Dawn raids in Koh Samui by 700 police and soldiers

[thaimat]

Not really too much force, I never even heard about this till thus afternoon.

Though the Mrs said there was a lot of police presence last night and the night before.

But usually just attributed to trying to catch yaba couriers.

Seems to me they wanted to sweep up a network all at once

with enough visible force to make armed resistance seem futile or fatal.

The nature if the assassination a short while back was so brazen and so public,

I think bringing the biggest hammer was a logical message bring sent to more

than just this network of sociopaths and gangsters, that there are new limits to

what society will tolerate.

With 1 suspect in custody and his perp walk reenactment and the name of his accomplice known,

they were able to target which network heads were behind it. And decided to really send a message,

that tourist business is worth far far more their their interacting squabbles for turf and influence.

Intelligent, well written post, I couldn't agree more!

[lucky11]

Sledehammer to crack a nut !!

Somebodies been watching to many movies.

American movies no doubt!!

[NeilSA1]

700 / 26 = 26.92 people to catch each target.

I just want to know what the .92 person looked like.

He looked a little dim witted

[mango66]

I thought it was against the Bigges mafia - the taxi mafia and their associates of the RTP;

because if the first local RTP will know the action,

all gangsters and mafiosi will know it in a minute !!

and not muched siced ?

army have to ask first the RTP where are the real culptries are covered !!

[tracker1]

Bottom line is their worried about tourism ! well thats enough to discourage visitors having the army jump through your window or run on your roof !!!!!

[fullcave]

Perhaps a warmup for "mafia" island (koh tao) in the near future... Good work thailand..

[flyingdoc]

Amazeballs !

[sambum]

A national newspaper quotes "more than 300 police and soldiers". Yes 700 is more than 300, but less than half as many as many as reported by "Samui Times" Maybe a few hundred got lost on the way?

[Equalizer]

Ruengsri Travel in Bophut was among the targets this morning, however, little was recovered in the raid, only 2 bullets and a few training bullets. However arrests have been made and an announcement is expected later today with regards to arrests made and hauls of drugs and weapons that were recovered in the raid.

Why only mention the place that was virtually clean?

Seems to me looking at the video that the two guys who did it are more or likely poor small fry that have been effected by him somehow. Probably to the detriment of some of the more prominent people ''as we could say'' who conduct activities on there.

[smokie36]

Meanwhile as the hilltop fires lay unlit, the lone watchers trudged up Koh Tao and donned their NVG's for another long and solitary night.......

[cardinalblue]

Objective - protect tourism and country's image...what about justice and keeping law and order?

Is there a right and wrong system in LOS? As long as low publicity low profile and can get away with it...it goes unpunished and people accept it as a way of life....very sad

[sscsamui]

When will the authorities do something about the Beach encroachment like they did on Phuket?

[slipperylobster]

All that raiding and you can still buy strawberry mushroom and opium shakes. Go figure...

Really? Where?

[off road pat]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1563476497259824&set=o.476686785683690&type=2&theater

[MRDave]

Sledehammer to crack a nut !!

Somebodies been watching to many movies.

Yes because someone being assassinated with a machine gun in an area with tourists is such a low lvl crime.

I'm with the army on this one.

[crazykopite]

I only saw one chopper flying over our house early this morning , due to my location we see a number of choppers every week flying onto the island but they are normally during the day time occasionally we will hear jet fighters flying over which I presume are training exercises. I had heard of the shooting and also had heard that one of the shooters had been detained and the other was on the run but this could be hearsay !

[winstonc]

700 to target 26? 27 heavily armed personnel per one targeted person? Does seem a tadge like overkill. I wonder what the net result was?

re-read the story that answers your silly question..a pointless post yes..BORED

[jamiesmith]

700 / 26 = 26.92 people to catch each target.

I just want to know what the .92 person looked like.

A post op lady boy

[changsinghleo]

Just wondering, how good is this for tourism? Some may flee immediately, some may stick around, but how about their stories when they go home? Would anyone make the place their destination for beach activities after being clued in as to what goes on? Lots of beaches in lots of countries thus I don't think this will be luring tourists to Thailand. But, I'll bet it's good for tourism to Viet Nam, Philippines, etc.!

[SunsetT]

Not really too much force, I never even heard about this till thus afternoon.

Though the Mrs said there was a lot of police presence last night and the night before.

But usually just attributed to trying to catch yaba couriers.

Seems to me they wanted to sweep up a network all at once

with enough visible force to make armed resistance seem futile or fatal.

The nature if the assassination a short while back was so brazen and so public,

I think bringing the biggest hammer was a logical message bring sent to more

than just this network of sociopaths and gangsters, that there are new limits to

what society will tolerate.

With 1 suspect in custody and his perp walk reenactment and the name of his accomplice known,

they were able to target which network heads were behind it. And decided to really send a message,

that tourist business is worth far far more their their interacting squabbles for turf and influence.

Its a shame they didnt 'send a message' like this on Koh Tao.

[Rooo]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1563476497259824&set=o.476686785683690&type=2&theater

Glad it was all hush hush & clandestine.

[Torrens54]

I don't care how many they used in the raid/s, the point is, they took action and scooped up a whole bunch of people, some of whom may be innocent and will be set free. The others will be locked-up, taken off the streets, making it safe for you, me and other Law Abiding people to go about our business.

If you want to be an Armchair Critic, Fine....just don't start to cry "bloody murder" if some Gangster mistakenly shoots you one night when he is out to gun-down another businessman in the same restaurant as you are eating at.

[khunsiam]

Wrong island.........................

same people

[khunsiam]

There damned if they do and damned if they don't hey!!!!!

Its about time someone stood us to these Mafia groups and here we go ..... Prayut Stiley... Top Man... Hats off to you. Now go back to Koh Tao and sweep up the scum line along the beach. Start in Sairee.

Far better for 700 to go in than a 100 than the rest sit on their backsides. Puts all the islands on notice and please no scapegoats get the real scum cleaned out and let Thailand heal itself.

15 years ago coming to this country the level of intimidation ,violence,scams and corruption was nothing like it is today. Frankly many I talk to want to move on its got past a joke and I'm talking about

younger Thai's and foreigners not bar stool philosophers.

the owner of the reggae pub left many years ago, scared to go out, on many occasions police officers at the house.....not to mention the murders of the '90's never reported and the farangs that were shot down.

[TheOggMonster]

It's about time the Military came in. Koh Samui has been out of control. Time to clean up this gangster Island!

[khunsiam]

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So 1 chap gets murdered and the "authorities" worry about the negative impact on tourism, and then, launch a full airbourne assault with 700 army an police personell. Oh course the later action will re-assure everyone!

You do not know apparently how deep the mafia network stretches in Koh Samui. The whole place is run by local mobsters and nobody even farts without approval.

It is not the first time rival mafia members have killed one another on the island. It could be a huge sweep to root out the mob.

And neither do you.

Big public companies from Bangkok and some local ones run the business end of Samui, and they fart all they want.

But yes some local gangster types try to fight over the usual grey area businesses such as bars, taxis, jetskis, drugs and to an extend real estate.

the Thai owner of a large supermarket killed in a similar way sitting in a "local" bar in Chaweng beachroad 15 years ago....or the plain public killing of Tato, owner of several bars and massagerooms in Lamai in 2005..., small fish...the 2 farang in a quarrel about the payment of a rented motorbike, the farang restaurant owner 2 years ago..."local" gangster types all over the island and the mainland, gunmen hired by big business owners, operating in the open, policemen involved, money extortion from foreign and Thai businessmen, remember all those foreigners fleeing the island and those killed who didn't pay up, all the murders never reported...

[kannot]

Thailand has needed a good kick up the arse for a long long time, there is a general attitude of "self self self" combined with the "me first and f\**k you attitude" add to that the fear and intimidation and you have a cesspit of a country where there is literally no law for many I dont think the army is going to fix t and once again its the " image of the country" thats at stake not the sheer fact its plain wrong which " really" matters..

[kannot]

Not really too much force, I never even heard about this till thus afternoon.

Though the Mrs said there was a lot of police presence last night and the night before.

But usually just attributed to trying to catch yaba couriers.

Seems to me they wanted to sweep up a network all at once

with enough visible force to make armed resistance seem futile or fatal.

The nature if the assassination a short while back was so brazen and so public,

I think bringing the biggest hammer was a logical message bring sent to more

than just this network of sociopaths and gangsters, that there are new limits to

what society will tolerate.

With 1 suspect in custody and his perp walk reenactment and the name of his accomplice known,

they were able to target which network heads were behind it. And decided to really send a message,

that tourist business is worth far far more their their interacting squabbles for turf and influence.

Its a shame they didnt 'send a message' like this on Koh Tao.

Throughout the land would be better but they wouldnt have enough room in jail and theyd have to take half the army with them

[Basil B]

Bottom line is their worried about tourism ! well thats enough to discourage visitors having the army jump through your window or run on your roof !!!!!

I doubt many tourist were aware of any of this as it was 6am in the mourning ...only a few who had not got too bed buy then.

Was anybody killed???

Was anybody hurt???

Was there even a shoot out???

Did anybody actually fire a single shot???

I hope the Mafia and thugs have now got the message, their days of freedom are numbered.

[cookee68]

They have been watching too many Steven Seagal films, and all over 1 businessman being gunned down, says it all