New Zealand father and son arrested at Phuket Airport over Patong restaurant bill

[robblok]

A man by the name of Brian Russell Finn has started up quite a number of companies in New Zealand only to be struck off. Reasons for being struck off usually are that you fail to file accounts and fail to pay your debts as and when due. Par for the course it seems.

If its the same guy then it surely is a pattern and all those foreigners here defending his actions should be even more ashamed defending a career crook. Those guys are the worst just setting up businesses to defraud others.

[NamKangMan]

There are a lot of posts stating that it would be near impossible to get a 15,000 baht bill for a restaurant meal.

Perhaps, they had guests for dinner. Maybe a couple of bar girls each.

Perhaps, the 15,000 baht bill was the total of having several meals in the restaurant, and charged to the room.

Perhaps, the bill was the total of a restaurant meal, room service, mini bar etc, over their holiday.

Perhaps they ordered a couple of 5000 baht bottles of wine.

Many ways to easily accumulate a 15,000 baht bill in food and beverage in a decent hotel, on Phuket.

That said, I am a little suspicious the bill comes to an "even" 15,000 baht.

[robblok]

There are a lot of posts stating that it would be near impossible to get a 15,000 baht bill for a restaurant meal.

Perhaps, they had guests for dinner. Maybe a couple of bar girls each.

Perhaps, the 15,000 baht bill was the total of having several meals in the restaurant, and charged to the room.

Perhaps, the bill was the total of a restaurant meal, room service, mini bar etc, over their holiday.

Perhaps they ordered a couple of 5000 baht bottles of wine.

Many ways to easily accumulate a 15,000 baht bill in food and beverage in a decent hotel, on Phuket.

That said, I am a little suspicious the bill comes to an "even" 15,000 baht.

Agreed about the even 15.000 but that could be in the reporting. Racking up a 15.000 bt bill is quite possible if you eat a lot of lobster or prawn and add some wine.

[steven100]

You cannot say I'm going to the toilet and then use the back stairs to escape.

[Kerryd]

From "another" source:

"The two men agreed to pay the 15,000 baht bill, while the resort’s representative agreed to drop the charges after the money was received,” confirmed Capt Yingyong."

[elgordo38]

Obviously everyone should pay their bills but i dont see any jet ski thugs or big drug dealers being hauled in for photo ops.. They've all paid off the cops. The tourists get arrested for trivial matters.

Foreigners will always cop the full force of Thai law and money must change hands.

Tourists are such an easy target for the police and immigration. Pay now.

Picking the low hanging fruit. Come on now as the post above says lets get on to the more serious crimes. They are obviously innocent as there are is no finger pointing.

Edited September 16, 2015 by elgordo38

[NamKangMan]

There are a lot of posts stating that it would be near impossible to get a 15,000 baht bill for a restaurant meal.

Perhaps, they had guests for dinner. Maybe a couple of bar girls each.

Perhaps, the 15,000 baht bill was the total of having several meals in the restaurant, and charged to the room.

Perhaps, the bill was the total of a restaurant meal, room service, mini bar etc, over their holiday.

Perhaps they ordered a couple of 5000 baht bottles of wine.

Many ways to easily accumulate a 15,000 baht bill in food and beverage in a decent hotel, on Phuket.

That said, I am a little suspicious the bill comes to an "even" 15,000 baht.

Agreed about the even 15.000 but that could be in the reporting. Racking up a 15.000 bt bill is quite possible if you eat a lot of lobster or prawn and add some wine.

I agree.

Between father and son at the table, that's 7,500 baht each. With pre-dinner drinks, entrees, mains (particularly steak and/or seafood by the kg), desserts, a bottle or two of even a cheaper wine, a cocktail or two after dinner, and don't forget, many of these hotels have "+ +" on the total bill (service charge and VAT) - there's 15,000 baht, easy done.

This is Phuket.

[williamgeorgeallen]

how can any of you lay blame with the restaurant or the kiwis. no one knows what happened? either could be at fault kiwis could have tried to do a runner, restaurant may have tried to scam them and refused to pay. add to this the unreliability of reporting that always presents articles in the most sensationalized way to get people to read them.

[biplanebluey]

Loving the guys Christmas Jumper. Back right.

Like the one next to him " kick it like Granma--------"?

[robblok]

There are a lot of posts stating that it would be near impossible to get a 15,000 baht bill for a restaurant meal.

Perhaps, they had guests for dinner. Maybe a couple of bar girls each.

Perhaps, the 15,000 baht bill was the total of having several meals in the restaurant, and charged to the room.

Perhaps, the bill was the total of a restaurant meal, room service, mini bar etc, over their holiday.

Perhaps they ordered a couple of 5000 baht bottles of wine.

Many ways to easily accumulate a 15,000 baht bill in food and beverage in a decent hotel, on Phuket.

That said, I am a little suspicious the bill comes to an "even" 15,000 baht.

Agreed about the even 15.000 but that could be in the reporting. Racking up a 15.000 bt bill is quite possible if you eat a lot of lobster or prawn and add some wine.

I agree.

Between father and son at the table, that's 7,500 baht each. With pre-dinner drinks, entrees, mains (particularly steak and/or seafood by the kg), desserts, a bottle or two of even a cheaper wine, a cocktail or two after dinner, and don't forget, many of these hotels have "+ +" on the total bill (service charge and VAT) - there's 15,000 baht, easy done.

This is Phuket.

Often go for holidays in the South of Thailand and been in Phuket, seen the prices so I know. Here in BKK its hard for me to rack a bill up like that. Unless of course its for a group or at one of the more exclusive restaurants. I am no foodie like some so bills like that are not the norm for me. But i know its quite possible.

[Maestro]

...And to blacklist a person for an "ALLEGED" crime...

They were not blacklisted.

[Maestro]

Removed some off-topic and other troll posts.

[Kerryd]

Some expensive wine and seafood could easily come to 15,000- lobster costs a fortune in Phuket

Not just Phuket ! I looked up some menus online and saw some lobster dishes going for 3,000 baht a shot. (Hmmm, 2 guys, 2 girls (maybe), maybe drinks, appetizers, desserts and a 3,000(+) baht lobster dinner each.) I see a 2014 article about a "seafood promotion" at the Flare Restaurant in the Hilton Hotel - lobster for only 1,200 baht/400 grams (3,000/kg). No idea what wine prices are like (or if they even ordered any).

Would be nice if they'd scanned and posted the original bill though. Hmmmmm......I wonder..

[BudfahRuksa]

Nothing "retroactive" about it. The arrest warrant was issued in 2013 after they (allegedly) skipped on their bill. They returned in 2015 and were caught. No different than if a warrant was issued today but the suspect isn't caught until 2+ years later.

Unless you are trying to suggest that walking out on a restaurant bill isn't a scam but being arrested and held accountable for doing so is ?

Must have been a fairly substantial bill for the restaurant to file a complaint and an arrest warrant to be issued.

If they did indeed do a runner thats pretty slack.. I just don`t know how they will be able to prove that they didnt pay the bill.. unless there is video that shows them running out.

[devolad]

Posted 29 minutes ago

A man by the name of Brian Russell Finn has started up quite a number of companies in New Zealand only to be struck off. Reasons for being struck off usually are that you fail to file accounts and fail to pay your debts as and when due. Par for the course it seems.

If its the same guy then it surely is a pattern and all those foreigners here defending his actions should be even more ashamed defending a career crook. Those guys are the worst just setting up businesses to defraud others.

Got to be a bit careful - in my experience the main reason for a Company being struck off the NZ Companies Registrar is that the shareholder/director has failed to file an Annual Return (which merely confirms company address details, shareholder details etc.- quite separate from filing accounts).

Often a Company is incorporated but remains inactive or it ceases to trade and has no outstanding debt - not filing an annual return is an effective way of "closing" the company - the alternative is to have the Company liquidated - a far more costly proposition.

This story has been reported widely in the NZ media. If the father and son team are guilty of wilfully dodging a legit bill then, to my mind they are sh@t kickers and deserve the embarrassment of being nicked and their faces published in the press., BUT....

if they are not guilty of these allegations, and certainly it looks like hotel owners may have some form (albeit based on guest reviews) of jacking up charges and then involving police in debt collection, then this is a disgrace.

In a country where defamation laws are so punitive it always surprises me that police and media are so quick to engage in a photo opportunity that definitely causes reputational damage (again - this presumes that they are innocent).

Disclosure: Am a kiwi

[Braddockrd]

Ahh, a new twist...

Our scams are now retroactive, with police support of course.

One more nail in the tourist coffin, Thailand. At least you've found some degree of consistency.

and you write this without even knowing if they are guilty or innocent of leaving without paying their bill?

You don't get it, do you? Nothing to do with being guilty or not but with the fact that this would not happen anywhere else and that it is tied to connections and bribes. TV members.....

[mercman24]

brilliant story, i bet they had a good laugh about it when they got back to N.Z. telling their mates, i would have loved to have seen their faces, when the old bill stepped out of the shadows after 2 years."you are nicked"

[billd766]

Ahh, a new twist...

Our scams are now retroactive, with police support of course.

One more nail in the tourist coffin, Thailand. At least you've found some degree of consistency.

So what you are saying is that 2 years ago the police set up a scan to catch these two people when they next came to Thailand.

If an arrest warrant was issued 2 years ago where is the scam?

When they arrived at Immigration and handed over their passports and an arrest warrant was flagged up what do you expect the Immigration officer to do? Let them into Thailand, send them back to NZ or call a policeman to arrest them?

It is a police problem, not Immigration or the governments, the RTP.

The police just don't invent something 2 years ago and hope the people concerned will return.

[circusman]

That restaurant owner must have some big connections. Immigration officers plus 4 Kathu police needed to get these criminals. I would also want to pose proudly behind these hardened criminals and smile knowing that I've made Thailand a safer place. After all, it's a well known fact that those who are accused of cheating on a restaurant bill are likely to kill.

Are you saying the police should not spend time on cheaters ? Rubbish.

[FredNL]

I will ask my nephew about this, when I see him. Since August 2014 he is the Managing Director of Centara Phuket.

He might know more about it.

As far as I know, Centara only accepts deposits using credit cards when booking a room. They also don't accept cash when renting a room.

I always stay, eat and drink for free when I am in Centara Phuket. At all other Centara resorts / hotels, I will have a nice discount.

[stevenl]

I will ask my nephew about this, when I see him. Since August 2014 he is the Managing Director of Centara Phuket.

He might know more about it.

As far as I know, Centara only accepts deposits using credit cards when booking a room. They also don't accept cash when renting a room.

I always stay, eat and drink for free when I am in Centara Phuket. At all other Centara resorts / hotels, I will have a nice discount.

Which Centara Phuket?

[billd766]

Nothing "retroactive" about it. The arrest warrant was issued in 2013 after they (allegedly) skipped on their bill. They returned in 2015 and were caught. No different than if a warrant was issued today but the suspect isn't caught until 2+ years later.

Unless you are trying to suggest that walking out on a restaurant bill isn't a scam but being arrested and held accountable for doing so is ?

Must have been a fairly substantial bill for the restaurant to file a complaint and an arrest warrant to be issued.

You are so wrong. This is Thailand where money buys these kind of things. Seriously, how about the guy who got blacklisted when he went toe to toe with a student who stole his writings and was blacklisted. The "student" had legal charges against himself and still managed to pay off an immigration official to blacklist the professor.

No way in hell does a person rack up a 15000 baht restaurant bill in Thailand unless hes at the top of the Conrad Hilton in BKK, it just isnt possible. And to blacklist a person for an "ALLEGED" crime, not substantiated is typical of the crazy tactics used in the country. Great example of the madness is the KT trial going on right now where the police are using DNA that does not match to try and convict innocent people.

You need to think about the whole picture before you spout off with your comments. They are incorrect.

Were you at the restaurant, have you seen they bill, do you actually know the persons involved, do you know anything about it other than reading the thread?

If the answer to the above is no, then your comment is incorrect as like most people on this thread, you also simply have no idea either.

[stevenl]

Nothing "retroactive" about it. The arrest warrant was issued in 2013 after they (allegedly) skipped on their bill. They returned in 2015 and were caught. No different than if a warrant was issued today but the suspect isn't caught until 2+ years later.

Unless you are trying to suggest that walking out on a restaurant bill isn't a scam but being arrested and held accountable for doing so is ?

Must have been a fairly substantial bill for the restaurant to file a complaint and an arrest warrant to be issued.

You are so wrong. This is Thailand where money buys these kind of things. Seriously, how about the guy who got blacklisted when he went toe to toe with a student who stole his writings and was blacklisted. The "student" had legal charges against himself and still managed to pay off an immigration official to blacklist the professor.

No way in hell does a person rack up a 15000 baht restaurant bill in Thailand unless hes at the top of the Conrad Hilton in BKK, it just isnt possible. And to blacklist a person for an "ALLEGED" crime, not substantiated is typical of the crazy tactics used in the country. Great example of the madness is the KT trial going on right now where the police are using DNA that does not match to try and convict innocent people.

You need to think about the whole picture before you spout off with your comments. They are incorrect.

Were you at the restaurant, have you seen they bill, do you actually know the persons involved, do you know anything about it other than reading the thread?

If the answer to the above is no, then your comment is incorrect as like most people on this thread, you also simply have no idea either.

I think Kerry is right, "You need to think about the whole picture before you spout off with your comments.", just which he'd done that.

[billd766]

Since when is an arrest warrant issued for a dispute over a restaurant bill? It just does not rise to that level. Something here smells very fishy. I just read some reviews of this place. The owners sound like super freak tyrants, with no regard for their guests. Read Sara R's review. A lot of detail, about owner mismanagement. I could understand how these guys were overcharged, or served a terrible meal, and refused to pay. The restaurant did not get glowing reviews. And it is probably very overpriced.

Sounds like the owners are well connected. Thailand may be the only country in the world, where the owner can make a phone call, and a bank transfer, and get an arrest warrant issued. Shame on the government, the judge who issued the warrant, the police, and immigration for participating in this horrific charade. Another boil on the face of Thai tourism. The government just does not connect the dots.

AFAIK the (alleged) offence took place 2 years ago. Presumably the guy that reported it told the police and they would have obtained the warrant via a judge. If the 2 people had left Thailand the police could have flagged up the passport details and they would have seen it as soon as the passports were scanned.

That would have been their job only.

As for you comment on the government, which government? The current government who most likely have no idea how many arrest warrants are outstanding, simply because it is NOT their job, it is the job of the RTP. Or did you mean the previous PTP government who probably had no idea either, simply because it is NOT their job, it is the job of the RTP?

What dots were there for the current government to connect?

The fact that 2 people from NZ were wanted on a warrant from 2 years ago and that the government should have known that they would be arriving on a certain day and a certain time? If the 2 guys got their visa in NZ it would have been through the Thai embassy in Wellington. They would not have rung Thailand to check on arrest warrants. Thailand does not require AFAIK the passenger list sent before the aircraft takes off and which of many airlines could it have been?

So nobody in Thailand and certainly not in the government would have known that they should have connected the dots in the first place.

[Tywais]

Kiwis off the hook after paying 'dine and dash' tab


Police arrested Brian Russell Finn and his son Luke Russell Finn upon their arrival at Phuket International Airport. Photo: Patong Police

PHUKET: Police yesterday released two New Zealanders who were arrested upon arrival at Phuket International Airport on Monday after the pair settled their 2-year-old unpaid restaurant bill with Blue Marine Resort and Spa in Patong (story here).

“The settlement was made yesterday evening,” Capt Yingyong Chuoykij of the Patong Police told the Phuket Gazette.

Brian Russell Finn, 54, and his son Luke Russell Finn, 24, allegedly ‘dined and dashed’ on a 15,000 baht food and beverage bill in 2013.

- See more at: http://www.phuketgaz...h.UdiIeKkl.dpuf

[NoshowJones]

i had to skip on 2 cans of coke from the hotel fridge 10 years because the bus arrived early and there was no one in reception to take my money.......im living on borrowed time then.....

Why not buy them in 7-11 instead of paying about double the price from the hotel minibar?

[wabothai]

On what charge is the boy being held?

[NoshowJones]

Obviously everyone should pay their bills but i dont see any jet ski thugs or big drug dealers being hauled in for photo ops.. They've all paid off the cops. The tourists get arrested for trivial matters.

Foreigners will always cop the full force of Thai law and money must change hands.

Tourists are such an easy target for the police and immigration. Pay now.

This is not a trivial matter. If a father and son team walked up to you and took $500 out of your pocket and then laughed at you as they walked away, would you think it trivial? In fact if everyone did this all the time would it be trivial? In taking action on this and making it public the BIB and Thailand in general are sending out a message. I applaud them.

Also it's probably too late at 24 but that's no example for a father to setting for his son.

People who think like that probably never operated a business and think all business owners are rich and its ok to cheat on them. I am seriously appalled by the kinds of people posting here. Thieves are among the people I hate the most and thieves is what these guys are if they skipped out on a bill like that.

I agree with you Robblok, but some businesses cheat the customers also, I have cheated businesses that have cheated me, but I have also let them know if they have undercharged me, or something similar.

I have always played fair with people who have played fair with me, if they haven't, and I see an opportunity, I will take it.

[stevenl]

On what charge is the boy being held?

You mean the 24 year old son who has been released now that the bill has been paid?

[billd766]

i had to skip on 2 cans of coke from the hotel fridge 10 years because the bus arrived early and there was no one in reception to take my money.......im living on borrowed time then.....

Why not buy them in 7-11 instead of paying about double the price from the hotel minibar?

When I used to stay in hotels I used to ask the front desk to empty the minibar and then I would stock it with what I wanted from 7/11 etc at a better price.