Thailand may have to revoke its order on free visa to Chinese tourists following the arrest of seven Chinese nationals begging in the national capital. Thailand gave permission to Chinese tourists to easily visit Thailand without a visa, in view of incident involving arrest of seven Chinese beggars. The Chinese nationals were arrested from various parts of the capital who had entered into Thailand using passports with an intention to beg.
These incidents came to light in early November after posts on social media suggested that human traffickers may be exploiting Thailand’s visa waiver, to bring in victims to beg on the streets. The individuals caught exhibited facial deformities or had crippled hands or fingers. It prompted Thailand Prime Minister SretthaThavis to accept that some of the Chinese beggars seen in Bangkok may have taken advantage of the visa waiver scheme.
According to Immigration Bureau chief Lieutenant-General IttipolIttisarnronnachai, the detainees admitted to have entered Thailand voluntarily after they learnt that begging in the capital could earn them up to 280 US dollars every day.
Chinese national Kheng was apprehended on Nov 11 from the BTS Skywalk in front of the Siam Square shopping mall. Forty one year old woman was helped out of prison by her interpreter Name from Thailand but was reported back to China on Nov, 17. Another Chinese woman, Wu( 34) was arrested by the Phya Thai police on a pedestrian flyover in front of the Platinum shopping mall on Phetchaburi Road. Wu made startling revelations about how beggars were making lot of money. Wu had reportedly told that beggars could be earning substantial amounts in major sightseeing spots in a previous visit to Thailand. So, she decided to try her luck. She claimed that sometimes she earned up to 287 US dollars a day. She deposited the money in her WeChat Pay account.
The immigration chief revealed that some of the detainees knew one other and had come together to beg.Lt-Ge0n Ittipol said that several of them had a previous record of begging in Singapore and Malaysia. Lt-Gen Ittipol added that the police were on the look out for for a Chinese man seen begging in Bangkok’s LatKrabang area.
It is not the only incident that has embarassed China. The police have arrested five including two Chinese nationals in a romance investment scams, had impounded assets worth for examination. In October, Police had arrested a teenager suspected of unleashing a volley of gunfire at the Siam Paragon mall in Bangkok’s commercial heart , killing two women and injuring five people. Experts conceded that Srettha’s administration’s visa-free entry for Chinese nationals to facilitate travel and help overcome had created worries among the authorities about safety. In May, return of Chinese tourists was seen a boon to many in Thailand, the country’s law enforcement agencies looked at an increase in crimes committed by Chinese.
In the light of these concerns, Thailand’s law enforcement agency launched a crackdown on Chinese criminal groups operating illegal businesses. The number of such businesses has risen not only in Thailand but also in other Southeast Asian countries in recent years. But the moot point is how to stop and take a deterrent action. Experts however expressed fear of spoiling friendly relations with China because of the involvement of Chinese nationals in illegal businesses, taking advantage of friendly relations with Thailand and abusing the diplomatic relations with the people of Thailand. Surachate said Chinese nationals’ illicit operations — so-called gray businesses — involve drug trade and human trafficking through service establishments such as pubs and bars. The question is how to stop? Will Chinese leadership do anything or remain mum?