Pick Pockets...

[The Mask]

Just to warn everyone if this hasnt been posted before but there are a group of street kids who hang around Asoke BTS station (MRT side) who pester people to buy their rubbish, they grab on to you and wont let go. Last night around 1am I was pick pocketed by these kids, luckily it wasnt that much, around 1,200 baht. They are also surrounded by a group of lady boys who seem to be working with them.

I dont suppose there is any point reporting this to the tourist police?

[guru]

Not long ago was walking back late at night past there and there was a crowd of people at the (vacant at night) police box on soi 19 next to Westin hotel/Robinsons and naturally I approached to see what the excitement was about. It turns out that a guest had been pickpocketed by an LB and hotel security and some others had rounded up the LB and friend who had now been seated down on the step awaiting the cops who turned up and searched LBs pockets (didnt find anything)and then took the LB / friend and 2 tourists down the copshop in the back of a pick up. The empty wallet was found under the BTS near the site of the theft. A mate from home has also been had aswell as a Thai friend a bit further down the road. I also witnessed down near nana a very angry Thai bloke turn up on a motorbike and threaten an LB with a big stick. The LB made a big show of phoning the cops in a very over the top LB voice with lots of Ka's. The cops didn't turn up. Its a nightmare running the gauntlet around those parts and wished the authorities did more apart from their occasional roundup, carting some down the nick in the back of a pick up for a small fine. I suppose if they were too strict then a steady stream of fines wouldn't be incoming which is more important to them than tourists' safety.

[ukrules]

These kids have been doing this for a long time. A friend of mine caught one of them with his hand in his pocket a few months back.

[seymourvt]

I have seen this happening under Asoke BTS, also a bit further down towards Prom Phrong, near that noisy gym place(yeah you know the one!) as well as under Silom BTS.

Usual 'modus operandum' is for a young kid (like really young, maybe 7 or 8 years old) approach you with bunch of flowers, and shove them in your face, as a distraction while he goes for your pockets, they tried it 3 times in last 2 months but clocked them and they got Nothing except for a nice big shove away from me.Idiots!

On 2 occasions I saw an adult 'overseeing' the situation... and on the 3rd time, when I yelled at them, they hopped in a taxi, so I guess I at least made them waste 35 baht of their hard 'earned' cash!

[rafval]

yeah, most of the kids selling stuff are ok but those ones at asoke are pick pockets, they often wonder down towards nana later on when it gets quiet

[007]

I dont suppose there is any point reporting this to the tourist police?

Pick-pocketing ladyboys have been around at this corner for at least ten years (when I passed there for the first time). Seems with tourists being more aware and careful these days (?), they have turned to other tricks, employing little kids, who one will not push away that easily..

[jayceenik]

I dont suppose there is any point reporting this to the tourist police?

Pick-pocketing ladyboys have been around at this corner for at least ten years (when I passed there for the first time). Seems with tourists being more aware and careful these days (?), they have turned to other tricks, employing little kids, who one will not push away that easily..

Something special about that corner? A buddy of mine was robbed there by LB some 30 years ago. It was his first trip to BKK! Walking between Soi Cowboy and the old Thermae. And I remember, decades ago, a car stopped and two LB came to me with a street map to ask where Patpong was! I ran away!