Pattaya Immigration gets tough on criminals

[travelerjim]

As reported via ThaiVisa.com and The Nation today...
http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/388 ... n-pattaya/ (http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/388590-crackdown-on-foreign-criminals-in-pattaya/)

SAFE HAVEN
Police get tough on Pattaya's criminal migrants

PATTAYA: -- The days when foreign pedophiles and criminals could retire in peace in Pattaya - a Thai beach resort infamous for its prostitution and sleazy nightlife - are numbered, at least according to immigration police.

On Thursday, Pattaya's Immigration Office will officially launch the country's first Transnational Crime Data Centre, equipped with a staff of 12 and a 6-million-baht (184,615-dollar) computer system dedicated to tracking down nefarious expats.

"Pattaya may have been a heaven for foreign criminals in the past, but now we have the technology to spoil their paradise," said Police Colonel Athiwit Kamolrat, Chonburi Immigration Police Superintendent.

The centre, plastered with photos of alleged criminals wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Interpol, Bangkok-based embassies and Thai authorities, sits above Pattaya's Immigration Office, a busy place visited by hundreds of expatriates a day.

Pattaya, a beach resort in Chonburi province about 100 kilometres south-east of Bangkok, has one of the largest expat communities in Thailand, estimated at more than 70,000 more-or-less permanent residents.

"Every foreigner who lives in Pattaya for a long time needs to come here to renew their visas, and when they do we put their name and address in our computer base," said Police Lieutenant Colonel Prapansak Prasansuk, deputy superintendent of Chonburi immigration.

The centre also receives calls and emails from more than 700 hotels, guest houses and service apartments in Pattaya whenever a foreigner checks in for more than 24 hours.

A law requiring that all foreigners who stay in a place for more than a day must be reported to immigration police has been on the books for years, but now it is being enforced.

"Some guest houses and serviced apartments didn't want to report to us because they were avoiding taxes, but I told them we are not responsible for collecting taxes, just for collecting foreigners," Athiwit said. "In recent months the call-ins have increased 130 per cent."

Those who fail to report foreigners face fines.

With the improved surveillance of resident foreigners in Pattaya, immigration police are well positioned to make arrests of any foreigner facing a warrant abroad, as long as the warrants are on their database.

Since October 2009, Pattaya immigration police have assisted with the arrests of seven human traffickers, primarily dealing with child prostitution rings, and about a dozen foreign criminals facing arrest warrants either abroad or in Thailand.

Embassy police officers based in Bangkok attribute Pattaya's improved performance primarily to Police Lieutenant General Wuthi Liptapallop, the new head of the Immigration Bureau, who after taking office earlier this year made it his mission to crack down on foreign criminals in the kingdom.

"It's all linked to Wuthi," said one European diplomat. "It used to be very difficult getting assistance from the Thai police, but now something definitely has happened."

To what extent and for how long the Pattaya crack down persists remains to be seen. There is a good deal of scepticism, given the ingrained corruption in the city.

"There are a large number of foreign gangsters operating in Pattaya, and without exception they are all paying off the police," said one British crime reporter who specializes in Pattaya.

Pattaya's recent history includes a long list of illustrious criminals.

There was Wolfgang Uelrich, a German national who defrauded tens of thousands of dollars from his countrymen through a bogus animal- welfare charity. He used the charity to invest in bars, restaurants and various businesses in Pattaya, and was eventually extradited to Germany where he was found guilty of fraud.

Rene Larsen, a convicted Danish drug trafficker, was a resident of Pattaya and proud owner of a palatial residence in the 1990s before he was extradited to Copenhagen.

Both men were known to have close connections with the Pattaya police force.

"Corruption in these cases has decreased in Pattaya, because now we have concrete evidence to present against them," Athiwit said.

"But for the crackdown to work we need to have similar centres in Phuket, Samui, Chiang Mai and other tourist destinations."

The bigger question for observers is whether the crackdown will continue after Wuthi's term expires.

"In Thailand, for the long term, one never knows," said one Western diplomat.


-- The Nation 2010-08-04

[thonglor55]

In Thailand, for the long term, one never knowsThailand is not the West, thank god.

Surely they're not talking about the same Pattaya we know and love. Only nice people go there.

And the nicest of them are men who like to dress up as women...

[Beachlover]

Surely they're not talking about the same Pattaya we know and love. Only nice people go there.

You're back! Thank goodness. You bring balance to the board... holding back the brainless hoards.

[Beachlover]

Surely they're not talking about the same Pattaya we know and love. Only nice people go there.

And the nicest of them are men who like to dress up as women...

You mean Jim Lumsden? That is one ugly woman! LOL

Obviously, it is to route out the undesirables but that doesn't help the genuine foreigners who wish to relocate to Thailand and why they should put up with this. Choose a country that is "immigration friendly". My suggestion would be choose a nearby country like Malaysia and get the "my 2nd home" visa, and travel to Thailand as and when necessary. You can get a 12 month visa for Thailand and travel in and out of country every 3 months no hassle. I'm sure this immigration thing in Thailand is aimed at undesirables, but in the meantime the genuine folk get caught in the crossfire. I mean why should a retiree keep going to the immigration office in Thailand to register every 3 months baffles me. Do the checks and be done with it, then give the foreigner the retirement visa, like other civilised places.

I mean why should a retiree keep going to the immigration office in Thailand to register every 3 months baffles me. .

From my own observations of elderly farangs in Pattaya they have little else to do apart from sit around stagnate / decompose so a trip to immigration four times a year is probably a good idea even if it is only to check that they are not dead, which from their general appearance is in many cases is hard to determine.

"There are a large number of foreign gangsters operating in Pattaya, and without exception they are all paying off the police," said one British crime reporter who specializes in Pattaya."


How bizarre then that the same British crime reporter who specializes in Pattaya should have spent many years defending one of them!

The hypocrisy of the British press makes me puke - they would melt their Grannies down for glue if the price was right :snorting: .

[color=#4000FF]How bizarre then that the same British crime reporter who specializes in Pattaya should have spent many years defending one of them!

The hypocrisy of the British press makes me puke - they would melt their Grannies down for glue if the price was right :snorting: .

Who did he "defend"?

[color=#4000FF]How bizarre then that the same British crime reporter who specializes in Pattaya should have spent many years defending one of them!

The hypocrisy of the British press makes me puke - they would melt their Grannies down for glue if the price was right :snorting: .

Who did he "defend"?

Where have you been for the past 10years dear?

Every ThaiBoi I know in Pattaya (and I only know Cute ones) could answer that question in about 5 seconds.

If you're not in Pattaya you could always "phone a friend"

:laughing3:

All I know of is a "AD" a journalist who wrote things about the scottish guy at the Ambiance in the papers etc. I assume that is yourself? But I don't know who is being defended.

All I know of is a "AD" a journalist who wrote things about the scottish guy at the Ambiance in the papers etc. I assume that is yourself? But I don't know who is defending.



:sign5: :sign5: :sign5:

Priceless CuteThaiboi!
Although the thought of Sweaty Socks/Willie wearing a dress....could cause reverse ejaculation!

...the scottish guy at the Ambiance in the papers etc. I assume that is yourself?...


What?

A drag queen, dear?

Who, dear?

Me dear?

How VERY dare you!

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kfHVNW-1Skg/TB58dL5EyxI/AAAAAAAABf0/M3hKdV3akp8/s1600/how.jpg

Many Criminals are hiding over seas and just write on forums like this, but never come here, thatтАЩs why they are so desperate and write poisonous bitter posts, they are on sex registers and just dare not chance it I have been told..... You can always tell them, just read the venom spewed out. Many of us know who they are you can work it out?

Obviously, it is to route out the undesirables but that doesn't help the genuine foreigners who wish to relocate to Thailand and why they should put up with this. Choose a country that is "immigration friendly". My suggestion would be choose a nearby country like Malaysia and get the "my 2nd home" visa, and travel to Thailand as and when necessary. You can get a 12 month visa for Thailand and travel in and out of country every 3 months no hassle. I'm sure this immigration thing in Thailand is aimed at undesirables, but in the meantime the genuine folk get caught in the crossfire. I mean why should a retiree keep going to the immigration office in Thailand to register every 3 months baffles me. Do the checks and be done with it, then give the foreigner the retirement visa, like other civilised places.

WHAT A LOAD OF RUBBISH, WHY WOULD ANY ONE NEED TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN GET A PROPER YEARLY VISA, DONT MESS WITH UNDER 18 Y.O DONT TOUCH DRUGS AND IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS IN YOUR OWN COUNTRY AND YOU THINK YOUR GOING TO BE STOPPED i.e. Your on a sex register and have not got permission to TRAVEL HERE, or are wanted for some dangerous crime, yes go to Malaysia and stay there, donтАЩt come here, problem solved.

Apart from that, itтАЩs still wonderful in Pattaya and all over Thailand, its just many of the best looking guys donтАЩt need to work in Go Go bars, but there is still some to go aroundтАж.. now days you have to work a bit harder to find the more handsome guys of yesteryear or go to none gay Karaoke or NAB or DAVES MAN BARS, more handsome middle class normal working Gay or Bi-sexual guys, would not be seen dead in a Gay area, , but you can find many on web site like gay romeo, they are still out there I can assure you.

Unless you have anything to do with motorbikes the most dangerous thing in Thailand, your have the most wonderful time, but if you are an utter boring person and looking for some one else to show you how to have fun, like a tour Rep. or your on a tite Budget. and even then, you can go Thai, get a few guys go to where they like, it will cost so little and your have the time of your life.

When I was in the UK a while ago, sorting out my pension fund, a friend of mine who works for the Customs told me, the Chip in your passport has been turned on partly, since last September 2009, and fully from this September 2010 , and will eventually even tell if you have tax owing, let alone Crimes and Sexual arrests, thatтАЩs why many governments around the world are getting all the new computers, that can read the information written in your chip, it not only can be updated from 70 yards and read, it can be updated via satellite, the new computer even tells them who is on the most wanted list and who is red flagged to detain like Mr. ToxinтАж.all info sent from your home country, to the chip, so if you have been charged and are wanted, it will now or from September, show up on the chip,, only if you have been found guilty though, if the country you are in have the new Equipment to read it, so far Malaysia does not have it yet or Cambodia or Vietnam. Myanmar or Laos I have been Informed..

Making two identical posts 'Motor Mouth' doesn't get you any more attention than you already court for yourself!

...

When I was in the UK a while ago, sorting out my pension fund...

It's a bugger when you have fly back for those Social Security Disability Living Allowance medical checks isn't it.


:laughing3:



... a friend of mine who works for the Customs told me, the Chip in your passport has been turned on partly, since last September ..and will eventually even tell if you have tax owing, let alone crimes and sexual arrests..it can be updated via satellite... who is on the most wanted list and who is red flagged to detain....all info sent from your home country, to the chip, so if you have been charged and are wanted, it will now or from September, show up on the chip...

90% of UK passports are unchipped - you don't half talk some amount of shite.

:laughing3:

I think you are right scottish guy, ruby is talking a load of that stuff that comes out of your .....

If this was going to happen, we would know about it in the UK. I'm sure it is data protection or something like that. And I'm sure the UK would not let other countries see such sensitive information.

With regard to moving to another country and settling down there, it has nothing to do with whether you have committed any offence. The point I'm making is Thailand is making it extremely difficult to settle there. Why bother, choose a more friendly country.

All I know of is a "AD" a journalist who wrote things about the scottish guy at the Ambiance in the papers etc. I assume that is yourself? But I don't know who is defending.



:sign5: :sign5: :sign5:

Priceless CuteThaiboi!
Although the thought of Sweaty Socks/Willie wearing a dress....could cause reverse ejaculation!


WHAT!!!! :dontknow:

[quote="Big Ruby":3roxmv14]...

When I was in the UK a while ago, sorting out my pension fund...

It's a bugger when you have fly back for those Social Security Disability Living Allowance medical checks isn't it.


:laughing3:



... a friend of mine who works for the Customs told me, the Chip in your passport has been turned on partly, since last September ..and will eventually even tell if you have tax owing, let alone crimes and sexual arrests..it can be updated via satellite... who is on the most wanted list and who is red flagged to detain....all info sent from your home country, to the chip, so if you have been charged and are wanted, it will now or from September, show up on the chip...

90% of UK passports are unchipped - you don't half talk some amount of shite.

:laughing3:[/quote:3roxmv14]

Oh dear poor thing your on that are you, fortunately I donтАЩt have disabilities, be careful the new British Government are visiting every one on disability and medical GOV pay outs; to see if they are actually living at the address they say they reside, even to the extent to test if they have slept in the bed 7.30 am is the time they visit, donтАЩt you read your Daily Mail. They have even found that over 100,000 are less than 24 y.o and are also going to visit each one.

Silly man every day they are chipping more passports, as there 10 year life slowly ends. and its actually 42% chipped so far. the information on the chip is as I have said. if you want to believe it or not, may be you have a reason not to want it to be true. not only is this Information available on the chip, but friend tells me, they are going to put an added details such as fingerprints and iris patterns is being considered for future passports.


The biographic and biometric data contained in the electronic chip can be compared to both the traveler and the travel document being presented. There are multiple layers of security in the Passport process that prevent duplication. to open the layers you have to have different security coverage and Thailand has it now. so the data is now available to them.

Yeah right, not under the current government, they have just or about to abolish the new identity cards in the UK. They have a certain amount of ID checking at airports, fingerprints, iris that sort of thing - but that is not for the purposes you have said. No government in the world will let other governments see private details of an individual, there would be uproar. Only recently the USA tried to gain access of certain details of Europeans and there was uproar.

Of course there are writing Criminal details on the new Chips, you dont know what your talking about, how do you think they get Information from FBI and European Crime fighters. you tellimg me if they ask Interpol for details on a criminal, they are not allowed to give it, because of data protection, you are way behind with your information, my friend is very high up in this field and I can assure you its true, if you like it or not?

Yeah right, not under the current government, they have just or about to abolish the new identity cards in the UK. They have a certain amount of ID checking at airports, fingerprints, iris that sort of thing - but that is not for the purposes you have said. No government in the world will let other governments see private details of an individual, there would be uproar. Only recently the USA tried to gain access of certain details of Europeans and there was uproar.

Come, come you are not questioning the wisdom of SGT's most "prolific and well liked member" who gains first hand knowledge from the most reliable of sources!

Yeah right, not under the current government, they have just or about to abolish the new identity cards in the UK. They have a certain amount of ID checking at airports, fingerprints, iris that sort of thing - but that is not for the purposes you have said. No government in the world will let other governments see private details of an individual, there would be uproar. Only recently the USA tried to gain access of certain details of Europeans and there was uproar.

Come, come you are not questioning the wisdom of SGT's most "prolific and well liked member" who gains first hand knowledge from the most reliable of sources!


Yes Sanook and he is asking in a normal reasonable manor, not talking like and animal with a Big Thorn in his toe.

Even though he is out of date with his Info.

...donтАЩt you read your Daily Mail....

Ermmm... No. The Daily Mail is only for xenophobes, racists and frightened old ladies who think that serial killers live on every street corner. Since you're in Thailand I'll accept that your not a racist or xenophobe - which only leaves 1 possibility.... :laughing3:

Tell you what I DO read though - HANSARD - the official record of House of Commons business.

Here's an extract from 29th June 2010:

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her policy is on halting the second generation of biometric passports after 2012. [4134]

Mrs May : The work to introduce fingerprint biometrics in passports from 2012 has been halted. However, we will continue to maintain the integrity and security of our passports through other security features including facial image biometrics...

So, as I said, you're talking shite... and your "friend" doesn't know a damned thing he's talking about. Cute ThaiBoi is more on the money than you two jokers.


:occasion9:

So, as I said, you're talking shite... and your "friend" doesn't know a damned thing he's talking about. Cute ThaiBoi is more on the money than you two jokers:occasion9:

Scotty do you mean to say that SGT's most "prolific and well liked member" is talking out of the part of his body best not mentioned, or that his 'friends' in high places are winding him up, and yet again leading the poor soul down the garden path? How can we sleep at night knowing that he is telling us porkie pies again?

"DONT MESS WITH UNDER 18 Y.O"

In this case Ruby knows of where she speaks having had a very close brush with the BIB when the poor old toothless thing got caught with a her hands in the cookie jar.

[quote="Big Ruby":3gtuduub]...donтАЩt you read your Daily Mail....

Ermmm... No. The Daily Mail is only for xenophobes, racists and frightened old ladies who think that serial killers live on every street corner. Since you're in Thailand I'll accept that your not a racist or xenophobe - which only leaves 1 possibility.... :laughing3:

Tell you what I DO read though - HANSARD - the official record of House of Commons business.

Here's an extract from 29th June 2010:

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her policy is on halting the second generation of biometric passports after 2012. [4134]

Mrs May : The work to introduce fingerprint biometrics in passports from 2012 has been halted. However, we will continue to maintain the integrity and security of our passports through other security features including facial image biometrics...

So, as I said, you're talking shite... and your "friend" doesn't know a damned thing he's talking about. Cute ThaiBoi is more on the money than you two jokers.


:occasion9:[/quote:3gtuduub]


Rather than wasting you time trying to prove me wrong you should have read what I did write a bit more.

"details such as fingerprints and iris patterns is being considered for future passports."

In the future New governments do make changes, how would we know what the future brings as technology gets more advanced.

"DONT MESS WITH UNDER 18 Y.O"

In this case Ruby knows of where she speaks having had a very close brush with the BIB when the poor old toothless thing got caught with a her hands in the cookie jar.

I do hope our resident pathological liar gets his fantasy post deleted, as fast as my truthful ones are, it always amazes me how guyz with low self esteem, get their rocks off, making them selves sound as they are whiter than white, off the backs of good honest hard working people, when in reality they have so much to hide from, their skeletons in the cupboard.

Aha - I see - we are still pretending that Ruby is not LMTU. Of course one only needs to check out the old posts to find the confession.

Rather than wasting you time trying to prove me wrong you should have read what I did write a bit more.

"details such as fingerprints and iris patterns is being considered for future passports."

Now now, that's not ACTUALLY what you wrote at all is it?

What you ACTUALLY wrote was:


....friend tells me, they are going to put (on) added details such as fingerprints and iris patterns is being considered for future passports.


....they are going to....
Am I seeing things?
It does say

....they are going to...
Doesn't it?

But the truth of the matter, as I quoted to you from HANSARD, is that there are NO such plans and there will be no such plans during the life of this Govt which has just taken office.

Now you can try to spin it all you want but you are JUST PLAIN FUCKING WRONG.....

...Again.

:laughing3:

[quote="Big Ruby":25si7h70]

Rather than wasting you time trying to prove me wrong you should have read what I did write a bit more.

"details such as fingerprints and iris patterns is being considered for future passports."

Now now, that's not ACTUALLY what you wrote at all is it?

What you ACTUALLY wrote was:


....friend tells me, they are going to put (on) added details such as fingerprints and iris patterns is being considered for future passports.


....they are going to....
Am I seeing things?
It does say

....they are going to...
Doesn't it?

But the truth of the matter, as I quoted to you from HANSARD, is that there are NO such plans and there will be no such plans during the life of this Govt which has just taken office.

Now you can try to spin it all you want but you are JUST PLAIN FUCKING WRONG.....

...Again.

:laughing3:[/quote:25si7h70]


Oh dear! how are we to know what any govenment is going to do or not do, I wrote as it was writen by the British Govenment, if they choose to change there mind its not our fault.

Calm down your have a heart attack, who cares in the real picture. life is too good to get so excited over nothing? :happy7:

RUBY,

Both you and I know there are LOTS of guys in Thailand who get excited by little things.


:occasion9:

[Wesley]

I am getting really close to deciding if I want to go back, the red Shirts the Airport blocked the bars closing the police clamping down. This seems nothing like the ole Thailand I knew and loved years ago. How sad .... Bar owners that can't make it with what they have to shell out to.... lets face it "bribes" by the BIB, just to stay open. favorite bars I know of that are closing the last of the year. Oddly it seems as if do not know anyone at all there anymore.