Krabi stoner on kratom fails to 'rock' Phuket ATM robbery

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Krabi stoner on kratom fails to ‘rock’ Phuket ATM robbery
Eakkapop Thongtub


Sompol smashed the screen with a rock, then tried prying the ATM open with a wrench. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

PHUKET: -- A 22-year-old man from Krabi has been arrested for attempting to break open an ATM in Rawai by smashing the screen with a rock and then trying to pry open the cash-vending machine with a wrench.

Chalong police arrested Sompol Gaykina, 22, at his rented room behind Muang Phuket School in Rawai, at 10:30am yesterday (August 3).

In making the arrest, officers seized as evidence his motorbike, raincoat, the offending wrench, five bundles of kratom leaves and one bottle of cough syrup.

Maj Patiwat Yodkhawn of the Chalong police was called to investigate suspected robbery of the Kasikornbank (KBank) ATM located in front of Big One convenience store on Wiset Rd, south of Chalong Circle, at 7:30am yesterday.

At the scene, he and fellow officers found the ATM had a broken screen and was no longer working. They also found a big rock nearby on the ground.

The officers also collected fingerprints from the machine and saw the suspect on the security CCTV footage recorded at 4:12am.

The footage showed the suspect wearing a raincoat and driving a Honda Wave motorbike to the ATM and smashing the screen with a rock. The suspect tried for more than 30 minutes to to break open the machine, before leaving empty handed.

Two hours later Maj Patiwat arrested Sompol in his rented room behind the school.

Sompol told police he had no job and was overdue to pay his rent.

“After I took kratom, I decided to rob the ATM, but I had no idea how to do it,” he said. “I thought that by just hitting it, the money would come out. When I didn’t see any money coming out, I smashed the screen with the rock before I used the wrench to break it open, but it didn’t work.”

Sompol was taken to Chalong police station where he was charged with attempted robbery and illegal possession of Category 5 drug.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/krabi-stoner-on-kratom-fails-to-rock-phuket-atm-robbery-53494.php

-- Phuket News 2015-08-04

[NickJ]

Im surprised we dont here more about kratom....It has an interesting history here in Thailand. Banned because its growth could not be easily controlled and the govt of yesteryear only banned it because it wanted the tax revenue from opium.

[stoneyboy]

Im surprised we dont here more about kratom....It has an interesting history here in Thailand. Banned because its growth could not be easily controlled and the govt of yesteryear only banned it because it wanted the tax revenue from opium.

Used widely by many to this day.

But with little stigma attached due to its history which goes way back.

Edited August 4, 2015 by stoneyboy

[Muirton]

As stated already on another post, kratom was banned by the Thai government because discretionary income went to kratom instead of opium which the Thai government lucratively taxes. So Wiki says. Kratom is a member of the coffee family. This man might as well have had a triple espresso. It's still "Reefer Madness" in Thailand. The lies propagated by most Western governments have been exposed and have ended mostly. In Thailand the lies about kratom, etc. still get parroted by the BIB.

[FangFerang]

I thought if I hit it the money would just come out.

And he had the "offending wrench" too.

[Reigntax]

I thought if I hit it the money would just come out.

And he had the "offending wrench" too.

He obviously thought he was just mugging another farang and this one was easy prey because it was stationary.

Hit it and the money comes out. Dont blame him. Everyone knows Farang = ATM.

[madmitch]

Was someone paid to come up with that dreadful headline?