Police arrest Thai soldiers for abduction of Ukrainian couple

[Tatsujin]

"They then took him to the Kbank branch near Chalong Circle and near Chalong Police Station where the abductors told their hostage he could give them a cheque for the money but ordered him to call his wife to meet them at the bank."

So now the kidnappers take checks? how about an IOU note? will they accept that?

Cheques are fine, IOU's are acceptable as long as both parties sign a legally binding agreement with a lawyer, but the preffered choice is direct bank transfer to their own personal account.

Was involved in a case years ago here, CSD in the big new building in Bangkok were running the operation, had to show them how to track the IP address of email sender to source (I.e. how to find where the guy was sending emails from), how to do everything pretty much, including reminding them that marking the bills used to make payment was probably a good idea too.

First cop (very senior) got out a big black marker pen and started marking them (in Thai) with "Police" that covered the whole side of the note. After a while I pointed out that that was perhaps just a little too obvious and also renders the notes useless, he compromised and allowed me to use the UV pen I'd planned ahead and brought for the occasion.

The "sting" operation itself was also farcical and another long story in and of itself but ultimately they got the guy.

They were like kids in a candy shop when they actually had arrested him and I got the impression this was one of the few rare sting operations they actually succeeded at.

[Loptr]

Ukrainians, gray business, millions and millions of baht, gung-ho soldiers, "good guys" eventually won, except were they ultimately the good guys? That's a matter of sequel;

Indeed a good ol' shootout and some cut off members was missing from this awesome movie script - and then I realized TiT

Sony should get the movie rights...

[mca]

I'm glad they stopped the perps before they got in the bank. Those queues are bloody horrendous sometimes. Imagine being squeezed in those little plastic chairs next to 10 tooled up blokes clutching a little paper queue number slip..

[noitom]

The Thai press writes - "what should have been a smooth operation." This extortion crime is being referred to in the Thai press, as "what should have been a smooth operation." That shows you what Thais are all about.

[A1Str8]

I hope not every soldier is as unprofessional as these kids are.

[Friendly Stranger]

We need more criminals like this. I can see them saying. You promise not to tell...

[SOTIRIOS]

.........wonder if.......... 'Indian couples to be married in Thailand'............... might have............ 'second thoughts'......

[Krataiboy]

And only yesterday we learned that an astonishing 60 to 70 per cent of army recruits were drug takers or dealers. Having jumped on the corrupt police, the generals should now focus on cleaning out their own gadarine stables.

[minikev]

Well done to the coppers. Must have been a bit scary knowing they were up against 10 soldiers with loaded weapons. The fact that no one was hurt suggests a very professional operation.

[mike324]

Something doesn't make sense here. Draw 15 million baht (or even 1 million baht) from an ATM? Then say "No problem, I'll take a cheque." Oh come on !!!

in Thailand a bank cheque is equivalent to cash, many people do ask for bank cheques in place of cash so they don't have to carry all that cash around. You are probably thinking they are talking about personal cheque, not many individuals have personal cheques, mostly only businesses or business owners have it, this is due to fraud reasons so qualifications to get personal cheques are strict.

[BSJ]

"where the abductors told their hostage he could give them a cheque for the money..."

[Lupatria]

Now I wait for the war between green and brown getting into full swing.

[lostinisaan]

Not only are they criminals, they are extremely stupid criminals!!

Letting the wife go....................................

soldiers aren't that bright, just look at those who are trying to be politicians.

I w\always thought soldiers are only trained to kill and used to <deleted> in the woods?

[wabothai]

Greed at other people's expense has become a virtue, so has lying. Honesty has become inconvenient. Merry Xmas y'all.

[Benmart]

I reckon this is the last you will hear of this.

It is easy to cease hearing when there is a predisposition for looking into the future for a conclusion.

[Lupatria]

Sadly, kidnapping/extortion is a growth industry around the world.

Thanks for sharing the extraordinary insight.

[muratremix]

Lt Col Chukiat Imjaitam, deputy superintendent of Chalong Police, told The Phuket News that the couple owed money to a man in the Ukraine with whom they had been involved in a “grey” business

Grey one: Drugs

Grey two: Prostitution ( as they've got their own airport called "Utapao", or "Uta Pao" quite a few don't even have a valid passport, flying in straight from Moscow.

Grey three: Open, as almost all organized crimes are always a big problem for all involved. Kalashnikovs still do make their profits.

Russians own an international airport here? <deleted>?!

[halloween]

And only yesterday we learned that an astonishing 60 to 70 per cent of army recruits were drug takers or dealers. Having jumped on the corrupt police, the generals should now focus on cleaning out their own gadarine stables.

I suspect that the quoted percentage may well apply to that age group of the general population.

Can you please explain what an Armenian name given to baby girls has to do with stables, and/or the RTA?

[how241]

Criminals all the way around.

+1...Everyone involved was dirty except the arresting police.

[laocowboy2]

So the Ukrainian couple were involved in some dodgy dealings and this was the fallout, or did I read it wrong ...?

correct, this story leaves a lot of stuff missing

My take on this is that there was a falling out of those involved in a major crime ring

This needs to be investigated further by someone that was not involved

so obvious to me - but maybe too much coolade tonight

"This needs to be investigated further by someone that was not involved" Finding someone may take a while :-(

[laocowboy2]

So the Ukrainian couple were involved in some dodgy dealings and this was the fallout, or did I read it wrong ...?

correct, this story leaves a lot of stuff missing

My take on this is that there was a falling out of those involved in a major crime ring

This needs to be investigated further by someone that was not involved

so obvious to me - but maybe too much coolade tonight

[laocowboy2]

So the Ukrainian couple were involved in some dodgy dealings and this was the fallout, or did I read it wrong ...?

correct, this story leaves a lot of stuff missing

My take on this is that there was a falling out of those involved in a major crime ring

This needs to be investigated further by someone that was not involved

so obvious to me - but maybe too much coolade tonight

[H1w4yR1da]

It is not clear how the Ukrainian businessman was able to hire the soldiers.

Because they were cheaper than the police?

[Mudcrab]

Not only are they criminals, they are extremely stupid criminals!!

Letting the wife go....................................

soldiers aren't that bright, just look at those who are trying to be politicians.

True..many become Victorian coppers... and then the corruption really starts.

[ggt]

In Thailand all things are possible...just dream what you wish...hire soldiers and police to carry out your dastardly deed...and sleep tight at night...

[cookee68]

No wonder Thai people like watching comedy on the tv, this is just like that

[kiwikeith]

'happily there was no gunplay' Oh that's nice.

Sounds to me like the play was card skimming, and the soldiers were confident that they would not be sprung as they must have been dealing with these gangsters for a while. however there must have been f all in the pot at the time and they feared greater consequences if they did not come up with the dosh.

Just renew their visas and they can start allover in a different district as they are quality tourists and deserve permanent residence.

But that's just a theory from me, might be something bigger!

[jabis]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/785730-army-to-review-troops-role-in-dispute/ apparently the greenies weren't meenies after all

[2fishin2]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/785730-army-to-review-troops-role-in-dispute/ apparently the greenies weren't meenies after all

Wonder what the real story is? Why would anyone go to the army for help? Lol

[american12bthai]

Another day in the life in Thailand...... Well with all the bad press the police have

been getting, guess it was just a matter of time before the military had their share

of bad press. Does it feel like these kidnapping and ransom stories are becoming

more common ? Starting to feel like I am living in Mexico....

thank you for finally confirming my observations.

in mexico when you say to people, "do you know who my daddy is?" you get kidnapped and ransomed. there is no sympathy for the snobishly rich.