Concerns raised over Bangkok billboard offering foreign passports for sale

Move Forward Party list-MP Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn has expressed serious concern over a huge Chinese language advertising billboard offering foreign passports for sale.

He noted that the billboard, which is located at the Din Daeng intersection, is intended for Chinese nationals, many of whom are staying or doing business in the Din Daeng and Huai Khwang areas of Bangkok.

The advertisement offers passports from numerous countries for sale at various prices. For example, 30,000 Chinese yuan for an Indonesian passport, 70,000 yuan for Vanuatu, 150,000 yuan for Cambodian and 150,000 yuan for a Turkish passport.

It claims that the passports are genuine and the application process takes about 30 days, with an assurance of confidentiality. Payment, it reads, will be made when the passports are ready.

Since the billboard is in Chinese, Wiroj said neither the government nor the police may be interested, but he warned that, if the message about foreign passports for sale is true, Thailand may become a hub for transnational criminal elements seeking foreign passports.

The Move Forward MP also said that several criminal Chinese elements are taking advantage of lax immigration restrictions and, with the collusion of corrupt officials, are attempting to seek refuge and operate “grey” businesses in Thailand.

Meanwhile, Pol Maj-Gen Panthana Nutchanart, deputy commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, said that the billboard in question is not illegal per se, because the passports offered for sale are not Thai.

He claimed that “selling of passports is normal in several countries.”

Latest reports indicate that the billboard has been removed by the agency responsible for installing it.

An official of the local advertising agency told Thai PBS today that a Singaporean company contacted them to put up the billboard, adding that the agency did not thoroughly check the content of the message as the Singaporean company appeared credible.

He added that, since the billboard has caused an uproar, his agency has notified the Singaporean company of its removal.