For Crying Out Loud.

[SEAtramp]

This one is to close for home (Soi 7 been drinking here since the first bar opened)Enoughs enough for me. Its simply not worth the risk. I stated in a post a while back how dissapointed i was with my last visit to Pattaya re- the violence, and how I thought it would get worse. Fluck Pattaya.

Two motorcycle taxi drivers were gravely injured when a gangster shot them with a .38 calibre weapon at the beer bars on Soi 7, at 1:20 a.m. on April 26.

Police rushed to the scene, which is only 100 metres away from the police station, where they found two men lying in pools of blood. Suthorn Saosiri, 26, had been shot under the region of his left ribs. A-thorn Khulee, 27, had been shot in the left wrist, the bullet having passed through his left shoulder and out of his back. The injured men were taken to Pattaya Memorial Hospital.

At the scene police found one .38 calibre cartridge and kept it as evidence. A bar employee who witnesses the attack told police she recognised the gangster as Pitak Silakhan, 47, who had been residing at Village No 13 in Nongprue sub-district. She said he has been watching over all of the beer bars on Soi 7.

She went on to say that before the event Pitak was drunk. He arrived at Soi 7 with a four-door pickup, and stopped his vehicle to have an argument with the motorcycle taxi group in the soi. He then took out a gun from his waistband and shot twice into the group.

Over 100 bargirls, Thais and foreign tourists fled for cover. After the shooting Pitak waved the gun from side to side before getting into the Toyota and driving away in the Sukhumvit Road direction.

A-thorn told police that Pitak was the beer bar mafioso who watched over everything, and said that he was an unintended victim. Pitak intended to shoot Suthorn because he wouldn’t pay him the motorcycle taxi queue dues. Pitak had also been using threatening behaviour in Soi 7, scraping his car against the food vendors when he came to inspect the bars there. Nobody had the courage to file a report with the police because Pitak is said to have influence with them. On occasions Pitak had fired his gun into the air, but the police never arrested him. This time he shot people.

Police obtained an arrest warrant from the Pattaya Provincial Court and are now seeking Pitak Silakhan.

[britmaveric]

Lucky u are farang - seems one getting shot are Thai(s). Prob some face or territorial issue.

[SEAtramp]

Lucky u are farang - seems one getting shot are Thai(s). Prob some face or territorial issue.

This is not an incident that regular occurs in Thai areas on third Rd or in some Thai bar. This was Soi 7. Almost the heart of Pattayas farang watering holes. And the only thing lucky about the incident is the bullet that passed through the guy never hit a farang.

Over 100 bargirls, Thais and foreign tourists fled for cover. (territorial maybe, farang territory. )

[snoophound]

It aint unique to Thailand or Pattaya

I was in a club in inner city Sydney last night,three or four gang members of the heavy gold chain variety pushed past the two security doormen and just walked in,all were carrying guns......hey but then the crims have always run Sydney.

[britmaveric]

Soi7 - trust me I've sucked down many a pint there. Does it surprise me - no? All one can do is stay run for cover when this shi*te happens.

[thaiflyer1]

Heard a rumour that a few years down the line all the bars in Soi 7 and 8 are coming down to develop hotels on.........the real estate is too valuable only to realise income from beer bars apparently.

The intention is to relocate them to the other side of 2nd road similar to what they have done with the bars that were opposite made in thailand.

[thai_norman]

i really doubt that that is a rumour thaiflyer, as land values increase 15k per month rent from a beer bar is peanuts, when the land value is say 40 k per farang wah, if not more. i dont believe its the govt or city halls intention to make them relocate, but the landowners realising the value of their land. beach front land in any major tourist resort always goes upscale, i mean you can only describe most of these beer bars as shacks or a shanty town, the land value is way too high for this to carry on..

[astral]

I am sorry to say that this problem is not limited to Pattaya.

Pattaya just gets more publicity in the english media, so you know about it.

[DJ Pat]

Told you, Pattaya is a SHITHOLE.

[The_Moog]

A "Banana Republic"

[davethailand]

Soi 7 and soi 8 are havens for trouble anyway, You won't find me there.

The guy is said to be in BKK.

[naka]

Soi 7 and soi 8 are havens for trouble anyway, You won't find me there.

The guy is said to be in BKK.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ah ... Thank heavens for Walking Street ... An Island Of Sanity in a Sea Of Confusion !

[Dragonman]

Hey over 100 people in the bars at 1.20am. This can't be right

Was in my wife's sleepy Issan village(pop.100) at Songkran when a 17 year old boy shot the boy living 2 houses up from us because he wouldn't join his gang!

Personally I've been in Pattaya for nearly 5 years and not even seen a fight, unlike the dozens I witnessed in the UK every weekend. Things happen everywhere. I'm much more frightened on the roads where I've seen lots of deaths. I find thais with vehicular weapons much more scary

[thai_norman]

A Summary Of Shootings In Pattaya For The Last 30 Days

[yuyi]

Hey over 100 people in the bars at 1.20am. This can't be right

  Was in my wife's sleepy Issan village(pop.100) at Songkran when a 17 year old boy shot the boy living 2 houses up from us because he wouldn't join his gang!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Was there any village in Isaan at Songkran without shooting? When they fighting starts, everybody runs there. Then the bullets fly Took some nice pictures though.

I'm much more frightened on the roads where I've seen lots of deaths. I find thais with vehicular weapons much more scary

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yeah, there is often only one possible explanation: Some want the accident, they're hunting.

[Totster]

Hey over 100 people in the bars at 1.20am. This can't be right

  Was in my wife's sleepy Issan village(pop.100) at Songkran when a 17 year old boy shot the boy living 2 houses up from us because he wouldn't join his gang!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Was there any village in Isaan at Songkran without shooting? When they fighting starts, everybody runs there. Then the bullets fly Took some nice pictures though.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No shooting in my wife's village.... however did hear rumours of large scale fighting with knifes and homemade bombs in the next village... apparently police turned up and then drove away again, saying it was too big for them to get involved... it all calmed down in the end...

totster

[Dragonman]

Sure, police even more disinterested up there than in Pattaya. My wife's nephew now lives with us since the songkran events as the same gang members after him. Have already kicked him off his motorbike and he ended up in hospital. Police say no witnesses, so wouldn't even interview the boy. Needless to say most of these motorbike gangs have parents with a bit of cash.

The same police sent a pick up, a motorbike and 5 officers to arrest 4 women playing cards for 20 baht

[WISteve]

"Soi 7 and soi 8 are havens for trouble anyway, You won't find me there."

Don't get too high and mighty Dave. Your backyard is probably one of the most dangerous (for falang ) neighborhoods in town. I've seen more falang blood spilled there than on Soi 8. On Soi 7/8 is usually just a couple liquored up falang fighting over a tart. In your part of the world, it will be one bloodied, scared falang being chased by a dozen thais/arabs/katoeys with clubs!

That being said, Pattaya is still a pretty safe venue for tourists. But like anywhere else in the world, you need to keep your wits about you.

~WISteve

[Totster]

"Soi 7 and soi 8 are havens for trouble anyway, You won't find me there."

Don't get too high and mighty Dave.  Your backyard is probably one of the most dangerous (for falang ) neighborhoods in town.  I've seen more falang blood spilled there than on Soi 8.  On Soi 7/8 is usually just a couple liquored up falang fighting over a tart.  In your part of the world, it will be one bloodied, scared falang being chased by a dozen thais/arabs/katoeys with clubs!

That being said, Pattaya is still a pretty safe venue for tourists.  But like anywhere else in the world, you need to keep your wits about you.

~WISteve

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sounds like a contradiction...

totster

[Dragonman]

Hey where does Dave live? I've been looking for some better entertainment since my cable network took Star World off last week.