100 Dsi, Police Officers Raid Koh Samui, Arrest Briton

[Gary A]

I don't know any of the farangs involved but where there's smoke there's fire. What I DO know is that they would NEVER have been able to deal in land speculation and sales without the help of some very powerful Thai politicians. If the politicians are not prosecuted, then it would seem that it is crooked all the way to the top.

[womble]

The media here fall for these stunts everytime and forget about the "big" story. Also the follow up on storys and corruption is terrible here, they are forgetten about almost as soon as the story has been broken.

[Samuian]

interesting points in the posted link to the danish observers....and by the way did anybody ever calculate the figure 300 Mill. US$ ? How does it come to 79 Bill. Baht makes me wonder... just courious. (I only get something like 11,4+ Bill. makes it 'only' a difference of 68 Bill. !!!!!!!)

And does really anybody here believe that this amount, is really possible to surface in such short time-window and second of all - how will this amount ever could leave the country?

After all, why is it even higher then the figure the PM evoided to pay taxes on - makes me really wonder!

oooooooopppppsss..

Edited July 24, 2006 by Samuian

[ronw]

for slightly more on this....see report in TheSun...www.thesun.co.uk..

which states that the brits are members of a bikers mafia group...

more speculation............

[Inspector 2211]

for slightly more on this....see report in TheSun...www.thesun.co.uk..

which states that the brits are members of a bikers mafia group...

more speculation............

Here's the link to the article, which features pictures of two of the suspects:

The article in the British tabloid "The SUN"

[Claymore]

So who are the victims in all these housing scams? Do they know? Why are they keeping shtum?

If I had invested 5-30 million baht in property in Koh Samui and was now told that my 'retirement' or 'holiday' home was not mine anymore I might have something to say.

Excellent news

These crooks have had a nice little earner last three years on this.

Bout time someone acted.

100 DSI, police officers raid Koh Samui, arrest Briton

Koh Samui, Surat Thani: -- A team of 100 officers from the Crime Suppression Division, Anti-Money Laundering Office and Department of Investigation raided this tourist destination island Tuesday morning and arrested a Briton and three Thais.

The Briton, Peter Watkinjones, 40, was accused of leading a multinational mafia gang which bribed land officials to gain access to public land on the island for sale to foreigners.

The officers, divided into small teams, raided ten spots to try to arrest seven members of the so-called Bandidos gang.

DSI spokesman Pol Col Dussadee Arayawutthi said the three Thai men were identified as Pramual Somwong, a land official, and two ordinary people - Samroeng Buanak and Prateep Muangkaew.

He said a Briton and two Danish men were still elusive.

He said the seven were suspected of using influence to pressure local businesses and people to sell business and land to them and they paid bribe to land officials to use land documents elsewhere to forge ownership of public land on the island and sold them to foreigners at steep prices.

Dussadee said the sale contracts were undervalued as the buyers paid the rest of the money to the gang abroad.

--The Nation 2006-07-18

[taxexile]

although this was published a month ago , i dont think it has been posted in this thread , my apologies if it has.

Arrested Bandidos Member Claims Innocence

Arrested Dane Kim Lindegaard Nielsen claims he is an innocent victim of charges brought against him, while the main witness in the case against him reveals the nature of the operations of the gang.

By Gregers Moller

Kim Lindegaard Nielsen, the Danish Bandidos motorcycle gang member, who was Tuesday arrested in Thailand, will for the next two weeks be kept in the custody of the special police unit that arrested him. Then he will be transferred to an ordinary prison awaiting his trial, which may take several months.

Yesterday, Danish daily BT secured an exclusive interview with Kim Lindegaard Nielsen in his cell, while the competing tabloid Ekstra Bladet meanwhile managed to arrange an interview with the main witness in the case, the Australian Erik Riemsdyk who was himself threatened out of his publishing company.

Erik Riemsdyk’s ordeal started when he established a magazine for real estate business in Samui called Samui Land & House. Shortly after, he was intimidated into becoming a Bandidos prospect member together with his partner Crispin Paton-Smith, who fully embraced the Bandidos and sought to establish a Samui Chapter of the motorcycle club.

Business soared as Crispin Paton Smith and the other Bandidos members were good at applying subtle persuasive pressure on potential clients to advertise in their magazine, for instance by mentioning that this would also buy them protection from visits by the local police.

Later the business was so good that he was asked to pay 10 percent of the income to the chapter, Erik explained. Shortly after, during a trip to Pattaya, he was then asked to transport a few kilos of heroin from one place to another to show his allegiance to the Bandidos. If he refused, he should better not try to return to Samui...

If he took the risk, he was quite sure they would most likely tip off the drug police to have him arrested and he would then loose his business anyway – plus he would be put away for life in a Thai prison. So, he said no. Since then, he has been hiding and only surfaced now to witness under the Thai witness protection program.

Meanwhile, Kim Lindegaard Nielsen claimed innocence from his cell in the special police department where he and fellow Bandidos member Crispin is kept. He pointed to the police dropping first the charge of attempted murder against him, then the money laundering charges allegedly to the tune of 450 million Danish kroner.

The only charges left against him were now only two minor charges. One for illegal assembly by establishing the Bandidos chapter, and the other for extortion, based on the only two cases, in which the police had managed to find witnesses willing to speak. One was Neil Patrick Williams accusing him for pressuring him out of his shares in the Samui Bungee Jump. The other was Erik Riemsdyk’s claims that they had pressuring him out of his publishing company.

At first the case was aimed at cracking down on spiraling illegal activities in the real estate sector on Samui, exemplified by the huge house, which Kim Lindegaard Nielsen had built on top of a mountain in Ban Por in the North of the island. The house – and another one right next to it owned by fellow Danish Bandidos member Peter Buch Rosenberg - is built on a fake land title, while actually located in a nature reserve area.

If this was indeed the case, Kim said to BT, the local bank, where he had borrowed the money to build the house, had also been cheated. They had scrutinized the papers and found nothing wrong. He himself had only brought in 3 million Danish kroner to Thailand.

Created 2006-07-20

i lived next door to this nielsen character for 3 months , he drove a nice black range rover and bullied and intimidated anyone within 25 yards of him. he had a very imposing presence. the thais where we lived were scared stiff of him , and would not confront him over some of his behaviour and warned any falangs that complained about him to keep their complaints to themselves. they said he was a dangerous man on samui.

it is almost impossible to believe that he is just an innocent character enjoying the sunshine and beaches on samui.

hopefully he will be behind bars here for a long time until his case comes up and then he is deported.

his rottweillers were lovely softies though. even though he had cut the ears off them.!!

Edited August 31, 2006 by taxexile

[kurgen]

his rottweillers were lovely softies though. even though he had cut the ears off them.!!

maybe they were hard of hearing

[taxexile]

Danish Police to Investigate Bandidos Member

By Gregers Moller

Kim Lindegaard Nielsen is lead into the court in Bangkok. He is now transferred to a far less comfortable prison than the police custody of DSI where he was inititally kept. Photo: Satirat Dam-Ampai

Danish police was on Monday surprised to learn of the wealth of Danish Bandidos member Kim Lindegaard Nielsen. Head of the Danish Police Intelligence Agency, Troels Ørting Jørgensen visited DSI in the morning and was briefed about his Thai assets as they were so far disclosed.

“In Denmark he receives as far as I know social welfare and is not particularly wealthy,” a surprised Troels Ørting Jørgensen said.

“If he has more assets than declared in Denmark, the tax authorities may raise a case against him for tax evasion and the police may look into the source of this hidden wealth,” he added.

According to the DSI, his wife Linda has explained that about 200,000 baht was transferred every month from abroad as social security money from Denmark. This particular information caused a broad smile on the face of the visiting Danish policeman as it is way out of line with what a Dane could possibly receive in social welfare.

Linda had also explained to the police, that a particularly large amount of money was profit from an apartment which Kim had sold in Denmark. Police in Denmark will now look into what apartment that could possibly be.

DSI investigators say, Kim himself had explained the source of his wealth as coming from some cars, which he should have sold in Germany to clients who had paid him on British Virgin Island.

The extravagant lifestyle which he displayed on Samui speaks of a substantial income. His house is estimated to have cost not less than five million to built.

He had four huge motor cycles in the garrage, which are now on display as trophies in the lobby of theDSI police.

He had just bought a brand new Range Rover at around eight million baht.

At least two companies in Thailand is owned dominantly by Kim Lindegaard Nielsen.

Both are named "Froen Corporation" with one of them being spelled slightly differently in Thai language.

The name refers to his nickname, Froen, which is Danish for The Frog. One is established with a capital of 2 mill baht on 183/24 Moo 10, T. Nongprue, Banglamung, Pattaya, while another is established with a capital of 7 mill baht on 44/81 Moo 1, Maenam, Samui, and 162/20 Moo 2, BoPhut, Samui.Samui.

Similarly, more than one hundred companies are believed to be established by the Thai lawfirm or lawfirms collaborating with the gang. With or without the knowledge of the lawfirms, these firms should have been used to white wash a huge amount of money from abroad.

Kim Lindegaard Nielsen was on Friday 28 July presented for the second time to the court. This represented the expiration of the two times six days, which the police is allowed to keep their suspect in their own custody.

The defense had not submitted another request for release on bail and the court consequently ruled that he should be transferred to the general Lad Yao prison where he now awaits the prosecution to finalize the indictment against him and his fellow Bandidos member Crispin Paton-Smith for threatening two former business partners to hand over their share of ownership of their companies to them.

This may take up to 84 days counted from the day of his arrest on the 18 July and this deadline expires on 10 October 2006.

Created 2006-08-02

[Khun Jean]

his rottweillers were lovely softies though. even though he had cut the ears off them.!!

maybe they were hard of hearing

:D or was it you Tax.

Tax bit bonkers....

I met a few of these guys. They were my -fortunately not to near- neighbours. Unfortunately they also had friends.....

Edited August 31, 2006 by Khun Jean

[fleeing]

Although this development has apparently been ignored by the Englsih language Thai press, at least as far as I can see, Danish newspapers printed this item today from the Ritzau press agency.

Bandidos Case in Thailand falls apart

The attention grabbing case against the Bandidos and the Danish member of the rocker group Kim Lindegård Nielsen, has been reduced to one charge for two instances of threatening behaviour and extortion. The public prosecutor could not find grounds for more charges, when they were presented to the court in Bangkok on Monday.

The charges are especially weak compared to the dramatic arrest in July, with 100 special police officers mobilised on holiday island Koh Samui and seaside town Pattaya. At that time it was announced that the Bandidos rockers were the masterminds behind the massive white-washing of 3000 million baht or 455 million Danish Kroner, by illegal property deals on Koh Samui. But this part of the charges has now been dropped.

free translation from ritzau report http://www.berlingske.dk/indland/artikel:aid=805352/

[Pepe']

I agree with the above sentiments, but I want to ask a question: why is it that the *(top) Thai elements are never caught, or remain at-large, while foreign criminal elements are apprehended and paraded around? What exactly is the foreign gang's "influence"?

Yesterday, there was another article about high ranking TRT politicians on Samui. Somehow, they always seem to evade the police and "justice" systmem here.

This is very mysterious indeed Dr Watson...

[womble]

Well surprise surprise. This was all enacted to cover up shady property deals by TRT members, the main one being Sudarat. Now they are no longer in power, there is no urgency to prosecute meaning a payment can clear any problems.

Whilst these guys were more than likely anything but innocent, I hate it when people are arrested to cover up other peoples missdeeds.

All concerned have been out on bail in bangkok for ages anyway, all charges will now be dropped.

[Beachedwhale]

All concerned have been out on bail in bangkok for ages anyway, all charges will now be dropped.

I understand that 2 are still in Jail - actualy in the Bangkok Hilton. Evidently they are in single cell with around 40 others - mostly Thai, and that there is frequently a dead body taken out of the cells. Evidently they are leaving the farangs alone because of their reputation as being part of the Bandidos. It is probably a good stance by the Thai prisoners and something that the original informants should have thought of before initiating the arrests.

Peter Watkins-Jones has been out on bail for some time and he has his passport back and was supposed to have the charges dropped the morning after the coup, but that decision was delayed.

It is certainly an extremely unfortunate incident and hopefuly can be sorted out soon.

[ColPyat]

I understand that 2 are still in Jail - actualy in the Bangkok Hilton.

I would doubt that very much. The "Bangkok Hilton", as Bang Kwang is known, is only for convicted prisoners with a sentence of more than 25 years, and not for accused waiting for their trail. For those prisoners the Bangkok Remand Prison would be the location.

Other than that, violence is generally not tolerated in prisons here in the extend it is in the west, especially in the US. I have known many people who have spent time in Thai jails, and none has reported to me incidents of violence against them.

You have any proof that they are in Bang Kwang?

[Beachedwhale]

You have any proof that they are in Bang Kwang?

Your Honour

I only have circumstantial evidence as I have not been to the alleged residence often referred to as "Bangkok Hilton" and seen with my own eyes that the gentlemen are in fact incarcerated there.

I have it on good authority that they have not been released from Jail - the evidence that Mr Nielsen comes from word of mouth plus from the article found at: http://www.scandasia.com/viewNews.php?news...mp;coun_code=dk dated today and stating that he has again been refused bail. There is no mention in said article of where he is to be retained.

In terms of Mr Cripspin Paton-Smith, I did know him personally and through mutual friends (2 different sources) heard that he was still in Jail and one of those friends had in fact visited him in said location and gave me the details about the deaths (which may also be due to ill health, drugs and not just violence - but the informers wording to me gave me the impression it was due to violence, as he also talked about how Crispin mentioned that they were leaving him alone).

The informer also told me it was the Bangkok Hilton but I did not verify that "evidence" Your Honour. They may have inadvertently called the Bangkok prison "Bangkok Hilton" just because it was a prison in Bangkok and was seen as being quite an unpleasant place and to the visitor seemed quite abhorrent (which is a common view on the Bangkok Hilton).

While you state that "Bang Kwang … is only for convicted prisoners with a sentence of more than 25 years, and not for accused waiting for their trail", this is a very high profile case and allegedly involves major crime syndicate and it could be that it was felt more appropriate to place the gentlemen in a high security location such as Bang Kwang. This is pure speculation on my part, involves no other input from informers, press or any other means and could be totally inaccurate Your Honour.

Whatever the location, they are still in Jail and I believe the statement by Womble at 11:03 today was incorrect i.e. "All concerned have been out on bail in bangkok for ages anyway, all charges will now be dropped", which is what I was intending to point out. I apologise if some of my facts were not clear and will endeavour to ensure this does not happen in the future.

Thank you for your time.

[ColPyat]

Your Honour

We have noted with great pleasure to be adressed proper to our stature.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

"the court consequently ruled that he should be transferred to the general Lad Yao prison where he now awaits the prosecution to finalize the indictment against him."

[ColPyat]

"the court consequently ruled that he should be transferred to the general Lad Yao prison where he now awaits the prosecution to finalize the indictment against him."

Which most likely will be the Bangkok Remand Prison, located in the same compound as Lard Yao. Lard Yao itself is a women's prison, not the most likely place to incarcerate those blokes...

[sriracha john]

UPDATE

Court seeks missing Australian for crime trial

A Thai court, which has heard claims that foreign crime organisations and the Bandidos outlaw motorcycle gang are taking control of the holiday island of Koh Samui, has ordered the country's top investigators to produce a missing Australian witness.

Bangkok Criminal Court judges have told the prosecution and investigators for Thailand's Department of Special Investigations to bring Australian Eric Riemsdyk to court by the end of the month.

The court wants Mr Riemsdyk, from the northern Adelaide suburb of Elizabeth, to explain a 14-page report he has prepared on foreign crime on the resort island. A DSI spokesman said Mr Riemsdyk, 44, disappeared the night before the court hearing last week after checking into a hotel near the court and then checking out again. He had been booked in by four DSI officials.

Mr Riemsdyk is the key witness in a case against Briton Crispin Paton-Smith, 44, and Dane Kim Lindegaard Neilsen, 36. They are jointly accused of being members of a secret society for extortion, the Bandidos motorcycle gang. They are also accused of extorting a property publishing business from Mr Riemsdyk.

In his dossier to DSI police colonel Dusadee Arajavuth, Mr Riemsdyk claims that Koh Samui has been taken over by foreign crime gangs. He claims they now run much of the island's real estate business and are profiting also from prostitution, drug trafficking and money laundering with the aid of corrupt local police and officials and lawyers.

Central to the crime networks, he claims, are the Bandidos and British crime syndicates. The dossier claims the gangs earn money from drug trafficking abroad, launder the cash to buy businesses on Koh Samui, and then extend their crime empires by selling drugs to young tourists in the "techno-rave dance trance market".

It claims they also exploit the 30 to 50-year-old market by selling them holiday homes at 500 per cent profit, with the gated communities on the island ideal for the syndicates to carry out their trade.

Inside such communities, he claims, residents indulge in sex and drug orgies "away from prying eyes" and are supplied with "cigars, caviar, champagne, cocaine".

Mr Riemsdyk names scores of people and companies he says are tainted. He faces libel actions because some of the companies he names are among Thailand's foremost tourism operators.

The DSI claimed two Danes - Peter Rosenbuch and Mr Neilsen - were chairman and vice-chairman of the Bandidos. It accused Mr Paton-Smith , Mr Riemsdyk and a Briton, Neil William, of being Bandido officials. It claimed Mr Riemsdyk and Mr William, who is also missing, had fled in fear for their lives.

A DSI investigator said he had meetings with Scandinavian police who told him of the power the Bandidos held in Scandinavia, using weapons such as rocket launchers in gang warfare.

However, Mr Paton-Smith, who has his own website, claims he is simply a Harley-Davison enthusiast. He is a former British soldier who was discharged after being injured in a bomb blast in Northern Ireland.

"It was a motorcycle club, nothing more," Mr Paton-Smith said. "I wanted it to be called the Koh Samui motorcycle club; somebody else wanted it called the Bandidos. It was unfortunate. The Thai investigators think we are the same."

Before his arrest, Mr Paton-Smith had launched action against Mr Riemsdyk, accusing him of stealing cash and computers from his business, a property magazine, in which they were partners.

The court was last week jammed with supporters of Mr Paton-Smith. One backer, Tim Keates from Buckinghamshire in Britain, said: "We are amazed at this case. Had Crispin been up to anything we would have known about it. He has a heart of gold and is renowned for helping tourists and expats alike."

- news.com.au

[taxexile]

Inside such communities, he claims, residents .................. are supplied with "cigars,..........".

i knew it was bad down there , but never in my wildest dreams did i think it was this bad.

[jumnien]

Farangs would do well not to marry bargirls or trust farang real estate floggers; but, they will!

[CymruAmByth]

In this case it looks like the Thais were caught and the foreigners are still at lodge. My guess is that they are in he UK and not in Thailand at al. We'll see.

Surely then all the BIB have to do is go to the lodge where they all are and round them up

[Heng]

It's important to remember that foreigners, even criminals, are only allowed to RENT their criminal enterprises here.

[Nepal4me]

Does anybody know what happened to Peter (Spike) I forget his last name? He's the guy that was arrested early on in this investigation. He has a Brit passport but lived in Australia since he was 3 yrs old so speaks like an Aussie. He was in the Aussie Navy for many years. He was building a set of townhouses in and around Cheung Mon. Also owned the Billabong up in Fisherman Village and the Bungy jump.

Anyway, anybody know if he got off and if he's still working on his townhouse projects or what happened to him?

[phutoie2]

In this case it looks like the Thais were caught and the foreigners are still at lodge. My guess is that they are in he UK and not in Thailand at al. We'll see.

Surely then all the BIB have to do is go to the lodge where they all are and round them up

Brilliant!!! "At which lodge were these farangs apprehended your honour"

[thomo]

Inside such communities, he claims, residents indulge in sex and drug orgies".

Bring it on. Happy days in the LoS.

Edited October 8, 2007 by thomo

[sriracha john]

Thai court seeks absent Australian witness

BANGKOK - A Thai court is seeking an Australian witness as part of an investigation of outlaw motorcycle gangs on the resort island of Koh Samui.

Investigators want Eric Riemsdyk, who prepared a 14-page report on the island's crime, to testify against Briton Crispin Paton-Smith and Dane Kim Lindegaard Neilsen, who are accused of extortion as members of the Bandidos motorcycle gang, the Australian reported Sunday.

Riemsdyk reportedly disappeared from his hotel last week, the night before he was scheduled to appear before the court.

The defendants claim they are simply members of a recreational motorcycle group, but the government alleges they are engaging in extortion and drug trafficking in league with a British crime syndicate.

The group is also accused of selling vacation properties at a 500 percent profit and marketing club drugs to teenagers.

- UPI

[Prakanong]

Does anybody know what happened to Peter (Spike) I forget his last name? He's the guy that was arrested early on in this investigation. He has a Brit passport but lived in Australia since he was 3 yrs old so speaks like an Aussie. He was in the Aussie Navy for many years. He was building a set of townhouses in and around Cheung Mon. Also owned the Billabong up in Fisherman Village and the Bungy jump.

Anyway, anybody know if he got off and if he's still working on his townhouse projects or what happened to him?

Is that not the Watkins-jones from the OP?

Used to be in the Aus Navy?

I sometimes used to see him in Bangkok and he was relating his tale about his arrest - noty seen him for a while though.

[JetsetBkk]

The group is also accused of selling vacation properties at a 500 percent profit

- UPI

Shocking. They were obviously making a huge profit by undercutting the Thais.