Brown Envelopes

[Natai Beach 2,350]

Good morning, nice blue sky morning here on beautiful Natai Beach.

 

Since I joined this forum I don’t think a day has gone by where I haven’t read about the “brown envelopes”.

 

I have lived in Thailand for a while and have paid “smoothing over” or “fast track” fees four times that I can recall, not including traffic infringements and “petrol money” which have only been small amounts and always cash with no brown envelope.
 

I have never used a brown envelope. 
 

Once I have used cash, twice was just a one off bank transfer and the other was a monthly fee also paid by simply a bank transfer. I find the transfer to be very convenient and it is also a good way of proof of payment if any issues arise. 
 

Do any of you blokes still use brown envelopes or is just an outdated, but often repeated myth? 
 

Also, does anyone know why it has to be “brown”. Is white ok?
 

[tonray 13,819]

I prefer a diplomatic pouch....looks more professional in a 'spy vs spy' sort of way

[colinneil 75,788]

Just now, Natai Beach said:

Good morning, nice blue sky morning here on beautiful Natai Beach.

 

Since I joined this forum I don’t think a day has gone by where I haven’t read about the “brown envelopes”.

 

I have lived in Thailand for a while and have paid “smoothing over” or “fast track” fees four times that I can recall, not including traffic infringements and “petrol money” which have only been small amounts and always cash with no brown envelope.
 

 

So you admit there is corruption going on, and you are aiding and abetting it, not good.

[ezzra 44,062]

Brown envelope journalism (BEJ) is a practice whereby monetary inducement is given to journalists to make them write a positive story or kill a negative story. The name is derived from cash inducements hidden in brown envelopes and given to journalists during press briefings...

[BangkokReady 1,495]

I don't think the term originated in Thailand.  So it's kind of a phrase used to refer to a bribe or pay-off.  Doesn't need to actually be in a brown envelope.

[BangkokReady 1,495]

4 minutes ago, ezzra said:

Brown envelope journalism (BEJ) is a practice whereby monetary inducement is given to journalists to make them write a positive story or kill a negative story. The name is derived from cash inducements hidden in brown envelopes and given to journalists during press briefings...

 

Apparently the term "brown envelope" predates that.

 

From Wikipedia:

 

Quote

The term "brown envelope" was first coined in 1994 after the cash-for-questions-affair, a political scandal in the United Kingdom (UK). The Guardian alleged that the owner of Harrods department store, Mohamed Al-Fayed, had paid a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons to ask a question using a brown-colored envelope for the transaction.^[2][3]

 

[PatOngo 47,269]

22 minutes ago, Natai Beach said:

I have lived in Thailand for a while

Stick around a while longer, you'll get it eventually! Maybe!

[Natai Beach 2,350]

19 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

The term "brown envelope" was first coined in 1994 after the cash-for-questions-affair, a political scandal in the United Kingdom (UK). The Guardian alleged that the owner of Harrods department store, Mohamed Al-Fayed, had paid a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons to ask a question using a brown-colored envelope for the transaction.^[2][3]

 
Ah. 
It is an English term description from their corrupt system. 
That makes sense, I have never heard a Thai asking for a brown envelope or even refer to one. 
 

So it is basically a Thai Visa Forum often repeated myth. 
 

interesting link to one of Princess Di’s boyfriends.

Edited January 18 by Natai Beach

[Victornoir 1,263]

An obsolete expression with ironic pretension that promises a thought of the same barrel.

When I read this term, like some others, I skip the rest.

Edited January 18 by Victornoir

[KannikaP 1,040]

17 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

 

Apparently the term "brown envelope" predates that.

 

From Wikipedia:

 

 

Ezzra did not state when BEJ started.

[soi3eddie 1,908]

 

Forget brown envelopes. A stuffed suitcase has better effect on sorting any issues or smoothing permissions etc.

 

[CharlieH 29,657]

Post removed.

 

DO NOT make personal remarks.

 

[worgeordie 44,816]

I use Airmail envelopes ,much more colourful,.....and they are the

only ones I have.

regards Worgeordie

[madmitch 11,538]

In my early days in Thailand when I made the probably unwise decision to buy a condo in Bangkok, the person handling the transaction put a few thousand baht in a brown envelope that was includeded with all the papers at the land office. This had the effect of reducing the tax and speeding up the process. That was in 2003 and I've never passed a brown envelope since that day.

 

But it's a general English term for a bribe, not to be taken literally

[Crossy 27,747]

Surely in the Far East the envelope should be red.