German expat mugged by Phuket teen gang

[webfact]

German expat mugged by Phuket teen gang
Jody Houton


Peter Hellmuth ended up with bruises and abrasions, including one on his shoulder and another over his right eye.

PHUKET: -- A 56-year-old German man, Peter Hellmuth, was kicked off his motorbike in the early hours of this morning (August 19) and mugged by a gang of seven Thai teenagers as he was driving to his Nai Harn home.

Mr Hellmuth, who has been in Phuket for 10 months, told The Phuket News that it was a bad ending to what would have otherwise been a pleasant night.

“I had been at the opening of a new bar in Chalong, and left there at about 2am to drive home. I stopped at Supercheap at the corner of Soi Khokyang in Nai Harn to buy a carton of cigarettes. I bought them and headed home through Soi Khokyang, which is a very quiet shortcut home that many [locally-based] people use.”

He was followed. “I saw three boys on a bike but I thought nothing of it. I began driving home and they drove past me a few times and slowed down [to let me pass]. Then, when I slowed down on a speed bump, they kicked me off the bike.”

Still very shaken, Mr Hellmuth says he cannot remember with any degree of clarity what happened next, but he does know that his carton of cigarettes and mobile phone were stolen.

“They demanded money, but I answered ‘Mai mee satang’

“One of them got out a small machete and asked again, I repeated that I didn’t have any money. I had only B40 in my wallet [but in any case] they didn’t check my rear pocket, which is where I keep it.

“Then four more boys came, two each on a bike. They were aged between 17-19 years old and the leader of the gang had strange spiky hair.”

Mr Hellmuth has abrasions on his shoulder, forearm and eyebrow, and – as he was wearing a helmet and there were no rips in his clothes – he believes that he must have been beaten, though he cannot recall.

After the boys had taken Mr Hellmuth’s possessions they drove off and he managed to get home.

Mr Hellmuth shares a house with fellow German Christoph Huber, who himself had a disturbing encounter about six weeks ago with a street gang in Nai Harn.

He stopped to put fuel in his motorbike at a coin-operated pump, he recalls. “Some boys drove past, then stopped, and one of them pulled out a gun – I don’t know if it was real or not – then they just drove off.”

Mr Huber believes that teenage gangs mugging lone people has become quite a common occurrence in Nai Harn.

“A few weeks ago a bar owner near here was also kicked off his bike and mugged, and probably the same gang of kids did it. I think they go out looking for drunk old men to target.”

Like Mr Huber and the bar owner, Mr Hellmuth has decided not to go to the police.

“They’ll just get bailed the next day and nothing happens anyway.”

Instead he has resolved never to use Soi Khokyang again. In the future stick he will stick to the main roads.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/german-expat-mugged-by-phuket-teen-gang-41473.php


-- Phuket News 2013-08-19

[jmccarty]

Phuket is at about its lowest. Place to avoid now!

[KED]

If the police were worried more aobut stopping crime than extorting money - then these teenagers could easily be apprehended.

As a side note,

"I think they go out looking for drunk old men to target." Perhaps drunk people should not be driving motorbyces, young or old, farang or thai.

[Songhua]

An excellent description of the perps from someone who can't recall whether he was beaten or not.

[kirk0233]

Is the seemingly disproportionate amount of violence reported against foreigners in Phuket compared to Bangkok a function of the policy of the Phuket News and the lack of interest in these mugging stories by The Nation or a real difference in violence against foreigners in Phuket vs. Bangkok? Any thoughts?

Edited August 19, 2013 by kirk0233

[Redhawk]

He definitely does not look like the nicest one to have as neighbor, often something has happend before the main incident, lived on Phuket for a year almost twenty years ago, for a year, never had a problem. but the people over there have different understanding of humor and their attitudes are not the same like in the Isaan have to be taken with care. As I have been working in the security business, I can only say he lost his awareness or better said he was aware but did listen to the signs most victims who survived an assault will tell, "I have had that strange feeling etc. why are they not listening to their instincts, everyone should know in our times, the war starts after leaving your home everyday.

[A1Str8]

These cute little teen gangs are so funny.

Why they always attack older folks.

I have never seen them approaching a group of foreign guys.

I would like to wrap his machete around his tiny neck.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[MaxLee]

Get the hell out of Phuket,,.... come on,....

[stevenl]

So he does not want to go to the police because that won't do any good but does decide to go to the papers?

[laurentbkk]

7 against 1 ...one more time the courage of those kids amaze me . I still wonder why tourists still go to this mess.

[NCC1701A]

how come no one wears a shirt?

[stevenl]

how come no one wears a shirt?

Because he is showing his wound on his shoulder. And with his shirt on that would be quite difficult.

[FireMedic]

I saw something very similar Saturday night. On beach road turning up to Nai Harn... 3 motorbikes, 2 boys on 2, and 3 boys on 1 bike looking up to no good at all. They passed me as I waited to turn up the hill. Then they pulled over down the road. I saw it and full throttled my PCX up and didn't see them again. First time I had seen something like this....got me a little nervous.

[dudu]

Oh the times they are a changin, can't walk any where any more...

[LivinginKata]

So he does not want to go to the police because that won't do any good but does decide to go to the papers?

Not such a bad idea, at least the newspapers will report the assult, and maybe shame the police into action. But then again maybe not. I have to say this island is become less safe year by year. Yes, I know it was 02.00 but visitors should be able to return home from a bar safely.

[Jimi007]

So he does not want to go to the police because that won't do any good but does decide to go to the papers?

The Chalong Police seem to be about the worst on the island, IMHO. I do have a few stories about them...

[JetsetBkk]

Is the seemingly disproportionate amount of violence reported against foreigners in Phuket compared to Bangkok a function of the policy of the Phuket News and the lack of interest in these mugging stories by The Nation or a real difference in violence against foreigners in Phuket vs. Bangkok? Any thoughts?

The latter.

Next question, please.

[NamKangMan]

Interesting the article mentions some other serious crimes committed against foreigners recently, which appear to have not been reported.

Makes you wonder just how many crimes go unreported here.

[mikebike]

...everyone should know in our times, the war starts after leaving your home everyday.

Wow, I had no idea. What should I keep in the armoury?... Jungle or desert fatigues?... Any idea where I can bullet-proof my Caribbean, and maybe add a 50 cal?

[Naam]

He definitely does not look like the nicest one to have as neighbor, often something has happend before the main incident, lived on Phuket for a year almost twenty years ago, for a year, never had a problem. but the people over there have different understanding of humor and their attitudes are not the same like in the Isaan have to be taken with care. As I have been working in the security business, I can only say he lost his awareness or better said he was aware but did listen to the signs most victims who survived an assault will tell, "I have had that strange feeling etc. why are they not listening to their instincts, everyone should know in our times, the war starts after leaving your home everyday.

yeah right! here we have an "eggsburt" presenting his wild assumptions because the victim "definitely does not look like the nicest one to have as a neighbour."

[nontabury]

So he does not want to go to the police because that won't do any good but does decide to go to the papers?

Probably he knows that if he does go to the police,nothing will be done. So he has decided to warn other farangs to be careful, by publishing his assault by way of the local media. Good for him I say.

[pokerkid]

He definitely does not look like the nicest one to have as neighbor, often something has happend before the main incident, lived on Phuket for a year almost twenty years ago, for a year, never had a problem. but the people over there have different understanding of humor and their attitudes are not the same like in the Isaan have to be taken with care. As I have been working in the security business, I can only say he lost his awareness or better said he was aware but did listen to the signs most victims who survived an assault will tell, "I have had that strange feeling etc. why are they not listening to their instincts, everyone should know in our times, the war starts after leaving your home everyday.

yeah right! here we have an "eggsburt" presenting his wild assumptions because the victim "definitely does not look like the nicest one to have as a neighbour."

careful with what you say Naam, he has been working in the "security business" or was it sas

[Jimi007]

Actually this type of crime seems to increase about this time of the year around Rawai. Yet we still don't have any police patrols at night. My neighbor is out there right now patrolling as one of the heads of the civil defense volunteers in Rawai. The Chalong Police showed up today to collect fines on Soi Sai Yuan this afternoon, but they really can't be bothered to do their real jobs and deter crime at night. It doesn't pay nearly as well and it's a lot more dangerous to deal with the punk kids around here... So much for the clean up Phuket rhetoric I've been reading in some of the local news this month...

Edited August 19, 2013 by Jimi007

[jbrain]

So he does not want to go to the police because that won't do any good but does decide to go to the papers?

Not such a bad idea, at least the newspapers will report the assult, and maybe shame the police into action. But then again maybe not. I have to say this island is become less safe year by year. Yes, I know it was 02.00 but visitors should be able to return home from a bar safely.

Where are the good old times when Phuket members would post on this forum that all the scum stayed in Pattaya and Phuket was so much safer.

From the assault and murder reports I've read on TV in the last 6 months I guess Phuket must have taken the top spot now.

[Jimi007]

So he does not want to go to the police because that won't do any good but does decide to go to the papers?

Not such a bad idea, at least the newspapers will report the assult, and maybe shame the police into action. But then again maybe not. I have to say this island is become less safe year by year. Yes, I know it was 02.00 but visitors should be able to return home from a bar safely.

Where are the good old times when Phuket members would post on this forum that all the scum stayed in Pattaya and Phuket was so much safer.

From the assault and murder reports I've read on TV in the last 6 months I guess Phuket must have taken the top spot now.

It helps that we have three English language news sources here now. How many in Pattaya? And yet again, do you need a geography lesson???

[andreandre]

So he does not want to go to the police because that won't do any good but does decide to go to the papers?

Not such a bad idea, at least the newspapers will report the assult, and maybe shame the police into action. But then again maybe not. I have to say this island is become less safe year by year. Yes, I know it was 02.00 but visitors should be able to return home from a bar safely.

Where are the good old times when Phuket members would post on this forum that all the scum stayed in Pattaya and Phuket was so much safer.

From the assault and murder reports I've read on TV in the last 6 months I guess Phuket must have taken the top spot now.

More to the point..all the members who live in the south always seem to stress that only Patong has the problems....

[digibum]

Is the seemingly disproportionate amount of violence reported against foreigners in Phuket compared to Bangkok a function of the policy of the Phuket News and the lack of interest in these mugging stories by The Nation or a real difference in violence against foreigners in Phuket vs. Bangkok? Any thoughts?

The latter.

Next question, please.

Why can't it be both? I see a lot more crime reported in the expat websites than gets into The Bangkok Post or The Nation. Part of that is because The Bangkok Post and The Nation both consider themselves to be national newspapers rather than local newspapers. Also outside of Bangkok, the English language press tends to understand that their audience is 99% farangs so they report news relevant mostly to farangs while The Bangkok Post and The Nation tend to fancy themselves as serious newspapers covering everything in Thailand.

Granted, I feel safer walking down a dark alley in Bangkok at 4am than I would in Pattaya or Phuket but the other truth is that The Bangkok Post and The Nation tend not to report every petty crime against foreigners.

[jbrain]

So he does not want to go to the police because that won't do any good but does decide to go to the papers?

Not such a bad idea, at least the newspapers will report the assult, and maybe shame the police into action. But then again maybe not. I have to say this island is become less safe year by year. Yes, I know it was 02.00 but visitors should be able to return home from a bar safely.

Where are the good old times when Phuket members would post on this forum that all the scum stayed in Pattaya and Phuket was so much safer.

From the assault and murder reports I've read on TV in the last 6 months I guess Phuket must have taken the top spot now.

It helps that we have three English language news sources here now. How many in Pattaya? And yet again, do you need a geography lesson???

I must have lost count of the English language news sources in Pattaya, but it is a multiple of three, I would think written press and radio/tv together about 10?

Why I would need a geography lesson ?

[Jimi007]

Not such a bad idea, at least the newspapers will report the assult, and maybe shame the police into action. But then again maybe not. I have to say this island is become less safe year by year. Yes, I know it was 02.00 but visitors should be able to return home from a bar safely.

Where are the good old times when Phuket members would post on this forum that all the scum stayed in Pattaya and Phuket was so much safer.

From the assault and murder reports I've read on TV in the last 6 months I guess Phuket must have taken the top spot now.

It helps that we have three English language news sources here now. How many in Pattaya? And yet again, do you need a geography lesson???

I must have lost count of the English language news sources in Pattaya, but it is a multiple of three, I would think written press and radio/tv together about 10?

Why I would need a geography lesson ?

How many of those news sources are published here on Thaivisa? And the geography lesson would be that: Phuket is a province, Pattaya is a city in the province of Chon Buri...

[NamKangMan]

Actually this type of crime seems to increase about this time of the year around Rawai. Yet we still don't have any police patrols at night. My neighbor is out there right now patrolling as one of the heads of the civil defense volunteers in Rawai. The Chalong Police showed up today to collect fines on Soi Sai Yuan this afternoon, but they really can't be bothered to do their real jobs and deter crime at night. It doesn't pay nearly as well and it's a lot more dangerous to deal with the punk kids around here... So much for the clean up Phuket rhetoric I've been reading in some of the local news this month...

This is why Phuket has the crime problem it has now. Phuket was always going to get to this point, eventually, well, it appears it's there now.

We have had a disfunctional police force for many years that has seen collecting tea money and money from traffic tickets and bribes as more important than having an active presence to deter crime, especially at night. That, coupled with the fact anyone can get never ending bail, even for serious crimes, if you pay, and there doesn't seem to be a lot of justice taking place on Phuket. There certainly doesn't seem to be the locking up of criminals for the protection of the public.

Had this German guy been murdered, and that's hard to prove when you are kicked off your motorbike, because the assailants ride off and your injuries can be attributed to a motorbike accident, not kicked to the head or hit on the head or body with a heavy blunt instrument.

So, they see they have killed the guy, just take the cash and leave jewellery and phone and it looks like the cause of death is a motorbike accident. Just as much a perfect murder as throwing someone off a balcony. Sure, the BIB are happy to write it off as motorbike accident as well.

The police seem to work hard when a tourist has obviously been murdered, mainly because of the global bad publicity and the "tarnishing of Phuket's image" but wouldn't a little more prevention be better than the cure, not to mention, it would save a few lives and serious trauma.

Corruption is like cancer. It spreads and ultimately kills, one way or another.

Unfortunately, we only have to look at the whole system here to see how it was destined to fail for the people, particularly, police paying money to be transfered here. Just a ridiculous situation.

I really do wonder how bad they will allow it to get before they admit that real and effective change must be implemented, or risk major losses from the tourism sector.

We can all only hope that crime does not get that out of control here that our lifestyles are affected. Another member mentioned his friends do not go out at night anymore. I will leave the island before I become a prisoner in my own home due to criminal behaviour here.

I really hope it never comes to that, but corruption here is so systematic, entrenched and endemic that I can not see any positive change in the future.

Edited August 19, 2013 by NamKangMan