Brick-wielding thug robs Phuket 7-Eleven, gets Bt360

CHALONG, PHUKET: A down-and-out man who robbed a 7-Eleven store by threatening the shop assistant with a brick this morning got off with just 360 baht in coins – and was arrested soon after.

Mongkhol Pintajan, 33, told police he robbed the store because he had no money.

Police said Mr Mongkhol walked into the 7-Eleven on Wiset Road in Rawai at 4am.

Brick in hand, he told the frightened shop attendant to give him all the store’s cash, police said.

The attendant complied, giving him 360 baht in 10 baht coins.

After police received the crime report they rushed to the store, where they examined CCTV footage of the incident.

Later in the morning they caught Mr Mongkhol on his motorcycle on the Kata-Saiyuan Road in Rawai.

At a press conference today, Chalong Police Deputy Superintendent Narong Laksanawimon warned the public to expect more robberies because of the poor state of the economy.

He also warned the public not to hang bags from motorbike handlebars or place them in the front basket, as this made them easy pickings for thieves.

“Keep valuables in the seat of your bike,” he advised.

Police also used the conference to announce the arrests of several other men for possession of small quantities of ya bah (methamphetamine).

Col Wichit Intharasorn, the new Superintendent of Chalong Police, was also present.

Col Wichit said he ordered his men to crack down on all types of crimes, particularly those involving drugs.

His officers were going to going to crank up the pressure on targeted drugs networks, he said.

-- Phuket Gazette 2010-02-19

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"Col Wichit said he ordered his men to crack down on all types of crimes..."

So what were they doing before? Either the new supt fancies himself as a motivator, or his words are hollow. The police need more manpower, better pay and training, and a greater incentive to concentrate on crime. With police officers legally receiving percentages of each traffic fine they levy (not to mention 'tea money' payoffs), what incentive is there currently?

"Col Wichit said he ordered his men to crack down on all types of crimes..."

So what were they doing before? Either the new supt fancies himself as a motivator, or his words are hollow. The police need more manpower, better pay and training, and a greater incentive to concentrate on crime. With police officers legally receiving percentages of each traffic fine they levy (not to mention 'tea money' payoffs), what incentive is there currently?

Yeah that was a bazaar comment. Good to know that crime is now illegal in Phuket. lol Maybe he meant to say "many" types of crimes.

But hey, lets not take away from the fact the the Police actually caught somebody! Police departments in Thailand get paid partially on a commission per ticket issued and per arrest made, and I am sure that an armed robbery (even if it's only 360baht) nets them quite a bit of baht. Much higher I'm sure than catching the guy who sexually assaulted the farang girl (had her breasts grabbed) by a Thai man on a motorbike while she bicycling around Nai Harn Lake yesterday.