16 fake army rangers detained for working security at Pattaya seminar

[Rimmer]

16 fake army rangers detained for working security at Pattaya seminar

PATTAYA:--Pattaya police arrested 16 people masquerading as army rangers to provide security for a seminar at a well known beach resort.

Officers stopped the 13 men and three women June 7 at the entrance of Pratamnak Soi 1 after they completed work at the seminar and were preparing to return to Bangkok.

Superintendent Pol. Col. Sukthat Pumpunmuang said the arrests came after a request by Maj. Gen. Kittithep Jiansumai, deputy director of the Civil Affairs Department of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Command, to be on the lookout for a group of people pretending to be soldiers from Pak Thong Chai Rangers Group in Bangkok.

They had applied to work security for a seminar attended by foreign visitors.

All 16 were taken to Pattaya Police Station for questioning

Police said the group’s leader, Tawatchai Chansoda, 46, confessed to no longer being an active-duty ranger, although he had been one in the past.

He claimed he was approached by tour operator 4F Capital Co., whose senior advisor is retired Lt. Gen. Poramet Pomnak, to find a team of guards for the seminar attended by about 6,500 visitors from China, Malaysia and other Asian countries.

Lt Vinai Duangthong of the 14th Military Circle in Chonburi attended the interrogation of the fake soldiers and said none were, in fact, still in the armed forces.

The police charged Pornthep Arsa, 28, Prawit Boonpok, 45, Samphan Pholmor, 30, and Supakorn Prawing with illegally wearing military uniforms and released 12 others without charge.

- See more at: http://www.pattayamail.com/localnews/16-fake-army-rangers-detained-for-working-security-at-pattaya-seminar-48102#sthash.QqCS2oDk.dpuf

-- Pattaya Mail 2015-06-19

[petercool]

Two slur posts removed

[chrisinth]

Why would army rangers be providing security at a private resort in the first place? And what sort of seminar would call for that anyway?

IMO, Tawatchai Chansoda needs to get his act together, and buy his guards a uniform which wouldn't be confused with that of the army rangers if he is going to stay in the security business.

Would also be interesting to know if these people were armed or not, with only 3 of them being charged.

[jaywalker]

Now, if they'd only round up all the fake US Army Rangers, SF, Delta Force, SAS, Pathfinders, 007's & such in Pattaya,,,

That would be cool.

Edited July 1, 2015 by jaywalker