Bangkok taxi driver robs tourist of millions - police suspect he is part of a big gang

 

Picture: Daily News

 

A Bangkok cabby has given himself up to police after a Chinese man lost millions in valuables and cash and was dumped by the side of the road. 

 

The cabby has admitted to targeting well heeled but drunk tourists wearing designer watches and having diamond jewellry. 

 

After they fell asleep in the back of his cab he would strip them then dump them. 

 

He has admitted to two cases in the capital but police dismiss this as nonsense saying he is part of a much wider gang problem that has seen dozens of tourists robbed in recent years. 

 

The case follows two about honest cabbies returning huge sums of money to forgetful tourists in the last two weeks, notes Thaivisa. It is bound to provide grist to the mill for people who claim that the capital's cabbies include many rogues among the nice guys. 

 

Channel 7 reported that Tanakrit P., aged 43, gave himself up to Klong Tan police after officers had closed in on the suspect. 

 

Daily News also reported on the arrest and included a picture of the taxi driver wearing a "Playboy" T-shirt pointing at an old yellow cab. 

 

Earlier a Chinese businessman was picked up in Rama 9 in the early hours of the morning and was meant to have been taken to his hotel. Instead he was dumped outside a condo in Ekamai sub-soi 12. 

 

When he came round he realised he had been stripped of his Philippe Patek watch, two diamond rings, 2 phones and a quantity of cash. 

 

It all came to 3.6 million baht. After the victim went to the police a warrant was issued for the arrest of the cabby. 

 

Tanakrit admitted that he had been preying on tourists in the Sukhumvit and RCA entertainment areas. 

 

He would find well-heeled tourists or businessmen with designer watches, diamond rings and phones. He looked out for people who were drunk. He then waited for them to nod off in his cab before stripping them and dumping them. 

 

He said he had done this twice - once in Thong Lor and once in the Klong Tan area, the latest case. 

 

He said that the victim was in a group with many others and he was surprised when he was placed in the cab alone. He was obviously drunk. 

 

He said he got his watch and rings. He pawned the watch and gave the rings to two younger mates. He claimed he had spent everything while he was on the run from the crime. 

 

He claimed he had no money and needed cash for his son as he was the sole breadwinner. He has been a taxi driver for years.

 

Police have dismissed all this as patent nonsense. They think that Tanakrit has robbed dozens of people and is part of a bigger gang preying on the public and tourists over the last 5 - 6 years. 

 

He has been charged with theft at night while using a conveyance and detained by the Klong Tan police. 

 

Meanwhile, the inquiry is ongoing and widening. 

 

Thaivisa notes that the case relates to an incident about six months ago. 

 

Sources: Channel 7 | Daily News

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-03-06

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7 minutes ago, webfact said:

The case follows two about honest cabbies returning huge sums of money to forgetful tourists in the last two weeks, notes Thaivisa. It is bound to provide grist to the mill for people who claim that the capital's cabbies include many rogues among the nice guys. 

No need for people to claim this, when a multitude of news stories prove it. 

I can feel another honest cabby story coming very soon ....

Who on earth wears and carries "millions" when traveling around? And why? A spectacular degree of insecurity? Recklessness? Ignorance? Just dumb and dumber?

Had it not been a Chinese person, would they have investigated so hard and fast?

18 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Who on earth wears and carries "millions" when traveling around? And why? A spectacular degree of insecurity? Recklessness? Ignorance? Just dumb and dumber?

Some of them don't have cards they can use to pull out money.  

While most cabbies out there are no doubt honest and hard working people, some, and not  a few are criminally minded opportunists cabbies cruising around and looking for prey to pounce on, the thing is, Thailand is no different, there are all over and in many other countries, part of everyday life... 

6 minutes ago, The Farang said:

Some of them don't have cards they can use to pull out money.  

He was not coming from the airport. Sounds like he was out for a night on the town. Who needs to carry more than 20 or 30 thousand baht? And why wear expensive jewelry? You just make yourself a mark. As I said before, dumb and dumber.

11 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

He was not coming from the airport. Sounds like he was out for a night on the town. Who needs to carry more than 20 or 30 thousand baht? And why wear expensive jewelry? You just make yourself a mark. As I said before, dumb and dumber.

Who even NEEDS to carry 20 or 30,000 Baht on A Night Out ??

1 minute ago, Nong Khai Man said:

Who even NEEDS to carry 20 or 30,000 Baht on A Night Out ??

Entertaining a couple of clients who like a drink can easily burn though 30000 baht in less than a night.

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Who on earth wears and carries "millions" when traveling around? And why? A spectacular degree of insecurity? Recklessness? Ignorance? Just dumb and dumber?

Loads of people do....i think they refer to them as chronometers.

 

Personally I prefer Swatch and am unlikely to be robbed.

 

Rooster

45 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

He was not coming from the airport. Sounds like he was out for a night on the town. Who needs to carry more than 20 or 30 thousand baht? And why wear expensive jewelry? You just make yourself a mark. As I said before, dumb and dumber.

Why be so hard on the guy? It didn't say how much cash he was carrying. It sounds like a wealthy guy out with friends, likely wealthy too and putting it on display. Got drunk and as the article said he was surprised to end up on his own. Bad luck is all.

44 minutes ago, Nong Khai Man said:

Who even NEEDS to carry 20 or 30,000 Baht on A Night Out ??

I hear drinks are 200 baht and the tarts want 6k, so not an unreasonable amount for the daft and desperate brigade

54 minutes ago, Nong Khai Man said:

Who even NEEDS to carry 20 or 30,000 Baht on A Night Out ??

That is going under the presumption that he does not have a bank card to use, which was the supposition I was replying to. He could be a heavy hitter. I know guys who blow $500 to $1000 on a night out. Not that unusual. My point was why bring more than that, and why wear really expensive jewelry, when you know there is a good chance you are going to get inebriated. Know thyself, right?

Well thats a slightly different taxi driver story.

A dishonest taxi driver..... Come on, almost daily we are hearing how honest taxi drivers are returned very large amounts of cash to very forgetful passengers.

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Who on earth wears and carries "millions" when traveling around? And why? A spectacular degree of insecurity? Recklessness? Ignorance? Just dumb and dumber?

 

And even dumber to then get so rat-arsed drunk that you pass out in the back of a taxi!

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Earlier a Chinese businessman was picked up in Rama 9 in the early hours of the morning and was meant to have been taken to his hotel. Instead he was dumped outside a condo in Ekamai sub-soi 12. 

 

When he came round he realised he had been stripped of his Philippe Patek watch, two diamond rings, 2 phones and a quantity of cash. 

 

It all came to 3.6 million baht. After the victim went to the police a warrant was issued for the arrest of the cabby. 

Did they checked the moron for corona-virus?

Some return 100.000 and some keep millions.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Police have dismissed all this as patent nonsense. They think that Tanakrit has robbed dozens of people and is part of a bigger gang preying on the public and tourists over the last 5 - 6 years. 

If plod have known about it for that long why have they not put a stop to it?

 

(Rhetorical, I already know the answer!)

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Who on earth wears and carries "millions" when traveling around? And why? A spectacular degree of insecurity? Recklessness? Ignorance? Just dumb and dumber?

Literally 1/10 of people at nightclubs around thonglor wearing a watch worth 3k+ usd. A few even wearing 50-100k usd worth watches.

3 hours ago, Phuketshrew said:

I can feel another honest cabby story coming very soon ....

He may have been one, rob a million and give back 100k

48 minutes ago, Drax said:

Literally 1/10 of people at nightclubs around thonglor wearing a watch worth 3k+ usd. A few even wearing 50-100k usd worth watches.

As I said before, dumb and dumber. 

Amazing Thailand, the best taxi service in the world ...

4 hours ago, Nong Khai Man said:

Who even NEEDS to carry 20 or 30,000 Baht on A Night Out ??

Obviously, you haven't been to a Chiang Mai KTV! 

5 hours ago, Phuketshrew said:

I can feel another honest cabby story coming very soon ....

I wonder if it will match what this guy took?

I have a feeling their will be two honest taxi drivers  stories  coming up  returning peoples money goods ect 

Have to get the good feel factor back on top 

So come on honest taxi drivers dont let me down 

 

A little slap on the hand, a 500 baht fine ...and back to the wheel.

6 hours ago, ezzra said:

While most cabbies out there are no doubt honest and hard working people, some, and not  a few are criminally minded opportunists cabbies cruising around and looking for prey to pounce on, the thing is, Thailand is no different, there are all over and in many other countries, part of everyday life... 

Thailand is different; it happens more here than anywhere else and the 'punishment' will be less severe than anywhere else !

4 hours ago, evadgib said:

If plod have known about it for that long why have they not put a stop to it?

 

(Rhetorical, I already know the answer!)

Probably because 'Webfact' just found out about the story and needed some fodder to feed to the paranoid nighty shredders on the forum. How often do we see 'news' on here that doesn't denigrate Thailand, the culture and the people.  He obviously knows his audience.

3 hours ago, Drax said:

Literally 1/10 of people at nightclubs around thonglor wearing a watch worth 3k+ usd. A few even wearing 50-100k usd worth watches.

And often dripping with gold.