Belgian Expat's Illegal Pawn Shop Busted in Phuket

[webfact]

 

In a major bust, Phuket police raided the luxury residence of a Belgian national involved in illegal pawn operations. Law enforcement officials unearthed a trove of motorcycles, national IDs, and a single mobile phone, all allegedly linked to an unauthorised pawn and loan business.

 

Police Lieutenant Colonel Thepnom Suwannarat, Superintendent of Investigation Division 3, Province Police Region 8, led the operation. The target: a 63-year-old Belgian man named Philippe, residing in Moo 7, Rawai Subdistrict, Mueang District, Phuket.

 

During the raid, authorities discovered 13 motorcycles and a stash of 15 national ID cards. Philippe faces charges under the Pawn Shop Act of 1962 and the Financial Institution Business Act of 2008, which regulate pawn operations and personal loans in Thailand.

 

The acts aim to safeguard financial integrity, stipulating that loans should not exceed an interest rate of 15% per annum or 1.25% per month. However, Philippe's clandestine activities allegedly flouted these regulations.

 

Philippe and the seized evidence have been taken to Chalong Police Station. His arrest highlights the Thai authorities' ongoing efforts to curb illegal financial operations, ensuring compliance with national laws designed to protect consumers.

 

In a separate incident that also caught headlines, a 32-year-old Myanmar national was arrested in Hat Yai, Songkhla. The man attacked his Belgian partner with a hammer, leaving the victim with severe head injuries. The altercation was reportedly spurred by jealousy and took place in their shared apartment, now the scene of a brutal assault and bloodshed.

 

Both cases underscore the diverse challenges facing law enforcement in Thailand, from financial crimes to violent domestic disputes, illustrating the broad spectrum of illegal activities that occur within expatriate communities in the country.

 

Picture courtesy: MGR online

 

-- 2024-05-27

 

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[AnotherOneHere]

Being farang and doing loans have no future in here. 🙉 Because locals will borrow money from you. And once you want it back they call police and throw you under the bus. ☺️

[BMW Overlander]

Looking at those premisses....hardly a luxury residence.

[hotchilli]

24 minutes ago, BMW Overlander said:

Looking at those premisses....hardly a luxury residence.

Every mans home is his castle.... don't be a snob

[Gottfrid]

34 minutes ago, BMW Overlander said:

Looking at those premisses....hardly a luxury residence.

Don´t post like that @transam will haunt you forever. But, I can also see, that if somebody live in a luxury home, they are assumed to take care of the walls and fence.

[OneMoreFarang]

Elimination of the competition. 

[RonJr]

Another one bites the dust.. 

In related news another Belgian was set on fire 😯

[roo860]

Judging by the photo he didn't spend much on food.

[save the frogs]

you dont hear about the belgians often, but never underestimate their criminal minds

[Korat Kiwi]

In a seperate incident that also caught headlines.... 

 

  Oh so now it's time to regurgitate an old story?  This occurred a few weeks ago. 

 

  Or was it because the incident involved another Belgium citizen (Albeit the victim of a jealous boyfriend) 

[Hakuna Matata]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The man attacked his Belgian partner with a hammer, leaving the victim with severe head injuries.

 

OMG, how many Belgian criminals live in Thailand! They're hitting the headlines almost every month.

[stevenl]

Just now, Hakuna Matata said:

 

OMG, how many Belgian criminals live in Thailand! They're hitting the headlines almost every month.

Apparently 1 since the other one was the victim.

[transam]

1 hour ago, Gottfrid said:

Don´t post like that @transam will haunt you forever. But, I can also see, that if somebody live in a luxury home, they are assumed to take care of the walls and fence.

None of your business how someone takes care of their Luxury home that you envy.........

[brianthainess]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Both cases underscore the diverse challenges facing law enforcement in Thailand,

Oh please, any real work seems a challenge for the RTP.  Who dobbed him in sure is they didn't investigate stuff all by themselves.    

[Moncul]

At first glance I thought it said "prawn"....

[ChipButty]

I can use that same excuse next time we get a phone call to borrow money, It's illegal to borrow money from a farang now, 

[freeworld]

Don't often hear about Belgians, this is unusual to see one in the foreign news.

[Moncul]

2 minutes ago, freeworld said:

Don't often hear about Belgians, this is unusual to see one in the foreign news.

Didn't see the Belgian-on-Belgian murder in Bueng Kan the other day then?

 

[Gottfrid]

1 hour ago, transam said:

None of your business how someone takes care of their Luxury home that you envy.........

No, but this is an open forum, and I express my opinion. Is that ok for you, or are going for moderation position?

[transam]

18 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

No, but this is an open forum, and I express my opinion. Is that ok for you, or are going for moderation position?

You need to moderate your self, anti-Brit, anti-Luxury Villa's............🤫

[Gottfrid]

15 minutes ago, transam said:

You need to moderate your self, anti-Brit, anti-Luxury Villa's............🤫

You forgot anti-muslim, but as I posted and noted, you are starting to slip and forget.

[BusyB]

4 hours ago, RonJr said:

Another one bites the dust.. 

In related news another Belgian was set on fire 😯

 

Nail. Hammer. Head.

[shackleton]

Can't believe he thought he would get away with being a loan shark  especially in Thailand 

He would just need to upset one of his Thai customers who no doubt would report him to the authorities 🤯

[Irish star]

What is it Belgian Day , Hammering , Burning Bodies , Loansharking , making Belgian Fries 5555

[Irish star]

3 hours ago, Moncul said:

Didn't see the Belgian-on-Belgian murder in Bueng Kan the other day then?

 

It was in Seka , about an hour from Sakorn Nakon 

[JulesMad]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

The acts aim to safeguard financial integrity, stipulating that loans should not exceed an interest rate of 15% per annum or 1.25% per month.

IF this is true, why don't they get all the other loan sharks?!? Obviously I 'forgot' to mention that this is a farang loan shark...
BTW, do you need a workpermit as a loan shark? It can hardly be defined as 'work', can it?
Also BTW, is it on the 'Thai professions only' list?

[ChipButty]

4 minutes ago, JulesMad said:

IF this is true, why don't they get all the other loan sharks?!? Obviously I 'forgot' to mention that this is a farang loan shark...
BTW, do you need a workpermit as a loan shark? It can hardly be defined as 'work', can it?
Also BTW, is it on the 'Thai professions only' list?

You would need a license, I dont know if a farang would get one, maybe not.

[ujayujay]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

 

In a major bust, Phuket police raided the luxury residence of a Belgian national involved in illegal pawn operations. Law enforcement officials unearthed a trove of motorcycles, national IDs, and a single mobile phone, all allegedly linked to an unauthorised pawn and loan business.

 

Police Lieutenant Colonel Thepnom Suwannarat, Superintendent of Investigation Division 3, Province Police Region 8, led the operation. The target: a 63-year-old Belgian man named Philippe, residing in Moo 7, Rawai Subdistrict, Mueang District, Phuket.

 

During the raid, authorities discovered 13 motorcycles and a stash of 15 national ID cards. Philippe faces charges under the Pawn Shop Act of 1962 and the Financial Institution Business Act of 2008, which regulate pawn operations and personal loans in Thailand.

 

The acts aim to safeguard financial integrity, stipulating that loans should not exceed an interest rate of 15% per annum or 1.25% per month. However, Philippe's clandestine activities allegedly flouted these regulations.

 

Philippe and the seized evidence have been taken to Chalong Police Station. His arrest highlights the Thai authorities' ongoing efforts to curb illegal financial operations, ensuring compliance with national laws designed to protect consumers.

 

In a separate incident that also caught headlines, a 32-year-old Myanmar national was arrested in Hat Yai, Songkhla. The man attacked his Belgian partner with a hammer, leaving the victim with severe head injuries. The altercation was reportedly spurred by jealousy and took place in their shared apartment, now the scene of a brutal assault and bloodshed.

 

Both cases underscore the diverse challenges facing law enforcement in Thailand, from financial crimes to violent domestic disputes, illustrating the broad spectrum of illegal activities that occur within expatriate communities in the country.

 

Picture courtesy: MGR online

 

-- 2024-05-27

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

 

Deport this Moron

[BMW Overlander]

7 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Every mans home is his castle.... don't be a snob

Don't get offended if you live like a pig.

[PETERTHEEATER]

10 hours ago, BMW Overlander said:

Looking at those premisses....hardly a luxury residence.

Lost his shirt at the races too.....