Three Times In One Day

[libya 115]

Three times in one day, I was pestered by motorcycle scammers. They see me walking alone on: 1. Soi Buakhaew 2. 3rd Road 3. 2nd Road, they suddenly come to a halt beside me and ask "Do I speak English?".

On the first occassion; two grinning Indian idiots. On the second; a solo British guy, well groomed. On the third ocassion a British guy and a Thai female.

On the first two occassions I just grinned and shook my head and walked off. On the third occassion I said nothing and just stared, then the British guy stared back and threatened me verbally, still not knowing if I could speak English or not.

I was sober and remember his face clearly. He is approximately 30 years of age, and wore a collared shirt and had no visible tattoos and sported a medium-length haircut. His Thai female friend was a similar age, plumpish and looked sinister and business-like. When they drove off, I noticed that the female passenger had a small claw-hammer in her back pocket. I would not have noticed but the handle was acid-green.

I would suggest that in future all such Pattaya motorcycle scammers be approached with caution, their registration plate details logged and if possible mobile phone photos be taken and posted on TV.

[sweetchariot]

So what was the scam?

Could have just been coincidence.

[Chang_paarp]

Non capish

Habla Espanol?

I live next to one of the local immigration officers, do you have a work permit? (While taking photos)

All appropriate replies.

[thaiman]

and threatened me verbally

what was the threat?

[britmaveric]

Simple Fk off should suffice!!!

[libya 115]

So what was the scam?

Could have just been coincidence.

Please see:

Rex vs. Smith (1915)

English Law

I realise that this post might go above most people's heads.

Reference: George Joseph Smith: English Serial Killer.

Reason for edit: Clarity and perculiar interest.

Edited August 11, 2008 by libya 115

[NanLaew]

Stop talking in riddles man! Out with it!

[libya 115]

Non capish

Habla Espanol?

I live next to one of the local immigration officers, do you have a work permit? (While taking photos)

All appropriate replies.

Do I need a work permit to photograph two humans on a motorcycle who I suspect of criminal intent upon an innocent citizen?

Glib responses are always noted by Libya 115, particularly senior posters in the 2K club.

[libya 115]

and threatened me verbally

what was the threat?

TV rules and regulations would not allow me to repeat verbatim what was said. The threat was malicious and nefarious

[britmaveric]

So out with it - what was the scam?

[pumpuiman]

I don't understand the threat...if they wanted to rob you they would just rob you, wouldn't they?

I don't doubt the OP....just don't understand what he is implying would have happened if he had answered their question.

Might they have been asking directions?

Please elaborate.

[homeless007]

TV is really becoming a forum for the weird...!!!??? Can't find similar on any Forum in the world. Good fun & entertainment so and showing the world what kind of expats live in Thailand....

Can't wait for the reactions to this post....

[NanLaew]

I noticed that the female passenger had a small claw-hammer in her back pocket. I would not have noticed but the handle was acid-green.

If the 'acid-green' handle was sticking out of the back pocket, how could you see that the other end being inside the pocket was actually a 'claw-hammer'? You have x-ray vision too?

Howzat for a glib response from the +1k club?

[Jingthing]

I think they are time share gatherers, or some similar real estate shenanigans. Anybody who walks about has encountered them. They are VERY obnoxious. They will make speedy U-turns to come to you. After the first few times of talking to them, I just give them a blank look and knowing smile and walk away. I can imagine they could get nasty but hasn't happened to me as yet.

[Lancelot]

Why do these guys always begin with "Do you speak english..."

Talk about a red flag

[mgjackson69]

MOOOOOMMMMMMIIIIIEEEEEEEEEE! The bad man looked at me! And the lady had a HAMMER in her pocket!

[britmaveric]

Normally timeshare touts say that, "Do you speak english?" - first thing out of their annoying gobs.

[threelegcowboy]

Sounds like the same bunch from Tip plaza area. When you shine them on they do make threating remarks. Not sure but I think they do want a confrontation.

[chickenslegs]

Non capish

Habla Espanol?

I live next to one of the local immigration officers, do you have a work permit? (While taking photos)

All appropriate replies.

Do I need a work permit to photograph two humans on a motorcycle who I suspect of criminal intent upon an innocent citizen?

Glib responses are always noted by Libya 115, particularly senior posters in the 2K club.

With respect: I think you have misunderstood Chang Paarp's post.

The way I read it is - he is offering 3 suggested responses you could have given to the "scammers", the last one being to tell them you live next door to an immigration officer and asking if they have a work permit.

I don't think he was suggesting you need a work permit to take photos.

Why so sensitive?

I was approached in a similar way more than 18 months ago by a Brit man and Thai girl at the top end of soi dianna.

Do you speak English - Do you live here - How long have you been in Pattaya - Do you rent or own a house.

I went along with it for a few minutes while I was waiting for my wife to buy some street food. They became disinterested in me when they saw I was with my wife and when I told them I already owned a house.

No threats and no suggestion of timeshare, but I'd be very surprised if there wasn't some sort of scam going on.

Edited August 11, 2008 by chickenslegs

[enfield951]

Non capish

Habla Espanol?

I live next to one of the local immigration officers, do you have a work permit? (While taking photos)

All appropriate replies.

Do I need a work permit to photograph two humans on a motorcycle who I suspect of criminal intent upon an innocent citizen?

Glib responses are always noted by Libya 115, particularly senior posters in the 2K club.

With respect: I think you have misunderstood Chang Paarp's post.

The way I read it is - he is offering 3 suggested responses you could have given to the "scammers", the last one being to tell them you live next door to an immigration officer and asking if they have a work permit.

I don't think he was suggesting you need a work permit to take photos.

Why so sensitive?

What the heck is this all about then ?

Scammers without a scam ,or are they TEFL people who want to teach others English ?

The mind boggles !

[libya 115]

I noticed that the female passenger had a small claw-hammer in her back pocket. I would not have noticed but the handle was acid-green.

If the 'acid-green' handle was sticking out of the back pocket, how could you see that the other end being inside the pocket was actually a 'claw-hammer'? You have x-ray vision too?

Howzat for a glib response from the +1k club?

The hammer was the other way up.

FYI: I do not have X-Ray vision.

1K glib response noted.

Thanks.

[chickenslegs]

We really should insist that scammers open the conversation by introducing themselves properly.

I suggest something like

"Hello, this is a scam, but bear with me while I ask a few questions to put you at ease and find out how bright you are and what sort of money you have available, so that I can decide whether to sell you a gold/timeshare/diamonds/drugs that may not exist and ask you for a deposit of 1000/10,000/100,000 baht for the chance to gain a massive profit"

Until this happens, we will all have to rely on our common sense to tell us that something smells fishy when a motorcycle pulls up and the rider starts up a conversation with us for no apparent reason.

[libya 115]

Non capish

Habla Espanol?

I live next to one of the local immigration officers, do you have a work permit? (While taking photos)

All appropriate replies.

Do I need a work permit to photograph two humans on a motorcycle who I suspect of criminal intent upon an innocent citizen?

Glib responses are always noted by Libya 115, particularly senior posters in the 2K club.

I think you have misunderstood Chang Paarp's post.

I don't think he was suggesting you need a work permit to take photos.

Why so sensitive?

I'd be very surprised if there wasn't some sort of scam going on.

I am suspicious of all posts on TV. Many posters gain vicarious pleasure from the Pattaya residents misfortune. A kind of vitriolic shadenfreude that has enveloped many worthwhile posts. Ridicule can be tolerated but unkind and nasty responses are becoming all too familiar, and this suggests that TV is the target of sociopathic and possibly psychopathic trolls.

Thank you.

Thank you.

[relayer]

"Three Times In One Day"?

I thought you were talking about your new Thai girlfriend...

[Phil Conners]

[joskydive]

Non capish

Habla Espanol?

I live next to one of the local immigration officers, do you have a work permit? (While taking photos)

All appropriate replies.

Do I need a work permit to photograph two humans on a motorcycle who I suspect of criminal intent upon an innocent citizen?

Glib responses are always noted by Libya 115, particularly senior posters in the 2K club.

I think you have misunderstood Chang Paarp's post.

I don't think he was suggesting you need a work permit to take photos.

Why so sensitive?

I'd be very surprised if there wasn't some sort of scam going on.

I am suspicious of all posts on TV. Many posters gain vicarious pleasure from the Pattaya residents misfortune. A kind of vitriolic shadenfreude that has enveloped many worthwhile posts. Ridicule can be tolerated but unkind and nasty responses are becoming all too familiar, and this suggests that TV is the target of sociopathic and possibly psychopathic trolls.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Well, there's nothing suspicious about this reply.

I want to Thank You Libya for letting us know what is going on around town. I am a resident here and have been for several years but rarely go in and around town apart from Friendship, Tukcom and sometimes Carrefore. It's nice to know that someone has the kindness and curtesy to let us know what the latest game/scam/con. is so that we can be more aware and able to consider our safety when we are actually, even if rarely, on the street.

Once again. THANK YOU.

[pumpuiman]

With respect to you, Libya 115.....were you referring to time share touts in your OP?

Or something more sinister?

[mgjackson69]

These people may have certainly been touts, or maybe even the dreaded time-share touts, but being a tout does not make it a *scam*.

It very well could be a scam.

Edited August 11, 2008 by mgjackson69

[Spaniel]

Since no one has yet answered what the scam is I'll relate my experience. A couple of months ago I was walking along Jomtien Beach in the afternoon and a youngish Indian guy pulled up on a motorcycle beside me and asked if I spoke English. I saw some kind of sales pitch/scam coming but since I didn't have anything better to do I thought I would see what he had to say. He showed me a number of cards, kind of the type you get when you buy a lottery ticket in the US, that you scratch off and it shows what you won. He said they were having the drawing very shortly and said he would give me 3 of the cards and that I could win some very nice prizes, like a digital camera etc. That's when I told him I had something better to do and he went on his way. He wasn't threating at all. I would assume when you got to whereever the drawing was being conducted, if you weren't robbed, then their was probably some kind of sales pitch for timeshares, condo etc.

[balo]

I love scammers

But they always end up running away from me.

It must be my bad breath....