"i Was Fleeced In Thailand" Stories Piling Up

[t.s]

i cant actually read the op because there is a ad banner obscuring almost 2 paragraphs.

interestingly phuket, and 1 particular bar seem to be a recent motif.

Edited May 23, 2009 by t.s

[t.s]

Moonrakers is applying what is called facetiousness- annoying sarcasm that signals opposition to, and attempts to mask the writers inability to contradict the gist of the topic, which is tourists are getting fleeced, drugged robbed (and murdered, too it seems ) right and left in Thailand .

Because he binge drinks once a week or so, to the point of black out ( a clear alcoholic ) he then assumes anyone with a bar tale of woe does so also , ignoring the victim's statement that after the first drink, memory was lost.

Maybe.

Or maybe I just have a sense of humour........

or both. (though i refuse to use a smiley that was meant good naturedly)

i suspect guesthouse may also be in his cups right now. guesthouse, what is the past tense of loose? is it loost? it cant be a typo, you use it 3 times. is it a usage common in tacitus perhaps?

prisons the world over are allegedly full of innocent men.

Edited May 23, 2009 by t.s

[t.s]

I find it very hard to believe that a farang bar owner could be dishonest or corrupt. These guys are the cream of the expat crop.

It seems that you don't leave your room, some farang bar owners are positively evil, some resort to violence in order to extort money, while some jack up the bill a few hundred % and some try to scam by saying that you stole something or broke something.

Cream? More like crap!

oh to live a life free of the yoke of irony.

[donkeydung]

Moonrakers is applying what is called facetiousness- annoying sarcasm that signals opposition to, and attempts to mask the writers inability to contradict the gist of the topic, which is tourists are getting fleeced, drugged robbed (and murdered, too it seems ) right and left in Thailand .

Because he binge drinks once a week or so, to the point of black out ( a clear alcoholic ) he then assumes anyone with a bar tale of woe does so also , ignoring the victim's statement that after the first drink, memory was lost.

Maybe.

Or maybe I just have a sense of humour........

Funny (or not), I like to drink to excess once a week but abstain the remaining six days. Am I an alcoholic too?

yes u r an alkie!

[bertlamar]

I seem to suffer from getting fleeced every 6 months, and after I am fleeced it is a lot more pleasant as I am not as hot.

I perhaps should point out that i am a sheep, so being fleeced in a tropical country is a good thing.

Also, being a sheep, I am constantly harrassed by drunk Australian men 'for a good time'

It is a hard life.

Being a sheep.

The highlight of my week is watching my favourite football coach - he's from Newcastle. :-)

Edited May 24, 2009 by bertlamar

[david96]

One might find that the incident cost 3000THB not 3000AUD (about 75000THB).

No mention of this incident being reported to the Australian Embassy.

The 3000THB was his "fine". This story appears to have no basis in fact. Let us have the truth about what really happened.

[CFIT]

Regardless of whether people posting on this thread are, or are not, alcoholics, these incidents grab international headlines and discourage people from taking holidays in Thailand.

The end result is that Thailand's tourist industry suffers and at the end of the day that means people loosing jobs, incomes lost and hardship for people working in the tourist industry.

A few wealthy Thais loose money, maids, drivers, tour guides, food sellers, waiting staff - people who need the work loose out.

You've got to have a sick sense of humor to find that funny.

There are quite a number of posters taking great delight in what is happening to Thailand's image in the world's media. It's something I am having trouble understanding because presumably these people live/visit Thailand/ have a Thai wife/girlfriend but seem to harbour some deep seated resentment/hatred towards the country.

This was posted on one of the other threads discussing these incidents......

The Gazette is saying this was mis reported and there were no undercover police. Of course they are covering for their advertisers who are in a panic that the truth about Thailand is making HEADLINE news around the world !!

Oh it's so DELICIOUS !!

(the caps aren't mine)

What would motivate a person to post this sort of comment?

Because Thai people enjoy an undeserved ( IMO ) reputation for being " nice" . I haven't found that to be true under the various smile facades- in fact, well I risk a posting holiday if I reveal my true feelings as I'm afraid it's extremely negative.

This forum has a reputation for not allowing , indeed it is against the rules to express such sentiments, so people who are thinking of visiting and come here to live after a few vacations, and are viewing this forum are really not getting a fair representation of thoughts.

For example; a certain member is allowed to personally attack and be as nasty as it wants , because it is nauseatingly pro Thai all the way, but express the reverse in the same rabid manner and one is censured immediately.

So, that despite the efforts to conceal the true nature of Thailand, it is coming out in international press.

It's a sense of vindication, perhaps not the most attractive of emotions, but still.. DELICIOUS !

[TaoNow]

CFIT - we are drifting a bit off the OP topic, but I think your comments deserve a response. I don't think the TV Forum screens out negative opinion about Thailand. Sometimes it seems quite the opposite. But I think that members such as yourself should give an example or two of your personal experience to back up your opinion that Thais are not nice. Then readers can judge whether your judgment is reasonable or not.

I have traveled in over 30 countries, and have lived in the US, Mexico, France, Thailand, Laos, and China. As a people, I find Thais to be the most civil toward strangers (and farang like me). Sure they can be provoked if you show disrespect for them. But, invariably, if you treat them politely they will respond in kind, and will go out of their way to be helpful, even when you don't ask. That has been my experience over 30 years in Thailand. But I am interested in what experiences you've had that makes you feel so negative about the place.

If you give concrete examples I am sure the Forum moderators will allow your post.

[rott]

I find it very hard to believe that a farang bar owner could be dishonest or corrupt. These guys are the cream of the expat crop.

It seems that you don't leave your room, some farang bar owners are positively evil, some resort to violence in order to extort money, while some jack up the bill a few hundred % and some try to scam by saying that you stole something or broke something.

Cream? More like crap!

Yes, irony meter definitely running low. Come on now F-arse-ER, give us some personal experiences.

[sanook2me]

...is pertinent to General Topics.

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/3...90522-bhp8.html

<h2 class="cN-headingPage prepend-5 span-11 last">$3000 the price of Thai justice</h2> Photo: courtesy Channel 10

Chalpat Sonti

May 22, 2009 - 12:49PM Natalie Appleby and her fiance know all too well the problems Annice Smoel faced - the Perth couple went through a similar ordeal last month.

While Mrs Smoel, a mother of four, is safely back in Melbourne after spending four nights in a Thai jail on charges of stealing a $50 bar mat, Ms Appleby still shivers at how her fiance suffered a similar - and much more expensive - fate.

Like Mrs Smoel, Ms Appleby's fiance - who only wanted to be identified by his first name, Michael - went for a drink in the popular Aussie Bar in Phuket.

He had surprised Ms Appleby, who travelled to Thailand last month to act as bridesmaid at a friend's wedding, by travelling to Phuket.

On his first night in Phuket, and the night before the wedding, Michael went with a group of people to the Aussie Bar.

"He doesn't remember finishing his second drink. The next morning he had no recollection of the night but found he had woken up in a Phuket jail," Ms Appleby told WAtoday.com.au.

Michael managed to find an English-speaking detective in the jail and made a phone call to his worried fiance.

Her father went to see Michael, and things began to get worse.

"First of all they tried to charge him with stealing, but a Thai lady there said the shop he was accused of stealing from was actually closed," Ms Appleby said.

"They then said they had made a mistake and charged him with damaging the roof of a house. There weren't any houses there, but they said it would cost $5000 for the charges to go away. They said if we talked to the Australian Consulate, (Michael) would be taken to the Bangkok Hilton (the notorious Thai jail, Bangkwang prison)."

After negotiating with a detective - "he wanted the money in an envelope" - the family paid $3000 to have the charges dropped. Ms Smoel pleaded guilty to her charges - in order to leave Thailand - was fined $38 and placed on a good behaviour bond.

"(The detective) told us everything would be sweet and to enjoy the rest of our holiday," Ms Appleby said.

"We could've done like (Mrs Smoel) and fought the charges but he would've been there for quite a few more days. Michael was obviously petrified. There were big, big grey patches in what they were charging him with."

Michael left Thailand for Perth almost immediately. Ms Appleby suspected his drink had been spiked, and said the incidents were a warning for Australians visiting the tourist mecca.

"People need to know to watch out. You need to be with friends and they need to be watching out for each other," she said.

"You have to be careful of having a big night. It's a shame. I don't want to say don't go there, because it can be good, but maybe the bad publicity will make them clean up their act. People there say this sort of thing is happening all the time and Thai prostitutes will drop drugs into Westerners drinks."

This is a wind up right?

Engaged bloke goes to Phuket and disappears for the night then has to make up a story for the fiance!

[rott]

Apart from being constantly amazed by how many people think "loose" is "lose", I am also constantly amazed at how many people reproduce lengthy posts in order to add 2 or 3 line posts.

[sanook2me]

Apart from being constantly amazed by how many people think "loose" is "lose", I am also constantly amazed at how many people reproduce lengthy posts in order to add 2 or 3 line posts.

and your exact contribution to the OP is?

[mc2]

...is pertinent to General Topics.

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/3...90522-bhp8.html

<h2 class="cN-headingPage prepend-5 span-11 last">$3000 the price of Thai justice</h2> Photo: courtesy Channel 10

Chalpat Sonti

May 22, 2009 - 12:49PM Natalie Appleby and her fiance know all too well the problems Annice Smoel faced - the Perth couple went through a similar ordeal last month.

While Mrs Smoel, a mother of four, is safely back in Melbourne after spending four nights in a Thai jail on charges of stealing a $50 bar mat, Ms Appleby still shivers at how her fiance suffered a similar - and much more expensive - fate.

Like Mrs Smoel, Ms Appleby's fiance - who only wanted to be identified by his first name, Michael - went for a drink in the popular Aussie Bar in Phuket.

He had surprised Ms Appleby, who travelled to Thailand last month to act as bridesmaid at a friend's wedding, by travelling to Phuket.

On his first night in Phuket, and the night before the wedding, Michael went with a group of people to the Aussie Bar.

"He doesn't remember finishing his second drink. The next morning he had no recollection of the night but found he had woken up in a Phuket jail," Ms Appleby told WAtoday.com.au.

Michael managed to find an English-speaking detective in the jail and made a phone call to his worried fiance.

Her father went to see Michael, and things began to get worse.

"First of all they tried to charge him with stealing, but a Thai lady there said the shop he was accused of stealing from was actually closed," Ms Appleby said.

"They then said they had made a mistake and charged him with damaging the roof of a house. There weren't any houses there, but they said it would cost $5000 for the charges to go away. They said if we talked to the Australian Consulate, (Michael) would be taken to the Bangkok Hilton (the notorious Thai jail, Bangkwang prison)."

After negotiating with a detective - "he wanted the money in an envelope" - the family paid $3000 to have the charges dropped. Ms Smoel pleaded guilty to her charges - in order to leave Thailand - was fined $38 and placed on a good behaviour bond.

"(The detective) told us everything would be sweet and to enjoy the rest of our holiday," Ms Appleby said.

"We could've done like (Mrs Smoel) and fought the charges but he would've been there for quite a few more days. Michael was obviously petrified. There were big, big grey patches in what they were charging him with."

Michael left Thailand for Perth almost immediately. Ms Appleby suspected his drink had been spiked, and said the incidents were a warning for Australians visiting the tourist mecca.

"People need to know to watch out. You need to be with friends and they need to be watching out for each other," she said.

"You have to be careful of having a big night. It's a shame. I don't want to say don't go there, because it can be good, but maybe the bad publicity will make them clean up their act. People there say this sort of thing is happening all the time and Thai prostitutes will drop drugs into Westerners drinks."

This is a wind up right?

Engaged bloke goes to Phuket and disappears for the night then has to make up a story for the fiance!

yes, agree, the more likely version of events, bucks night gone wild and make up some bs for fiance

[rott]

Apart from being constantly amazed by how many people think "loose" is "lose", I am also constantly amazed at how many people reproduce lengthy posts in order to add 2 or 3 line posts.

and your exact contribution to the OP is?

In case you hadn't noticed, exactly fc_uk all. I am also constantly amazed at how many people just don't notice things.

[loong]

...

..... The next morning he had no recollection of the night but found he had woken up in a Phuket jail,.............Michael managed to find an English-speaking detective in the jail and made a phone call to his worried fiance.

Her father went to see Michael, and things began to get worse.....................

This is a wind up right?

Engaged bloke goes to Phuket and disappears for the night then has to make up a story for the fiance!

yes, agree, the more likely version of events, bucks night gone wild and make up some bs for fiance

Yes, and how lucky was he to be able to get the police to lie for him and say that he'd spent the night locked up.

[loong]

This is an old, but interesting story. 2 policemen involved and warrants issued for their arrest. Maybe because they weren't going to share the loot from their scam.

There doesn't seem to be any follow ups to many of these stories, so we never know if the culprits get caught in the end....

From

http://www.pattayatoday.net/index.php?acti...ews&id=1609

An odd tale of blackmail

Cop Bunyung and his friend Polasan demanded 700,000 baht Recent rumours that gay men have been targeted in the resort for extortion have surfaced again with one of the oddest corruption tales in Pattaya?s annals. Finnish citizen Mr Harri Karinen, aged 52, was kidnapped after picking up a male sex worker in the Boyztown district. The farang invited the young man, who was above the age of consent, back to his Jomtien apartment and hired a motor bike taxi to take them both there.

Suddenly, in the area of Pattaya Park, a pickup and an unmarked car containing six men, including two in police uniform with the rank of sergeant, stopped the pair and explained to the Finn that he was breaking the law. One of the policemen stated that he had been observing the guy for about a month and knew that he was behaving badly and illegally. Mr Karinen was told he must pay 700,000 baht on the spot or be taken to a Prathum Thani police station, which is in the vicinity of Bangkok airport, for formal charging and fingerprinting. The Finnish national, who was sorely frightened by this experience and unaware of his rights under law, said he did not have this kind of money immediately available, but would try to get it.

Sergeant Preecha is wanted He added that he had a woman friend at a Jomtien hotel, close to the Hanuman Statue, who might be able to assist. The group of strangers then took Mr Karinen and his Thai escort to a room in the Nirun Grand Condo where they were confined and guarded by one of the accomplices, later identified as Mr Polasan Sangprasert aged 45. Luckily, this guard was none too diligent in his guarding duties, actually falling asleep, and the young Thai man managed to escape and raised the alarm at Pattaya police station. Superintendent police colonel Somnuk Changate took personal charge of the inquiries and reported the odd happenings to the region two police commander, lieutenant general Jongrak Jutanont. Mr Karinen was immediately released from his make-shift detention. The so-called guard for the gang, Mr Polasan, was arrested on the spot.Inquiries then revealed that the two men in police uniform were stationed at Prathum Thani and were identified as sergeants Bunyung Rankong and Preecha Tamsang who have not since reported for duty. They are being sought for kidnapping and attempted blackmail. Three other men, one believed to be Burmese, are also being investigated as part of the official police inquiry. What makes this particular case unique is that the man being blackmailed wasn?t breaking the law in any case. It?s probable that the nefarious group had reason to believe he had access to a large amount of cash and targeted him for this reason. The official police advice is to insist on seeing the identification of all people who stop you and to insist that any interrogation occurs at a local police station.

[donkeydung]

Regardless of whether people posting on this thread are, or are not, alcoholics, these incidents grab international headlines and discourage people from taking holidays in Thailand.

The end result is that Thailand's tourist industry suffers and at the end of the day that means people loosing jobs, incomes lost and hardship for people working in the tourist industry.

A few wealthy Thais loose money, maids, drivers, tour guides, food sellers, waiting staff - people who need the work loose out.

You've got to have a sick sense of humor to find that funny.

come on now!

what keeps peeps away is old ladies closing airports!

or bombings in downtown bkk.

not stuff tht happens in bars. stuff happens all over the world, even in usa!

[G54]

I seem to suffer from getting fleeced every 6 months, and after I am fleeced it is a lot more pleasant as I am not as hot.

I perhaps should point out that i am a sheep, so being fleeced in a tropical country is a good thing.

Also, being a sheep, I am constantly harrassed by drunk Australian men 'for a good time'

It is a hard life.

Being a sheep.

The highlight of my week is watching my favourite football coach - he's from Newcastle. :-)

Pssssst

Careful, Moonrakers will see that bit

Not that there are many sheep in Newcastle, but a sheep shagging story could result from comments about sheep and Newcastle

[warfie]

Moonrakers is applying what is called facetiousness- annoying sarcasm that signals opposition to, and attempts to mask the writers inability to contradict the gist of the topic, which is tourists are getting fleeced, drugged robbed (and murdered, too it seems ) right and left in Thailand .

Because he binge drinks once a week or so, to the point of black out ( a clear alcoholic ) he then assumes anyone with a bar tale of woe does so also , ignoring the victim's statement that after the first drink, memory was lost.

Maybe.

Or maybe I just have a sense of humour........

I'll take door #2 "sense of humour"

[CFIT]

CFIT - we are drifting a bit off the OP topic, but I think your comments deserve a response. I don't think the TV Forum screens out negative opinion about Thailand. Sometimes it seems quite the opposite. But I think that members such as yourself should give an example or two of your personal experience to back up your opinion that Thais are not nice. Then readers can judge whether your judgment is reasonable or not.

I have traveled in over 30 countries, and have lived in the US, Mexico, France, Thailand, Laos, and China. As a people, I find Thais to be the most civil toward strangers (and farang like me). Sure they can be provoked if you show disrespect for them. But, invariably, if you treat them politely they will respond in kind, and will go out of their way to be helpful, even when you don't ask. That has been my experience over 30 years in Thailand. But I am interested in what experiences you've had that makes you feel so negative about the place.

If you give concrete examples I am sure the Forum moderators will allow your post.

Of course TV censors negativity

Well I just had the word "neglect " scrubbed from a post about a riding stable in Pattaya ( that bills itself as the " Top equestrian centre in Asia LOL ..) where I saw horses that were unhappily neglected and 2 poor creatures that were being worked suffering in outright pain .

And I don't argue Thai people aren't polite and smiling, it's when they are lying to cheat, ( and all the while polite and smiling )I have problems with.

Of course this is my problem and it isn't fair to inflict my western standards of honesty on a culture that values two- faces as justified, even admirable in achieving a means.

Lying and cheating is perfectly acceptable, not just Thailand but in any Asian culture but we aren't supposed to say that , are we?

It is you who are inferring negativity of Thai cultural realities gleaned from YOUR own standards.

[scorecard]

Moonrakers is applying what is called facetiousness- annoying sarcasm that signals opposition to, and attempts to mask the writers inability to contradict the gist of the topic, which is tourists are getting fleeced, drugged robbed (and murdered, too it seems ) right and left in Thailand .

Because he binge drinks once a week or so, to the point of black out ( a clear alcoholic ) he then assumes anyone with a bar tale of woe does so also , ignoring the victim's statement that after the first drink, memory was lost.

Maybe.

Or maybe I just have a sense of humour........

Funny (or not), I like to drink to excess once a week but abstain the remaining six days. Am I an alcoholic too?

The original subject was about Aussie Idiots. Seems to me there's visiting idiots in Thailand from many countries.

People who think it's 'clever', glamorous', 'macho' etc., to deliberately get so drunk that they black out are idiots and need to grow up, get a life, and enjoy some of the millions of pleasures in life which don't need excessive drinking.

[G54]

Moonrakers is applying what is called facetiousness- annoying sarcasm that signals opposition to, and attempts to mask the writers inability to contradict the gist of the topic, which is tourists are getting fleeced, drugged robbed (and murdered, too it seems ) right and left in Thailand .

Because he binge drinks once a week or so, to the point of black out ( a clear alcoholic ) he then assumes anyone with a bar tale of woe does so also , ignoring the victim's statement that after the first drink, memory was lost.

Maybe.

Or maybe I just have a sense of humour........

Funny (or not), I like to drink to excess once a week but abstain the remaining six days. Am I an alcoholic too?

The original subject was about Aussie Idiots. Seems to me there's visiting idiots in Thailand from many countries.

People who think it's 'clever', glamorous', 'macho' etc., to deliberately get so drunk that they black out are idiots and need to grow up, get a life, and enjoy some of the millions of pleasures in life which don't need excessive drinking.

What are you, some sort of prehistoric Methodist? And can you not see the humour in the post?

As for getting blind drunk, it happens sometimes. Does not make people idiots or mean they need to get a life. If a few Aussies like a Tinny or 2, no problem and if a few Brits like a jar or three, same applies.

[Moonrakers]

One night in the House of Commons, Churchill, after imbibing a few drinks, stumbled into Bessie Braddock, a corpulent Labourite member from Liverpool. An angry Bessie straightened her clothes and addressed the British statesman.

"Winston," she roared. "You are drunk, and what's more, you are disgustingly drunk."

Churchill, surveying Bessie, replied, "And might I say, Mrs. Braddock, you are ugly, and what's more, disgustingly ugly.

But tomorrow," Churchill added, "I shall be sober."

If you replace the names and the word ugly, then the above quote becomes relevant to some of the posts on here.

If it's good enough for Sir. Winston, then it's good enough for T.V.

[mrtoad]

The original subject was about Aussie Idiots. Seems to me there's visiting idiots in Thailand from many countries.

People who think it's 'clever', glamorous', 'macho' etc., to deliberately get so drunk that they black out are idiots and need to grow up, get a life, and enjoy some of the millions of pleasures in life which don't need excessive drinking.

Some people never really get humour. You need a beer to lighten up, then you might experience the other millions of pleasures in life.

[Lancelot]

Regardless of whether people posting on this thread are, or are not, alcoholics, these incidents grab international headlines and discourage people from taking holidays in Thailand.

The end result is that Thailand's tourist industry suffers and at the end of the day that means people loosing jobs, incomes lost and hardship for people working in the tourist industry.

A few wealthy Thais loose money, maids, drivers, tour guides, food sellers, waiting staff - people who need the work loose out.

Thats exactly right. Some foreigners do get drunk and act out, but sometimes foreigners are not drunk and its is a simple misunderstanding that goes very wrong, very quickly.

Yes, tourisim is around 6% of the Thai GDP, but who wants to take a pay cut in these difficult times? And the money earned in tourisim often goes to the very poor who need it the most.