Phuket Gangs Shoot It Out In Patong

[LivinginKata]

I have removed a number of posts which have nothing to do with the original topic of 'gangs shooting it out in Patong'.

[MRFortuner]

1) Scared - Go Home / Leave the country

2) Frustrated - Go Home / Leave the country

3) Angered - Go Home / Leave the country

4) Danger - Go Home / Leave the country

5) Paranoid - Go Home / Leave the country

haha.

Love Thailand.. then please stay. there must be something in / of Thailand that attracted people / tourist / expats / retirement to come. something whether its environment, the sex, the drugs, the patriotism .. whatever..

Let look at the good side of it shall we.. heck.. it won't be called "Amazing Thailand" for nuts..

[yeeowww]

again with the thailand bashing... have you ever been to venice beach california mr. enlightenment? apparently not...

Beautiful day to day in Phuket went for a nice walk at Cape Lam Promthep great wind not hot some people flying remote controlled gliders in the wind it was fun to watch. Sea had some nice surf today. Watched my granddaughters playing tonight at home and enjoyed the evening. Life is what you make it!

As long as it's not in the middle of a "shootout" on one of the Best promoted Tourist beaches in Thailand!!

Seems thailand has shot itself in the foot yet again to promote "The land of sun and smiles".

I hope this is a one off but I doubt it.......

[Robbie Dye]

I thought Phuket was under some sort extraordinary security lock down for

the ASEAN Meet.

I suppose a shoot-out on Patong beach sums up these measures after the

success of Pattaya.

Maybe time to open a new bar, the OK Corral!

[yeeowww]

wow... you sit here and criticize, yet none were offered from you either! now that's amazing!

I am stunned. 75 posts on this thread and not one mention of the C word. Where are you Scott?

People died, Thai people not farangs and no-one has mentioned C O N D O L E N C E S . Amazing.

[brahmburgers]

Is there a political correctness policeman on this thread? The world went through a long period of calling dark skinned people 'negros.' The we were told the correct term was 'black' as in "I'm black and I'm proud." So we adapted. Meanwhile, dark-skinned people were calling themselves 'niggers' - but you had to be a dark-skinned person to use that term, or else you were deemed extremely prejudiced. By the way, I've known more than a few dark-skinned people (you would have me call them African-Americans) who look disdainfully at those with darker complexions.

There are 1,000 skin tones, none of them black, but we all adapted to using the word 'blacks' as that is what we were told to use. Now we're being told the only correct terminology is 'African American' 6 syllables, where earlier there was one. How about dark-skinned people from the Caribbean, from South America, from Australia, from SE Asia, from India? Are we required to lump them all together to please the political correct police and call them 'African Americans' ?

Can you get my gist here? It's becoming a bit crazy, trying to adhere to the political correct mandates of the moment. BTW, I've gone back to calling native American red indians. There's something else you can lament out loud about.

I had a musician friend who would make up songs at whim. He and I would go to parties, I'd accompany him on guitar and he would make up songs, rife with words and phrases guaranteed to offend everyone within earshot. I learned long ago not to let words upset me. Indeed there's nothing anyone can call me that will offend me. Nothing at all. Much of that stems from me knowing who I am. So if someone calls me a Sequoia, I won't get offended, because I know I'm not that. If a Thai calls me a buffalo (more than a few have, in anger), I can grin and enjoy it - indeed it's a compliment of sorts, when you consider the qualities of a buffalo: strength, forebearance, virility, etc.

If people didn't get all screwed up by words, this world would be a lot less crazier. Arab extremists, in particular, might lighten up on blowing up innocents - but that's a tall order.

[hansnl]

Lousy shots. Eight guys and they only hit four of each other. Somebody needs accuracy training.

How about I take a shot at you and then lets see how accurate you are when your being shot at eh, macho ass!

Any shot fired with a handgun while under stress above 5-7 meters will probably go wide.

More chance to get hit by a stray, that is, bystanders.

And that definitely includes shots fired by policemen.

The issue is, again, negative vibrations about Thailand will be felt around the country or abroad.

And, yes, it is already picked up by the press abroad.

So sorry for Thailand.

But I am not sorry for the people that were hit, if they were also shooting.

If any bystanders were hit or killed, so very sorry.

[Choctaw]

Scary lovely country.

I was in Thailand six times in one year, one year ago. Incredible to think that it has changed that much. I guess it has not.

But next time, I better stay inside somewhere, or hide behind my wifes family.

Run through the airport, and keep away from the shops. Check my pockets before I leave a public place. Scout for shooters, kidnappers or possible exstortionists before I go to 7/11. Keep away from ALL eye contact.

Prey I will be ok.

Maybe I should change my skincolor and play deafdumb. I will be safe.

[arkom]

Interesting that because no farang is mentioned,its all a big laugh, someone died.

I don't see anyone laughing, it was a mafia dude, who came armed and with protection. we can't be blamed for Thai gangs wanting to shoot each other.

It wasn't a mafia dude who came around. It was the nephew of the owner of Jintana (Who was murdered last year, probably by the same people), and he's been helping run the plaza since last year. One of the other men shot has been working for the Plaza for years as a security guard. For a better story with more background, check out some of the other English language websites that focus on Phuket.

His family is the one who hired to hitmen that killed the 'owner' of the plaza. And she was not the owner, she was the manager, my aunt is the owner. I should know because it was my mom who got killed. And the guard that got shot was the one too initiate the shooting in the first place. The Phuket Gazette has the story all messed up.

[arkom]

Sad news. My wife knows the person killed and was pretty good friends with one of those shot from when she owned a salon in Jintana. She isn't sure who the others are (Due to my horrible pronunciation of the transliterated Thai names) She closed up her shop a few years back due to all the problems there. According to her the people who got shot today were the "good guys".

I just saw this story on my way in to work, so she didn't have time to find a Thai language news source or call her friends to find out what happened.

The good guys?!?!?! How much did they pay your wife? He deserved it, too bad the rest of his family wasn't there. BTW is your wife either Pen or Rose?

[Godders]

Beautiful day to day in Phuket went for a nice walk at Cape Lam Promthep great wind not hot some people flying remote controlled gliders in the wind it was fun to watch. Sea had some nice surf today. Watched my granddaughters playing tonight at home and enjoyed the evening. Life is what you make it!

Sadly not. Life tends to be what other people make it unless you live in a bulletproof bubble. Just ask my former Swedish neighbour who was dragged off her bicycle by two cowardly young Thai muggers on a motorbike. On another occcasion, her house (next door to mine) broken into as she slept. Luckily, the thieves contented themselves with stealing her purse from the living room and did not venture upstairs.

Or talk to an Aussie neighbour of mine whoseThai wife spotted an intruder at her back door. She screamed blue murder and the Thai man took to his heels.

Our own children woke us up early one morning because somebody had been trying get into their room via an outside door, which I subsequently had bricked up. A few months later, one of our frequent street parties turned into a man-hunt after we spotted an opportunist thief on the balcony of one of the empty houses.

The manager of our soi will confirm how lawless his native country has become. His small shop on the corner of our soi has has been broken into several times - including one occasion when his wife was in the shower. After this incident he bought a gun - and actually fired it at the last lot of intruders, unfortunately without scoring a hit.

A few months ago, my estranged wife was brutally attacked on a busy street as she returned to her car from the night bazaar in Hua Hin. Two young thugs kicked and beat her to the ground before making off with her handbag.

The most recent incident involves a German tourist, apparently shot twice in the stomach on Cha Am beach a week or two ago in an attempted robbery. (I say "apparently" because confirming such reports is difficult - since they are often not considered serious by the blood-spattered Thai media to merit even a mention).

So far as I know, none of these crimes has resulted in arrest or conviction. That will come as no surprise to veterans of the Land of Smiles. Forget to wear a crash helmet and the full force of the law can come crashing down on your unprotected head. Mug or maim a falang and the chances you will get off scot free.

Those of us who have lived here long enough to recognise the true nature of our adopted society follow some simple rules to protect ourselves and the loved ones who depend upon us. We don't flaunt our money or flash our gold, if we have any. We avoid "dodgy" venues like discos and bars where Thais and falangs mix. We carry a few hundred baht in our wallets to placate a drug-fuelled mugger or a cop on the take. We try to avoid getting involved in arguments with locals, however just the cause.

It is a living in a kind of bubble, I guess. But one that is fragile enough to be burst with ease. Often, it is simply a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time - and the number of wrong places and wrong times seems to be growing at a scary rate.

There are many things I still like and enjoy about Thailand. My family and most of friends are here. I don't want to leave. But unless the country pulls out of its deadly spiral of violence, corruption and increasing disregard for human rights, increasing numbers of disenchanted retirees and tourists will give the Land of Smiles the cold shoulder - with disastrous consequences for the already ailing economy.

[Luxius]

Another blow for the tourism industry ,

Right now a lot of Scandinavians start their vacation to Thailand , and most of them goto Phuket.

Maybe not for long.

For your information - all of you: there's almost daily shootouts in Copenhagen, gang related drug wars. Why do you hype this one incident? Do you have nothing better to talk about than how terrible Thailand is treating you all?

The story doesn't say anything about injured tourists, right? I saw one comment about lack of accuracy, but to me it seems these gangsters were actually fighting each other - not shooting at random.

[PhuketRam]

Another blow for the tourism industry ,

Right now a lot of Scandinavians start their vacation to Thailand , and most of them goto Phuket.

Maybe not for long.

Australians already are very wary of Phuket, British wary because of the airport extortion case, then Danish just the other day.

It seems Thailand seems to make some kind of negative news on monthly basis where the main story is about either extortion of foreigners or how unsafe the country is.

Keep it up Thailand!

The last time I looked, Phuket still sells SEX with beautiful beaches.

This was an obvious land dispute involving large sums of cash, not involving any foreign persons, whats there to be scared of? Nothing... you'll still get a sun tan, a cheap hand bag n dvd's and the male population will still .....................!!!

[LivinLOS]

Soon to be the hottest selling item in Patong

No self respecting tourist will be seen without one.

This is nothing comparing with the city of Oakland, California or the State of Chicago in America. People here get kill everyday and no one makes any big deal about it. Come on do not make it worst. Thai people already went to so much pain and agony. Give them break and I am sure the polices will do their jobs. Tourists in Patong are having their great time and it is a business life line for the Thai. I am sure the authority knows what to do next.This is my take and opinion. ....P>S>

By the way, you can buy a bullet proof and feel free to walk around. Meanwhile, a phone call to police chief will do the good deed. Let's make your difference in our community.

ha ha ha... Superb.. You should do stand up..

[mrukman]

We are not interested what happens in other place's like copenhagen , oakland , venice beach etc we are talking about Patong beach phuket. This is supposed to be the pearl of the Andaman buts its turning out to be the wild west with gangland shootings in broad daylight in full view of tourists with children. What you forget is people that do come to patong or not all sex tourists, there are family's. Is it the mai pen rai attitude that allows gunmen to turn up and start shooting, in a supposedly resort. One poster i presume thai said 1 phone call to the local police will help, they know the perpetraitors but they did nothing, a few days ago in phuket city 3 thugs went on the rampage in a condo trying to break down doors looking for a falang to kill because 1 of the thugs was armed with a knife these 3 were seen chatting to a local cop outside and they were laughing about it, the police say it wasn't important to send officers to the scene. full report on phuketwan. Must be nice for expats living there knowing that you are expendable. Give me 10 good reasons to visit your pearl and i will give you 20 reasons why i will never return to your crime ridden pearl of the Andaman face facts your mai pen rai has put you in the DDS.

Edited July 22, 2009 by mrukman

[LivinginKata]

Last 2 posts moving in US gun control discussion. Removed. Lets stick to the Thai issue under discussion. Thank you.

[teddy_bare]

.......and currently getting huge coverage in their home countries......

is it possible to get a LINK to this coverage? or is it just wishfull thinking......I personally hope newspapers all over the world cover stories like this, but they are not intrested I guess. If there is sex involved maybe, but only a shootout or some corrupt policeguys at an airport? They need action, its bad but unforunately no tourist died in the shooting, so NO NEWS at all. Maybe next time

Globalisatin is great, but I hardly think a street shooting is front page or TV news coverage worthy.

The center of your world is not the center of mine or most other people.

In addition, global news coverage of mass shooting, spectacular suicide attacks, collatoral damage of civvies in Afg has possibly desensitized people's shock response. Ho hum, NIMBY so not that interesting. Sure these things interest those who live in Thailand.

Although not directed at you, I read here how many who live in his country wish continued bad luck on Thailand and the Thais, and are constantly deriding it at every possibly moment. i guess some sort of psychological process.

For those that say Thailand isn't dangerous, are probably not ordinary thais living out ordinary lives. Most thais i know constantly warn me of the general situation in Thailand as they understand it, even thou I am a security specialist and live a fairly sedate and non eventful life on the out-skirts of Bangkok. They think Thailand is dangerous. From speaking to most brits, they think the UK is dangerous, my perception is not that dangerous probably cos I haven't lived there for 6 years. Just MHO as I see it

[LeungKen]

Is this establishment still open ?

[warlord]

Lousy shots. Eight guys and they only hit four of each other. Somebody needs accuracy training.

just another nail in yhe tourist coffin

[marsteele]

Another blow for the tourism industry ,

Right now a lot of Scandinavians start their vacation to Thailand , and most of them goto Phuket.

Maybe not for long.

Australians already are very wary of Phuket, British wary because of the airport extortion case, then Danish just the other day.

It seems Thailand seems to make some kind of negative news on monthly basis where the main story is about either extortion of foreigners or how unsafe the country is.

Keep it up Thailand!

The last time I looked, Phuket still sells SEX with beautiful beaches.

This was an obvious land dispute involving large sums of cash, not involving any foreign persons, whats there to be scared of? Nothing... you'll still get a sun tan, a cheap hand bag n dvd's and the male population will still .....................!!!

Yes true as long as you don't get shot or mugged on your way to the beach or the brothel. Australian Government warning is now to avoid Thailand at all cost. I seem to remember a female tourist being shot in BKK about 6 weeks ago after being caught in cross fire by smiling peaceful thais. The land of smiling assasins.

[moskito]

This is nothing comparing with the city of Oakland, California or the State of Chicago in America.

I am sure it is the same in GODS COUNTRY !! But dont always forget, my fellow USAmericans, most of the worlds people from "normal" countrys doesnt

agree with the worlds police country USAmerica. They are everywhere in the world playing the good police, (as long as there is a catch in it) only in their own country they can not take care to make it safe.

USAmerica is not standard for the rest of the world. Not for western Europe, not for England nor for Australia. Some of us came here because it WAS safe. Kapitalism and avarice made Thailand like it is now.....

You are full of ****** and get your Facts right. You are neither from Europe or America or your English would of been better. This is about Thailand of which most of us hopefully come for a "Happy Holiday" and for Some to stay. This is about coming to Thailand to have "happy memories" and good stories to tell. NOT bloodshed and rape on Tourist Beaches in Phuket and Poisonings in Phi Phi plus scams at the Main Airport and so on and so on. Seems this will again affect the Tourist Trade come October time and the Thai Government seems powerless to do anything with the gangs as it is powerless to stop Corruption through the police force. There will be more before it gets better [Hopefully!!]

If someone tells me I am full of **** it has also be removed I think. But OK, I agree with nearly all what you wrote after you insulted me. My language (normally german) has nothing to do with the topic of this thread. My point was only that it is not normal to have shootout in Tourist Centers like Patong. When someone writes here ...never happend in beautiful Koh Samui....come down from your montains and get real. Jintana Plaza is not the first time in the News for shootings and killings.

Cant really understand what makes the writer of above so agressive, maybe he should change location and stop eating the favourate food of SakonNakhonies

[stevenl]

Yes true as long as you don't get shot or mugged on your way to the beach or the brothel. Australian Government warning is now to avoid Thailand at all cost. I seem to remember a female tourist being shot in BKK about 6 weeks ago after being caught in cross fire by smiling peaceful thais. The land of smiling assasins.

Link to website please.

[harrycallahan]

You can see this situation as a microcosm of the third/developing world. Every environment has it's pros and cons. When you take from one area you have to give at another to maintain an equilibrium elsewhere. Violent gangs fighting in the street = less tourists, yes, maybe... only if nothing else changes. Less tourists = less money to go around, means traders will have to lower their margin to make a sale. Girls will have to charge less (you know what I mean). Cheaper prices + street violence will attract as many tourists as the Normal prices + no street violence equation. If you maintain civil order then you have your tourists and normal prices - have your cake and eat it too. Even with street violence if you could score a beer for 50 cents and a girl for $10 then you're still going to have a lot of tourists!

Or say I want to set up a factory, I could set it up in Thailand and get cheap labor, but also political instability, corruption, unsafe roads, high crime...

Set it up in Australia, good protections, skilled labor, but screaming high costs (all that good stuff comes at a price).

Lesson to Thailand: pick up your f'ing game and those walking ATMs (tourists) will be more willing to dump their cash in your country.

[geriatrickid]

There seems to be a disconnect for some people in this discussion;

1. I think all of us commenting on the violence recognize that there is deadly violence elsewhere. However, for some visitors/residents, our cities of origin are still nowhere near as violent as what we are now seeing. Sure there is gang violence in Richmond, BC or Manchester, UK or Oakland, CA, but dammit, we don't go there to live or holiday. It has no bearing on the discussion. Phuket has been marketed as safe and welcoming etc. That's the issue. The shootout and other violent attacks are taking place in public areas. Bullets don't avoid bystanders because the bystanders are visitors, In a gunfight, more non participants than participants usually get injured.

2. When Miami Beach was the model for the violent Grand Theft Auto game back in the 1980's, tourists evaporated, the tourist trade collapsed. It changed subsequent to a crackdown on crime, the arrest of scores of crooked cops and a general cleanup of the place. The point being, that if something isn't done, it will get worse and we will indeed become the Miami beach circa 1990 of Thailand. However, the situation can be addressed if the local officials respond.

3. I'm sorry, but the murder and violent crime rates in many western countries is still far lower than here. As well those crimes are localized. How many shootouts do you see in the Calgary, Darwin, or countries like Sweden & Denmark? The Scandanavians for the most part do not have crimes involving wild shootouts or women chased down and thrown from motorbikes or have police shakedowns. The type of well heeled visitor Thailand wants to attract do not come into contact with these types of crimes at home, so why would they want to go to Thailand and experience it? Do you think people people in UAE or Oman engage in this type of mayhem?

Need a specific example? Jamaica was crime central for Canadian tourists. They got fed up of being targets and picked Cuba, the Domincan Republic and Mexico instead. The result being that Jamaica suffered. Now that Mexico is the most dangerous of nations for Canadians, they they have begun to avoid the country in droves, the result being a jolt to the tourist trade. The Mexican response to the murders and violent muggings of Canadians is exactly the same as the Thai response. When people clue in that a place is dangerous, they will go elsewhere, no matter how cheap the sex and booze is.

I don't think we have gone over the edge, but we are standing on that edge and the ground is starting to give way. It's time for the local authorities to do something, anything, but to do something and to pull the proverbial finger out of their noses. The next time a German citizen is injured and the German ambassador comes down to see the Phuket governor, that governor won't be able to hide. The same thing goes for the Scandanavian nations, Australia and the UK. The current situation of constantly responding to problems is time consuming and expensive and they have all had enough. The big difference here is that the local population is fed up of this stupidity as well. They are also being victimized. Push them more and they will take the law into their own hands and it won't be pretty. Need an example? Think of the Kamala protests over the police response to the shooting of the boy in the internet shop a few months back.

[newtronbom]

Phuket/Patong is becoming more like a time warp every day - back to the "Old West" in good old Texas USA! It only needs an "OK Corral" on one end of the beach to let them just "Shoot it out". Bullet proof glass - great tourist attraction! Save many innocent too. These guys either took advantage of the lack in security along the beach, or just didn't give a toss. There is just no end to the hole the Thais are digging for themselves. These people just didn't care who got in the way, or who could have been hurt. They did not give a toss for the lives of any tourists or locals, who may have caught a stray round. This dispute is an old dispute that the police should have been watching out for. They definatly knew about it. The least they could have done was to warn the guys to keep their dispute AWAY from any crowded area, whether it be tourist or otherwise!! This last wee episode is not even laughable. Frightning in fact!

[LivinginKata]

I have just cleaned out a few more posts that have moved too far away from the original topic, or non Thailand related, or just trolls.

[munmick]

Soon to be the hottest selling item in Patong

No self respecting tourist will be seen without one.

issued as you depart the plane, a mask for the flu, and vest for the bullets.... and heck have some condoms too

don't forget to have enough money to pay for any missing bar mats and please make sure you pop in our ever popular duty free shop at BKK on departure;)

VERY GOOD ABOUT THE DUTY FREE.....I havent had such a laugh for a long time. Good reply...

[warmwater7]

Interesting that because no farang is mentioned,its all a big laugh, someone died.

But this has to be the farongs fault... If farong not come to thailand then the property would not be so vaaluable, and the good buddist thais would not become so infested with greed. therefor thai way of thinking is that it is farong fault...

FAIR ENOUGH. WOULD THE BUDDHA THINK SAME?

DO HIS TEACHINGS INCLUDE BLAME ?

TRY THIS:

1) AVOID WHAT IS BAD

2) DO WHAT IS GOOD

3) PURIFY THE MIND

I WILL NOT ARGUE THE TOURISTS ON THE SURFACE DONT PRACTICE THIS ON BANGLA ROAD.

LIKE HEROINE, WHO IS ( IF YOU WILL ) TO BLAME ?, THE USER, OR THE SUPPLIER?

I WISH YOU WELL.

[mrukman]

Well said Geriatrickkid the fact remains that it is a holiday resort and it is not acceptable to say its thais shooting thais if something isnt done a tourist will be caught up soon its a fact. I live in the uk but i have been comeing to patong for six years i helped clean up after the tsunami so i know what im talking about. The governer, the police are not in charge the mafia is. Like 1 poster said give it a few weeks and it will blow over, this seems to be the attitude of the locals there mai pen rai attitude. What has happened about the locals protesting about crime the other month have they noticed a change, from the latest attacks it would appear not. Its ok saying crime is worldwide and yes we have a gun culture here England. In places like Blackpool we dont have shootouts in front of tourists or in Skegness. When is action going to be taken to try and pull patong back, and drive out the greed, the scammers, the mafia, the double pricing. Why does the new governor not act on these problems or is his attitude mai pen rai also.

Its about time you contacted the mayor directly and force him to accept the truth that the paradise that was Patong has gone and what is he going to do about it. The time to act is now while the major security officials are gathered there for the summit.

Edited July 22, 2009 by mrukman

[cyborg22]

I have just cleaned out a few more posts that have moved too far away from the original topic, or non Thailand related, or just trolls.

And maybe just all of those.

Edited July 22, 2009 by cyborg22