Belgian 80, Attacked and Robbed by Teenage Gang on Christmas Day in Pattaya

[Neeranam]

4 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

There's no need to discriminate on the man's age please !! 

I am not discriminating.

[richard_smith237]

11 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

He should be in a nursing home 

 

Why ??..    was he unwell or unable to look after himself and needed nursing ?

 

 

People are getting 'caretaker' mixed up with nurse.

He pays someone to look after things / him...   this can mean many things - washing, cooking, ironing, cleaning etc running errands...   

 

He's certainly fit enough to be out and about walking....  

 

 

[georgegeorgia]

4 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Why ??..    was he unwell or unable to look after himself and needed nursing ?

 

 

 

 

Well he is now sadly 

[richard_smith237]

18 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

Well he is now sadly 

 

Really ?...   now he needs a 24/7 nurse ?... So he'll have to get a caretaker and a nurse now ?

 

 

 

[Captain Flack]

A flame post with a personal attack has been removed.

[Aussie999]

23 hours ago, billd766 said:

And how many of those angry Thai men being violent are they, compared to the male population of Thailand?

 

is it 1%, 10%, more, less. If you can come up with some actual figures and links, I may believe you, but until then you don't seem to have any sensible answer.

 

As for actually being on this planet, I have been working and living in Thailand since 1993. How about you?

Mate, all I need to do is refer you to Thai news channels... or even Thai English newspapers... or even Asean Now.
The percentage does not change the fact. Do you even live in Thailand.

[Tomtomtom69]

On 12/26/2024 at 8:39 AM, spidermike007 said:

Fortunately attacks on foreigners like this are still fairly rare, though this does sound like a pretty horrible incident. Six young guys attacking an 80 year old man is about as deplorable as it gets.

 

We don't know whether or not the police will take any action, but one thing we do know is that Pattaya continues to go downhill, continues to become a lesser version of itself, and continues to become more violent and crime riddled as time goes on. 

 

I'm hopeful that I never have to return to that rather forlorn spot. 

 

Agreed. Pattaya is one of the most dangerous and deplorable parts of the country.

[fredwiggy]

On 12/26/2024 at 10:22 AM, MalcolmB said:

Who said they were Thai?

 

Probably Burmese or Cambodians.

 

There is two sides to every story.

No there's three. The truth, the lies and MalcomB's interpretation, which is usually off the scales in another direction.

[fredwiggy]

31 minutes ago, Aussie999 said:

Mate, all I need to do is refer you to Thai news channels... or even Thai English newspapers... or even Asean Now.
The percentage does not change the fact. Do you even live in Thailand.

I think some never bother watching the daily news, which alone shows how much of this kind of behavior goes on daily. There is also researching the stats, which shows more of how much violent behavior happens yearly. Some probably never wander far from the safety of their village homes, relying only on locals to tell them what happens worldwide, which amounts to almost nothing because they don't know either.

[fredwiggy]

10 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

He should be in a nursing home 

You seem to look at older expats in the same eye, that all are on their last legs, are in wheelchairs, unable to protect themselves or weak. Humbling will come your way soon, and then you'll realize what it's like to grow old, especially if you haven't been taking care of yourself, and even if you have. There are plenty of people in their 80's and 90's that are fully responsible for themselves, who drive, exercise and even work. A nursing home is for those who aren't capable of this.

[anthonyT]

On 12/26/2024 at 9:53 AM, jimgilly said:

There is something seriously wrong with many of these locals and all you need to do is watch the news for a week or two.  They can be overly aggressive and it doesn't take much to set them off. 

 

Young and old often don't respect others including family, fear the law or the repercussions of their actions.  Add the fact the roads are death traps and it changes the Land of Smiles to something less pleasant very quickly.

 

IMHO, this is not somewhere you want to be if the economy takes a downturn as crime and violence could make this a very unsafe place to visit or call home,   Time to seriously think of other options and do it sooner rather than later.

whilst it could feel that way, i have lived here thru the covid period from beginning to end and saw a lot of poverty and dependence on food hand outs, but i can not say it was more dangerous, or that it felt more dangerous. Probably this was due to the fact that Pattaya became very empty with most with family upcountry went there, rather then staying in Pattaya with now work (and arguably few people to rob )

[fredwiggy]

20 hours ago, Jonathan Swift said:

Poor guy. Going home to bed at midnight. Is Pattaya turning into America? Sounds like a bunch of cowardly predators had their eye on the old guy as a frail and easy target. 

Why must some people always mention America when violence happens here? Thailand has an extreme amount of daily violence and a higher intentional homicide rate than the US, and the US is nowhere near the only country with violence. Monthly mass shootings happen here also, as well as many more who use knives, machetes and sometimes swords. Most gun violence in the US is gang related or suicides, yet some think it's people running around shooting people they don't know. Cowards are in the daily news here, with video proof, daily, where it's usually 1 against 4, 5 or more armed with weapons, and kicking victims when they're down.

[Tomtomtom69]

12 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Possible...  However, he was also in front of his moo-baan, so I'd assume he was on his way home and there's no need for cash at that time of night - is there even an ATM nearby in that area (within walking distance ?).

 

So, no, while remains an assumption, I don't think he will have been spotted using an ATM..  I think this is purely an opportunistic and random mugging...  but, more than a mugging, it was a horrific attack that could have very easily killed him. 

 

The issue with this is the potential for the 'contagion effect' where other youths see this and get a similar idea, to attack a foreigner, its a quick route to 7000 baht. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm normally a big advocate of cash usage but in this case, might be time to consider using cashless payments more, to avoid carrying so much cash.

 

For me personally, if I'm carrying 7000 Baht or more in cash (in whatever currency) it means I intend to spend it that day or within the next 24-48 hours. I love cash, but I can't make it last. I only take out as much as I need and this is spent very quickly. 80% of the time, I'm carrying very little cash, like less than 100 Baht, meaning I wouldn't have anything to give to a robber.

[Tomtomtom69]

12 hours ago, liddelljohn said:

Thailand has always been dangerous , i was attacked in Soi Khaotalo by robbers in 2002  , unfortunately for them  I  has been shopping and had a hammer , several thais also came to my aid , by the time the BIB arrived the 2 scumbags needed urgent hospital treatment  after which they got 6 years each in Monkey house .

 

Another time in 2009   I was at a petrol station the esso near pattaya Tai on Sukumvit after picking my then 9 year old daughter up from Thaewanko when  4 teenage <deleted>bags  on scooters stormed in knocked me off my scooter , grabbed my wallet and phone  and  were hitting the 2 girl attendants to steal the cash ,,  but my little daughter was already a blackbelt and using he motorcycle helmet as a club  bashed and knocked out 2 of the  robbers , i got up and put another in a choke hold , the 4th ran off  and then the cops arrived .. All 4 ended up getting 10 years  , we were present in court  and the cops made it known in the jail that a 9 year old girl had knocked 2 of the <deleted> out so big loss of face for them ha ha

 

I have also been attempted robbery at knifepoint in my house in Soi Khaotalo back in 2016   did not end well for the robber  ,, . But attacking an elderly 80 year old  is a new low.. I hope the cops  catch and punish them  hard . other wise  they will grow .

 

If I were you, I would have never gone anywhere near Soi Khaotalo since the first incident you experienced back in 2002.

[Tomtomtom69]

On 12/26/2024 at 10:22 AM, MalcolmB said:

Who said they were Thai?

 

Probably Burmese or Cambodians.

 

There is two sides to every story.

 

There is no evidence to suggest they were Burmese or Cambodian.

 

While I am aware of the fact that people from those two countries commit crimes in Thailand, at this point, it's highly probable they were Thai kids as the news seems to indicate.

 

Moreover, statistically, Thais are still most likely to be the perpetrators of crimes committed in Thailand, not foreigners.

[Tomtomtom69]

On 12/26/2024 at 10:05 AM, billd766 said:

So six Thai teenagers out of some 34 million Thai men were involved and it made the Thai press.

 

If it were an elderly Thai it would still have made the Thai press but we may not even hear about it.

 

What about if it were an alien from Mars. Would that make the news.

 

The problem with whataboutery is that it is merely speculation and not facts.

 

What are you talking about? Plenty of stories of Thai on Thai violence in the English language press these days. 

[Tomtomtom69]

23 hours ago, G_Money said:

I have heard the same.

 

Working girls get targeted too late night either walking or on their motorbike being surrounded by motorbike thugs on the darker quiter soi’s.  
 

They know many are cashed up heading home.

 

 

 

That doesn't make any sense unless you didn't spend anything.

 

I don't go to bars, but if I did, I'd expect to spend most of my cash there, leaving only with enough to pay for parking or a cab back home or my hotel.

 

People have money going into bars, they shouldn't have much left leaving the bars, otherwise something is seriously wrong.

[Tomtomtom69]

12 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Possible...  However, he was also in front of his moo-baan, so I'd assume he was on his way home and there's no need for cash at that time of night - is there even an ATM nearby in that area (within walking distance ?).

 

So, no, while remains an assumption, I don't think he will have been spotted using an ATM..  I think this is purely an opportunistic and random mugging...  but, more than a mugging, it was a horrific attack that could have very easily killed him. 

 

The issue with this is the potential for the 'contagion effect' where other youths see this and get a similar idea, to attack a foreigner, its a quick route to 7000 baht. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clearly, he's living in the wrong area. I'd be seriously concerned if I was attacked near my house. Fortunately, my area is perfectly safe, even late at night, though outside the Moo Baan might be a little different.

 

The press did say he was a tourist though, which begs the question, who's place is he staying at if he's not an expat? While some tourists stay at people's homes, most stay in hotels or rented apartments, not Moo Baans.

[Tomtomtom69]

16 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

Not at all. It was a robbery, it wasn’t for no reason. 

 

So you're defending the perps that did this? 

[G_Money]

15 minutes ago, Tomtomtom69 said:

 

That doesn't make any sense unless you didn't spend anything.

 

I don't go to bars, but if I did, I'd expect to spend most of my cash there, leaving only with enough to pay for parking or a cab back home or my hotel.

 

People have money going into bars, they shouldn't have much left leaving the bars, otherwise something is seriously wrong.

Read my post again.  You appear confused about who is the potential victim.

 

Here’s a hint.  It’s the girl.

[richard_smith237]

41 minutes ago, Tomtomtom69 said:

Clearly, he's living in the wrong area. I'd be seriously concerned if I was attacked near my house. Fortunately, my area is perfectly safe, even late at night, though outside the Moo Baan might be a little different.

 

Is it clear [that he's living in the wrong area] ? - could that mean any area in Pattaya that isn't well lit and has a lot of people is a dangerous area ?... 

 

You 'think' your area is perfectly safe - if these thugs were riding in 'your' area are you so sure any other foreigner would not become a victim ?

 

41 minutes ago, Tomtomtom69 said:

The press did say he was a tourist though, which begs the question, who's place is he staying at if he's not an expat? While some tourists stay at people's homes, most stay in hotels or rented apartments, not Moo Baans.

 

Press here are not exactly known for their accuracy - I wouldn't be hanging on to their word that he was a tourist.

[Tomtomtom69]

33 minutes ago, G_Money said:

Read my post again.  You appear confused about who is the potential victim.

 

Here’s a hint.  It’s the girl.

 

Yes if it's a working girl, she would have more money after exiting the bar. Patrons would have much less.

[Tomtomtom69]

3 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Is it clear [that he's living in the wrong area] ? - could that mean any area in Pattaya that isn't well lit and has a lot of people is a dangerous area ?... 

 

You 'think' your area is perfectly safe - if these thugs were riding in 'your' area are you so sure any other foreigner would not become a victim ?

 

 

Press here are not exactly known for their accuracy - I wouldn't be hanging on to their word that he was a tourist.

 

I'm not sure, but probably. Pattaya in general is quite dodgy and his Moo Baan looks to me like a place where the working classes live, hence why it's less safe.

 

Foreigners should only stay in middle or upper class Moo Baans.

 

Yes - because I know my area well. I don't live anywhere near Pattaya. My area is a middle class Moo Baan with some relatively well off people residing there so of course it's safer than where this incident occurred.

 

I've noted that outside of the Moo Baan is a different story, there are some slum like areas where Cambodian migrant workers live. Looks a bit dodgy. Safe enough to drive past even at night but I wouldn't walk through there after dark and especially not after 9pm.

[richard_smith237]

48 minutes ago, Tomtomtom69 said:

That doesn't make any sense unless you didn't spend anything.

 

I don't go to bars, but if I did, I'd expect to spend most of my cash there, leaving only with enough to pay for parking or a cab back home or my hotel.

 

People have money going into bars, they shouldn't have much left leaving the bars, otherwise something is seriously wrong.

 

Are you sure about that ?...  Whenever I go out, I usually end up going home with the exactly same amount of cash in my wallet....    Payments are digital.

 

That said, your comment does open a point that if we are using digital payments, smart thieves will have set up a 'mule bank account' and muggings take the form of being forced to make a transfer.

Luckily, most thieves aren't smart. 

 

If you are spending only the amount you have in your wallet, what if you decide to go home earlier, you'll be taking cash home, and if you want to stay later ? another trip to the ATM - only withdraw what you think you will spend ?... seems excessive for Thailand. 

 

I had friends in Brazil who did as you describe - no watch, no jewellery... Just cash and an ID card. 

When their money ran out, they went home...  Invariably got held up (by thieves) on the way back and showed they had no cash - seems like a fairly normal occurrence, luckily Thailand is not like that. 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

6 minutes ago, Tomtomtom69 said:

 

I'm not sure, but probably. Pattaya in general is quite dodgy and his Moo Baan looks to me like a place where the working classes live, hence why it's less safe.

 

Foreigners should only stay in middle or upper class Moo Baans.

 

Yes - because I know my area well. I don't live anywhere near Pattaya. My area is a middle class Moo Baan with some relatively well off people residing there so of course it's safer than where this incident occurred.

 

I've noted that outside of the Moo Baan is a different story, there are some slum like areas where Cambodian migrant workers live. Looks a bit dodgy. Safe enough to drive past even at night but I wouldn't walk through there after dark and especially not after 9pm.

 

 

Agreed... the area we live in certainly makes a difference... 

.. not just on perceived risk of muggings, but also with things like stray dogs etc... 

 

As you pointed out, inside any moo-baan is perfectly safe, safety and security of the surrounding area of course varies depending on whats and who is there... 

 

Fortunately in Bangkok there is very little reason to be walking anywhere late at night because taxi's are so readily available. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tomtomtom69]

14 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Are you sure about that ?...  Whenever I go out, I usually end up going home with the exactly same amount of cash in my wallet....    Payments are digital.

 

That said, your comment does open a point that if we are using digital payments, smart thieves will have set up a 'mule bank account' and muggings take the form of being forced to make a transfer.

Luckily, most thieves aren't smart. 

 

If you are spending only the amount you have in your wallet, what if you decide to go home earlier, you'll be taking cash home, and if you want to stay later ? another trip to the ATM - only withdraw what you think you will spend ?... seems excessive for Thailand. 

 

I had friends in Brazil who did as you describe - no watch, no jewellery... Just cash and an ID card. 

When their money ran out, they went home...  Invariably got held up (by thieves) on the way back and showed they had no cash - seems like a fairly normal occurrence, luckily Thailand is not like that. 

 

 

 

I plan well. I know exactly what I will spend. Often times, I spend cash, use QR codes (though this method of payment is rare for me) and cards all on the same day. Generally, I'll go through all my cash first before using digital payments, but not always. It depends on the circumstances, because I know sometimes you need cash for parking or little expenses here and there.

 

As I said, I don't frequent bars, but whatever I do spend my money on, I'll be sure I have enough left over to get home.

 

I don't need to go to the ATM multiple times. While I am a big proponent of cash usage, I will use a card or a digital payment rather than try to find an ATM in the unlikely event I were to run out of money.

 

I almost always drive myself, thus I don't drink, because I know I need to drive back.

 

If I'm staying in some resort where I don't need to drive back to my room because I'm already staying there or nearby, then I might have a drink or two. I never get drunk though, as you can make yourself real vulnerable if you do, plus I hate hangovers.

 

Again, it's all about planning well.

 

I use the same strategies in neighboring countries or pretty much anywhere in the world as I do in Thailand.