# Thailand Attracts Fugitives from the US **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 22, 2008, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thailand-attracts-fugitives-from-the-us/438654 "2008-02-22T01:36:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thailand-attracts-fugitives-from-the-us/438654/1 "2008-02-22T01:36:26Z")
Story [here](http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080221/NATION/802210326), from _The Detroit News._ Like I’ve said before, we really do seem to get them all. Just one reason why it’s never boring here. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thailand-attracts-fugitives-from-the-us/438654/2 "2008-02-22T01:48:41Z")
I have never been to Thailand but, if I were a fugitive, it would be at the top of my list. It is exotic and U.S. officials would find it hard to search there. There is decadence of every type readily available. The women are beautiful, the place is cheap, the food is great, and there are beautiful beaches. It sound like a winner to me as opposed to hiding out in say Northern Canada. I have no idea to what degree those claims are true but that is what I and the fugitives read about. Hell, I haven’t even committed any major crimes and my post makes me lust for the place. It all seems perfectly logical to me. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thailand-attracts-fugitives-from-the-us/438654/3 "2008-02-22T02:10:27Z")
If it were me, I’d be hiding out in Phnom Penh. Thailand’s become too high profile. Cambodia has progressed to the point where it has a sizeable-enough Western population to blend into while the costs are lower and the officials more bribable. Thailand’s getting a tad bit fed up with fugitives using it as a hideout, while Cambodia doesn’t seem to care, just bring some money with you. Some good restaurants in Phnom Penh, too. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thailand-attracts-fugitives-from-the-us/438654/4 "2008-02-22T21:23:05Z")
Thailand’s tourist department should capitalize on this. Thailand: Come for the anonymity. Stay for the lady boys. Marc ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thailand-attracts-fugitives-from-the-us/438654/5 "2008-02-23T00:40:42Z")
I think the biggest number would be in fugitives from _life_ - people on the run from an ex, from the mob, etc. They can stay there legally, and as long as they make a border run to Cambodia every now and then, they can do it on a tourist’s point-of-arrival visa. There are companies that specialise in day trips to the Cambodian border just to cater for this market. And if that’s too boring and legal for you, or you’re having too much fun to leave even for a short time, there are also outfits that will take your passport overseas and back for you, with the help of corrupt foreign immigration officials. I knew a guy who was living in Thailand and he had Canadian stamps in his passport. He’d never been to Canada - but his passport had. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thailand-attracts-fugitives-from-the-us/438654/6 "2008-02-23T01:25:05Z")
Several sex offenders from the USA have turned up in Thailand. The country is particularly attractive to pedophiles, who like the easy access to poor children. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thailand-attracts-fugitives-from-the-us/438654/7 "2008-02-23T03:07:13Z")
[QUOTE=TheLoadedDog] And if that’s too boring and legal for you, or you’re having too much fun to leave even for a short time, there are also outfits that will take your passport overseas and back for you, with the help of corrupt foreign immigration officials. I knew a guy who was living in Thailand and he had Canadian stamps in his passport. He’d never been to Canada - but his passport had. [/QUOTE] They’ve actually cracked down on that quite a bit. I’ve not heard of that happening for a while now. Of course, that could just mean they’ve gotten sneakier at it. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thailand-attracts-fugitives-from-the-us/438654/8 "2008-02-23T03:08:18Z")
[QUOTE=ralph124c] Several sex offenders from the USA have turned up in Thailand. The country is particularly attractive to pedophiles, who like the easy access to poor children. [/QUOTE] They’ve cracked down quite a bit on that, too. That’s why you’ve heard about them, because they really make a big deal in the news whenever they catch one. The pedos generally head for Cambodia these days. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2008, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thailand-attracts-fugitives-from-the-us/438654/9 "2008-02-23T08:16:16Z")
Having never been to Thailand, nor being a fugitive of any kind, I have always put Thailand as one of those places I would consider running off to and spending the rest of my days. I don’t know why…I have many friends who have been there and said it was beautiful, but I think the idea of going someplace truly exotic and at the end of the earth (in comparison to Las Vegas, Nevada) just sounds like a truly great adventure…sort of a Bilbo Baggins farewell destination.