Police Ignore Knife-Wielding Man's Fee Demand on Phuket Beach

[webfact]

 

An alarming incident unfolded recently at a Phuket beach, involving a man allegedly threatening two fishermen with a machete while demanding a beach fee. Despite having evidence, the local police dismissed the complaint, deeming it a mere story.

 

On July 3, local fisherman Wut, shared his experience, explaining that he and his friends initially went fishing at Kamala Beach. On their way back, they decided to fish at Pa Praw Beach.

 

They encountered no issues until their return when they saw a man collecting money from two Thai men and inquiring about their activities. The man then demanded a fee of 50 baht per person from Wut and his friends for beach access.

 

When Wut questioned the man, citing he had never heard of such a fee before, the man claimed someone from a nearby bar instructed him to collect it. As Wut attempted to take a photo, the man pulled out a machete and threatened them. Terrified, Wut and his friends fled the scene.

 

Later, Wut reported the incident to Patong Police Station, seeking legal action. However, the police informed him that since he was not directly harmed, they could not file a complaint, dismissing the events as just a story. 

 

Wut expressed his concern that such actions could escalate, posing a danger to other beachgoers, as the man was extorting money unlawfully. Eventually, the police documented the man’s possession of a weapon in public but took no further action.

 

Another fisherman, Affan, corroborated Wut’s account. Arriving at Kalim Beach around 4pm, he too faced the knife-wielding man demanding a 50 baht entrance fee. Affan refused to pay and noticed the man was armed. He opted to negotiate but decided against following the man elsewhere.

 

Affan also reported the incident to Patong Police Station but received a similar dismissive response despite possessing video evidence.

 

The reluctance of local authorities to take swift action has raised concerns about the safety of beachgoers and whether more serious incidents might occur in the future.

 

Picture courtesy: Wochenblitz

 

-- 2024-07-04

 

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[Geoffggi]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The reluctance of local authorities to take swift action has raised concerns about the safety of beachgoers and whether more serious incidents might occur in the future.

Alternatively, the poor quality of the police force

[FruitPudding]

Who are these scumbags that think they own public beaches?

[bob smith]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

An alarming incident unfolded recently at a Phuket beach, involving a man allegedly threatening two fishermen with a machete while demanding a beach fee. Despite having evidence, the local police dismissed the complaint, deeming it a mere story.

...Imagine if this had been a foreigner!

 

bob.

Edited Thursday at 04:16 AM by bob smith

[Aussie999]

1 hour ago, FruitPudding said:

Who are these scumbags that think they own public beaches?

Who are these scumbags, "pretending" to be police.

[Gandtee]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

 

An alarming incident unfolded recently at a Phuket beach, involving a man allegedly threatening two fishermen with a machete while demanding a beach fee. Despite having evidence, the local police dismissed the complaint, deeming it a mere story.

 

On July 3, local fisherman Wut, shared his experience, explaining that he and his friends initially went fishing at Kamala Beach. On their way back, they decided to fish at Pa Praw Beach.

 

They encountered no issues until their return when they saw a man collecting money from two Thai men and inquiring about their activities. The man then demanded a fee of 50 baht per person from Wut and his friends for beach access.

 

When Wut questioned the man, citing he had never heard of such a fee before, the man claimed someone from a nearby bar instructed him to collect it. As Wut attempted to take a photo, the man pulled out a machete and threatened them. Terrified, Wut and his friends fled the scene.

 

Later, Wut reported the incident to Patong Police Station, seeking legal action. However, the police informed him that since he was not directly harmed, they could not file a complaint, dismissing the events as just a story. 

 

Wut expressed his concern that such actions could escalate, posing a danger to other beachgoers, as the man was extorting money unlawfully. Eventually, the police documented the man’s possession of a weapon in public but took no further action.

 

Another fisherman, Affan, corroborated Wut’s account. Arriving at Kalim Beach around 4pm, he too faced the knife-wielding man demanding a 50 baht entrance fee. Affan refused to pay and noticed the man was armed. He opted to negotiate but decided against following the man elsewhere.

 

Affan also reported the incident to Patong Police Station but received a similar dismissive response despite possessing video evidence.

 

The reluctance of local authorities to take swift action has raised concerns about the safety of beachgoers and whether more serious incidents might occur in the future.

 

Picture courtesy: Wochenblitz

 

-- 2024-07-04

 

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Maybe the bar mentioned is owned by a cop?

[steven100]

complain to higher authority in BKK

 

 

Edited Thursday at 06:42 AM by steven100

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Later, Wut reported the incident to Patong Police Station, seeking legal action. However, the police informed him that since he was not directly harmed, they could not file a complaint, dismissing the events as just a story. 

Amazing story.. plod doing nothing again.

[richard_smith237]

3 hours ago, bob smith said:

...Imagine if this had been a foreigner!

 

bob.

 

You're trying to shoe horn the 'Thai's hate foreigners' rhetoric out of stories that do not involve foreigners and have nothing to do with foreigners... 

 

All you are doing is diluting any genuine and real issues you may bring up in future - but to be honest, any issue you bring up in future is already so diluted by your bias anything real is now masked and considered exaggerated - you've over played your bias, bob and any genuine point you could have is buried in the cynicism as soon as we see your name on a post.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited Thursday at 06:57 AM by richard_smith237

[Sticky Rice Balls]

3 hours ago, FruitPudding said:

Who are these scumbags that think they own public beaches?

the same one that appears on sunday in CM and seem to own all the parking lots and charge a fee..or the toilet attendants...

[Sticky Rice Balls]

1 minute ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

You're trying to shoe horn the 'Thai's hate foreigners' rhetoric out of stories that do not involve foreigners and have nothing to do with foreigners... 

 

All you are doing is diluting any genuine and real issues you may bring up in future - but to be honest, any issue you bring up in future is already so diluted by your bias anything real is now masked and considered exaggerated - you've over played your bias, bob and any genuine point you could have is buried in the cynicism as soon as we see your name on a post.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and here you are feeding the troll......he went on my ignore list long ago...best decision ever...only issue is my list keeps growing i may be talking to myself here soon.....im ok with that..... 🙂

[Sticky Rice Balls]

33 minutes ago, steven100 said:

complain to higher authority in BKK

 

 

somchai?

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

and here you are feeding the troll......he went on my ignore list long ago...best decision ever...only issue is my list keeps growing i may be talking to myself here soon.....im ok with that..... 🙂

 

I have 4 people on my ignore list - those are the worse of the trolls, people who are outright poisonous and toxic, looking for a personal argument every time....   

 

He's not that bad - sometimes funny... but yes, very trollish and bias - but easily ignored if I want, just like a lot of others. 

 

Then there are outright idiots who I read who I don't put on my ignore list - these people are so idiotic in a perverse way its actually interesting to read how far beyond help they are...   (one was posting a lot in a thread about DUI - biggest idiot on this forum IMO).

[Bangkok Barry]

5 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Amazing story.. plod doing nothing again.

 

It isn't amazing. It's normal.

[still kicking]

7 hours ago, bob smith said:

...Imagine if this had been a foreigner!

 

bob.

And Swiss!!!!

[Bangkok Barry]

As @steven100 said, it should be escalated to Police HQ in Bangkok. Or put the story on Thai social media - that often works. The article says the experience was shared, but not how and social media isn't mentioned.

[nobodysfriend]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

The man then demanded a fee of 50 baht per person from Wut and his friends for beach access.

 

Just buy him a bottle of Lao Kao and let him go ...

[Peabody]

On 7/4/2024 at 8:52 AM, webfact said:

The reluctance of local authorities to take swift action

Quelle supreez #3 this week.

[greeneking]

1 hour ago, Peabody said:

Quelle supreez #3 this week.

It would be a lot easier to trace and punish him if his face had not been deleted.

What is the point?