Young Dane robbed at knifepoint by Tuk-Tuk scammers

[JoeThePoster]

Isn't closing time 1am?

[IBoldnewguy]

Interesting that people in their home country don't do wondering around the most seedy areas in the middle of the night drunk but think it safe to do when in a less developed country. And more interesting the neighbor would put himself in the same position the next day.

I am a bit confused as to how this made the news if there was no police report. Did this guy contact the media?

Other coincidences. He wasn't so drunk he couldn't walk and find his way out of dark soi after being robbed. Soi 25 is 2 Streets (5 min. or less) from Asok BTS (which was closed) so why tuk tuk to Asok? What are the probabilities that a person will pick a tuk tuk driver who just just happens to have 2 helpers conveniently waiting in a close dark soi - the story sounds too smooth. Of course, he could have been set up... but to arrive in BKK and not know/researched what to avoid... foolish boy... there are victims and volunteers... he comes across as a volunteer.

[chooka]

The whole story sounds a bit odd to me... why did he wait until Monday to report the crime?

I think he tried to report it on the night.

After the incident, Morten Krogsholm went limping out of the soi back out to Sukhumvit road and found a group of policemen out in the street nearby.

“They all pretty much laughed at me, when I told them what had just happened. Surprisingly enough one of them gave me 200 baht, so I could get a taxi home, “ he said.

[lemel]

Does it not seem strange that he is already near soi 25 which cant be more than 2-3 minute walk to Asoke.

It also says he flagged down a tuk tuk on soi 25 and it went in the opposite direction down Sukhumvit, well it would do as its one way from soi 25.

It says that he was suprised to be attacked as there are a lot of tourists in that soi, which one, he said it was a dark alley?

It says that he asked to be taken to the nearest BTS station then says later he asked to be taken to Asoke?

hmmmm then his neighbour does the same thing!!!!

[IBoldnewguy]

It sounds like the job netted the crooks/police/spotter/tuktuk driver a net of 9800.

Or maybe the police laughed because they're surprised that the lad endangered his personal safety with such ease.

Or they didn't understand a word he said (Danish) and were smiling to be friendly and not lose face.

[PatOngo]

"Amazing Thailand"...It Begins With the People...........TAT care to comment?

[zydeco]

Why go to the BTS at 3 AM? The trains are not running at that time and they don't start running until a few hours later. Maybe he just used it as a landmark to find his way.

If he was in fact a tourist, may be he didn't know that the skytrain was closed at that hour. As for the street confusion, I've been here for years on the outskirts of Bangkok, and I still get confused by what is near what in inner Bangkok. How could you expect a tourist, again, if that is what he was, to know the area fully?

[dude123]

Why go to the BTS at 3 AM? The trains are not running at that time and they don't start running until a few hours later. Maybe he just used it as a landmark to find his way.

If he was in fact a tourist, may be he didn't know that the skytrain was closed at that hour. As for the street confusion, I've been here for years on the outskirts of Bangkok, and I still get confused by what is near what in inner Bangkok. How could you expect a tourist, again, if that is what he was, to know the area fully?

Only once in Bangkok and totally confused myself.

Edited March 3, 2014 by dude123

[Hulkster]

What is with tourists and tuk tuks? At 3am near on Sukhumvit near Asok/Soi Cowboy you don't have to wait more than 10 seconds for an empty cab to go past.

[Jeremy50]

3am? If I don't have company by 10pm I go home alone.

[Yunla]

I agree with other posters about the dangers of wandering around cities late at night, and how it applies world-wide. Especially in the 'party' areas. At that time of night many people who are still awake are awake because they are on drugs and looking for money to get more drugs. Many places in SEA are a risk for bag-snatching, strap-cutting and soforth even in the daytime. But robbery, muggings etc. occur everywhere in the world, and are often not taken seriously by the police unless the victim is seriously injured or seriously important. I was mugged and burgled in the UK a lot of times and the police did nothing except scribble in their little books.

Re; this story, the "next day copycat" thing is highly unusual and suspicious to me. I think there is more than we are being told maybe. But I'm sorry anybody gets mugged and I'm happy he wasn't seriously injured.

[alfalfa19]

The story does sound fishy, I must admit. On the other hand, such an account concerning the tuk tuk heroes would not surpise me in the least, if true.

[Braddockrd]

When in doubt, wrap your arm around drivers neck and quietly whisper in his ear "turn around"

[monkeycountry]

"They all pretty much laughed at me, when I told them what had just happened. Surprisingly enough one of them gave me 200 baht, so I could get a taxi home, he said."

And that's the Royal Thai Police Force for you. What a bunch of lazy scumbags.

Police, tuktuk driver, red shirt, they are all from pretty much the same group and are all scumbags.

If the serial number on the stolen notes had been possible to check, one would likely find that the numbers on the money stolen from the danish guy and the numbers on the money given to him by the police would match!

Edited March 4, 2014 by monkeycountry

[Arjay]

What fool takes a Tuk Tuk when there are air conditioned metered taxis.

[jacko45k]

Sometimes, it just gets exhausting going over all the scams, thefts, robberies, and assaults that are becoming more and more common here. Thai society seems much rougher and desperate than when I first came here a mere five years ago. It's all sort of depressing, actually. You. Can't. Trust. Anybody. (Or Anything) Here. It's a fundamentally dishonest society at just about every level.

I agree... sorry for drifting off topic, but I was thinking the same thing.

My first trip was way back in the 80s and then they were desperately poor, but good natured, seemingly honest and robberies were very scarce.

Now it seems you will be dishonestly treated and potentially scammed at every turn and then robbed with violence on the way home.

[Johnnie99]

According to the article, he asked to be taken to the nearest BTS station around 3 am. But the BTS doesn't start running until 6 am. Odd?

Hey Sherlock - do you suspect he might be a tourist and not know that?

[geriatrickid]

Perhaps the reporting is not accurate? With all due respect to those who are suspicious, and I certainly understand why some would be doubtful, young Danish people tend to be decent people, well behaved and all that good stuff. The story as printed seems to have had some embellishment. It would be nice (and unusual) to have some follow up.

[zaZa9]

Why would he want to go to a BTS station at 3 am?

Youve never used Asok as a landmark?

[Tanlic]

the same motorbikes snatch handbags everynight and the same Kratoeys drug and pick pocket foreigners everynight on Sukhumvit so why not the same Tuk Tuk?

Could be the same Tuk Tuk but you can bet this isn't the work of the local lads from Soi 23 some of whom have been there for over 20 years and got too much at stake to be shi**ing in their own nest

The problem the cops have is these thugs come over from the likes of Patpong do a couple of tricks then disappear again.

Most likely they came through soi 23 as the mob had still Asoke blocked on Saturday but unless the local tuk tuk drivers recognize them the cops have little chance of finding them.

That said someone broke into my house and robbed me. Tong Lor police told me the chances are he would come back again so they watched my home for over a week and eventually the guy did come back. They arrested him walking out of my soi at 2am with the fan out of my living room. A few weeks later I got a call from Tong Lor Police and I got most of my belongings back including a valuable ring and despite me offering them a reward they would not take a single baht of me.

As far as I am concerned the neg heads on here who say the cops at Thong Lo don't do anything are complete morons.

The prisons in Thailand are bursting at the seems with people like these Tuk Tuk drivers. So unless they gave them selves up the cops caught them or maybe it was Captain America and Ironman. Duh!!!!

[saroq]

Sometimes, it just gets exhausting going over all the scams, thefts, robberies, and assaults that are becoming more and more common here. Thai society seems much rougher and desperate than when I first came here a mere five years ago. It's all sort of depressing, actually. You. Can't. Trust. Anybody. (Or Anything) Here. It's a fundamentally dishonest society at just about every level.

Abject poverty and a system that is set up by the rich and powerful to make mobility upwards exceedingly difficult so as to maintain the status quo - is it surprising that Thailand is "much rougher and desperate than when" you first arrived? I do not condone or excuse the actions of these thieves but I can understand them.

[harrycallahan]

The whole story sounds a bit odd to me... why did he wait until Monday to report the crime?

He reported it minutes after. The slack response isn't his fault.

Some of you need to realize life doesn't follow a set script. He needed to sleep, he needed to contact the right people at the right time. His thought processes change with time, with further reflection. News reports have to be sourced and written. Human activity revolves around a day-night cycle.

[FireMedic]

People who hold a knife to your throat is an armed robber, not a scammer.

[Tanlic]

Why would he want to go to a BTS station at 3 am?

Youve never used Asok as a landmark?

I've even used Landmark as a landmark but then I was going to Landmark. LOL

Got to be a chance he told him the BTS station because the Tuk Tuk driver, as I suggested above, isn't from around Sukhumvit and didn't know where his actual soi was.

[smileydude]

Thailand is not in good economic shape with the protests and all. Crime rate is pretty much proportional to the well being of a countries citizen's.

Desperation can lead many to commit crime but in this case it looked well planned but not exactly professional.

Alot of times drug habits or gambling are motives behind these actions.

Better to play it safe especially in the wee hours of the morning and being in a populated area seems to make no difference as people can be indifferent and conveniently mind their own business.

I have stopped seeking assistance from police after having my house burglarized twice (in different provinces) only to have them try to extort money from me to get the case going. WTH??

Just glad to know the guy made it out okay, could of been alot worse if he tried to put up resistance.

Criminals never play fair.

[Lancelot]

"They all pretty much laughed at me, when I told them what had just happened. Surprisingly enough one of them gave me 200 baht, so I could get a taxi home, “ he said."

And that's the Royal Thai Police Force for you. What a bunch of lazy scumbags.

When my motorbike was stolen in Pattaya, I endured pretty much the same experience, with the exception of a cop giving me taxi fare. With the typical Pattaya twist, filing a Police Report costs 20 baht. The smallest note I had was a 50 and of course I received no change...

[laurentbkk]

Don't you like what Thailand is becoming ? The same shit place as already many exists around the world .... They finally realized that they can make more money in this way . So sad but so true

[dude123]

I have stopped seeking assistance from police after having my house burglarized twice (in different provinces) only to have them try to extort money from me to get the case going. WTH??

Off topic, but I chatted years ago with a Thai realtor married to an Amercian in Hua Hin. She warned me right from the beginning as a foreigner it is highly likely I would get my house robbed several times. I said, I would prefer to live in a gated community and she replied "Thai gate guards are are all paid off and always look the other way with foreginers". I'm just curious how true this is as I was astounded that she flat out told me this and she is a realtor.

Edited March 4, 2014 by dude123

[captspectre]

Poor bloke. I wish him well.

if you are going to travel in Thailand, at least know what times public transportation runs! 3AM? nothing but taxi drivers, tuk tuk's and robbers! every nieve tourist should have to take a thailand 101 smart test. but then again if everyone did that the lively hood of all the robbers would be in jeperdey!

[Larry001]

Keystone cops who do not have the guts to front a real criminal. This police force is full of cowards. They are the epidemic of a good country