British Resident suffers broken arm over 40 baht parking fee in Central Pattaya

[sfbandung]

Over less than $1.50 ... just silly not to pay up.

So do you just 'pay up' to every random Thai who demands money from you?

If so I'll be sending all the kids off the estate round your house (on a 50% commission).

To those cretins bleating on about this fella being out at 2.30am, last time I looked the curfew was over and he has every right to be out at what ever time he so chooses.

I didn't say it was right. Just silly. He is a 70 year old man who parked somewhere that enabled this young (thug? who knows) to have an excuse to demand what is in fact a very small sum of money. It is 230am. I say pay it and don't park there again. And when he went for the car the old guy gets out and takes on a youth with a lump of wood.

Don't get me wrong, the young bloke is an <deleted>. But the old guy got his ambitions mixed up with his abilities and was clearly angry and his self preservation instincts failed him. What if it had been a blow to the head? $1.50? We have to live in the world the way it is, not the way we would like it to be.

[ScotBkk]

I believe the old fart should have just paid the 40 baht. Talk about cheap Charlie. He should have never illegally parked or gotten out of his car. Not smart to challenge a younger man.

I would love to see how well your up to a challenge at his age brave boy .....

Edited October 6, 2014 by ScotBkk

[whaleboneman]

Someone 70 years old should know better than to confront a teen.

The outcome was never going to be favorable.

I would say ANY teen regardless of nationality should respect elder! Especially in thai, there age is so important! So keep your comment for yourself!

Yes momma.

[indyuk]

Never argue over petty sums of money in Thailand. If you do the outcome is more likely to be personal injury or even death. This is especial true if the Thai can see that you are rich. Walk away and complain to your peers they'll give you sound advice.

Edited October 6, 2014 by indyuk

[ScotBkk]

Someone 70 years old should know better than to confront a teen.

The outcome was never going to be favorable.

Never expected a comment like that from you USA............... rated you a bit better than that mate .....

[connda]

The parking in that area is very difficult. But at 2:30am, and now during low season, it's not too bad. From the pics, it seems the car park is well signed. You park there you should know you'll have to pay.

But hitting him with a piece of wood is out of line. The parking attendant should face charges for this.

Agreed!

[jomcondo]

Thailand is gradually descending into a very violent place.

[wow64]

Another site suggests he went to a late night pharmacy to buy some viagra. Makes sense that he was hit with some wood.

Edited October 6, 2014 by wow64

[MrWorldwide]

Was it really necessary to squeeze the poor old git's broken arm just for a photo op ? I have a broken shoulder atm and it's no picnic - even when the doctor slowly moved my arm to see where the pain kicked in I wasnt happy - having a cop with zero medical training grab my arm would have been an ordeal on top of the initial shock.

EDIT - as pointed out earlier, its not a cop and the guy presumably does have some medical training - my mistake. Still some very interesting timing for the photographer and the kind of shot designed to discourage potential tourists and retirees.

Edited October 6, 2014 by MrWorldwide

[Neeranam]

I feel sorry for the attendant. Probably getting 400 baht a day wages, far away from home, trying to earn an honest living. Having to deal with ignorant sexpats all day/night, who are paranoid about getting ripped off, must be soul-destroying. People using the car park and driving away without paying deserve a fine but this poor by just lost the plot. What's he supposed to do - go to the police? Add all this onto the fact that his female relatives are probably forced into prostitution - can anyone really blame him.

Edited October 6, 2014 by Neeranam

[media]

Thai Logic:

Perp has no money, so we cant fine him. he cant pay it.

Let him go with a warning.

[HooHaa]

guy refused to pay for a service he used. he was restrained. som nam na.

[MrWorldwide]

I feel sorry for the attendant. Probably getting 400 baht a day wages, far away from home, trying to earn an honest living. Having to deal with ignorant sexpats all day/night, who are paranoid about getting ripped off, must be soul-destroying. People using the car park and driving away without paying deserve a fine but this poor by just lost the plot. What's he supposed to do - go to the police? Add all this onto the fact that his female relatives are probably forced into prostitution - can anyone really blame him.

Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, but I expect you'll get a few bites with that post 'nam

As one of the 'ignorant sexpats' I'd have to say that the indentured sex workers I deal with seem surprisingly enthusiastic about their jobs, hangovers and low season notwithstanding. One of the bar owners told me last night that he wont employ girls who show more interest in their phones than the customers and personally I'd like to see a few more with the backbone to do the same.

[Liquorice]

orientalsf, on 06 Oct 2014 - 09:13, said:

I believe the old fart should have just paid the 40 baht. Talk about cheap Charlie. He should have never illegally parked or gotten out of his car. Not smart to challenge a younger man.

If you look at the photo's the parking attendant was wearing a bright yellow T-shirt and a pair of beach shorts!

Is that the kind of dress uniform you would expect of a parking attendant, or a beach bum.

The victim probably made the same assumption most of us would make that he was being ripped off, so tried to drive away to avoid confrontation.

The youngster probably hit his car in frustration at not getting his 40 baht and that escalated to a confrontation.

[Neeranam]

Never argue over petty sums of money in Thailand. If you do the outcome is more likely to be personal injury or even death. This is especial true if the Thai can see that you are rich. Walk away and complain to your peers they'll give you sound advice.

Could say the same about any country.

Who are my peers that I should ask?

[smedly]

Wonder if said car park attendant was on the payroll of the car park owner.

Or at 2:30am just an opportunist who saw cars parking on an unattended car park and thought he could make some easy money.

completely agree with this

under what authority was this kid collecting fees

is it public land - who owns it, if privately owned is the owner aware that money is being collected

try parking on some of the streets around walking street (public land) and you will have the local hoods trying to collect a fee, if you don't pay and choose to park there you will either face a beating or your vehicle will be damaged

time pattaya got the Phuket treatment - all they do is talk about changes and absolutely zero happens

[soihok]

Wonder if the old gent gave the young'un a mouthful of verbal abuse. It certainly does the trick if you wish to be attacked with a lump of timber

[dieseldave1951]

so i assume that you would let them walk all over you then

Someone 70 years old should know better than to confront a teen.
The outcome was never going to be favorable.

[jacky54]

Agree, as far as I know this is a 24 hre. car park, and 40 Baht is very reasonable.

No it's not it's double the price in the rest of the country. Do you seriously think a Thai would pay 40 baht to a scummy looking kid at 2.30 in the morning for a few minute stop. Driver should have run the little shxt down.

[MrWorldwide]

I'm saving my dwindling stocks of compassion and outrage for the other foul play in Pattaya over the last fortnight or so.

- Thai man found floating in canal in South Pattaya - public response is to gather on the bank to view the corpse

- newborn baby found dead at the side of Pattaya highway

- Danish woman taken to isolated location and sexually assaulted by fake moto-taxi rider.

FWIW, I broke my shoulder about a month ago so I do have some idea of what the victim is going through - undoubtedly much worse at 70 than at my age - but I would have happily given our yellow-shirted friend the 40 baht.

[Thai at Heart]

Completely indicative of a lawless society.

Impromptu unlicensed parking place, man hits car with stick. Man hits man with stick.

After the event eventually, the law of the country steps in for a photo op.

[petercool]

Completely indicative of a lawless society.

Impromptu unlicensed parking place, man hits car with stick. Man hits man with stick.

After the event eventually, the law of the country steps in for a photo op.

How many more times need you be told and reminded that it is not "the law" in the photo but a rescue foundation (Sawang Boriboon) medical attendant.

[marinediscoking]

The farang should have paid his damn fee like everyone else. Idiot. Why have I never been struck by wood? Because I pay for parking just like the Thais! Did he think being white would let him park for free? Sorry, this ain't no old English colony. Thainess is about correcting <deleted>.

First of all I am 99% this kid was extorting people for parking on his own without consent from anyone. There is no car park in that area of soi diana! Across from Diana dragon is a row of shop houses between subay and the 7-11. The 2 meters between the front of the shop houses and the road is the property of the city. This is the even the case even when the owner puts a concrete sidewalk on it in front of the business. If he parked on the opposite side of the street in front of the car rental which is the business between diana dragon and sawadii hotel this might be possible as they rent out that space at night to vendors. Last I heard that rental agency was owned by an Englishman but both news articles are not specif enough as to where he parked. Anyway all those small food stalls that are on that Soi just off the road are being let illegally because they fall on the 2 meter space from the soi. Usually money is changed hands to turn a blind eye. If this had happened on a private Soi such as LK metro the situation would have been different but one cannot legally use violence in any case.

Edited October 6, 2014 by marinediscoking

[Benmart]

Nice of the man in uniform to squeeze his arm to see if he was telling the truth.

Should have paid his parking fee.

If you live and drive in Thailand you should know the procedure.

If he was back at home he would be looking at a 3000 baht fine.

How would I know,if the officer was squeezing the mans arm to see if he was telling the truth. I wasn't there. I don't know.

"Should have paid his parking fee". I wasn't there and don't have all the facts. The person that wrote the news article most likely not there at the time of the man parked his,car, came back and was assaulted.

As for living and driving in Thailand. I'm not in a position to tell anyone what they should be doing or knowing. I am not in charge and am not all-knowing, all-seeing as some appear to be.

I don't know where the man is from and certainly wouldn't pretend to know the fine for a parking offense, unless of course, I had that same experience in his home town.

It's easy to sit at home and diagnose, criticize and pontificate, about something that I know only from what I read.

[car720]

Most of those parking lot guys just some thief scumbags that sells drugs, they use public road spaces to take money from people.

I really deeply hate them. They contribute to nothing other than demand money for doing nothing.

Thais will do everything to avoid loosing face, even beat a 70 years old man with a piece of wood, not even hands.

Welcome to Thailand.

"Thais will do everything to avoid loosing [sic] face ..."

Nice rant. Spreading the love.

It appears Khun Farang was so desperate to save face that he couldn't cough up Baht 40 and write it off as a lesson learned.

I really deeply hate them

Something tells me you feel that way about a lot of people.

I just want to make sure that I have got this right.

After the many, perhaps hundreds, of thousands of articles the same or even worse than this:

Are you condoning these people's actions and criticizing other people's disgust at such actions?

[Number 3]

I hope the British press does a story about violence in Thailand and tourists cancel their trips here.

Wake up Thailand and put your scum in jail.

Farang MUST report every 90 says while your criminals are free on the streets.

I hope this story goes viral.

Investigative reporters are required here immediately to assist in the uncovering of truth in the David and Hannah murders. These are a part of a much larger issue on the islands and parts of Thailand that warrants an enquiry. Agree.

[jacky54]

What a stupid old man!!

why for having the balls to confront a kid damaging his car just because he refused to be ripped off, hero more like

[morrobay]

Like Ive said ad nauseam: The best you can do is to ignore ( no contact/communication ) all Thai males. But thats quite a challenge as there is a s### load of them everywhere

[thejcb]

Why is an old bloke running around Pattaya at 2:30am ?

[eeeya]

On the streets around khaosan rd, bangkok, at night these type of guys come out of the wood work and make you pay for parking on the street! Upfront. And good luck if you just smirk and walk away. Your cars toast.

Unbelievable and pretty intimidating