PHUKET: Two Chinese guides who allegedly offered Tourist Police a bribe of 100,000 baht to avoid detection now face much heavier penalties.
Wenheng Wu, 24, and a Chinese woman, Boran Chen, 25, were arrested today for being illegal tour guides.
After being nabbed, Wu allegedly tried to bribe the arresting officer with 100,000 baht.
The officer refused to take the bribe and reported the incident immediately to his superior officers.
Wu is from Guangdong province in China.and came to Phuket about two months ago on a tourist visa.
It is not known where Ms Chen lives in China.
Neither Wu or Chen had a work permit to work in Phuket.
Wu and Chen approached the Raya Princess tour company at Chalong Pier yesterday and asked them questions about the cost of island tours.
Today, about 10am Wu and Chen returned to the pier and set up a table, complete with printed pamphlets and small cards.
The pair soon started promoting various tour packages to a group of Chinese people waiting for a speedboat.
As part of various packages sold by the two illegal guides, Chinese tourists were asked to download the ???We Chat??? application and scan in QR codes to receive free rewards, such as perfume, Thai herbs and a protective mobile phone over.
The tourists were also told that if they booked a tour online, a special promotion relating to the Chinese National Day would also result in them receiving 50 Yuan (about 285 baht) in their Chinese bank account.
Later today the Raya Princess tour company contacted Tourist Police in Phuket City about the activities of the two Chinese.
Tourist Police and the Director of Tourism and Sport, Mr Santi Pawai, went to Chalong Pier to inspect the activities of the suspect Chinese guides.
Officers arrested the Chinese pair and took them to headquarters in Phuket City to continue the investigation..
During questioning by police, Wu said he worked for a Chinese company - Fantastrip.cn - based in China.
Wu admitted that the company had no branch in Phuket and that he was not selling tours, rather he was promoting various tours to Chinese tourists.
He told police he took no money from tourists.
Wu later asked the police if he could telephone his friend. The police agreed he could do this.
When the telephone call finished, Mr Wu told the policeman that he had some money, around 100,000 baht, that he could give the police man if he agreed to released the two Chinese guides and ''keep this a secret.''
Wu???s friend then came to the police station and gave him 100,000 baht.
Wu then offered the money to the police officer, who promptly charged him with a further offence of bribery.
Thai police told Phuketwan that they believe the Chinese guides have a Thai connection on the island helping them to make arrangements in relation to the various promotions being offered to tourists.
Wu and Chen have been transferred to Chalong Police Station. They will face court soon and most likely will be deported.
Wenheng Wu, 24, and a Chinese woman, Boran Chen, 25, were arrested today for being illegal tour guides.
After being nabbed, Wu allegedly tried to bribe the arresting officer with 100,000 baht.
The officer refused to take the bribe and reported the incident immediately to his superior officers.
Wu is from Guangdong province in China.and came to Phuket about two months ago on a tourist visa.
It is not known where Ms Chen lives in China.
Neither Wu or Chen had a work permit to work in Phuket.
Wu and Chen approached the Raya Princess tour company at Chalong Pier yesterday and asked them questions about the cost of island tours.
Today, about 10am Wu and Chen returned to the pier and set up a table, complete with printed pamphlets and small cards.
The pair soon started promoting various tour packages to a group of Chinese people waiting for a speedboat.
As part of various packages sold by the two illegal guides, Chinese tourists were asked to download the ???We Chat??? application and scan in QR codes to receive free rewards, such as perfume, Thai herbs and a protective mobile phone over.
The tourists were also told that if they booked a tour online, a special promotion relating to the Chinese National Day would also result in them receiving 50 Yuan (about 285 baht) in their Chinese bank account.
Later today the Raya Princess tour company contacted Tourist Police in Phuket City about the activities of the two Chinese.
Tourist Police and the Director of Tourism and Sport, Mr Santi Pawai, went to Chalong Pier to inspect the activities of the suspect Chinese guides.
Officers arrested the Chinese pair and took them to headquarters in Phuket City to continue the investigation..
During questioning by police, Wu said he worked for a Chinese company - Fantastrip.cn - based in China.
Wu admitted that the company had no branch in Phuket and that he was not selling tours, rather he was promoting various tours to Chinese tourists.
He told police he took no money from tourists.
Wu later asked the police if he could telephone his friend. The police agreed he could do this.
When the telephone call finished, Mr Wu told the policeman that he had some money, around 100,000 baht, that he could give the police man if he agreed to released the two Chinese guides and ''keep this a secret.''
Wu???s friend then came to the police station and gave him 100,000 baht.
Wu then offered the money to the police officer, who promptly charged him with a further offence of bribery.
Thai police told Phuketwan that they believe the Chinese guides have a Thai connection on the island helping them to make arrangements in relation to the various promotions being offered to tourists.
Wu and Chen have been transferred to Chalong Police Station. They will face court soon and most likely will be deported.
Wow this is such a big crime! How many people die on Phuket roads or are crippled for life due to the virtually zero traffic applied except for helmet checks and license checks, I read the Police get a percentage for these tickets is it 60% No let's focus on those bad foreigners working without a permit.
Posted by Holy Work Permit Batman on October 6, 2015 18:37
Editor Comment:
You want police to give up on crime and concentrate on traffic? That's a novel one, Robin. Now we know why you're always Second Banana.