Swedish Slashers Confess To Phuket Police

[Isaanben]

The only Swedish name in the lot is Soderlund, Smidth and Ljung do exist as Surnames in Russia. Anyway it is very easy to change names in Sweden too, specially if you marry a Swedish girl you can elect to take her name.

Ljung is a common surname in Sweden. I should know as I come from that country. Ingvar is a quite common first name in Sweden too, so I guess you come from there too? But then you should know that Söderlund is not the only swedish name... Their first names are all common in Sweden too.

Edited August 3, 2011 by Isaanben

[harrycallahan]

I just hope they sent off my penis enlargement pills before they embarked on this ill fated escapade.

[saroq]

course , the really interesting thing here is how they (evidently) so easily got out of that jam in pattaya

The information in the story states that there are no laws in Thailand with which to charge them because of the nature of the crime. I'm sure that criminal gangs know this and take advantage of it too otherwise why not run your scam from your home country. The only thing they could be charged with was working without a visa. Seems that some new laws need to be drafted to deal with 21st century crimes.

[jfchandler]

Two things here:

1. whatever happened to the original news report on this case and its account of, I thought, a dozen or so Thai men being the attackers? And this latest report only references these two guys...not any larger group... So what gives with that?

2.

“Tommy was in the group we arrested [in February], but we didn’t catch Johan. We charged them for working without permits, but nothing else because there are no laws against cheating people through phone calls like they did,” Maj Nackaphan said.

The gang has been based in Pattaya for years, selling products via their website, but many “customers” received either low-quality items or nothing at all, he added.

The police are saying Thailland has no criminal law against fraud? Really????

Well, if true, I guess it kind of makes sense... If there was, pretty much the whole country, farangs included, would be in jail now...

[saroq]

"Tommy was in the group we arrested [in February], but we didn't catch Johan.

Tommy ?

Johan ?

Why are the police on first name terms with the killers ??

It is common in Thailand to call people by their first names.

[Berkshire]

I was following the first thread where people were bashing "the evil thai's" when the news broke about a murder......that thread looks really stupid now.

Well the thread didn't look stupid, but all the racist <deleted> that mindlessly jumped in sure did. They know who they are.

So to be consistent, shouldn't all these know-it-all TV members jump in and call all Swedes animals, pigs, dogs, etc.. And by extension, all those that may look like Swedes (read farangs) are also inherently evil. Is that how you guys see things? What a bunch of hypocrites.

[momolovesphuket]

I'm so glad the police did such a wonderful job. Otherwise people would just point fingers to blame thais. Many people were so wrong.

[OzMick]

Found out what went wrong with yesterday's initial report ! Yesterday was the bi-annual soccer match between the jet-ski operators and tuk-tuk drivers, held just down the road.

The jet-ski operators walked past the posh resort, and when a murder was reported, it was instantly assumed that they were the perpetrators. Well you would, wouldn't you.

BTW Full match report on back page of Phuket Gazette. Final score was 3-2 (3 stabbings and 2 gun-shot wounds).

[ableguy]

yesterday it was reported 12 people attacked him ???? not just two.

[infernalman7]

We should name and shame them. All the usernames are there in that thread. LOL.

For those who by just looking at the picture and can come up with a conclusion that they are Russians... well that isn't smart. I am Swedish and I cannot tell who look Swedish. Not until they start speaking.

[Thaddeus]

I thought Swedes were pacifists, as for this guy putting his address on Facebook after he rats out his criminal competition, well.

I wonder if he got the chance to un-friend them.

[angobando]

The only Swedish name in the lot is Soderlund, Smidth and Ljung do exist as Surnames in Russia. Anyway it is very easy to change names in Sweden too, specially if you marry a Swedish girl you can elect to take her name.

There're no such Russian surnames as Smidth & Ljung. At all, man. Don't fool yourself.

[FOODLOVER]

"course , the really interesting thing here is how they (evidently) so easily got out of that jam in pattaya"

That is indeed the real question. So many times people don't serve time or get the sentance required. They can also pay a bribe to get free.

I've lost count of the number of cases that never receive any follow up until they are arrested again for another crime or go missing(flee) whilst out on bail.

Corruption allows arrest to be a mere inconvenience soooo many times in Thailand and never a truer word spoken

I did not want to point out the fact that at least one of the perps should not have been here in the first place but did not want to be called a Thai basher for voicing my opinion.

[SICHONSTEVE]

If they write a book about this, its title will be "A Tale of 3 Idiots" !

Idiot #1 dobs in his ex-mates, goes into hiding, and then puts his new location on facebook

Idiot #2 rents a room opposite using his own passport. Within minutes BIB knows their prime suspect.

Idiot #3 rents a room, then disposes of his knife and blood-soaked shirt by throwing them in the swimming pool.

My dog is smarter than this lot.

Yes!!! Hiding?? the knife and blood soaked shirt in the swimming pool is a bit of a giveaway to say the least!!! Also, putting your name and address of residence on Facebook when you are trying to stay low is not particularly intelligent either - seems it was destined to go badly wrong at some point and it was a shame that it ended this way .

[peterdk]

"Tommy was in the group we arrested [in February], but we didn't catch Johan.

Tommy ?

Johan ?

Why are the police on first name terms with the killers ??

I would think in the press conf, they would have had trouble pronouncing, Soderlund and Ljung. Would be kind of a tongue twister for the BIB and make them look foolish on one of the few efficient busts they have made.

Just had to bash the Thai police heh ?

Couldn't leave it alone - even though they catch a killing duo within 24 hours of the murder.

I for one think they are highly efficient when we are talking murders of foreigners.

I dont want to mention details, as some people would still miss their loved ones.

But at least 3 murder cases within the last year or so springs to mind.

[FOODLOVER]

I thought Swedes were pacifists, as for this guy putting his address on Facebook after he rats out his criminal competition, well.

I wonder if he got the chance to un-friend them.

Oh dear, hate to say it but that's hilarious.

[SICHONSTEVE]

course , the really interesting thing here is how they (evidently) so easily got out of that jam in pattaya

What jam??? Apparently, from the report, phone scams are not illegal practise in Thailand and it was their lack of having work permits that was the only offence. Why were'nt they deported though??? If a teacher was caught working without a work permit they would be fined and thrown out of the country. I bet they wish this had happened to them now as being back in their homeland would be a better option than spending a vast amount of time behind bars (not the bars they are probably used to, incidentally)!!!

[gk10002000]

I am confused. Didn't the news articles a day ago say something like "in full view of witnesses 12 thai men"? Did I misunderstand or am I missing up the articles? How did we get from 2 to 12? Maybe it was a simple typo error in the older article where 2 was entered as 12? Perhaps some sensationalism journalism?

[stacker10]

and who was the police that let mr Tommy go in pattaya when he should be deported?that a_hole shoulde be charged for corruption, greed and all kinds of legal shit but that will never happends.He should get a knife in his head.

[daiwill60]

Am i missing something here?

These guys were arrested as part of the February phone scam crime, which must have been an illegal activity fro the guys to have been arrested.

But now no charges are brought against people conning people out of money for cheap shoddy goods, via deals made on the phone.

Additionally it was reported on here last week that the police were busting street traders in Phuket for selling pirated copied goods ( also presumably cheap shoddy products) because that is illegal.

Please can some one explain where the differences lie in these criminal activities.

[TinaKohChang]

Good job by the BIB. If only they were this diligent more than 10% of the time there would be a lot less unsolved crimes.

"We charged them for working without permits, but nothing else because there are no laws against cheating people through phone calls like they did," Maj Nackaphan said.""

Oh Really?

Amusing Thailand

@ ALL ... :^)

[angobando]

I find the possible Russian connection interesting. The scam these fellows were involved in appears to be the same scam that I have seen other Russians run in America. Having had to deal with such gangs back in the States I would think that these young fellows are just the mid to low level members of a much larger Russian run organization operating here in Thailand.

Members of these types of Russian organized crime do not easily give confessions unless they are ordered to by their higher ups so as to end investigations and to keep the police off the upper management of the organization. If I were a Thai cop I would be looking for the connection to who is really pulling the strings, find out who is paying for the suspect's attorneys, who is paying their bond (if there is any), who is coming to visit them.

There are other signs the Thai police should look for such as tattoos, do any of these fellows have similar tattoos which would indicate an organized Russian crime family?

In summary, it is possible that these fellows were ordered to punish the victim and if they got caught they followed the standing order to admit they did it and to deny any affiliation with the crime family that they are members of. In the end these fellows will be compensated by their bosses or they will be terminated as being too great of a risk.

You saw too many TV series also if you seriously tell us about "similar tattoos of an organized Russian crime gang", cause there's no such a thing. It's all Italian or whatever tradition, not Russian one.

[SICHONSTEVE]

"Tommy was in the group we arrested [in February], but we didn't catch Johan.

Tommy ?

Johan ?

Why are the police on first name terms with the killers ??

I would think in the press conf, they would have had trouble pronouncing, Soderlund and Ljung. Would be kind of a tongue twister for the BIB and make them look foolish on one of the few efficient busts they have made.

Just had to bash the Thai police heh ?

Couldn't leave it alone - even though they catch a killing duo within 24 hours of the murder.

I for one think they are highly efficient when we are talking murders of foreigners.

I dont want to mention details, as some people would still miss their loved ones.

But at least 3 murder cases within the last year or so springs to mind.

Yeh!! maybe, but Thai's are not very proficient in covering their tracks on the whole and it is amazing how easily they confess to crimes!!! Think about it, how many times do you see Thai's arrested for crimes plead their innocence - I think that perhaps they KNOW that there will be something to implicate them beyond doubt regards evidence pointing to them as being the perpetrators and they come straight out and admit their involvement. The Burmese are the same!!! Cambodians, Vietmanese and Laos also I would imagine.

In fact, it seems that they are relieved, as if it is "a weight around their neck" that has been removed!! quite weird actually!!!

[exbelg]

"We charged them for working without permits, but nothing else because there are no laws against cheating people through phone calls like they did,” Maj Nackaphan said."

ok, good to know, starting my business plan

just kidding

[Jayman]

I'm so confused by all this. How do 2 young white guys end up confessing to a crime that witnesses claimed were committed by a gang of 12 thai men?

I'm not making accusations but rather wonder how the story has been so turned around. Doesn't take Sherlock Holmes to deduce that something isn't right here.

[MichaelShort]

Well, hope Sweden don't take them home to the prison (hotel) here... Let them sit in Thailand for some 15 years first...

[midas]

Am i missing something here?

These guys were arrested as part of the February phone scam crime, which must have been an illegal activity fro the guys to have been arrested.

But now no charges are brought against people conning people out of money for cheap shoddy goods, via deals made on the phone.

Additionally it was reported on here last week that the police were busting street traders in Phuket for selling pirated copied goods ( also presumably cheap shoddy products) because that is illegal.

Please can some one explain where the differences lie in these criminal activities.

And according to the web page of Sunbelt one of the sponsors of Thai Visa as well as on several websites

of other the legal firms working without a work permit is meant to be so bad that it can result in deportation

so how come they were even physically still in this country?

Edited August 3, 2011 by midas

[Bkkorupcountry]

I was following the first thread where people were bashing "the evil thai's" when the news broke about a murder......that thread looks really stupid now.

Yes, I wonder who are the 'thugs' now

[peterdk]

and who was the police that let mr Tommy go in pattaya when he should be deported?that a_hole shoulde be charged for corruption, greed and all kinds of legal shit but that will never happends.He should get a knife in his head.

That kind of justice was used by westerners too.

The wild wild west springs to mind.

We however moved away from presuming guilt and invented what is know as the legal system.

Here a court of law has to find you guilty.

Lets say this case about selling fake / crap goods online did take place in a western country.

Do they actually have jurisdiction in that country ?

What if they operated in say the US ( not trying to make fun of Americans - just using this as an example )

Their webhost is / was based in Poland.

They never sold any of their products in the US.

Maybe they never shipped any products out from the US either.

( I have not seen stated, that they actually sent products from here, just that they where crap, they could have used a Chinese middleman / agent based in China )

Now, ok they did not have a valid work permit then for the US.

However they had a valid visa.

I think this is not and open and shut case at all in terms of putting them to justice for that.

Someone in some country would have to file criminal charges against them.

What if there was 3 different people in 3 different countries, all 3 having lost 250$ US on these scammers, all filing criminal charges against these men.

So where to prosecute ?

What has jurisdiction ?

Will anyone go to jail for individual cases in different countries ?

Hard to say, but at least they would be out on bail in any country that does have a legal system, while international lawmakers work out the where / how / when.

Edited August 3, 2011 by peterdk

[cdnvic]

Some people have lost their posting rights temporarily because they ignored the warnings to leave out arguments from the old thread so it doesn't derail discussion of this one.