perousing

another one of the streets, seems to be a lot of farangs selling drugs, what must the thai people be thinking of us farangs

Pattaya, September 3,[PDN]: On the 3rd September 2009, John Johansen, an ex member of the Pattaya Foreign Police Volunteers, was arrested by police, charged with drugs and firearms offenses.

The 39 year old Norwegian was arrested in a sting operation organized by Police Lieutenant Colonel Somsak Nongpong, Deputy Superintendent of The Office of The Narcotic Control Board and his team. At the time of his arrest Johansen had in his possession 40 grams of heroin, and a .38mm gun with 10 bullets. Police also confiscated his Honda motorbike, reg. no. 283 Chonburi.

Johansen, a long time (10 years) resident of Pattaya, was arrested at the El Paso restaurant located at 124/49-51 Moo. 10, South Pattaya, Nongprue.

Johansen has been operating a company providing visa, work permit and translation services in soi 13, besides running "Ingos" bar on Pattaya's third road with a partner.

Police revealed that he had been supplying drugs to foreigners using his position in the Volunteer Police as a cover. He claimed he knew many police officers in Chonburi and bragged that no one would want to make a problem for him.

At 7:30 pm today (3rd September) the editor of PDN was notified by Mr. Howard Miller, the leader of the Volunteer Tourist Police, that Johansen had been sacked from his team about 6 months ago because it was discovered he had a dark past. Johansen has now been taken to the office of Narcotics Suppression Bureau for further processing.

PDN would like to assure its readers that we will be following the developments in this case closely and will provide updates as and when we receive them.

Source:

http://pattayadailynews.com/shownews.php?IDNEWS=0000010247

well done PATTAYA POLICE get the scum of the streets

At 7:30 pm today (3rd September) the editor of PDN was notified by Mr. Howard Miller, the leader of the Volunteer Tourist Police, that Johansen had been sacked from his team about 6 months ago because it was discovered he had a dark past.

OMG......

are there no police checks or interview process for these vounteers then

everyone can have ther own opinion that's what foram's are for, but what i am reading here i cant understand, these " beggers " (with there hand out ) are seriously disabled or very disadvantaged people do you think they want to be walking around bars like this. GO AND GET A LIFE what's that old phrase YOU BUNCH OF CHEAP CHARLIES and yes its up to you, give or not

Yep....give them loads of baht. Then watch them swarm all over you....in the bars, the streets, the shops, the beaches, everywhere. You won't have a moments peace. Many, if not all, of the kids you see are being manipulated by their elders and are mere cannon fodder for these scum.

You will teach them to only beg for a living. The ONLY way to help a beggar is through a NGO. Or, go and help them out yourself?

I am not a cheap charlie....just a realist as to what really goes on.

nobody is asking for loads of baht, i am very sure if you gave them 5 or 10 baht it would be well appreciated, or dont give this is up to you, the kids you see are usually selling something they are not beggers, but i agree with you sometimes a nuisance and are "manipulated by scum" but these children dont have an option this is a serious goverment issue that has been ignored for a very long time. yes sometimes i do help them myself, as i said before only 5 or 10 baht is better than the bull sh-it you hear here

everyone can have ther own opinion that's what foram's are for, but what i am reading here i cant understand, these " beggers " (with there hand out ) are seriously disabled or very disadvantaged people do you think they want to be walking around bars like this. GO AND GET A LIFE what's that old phrase YOU BUNCH OF CHEAP CHARLIES and yes its up to you, give or not

i have often seen thai people give to these " beggers " many very handicapped in one way or another, they are not just in pattaya but all over thailand, i have also seen many times food stall holders giving them some food, but i have never heard thai's complain about them, as we all know there is no welfare system in this country and old and handicapped have to rely on family or in these cases which would suggest maybe no family so they have to resort to begging ok there are organised crime involved with some of them but not all. show a little compassion,that will cost you nothing

pot bellied alchollics!!!

do chinese women regard " farangs" as ATM's as many thai's do

where do most westeners choose to stay in china ie retired persons

beach nut would put a smile on ma ma's face if she is a chewer

i think it must be very difficult to stop what has been going on in this country for a very long time. ie police corruption, scamming,murdering, ect ect i am sure the list will be added to, a very tough job for the goverment IF they want to tackle it. ps bkk barry's post was very true, and well written

well who selected these colours!!!!

"Mr Harrison said they were selected after careful consideration."

"they were selected".......where does it say he selected the color?........they trialed the color and gave a favorable response!!!

a lot of the discusion here has been about the choice of this uniform, and i think it speaks volumes about the people who wanted it. and whats all this about ( a little bit of authority ) ie( give us some respect as well )

well who selected these colours!!!!

A lot of young guys buy those drugs hoping to get their monies worth from their flavor of the day.

one of the funniest post i have read

So you were locked up in the slammer......In Thai...."Som nom na"

Quote-e press release!!

still waiting to hear what any volunteer has actually done that would be considered helpful.

volunteered at Lumphini?

one the most notoriously corrupt stations in Thailand.

how could any self-respecting person associate with them.

i was locked up there once and had money extorted from me.

a young thai couple were locked in there without charge for a month (twice), the girl gave birth to her child in the cells.

so you do the police's work (taking reports) so they really can do less than nothing.

well you're just being used by the police like all of us.

why dont you read it properly locked up and money extorted typical ex tourist police reply SOM NOM NA

Nothing further to say to you.......Khao jai krap.........(Thai)

MAI KHAO JAI KRAP

if we had no tourist police would tourist's suffer or not? i think not one bit, so there would be no need for them whats so ever.they are only there as a puplic relation stunt, ps no need for udonfarang to answer as i am boring listening to his reply to almost every post

A profoundly sad comment,have come to expect this sought of vitriol in this forum........!!!!

Most of us volunteer out of good intentions.it certainly helped me improve my Thai language skills!!

MAYBE YOU SHOULD READ ALL THE POSTS.

Black uniforms are not worn in all the provinces!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Having read all your comments on this issue and the apparant anger/arrogance issues you appear to have, if this is indicative of the sort of people who volunteer, then I for one would stay well clear of volunteering for this body, as other posters have suggested this body seems to attract, renta-cop, rambo-type people with control issues.......

I have to admit, this is how I felt as I read this thread also.

AND ME

I think what many people do not agree with is that 'foreigners' are working as volunteers in the Thai TPV, as opposed to only Thai nationals. For the information that Udonfarang52 provided for TPVs in other countries, this is volunteer work for nationals of that country.

But 'foreigners' do work as volunteer police in other countries. The obvious example is in the EC, where a member of any EC country can (and do) work as police volunteers in a different EC country.

Simon

Exactly Simon.

It's about Expat-"Farang foreigners" acting as police volunteers in an Asian country: Thailand; I oppose that, as there is NO other example in Asia or the rest of the world where there are "expats", (living in that guest-country) acting as (Farang) police volunteers; it's plain stupid and silly.

I have NO OBJECTION whatsoever if there are Thai Police volunteers, with whatever powers, to help and assist tourists and the Thai police forces.

And, about foreigners working as police volunteers in other EU/EC (that's what you meant, right?) countries; as far as I know those are "working" there only as trainees or in situations as with European Champions matches in football and/or other sports to assist the country Police forces in languages and pointing at possible hooligans .

But there are NO police volunteers patrolling (like in Thailand) in touristic areas in Europe, coming from other European countries and certainly not from Asia, nor the USA or OZ/NZ....

And, to Udongfarang52: why do you send us a website from the Orange County police volunteers....? do they have FOREIGN police volunteers in Orange County? Do you tell me that the US or FLORIDA would accept FOREIGN police volunteers....maybe from Columbia, South Africa, Thailand maybe..Cuba perhaps ?

Does Orlando/Kissimee county have FOREIGN Police Volunteers around Disney World ? Do your Orange County Police Volunteers speak foreign languages (other than a few Spanish speaking volunteers ?)...French, German, Italian, Dutch, Russian ?

So: why do you find it normal that you, as a US citizen, can act as a -FOREIGN- police volunteer in Thailand ?

And why do you act so irritated ? Maybe you're not so qualified to act as a Foreign Police volunteer after all if you act so irritated if people disagree with you.....?

LaoPo

I THINK THE SAME AS EVERYONE HERE ( NO CHANCE ) BUT I HOPE SOMEONE CAN HELP, GIVE IT A CHANCE HE MAYBE LUCKY

I UNDERSTAND ( ENGLISH )

So you were locked up in the slammer......In Thai...."Som nom na"

Quote-e press release!!

still waiting to hear what any volunteer has actually done that would be considered helpful.

volunteered at Lumphini?

one the most notoriously corrupt stations in Thailand.

how could any self-respecting person associate with them.

i was locked up there once and had money extorted from me.

a young thai couple were locked in there without charge for a month (twice), the girl gave birth to her child in the cells.

so you do the police's work (taking reports) so they really can do less than nothing.

well you're just being used by the police like all of us.

why dont you read it properly locked up and money extorted typical ex tourist police reply SOM NOM NA

"-If a farang gets into some difficulty with the regular Thai police, what role if any can/will the Tourist Police play?"

I thought that would be self evident.........they would do what ever the could to assist, regardless of a "Black Paramilitary uniform"......!!!

would tea money have to be paid twice then?

Hi everyone,

In the light of all the recent murders,assaults,robberies,rapes and other ESCALATING crimes on foreign tourists and workers in various regions of Thailand I am looking for support to try and make the Thai authorities make information about these more readily available to people via internet or other media.

I myself have visited Thailand on 8 occassions and although 6 of these have been buisness related(and I have been escorted and generally looked after by Thai nationals) on the 2 occassions I have been holidaying on my own I have experienced the more sinister side of Thailand.

I have been mugged at knife point in a built up area(Police told me it was a rarity).

I have been assaulted in what was a set up involving the Police trying to get money(Fortunately a guy from the French Embassy and his bar owning associate intervened and the whole situation dissolved.The two Farang would'nt even accept a drink as thanks)

My room at my hotel was burgaled and if not for the inroom electronic safe who knows what I'd have been left with.(No sorry,no compensation and no sympathy of any kind from hotel manager).

I could not even count the amount of times I have been ripped off by the hundreds of scams or just greedy,devious and untrustworthy Thai's it has

been my misfortune to encounter.(Not exactly information given by holiday companies and or travel providers).

Many of you on this site will now start on me.........I am quite aware of the love affair that exists between a lot of foreigners and this country but I would like the chance to defend myself beforehand.

I have travelled to nearly every corner of the Globe and up until Thailand I have not encountered anything other than harsh words due to a driving error

or maybe paying a little over the odds for local crafts.I am a fit,tall,strong and intelligent male and therefore not the usual demographic for an easy target.

I am street savvy(believe it or not)!

It's time for Farang to take a stand and get the Government to do something positive to protect us.......It's time for Travel Agents etc to give lot more

information other than "The Land Of Smiles" crap that is continuously thrown at us!To be honest and I hope you all are......the smiles are only there when a good tipper or fat wallet are recognised.

So lets hear the backlash...and before the ranting please remember the many families of the countless foreigners to Thailand that were'nt as lucky as myself...

what you say is sadly very true in this country, but luckly does not happen to everyone, i as i am sure many other members have been scammed in one way or another ie police fines, overcharching, short changed ect

hope your luck changes for you

Food at Crazy Dave's is shocking,the place is a total shit pit with a tool as the owner.

dead rite eat there once and never again and been here 5 years

I DRINK THE SAME AS THE THAIS LIO