Koh Phangan shooting prompts crackdown on 'Foreign Mafia'

[gemguy]

these drug partys should be brought to astop.....about 20-30 years ago khopgan was a beautifull secludet island with the creation of international drug partys (incl all the gangs thai and international ) that ar einvolved in tha tbusiness (incl thai police tha tcloses its eyes because of big dollars ) the place went downhill step by step.....

You are correct of course.....but...from a yahoo, party hardy, drink to you drop, drug popping, dope smoking, bonk your brains out "hedonist" point of view then the islands are a paradise of sorts....and then up and leave the mess behind.

Cheers

Edited January 19, 2016 by gemguy

[Norvid 1950]

Does new slogan could become popular? "Land of mafia".

[kiwikeith]

Carefull not to use live ammo in the re-enactment.

Seriously could we see a crackdown on the Local mafia and the insult to intelligence and human life displayed on Koh Tao.

This might involve so many sackings that the police and army and the justice system would be very short numbered.

[SOTIRIOS]

...seems like more foreigners will have all of their assets 'appropriated'.....

...nice way of 'doing business'....

[zyphodb]

Shame that they will never do anything about the Thai mafia who are the real problem, but we all know who are at the top of these so nothing will ever happen, just blame everything on the foreigners...

[Khon Kaen Dave]

That guy standing in front of all those uniforms with gun's pointed at him? Brave bastard,reenactment or not.

[cmsally]

How incredible wrong and sad. As many beautiful islands in the world they have been destroyed by travel organizers world wide out to make a buck.

Mass tourism, alcohol and drugs are killing.

I don't think you can blame the travel organisers. In the case of Koh Phangan , when the tourism phenomenon first started they actively chose the more free spending drinking/partying tourist over the more chilled out who spent less. Then it was a case of "birds of a feather" and the rest is history.

[smotherb]

"A major crackdown in Samui and Phangan is now expected. Mr Wongsiri says he has received reports of foreigners illegally operating businesses such as resorts and restaurants on both islands as well as Koh Tao and he believes that these businesses have become meeting points for local mafia and their crime networks."

So, crack down on the farangs whose illegal businesses serve as meeting points for the local mafia. Okay, sounds like step one, but what about step two, the local mafia and their crime networks?

[sabaii69]

"Police charged Mr Chanin with hiring others to carry out a crime in a premeditated attempt to kill others. He denied all charges. The officers also charged Mr Sihanart and Mr Jirat with colluding in the attempted murder and illegal possession of firearms without permission. Mr Sihanart was arrested earlier but Mr Jirat has fled."

Sounds like Thai names to me?

What did the foreigners do?

Apart from sleep in their beds?

Yep, I smell a Jirat.

[sabaii69]

these drug partys should be brought to astop.....about 20-30 years ago khopgan was a beautifull secludet island with the creation of international drug partys (incl all the gangs thai and international ) that ar einvolved in tha tbusiness (incl thai police tha tcloses its eyes because of big dollars ) the place went downhill step by step.....

You are correct of course.....but...from a yahoo, party hardy, drink to you drop, drug popping, dope smoking, bonk your brains out "hedonist" point of view then the islands are a paradise of sorts....and then up and leave the mess behind.

Cheers

hmm..'It is better to burn out than rust'.

[sweatalot]

I like this bit.

"Those found to be involved will face stiff punishment he said, we have to get tough on these people, or they may damage the tourism businesses of the province he added."

... but of course they cannot be Thai

[sweatalot]

Who will that be to crack down on foreign mafia?

May be Thai Mafia?

[pmk1000]

...seems like more foreigners will have all of their assets 'appropriated'.....

...nice way of 'doing business'....

Yes that is exactly what this is all about, the season is not doing so good gives them right to take what they want!

[Dublin]

This is hilarious, a blind man can see it designed to take the spot light off themselves, do they really believe the rest of the world is that gullible.

Got to love these guys....

Edited January 19, 2016 by Dublin

[wabothai]

You are right !

I came here with the best intentions to retire and spend my money here , first thing they did was to kill my 10 year old dog , my best friend , with poison .

No reason to do this I guess they just do not like foreigners .

Bye Bye , Thailand , I am out too , som nam nah , I'll spent my money in a nicer place , with nicer people than the local idiots here who did never learn anything in school ...

The Thai Mafia ia alowed with no fear of police involvement to rape rob and murder visitors on a daily basis. It happens several times a day in this country. But when a foriegner tetaliates they are mafia. Thats such bullshit, If this crome was actually investigated by police and the perpatrator was Thai aw 500 thb fine or nothing at all. So sick of this place. Im out. Cant stand this anymore....

HAPPY To See You Go....

What ?!?

[springheeled jack]

if there are mafia gangs on the islands which I find hard to believe then there must be local collusion .

[oldsailor35]

Great news for tourists is this, the place will be empty soon

You are wrong there ! because nobody outside of Thailand has any idea of the depth of corruption and nepotism . So they just see the pics in their travel agents shops, who all tell them what a wonderfully friendly exciting and cheap country Thailand is.

[spidermike007]

The Thai Mafia ia alowed with no fear of police involvement to rape rob and murder visitors on a daily basis. It happens several times a day in this country. But when a foriegner tetaliates they are mafia. Thats such bullshit, If this crome was actually investigated by police and the perpatrator was Thai aw 500 thb fine or nothing at all. So sick of this place. Im out. Cant stand this anymore....

I think a lot of falang feel the same as you. The Thai's dont care as they only want our money.

Add me to this list. After ten years I have now finalised my travel arrangements and will be leaving here forever.

I can only speak for Koh Phangan, (but problems appear even worse on KT). The corruption has been obvious for a long, long time but the rise in organised crime the past five or so years is now getting out of control and too dangerous. It doesn't help that the worst gang wear pathetic tight fitting uniforms...

It is as though the Russians brought speed to the party and the entire place is now a mad frenzy of idiots on bikes, big bikes and cars, speeding like there is no tomorrow. The taxis have always been manic but they are second worst now.

The police here are the same as KT, just a little more circumspect, but just as corrupt so the 'foreign mafia' are, in this case nothing of the sort - they are rent boys working for a corrupt Thai official, just like the foreigners on TV applauding the recent B2 conviction; rent boys living 'the life' without proper work permits or visas, 'protected' by corrupt police, officials and redneck 'Deliverance' type families. Thanks to their incredibly low IQs they are lulled into this false sense of warmth but in reality they can and will find themselves thrown to the wolves the very first opportunity if it means protecting one of the 'dippy' family members, (like the one who calls his sister Mom and his grandad Dad)...

These are the most beautiful islands anywhere (to me) - what a crying shame they have been placed in the hands of such incapable, inbred sociopaths who will destroy everything in their all-consuming lust for money and power...

I am starting to think there are no honest people left here, and am too ashamed to go on saying this is my home. The anger inside me is barely controllable so it is best I leave this godforsaken place.

and you really have done it for me i was thinking about buying a resort in thailand not cheap one but looking at this my thai wife is right never ever get involved with any kind ventue there just go holiday and come home again i think thats the best wayi se they even have big problem in koh chang now white sands beach girlie bars guys with guns ready to shoot

I agree with a lot of what you said. I finally left Samui after 10 years. I think many of the problems you mentioned are more pronounced on Phuket, Samui, KP and especially Dark Tao, which is the worst. No discipline among the ranks of cops, killers, sons of headmen, and the ruling families, who are animals, and heathens ( i use that word in jest, but it is true, as they believe in nothing but the sacred golden calf). It is a lot better on the mainland. Of course it is still corrupt as hell, but it is less visible, and there is a lot more law and order (for Thailand, that is). The quality of life on the mainland is so much better, the local people are not bitter and jaded like on the southern island, it is less expensive, there are less rip off scams, etc. You never want to get to the point where you have shame and a lack of pride in the place where you live. At that point, you are like the Thai locals and officials down south, who have zero pride in their islands, and do so little to take care of them. This is especially evident on Samui, where rampant development, congestion, an ever increasing cost of living, which goes side by side with no improvement in the quality of life, is something that finally drove me away.

Best to get out now. Though there are other spots in Thailand that might be worth of your attention. Maybe.

As far as the foreign mafia, this is a churlish, childish, inane, ridiculous pretext that this half man is again using, as an excuse to not go after the real culprits, who are protected, above the law, and untouchable. It is simply lazy, incompetent behavior, that this man and his whole crew exhibits on a daily basis.

[facthailand]

Yep, "influential persons" can't be touched, from the jaopor Phra/Nai S. on down! Foreigners? Get real...

[darren84310]

Quote: ''He went on to stress that Thai state officials must not be involved with or support foreign criminal activities.''

Shouldn't this have been written without the need for a certain adjective, or shall we assume that Thai criminal activities should be supported by Thai state officials and/or including involvement..... surely not.

​

[TPI]

The Thai Mafia ia alowed with no fear of police involvement to rape rob and murder visitors on a daily basis. It happens several times a day in this country. But when a foriegner tetaliates they are mafia. Thats such bullshit, If this crome was actually investigated by police and the perpatrator was Thai aw 500 thb fine or nothing at all. So sick of this place. Im out. Cant stand this anymore....

Bye!

[Alwyn]

Just smoke and mirrors because there is NO WAY they will try to take on the local families! Not one beach has been touched by local government and the beach bars, parties and fun still continues unabated, I'm happy to say! In fact, the local mafias make it safer for foreigners than the police do as they understand their livelihood is dependent on tourism

[Nobb]

This action paid for by you local Thai Mafia Leaders!

[gemguy]

Quote: ''He went on to stress that Thai state officials must not be involved with or support foreign criminal activities.''

Shouldn't this have been written without the need for a certain adjective, or shall we assume that Thai criminal activities should be supported by Thai state officials and/or including involvement..... surely not.

​

Well...I did not expect them to say much of anything else other than foreigners are to blame for these problems and in this case Foreign Mafia.....because a foreigner was involved.

Hmmmm.........A fine example of deductive reasoning.

The thing that I like to point out is how the media source or sources ( TV.com included ) likes to sensationalize the whole affair and seemingly just go along with what the Authorities said or what the authorities tell them to print or just reprint what they gleaned off another newspaper or current publication.

You wonder why the media, all the way down the line, would print "Foreign Mafia" while insinuating it is only Foreigners causing the problems on the island.

I wonder ..I wonder why?

Geez....What am I thinking...Good ole media sensationalism is good for media business....Silly of me to forget that.

Cheers

Edited January 19, 2016 by gemguy

[Traveling Sailor]

Carefull not to use live ammo in the re-enactment.

Seriously could we see a crackdown on the Local mafia and the insult to intelligence and human life displayed on Koh Tao.

This might involve so many sackings that the police and army and the justice system would be very short numbered.

This government seems to enjoy making jokes. And, they are funny. They seem to get funnier almost every day now. It's nice to read about government officials with a sense of humor.

[mydee]

these drug partys should be brought to astop.....about 20-30 years ago khopgan was a beautifull secludet island with the creation of international drug partys (incl all the gangs thai and international ) that ar einvolved in tha tbusiness (incl thai police tha tcloses its eyes because of big dollars ) the place went downhill step by step.....

Absolute nonsense. Thirty years Koh Pangan was the center for the rape and murder of Vietnamese refugees fleeing to safer places. It was a very dangerous place when the fishermen/pirates moored their boats and most tourists kept to their bungalows. Drugs were rife and I am not convinced it was ever particularly beautiful. Secluded isn't idyliic

[wabothai]

Great news for tourists is this, the place will be empty soon

You are wrong there ! because nobody outside of Thailand has any idea of the depth of corruption and nepotism . So they just see the pics in their travel agents shops, who all tell them what a wonderfully friendly exciting and cheap country Thailand is.

And... few of them have heard about the KT killings and the Andy Hall case, or even know the generals are in power. Who cares, business as usual.

[Jonmarleesco]

'... we have to get tough on these people, or they may damage the tourism businesses of the province he added.' Presumably, the homegrown version is seen as a boon for tourism?

[HaleySabai]

Just another island that offers absolutely NOTHING for my tourist-baht.

R.I.P

[cracker1]

"Gen Prawit went on to say that he will order the launch of a massive inspection of those businesses as well as their money trails and great attention will be paid to mafia style influential foreigners. He went on to stress that Thai state officials must not be involved with or support foreign criminal activities."

If these things are happening here then perhaps the local Police Chief needs to be replaced with a more able one ? Why does he need to be "instructed" from outside ?