Suspected British property swindler arrested in Pattaya

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Suspected British property swindler arrested in Pattaya


Image: Banmuang

PATTAYA: -- Police have announced the arrest of a suspected British property swindler in Pattaya.

Donald Charles Frances, 71, was wanted on a warrant issued earlier and was apprehended at D Apartment in Soi Bua Khao reported banmuang.

He said that they had the wrong person and he knew nothing about it.

Police were acting on a complaint that a man had offered a 3.5 million baht property for sale that did not belong to him. They say that on payment of a 300,000 baht deposit the accused man had disappeared with the money.

Investigations continue.

Source: Banmuang

-- 2016-05-30

[Jimbo53]

Suspected!!! and these un professionals are releasing a photo and name already!!

I hope it's as the guy said..They have the wrong man...Egg on Face!!!

He never disappeared very far!! Soi Buakhao!! TIT !!

[namatjira]

Pattaya is a magnet for dodgy property developers.....

[shirtless]

There is no end to the dishonesty here in Thailand.

[thaiduncankk]

There is no end to the dishonesty here in Thailand.

As you moved to Cambodia, do you mean 'there in Thailand' ?

[Kerryd]

How often have we heard stories of starry-eyed visitors being offered the opportunity of a life time, to buy into a (apparently) highly successful bar at a "special discount price" and retire to Thailand as a successful business owner, only to find out that the "seller" has no connection to the bar at all and has disappeared (along with the money paid for the 1/4 or 1/2 interest in the bar) ?

There seems to be no end of the various property scams either (I see Ocean1 Tower is progressing nicely - LOLOLOL). Nor does there seem to be any end of "friendly" foreigners willing to rip off their fellow countrymen.

And some wonder why so many expats are so "stand-offish" when it comes to interacting with their fellow expats.

[Alan81]

71 yeals old? He looking good

[bamukloy]

You would think after hearing this sort of krap time and time again in Thailand, it would sink in.

Foriegner cannot own land!

But no, seemingly they cant help themselves in the land of overinflated egos.

If this bloke did what they are saying, most probably he also got scammed and is now trying to recover his losses.

Stupidity, greed and property..must be like taking candy from a baby!

[malcy]

I would be more interested in the directions to the fountain of youth that he has discovered ?

[crazykopite]

You would think after hearing this sort of krap time and time again in Thailand, it would sink in.

Foriegner cannot own land!

But no, seemingly they cant help themselves in the land of overinflated egos.

If this bloke did what they are saying, most probably he also got scammed and is now trying to recover his losses.

Stupidity, greed and property..must be like taking candy from a baby!

Read the article in full before making remarks it did not mention land it said property that means a house or an apartment or even a shop premises for your information a foreign person can own any of the above I mentioned they just cannot own the land even in Europe there are people who own property but the land is leased and in London the majority of land is Leased !

[spacebass]

Yes, if the guy in the picture is 71;, I must be getting old !!

[ExpatLife]

71 yeals old? He looking good

I was thinking the very same

[oxo1947]

71 yeals old? He looking good

Yes he is........maybe this life of crime does have its up's after all.....................

[arithai12]

71 yeals old? He looking good

How do you know it's him... no-one is pointing.

[hEaDy]

I would be more interested in the directions to the fountain of youth that he has discovered ?

Follow the sign that says "judge not!"

[Kabula]

There is no end to the dishonesty here in Thailand.

Why so much negativity about Thailand?

There is no end to dishonesty world wide!

Begin by looking at the all the dishonesty in your home country that has been going on for centuries!

[12DrinkMore]

71 yeals old? He looking good

How do you know it's him... no-one is pointing.

And no faces are blurred.

[Jedsada3]

I am sure he is innocent!

The proof? He doesn't wear a sleeveless T-shirt but a shirt!

[Lannig]

71 yeals old? He looking good

How do you know it's him... no-one is pointing.

Aaaahhh that's why, the pointing thing. Otherwise one can't figure it out from the people on the picture indeed

[gandalf12]

This story and the photo do not tie together very well at all. "Police were acting on a complaint that a man had offered a 3.5 million baht property for sale that did not belong to him. They say that on payment of a 300,000 baht deposit the accused man had disappeared with the money." Someone disappeared so how come they have this guy if the perpetrator disappeared?

It may not be but it looks as if the first foreigner they came to was accused of the crime. If he is guilty then give him a good sentence.

Question, if it turns out he is not the person they want can he sue the police for defamation?

[Nbarch]

If he says he is telling the police they have the wrong man they should believe him, as a professional person, he wouldn't lie to them - would he?

[The manic]

Pattaya is a magnet for dodgy property developers.....

So is London! The Crown Point Scandal is mirrored a hundred times over in the UK

[The manic]

There is no end to the dishonesty here in Thailand.

An utterly meaningless statement on so many levels. There is no end to dishonesty anywhere in the world. For corporate greed look to the USA - the UK or the middle east.

[Jedsada3]

Suspected!!! and these un professionals are releasing a photo and name already!!

+ full address and 3 times his passport number

[The manic]

How often have we heard stories of starry-eyed visitors being offered the opportunity of a life time, to buy into a (apparently) highly successful bar at a "special discount price" and retire to Thailand as a successful business owner, only to find out that the "seller" has no connection to the bar at all and has disappeared (along with the money paid for the 1/4 or 1/2 interest in the bar) ?

There seems to be no end of the various property scams either (I see Ocean1 Tower is progressing nicely - LOLOLOL). Nor does there seem to be any end of "friendly" foreigners willing to rip off their fellow countrymen.

And some wonder why so many expats are so "stand-offish" when it comes to interacting with their fellow expats.

Very rarely is the answer to your first question. 99% of condo dealings go smoothly. Have you ever heard otherwise, from a real person you actually know?

[bipper]

He gets paraded in front of God and all. Fair enough but what about the swindlers, lawyers and all as reported by the BBC? http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-34346620 Of course those are very special and complicated cases. They could take years to resolve!!!

[keskeseksa]

It's rare that property swindlers get arrested. Let's hope it's start. Unfortunately this is a small fish.

[riverhigh]

My gut feel is that this guy is a repeat offender and has pulled this stunt off successfully many times before. I doubt very much if they would go after him if there weren't multiple complaints against him. You've got the wrong guy, I know nothing about it ... typical fraudster bullshit line. He looks extremely calm for a wrongly accused person. Hopefully they will be able to trace the money to his account. He will do a runner.

[WishWashMan]

Pattaya is a magnet for dodgy property developers.....

Property investing needs an economy with good jobs and growth in population. neither can be found in Pattaya. Old Ladies sitting in bunches on barstools is not what a thriving econmomy is based on.

Pattatya is great for cheap living boozing it up and cheap naughty activities. RENT!

Edited May 30, 2016 by Rimmer
Troll text removed

[bamukloy]

You would think after hearing this sort of krap time and time again in Thailand, it would sink in.

Foriegner cannot own land!

But no, seemingly they cant help themselves in the land of overinflated egos.

If this bloke did what they are saying, most probably he also got scammed and is now trying to recover his losses.

Stupidity, greed and property..must be like taking candy from a baby!

Read the article in full before making remarks it did not mention land it said property that means a house or an apartment or even a shop premises for your information a foreign person can own any of the above I mentioned they just cannot own the land even in Europe there are people who own property but the land is leased and in London the majority of land is Leased !

umm the property does sit on land doesnt it?

If he doesnt own the land then what is he selling?

A property with a dodgy ?? year lease?

If he had a partner that owned the land, then all bets are off as who knows what contracts he signed.

That is part if the problem, these fools sign documents they cant even read !!

There is not really enough info in the article to make a call either way.

It sounds like he may have been attempting to pass a dodgy contract for the sale of the property WITH the land, (which could be possibly be owned by a Thai, a dodgy lawyer, a fake company)

who knows?

Cant really liken leasehold laws in London to the situation here.

In the west you have checks and balances and reputable lawyers with watertight contracts.

In Thailand you know the laws are against you, (for good reason)

furthermore, in a lot of these cases the guys sign papers they cant even read and hope for the best.

that is a whole new kind of stupid !