Shooting At Had Rin

[mikalmus]

My girlfriend phoned me this morning to tell me a Thai man had been shot dead at Had Rin beach last night. Have you seen or heard anything about this. If true, it just confirms that place is turning into a mafia run shit hole.

[Gatorade]

My girlfriend phoned me this morning to tell me a Thai man had been shot dead at Had Rin beach last night. Have you seen or heard anything about this. If true, it just confirms that place is turning into a mafia run shit hole.

Seems a little harsh without knowing any facts.

If it's not true what does that confirm?

[mikalmus]

My girlfriend phoned me this morning to tell me a Thai man had been shot dead at Had Rin beach last night. Have you seen or heard anything about this. If true, it just confirms that place is turning into a mafia run shit hole.

Seems a little harsh without knowing any facts.

If it's not true what does that confirm?

It confirms my girlfriend is lying to me to keep me away 555 .

[MAXUSA]

My girlfriend phoned me this morning to tell me a Thai man had been shot dead at Had Rin beach last night. Have you seen or heard anything about this. If true, it just confirms that place is turning into a mafia run shit hole.

Seems a little harsh without knowing any facts.

If it's not true what does that confirm?

It confirms my girlfriend is lying to me to keep me away 555 .

If story is true what does this prove ??? KPN and Samui are becoming bigger ! More people more problems. Now that means more of everything cars, new babes, accidents, CRIME…. This also means shootings . You make like you never heard of this sort of thing. Many of us come from counties that this goes on all day and night. But oh my good a Thai man shoot someone “This must be Mafia” What a very misused word.

[cdnvic]

Why is it that everytime a crime occurs or someone get's charged 5 baht too much in a tourist area they start running around screaming "mafia"?

[Mid]

Why is it that everytime a crime occurs or someone get's charged 5 baht too much in a tourist area they start running around screaming "mafia"?

along with a myriad of others ,

you can lay this one at the feet of the previous PM .

[cdnvic]

How long until "blame Thaksin" wears out as a valid reason for anything that goes wrong?

[Mid]

awhile yet ........................

[mrt273nva]

i also heard about the shooting. the amount of shootings per capita is worse than New Jersey. Had Rin is a very violent place. Those of you that claim that there is no mafia are only fooling yourself. I run a boat business and have been warned that doing business out of had rin may cost me my life. I stay away from the place. i don't like it anyway.

[sbk]

I also heard about the shooting. According to a Thai person my husband talked to, the guy was shot around 5am on the beach outside a bar. Given the circumstances, drunken argument is more likely than any kind of "mafia".

And, in my experience, drunken arguments are the more prevalent source of violence on this island, or, for that fact, Thailand.

***edit*** Actually, I should amend that last statement. Drunken arguments and arguments over women are the more prevalent source of violence.

[BigC]

not suprised another day another shooting

[BigC]

My girlfriend phoned me this morning to tell me a Thai man had been shot dead at Had Rin beach last night. Have you seen or heard anything about this. If true, it just confirms that place is turning into a mafia run shit hole.

Seems a little harsh without knowing any facts.

If it's not true what does that confirm?

It confirms my girlfriend is lying to me to keep me away 555 .

If story is true what does this prove ??? KPN and Samui are becoming bigger ! More people more problems. Now that means more of everything cars, new babes, accidents, CRIME…. This also means shootings . You make like you never heard of this sort of thing. Many of us come from counties that this goes on all day and night. But oh my good a Thai man shoot someone "This must be Mafia" What a very misused word.

you would be suprised the mafia are here and they are organized and powerful. i won't go into detail. you are right the more money that get plowed into these island will attract mroe crime. just a side affect. thing is if you are not invloved with the mafia. if you don;t make problems then there will be no reason to get shot.

most of the killings i have seen have been things like gambling debts, drug induced. some like joelously which is a problem. just pick your bird carefully. u can hire a Private invetigater if you want to check out your bird before you sign your self over to them.

[Jimjim]

Mafia is a term used loosely in Thailand, and throughout the world these days. I always hear about them but never see many Italians in Bangkok.

But to be serious, I've always heard islands in Thailand are largely controlled or influenced by the money and power of businessman using more criminal and violent tactics.

Another term which might be considered more general would be "the mob." Ya, some islands could have strong elements of the mob on them. But Thai people always use the term "mafia."

Edited June 25, 2007 by Jimjim

[highdiver]

Mafia is a term used loosely in Thailand, and throughout the world these days. I always hear about them but never see many Italians in Bangkok.

But to be serious, I've always heard islands in Thailand are largely controlled or influenced by the money and power of businessman using more criminal and violent tactics.

Another term which might be considered more general would be "the mob." Ya, some islands could have strong elements of the mob on them. But Thai people always use the term "mafia."

there is no mafia in Thailand.

as you said there are some buisness man using a more agresive way to relove conflicts. but there is no mafia.

the thais use the phrase mafia to describe anyone who is more powerfull and has conections.

the closest thing to mafia is the goups of teenager wanabees running around playing big.

[sbk]

Influential person is the phrase used in the papers here, and one I feel more appropriately explains the loose connections between the legit world and the illegal one.

[girlx]

there is definitely a "mafia" of sorts on koh phangan. and just last week a thai guy i know pretty well was ambushed by 6 or 7 guys with machine guns and hit 4 times, now in hospital, lucky for him he's not dead. it was an attempted revenge killing. this is one of several shootings of this type i know about since i have been on KPG. most of them go unreported to the general public.

[RakSamui]

Mafia is a term used loosely in Thailand, and throughout the world these days. I always hear about them but never see many Italians in Bangkok.

But to be serious, I've always heard islands in Thailand are largely controlled or influenced by the money and power of businessman using more criminal and violent tactics.

Another term which might be considered more general would be "the mob." Ya, some islands could have strong elements of the mob on them. But Thai people always use the term "mafia."

there is no mafia in Thailand.

as you said there are some buisness man using a more agresive way to relove conflicts. but there is no mafia.

the thais use the phrase mafia to describe anyone who is more powerfull and has conections.

the closest thing to mafia is the goups of teenager wanabees running around playing big.

if the guys who run solo bar/lakeside/sound bar are not mafia style i do not know what is. they bribe the police break the law everyday get involved in shootings close down any competiotion. if you think they are a bunch of teenage wanabees i would like to see you tell them.

Go into to Bohput and let it be known you are going to open a girl bar, you will soon see again if there is a mafia or not, do not beleive me then go and see how many girl bars there are in Bohput NONE i wonder why, could be the head of one of the biggest families on the island says no, go into any bar and ask the farang owner if they think there is a mafia in the area.

Edited June 25, 2007 by RakSamui

[StickKettleOn]

Hi Rak

I may be getting my 'Bo' and 'Phuts' confused.... but I thought Ban Rak was part of Bo Phut? If so, there a few beer bars there as you probably know. Cosmic bar alone would be at home on any stretch of Soi Cowboy.

That said - maybe i have my areas wrong. Is Fishermans Village the definative Bo Phut? If so then yes.... not one girly bar in sight in this area which is a good thing, in my opinion. Fishermans Village has never realy been my cup of tea to hang out in, but i like the area and would hate to see it spoiled by beer bars.

Clear that up for me will you Rak? Im interested to know a little more about that. The whole notion of some nasty as fark mafia dude, with strong moral beliefs keeping an eye on his area...I am intrigued by that and respect it.

But anyway - i agree with Rak. There are mafia on Samui. Plenty of them. I disagree with the concept of 'Mafia' as we know them back in the west - I like to think of them as powerfull business people that you dont piss around with on Samui. The stories of mafia guys turning up at your bar, demanding money with menace - does not happen, in my experience. These days, they are just powerfull business people but still mafia, never the less. You ould only realy see the mafia in them, if you got on the wrong side of them.

[Jimjim]

Mafia are from Italy.

I will accept the term the Thai mob, but when talking with Thais you do always have to say mafia.

[limbos]

Hi Rak

I may be getting my 'Bo' and 'Phuts' confused.... but I thought Ban Rak was part of Bo Phut? If so, there a few beer bars there as you probably know. Cosmic bar alone would be at home on any stretch of Soi Cowboy.

That said - maybe i have my areas wrong. Is Fishermans Village the definative Bo Phut? If so then yes.... not one girly bar in sight in this area which is a good thing, in my opinion. Fishermans Village has never realy been my cup of tea to hang out in, but i like the area and would hate to see it spoiled by beer bars.

Clear that up for me will you Rak? Im interested to know a little more about that. The whole notion of some nasty as fark mafia dude, with strong moral beliefs keeping an eye on his area...I am intrigued by that and respect it.

But anyway - i agree with Rak. There are mafia on Samui. Plenty of them. I disagree with the concept of 'Mafia' as we know them back in the west - I like to think of them as powerfull business people that you dont piss around with on Samui. The stories of mafia guys turning up at your bar, demanding money with menace - does not happen, in my experience. These days, they are just powerfull business people but still mafia, never the less. You ould only realy see the mafia in them, if you got on the wrong side of them.

Stick,

What originally is known as Bophud, is now by most 'nebwies' known as Fisherman Village.

Ban Rak, Plai Laem etc are part of Bophud but nobody would refer to them as Bophud, the little vill's are called by name. I forgot the Thai name now how the Bopgud's etc are named, but one lives in Moo; X, 'part of' Bophud, Amphur; Koh Samui, Changwat; Surat Thani.

Hope this makes sense.

[StickKettleOn]

Limbos

Thanks - that does make sense. In all my previous time on Samui, it seems i may have been a little confused with the whole 'Bo' thing.

I always thought that Bophud was the Amphur, as you say. But then, I was wrongly thinking that there was also a 'Bo Phut', being Fishermans Village.

So Fishermans Village is just that - Fishermans Village. Yup? There is no 'Bo Phut', only 'Bophud' which is the district. Thinking about it, as you drive into Chaweng Noi from Lamai, there is a sign saying 'welcome to the district of Bophud'

[Pilchard]

if the guys who run solo bar/lakeside/sound bar are not mafia style i do not know what is. they bribe the police break the law everyday get involved in shootings close down any competiotion. if you think they are a bunch of teenage wanabees i would like to see you tell them.

If you have a big enough bar on samui you only have to wait a while before the MIB will come and ask you if you would like to open late, for a cut of the profit.

[ClaudeFeller]

Limbos

Thanks - that does make sense. In all my previous time on Samui, it seems i may have been a little confused with the whole 'Bo' thing.

I always thought that Bophud was the Amphur, as you say. But then, I was wrongly thinking that there was also a 'Bo Phut', being Fishermans Village.

So Fishermans Village is just that - Fishermans Village. Yup? There is no 'Bo Phut', only 'Bophud' which is the district. Thinking about it, as you drive into Chaweng Noi from Lamai, there is a sign saying 'welcome to the district of Bophud'

'welcome to the district of Bophud' is confusing! Samui is a district (Amphoe) of the Surath province (Dchangwad). It has just two postal districts - and they are confusing again:

84140 Koh Samui!!

84320 Chaweng - little Bopud might be part of it.

TIT!

[highdiver]

Mafia is a term used loosely in Thailand, and throughout the world these days. I always hear about them but never see many Italians in Bangkok.

But to be serious, I've always heard islands in Thailand are largely controlled or influenced by the money and power of businessman using more criminal and violent tactics.

Another term which might be considered more general would be "the mob." Ya, some islands could have strong elements of the mob on them. But Thai people always use the term "mafia."

there is no mafia in Thailand.

as you said there are some buisness man using a more agresive way to relove conflicts. but there is no mafia.

the thais use the phrase mafia to describe anyone who is more powerfull and has conections.

the closest thing to mafia is the goups of teenager wanabees running around playing big.

if the guys who run solo bar/lakeside/sound bar are not mafia style i do not know what is. they bribe the police break the law everyday get involved in shootings close down any competiotion. if you think they are a bunch of teenage wanabees i would like to see you tell them.

Go into to Bohput and let it be known you are going to open a girl bar, you will soon see again if there is a mafia or not, do not beleive me then go and see how many girl bars there are in Bohput NONE i wonder why, could be the head of one of the biggest families on the island says no, go into any bar and ask the farang owner if they think there is a mafia in the area.

I think you have been watching to much Sopranos on tv. or you have been lsitening to urban legends by Samui farrangs.

its amazing many garrnags ae buying into those stories. and the funiest thing is how the Thais will never tell you the truth. why should they if you are stupid enough to belive it.

i know the guys from the Solo and from and the guys from the Sound and Lakeview. they are not the same persons. they are actulaly competeing.

they are buisness man not a mafia. and belive me they are the furthest thing from "organised".

As for bophud the reason it has hardly any girly bars is because not untill long ago most people staying there did not require this service. Ban rak did not have them as well, and now its full of them because there is a demand.

when there will be a demand in bophud they will open as well.

As any owner in the night life if you wish to stay open after closing times you need to pay someone to turn a blind eye and this is no diferent from any other city in the world. that does not make them a Mafia.

The stories about the mafia are usualy spread arround by over imaginative farrangs, and mostly by Thai wanabees trying to impress those same farrang.

I was sitting with some mates in a bar in fishermans village when a local thai came in and spoke with the owner in a friendly way. the owner of the bar was looking very humble towards him. when he left the owner confided with us that this is a big "mafia boss" of the area and that because they are good friends no body meses with him.

I could not stop laughing. as i know that Thai and his family, and he has been putting on this act for few years now. the local Thais all laugh about him, but Farrangs are realy impressed with this show.

[highdiver]

there is definitely a "mafia" of sorts on koh phangan. and just last week a thai guy i know pretty well was ambushed by 6 or 7 guys with machine guns and hit 4 times, now in hospital, lucky for him he's not dead. it was an attempted revenge killing. this is one of several shootings of this type i know about since i have been on KPG. most of them go unreported to the general public.

realy...

may howna???

6-7 guys get organised to ambush a guy and shoot him with machine guns and he is only in the hospital???

are they realy a mafia??

with machine guns and only hit him 4 times?

the public or at least the Thai public is very aware of those incidents. and somone had to do something realy stupid to get this revenge.

[StickKettleOn]

High Diver

This is my take on it, for what its worth;

It’s a good point you make regarding the whole notion of ‘Mafia’ on Samui. The general picture that many ferangs are presented with is a bunch of Carabao looking guys driving Harley’s, running from bar to bar demanding money with menace. It does not happen – as you rightly say. This whole idea is often discussed amongst the more seasoned bar fly’s who like to portray a Wild West frontier that does not exist.

I have known several bar owners on Samui – I was once a bar owner myself – and I can not recall one incident of a ‘mafia’ guy making threats. It’s all bullshite. Does not happen.

However – there certainly are mafia guys on Samui – but by and large, they are not mafia in the western sense of the word. They are more like powerful businessmen who would put you in a box in the ground if you messed with them. None of us do, and very little Thais do – that’s why, by and large, they rarely resort to ‘mafia’ style tactics. They don’t need to.

Years ago, it was a little different. When Samui was emerging as a tourist destination back in the late 80’s, these guys did not have as much money as they do now and so back then, they may indeed have been a little more, well…. Hard and ruthless.

You mention one club for example… the biggest on the island. The guy that runs that - I wont mention his name lets call him ‘Fred’ from what I am told was a complete and utter nightmare years ago, back in the 80’s. The story I have heard from Thais in the know was that Fred was just a simple bully at school. A ner’do well. Not too bright. Samui islanders years ago used to pass down the valuable farm land (usually on the slopes of the hills) to the smart, hard working guys. In turn, the lazy never do well’s would receive the poor land of little value – which just happens to be primarily beach land. Fred, apparently, inherited lots of this land, sold it on to developers and made a killing. As soon as he got a taste for the money – he went off on one and murdered, raped, pillaged anyone that prevented him from making more money.

His brother – I know very well. He owns a major sporting venue in Chaweng and is a very nice, decent chap. He has always been the opposite of his brother and personally, I have a lot of time for the guy. Very approachable, very decent bloke. However, I know stories first hand that would make your hair curl. In short – he is a great bloke, but you wouldn’t want to mess with him.

So I guess, they do exist – but on the level that is often portrayed in many bars, it is not true.

Kids running around Had Rin shooting each other…. I don’t see them as ‘mafia’.

[bkkmadness]

there is definitely a "mafia" of sorts on koh phangan. and just last week a thai guy i know pretty well was ambushed by 6 or 7 guys with machine guns and hit 4 times, now in hospital, lucky for him he's not dead. it was an attempted revenge killing.

One guy ambushed by 6-7 guys with machine guns, they hit him 4 times and he didn't get killed?

Sounds a bit exaggerated to me, they either didn't want to kill him or there wasn't 6-7 guys with machine guns.

[highdiver]

High Diver

This is my take on it, for what its worth;

It’s a good point you make regarding the whole notion of ‘Mafia’ on Samui. The general picture that many ferangs are presented with is a bunch of Carabao looking guys driving Harley’s, running from bar to bar demanding money with menace. It does not happen – as you rightly say. This whole idea is often discussed amongst the more seasoned bar fly’s who like to portray a Wild West frontier that does not exist.

I have known several bar owners on Samui – I was once a bar owner myself – and I can not recall one incident of a ‘mafia’ guy making threats. It’s all bullshite. Does not happen.

However – there certainly are mafia guys on Samui – but by and large, they are not mafia in the western sense of the word. They are more like powerful businessmen who would put you in a box in the ground if you messed with them. None of us do, and very little Thais do – that’s why, by and large, they rarely resort to ‘mafia’ style tactics. They don’t need to.

Years ago, it was a little different. When Samui was emerging as a tourist destination back in the late 80’s, these guys did not have as much money as they do now and so back then, they may indeed have been a little more, well…. Hard and ruthless.

You mention one club for example… the biggest on the island. The guy that runs that - I wont mention his name lets call him ‘Fred’ from what I am told was a complete and utter nightmare years ago, back in the 80’s. The story I have heard from Thais in the know was that Fred was just a simple bully at school. A ner’do well. Not too bright. Samui islanders years ago used to pass down the valuable farm land (usually on the slopes of the hills) to the smart, hard working guys. In turn, the lazy never do well’s would receive the poor land of little value – which just happens to be primarily beach land. Fred, apparently, inherited lots of this land, sold it on to developers and made a killing. As soon as he got a taste for the money – he went off on one and murdered, raped, pillaged anyone that prevented him from making more money.

His brother – I know very well. He owns a major sporting venue in Chaweng and is a very nice, decent chap. He has always been the opposite of his brother and personally, I have a lot of time for the guy. Very approachable, very decent bloke. However, I know stories first hand that would make your hair curl. In short – he is a great bloke, but you wouldn’t want to mess with him.

So I guess, they do exist – but on the level that is often portrayed in many bars, it is not true.

Kids running around Had Rin shooting each other…. I don’t see them as ‘mafia’.

totaly agree with you. it time to stop those silly rummors.

p.s the "fred" you are reffering to was actually "momies little boy" back in School. and was actually bullied by others.

I know him and his brothers and sister for many years and my wife went to school with them. he was actually a very street smart kid as he was not the strongest in the group.

his family are all hard working people, and if you meet the mother you undestand why.

because they make mony they have been given a reputation by locals as being mafia. this was said by the locals as a form of a joke... unfortunatly some farrnags take this seriously and out of context.

Fred does nothing to reject those rumors. he says that this rumor is working for him very well as no one wants to mess with him. and he even acclerated this show so potential farrangs will be happy to tell other farrangs they are doing business with the strongest kid on the block. just see how he behaves at home with his wife and then you see who the real "boss" is.

At any case I agree with you that you dont want to mess with them. in that sense I would go further and say you dont want to mess with any locals. you have to know when ,what and how to say it in a thai way so you dont end up making someone loose face. and he ends up shooting you, or if he is rich he gets a teenager to do it for him.

keep youe affairs to your self and mind your own business. that way you stay out of trouble.

[SamuiJens]

Hi ghdiver, your last sentence was probably the best piece of advice ppl anywhere can get and live by! Especially around these parts!

[girlx]

with machine guns and only hit him 4 times?

the public or at least the Thai public is very aware of those incidents. and somone had to do something realy stupid to get this revenge.

up to you if you believe it or not. i know the guy personally, and he is in the hospital in bangkok now. he was driving a truck, with 2 guys in the back. the guys with machine guns knew he would be coming by at that time, and waited for him. they shot at the driver window. he was hit 4 times- in the forearm, shoulder, and near his eye. he is in critical condition but not dead.

i agree he must have done something stupid. but this is not the first shooting like this there. and no, the public is not aware of these incidents.