E706 - John Schachnovsky - Beyond The Badge - CRIME, JUSTICE, AND THE FBI IN THAILAND

EPISODE 706 - John Schachnovsky - Beyond The Badge - CRIME, JUSTICE, AND THE FBI IN THAILAND

About the author
John Schachnovsky is the former head of FBI operations in Thailand. He spent 25 years as a law enforcement officer, motivating and managing diverse teams in demanding environments. 

Book: Beyond the Badge: Crime, Justice, and the FBI in Thailand
Welcome to Thailand: there’s no room for error, and the stakes are high.

As an FBI Agent stationed in Bangkok, John Schachnovsky must build trust, goodwill, and long-term relationships with his Thai counterparts. Beyond the Badge explores how those relationships lead to the capture of dangerous criminals, transcending borders.

From high-profile incidents like the shocking death of David Carradine to handling overseas terrorism, from the extradition of a suspect in the murder of a United States Marine to apprehending a notorious kidnapper with an Interpol Red Notice, experience true international crime investigations as never before: behind the scenes and firsthand.

Follow former Special Agent Schachnovsky as he takes on Irish mobsters, parental kidnappers, child abusers, cyber criminals, and murderers. More than a collection of riveting tales of intrigue, Beyond the Badge is a window into FBI foreign partnerships—a critical reminder of the importance of international cooperation in the fight against crime.

In this episode, we sit down with John Schachnovsky, a retired FBI agent joining us from Bangkok, Thailand, where he has lived for nearly two decades. John reflects on a remarkable career that began far from the world of federal law enforcement. Once a laid back college hockey player, he had no clear path until his father encouraged him to consider a job that did not involve sitting behind a desk. That advice led him first to the U.S. Border Patrol, an experience he says transformed him from an unfocused student into a disciplined professional through a demanding and highly militaristic environment.

From there, John joined the FBI and trained at Quantico. He explains how different it felt: less about breaking you down and more about shaping you into an agent they have already vetted carefully through rigorous applications and background checks. He shares a fascinating look into Hogan’s Alley, the FBI’s simulated town used to test practical skills from search warrants to interviews. According to John, this unique training gives new agents a level of confidence before facing real world situations, though nothing can fully prepare you for the first arrest outside controlled conditions.

After several years in San Francisco, John pursued a dream assignment overseas and eventually became the FBI’s legal attache in Thailand. He describes the overlooked role the FBI plays internationally, assisting American cases that extend abroad, opening extraterritorial cases related to terrorism and child sex trafficking, supporting foreign partners with U.S. based investigations, and providing specialized training to enhance global cooperation. He highlights how diplomacy, trust building, and cultural fluency are just as crucial as investigative skills, especially in a country where FBI agents have no arrest authority and rely entirely on local police.

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