Video: Bangkok tuk-tuk and motorcycle in collusion over tourist scam?

[rooster59]

Video: Bangkok tuk-tuk and motorcycle in collusion over tourist scam?

Image: Thairath

BANGKOK:-- A phone video clip taken by a Hong Kong tourist showed an unusual theft that might be a warning to others.

As one of the tourists videos the journey to the hotel in Thailand's iconic transport, the driver seems to make some kind of hand signal.

Seconds later a bag snatch occurs as a motorcycle passing on the left grabs a bag. The bag contained 13,000 in Thai baht and another 1,000 HK dollars (4,800 baht) as well as a passport and other documents.

The clip was posted on Facebook on the GOtrip site and was viewed by 1.5 million people as of yesterday. The incident happened on June 30th.

No mention is made as to whether a police report was filed though the registration of the motorcycle can clearly be seen.

Online chatter centred around problems with tuk-tuks in Bangkok with perennial problems like being taken to jewelry stores instead of required destinations and overcharging.

Some people said it is much better to hire the services of Uber rather than take a ride in a tuk-tuk.

Source: Thairath

-- 2016-07-10

[Clamhua]

That's going to hurt tourism.

[KMartinHandyman]

Ridiculous to connect the driver rolling his wrist with what looks like an oversized watchband to a signal. It happened almost simultaneously in the realtime video.

[Nasrullah]

ahh yes.....keep biting the hand that feeds you...........keep this up and cannibalism(thai v thai)will become the new 'delicacy'....

Forget those lovely village rats so many like.........eat your neighbour

[shirtless]

Well these incidents dont improve Thailands image one bit.

[HOAX]

Ridiculous to connect the driver rolling his wrist with what looks like an oversized watchband to a signal. It happened almost simultaneously in the realtime video.

You missed it. Look again. You can see he first gives a thumbs up, before he rolls his wrist. Not saying it's clear evidence, but it does look suspicious.

[berybert]

Ridiculous to connect the driver rolling his wrist with what looks like an oversized watchband to a signal. It happened almost simultaneously in the realtime video.

You missed it. Look again. You can see he first gives a thumbs up, before he rolls his wrist. Not saying it's clear evidence, but it does look suspicious.

Gave the thumbs up to what ? Do you think he asked his passenger if he was worth mugging or not ?

Its a chancer taking a chance. Oh and dont forget if the passenger who got mugged had been English everyone would have been laughing and said 'he had 13 baht in his bag and its an insurance scam'

[cornishcarlos]

The driver might not have made an obvious signal but he was pretty freaking calm throughout the whole thing, no reaction at all !!

[berybert]

I guess you can make a conspiracy out of anything. The tuk tuk driver gave the moto driver the sign to rob the tourist. The motor driver gave his fellow rider the sign that the tuk tuk driver had given him the sign. And because the tuk tuk driver hasn't noticed or reacted within the next two seconds on the clip he knows his sign was noted and he could drop his passenger off knowing he would get his 1/3 share of the money later.

And the whole thing was being filmed. which the tuk tuk driver was aware of and so he could help police with their enquiries therefore saving Thailands image, making him a hero.

[edwinchester]

Ridiculous to connect the driver rolling his wrist with what looks like an oversized watchband to a signal. It happened almost simultaneously in the realtime video.

Have to agree with you entirely.

Mate of mine has a self winding watch and regularly makes almost exactly the same hand movement without even realising.

Bag snatch yes but a step too far to implicate the tuktuk driver from that video.

[HOAX]

Ridiculous to connect the driver rolling his wrist with what looks like an oversized watchband to a signal. It happened almost simultaneously in the realtime video.

You missed it. Look again. You can see he first gives a thumbs up, before he rolls his wrist. Not saying it's clear evidence, but it does look suspicious.

Gave the thumbs up to what ? Do you think he asked his passenger if he was worth mugging or not ?

Its a chancer taking a chance. Oh and dont forget if the passenger who got mugged had been English everyone would have been laughing and said 'he had 13 baht in his bag and its an insurance scam'

How do I know what the tuk tuk driver gave his thumbs up to? It's exactly what my point was. It's slightly suspicious. I don't know about you, but I don't walk around and occationally put my thumb up in the air for no reason, nor do I do that a couple of seconds before someone steals from my passenger, and then roll my wrist like it didn't happen. Just saying, it COULD have been a "go ahead" signal from the tuk tuk driver to the men on the motorbike. But like I said, the evidence isn't exactly on the Hongkonger's side. It could just as well have been a freak coincident, even though the reaction from the tuk tuk driver after someone nabbs a bag from his passenger isn't exactly going to give him the leading role in Die Hard 7 after Bruce Willis retires John McClane.

[daveAustin]

Also reckon it's dubious. It was too close. Why would a bike need a signal and could they even see drivers hand approaching from that angle? Would be easier and clearer to use indicator. But easy enough for biker squad to suss the snatch all on their own.

[Nasrullah]

^^....agree.......it all happened at the same time...............tuk tuk man's non-reaction might be ....'I've had it happen before".....

[Somtamnication]

Well, the tags can be read clearly...start investigating, Mr. policeman.

[ezzra]

Could it a coincidence between the hand signals and the snatching of the bag? possibly, but I will not put

it past the drivers of ant public transportation in Thailand to be in cahoots with a gang of criminals,

in any case, one should be wary and alert as to how they keep their valuables in every country that thrives

on tourism, be a tourist or just a residents of such countries.....

[vogie]

I thought I heard the tuk tuk driver passing wind 8 times indicating to the motorcyclist that he was carrying farty eight hundred baht.

Edited July 10, 2016 by vogie

[Happy Grumpy]

That's going to hurt tourism.

Indeed.

These tourists need to be locked up for posting the video online.

[NickJ]

Even after so much time being here I always just assume someone is going to go for my wallet or bag and guard against it. Street smarts/common sense.

[gandalf12]

I don't see anything that suggests collusion between the Tuk-Tuk driver and the motor cycle. Considering where the drivers hand was it would be difficult to see from behind the Tuk-Tuk as the passenger would be obstructing the view.

This in my opinion is a case of the motor cycle rider seeing an opportunity to grab the bag and has nothing to do with the Tuk-Tuk driver

[Minnehaha]

Could it a coincidence between the hand signals and the snatching of the bag? possibly, but I will not put

it past the drivers of ant public transportation in Thailand to be in cahoots with a gang of criminals,

in any case, one should be wary and alert as to how they keep their valuables in every country that thrives

on tourism, be a tourist or just a residents of such countries.....

I doubt it is a coincidence.

It makes perfect sense for the tuk tuk driver and thieves to work together. It happens all the time, with touts and tuk tuk drivers, touts and silk sales men, the list goes on and on.

The hand signals appear to indicate something in my opinion. Thumbs up is not any gesture you see Thais using amongst them selves. or the other 'hand signal'.

Furthermore, if you look the driver brakes at just the right time as the motorcycle is coming in for the hit.

Having said that, why did the tuk tuk driver not see the tourist filming this? Was it not a mobile phone or something obviously filming? This is hard to explain away.

[oxo1947]

ahh yes.....keep biting the hand that feeds you...........keep this up and cannibalism(thai v thai)will become the new 'delicacy'....

Forget those lovely village rats so many like.........eat your neighbour

Have you stopped taking the medication Nasrullah................??............

[lust]

Yeah, that split second between the thumbs up and the snatching are definitely coordinated... Why is their so much stupidity? Governments should impose IQ tests on the parents before procreation is allowed.

[Kabula]

This is not new to Thailand.

Similar thefts happen world wide and have for many years.

[gdgbb]

I doubt it is a coincidence.

It makes perfect sense for the tuk tuk driver and thieves to work together. It happens all the time, with touts and tuk tuk drivers, touts and silk sales men, the list goes on and on.

The hand signals appear to indicate something in my opinion. Thumbs up is not any gesture you see Thais using amongst them selves. or the other 'hand signal'.

Furthermore, if you look the driver brakes at just the right time as the motorcycle is coming in for the hit.

Having said that, why did the tuk tuk driver not see the tourist filming this? Was it not a mobile phone or something obviously filming? This is hard to explain away.

"Furthermore, if you look the driver brakes at just the right time as the motorcycle is coming in for the hit."

What? Now there is a complete Thaivisa poster fabrication. How do you know that the driver brakes? There is no evidence of that and you certainly cannot see the driver's right foot.

[OccamsRazor]

I doubt it is a coincidence.

It makes perfect sense for the tuk tuk driver and thieves to work together. It happens all the time, with touts and tuk tuk drivers, touts and silk sales men, the list goes on and on.

The hand signals appear to indicate something in my opinion. Thumbs up is not any gesture you see Thais using amongst them selves. or the other 'hand signal'.

Furthermore, if you look the driver brakes at just the right time as the motorcycle is coming in for the hit.

Having said that, why did the tuk tuk driver not see the tourist filming this? Was it not a mobile phone or something obviously filming? This is hard to explain away.

"Furthermore, if you look the driver brakes at just the right time as the motorcycle is coming in for the hit."

What? Now there is a complete Thaivisa poster fabrication. How do you know that the driver brakes? There is no evidence of that and you certainly cannot see the driver's right foot.

Don't need to see his feet, it is very clear in the video at 00:20 that he puts his brakes on. Look at the lights at the top.

Edited July 10, 2016 by OccamsRazor

[Minnehaha]

I doubt it is a coincidence.

It makes perfect sense for the tuk tuk driver and thieves to work together. It happens all the time, with touts and tuk tuk drivers, touts and silk sales men, the list goes on and on.

The hand signals appear to indicate something in my opinion. Thumbs up is not any gesture you see Thais using amongst them selves. or the other 'hand signal'.

Furthermore, if you look the driver brakes at just the right time as the motorcycle is coming in for the hit.

Having said that, why did the tuk tuk driver not see the tourist filming this? Was it not a mobile phone or something obviously filming? This is hard to explain away.

"Furthermore, if you look the driver brakes at just the right time as the motorcycle is coming in for the hit."

What? Now there is a complete Thaivisa poster fabrication. How do you know that the driver brakes? There is no evidence of that and you certainly cannot see the driver's right foot.

brake lights

[Yann55]

Quote : No mention is made as to whether a police report was filed though the registration of the motorcycle can clearly be seen.

Well, perhaps, like in a recent incident, the police will 'hope that social media will help find the perpetrators' ? And i'm quoting, not joking.

The one and only purpose of license plates is for the police to easily locate the owner of a vehicle when there is a problem, but I guess that's just too simple.

[D3030]

That's going to hurt tourism.

Might hurt the tuk tuk business if anything..

[Destiny1990]

Why they tuk tuk driver not even steared towards the right when the bike thugs come side to side with him?he just keep going in a straight line pretty odd and so convenient for the robbers.

[sabaii69]

There is a new scam every day (hour/minute). How can you keep up? It is difficult enough to keep tabs on the little mate in your house, isn't it?