Tourist Police arrest Baht Bus theft gang on Pattaya Beach.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Wootishart, the Chief of Pattaya’s Tourist Police Division has received a multitude of complaints from foreign victims of organized cases of theft on Baht Buses especially in the South Pattaya Area. The Tourist Police have been determined to eradicate this crime and took a further step towards this on Wednesday Night when they arrested 5 individuals accused of committing such a crime.

In this case the victim is Mr. Gerardus Kraaij from South Africa. The driver of Baht Bus number 279 initially alerted the Tourist Police when he noticed a group of suspected thieves who had just got onto his bus on Pattaya Beach Road. His suspicions were confirmed when he heard the South African Passenger shout out that his money had been stolen. Luckily for him, a group of Tourist Police had already surrounded the bus and 5 people were arrested, Two women, two girls aged between 15 and 17 and one man. The South African’s money totaling 5,180 Baht was recovered from the suspected thieves who were taken back to the Tourist Police Station for this press conference. They were all charged and their futures are now in the hands of the provincial court.

-Pattaya City News

Thursday 3rd November 2005

They probably thought he was going to try and get away with paying the Thai price so decided to even up the score.

It's reassuring to read that the baht bus driver acted appropriately. Full marks to him.

There are a lot of gangs operating this crime, some reports have been two Thai ladies and a baby or three Thai ladies and two babies , if a group of Thais get on a baht bus iam on i get straight off pay my fare and wait for another one and carry on my journey

and the Tourist Police for a change

poppa.

if a group of Thais get on a baht bus iam on i get straight off pay my fare and wait for another one and carry on my journey

A little extreme when you think baht bus's have a tendancy to pick up groups of Thai's as much as they do farangs.

You can easily spot these gangs if you observe. Mate/I got on as well as one of the gangs - starting talking to us. (never see that on baht bus w/thais) We both were in the front facing them - no chance to pickpocket. They got off maybe 2min later. (200meters from where they got on)

Keep alert and you have no worries!

if a group of Thais get on a baht bus iam on i get straight off pay my fare and wait for another one and carry on my journey

One man is alert.

Good tactic, Poppa.

Thank you for that tip.

Never let anyone touch you. Get angry if anyone touches you.

So, is it mostly a pickpocket type of operation, or a baggage grab sort of thing?

Glad to hear its mostly Thai women - I keep my wallet low and to the inside of my front pocket.

kenk3z