Man nabbed for extorting tuk-tuk drivers

BANGKOK: -- Officers from Lak Song police station in Bangkok yesterday arrested a man for allegedly extorting money from tuk-tuk drivers at Bang Khae market.

Police said they arrested 26-year-old Pheeraphat sae-Ia after officers on a stakeout at the market saw him collecting Bt20 from each tuk-tuk parked outside the market.

Pheeraphat confessed to the crime and identified a man named Phoolsak sae-Lim as the ringleader, police said.

Phoolsak, a pork vendor who has a stall in Bang Khae market, was subsequently arrested by police in Chiang Mai, but had not given a statement at time of going to press.

Pheeraphat told Lak Song police he collected around Bt900 from tuk-tuk drivers each day and gave the money to Phoolsak, who paid him Bt200 as his daily collection fee.

The tuk-tuk drivers who made the complaint that led to Pheeraphat’s arrest later presented the arresting officers with jasmine garlands as a token of their gratitude.

--The Nation 2005-04-15

Man nabbed for extorting tuk-tuk drivers

BANGKOK: -- Officers from Lak Song police station in Bangkok yesterday arrested a man for allegedly extorting money from tuk-tuk drivers at Bang Khae market.

Police said they arrested 26-year-old Pheeraphat sae-Ia after officers on a stakeout at the market saw him collecting Bt20 from each tuk-tuk parked outside the market.

Pheeraphat confessed to the crime and identified a man named Phoolsak sae-Lim as the ringleader, police said.

Phoolsak, a pork vendor who has a stall in Bang Khae market, was subsequently arrested by police in Chiang Mai, but had not given a statement at time of going to press.

Pheeraphat told Lak Song police he collected around Bt900 from tuk-tuk drivers each day and gave the money to Phoolsak, who paid him Bt200 as his daily collection fee.

The tuk-tuk drivers who made the complaint that led to Pheeraphat’s arrest later presented the arresting officers with jasmine garlands as a token of their gratitude.

--The Nation 2005-04-15

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Will the boys in brown now take over this cash flowing enterprise?

It's a bit unclear how they were extorting money? Why would the drivers have to pay?

But anyway, though it does no good to be bitter, I can't help but feel a little elated. They rip me off with an added 'farang tax' of at least 20 baht every time I try and use one of them.

( can one be a little elated? Probably a contradiction in terms)

It does make an interesting change. A bit like Man bites Dog