Phuket Market Vendors Outraged By Fake Cop Shake Down

[webfact]

Phuket market vendors outraged by fake cop shake down

Vice Governor Weerawat Janpen meets the vendors.

Tossapol Rungruengpawan of the Patong Retailers Association hands the complaint to

Col Chalit Kaewyarat at Phuket Provincial headquarters.

PHUKET: -- Vendors at the Banzaan Market behind Jungceylon massed at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday afternoon to file a complaint over police handling of an extortion attempt.

The vendors handed Vice-Governor Weerawat Janpen a letter saying that at about 5pm on Monday two men claiming to be police officers demanded cash from them.

The men, both described as tall and dark skinned, told vendors they were from the Consumer Protection Division of the Central Investigation Bureau in Bangkok.

“Three vendors paid them 1,000 baht each because they were scared,” Tossapol Rungruengpawan, Vice President of the Patong Retailers Association, told the Phuket Gazette.

“However,” he added, “Some vendors smelled something fishy about this. So they called Kathu Police.”

An officer from Kathu Police Station promptly arrived at the market while the two men were still there.

All three “officers”, one genuine and two unconfirmed, were still at the market when a fourth man arrived calling himself “Snr Sgt Major Gai”.

Gai, dressed in a polo shirt and jeans, told the vendors he was from the “5th Crime Suppression Division” – a genuine police division based in Bangkok.

He threatened to arrest “everyone” if the vendors refused to pay his two subordinates, said the complaint.

Gai then left with one of his “officers” – leaving the other man behind.

The genuine policeman then took the remaining “officer” into custody and escorted him back to Kathu Police Station.

However, when the angry vendors arrived at the station, they found out that the man had been released because “Snr Sgt Major Gai” had called the station and ordered him to be let go.

“Kathu Police Deputy Superintendent Pratya Chansomwong has accepted our complaint about this and he said he would investigate the matter,” said Mr Tossapol.

“This is the first time this kind of thing has happened. We have had good relations with the Kathu police for more than 20 years. We are like family. Only this time we feel let down,” he added.

“I think they [the three men] were real police officers, but they were acting like mafia. So we are doubting that the police can protect us from such gangsters,” Mr Tossapol added.

“We are not asking much. We just want to work for a living peacefully,” he added.

Vice Governor Weerawat vowed the Phuket Provincial Office will investigate the incident. “We will go to the market and question each vendor and examine the facts,” he said.

After filing the complaint at Provincial Hall, the vendors filed the same complaint to Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commanders Peerayut Karajedee and Chalit Kaewyarat.

Col Chalit, who three years ago was Superintendent of Chalong Police Station, is back in Phuket after completing his posting in Takuapa District, Phang Nga.

-- Phuket Gazette 2011-01-20

[geriatrickid]

This would be funny if it wasn't so pathetically sad,

[Thai at Heart]

Times must be getting very tough out there.

[nodomino]

One of the more charming aspects of Thailand is the equality of corruption here. In my home country, as it is in most western regimes, corruption is the province of the elites-bankers, lawyers, politicians, ect.- where the liberation of the assets of the low born plebes is institutionalized and legalized and accepted because the cost of non-acceptance is worse than just a smack to the head. In my view, there is little to cheer when the proceeds of the cherished 'shakedown' ends up as stock equity, or a slice of a hedge fund for a legislator or if it ends up as a pirated Gucci bag for a Thai policemans girlfriend. Samo-samo. As the great American philosopher Dean Martin crooned....'the world's still the same you'll never change it as sure as the stars shine above'..... So, just as the the Thai's do, we will just smile and bugger on.

Edited January 20, 2011 by nodomino

[nowork114]

“We will go to the market and question each vendor and examine the facts,” ... and explain them that they should shut up and pay otherwise they will be arrested, prosecuted or have an accident ...

[fstarbkk]

So, the vendors are unhappy about being shaken down by fake cops. So if real cops were doing the shaking down, it would be okay, right?

You know you have lived in Thailand too long, when you understand the logic of the vendors' concern.

[rubl]

So, the vendors are unhappy about being shaken down by fake cops. So if real cops were doing the shaking down, it would be okay, right?

You know you have lived in Thailand too long, when you understand the logic of the vendors' concern.

If I were one of those real cops I would be appalled by the unfair competition of fake cops. The affront! We can't have that, something needs to be done for sure

[nikster]

So, the vendors are unhappy about being shaken down by fake cops. So if real cops were doing the shaking down, it would be okay, right?

You know you have lived in Thailand too long, when you understand the logic of the vendors' concern.

LOL. I just realized that applies to me.

Fake cops doing shakedowns - what an outrage. Shakedowns are the privilege of the good honest real cops!

[hardy1943]

Times must be getting very tough out there.

No!!! There is no real police force. Just gangsters!!! Sad but true.

[hardy1943]

So, the vendors are unhappy about being shaken down by fake cops. So if real cops were doing the shaking down, it would be okay, right?

You know you have lived in Thailand too long, when you understand the logic of the vendors' concern.

LOL. I just realized that applies to me.

Fake cops doing shakedowns - what an outrage. Shakedowns are the privilege of the good honest real cops!

I been here to long too, but that is politics as usual here

[ianf]

So, the vendors are unhappy about being shaken down by fake cops. So if real cops were doing the shaking down, it would be okay, right?

You know you have lived in Thailand too long, when you understand the logic of the vendors' concern.

Its OK to sell fake goods but not OK to deal with Fake cops! Get real!!!!!

[waza]

Hmmm lets see if I understand this, the vendors object to shake downs by fake cops, but real criminals, but are ok with fake criminal but real cops. But if these fake cops were really fake criminals and real cops, would the real vendors but Ok with that. So the fake cops or real criminal, will arrest the real vendors and real copsor fake criminal, if they dont pay the shakedown money, but the real cop or fake criminal arrested the fake cop or real criminal but released him because he was told to by the fake cop or real criminal. TIT

[slapout]

Who does the term "fake cops" apply to, those doing the shake down (for 3000 baht for gawds sake) or those from the local station house?

[hoaker]

Paying a thousand baht to police pretenders without questions seems to show the guilt of the vendor being in a prohibited location.

[Wallaby]

Paying a thousand baht to police pretenders without questions seems to show the guilt of the vendor being in a prohibited location.

Or just afraid of what will happen if they don't pay.

[Thongkorn]

Now they know how us and I say reluctantly falang/foreigners feel where we are being protected , sorry ripped off by the protect and serve brigade.

[quiksilva]

I'd laugh if it wasn't so bleedin tragic

[mca]

Fake cop shake down

I'm sure Wilson Pickett mentioned that in " Land Of 1000 Dances"

[slapout]

Valentines day is fast approaching. Maybe the fake cops are gradually building up to another grand finale.

[housepainter]

It's a sad day when a good old fashioned shake down isn't indecent and dishonest anymore. How are the sellers of fake goods supposed to conduct their illegal, unlicensed business when fake cops present a made up story in order to operate a fake shake down?

The real non-fake dishonest shake down cops who operate the shake downs that the vendors of fake goods are happy to pay are now having to investigate the fake dishonest shake downers before the normal honest dishonest shake downs of their own can continue.

Thailand needs to get its real shake downs organised and brought into the 21st century. We need to be able to recognise a shake down for what it is and not get dragged in to some cerebral debate over how dishonest is dishonest. There was a time when the dishonesty of Thais was known throughout the world but now with the attempted faking of a dishonest Police shakedown by other Police acting dishonestly in a shakedown of shakedowns you wonder whether they can be trusted to shakedown dishonestly or not.

I mean if that wasn't an honest dishonest shakedown then it was a dishonest honest dishonest shakedown.

Why can't we have just plain old street robberies and muggings? I blame that Boardwalk Empire and those clever Nucky's in suits.

[AleG]

Paying a thousand baht to police pretenders without questions seems to show the guilt of the vendor being in a prohibited location.

Perhaps, but I think it shows more how they are used to paying up instead of refusing and denouncing the corrupt cop; which is in turn more an indictment of a corrupt society than of the individual embedded in it.

[AleG]

Thailand needs to get its real shake downs organised and brought into the 21st century. We need to be able to recognise a shake down for what it is and not get dragged in to some cerebral debate over how dishonest is dishonest. There was a time when the dishonesty of Thais was known throughout the world but now with the attempted faking of a dishonest Police shakedown by other Police acting dishonestly in a shakedown of shakedowns you wonder whether they can be trusted to shakedown dishonestly or not.

Oy!, I think I just sprained a neuron.

Would be funny to have cops shaking down cops for doing shake downs. "Pay up or we bust you!"

Come to think of it, it may very well be how this kerfuffle pans out in the end.

[surangw]

pay the fake cops with fake money

seriously though, no one ever gets a picture of the fake cop(s)

every self respecting thai seems to carry a cell phone/camera ( even the vendors)

[Bagwan]

I would advise the traders to steer well clear of the jet sky operators. If they don't then a 1K scam wouldn't even irritate.

[glomp]

How daft are you. This is the market people making a public stand that sort of saves the police face.

If they had gone out and said "you coppers, stop demanding bribes" they would be found stabbed.

If they are "concerned" with "fake cops" they can go public in the news and the "real cops" can respond and look good.

[Bagwan]

How daft are you. This is the market people making a public stand that sort of saves the police face.

If they had gone out and said "you coppers, stop demanding bribes" they would be found stabbed.

If they are "concerned" with "fake cops" they can go public in the news and the "real cops" can respond and look good.

Have I got this right? Some 'fake' cops liberate some cash from the evil clutches of traders situated on unlicenced pitches. The traders complain to the police who liberate more dosh before lifting a finger. The police then apprehend the 'fake' cops who just happen to be real cops (some of the time) and confiscate the ill-gotten cash. The real police then return to the traders and tel them that they cannot find the robbers - and then go down the pub. Meanwhile the 'fake' police change into uniform and raid the pub and collect big time from those carrying weapons, being drunk and having sex with underage girls. The bar own doesn't escape the collection either,nor the girls.

Oh I'm bored. Continue this saga yourselves. Shall we call it 'A story of every day events in the Land of Smiles'?

P.S. If any Thai TV producer is reading this I would be happy to consider a position as a script writer on one of your oh so mind improving and fascinating soap operas.