All smiles as immigration chief finds Africans in Chantaburi not breaking the law

[JHolmesJr]

5 hours ago, Thechook said:

Comes across as extremely racist, firstly the headline and then the fact police were sent just because they were African and to see if they are breaking any laws.  We have a lot of Thais living in Niddrie, Melbourne Australia, imagine if the police were sent just to check on them.

They probably should….and then write about in bangkok post…then watch the fur fly as thais crash Facebook servers with their outrage.

[giddyup]

5 minutes ago, Fulwell53 said:

Great post

 

5 minutes ago, phycokiller said:

they dont speak thai either, maybe they just want  freedom to practice their own religion and language. they were there first

So were the native Americans, Aborigines and the Aztecs, Incas and Mayans. Oh, and the Maoris.

[JHolmesJr]

2 minutes ago, Fulwell53 said:

Thank god people sitting in armchairs well away from where all this is happening have all the facts at their disposal and can come to rational even handed conclusions

This isn't a congressional hearing senator…its just a forum for shooting the breeze.

[darksidedog]

2 hours ago, thaipod said:

This recently comes from local Thais living there complaining about being over run by the african people living in this small town.There has been locals  on the net about their behavior and the large increase in numbers in the past few years. My wife showed me comments on facebook of complaints of concerned Thais and gem dealers also.

A friend of mines daughter married an African gem dealer and they moved to Chantaburi. She told me the locals were great with her and her two daughters, but that the attitude changed whenever her husband was around. Some of her neighbours pointedly told her she should not have married him. In the end they had had enough of the bad vibes and they have moved to Europe.

[Mickmouse1]

BLOODY RACIST...?

[Bluespunk]

36 minutes ago, mikebell said:

Can these black people get work permits for dealing gems?  I thought the whole idea of work permits was to allow no competition with Thais?

''these black people''...grief.

[giddyup]

Just now, Bluespunk said:

''these black people''...grief.

Well, are they black or not?

[giddyup]

2 minutes ago, Mickmouse1 said:

BLOODY RACIST...?

Thai immigration has the right to check on anybody, anytime. There are plenty of raids on Cambodians, Laos and Burmese, don't hear any complaints about those.

[Bluespunk]

Just now, giddyup said:

Well, are they black or not?

You know what I mean.

 

If you don't then you have deepest sympathy, though after reading some of your other comments I'm not sure you would appreciate it.

[Bluespunk]

26 minutes ago, giddyup said:

and if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.

It's not a crime to be a duck.

[giddyup]

Just now, Bluespunk said:

You know what I mean.

 

If you don't then you have deepest sympathy, though after reading some of your other comments I'm not sure you would appreciate it.

No, not sure I do know what you mean. Africans being described as "blacks" is perfectly acceptable in my book, as is me being described as "white".

[Bluespunk]

Just now, giddyup said:

No, not sure I do know what you mean. Africans being described as "blacks" is perfectly acceptable in my book, as is me being described as "white".

Often used when unnecessary to do so.

 

''these black people'' is a phrase that carries more than a whiff of bigotry and intolerance.

[Wilsonandson]

Some more pictures.

[DrTuner]

Majority was not breaking the law. How big was the minority that was breaking the law then?

[giddyup]

17 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

Often used when unnecessary to do so.

 

''these black people'' is a phrase that carries more than a whiff of bigotry and intolerance.

Only by those obsessed with being PC.

[Bluespunk]

7 minutes ago, giddyup said:

Only by those obsessed with being PC.

Nope.

 

A fact the alt-right brigade are incapable of recognising.

[giddyup]

6 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

Nope.

 

A fact the alt-right brigade are incapable of recognising.

Come on, you couldn't wait to jump on someone who correctly identified the Africans as "blacks", intimating that the comment was racist. As I pointed out earlier, there are plenty of other ethnic groups that come under scrutiny by Thai immigration, and if they decide to do a blitz on "whites" at any given location, I don't have a problem with that either.

[DavisH]

A bit like this... 555

 

 

[KenKadz]

Surprising numbers, 700 to 800 in one community, involved in one business?

 

Me thinks the "gem trade" is being used as a "questionable" vehicle for immigration into Thailand.

 

Not illegal but the numbers have drawn attention to themselves.

[giddyup]

Just now, KenKadz said:

Surprising numbers, 700 to 800 in one community, involved in one business?

 

Me thinks the "gem trade" is being used as a "questionable" vehicle for immigration into Thailand.

 

Not illegal but the numbers have drawn attention to themselves.

If it's not the "gem trade" then how are they supporting themselves? 

[Briggsy]

3 minutes ago, KenKadz said:

Surprising numbers, 700 to 800 in one community, involved in one business?

 

Me thinks the "gem trade" is being used as a "questionable" vehicle for immigration into Thailand.

 

Not illegal but the numbers have drawn attention to themselves.

Seems you know nothing. Look at post 24 for the explanation of what is going on.

[elgordo38]

7 hours ago, rooster59 said:

The visit was in line with PM Prayut and deputy Prawit's orders to root out illegal activity.

Score another victory for the junta Twins. Now raise your sights a little and shoot down the Red Bull heir. Very little legality involved here unless you deem brown envelopes to be legal 

[giddyup]

2 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

Seems you know nothing. Look at post 24 for the explanation of what is going on.

You'd have to be pretty naive to imagine a legitimate business hasn't been used to hide illegal activities. Not saying that this is happening, but anything is possible.

[timkeen08]

 
Actually that's not true.

Actually it is true. I see Thai families meet in public and put ones hand on a child's head while commenting how pretty or how big they have grown. My wife said it is a form of showing endearment and is totally exceptable.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

[Leicamera]

The African mafia is stronger than we think.

[Bluetongue]

I have lived in Chantaburi for years and always assumed without thinking that there was some scam the Africans were associated with. But it can't pay much they don't seem to drive cars more like 2 up on a motorcycle and on a budget. More men than women and haven't seen any kids. Despite what another poster said they seem pretty slack with their immigration paperwork, every time I go they seem to be paying for small overstays and conversely to the budget comment they travel a bit as they are often after reentry permits. If I had to guess its some sort of low level tax or duty avoidance scam with the smaller stones with the odd big jewel coming in up their ass. The gem dealers would be in on it

[Bluespunk]

1 hour ago, giddyup said:

Come on, you couldn't wait to jump on someone who correctly identified the Africans as "blacks", intimating that the comment was racist. As I pointed out earlier, there are plenty of other ethnic groups that come under scrutiny by Thai immigration, and if they decide to do a blitz on "whites" at any given location, I don't have a problem with that either.

No, I pointed out that a phrase used was racist.

 

I did so because it was.

 

I made no comment beyond that regarding immigration here in that post.

 

The racism faced by many here is widespread and not just confined to non Thais.

 

I would have a problem with any raid based on colour, because that is racism.

 

As I say the alt-right wouldn't but we all know why that is.

[gemguy]

2 hours ago, humqdpf said:

The gem business, Africa, Thailand - when you join up the dots, certain African countries, such as Zimbabwe, have big gem deposits, and the folks who run those countries make a lot of money out of the gem business for themselves.

 

So secret is the business, the gem mining areas are no-go and they do not even share the employment of gem polishing within their own country but immediately send the rough stones out to Asia for working - they don't want it generally known inside their own country finding out how much money is involved.

 

In this example, the Africans will no doubt be in Thailand to carefully audit the progress of the gems and if you ever want to find a place in Thailand where every African will have ALL his/her papers in order, it will be in that business. 

Not like you are implying.

Thailand has been a major international hub of gem trading and jewelry manufacturing going on for over 30 years now while Thailand is the most popular gem trading destination to bring your rough gemstones originating from countries all over the world...not just Africa.

Thailand is in competition with China and India as a market place to bring rough gemstones to for sale as rough and or processing and then sold as loose cut and polished gems.

The authorities have made it easy for gem trading people to come here and conduct their gem trading  business over the years and that includes the immigration laws and no duties or tariffs levied on gemstone rough.

The pay off is realised in the volumes of gemstones traded and business taxes to be levied and employment for Thai people and a whole lot of entrepreneurship involved and thus money exchanged and business conducted and all the spin off effects of a open gem trading market.

It is the means and ways to sustain the business and keep the gemstone suppliers coming to Thailand as a preferred gem trading destination rather than going to China or Hong Kong or India...which they do and of concern to Thai Government authorities who fear a decline in a industry that has, in part, made Thailand world renown and somewhat famous amongst world wide gemstone traders and in the public eye also. 

For Thailand, the gemstone trade and gemstone processing and the associated jewelry manufacturing and all that is entailed is a national concern while the relevant authorities are not trying to enforce laws that that would negatively impact the gem trading activities going on in Chantaburi.

The Thais in Chantaburi welcome the African suppliers as that is a big part of how they benefit and profit from the continual supply of many kinds of gemstones that they involve themselves with.

Many Thais also go to the African source countries in an effort to buy cheaper and hopefully make more profit and by pass the competition while it is not "so secret" .......like you imply, rather in some of the African countries the authorities require foreigners to be registered or have partnerships with locals or nationals of that country or have licences to conduct gem trading business but not illegal to buy and sell gemstones to be legally exported.

But of course there is a degree of under the table , so to speak, gem trading activity occurring  and similar to the export of other raw products from those same countries.

There are gem processing companies in those source countries while the governments of those countries encourage the nationals or locals to process the countries gemstone resources but mostly the Gem Traders of that country itself prefer to mine or buy the rough gemstones and export them to Thailand and hopefully sell them all...the good the bad and the ugly quality.

Besides that, all of them like to travel and come to Thailand and prefer Thailand over going to India or China  while a big part of the reason they do come here is because it its "Hassle Free" and friendly and no one really bothers them and or scrutinizes what they do here.

So go down to Chantaburi and witness the open and free market trading of gemstones including the little Africa area where you will see a concentration of Rough gemstone suppliers from many African countries.

Cheers

[Briggsy]

1 hour ago, giddyup said:

You'd have to be pretty naive to imagine a legitimate business hasn't been used to hide illegal activities. Not saying that this is happening, but anything is possible.

Your post has no relevance to my post.

[MyFriend You]

Quite frankly, I find it unbelievable that Thai Immigrations  Police can visit any area where 700-800 foreigners are living and not find any that are not overstayed, lacking passports/visa's, holding legal working papers.   If they were to cordon off Nana Plaza on a Saturday night and check all customers for documents, I am sure they would come up with quite a few overstayers.   Something fishy about this, especially in light of the Africans stopped at Swampy carrying a couple large rocks from Africa.  Did they actually check 700-800 peoples papers???  Highly doubtful, that would take a week.     i wasn't born yesterday.