You want a promotion?...pay up!

[PeteC]

We were all over to see an old Thai friend who runs a guest house/beauty salon today. Her boyfriend was there who is a long term police Lieutenant. He's married to someone else, but spends each night with her, not uncommon. He's a nice guy and has been helpful with 'police' advice.

45 minutes or so go by and the woman takes me and my partner aside and asks for a 500,000 baht loan, payable back over a 5 year period. Interest rate to be determined, yadda, yadda, yadda.

When we asked what it's for, she immediately said that the local police force is filled to overflowing with Captains and for her boyfriend to advance to the rank of Major, bypassing Captain, he needs to pay the 'boss' this amount of money to get the promotion. Otherwise, he will probably be a Lieutenant until he retires.

We eventually said no that we can't get involved in somthing like that, which made the woman lose face etc. My partner was very good in that she told her in Thai, "if you don't ask, you don't know, so no reason to be embarrassed, you're a freind."

When we left I had questions as I thought a scam and that she needed the money for some debt or fixing her establishment. My partner said with no doubt that she was honest with her reasons.

So there we seem to have it, corruption on the the inside, outside and all sides. My God. Pete

[deepee]

Pete,
I am really surprised that you are surprised !!!!!
Thought that you had been around long enough in the LOS to have been acquainted with this little customary practice.
Have to be a bit cautious here , but having a few rellies around the place and some other, let's say, "well positioned" associates it seems this is
"game rule # 1"

[BaaBaa.]

It is surprising your surprised petes surprised.

[STEVE G]

Pete, I know that buying positions in the authorities is endemic throughout the region, in fact in most Asian countries you have to pay just to get a place in the basic training college.
I have to say though, that being able to pay to actually miss out ranks on the way up shows a particularly enterprising approach to the promotion ladder!

[PeteC]

No, I'm not surprised, did I say that? I'm just relating a story that not many readers are aware of. Do you two have anything to add from your vast experience? Or perhaps interesting posts that take up more than a few lines?

Let's look at the implications all the way down the line on this deal.

1) We apparently have officers who hold the hammer over us and Thai's who may find themselves in trouble. They may not have the experience, education or mentality to make a correct decision. For us, this could mean on a plane and the blacklist regardless if Thai family and children here or not.

2) If the place is full of Captains, obviously the "boss" has offered this deal to them also with no takers so far, so he's going down in rank.

3) It has it's advantages if we had agreed. I could probably write my own ticket concerning immigration and any problems we may find ourselves in. (see #4)

A) For the woman who is about 38, this 100% would have convinced him to leave #1 wife, thus securing her future and his company throughout old age. He's about 46.

B) He would have a pay raise, higher retirement pension, I think an older retirement age, and any extra tea money the rank would give him.

4) We could get screwed at a drop of a hat. Before year end we'll be living an hour drive away from here. If the deposits don't show up in the bank every month, what do we do?...LOL. We have no leverage or collateral at all. If they simply walked away, all we could do is hire bad guys to do bad things. No police "protection" in the world is worth that grief if things turned sour. Pete

[lomuamart]

It's difficult situation to be in.
Personally, I've always said no. There were "creeps" coming round to our old bar and demanding 500B a month for the pool table. I let my ex deal with that. He never got any money, from us or anyone else. Once one breaks, that person sets a precedent for everyone else.
There are far more serious situations with the "law". I've been in one. Again, I protested my innocence. It took three months to be cleared and the bail money to come back.
However, I've actually got a bit of respect for the police in Thailand after that.
So, I will say - never give them anything. Always be a "good boy". Don't look for any advancement for yourself or them. Assuming you're innocent, you'll be OK.

[johnnyk]

It wasn't all that long ago that chinless wonders could buy themselves a commission in the British Army.

[gooze]

As someone who does not particularly appreciate secretive societys, I would ask the questions are you Brits aware how many of the top judges and police officers in the UK are Massons. Not to mention the politicians with Masonic backgrounds.

There are no exact figures as softly softly seams to be the approach in the UK. Is this therefore so different from Thailand and Asia?.

[caller]

I would ask the questions are you Brits aware how many of the top judges and police officers in the UK are Massons. Not to mention the politicians with Masonic backgrounds.

Yep! Not just top police officers either. I think they tried to ban it once?

My mates a builder, he's a mason as well.

If anyone really wanted to know, all they would have to do is stand outside any of the well publicised lodges in the UK, or their head office, or the main hall in Oxford St. and see who comes and goes?

Isn't the Duke of Kent the Grandmaster or something?

Beware the 33rd degree!

[gooze]

I think around about ten years ago there was a load of mud slinging going on between the tories and the laboutr party about political donations to parties.

If I remember rightly a labour MP in the house of commons suggested that the torries were basically being funded by the Massons.

Vairious tabloids and sensible papers then took the story up and it was found that all three parties had a higher than normal % Massons. It was also revealed then about the judjes and senior policemen.

If I remember rightly a back bencher tried to start a motion that all MPs had to disclose there affiliations to such associations.

I would pressume that motion never got far and the back bencher was not re-elected at the next general election.

I have first hand experience of both the Massons and the Cathenians and it is my personal view both of these societies are somewhat secretive.

[redzonerocker]

thats correct guys! as the saying goes; its not what you know but who you know.
the secret societies exist throughout the world & the shady deals are done on every level, behind closed doors of course.
the situation concerning pete is a pretty sticky one to be in. i would add, that at least its in the open, if a little immoral.

[Big Boy]

Going back to the OP, coincidentally we received our first begging letter for many years this morning - from one of my wife's brothers. This was amazing because it was the first time he had contacted us since my wife refused to buy him a Tuk Tuk about 15 years ago.

He is working as a school teacher in Khon Kaen, and was asking for 10,000 Baht so that he could apply for an interview for a better teaching job.

Of course, he will be told no way - we don't believe in making Thais lazy. We know several Thai ladies in the UK who send 4 or 5 times the average Thai income on a monthly basis - they also supplement this when they pay for the regular (sick buffalo etc) disaster. By my way of thinking, this is making the recipients lazy.

This type of request is not unusual - we've had several friends who have needed large (by Thai standards) amounts of money to be able to apply for a certain job. I know for a fact that my son-in-law has always had to put a certain amount of money up front before getting a job.

I accept the thread so far has indicated that this is some form of recognised corruption, Thai style. What I am wondering is, as this seems to be a common occurrence, what happens to this money? Is it legitimate? Is it refundable if they don't get the job? What happens to the money?

[STEVE G]

BB, you should point out to your Brother in law what a favour you did for him, as by not buying him a Tuk-tuk he has managed to elevate himself to being a school teacher, if you don't help him again there is no telling what he might achieve.

[Big Boy]

An amusing conclusion to my earlier post occurred today.

As I mentioned, the last time my brother-in-law contacted us was 15 years ago. In his letter he gave us 2 phone numbers. My wife phoned them both today - both numbers turned out to be the bank where he wanted us to send the money.

My wife was then just chatting to me generally about her brother - it seems that as an aside, his motorbike has died as well ................. I just wonder what the 10,000 Baht would have been used for?