Internet ‘Mr. Angry’ Takes On Thailand’s Jet Ski Scammers

[Rimmer]

Internet Mr. Angry takes on Thailands jet ski scammers

One of Thailands internet bloggers has won the first round of a battle he has taken up on behalf of foreigners being fleeced by Thailands Jet Ski scammers.

Blogger Tim Bull, who runs the perhaps innapropriately named Thailand Land of Smiles website, finally lost his rag after witnessing so many scams carried out along Pattayas beach - with the assistance of Tourist Police, whom he caught on film.

Now he has received a frank letter from the local Mayor promising action

Is is possible he has achieved what Ambassadors and Consuls have failed to do so far for years in Thailand by actually being angry.

Bull, who also writes under the name Talen, has been putting up pictures and videos of the scammers, all of which somehow ended up on Mayor Ittiphol Kunplomes Facebook site.

The full story andrew-drummond.com/2011/03/14/internet-mr-angry-takes-on-thailands-jet-ski-scammers

-- ANDREW-DRUMMOND.COM 2011-03-14

[backfromouterspace]

I wouldnt fancy being in Mr Bulls shoes if the jet ski mafia get hold of his address.

[Guest]

Treading on dangerous ground.

[webfact]

Moved to Thailand News

[NALAK]

i was in soi 9 ploice station Pattaya today one after another coming in have been scammed and thats right outside the police station, friend of mine was assulted by 5 of them last week because he refused to move on from watching them from the beach road again opposite soi 9. really is time to stop them. indian tourist seemed to be gtiing a bit of a battering as in scammed.

[rkidlad]

Treading on dangerous ground.

Yeap, he'd better stop. Wouldn't want anyone here with balls protecting the rights of others. Especially tourists.

Good luck to the bloke. Wrong is still wrong. Doesn't matter what the culture abide.

[falkan]

i cant connect to http://www.andrew-drummond.com/2011/03/14/internet-mr-angry-takes-on-thailands-jet-ski-scammers/ website but true atunnel . com it works..?

[nikster]

Funny thing, as my wife got scammed by police in BKK today - just the usual 500 baht for something that was very clearly not a traffic offense - I was thinking how to counter that, and the only thing that could actually work is a public opinion campaign.

Every scamming officer gets filmed. Every "offense" gets disputed in the courts. How long would the traffic police corruption last? Not long. But some people would get intimidated/beat up along the way, and the person starting this would basically have a target painted on their chest.

ps: yes I told her to not stop, but she wouldn't listen - growing up here can do this to you I guess. I never stop for them anymore. If it's a scam, they won't come after you because for one they can hardly start a police action for nothing ("didn't pay me 500 baht for a traffic violation I just invented"); and secondly, in the time it takes to go after you they could scam 5 other people instead.

[JetsetBkk]

Bull, who also writes under the name Talen, has been putting up pictures and videos of the scammers, all of which somehow ended up on Mayor Ittiphol Kunplome’s Facebook site. [here...]

Something wrong with your link to Mayor Ittiphol Kunplome’s Facebook site, Rimmer.

Here it is: http://www.facebook.com/PattayaFuture?_fb_noscript=1

[champken]

The bit that caught my eye in this report was how the motorcycle taxi drivers along with the other beach vendors were laughing their heads off at yet another victim of this legalised extortion, they must teach all thais that farang are fair game and if you net one screw him for as much as you can because the police will help you do it

[ukrules]

Treading on dangerous ground.

It's about time someone took some action on this kind of scam.

I'll bet you could cut one into small chunks with a chainsaw / circular saw in a minute or two. I'm talking about the jetski's, not the scammers.

[crusty]

What a joke ? And the Pattaya mayor's father is who and hiding where at the moment ?

[pogal]

You go girl!

[ryladie99]

i was in soi 9 ploice station Pattaya today one after another coming in have been scammed and thats right outside the police station, friend of mine was assulted by 5 of them last week because he refused to move on from watching them from the beach road again opposite soi 9. really is time to stop them. indian tourist seemed to be gtiing a bit of a battering as in scammed.

I would urge you connect with Farang friends to fight against these crooks. Do not allow them to bully others...finding friends from Facebook and twitters. It is about time you all need to stand tall.

I myself called the police and was able to fight 25 men gansters by asking the Government to help. The Gang task force did not want to deal with me I had to call him 3 times, he wanted to meet with me. I was raising 3 small kids so I did not show up. However, I called the Police chief and he agreed to help me as well as the City council man. This is a small step from a homemaker but, if every Farang in Soi 9 and around Pattaya gang up then you all can make your mark. My gangsters left town after a week. Try?? My take and an opinion.

[steelepulse]

I"d like to see something like this for Phuket. Come on Governor, set up a facebook site and watch the feedback pour in.

[JetsetBkk]

I"d like to see something like this for Phuket. Come on Governor, set up a facebook site and watch the feedback pour in.

I tried to leave a message on the mayor's Facebook 'wall', but couldn't. I presume I have to be a Facebook 'friend' to do that.

I was going to say that when his stint in Pattaya is up, he's welcome to come to Phuket where our particular mayor and governor, like all those before, are a complete waste of space and do their two year posting here as a swan song before retiring quietly to their up-country villages with a sackful of thanks from their fellow countrymen.

[harrycallahan]

It would be good to see a guide on dealing with these scammers for the victims. There must be another way that doesn't involved bending over and taking it. Surely there are higher-ups that can be contacted, consulars, media, police from Bangkok etc. As pointed out it's a civil matter and they're being threatended with violence which makes it criminal extortion.

[novak]

Well done scubabuddha! Now take on phuket tuk-tuk mafia.

[KeyserSoze01]

After all the scams that Thais seem to perpetrate of farangs in their country, I'm really surprised that someone has not setup a ThailandScams.com website... Might serve as a portal to warn potential visitors and a place for those who have been scammed to vent their anger...

[MeMock]

A foreigner I know in Ubon got stopped for no helmet the other day. 200 baht fine which went straight in his pocket. The next day he saw the same policeman riding his motorbike with his child both not wearing helmets. He waved them down and when he stopped he took a photo of the off duty policeman. Told him he would be sending that to his boss and his bosses boss etc unless he gave him his 200 baht back which he did really quick.

One step at a time.......

[spidermike007]

Well, we shall see if this "letter" means anything. It is easy for the mayor to write a letter, thinking it may appease this blogger. But, is the mayor interested in resolving this problem that has been plaguing Pattaya for so long. And since the problem also extends to Samui, and Phuket why is the government so indifferent to it? A fareng complaints site may be effective. Sometimes I think the only thing that many Thais would respond to is the potential loss of face caused by severe embarrassment.

[jackr]

Needs a high-up out of the kickback equation to simply say 'no more jet-skis in Pattaya! Apologies to the legit operators but your brethren have screwed it for you.' Yes, I know, all a bit Singapore-esque and neat.

[backfromouterspace]

Wonder if, when Mr Mayor says he knows some honest cops, he means the ones that went after his Dad.

I am waiting for the mayor to call in some of his Dads mates to sort out the jetski mafia. Nothing like a oldskool gangland war to make people now who really runs the town.

[Hermes100]

I wouldnt fancy being in Mr Bulls shoes if the jet ski mafia get hold of his address.

Quite honestly- I wish we would do without posts like this.

" I would not fancy....."

"treading in dark....

Well,there's many thing's I could say about words such as these. They do hold some truth I suppose, but they are the words of people who dare not do anything, people who in general complain, but leave it to others to take action and sometimes the word's of coward's ( a little harsh perhaps- I am seeking a better word)

Often they resent people who take action as it may may make them question their own own self.

Remember this, everything the jet ski mafia can do to others can be done to them .

They know this and I have seen this in action and a so called " mafia man" humbled .

All the ' tough guys" threats and bravado from this oaf went out the window when polite a English gent read this thug the riot act. Once the oaf saw who also has access to address and information ( and lets be honest, the local mafia really are " thick" as the english say) and who would be charged with knocking on those door's he backed off.

Once they know this,regradless of who they are and where they are from they lose the power that others give them.

What is the true God here? There are no racial line's to access this power its called . And it is accessible to all.

I support this brave act, wish other would too, because it's act's like this that change place's for the better.

[softgeorge]

Treading on dangerous ground.

I agree could be known as a dead man walking. The next we read of him will be how he apparently committed suicide.

[Prudent_rabbit]

After all the scams that Thais seem to perpetrate of farangs in their country, I'm really surprised that someone has not setup a ThailandScams.com website... Might serve as a portal to warn potential visitors and a place for those who have been scammed to vent their anger...

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002169379353&sk=wall

[nyles]

Needs a high-up out of the kickback equation to simply say 'no more jet-skis in Pattaya! Apologies to the legit operators but your brethren have screwed it for you.' Yes, I know, all a bit Singapore-esque and neat.

Abandon jet-skis everywhere. People wanting to fuc_k around on that noisy and polluting shit deserve to be scammed in the first place

[KarstenBoAndersen]

If any had the time and balls to set up a homepage (outside Thailand) to recieve all the videos histories about the Thai Police crooks !

Like a YouTube for Thai police, then it could be called www.funnythaipolice,com then could people send something in !

At one point if a lot come in, the goverment can not turn their blind eye to it anymore !

[pattayabuggy]

Treading on dangerous ground.

It's about time someone took some action on this kind of scam.

I'll bet you could cut one into small chunks with a chainsaw / circular saw in a minute or two. I'm talking about the jetski's, not the scammers.

I think I prefer it the other way round.

I was warned about the jet skis when I first came here to live, almost 17 years ago, never used them due to the warnings. So to my knowledge these scams have been going on minimum 17 years. Says a lot about Thailand the "anarchy" doesn't it?

[dunkin2012]

I though these gangs are only in Puket. Now, they are in Pattaya. I ain't sure that they are in many other parts of Thailand. For your own safety, trying not to hire a jet ski then.

Edited March 15, 2011 by dunkin2012