Possible Conflict Involving Police & Embassy

[tideout]

I'm going to post this question but anyone who jumps in should realize at the beginning that I may not be able to respond with too many specifics due to the sensitive nature of this.

In the coming weeks I'll be trying to finalize some business with a business owner in Thailand. My main beef with this particular person (a westerner though connected to Thailand) is the sketchy nature of the contracts that come through them. The contract(s) they write aren't worth anything but one tactic this owner is famous for is when things go bad they will blame the other person for not living up to the questionable contract. In many cases, the victims of this particular scamster will have left some possessions for temporary storage and they will essentially hold the items over the head of the person or jerk them around on getting things back.

Essentially this is a matter of robbery in slow motion and the items in storage are on the premises.

I'm curious what options might exist outside of calling your embassy and asking for assistance in a filing a police report? Can you get a cop to a location and have them assist you? I might mention that this con artist has done this to people from a number of countries and is considered highly manipulative.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Regards.

[Swiss1960]

Could of course ask why you signed such phony contracts in first place and why you did not check the reputation of your business partner beforehand...

But to your question about Embassy: No for the Swiss Embassy, it is NOT their job to get involved in business issues of Swiss citizens abroad. The "Trade Office of the Embassy of Switzerland" will only guide you into the right direction, either give you some contacts to lawyers they know or guide you to what ever Chamber of Commerce / Business Networks your country has within Thailand. But they will not help you to file a police report, as this would make them a party in the dispute

[jpinx]

As soon as you take anythng like this to police, lawyers, embassy, whatever - you've lost

The best remedy is to out-scam the scammer. SHouldn't be too difficult for a good businessman like yourself.

[tideout]

I had resisted the temptation of posting more within my post that the contract was not only not something that could be discussed but that it was nearly irrelevant aside from background information.

It's disappointing, yet I suppose not surprising, to see a comment that is really more about being condescending than helpful.

I won't go into what searches or background information was used for privacy reasons and it is not relevant why this information was not available at the time - but it wasn't.

Again - this is about someone withholding people's belongings under false pretenses.

I would be interested in opinions on what can be done (if anything) and why someone has lost simply because they go to the police, courts etc..?

[stiggy]

Embassey wont get involved.

Courts ? often takes years.

Either out scam the scamster or walk away .

[jpinx]

You will probably find that with-holding property is a "petty" crime and not going to get a lot of action - especially as the situation is suitably muddied by contractual conditions - however flimsy they might be.

In similar situations in other countries I have found that personal and non-confrontational meetings are the best way forward - without lawyers. If you have a common language and there is a willingness to resolve the situation that is probably your best shot.

Failing that I have used more robust methods in the past and elsewhere, but nothing I could describe on a public forum

[MegaRanter]

If your dealings with the con man is legit, you can go file a police report yourself. Dont take no for an answer from the cops. if the locals do nothing, go to the provincial police, if nothing happens, there is aplace in Bkk you can report the cops for doing nothing to help you.

I once went to the Phayathai cop shop to seek their help to find a police man that forcefully took $5000 from a naive visitor to Bangkok. they said the guy is not a police man and they dont know him, I asked them to give me a note to physically catch this person because he is well known. they refused. I went to tourist police HQs at about 1 AM, filed a well a very long and detailed report. By the end of the next day, the money was brought back, in Thai baht instead of USD, missing about a hundred.

You can file a report by your self and follow it up forcefully.

[krisb]

I dont understand, why would you sign a dodgy contract if you knew it was questionable?

Once again, best business in Thailand is no business.

[Sharp]

I'm going to post this question but anyone who jumps in should realize at the beginning that I may not be able to respond with too many specifics due to the sensitive nature of this.

In the coming weeks I'll be trying to finalize some business with a business owner in Thailand. My main beef with this particular person (a westerner though connected to Thailand) is the sketchy nature of the contracts that come through them. The contract(s) they write aren't worth anything but one tactic this owner is famous for is when things go bad they will blame the other person for not living up to the questionable contract. In many cases, the victims of this particular scamster will have left some possessions for temporary storage and they will essentially hold the items over the head of the person or jerk them around on getting things back.

Essentially this is a matter of robbery in slow motion and the items in storage are on the premises.

I'm curious what options might exist outside of calling your embassy and asking for assistance in a filing a police report? Can you get a cop to a location and have them assist you? I might mention that this con artist has done this to people from a number of countries and is considered highly manipulative.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Regards.

I too had a similar problem to this although no contract just a case of not getting my personal items back so after knowing full well I would receive zero help I "employed" the services of some "nasty guys" got my stuff back haven't heard nothing for years since ,before anyone starts its a choice I took and knew very well the various out comes but I was fully prepared to except them ..

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

[wayned]

The purpose of a contract is to clearly state the rights and responsibilities of the people that execute the contract. Before you sign the contract make any pen and ink changes and additions that you want and have you and the other party initial the changes. These changes are legally binding and if made to your satisfaction ai least you have a leg to stabd on. Enforcing the contract here is another story but can be done if the responsibilities of each party are clearly defined upfront.

Edited January 31, 2013 by wayned

[tideout]

I appreciate the effort of those in the thread in trying to respond meaningfully and with an eye on the probability of what may happen.

As previously written above - I can't discuss details of the contract and the contract is irrelevant to the issue of having something withheld by this party.

Eventually this particular douche bag will experience the results of his manipulating people. I've met a remarkable number of people since interacting with him that would "use more robust measures" than a police report. There was a past incident where in fact, the guy pissed off someone (foreigner) connected to a ranking Thai cop.....quick trip to the ATM for triple what would have been his costs if he'd just dealt honorably with people. I believe I'd try to run the process through the system for a small level of satisfaction that I did what I could.

Maybe more later as things develop......

Regards to those responding to the post.