aptly called 'All Inclusive Vacations'  after returning a few thousand travellers, the word will get out and Bob's your Uncle.

[Litlos]

1 hour ago, TunnelRat69 said:

Two down and about 30 more to go............I have an easy solution, start refusing entry at Swampy and Don Muang to "Chinese Tour Groups"  make them all return when discovered they are on "Zero Dollar" vacations, or more aptly called 'All Inclusive Vacations'  after returning a few thousand travellers, the word will get out and Bob's your Uncle.

But lets intercept them before immigration and help solve the long lines at immigration as well, pleeeaase.

 

Cheers

[williamgeorgeallen]

just saw the footage of the raid. it is soi holiday on na jomtien. i used to have the house next door. the whole 5 years i live there it was being renovated. they say they confiscated 200 million then they have confiscated the whole hotel.

[Joebuzz]

2 hours ago, Classic Ray said:

Why don't other countries need to do this to protect their tourism industries? In the U.K. anyone can open a business and provide these services.

 

The businesses that survive are the ones that provide the best service at the most reasonable cost

 

Why does Thailand need to be protected from market forces? This policy reduces competition and restricts the market to those who are the most corrupt and who pay off the right people.

You just explained why Thailand does this.  They let the cash cow grow until it's time to slaughter it.

[Blinky62]

191 coppers. Did they all have machine guns . One arrest great outcome . Wow they hate Chinese as well as farang tourism . Amazing!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[MyFriend You]

4 hours ago, Litlos said:

But lets intercept them before immigration and help solve the long lines at immigration as well, pleeeaase.

 

Cheers

Agreed, create a new line soley for Group checkins (auto refusals) before the normal Immigrations Lines, that will put a chink in their armor (no pun intended)

[snowgard]

Quote

  18 hours ago, Classic Ray said:

Why don't other countries need to do this to protect their tourism industries? In the U.K. anyone can open a business and provide these services.

 

The businesses that survive are the ones that provide the best service at the most reasonable cost

 

Why does Thailand need to be protected from market forces? This policy reduces competition and restricts the market to those who are the most corrupt and who pay off the right people.

 

You can ask also:

 

1. Why Thais can buy Houses and Land in western countries.

2. Why Thais can open full legal their 100% own company in western countries?

3. Why Thais can become very easy a work permit in their own companies ( in western countries) AND the wp is valid in the complete country (all branches) and not just in one location?

4. Why Thais who lives in a western country don't must do a 90 days report?

5. Why Thai wifes married with a westerner can get a unlimited work permit in the western country from 1. day after the marriage?

6. Why Thai wifes can get after the first year visa a 2 years visa and after 5 years a unlimited visa?

and ... and ... and ...

Edited July 20, 2017 by snowgard

[Peterw42]

13 minutes ago, snowgard said:

 

You can ask also:

 

1. Why Thais can buy Houses and Land in western countries.

2. Why Thais can open full legal their 100% own company in western countries?

3. Why Thais can become very easy a work permit in their own companies ( in western countries) AND the wp is valid in the complete country (all branches) and not just in one location?

4. Why Thais who lives in a western country don't must do a 90 days report?

5. Why Thai wifes married with a westerner can get a unlimited work permit in the western country from 1. day after the marriage?

6. Why Thai wifes can get after the first year visa a 2 years visa and after 5 years a unlimited visa?

and ... and ... and ...

Lots of western countries have restrictions on foreigners owning property, being company directors getting visa's etc. Australia for example, a foreigner/nonresident can only buy certain new build properties and cannot buy existing property, a foreigner/nonresident cannot be a sole company director,  I am married to a Thai and she cannot work in Australia unless she applies for, and gets a resident Visa, that takes 1-2 years to get and costs $10,000.

[snowgard]

2 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Lots of western countries have restrictions on foreigners owning property, being company directors getting visa's etc. Australia for example, a foreigner/nonresident can only buy certain new build properties and cannot buy existing property, a foreigner/nonresident cannot be a sole company director,  I am married to a Thai and she cannot work in Australia unless she applies for, and gets a resident Visa, that takes 1-2 years to get and costs $10,000.

I don't know the rules for Australia but in the EU it's very easy. My wife lived with me 14 years in the EU and worked in our company.

[Peterw42]

1 minute ago, snowgard said:

I don't know the rules for Australia but in the EU it's very easy. My wife lived with me 14 years in the EU and worked in our company.

But she still didnt hop off the plane on a tourist visa, get a job and buy a house. I am sure there would have been an initial visa/residency application and process before she could work or buy property, is that not the case in European countries ?

[snowgard]

No!!! For sure not. It needed 3 month that we was married and after that everything worked super easy. She got direct a unlimited work permit but had a visa for only 1 year after the marriage. Than she got 2 x a 2 years visa and after a resident visa and all free!!! 

 

 

[DLang]

19 hours ago, Classic Ray said:

Why don't other countries need to do this to protect their tourism industries? In the U.K. anyone can open a business and provide these services.

 

The businesses that survive are the ones that provide the best service at the most reasonable cost

 

Why does Thailand need to be protected from market forces? This policy reduces competition and restricts the market to those who are the most corrupt and who pay off the right people.

 

Simple:

 

When the options are:

 

Make the effort to provide the best service and try to win by having the best product and service available to customers in a fair market.

 

Or.

 

Set the rules to allow no competition. Non-Thais not allowed, fellow Thais set upon by hired thugs.

 

 

Which do you think the Thai opt for? 

[Johnnyngai]

Zero dollar tours were a big problem in Taiwan and Hong kong. 

[Reigntax]

On Wednesday, July 19, 2017 at 6:30 PM, Redline said:

They will never stop the Chinese from doing this.  They are smarter and very persistent.

 

And have genes embedded in high Thai places.

Edited July 21, 2017 by Reigntax

[Reigntax]

3 hours ago, Johnnyngai said:

Zero dollar tours were a big problem in Taiwan and Hong kong. 

 

Everything Chinese causes problems in Taiwan and HK.