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American tourist arrested for stealing transport van in Thailand

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THEFT
American detained for stealing transport van

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- An American tourist was arrested in Trat's Muang district on Monday night for allegedly stealing a Bangkok-Trat public transport van so he could catch a border bus to Cambodia.

The suspect, identified as 40-year-old Karta Singh Harta, was apprehended along with the stolen van at the Khao Lan checkpoint in tambon Laem Klad after van driver Surasak Choman, 37, alerted police, Trat Muang Police Station's on-duty officer Pol Captain Jakkapan Muankaew said.

Surasak told police that Singh had travelled with him from Bangkok to Trat's Muang district and then tried to get him to drop him off at the Hat Lek border because he had business to attend to in Cambodia's Koh Kong province.

The van driver said he refused to drive on to Hat Lek as it was beyond his concession route and offered to get the tourist a ride on a local transport truck. However, the American insisted on being in the van.

When Surasak stopped at a petrol station for a toilet run in downtown Trat, the tourist took over and sped away.

Singh later told police that Surasak had left the capital later than scheduled, which is why he missed the bus to Hat Lek. He added that he was also afraid because Surasak was armed with a knife, which is why he chose to speed away. He said he did not intend to steal the van, but just wanted to drive to the police station, but since he did not know how to get here he decided to drive to the Khao Lan checkpoint instead.

Police were not convinced and decided to charge Singh with steal another person's property.

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-- The Nation 2014-04-30

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Surprising that Singh couldn't offer enough baht to entice Surasak to go the distance to the Thai/Cambodia border. It's such a foolhardy scenario that it raises questions about the facts involved.

  • Popular Post

An American named Karta Singh Harta. Hmmm. New one on me.

An American named Karta Singh Harta. Hmmm. New one on me.

Why the concern? Why the skepticism?

Next time my TG is delay, I shall hijack it to the nearest police station. Could find it, I will just fly it to my home city.

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An American named Karta Singh Harta. Hmmm. New one on me.

Duh, there is a large community of East Indians in the states

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This bloke is certainly in the running for the annual TAT awards of most moronic tourist, although it's always a strong field every year.

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An American named Karta Singh Harta. Hmmm. New one on me.

Smith also doesn't sound American to me. Sitting Bull is more like it.

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If he were Thai, connected, and ran over a bunch of people with the van and killed them, he would already be out of jail and eventually slapped with a comical fine, if any at all.

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An American named Karta Singh Harta. Hmmm. New one on me.

Nice bit of xenophobia there. You're all immigrants in that part of the world and this guy has as much right as you to be entitled 'merican, not that it counts for much :P

Anyway, quite amusing to read of a tourist making off with Thai property. There's a first time for everything

This bloke is certainly in the running for the annual TAT awards of most moronic tourist, although it's always a strong field every year.

quality reply sir ..you are in good form today...biggrin.pngbiggrin.png

In the immortal words of Homer Simpson...

Doh.

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An American named Karta Singh Harta. Hmmm. New one on me.

as the US is a multi ethnicity country , I dont see why someone with this name sound strange , unless you think all yanks should be named Jim , jack or Dick .....

An American named Karta Singh Harta. Hmmm. New one on me.

as the US is a multi ethnicity country , I dont see why someone with this name sound strange , unless you think all yanks should be named Jim , jack or Dick .....

Many americans are getting nostalgic about the long gone time of familiar names...

Merely nostalgia...whistling.gif

What about the several midnight grand auto thefts by Thai Nationals, that don't get reported? whistling.gifwhistling.gifwhistling.gifwhistling.gif

First thing is to check his passport and if it was issued from Khao San Road.

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An American named Karta Singh Harta. Hmmm. New one on me.

Smith also doesn't sound American to me. Sitting Bull is more like it.

Neither one. You surely mean Tatanka Yotanka. Please get your Lakota straight when talking about ethnic Americans.

Red Bull ain't Krating Daeng either. w00t.gif

Another victim of the pernicious influence of Hollywood.

An American named Karta Singh Harta. Hmmm. New one on me.

Have u heard of Obama ?

I saw this on the TV news yesterday morning, hilarious.

An American named Karta Singh Harta. Hmmm. New one on me.

Indeed his name was not Sitting Bull or Gernonimo or any other real American who were exterminated by the whites stealing their land.

Quite hypocritical to call an other who has not one of your white names not a real American. I was always told America was a melting pot of cultures and people. Guess I was misinformed.

An American named Karta Singh Harta. Hmmm. New one on me.

Why the concern? Why the skepticism?

Cause to NeverSure- an American name must have Tom, Dick or Harry.

Some people are so .....

and no one yet told "another quality tourist" ? how come ? because he is from the US and not from Russia , india or china ?

An American named Karta Singh Harta. Hmmm. New one on me.

Smith also doesn't sound American to me. Sitting Bull is more like it.

Or Walking Eagle... if you know that one.

In any case, what a prat.

Surprising that Singh couldn't offer enough baht to entice Surasak to go the distance to the Thai/Cambodia border. It's such a foolhardy scenario that it raises questions about the facts involved.

Absolutely raises doubts about the facts. Firstly, the suggestion he is American must be in error.

Americans behave themselves well when abroad so I am guessing he is actually an Aussie or Russian ;-)

Although the name does sound Irish? O'Harta?

Also the driver was pretty dumb leaving the keys in the van as he new Mr Singh was desparate to get to the border,unless of course he hot wired it.

Many americans are getting nostalgic about the long gone time of familiar names...

Merely nostalgia...whistling.gif

As the old song goes, "Those were the days my friend...I wish they'd never end..."

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An American named Karta Singh Harta. Hmmm. New one on me.

maybe for you, a lot less Fox news and the realisation that Bill O'Reilly isn't really the 'no spin zone'

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