Abuse Of Phuket Tourists: 'Bar Mafia’ Crackdown Looms

[julemanden]

Everyone seems to agree we are used as scapegoats and all in all treated as mugs, will the day ever come where we just pack up and leave.....??

No !

[Didiyes]

I have been a teacher here for 6 years and the government makes it harder every year for foreign teachers to work here and yet they let this scum open businesses and extort money from people.

It all comes down to money. MOST ( not all ) Thais do not have principles they can be easily bought.

Of course they are charging high prices because they have to pay off the police to stay in business.

If the government paid police a decent wage and got rid of most of it's existing police force we may actually have some law and order here, and the Thai people may even start to respect the police. Then the foreign mafia ( with Thai interests ) would have to move to another country.

(****why we here and not go ???

[newtronbom]

I would have thought, that simple "economics" would weed out these A-Holes. Why patronize a bar charging 200 bht a bottle, when just up the street another bar is offering similar services and Only charging 80 or a 100 bht for the same drink? With so many bars to choose from, you don't have to be a genius to work it out. Would also have thought that the local Thai owners would take a hand(fist) in shutting down these creeps. The Russian and German owners of these places, must be paying a "small fortune" in bribes to get that sort of "high up protection" from Thai officials too. I must be missing part of the picture, as to me, the profit from the bars would not seem at face value anyway, to be worth the overheads. I can remember Pattaya 15 years ago, when the Russian mob were just starting to move in. Back then, they had to work quietly behind the scenes. They can now be found in most major cities it seems, along with the type of "brutal and ugly" crime they prefer. These animals are hard to get rid of, once they settle in. Even allowing for greed and bribery, it still surprises me just how much influence they have with Thai officials, all the way to the top of many departments and not just in "Law enforcement and Government" either. They must I think, be very good at finding the "dirt and dark secrets" of many officials - perhaps even creating some of it. The damage these "scum in suits" can cause and do to this country, not only in the tourist sector, should be a major concern for those many good people who help run this country. The bars run by them in places like Phuket and Pattaya, are only the "tip of the iceberg" but still need to be firmly stamped out now - without prejudice if necessary - as the saying goes. Taksin did it to the drug dealers and got away with it and these scum are far more dangerous and will do far more damage if they continue to operate. This needs to be done now, before they discourage all the regular tourists along with their families and attract and promote more scum like themselves.

[johncat1]

Its a rare Day when i can agree with a Teacher. J.C. is spot on.:jap:

Thanks you now have a new friend

Teachers rarely get any thanks or recognition anywhere in the world

[laurentbkk]

Do what I do; don't go to Phuket.

I disagree .... some area of Phuket are good and still ok .... just avoid (and I do it) the patong/Kata/Karon area ....

[Sydebolle]

Let me get this right.

In the past extortion was a local trade; meanwhile the local yocals became even lazier and let non-Thais do the work and - at the end "take care of things"?

So Russian birds dance around, their and German pimps keep the show running, a mamasan parks her big wide back trunk on a bar stool and once the .... hits the fan, Phuket's finest are taken into the loop to "take care of things". And this applies also to the Tuk-Tuk and Jet Sky owners? Brilliant indeed.

Losers at the end are neither the Russians, Germans or any other non-Thai. But maybe I am wrong again

[JeffreyMcCollum]

Where to start with problems like these and others. With the Governement ? Police ? Business owners, Thai people ??? Who knows

The tourist will just stop returning. I live here and I have stopped going to Phuket. Have a condo for sale cheep in Pattaya and when it sells I will stop going there. Even the Thai's there at the condo try to cheat me saying I need to pay over 3000 for water in a unit the water is closed in.

Good bye Phuket and next Good bye Pattaya.

The scammers, police, and thieves will only have each other soon to be their next marks

[frenchcaptainbob]

Everyone seems to agree we are used as scapegoats and all in all treated as mugs, will the day ever come where we just pack up and leave.....??

Would you believe ? When you finally decide to leave it gets very difficult, proven you were a good source of income for the country.

The International Mover ( JFK MOVER ) comes unable to give you a quote to move abroad. A few months ago you requested a quote to move to Bangkok: you got it within 24 hours.

Or it might be, you will just have an "accident " . Can be a light one like a "mosay" " would run full speed into you and you would be charged all expenses as found "responsible" by the Officer in charge of the Police precinct, despite this one does not speak English. Which expenses, ( but yours ) as there are no bills nowhere ? Not even a claim from somebody ? No problem: the Officer in charge KNOWS exactly how much you got to pay... ( a donation ) . Bad luck, it's a Sunday and you can't call neither your lawyer, nor your Consulate...

You don't pay ? They officially can't press onto you, without any document, right, mind you did not sign up anything ?.. They'll dare say you you must stay within the City limits, indeed. How long ? As long they decide No date given...And be ready to drop at the Precinct on a short notice...

The file is forwarded to Immigration ( a special Corps of the Police ) and they wait til you come to the border, man...Just wait for you, when you'll be in a rush to catch up your plane... You are in a trap... Do you think this is a NOVEL or a BIOGRAPHY ?

As for a change, not in Phuket: in Pattaya then....

There is eventually the possibility the "accident " would be harder and instead of a "mosay" you could be run over by a bus...

[frenchcaptainbob]

Do what I do; don't go to Phuket.

CERTAINLY NOT RESTRICTED TO PHUKET. Some do even better: never come to Thailand . Did you ever think of this one ?

[sirchai]

Yes, mainly Germans and Russians

“Foreign mafia are mostly Russian and German. They open bars and charge much higher prices than their competitors.

“For example, they might charge 200 baht for [a small] bottle of beer that usually sells for around 80 baht to100 baht a bottle at other bars. They exploit consumers,” he said.

The whole story is a joke. When the iron curtain fell, Germany was suddenly filled with Russians, Albanians and other nationalities.

After a while there was no more German pimp in a German brothel.

The so called Russian- Germans came to Germany, holding a document, for ex. that the Granddad's brother was a German. These documents were so easy to buy in Moscow and also very cheap.

The joke about it was that German authorities couldn't prove the documents and within days, they all had a nice place to stay, a German passport and so on. Not long and they took over the whole illegal business.

Guns, drugs, prostitution and the Russians, now being Germans killed anybody being in their way.

The good old German pimps, who showed up with a baseball rag, when there was a problem between them completely disappeared.

The German government even helped them to have German sounding names, needless to say that most of them became rich, plus receiving welfare from Germany.

Many of the 'new Germans' were veterans, who fought in Afghanistan, none of them was using a baseball rag to solve a problem. They shot first and there was no more talking afterwards..........

Because of the weird laws to let them into Germany, some of them just showing a fake document, made so many Russian mafiosis to German citizens.

As a matter of fact, the "Russians, now holding a German passport with all the rights scare the shit out of the ordinary German people.

The so called "German Mafia" was never existing in Thailand.

Of course there are always some criminals from Germany, but you can't consider some individuals, doing something illegal "The German Mafia".

They shoot first...............................:jap:

[parryg]

Why would anyone want to visit, let alone live, in a corrupt cesspool like Thailand ? Admit it guys, you are all there primarily for the culture.....bwaaahaaaahaaa.

Yes, I spent 12 months over a 3 year period living it up. But trust me guys, if you get back to civilization and get a REAL girlfriend your self-respect CAN be revived.

12 months over a 3yr period is hardly living here, and where did you visit, you say living it up so I guess the tourist areas, tourist areas in all countries are a magnet for the county's scum and that's exactly the people who descend on Phuket and Phattaya. I did 4yrs in Phats before moving to the north it's a whole different way of life, been here 5yrs now, I'm still in a city but here you see real Thais and they ain't all after your money and it's far closer to paradise even without the coconut trees and beaches.

You have no right to condemn Thailand as a whole, unless you've been there, seen it, done it, which you obviously haven't.

I see where you are coming from with real GF slur, but we ain't all struggling in that department either, 10yrs and 2 kids later, life is heaven, the only reason I see you would broad brush everybody with the same colour is because you are a bitter man who failed miserably yourself in your Thai venture.

In your civilized life how are the early morning commutes in the freezing cold weather going, unless you've already hit retirement, which will tell me a lot more as to why it didn't work out for you - just another old-git looking to marry a young beauty way out of his league, the recipe for disaster - but correct me if I'm wrong - after all I'm only guessing.

[DummDays]

Why would anyone want to visit, let alone live, in a corrupt cesspool like Thailand ? Admit it guys, you are all there primarily for the culture.....bwaaahaaaahaaa.

Yes, I spent 12 months over a 3 year period living it up. But trust me guys, if you get back to civilization and get a REAL girlfriend your self-respect CAN be revived.

Everybody have to live with his Disadvantages

I even have to sleep with mine :-)

My Girlfriend has a very well payed Job in the Centara Hotel here in Pattaya

Never asked for any "Setang"

Is this your mentioned "Selfrespect"?

[SICHONSTEVE]

I agree with Stanley

I agree with Oliver!!

[blabla1]

Happened to me in Athens Greece, 1986, i ordered 1 beer, then a lady sat next to me without talking and they wanted to charge me for her 3 cocktails, i refused a fight broke out, I ended up in an Athens jail, with a bill of 18,000Drachmas, for damages, which was negotiated down to the original, 1 beer 3 cocktails, moral of the story? it is every where ,where tourists are, not only Thailand!!!

[keith7777]

Why would anyone want to visit, let alone live, in a corrupt cesspool like Thailand ? Admit it guys, you are all there primarily for the culture.....bwaaahaaaahaaa.

Yes, I spent 12 months over a 3 year period living it up. But trust me guys, if you get back to civilization and get a REAL girlfriend your self-respect CAN be revived.

WOW get back to civilization and get a real girl friend, where did you come from under the rock that advertizes the good life in the west. Man talk about BS this takes the cake. Have fun in lala land.

[fiercesnake]

Phuket. I'd rather swim in a sewer than go back to those ...... well insults are not allowed on here. A joke of a place.

Thank you. I don't know why people continue to go there in their droves, especially if they know how bad it is. Maybe it't the allure of sleaze at Patong with a very nice beach nearby?

The only way to make that area is better is DON'T go! The other non-tourist areas of Phukhet can be really beautiful, but wherever the tourists exist in droves it seems to bring in the worst kind of tourist businesses. Hey, but what else can you expect when you hang around areas especially in Patong where bar upon bar of lady-boys and prostitutes operates?

[jfchandler]

Of course, there is no THAI mafia there.... so nothing for the police to crack down on...

BTW, interesting they had a hearing on the abuse of tourists.... but it seems the only people testifying were Thais.... didn't see any mention of any farang or farang representative in either of the news reports here...

I'd have to say that farang bar owners are scarcely the major problem, but such stories do tend to distract attention from where authorities should be acting.

[arthurwait]

Do what I do; don't go to Phuket.

^^^^^

This.

[arthurwait]

Why would anyone want to visit, let alone live, in a corrupt cesspool like Thailand ? Admit it guys, you are all there primarily for the culture.....bwaaahaaaahaaa.

Yes, I spent 12 months over a 3 year period living it up. But trust me guys, if you get back to civilization and get a REAL girlfriend your self-respect CAN be revived.

Don't judge us all by your own standards.

[grumpyoldman]

Why would anyone want to visit, let alone live, in a corrupt cesspool like Thailand ? Admit it guys, you are all there primarily for the culture.....bwaaahaaaahaaa.

Yes, I spent 12 months over a 3 year period living it up. But trust me guys, if you get back to civilization and get a REAL girlfriend your self-respect CAN be revived.

12 months over a 3yr period is hardly living here,

the only reason I see you would broad brush everybody with the same colour is because you are a bitter man who failed miserably yourself in your Thai venture.

Good post parryg, this Boatman obviously just has an ax to grind. I'd like to see that 110 kilo "real girlfriend". Now there is some self respect !

[blabla1]

What the hell has your opinion of you, to do with this thread? there are better threads than this, to voice of how great you are to make it out of the Thai hell, and found your western heaven!!

Why would anyone want to visit, let alone live, in a corrupt cesspool like Thailand ? Admit it guys, you are all there primarily for the culture.....bwaaahaaaahaaa.

Yes, I spent 12 months over a 3 year period living it up. But trust me guys, if you get back to civilization and get a REAL girlfriend your self-respect CAN be revived.

WOW get back to civilization and get a real girl friend, where did you come from under the rock that advertizes the good life in the west. Man talk about BS this takes the cake. Have fun in lala land.

[QED]

I read both stories and where did it say the TUT-TUT and jet ski operators where falanga. The story was about bar owners.

Oooooooohhh the irony!

I have been a teacher here for 6 years and the government makes it harder every year for foreign teachers to work here and yet they let this scum open businesses and extort money from people.

It all comes down to money. MOST ( not all ) Thais do not have principles they can be easily bought.

Of course they are charging high prices because they have to pay off the police to stay in business.

Get a real job and you could afford to go to the bars

Why would anyone want to visit, let alone live, in a corrupt cesspool like Thailand ? Admit it guys, you are all there primarily for the culture.....bwaaahaaaahaaa.

Yes, I spent 12 months over a 3 year period living it up. But trust me guys, if you get back to civilization and get a REAL girlfriend your self-respect CAN be revived.

12 months over 3 years???? Wow you must know so much about Thailand

Sounds like sour grapes and jealousy to me, save up for a few years in your gloomy country and you might be able to afford to come back for a few more months, lol

[jalansanitwong]

Crackdowns are a load of rubbish.Nothing will happen because the cops are getting a cut. Last night i went into Patpong for the first time in 4 years to escort a friend.( i live 20 minutes away)). Beer prices were absurdly high. 130 baht for a small bottle at a open area with pool tables and dullard,ugly girls in mini skirts flopping around. A drunk Australian was punching his first into the air and holding the bar bin in his other.Obviously the bill wasnt to his liking.This went on for 15 minutes. I told my friend i was leaving. The biggest joke of all is that foreigners donated money to corrupt officials in Phuket after the tsunami went through in 2004.The thousands of crooks who were killed were simply replaced by another few thousand crooks. TIT,

[arthurwait]

Comments on Thai people are observations based on experience and 7 years of living here.

The suggestion they seem to be racist is a joke because I work with over 3,000 THAI children and 180 teachers every day.

Also I am the only Farang not just at my school but also in my small town of about 25,000 THAI people.

It is because of people with strong farang opinions and racist attitudes I prefer NOT TO live amongst farangs

You didn't think that post through did you ?

[sirchai]

I was the same but did not spend quite that long living it up my Thai wife would not let me waste my ( her ? ) money .

But after getting rid of a bad Thai wife I started teaching in a small Esaan town, and was amazed at how people viewed a farang if they worked for them.

I have self respect and I am highly respected in my community ( NO I do not buy it )

I keep myself to myself and live and work in a farang free area of Thailand. The first year was the worst because I was treated as an oddity by Thais who had never met a farang before.

Now I stay away from Farang infested areas because they mean high prices and usually trouble.

Finding REAL girl friends is not a problem here if you stay away from bars. Most of my girl friends are government workers on a decent salary.

BUT to find a good WIFE now that is another thing.

I think near impossible in Thailand if you are poor.

"But after getting rid of a bad Thai wife I started teaching in a small Esaan town, and was amazed at how people viewed a farang if they worked for them."

Couldn't a 'real girl friend' become your good WIFE?

[madmitch]

This a pretty poor piece of journalism as there's much more to this whole story. A much better article was posted then removed yesterday.

The Gazette has picked upon one aspect of the meeting that they think will appeal to the farang community and maybe provoke a reaction, which it has.

Read the other story if you can. I cannot name the source.

[happysanook]

nothing more than a smoke screen and passing of the buck to cover a far bigger problem... thai scams.

charging 200 baht when the place next door is charging 80 baht? is that really a scam. please. thai business owners just pissed off because farang taking business and doing it better.

[BillyZ]

I don't know...... this crackdown sounds serious. It might last 4 or 5 days.

[sirchai]

Comments on Thai people are observations based on experience and 7 years of living here.

The suggestion they seem to be racist is a joke because I work with over 3,000 THAI children and 180 teachers every day.

Also I am the only Farang not just at my school but also in my small town of about 25,000 THAI people.

It is because of people with strong farang opinions and racist attitudes I prefer NOT TO live amongst farangs

You didn't think that post through did you ?

How can you work with 3,000 Thai children and 180 teachers every day? The majority of Thais have strong farang opinions and racist attitudes.

You should have written that you're working at a school with 3,000 students and 180 Thai teachers. Do you personally know them all ? :jap:

[meelousee]

Two trips to Phuket, first one 1971 great time, good food good friends we made a kind of camping trip.

Second trip 1983 I was lost seem to me phuket vanished in 12 years I dont know where I was but the signs said Phuket

Next trip as soon as hell freezes over