Claims of widespread extortion racket at Bangkok market

[webfact]

Claims of widespread extortion racket at Bangkok market

By The Nation

 

 

SOME OF THE 500 VENDORS at Bangkok’s Donmuang Modern Market claim they have been paying between Bt500 and Bt10,000 a month for police protection because some of the products they are selling are illegal.

 

Tourist Police Bureau deputy head Maj-General Surachet Hakpan yesterday said his officers were looking into the allegations.

 

A vendor who asked not to be named said that besides paying rent for her premises, she also paid “protection money” so the authorities would turn a blind eye to her business. 

 

She refused to name the people she paid out of concern for her safety. “Reporters get information and are gone, police guard the place for up to 30 days and are gone but we vendors are still here,” she said. 

 

“Where in Thailand are vendors not asked for protection money? You tell me,” she said.

 

Another vendor, who also asked not to be identified, said those who had signed a direct rental contact with the market landlords paid between Bt500 and Bt3,000 a month in protection money, while several people who rented buildings with the Treasury Department paid tens of thousand of baht. 

 

The second vendor also refused to say who demanded the protection money. 

 

Surachet yesterday attended a meeting with representatives of the Treasury Department, the Revenue Department and the Anti-Money Laundering Office to discuss wrongdoing at the market, the charges to be filed and those likely to be charged. 

 

He said police would launch legal action against vendors linked to the 300,000 products seized in five recent raids and against Donmuang Pattana Company for modifying buildings without permission and for encroaching on Prem Prachakorn Canal. This latter offence might also lead to a money-laundering charge, Surachet added. 

 

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha challenged Pol Lt-Colonel Santhana Prayoonrat, former deputy superintendent at the Special Branch Police Division who now serves as the market-operating firm’s adviser, to reveal a “multi-million-worth conflict of interest” that allegedly involved a military officer in the government. 

 

Prayut said the disclosure would allow the accused to tell his side of story and he warned that Santhana would be held accountable if the accusation was untrue. 

 

Santhana claimed he had information and this was the reason behind the recent raids, although police said they were part of an ongoing crackdown on illegal cosmetics. 

 

Meanwhile, Channel 3 drama actress Virakarn “Maprang” Seneetantikul, 29, whose “Be Curve” food supplement product was allegedly using exaggerated ads and being sold via a “pyramid scheme”, told police that she had not broken any law. 

 

Virakarn said a private company had tested the product and confirmed it was safe and did not contain any banned ingredient.

 

She also said the results of tests carried out by the Food and Drug Administration and the Medical Science Department had still not been published. 

 

She claimed some of her 99NewOne company’s 18 distributors had added text to advertisement posters claiming the product had a fast-slimming effect as well as financial gains for those who used it.

 

The firm had warned them that their distribution rights would be cancelled if they did that again. 

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30344911

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-05-09

[George Bowman]

9 minutes ago, webfact said:

A vendor who asked not to be named said that besides paying rent for her premises, she also paid “protection money” so the authorities would turn a blind eye to her business. 

It's good to start the day off with a laugh...

[bluesofa]

15 minutes ago, webfact said:

She refused to name the people she paid out of concern for her safety

She obviously doesn't want to experience 'brake failure' when she's driving.

 

[Samui Bodoh]

22 minutes ago, webfact said:

“Where in Thailand are vendors not asked for protection money? You tell me,” she said.

 

That is one of the saddest, most heart-breaking sentences I have ever seen.

 

 

[kannot]

Theyre all 500  as dumb as can be imagined, selling illegal stuff and complaining, ok arrest them all and  fine/jail them for "whatever" theyve been selling then arrest yourselves for  the  "protection" racket, then keep going with the entire force nationwide because in no way are these "winkers"  just a "one  off".welcome to the entire country of Thailand.

[ezzra]

So when they break the law by selling fake and illegal products it's ok,

but when they are subjected to an another illegal act that's not ok yes?

here's an idea, don't sell illegal and contraband stuff and that you will have the full rights to complain, until than, count your blessing that you're not in jail...

Edited May 8, 2018 by ezzra

[YetAnother]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

SOME OF THE 500 VENDORS at Bangkok’s Donmuang Modern Market claim they have been paying between Bt500 and Bt10,000 a month for police protection because some of the products they are selling are illegal.

ok, match this quoted phrase with the main photo with all the big smiles on the police; perfect

[anon537687643]

This is news? It’s as “common as the filthy air” in the city


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[anon537687643]

 

That is one of the saddest, most heart-breaking sentences I have ever seen.

 

 Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

because it’s always been true ?

[colinneil]

The smiles on the faces say  does she believe we will do anything, and spoil things for the boys.

We will just give her a smile, and the usual BS, leave it with us we will look into it.

Edited May 9, 2018 by colinneil

[Emster23]

You pay protection money to cops no matter what business you are in, legal or illegal. It's the "Thai way" or the highway

[BEVUP]

1 hour ago, colinneil said:

The smiles on the faces say  does she believe we will do anything, and spoil things for the boys.

We will just give her a smile, and the usual BS, leave it with us we will look into it.

There probably laughing at the amount she is pointing out & they are thinking " is that all you are paying , as we get more "

[Juan B Tong]

MEMO to marker vendors:

 

It's always better to go direct through market landlords than through the Treasury Dept.

[Khun Paul]

Nothing new here move along, Corruption and Protection old news.........Look at the Police ......laughing like a drain as she will never say in case she gets terminated ...so no proof , no conviction ....same old same old . 

[RichardColeman]

And the PM will have the audacity when Thailand goes up in the copyright theft column to say "Farang rey not understand Thairand"

[hansnl]

4 hours ago, ezzra said:

So when they break the law by selling fake and illegal products it's ok,

but when they are subjected to an another illegal act that's not ok yes?

here's an idea, don't sell illegal and contraband stuff and that you will have the full rights to complain, until than, count your blessing that you're not in jail...

You think, if they just do that, the protection will stop?

[Lupatria]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

“Where in Thailand are vendors not asked for protection money? You tell me,” 

...and the grinning cops answered: Hahaha and we already feared we may have forgotten one or two.

[NoshowJones]

7 hours ago, bluesofa said:

She obviously doesn't want to experience 'brake failure' when she's driving.

 

Or join the flying club.

[Expatthailover]

Popcorn and comfy armchair time as the expat ( not all just some ) righteously indignant flock to their keyboards.

Shock horror as developing country discovers police officers are taking bribes. Well I never.

Of course it offends us. Guess what, we are living in thailand not england or usa where police ( many on the take in those countries anyway ) are paid many many times what thai police are paid. 

Expats live in thailand because it is much cheaper than 'good old back home'. One of the reasons its cheaper is that their tax take is small hence they dont have the infrastructure. 

Doubt the expats want to pay for it and neither do the locals.

Dont expect Switzerland for a swaziland price

We all absor graft and corruption but if it offends you so much there is only one option. 

Edited May 9, 2018 by Expatthailover

[lonewolf99]

aaaah...Now I understand the name "Big Joke"......

[300sd]

Poor pay is no excuse for being a criminal. 

 

 

Edited May 9, 2018 by 300sd

[observer90210]

Just look at them all grining and chuckling behind their uniforms....seems obvious they are planing to raise the price for the protection subscriptions,  to also get their piece of the cake ?....

 

or rather they are planing to massively raid and loot the poor vendors and seize their goods ? ...

 

or am I mistaken and justice will honestly be granted with the corrupt police officers, sacked  (and not put into another inactive post as there are very few left perhaps) ?

Edited May 9, 2018 by observer90210

[Redline]

Should have taken the watch results as a guide 

[overherebc]

13 hours ago, markaoffy said:

This is news? It’s as “common as the filthy air” in the city


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

A quick search and it's easy to find the mastermind behind the whole thing.

[anon537687643]

Popcorn and comfy armchair time as the expat ( not all just some ) righteously indignant flock to their keyboards.
Shock horror as developing country discovers police officers are taking bribes. Well I never.
Of course it offends us. Guess what, we are living in thailand not england or usa where police ( many on the take in those countries anyway ) are paid many many times what thai police are paid. 
Expats live in thailand because it is much cheaper than 'good old back home'. One of the reasons its cheaper is that their tax take is small hence they dont have the infrastructure. 
Doubt the expats want to pay for it and neither do the locals.
Dont expect Switzerland for a swaziland price
We all absor graft and corruption but if it offends you so much there is only one option. 

Well there you have it! The old “corruption is ok and don’t Complain” well we can give a opinion and clearly you don’t like it


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[sammieuk1]

Shake the corruption tree and the whole country falls out.

[AsiaHand]

What if they paid by a checking account? They would then have proof as to where the money went to.