Miyo Gang - Terrorizing Chiangmai Residents

[Flatouthruthefog]

I spent 15 years of my life in a gang. We were mostly young and a lot came from the poorer parts of town where joining the gang was a way of getting out. We learned to use guns, knives, and fists. Lots of the guys had extensive tattoos despite then it being a social taboo. We stuck together and were a force to be reckoned with. Lots of people hated and dispised us because of who we were. We were called soldiers and our gang was the Army. How times change and everything stays the same.

CB

Just a quickie out of sheer curiosity here:

I can see how being a gang member like that can get you IN (jail, goal, hospital, 'the nick' whatever), but you just wrote OUT. Out of what, exactly? My only considered theory is simply - boredom.

[Ulysses G.]

He is actually refering to the military and getting out of a bad situation. You know, travel around the world and kill people for a living!

[Flatouthruthefog]

Agreed, the Samurai Gangs are not new & have been around for many years.

Recently

Chiang Mai Mail: Vol. III No. 11 - Saturday March 13 - March 19 2004

http://www.chiangmai-mail.com/073/news.shtml#hd20

Chiang Mai police apprehend Samurai gang members

Fancy swordsmanship not enough to get away

Nopniwat Krailerg

Phuping Police have arrested two members of the teenage Samurai Gang. They were on the trail of three of the young miscreants, but one is still at large. The gang had followed a victim to his home in Sai Lom Joy village, where they injured a man and stole his motorcycle and possessions.

Two Samurai Gang members, Daeng and Ake, shown here with some of the haul and their samurai sword, were charged at Phuping Police station.

Pol Col Prachuab Wongsook, superintendent of Phuping Station, commanded the investigation team, led by Pol Capt Jaran Kampa, investigation police deputy inspector, to examine the crime scene and hunt for the criminals.

After questioning the witness, police officers knew that the criminals were named Daeng and Ake. One hour later, policemen arrested Thawatchai, or Daeng, at Udomlert Court behind Chiang Mai University, and Nisithi, or Ake, at his rented house on Santitham Road. The officers impounded the stolen motorcycle, a 2 foot long samurai sword and the unregistered motorcycle they used when carrying out the robbery.

The two teenage criminals confessed that they took up crime to pay for their football gambling habit. They followed their victim looking for the opportunity to rob him.

When they reached the village, they realized the place was deserted, so they called the victim to stop and threatened him with the sword. The frightened victim handed over his possessions and ran, leaving his motorcycle for the criminals.

Pol Capt Jaran said that the teen gangsters had been committing crimes two to three times a month, but police had stepped up surveillance and were routinely stopping youngsters on unregistered motorcycles.

Also a copy gang in Chiang Khong

Chiang Mai Mail: Vol. II No. 20 Saturday 17 May - 23 May 2003

http://www.chiangmai-mail.com/030/news.shtml

Samurai gang attacks students in Chiang Rai

Parents complain to local MP of police inaction

A gang wielding samurai swords last month attacked 4 students in Chiang Rai, and so far, justice has yet to be served. All the victims were seriously injured, with one victim requiring 200 stitches, another had the tendon severed in the right leg and 2 boys received facial and arm wounds.

Paradol Chaimangua, Nuttawit Hattasorn and their parents lodged a complaint with Buason Prachamon, Chiang Rai Member of Parliament that the victims had already notified the police about the slashing but there was no apparent progress.

The 4 students are studying in Boonrueng Wittayakhom School, Chiang Khong district, Chiang Rai. On April 4, they were in Wat Ban Ton Plong's celebration and had an altercation with the Samurai group.

The report of the incident was given to the police of Tambon Boonrueng, Police Station of Chiang Khong district; however, there is neither progress in investigation nor any punishment of the criminals.

If I remember rightly the Bkk Post or the Nation ran a feature on them a year or two. There was some nice elderly Thai lady looking after the wayward kids at her house or some sort of "gang HQs" south of town near Nong Hoi / Pa Daet / Saraphi, I think it was. For awhile I think there also copy gangs in Lampang & elsewhere in the North. It seemed to be a fashion fad until the police rightly jumped on them all. I that the gossip amongst the local Thais at the moment is that gang violence has been seriously rising the last few weeks / months.

But Blinkey Bill still doesn't scare me (while he's sober.)

All the worst of what has been written here is correct. The fact that the violence is sporadic and so far has (appeared to) exclude western victims should NOT lull ANYONE into a false sense of security.

There are 2 gangs basically at intermittent war, one based in Chiang Mai, the other in Lamphun with possibly 'friendly' relations to Lampang.

One of the most insidious aspects of the whole thing is that the Chiang Mai 'side' is sponsored, encouraged and protected by an evil old crone whose original intentions MAY once have been good. For whatever reasons, she now runs and 'protects' them, meaning she has enough clout to 'discourage' local police efforts. I have a source on this and will report back soon with any further info.

The last time the police did a 'late night big bust' they rounded up several offenders in the area of open bars off Rachawitee, 100m west of the UNIrish Pub.

Suffice to say for now i would encourage extreme caution by anyone riding a slow/medium speed bike at night, especially on the Old Lamphun "big tree" road or that parallel part of the Superhighway or "railway line" roads at night.

Especially, look out for youngsters coming up behind with no lights (or they suddenly turn them off as they approach you), seemingly trying to overtake ('undertake') you on your LEFT!

Keep hard left, give it the gun and get under some street lighting asap!!

If you have a pillion passenger they are less likely to attack as they suspect your passenger may be armed. The gang's serious injuries are inflicted by either the riding 'pincer' method described by another poster or by their own passengers with swords.

The ultimate answers are, of course, to drive a car (Lamphun cheap used car prices shot up 3 years ago due to this!!) or be tucked up in bed by the be-witching hour.

Meantime, the local boys-in-brown on the night shift relax in front of their TVs, of course.

[Crow Boy]

I spent 15 years of my life in a gang. We were mostly young and a lot came from the poorer parts of town where joining the gang was a way of getting out. We learned to use guns, knives, and fists. Lots of the guys had extensive tattoos despite then it being a social taboo. We stuck together and were a force to be reckoned with. Lots of people hated and dispised us because of who we were. We were called soldiers and our gang was the Army. How times change and everything stays the same.

CB

Just a quickie out of sheer curiosity here:

I can see how being a gang member like that can get you IN (jail, goal, hospital, 'the nick' whatever), but you just wrote OUT. Out of what, exactly? My only considered theory is simply - boredom.

Out of a dead end from lack of opportunity. Many of the guys who join the military do it because it is a way of getting out of their neighbourhood. Depending on the service and country of enlistment you have an opportunity of getting college credits, being paid, being with a bunch of like minded guys, not sitting around waiting to get into trouble with the law etc.

When I joined up, the statistic quoted was that 90% of recruits were unemployed and many were long term. The join for a job and many of them find a career. They then have problems readjusting when they go back to being civilians again. It took me quite a long time to make the change myself.

There have been several very good studies of guys who have been in the military especially during conflict where their buddies in the service become their family and everything revolves around that. Take that away and they don't cope in the outside life. The original hel_l's Angels were marine pilots (not officers) who survived the second world war (well the shorter part when the US was actively involved ). When they were demobbed they missed the excitement and also most didn't expect to survive the war. They took their old insignia and formed a motorcycle gang - there were many of the same sort in places such as California at the time. They were hard fighting and drinking war buddies who didn't want to go back to preenlistment type jobs so found other ways of making money. The gang almost died out (like many others) until Sammy Barger who was an ex serviceman (fought in Korea from memory) and got a honourable discharge. He joined the Angels and then made it into it is now today. Sammy wore his old style of colour patch for many years after it was redrawn to the current style. When he became president of the Sacramento chapter he finally adopted the modern set but still retained his originals for his burial.

Gangs including those in the samuraii gang are just the same. They are looking for people who adopt them into the group mind and for many that replaces their natural family. They will fight and kill together. They form their own set of morals according to the codes of practice of the gang. Anyone breaking that code will pay a heavy penalty.

In the military there are similar codes - stick together, never rat on eachother, if punishment is dealt out everyone shares it. In a good circumstance it is a great thing but if someone doesn't fit or follow the "rules" the punishment can be severe. In Australia in the 1970's six soldiers were charged with the beating of another soldier - they were punished in the military and then in the civil courts. The group refused to say who did the actual beating or why. They stuck together. I was a soldier then and it was very rare to hear anyone say that they had done something wrong. The feeling was that they stuck together and "copped it sweet" They got respect from their peers and that is the salient point to these people. Respect cannot be given or taken it must be earned.

CB

[bunta71]

There is a small red-headed gay guy that frequents the Loi Kroh Rd area and I met him at the "Good Friends" bar. He is a survivor of a samurai attack here in CM just about 3 or 4 years ago. Cannot believe he survived ! He was found the next morning stuffed into a black garbage bag next to the river. URBAN LEGEND? They slashed so badly his arms and wrists basically have no tendon conecctions and bend backwards and the scars are horrendous. He claims they punks were all well off and when caught the parents paid about 100,000 Baht each and they are still around...URBAN LEGENDS INDEED

[JimsKnight]

I think even going as far as calling them a samurai is an insult. Sword gang or swordsman gang fair enough but all this crp about being a samurai gang just doesn't cut it.

Calling them a samurai gang gives these scummy kids too much praise IMO.

It's like considering a thai gang a 'mafia' there's no such thing as a 'mafia' in thailand just gangs and criminals.

[sibeymai]

Isn't the gang in the wrong place....shouldn't they be on Krabi ?

[tigerbeer]

Isn't the gang in the wrong place....shouldn't they be on Krabi ?

they should be in iraq. maybe they can test their "swordfighting" skills there.

[Ta22]

Hello Everyone ,

been a long long while since i do any post , i been busy , and recently fall in love with a lovely girl i met on my birthday 18 days ago .

i ask her to marry me on the first week and i been busy ever since . - anyway back to the topic of this samurai gang ,

i been here for about 10 years plus minus . and is true to some extent from what had been said and feedback .

why the beheading some might ask ..

is not for show is just an old way to proof your yourself to the gang .

for any member to move up in their ranking system .. one have to kill or behead some total stranger to show that he can or is able . in the order of the gang .

just the same in many other gang around the world . there are different way to proof yourself .. some is just simply stealing a Car , rob a house ,

bash up some small kids or old man . to killing and murder some poor chap

.

what i hear and my 2 cent is there were some order in the past to shoot and talk later for the samurai gang .. which is gaven to police to shot first and check later . and alot of this so called gang leader were killed .

some month ago i went clubbing with one of my friends OZ . and we withness 4 guys beating the hel_l out of two drunk - there are no small kids . to think this gang is just kids .. is wrong .. some is in their mid 20s some even 30s .

this is not child play . or taking a lolipop from a baby .

thailand had alway been a country with background check .

all i can say is . take care of yourself and be safe . avoid travelling alone at night . some street is safer the others some just more dangerous .

fix your bike headlight . and have loud horn installed ..

if possible .. carry a orge axe with you ( just joking )

most of this kids is chicken shit . but some is hardcore player .

anyway . may all this be solve soon and may peace with with everyone .

just a big shut to austhaied and pardon me if i phone clal you mor ethen ocne .. cos you happen to be the first name on my contact list i have adjust that , already .

[Ulysses G.]

i been busy , and recently fall in love with a lovely girl i met on my birthday 18 days ago .

i ask her to marry me on the first week and i been busy ever since .

"Busy" eh? I bet.

Edited November 7, 2007 by Ulysses G.

[Choscura]

I've heard the name mentioned about. also, to the original poster, I believe it's spelled 'mio', not 'miyo'.

anyway, I've got a theory- I'd be willing to bet that there are a half dozen samauri gangs that are entirely seperate entities that have nothing to do with each other if they can help it. why? because it looks like theres at least two descriptions of actual members in this topic- angry teenagers and the 'all ages' group which would probably encompass all the criminals who were smart/good enough to survive at what they do for a living. that would make them of a higher 'status', without being dangerous (directly) to people who imitate them. if you pretend to be in the mafia, the mafia asks questions. if you pretend to be khun aiheah who nobody knows, but most people know *about*, who cares? so I'd bet theres something like that going on.

[mcgriffith]

OK, Ta, I scored an Orge axe

Now I just need a mounting bracket for the side of my CBR.....

[Donnyboy]

I spent 15 years of my life in a gang. We were mostly young and a lot came from the poorer parts of town where joining the gang was a way of getting out. We learned to use guns, knives, and fists. Lots of the guys had extensive tattoos despite then it being a social taboo. We stuck together and were a force to be reckoned with. Lots of people hated and dispised us because of who we were. We were called soldiers and our gang was the Army. How times change and everything stays the same.

CB

CB, youre still a force to be reckoned with- armed to the eyeballs with all the "mod" cons

[JuniorExPat]

tahrtootu - welcome back, happy birthday and congratulations.

Always good to see posts from you.

My brother-in-law is a traditional Lanna musician (plays with/for Kru Aet) and often comes home late after gigs/nangs. He has never mentioned a Miyo/Mio gang but in recent months has shown concern again about the so-called Samurai gang(s). He can handle himself but still plans his route and transport home carefully to avoid being caught alone or in deserted areas.

JxP