DSI plans foreigner proxy firm crackdown

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CRIME

DSI plans foreigner proxy firm crackdown

Published: 7/01/2012 at 03:44 AM
Newspaper section: News

The Department of Special Investigation will crack down on foreigners, some of whom are gangsters, who illegally exploit loopholes to operate businesses which are normally off-limits to them.

DSI chief Tharit Pengdit unveiled his plans after the cabinet had given the agency the authority to investigate nine more categories of special cases including human trafficking, computer crime and foreign business.

Mr Tharit said executives were deciding how to to crack down on criminals this year.

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koolbreez
Post : 443
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Discussion 34 : 07/01/2012 at 08:41 PM34
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Now lets see if I have this straight. There are a bunch of businesses being run IN Thailand that are legitimate businesses except for the fact they are foreign owned by way of proxies, and this is costing the government tax revenue. Umm, how? It only follows they pay taxes to not draw attention to themselves. Shutting these proxies down will cost the government money.

The Thai politicians themselves use proxies to skirt the law all the time. Thaksin even did this with his Ample Rich corporation. There is far more tax dollars lost by corruption than can even come close to what a few foreign proxies make by trying to be legal.
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samut
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Discussion 33 : 07/01/2012 at 06:13 PM33
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Agree totally with you felxqui but we both know we can’t change this; changes have to come from within a society and as long as the majority in this country accepts it there will be no change!
Many Thais would agree that foreigners should have more rights including “controlled” purchase of land for business benefitting Thailand or simply to generate income for the country. As my wife says: She would agree for the reason that foreigners are taking good care of their properties (she has been to foreign countries in Asia and Europe) and therefore the situation in the country would be improved!
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hillfarang
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Discussion 32 : 07/01/2012 at 05:32 PM32
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D: 30
"The xenophobic anti-foreign hysteria is merely one element of this pervasive and systemic exploitation of the majority of Thai people by tiny elites intent only on serving themselves whilst making a hollow pretence of doing the opposite."

Exactly... your excellent analysis should also include a basic, fundamental limitation: EDUCATION. I have a PhD & have taught in six countries and by far Thailand (sadly) has the worst attitude towards reform, quality, etc. They are seen as foreign concepts & threatening & thus the control. Thai public education (outside some cities) is at a very low standard without many facilities for science & labs.
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felixqui
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Discussion 31 : 07/01/2012 at 04:51 PM31
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Samut, re c.29.
exactly. There is a lot of wilful ignorance behind the xenophobia and unjust business laws.
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felixqui
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Discussion 30 : 07/01/2012 at 04:41 PM30
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Samut, re D.26,
Actually, it's much worse than you think.
Wealthy Thai not only don't want to share, they use the law to keep the vast majority of Thai people economically undeveloped so that they can be easily exploited.

Were fair and free market competition allowed, with foreigners contributing to the economy and creating value, the wealthy would no longer be able to exploit their fellow Thai citizens.

For example, land ownership: if foreigners could buy land to develop, the poor farmers' land would be worth its real value, and the wealthy elite would no longer be able to rob them by buying it for a pittance.
Example2: rice. If foreign firms invested, they would pay the farmers more, and the rich monopolistic Thai middlemen would no longer reap their exploitative profits, and farmers would have a far greater chance of becoming more productive, to the benefit of the entire Thai economy.

Same for banking and every other economic area: competition would benefit every Thai person except the current self-serving exploiters of the majority, who have no more desire to see Thailand progress economically than they want to see people freely having and stating opinions, or having a real voice in government.

The xenophobic anti-foreign hysteria is merely one element of this pervasive and systemic exploitation of the majority of Thai people by tiny elites intent only on serving themselves whilst making a hollow pretence of doing the opposite.
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samut
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Discussion 29 : 07/01/2012 at 04:37 PM29
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Hello Discussion 27: Not sure if I should take you serious!? I have a legal business in Thailand and a Thai family. My money doesn’t go offshore and I employ Thai staff (everyone has a lot more than the required minimum) and pay taxes! So Thailand benefits from me!
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lookmoo
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Discussion 28 : 07/01/2012 at 04:31 PM28
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Samut/Discussion 26:

You sum it up pretty well.

* They wants tourism but no tourists.
* Investments but no investors.
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mick

Discussion 27 : 07/01/2012 at 04:16 PM27
Hooray for the crackdown, too many foreigners are exploiting Thailand in every bad way, any profits from these business don't benefit Thailand , the profit is creamed off to private bank accounts out of the country, they should also crack down on the proxy companies formed in order to own Thai land when buying a house, look after yourself Thailand because the foreign people who do this kind of business are only here to exploit you.
from iPhone application.
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samut
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Discussion 26 : 07/01/2012 at 04:01 PM26
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Generally speaking there is nothing wrong by getting rid of criminals foreign and Thai alike but this is not the case here! They want to get rid of foreigners who do proper business generating income and profits as the mentality of the rich Thais is: Just take but never give! They like to take our money but don’t want to share any profit, they want us to invest and pay but don’t want us to have a say! It doesn’t work this way nowhere in the world!
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bubbs
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Discussion 25 : 07/01/2012 at 01:00 PM25
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Cross over Sukumvit at Nana to the "Dark Side" on Soi 3, spooky.
What are these foreigners offering Thailand.
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