Travel Tips SPECIAL REPORT - INTERNET THEFT Part 3 - March 2009

Chris Hill contributor - National Radio Text Service

Chris Hill is a former major in the Rhodesian military and spent two years seconded from the Army to the British South African Police. Hill moved to Thailand in 1998. While there he became involved in helping foreigners who got tangled up in the Thai legal system.

Africans with no apparent job are arriving in droves these past four years (since 2005) to Thailand and Cambodia. The question is how are they earning their money? One answer is there are Internet shops that are owned by Nigerians in Cambodia. They offer many services including scanning your documents.

Saturday March 7, 2009

INCARCERATION FOR THE CAPTURED

IDC (The International Detention Centre) in Suan Plu.

When you enter the prison area - the bottom cage (also known as the 'Phone cage because it has card operated phones) from concrete floor to metre high ceiling is - and I mean it - "hanging" with Afs. The heavy mesh of the Phone cage only allows the very tips of the fingers - but these guys manage it.I would love to film it - Kafkaesque - literally.

Normally, prisoners going into IDC - have been released from prison - and are now on the "deportation" sector of the judicial process.

Nearly 85% of the total prisoners are Africans. Yet - less than 0.001% of foreigners entering the Kingdom are Africans.

The reasons for this is simple. Americans, Europeans and Asians - most Mid-Easterners - have embassies in Thailand. Africans do not. Well, of course South Africa does - but only because they always had one.

Most Africans' passports are not valid - either because they are false - someone elses - or out of date. One NEEDS an embassy or consulate to issue a passport. Now think of the great success story of Africa. How do you get a passport?

So most of the African detainees in IDC will be there for life. I delivered an African child - the Mother - Congolese. She went to IDC. We gave her money there to buy the makings of coffee and she now has a good little business selling tea and coffee to the other prisoners. Christopher now aged 5 and Fish - now aged 9 are still with her. She has been there for nearly five years ! I started the usual thankless task of trying to find some members of her family through Missionaries (the few who are left alive) but then she said she didn't need any more help. She said, "Chris - here (IDC) I am safer than in the Congo - we have enough to eat and we have friends."

1. Prisoners in IDC. Yes - the almost semi-resident Afs are more than 80% of the 'stable' prisoner population. (Transient prisoners - Laos, Cambodians, Burmese - usually enter in significant numbers but are gone in 1 or 2 days.) The number includes all prisoners. The prison pops in the USA or Europe - horribly similar.

2. One should note that IDC is NOT a prison - it is a detention centre for only Non-Thai persons who have committed a crime in the Kingdom, served their prison time and are now on the Deportation leg.

For example, if you were found guilty of a crime (like visa overstay or grand larceny) you would do your prison time and then would be sent to IDC to be deported. You have to be deported to the country of nationality and you have to take that country's national carrier or Thai airlines (where such a service exists). Some intermediate stops - like say - BKK-JNB en route to say - Kinshasa - will not accept you as a deportee in transit - so you have to find a route which will take you. This adds to the expense.

Note: sometimes the U.S. Government send a military transport and will take a few hundred Nigerians, Ghanaians. IDC lets them go.

In Thailand if one voluntarily confesses to a crime - most often the sentence is reduced by half.

TO BE CONTINUED Part 4 - THE VICTIM OF A SCAM SPEAKS OUT

Previously on INTERNET THEFT Part 1

Previously on INTERNET THEFTT Part 2

The UCB bank has come under scrutiny as they charged a tourists credit card more than he signed for on several cash withdraws. The bank advertises that they do not charge a fee for cash withdraws. When the matter was brought to the attention of UCB management in Phnom Penh they said the problem was with the tourist's bank in their country.

The tourist contacted his bank and was informed that the problem emanates from Cambodia as they also do not charge a fee for cash withdraws. The tourist has been dealing with his bank for over 12 years with no problem. The problem with the Cambodian bank surfaced after they made a personnel change.

Here's our tip if you have made cash withdraws at any of the UCB banks in Siem Reap, Sihanoukville or Phnom Penh check your statements. If there are discrepancies contact your bank and report it.

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