How Do I Get To Police To Catch A Proven Thief?

[mogandave]

You shuld have just greased the ridge.

[Travel2003]

update:

I went to the police station.

It was rather difficult to make the police feel like they were not loosing face.

We made a report. I was the witness. The victim was also there.

Tomorrow they'll catch him and put him in jail.

Chances are small that he will stay long in jail (probably somewhere between 3 month and 1.5 (=5/2 -1) year), because:

- he stole only 2500B.

- his mother has a handicap.

I am a bit worried about that but I think I did the right thing.

Tomorrow they'll catch him and put him in jail??

You convinced the police to put him in jail?

And the jury and judge is?

You?

My wife says that if he has already admitted doing the crime, then he can be put straight in prison by the police. He gets the chance to have a day in court, but the court will give him a bigger sentence usually. If the police puts you in, it is usually a lesser sentence. Most will accept the police sentence.

Really?

First time I have heard about these kinds of procedures in regards to the law and punsihment/imprisonment here.

[britgent]

You shuld have just greased the ridge.

Yeah that's the ticket. Thai police love a bit of manslaughter from the falang around songkran, can't get enough of it!

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6A using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Almera]

How Do I Get To Police To Catch A Proven Thief?

You stay the hell away from it, Thailand is for the Thais. You leave everything to them. Forget all morals, integrity and sense of right when creating a situation with them.

[kriswillems]

update:

Although the police said they would catch the thief, nothing seems to have happened because the victim was not called to identify him (although that might not be necessary if he confessed).

This more or less confirms what one lady that lives around said: he's almost immediately released every time the police catches him.

[jaidam]

I can share 2 experiences of theft in Thailand.

One time, I was leaving a mid level hotel in Chumpon city. I noticed the bellboy riding away on his motorbike carrying some of my property. Sprinting after him I managed to catch up and pull him off his bike(and the pillion passenger) and forcefully dragged them back into the hotel reception and explained what had happened. Hotel refused to call police and just ignored me. Finally my gf walked to the police station and returned with a policeman. After a quick discussion with the hotel reception and the bellboy thief the policeman told me to give the bellboy his motorbike key back so he could go home. I refused and was told I would be arrested and put in a cell for the theft of bellboys motorbike if I didn't return the key immediately. Police said he felt sorry for bellboy and would not charge him. End of story. Result everybody happy except the farang.

Second theft experience was worse. I (and neighbors) got repeatedly burgled between 2008 and 2011. Usually alcohol, money and medicines were stolen. On one occasion I caught the thief exiting my house when I was returning home from work. He just said for me to "be good" and not tell anybody. he was sweating profusely and had an ice cold big chang from my fridge stuffed down the front of his pants!! I drove straight to his home and told his wife. She apologized and offered compensation. The next few times I was burgled I did the same. After 3 years and countless break-ins (neighbors had computers and motorbikes stolen by him as well as booze/cash- I was relatively lucky) thiefs family finally took care of the situation. I asked them how the situation ended, and they told that he had totally destroyed their brand new pickup truck that they had bought on credit with a sledge hammer, so he ended up being pistol whipped badly and told in no uncertain terms that if he went on their land again he would die. I had told the police about the situation and that I was concerned about being home and having him break in. Like most meth addicts he was very unstable so it would have been a dangerous situation. Police said I could defend myself using any wooden implement, but they would not intervene in the situation because my thief was a local man and would lose face.

I have to agree with the OP that the police are worse than useless. In my village they spend their time running brothels, extortion rackets and organizing the narcotic retail business.

[mogandave]

You shuld have just greased the ridge.

Yeah that's the ticket. Thai police love a bit of manslaughter from the falang around songkran, can't get enough of it!

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6A using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

So if you have a fence with spikes on top are you liable if someone cuts a nut climbing over?

[Johnniey]

How Do I Get To Police To Catch A Proven Thief?

You stay the hell away from it, Thailand is for the Thais. You leave everything to them. Forget all morals, integrity and sense of right when creating a situation with them.

Hope you're joking.