French Tourist Brutally Beaten by Pattaya Motorbike Taxi Drivers

[Clamhua]

The shop owner decided to charge 300 baht because his time was wasted..I am sure that will piss most people off especially if you were accused of time wasting and you weren't

The French tourist agreed to a 3 day rental and a ride to the airport. The next day, returned the scooter, got into an argument and cancelled the airport transfer. The shop owner decided to keep 300 Baht. Hard to argue with the shop owner. A verbal contract was changed.

Everyone is allowed to change their mind for whatever reason. verbal contracts in Thailand are not worth the air the words go into..too many lies are told

[jak2002003]

Please stop the Thais hate Farang thing. That is not true... they do this stuff to each other also.

And even if the French guy started the argument of fight that in no way justifies a gang attack on him.

[OMGImInPattaya]

The shop owner decided to charge 300 baht because his time was wasted..I am sure that will piss most people off especially if you were accused of time wasting and you weren't

The French tourist agreed to a 3 day rental and a ride to the airport. The next day, returned the scooter, got into an argument and cancelled the airport transfer. The shop owner decided to keep 300 Baht. Hard to argue with the shop owner. A verbal contract was changed.

yeah... are you really sure the "verbal contract" included a clause for a 300 baht cover charge as well as another clause that incase of an argument, the motorcycle renter agrees to be beaten up by 3 thugs? get real.

Most people understand, except maybe you and this Frenchman, that when one makes arrangements like this and then you come back a day later and cancel it all, the vendor is gonna want some compensation. Instead of agreeing to pay less than the price of a breakfast croissant and latte back home for changing his mind, the Frenchman decided to make an issue of it...maybe he learned some manners from this episode.

Edited July 28, 2016 by OMGImInPattaya

[shirtless]

Hey i hope TAT s Chinese delegation sees this , Thais only beat up western tourists,

[manarak]

The shop owner decided to charge 300 baht because his time was wasted..I am sure that will piss most people off especially if you were accused of time wasting and you weren't

The French tourist agreed to a 3 day rental and a ride to the airport. The next day, returned the scooter, got into an argument and cancelled the airport transfer. The shop owner decided to keep 300 Baht. Hard to argue with the shop owner. A verbal contract was changed.

yeah... are you really sure the "verbal contract" included a clause for a 300 baht cover charge as well as another clause that incase of an argument, the motorcycle renter agrees to be beaten up by 3 thugs? get real.

Most people understand, except maybe you and this Frenchman, that when one makes arrangements like this and then you come back a day later and cancel it all, the vendor is gonna want some compensation. Instead of agreeing to pay less than the price of a breakfast croissant and latte back home for changing his mind, the Frenchman decided to make an issue of it...maybe he learned some manners from this episode.

1- these very busy businessmen whose time is invaluable mostly sit around around all day doing next to nothing while waiting on the next customer

2- indeed "the vendor is gonna want some compensation" especially in areas where they talk the same language as you and your avatar do or if they are Thai thugs

3- "Instead of agreeing to pay less than the price of a breakfast croissant and latte back home" we are in Thailand not in Kansas, 300 baht is more than minimum wage staff makes in a workday. takes just a phone call or a line message to cancel the taxi and about 10 seconds to refund the deposit, instead the very busy vendor with the invaluable time decided to spend time arguing and beating up the customer... tells alot about the value of his time

4- no, the Frenchman didn't make an issue of it, the vendor did by refusing to refund the deposit in full

5- as far as manners are concerned, I think "most people" except maybe you would reckon that any payment of a compensation for the vendor's efforts would be pure goodwill and heavily dependent on the vendor's own manners. Refusing to refund the deposit is fraud and enforcing it with thugs is criminal. If this type of behavior was tolerated, they wouldn't refund anything of the deposit in the future

[craigt3365]

The shop owner decided to charge 300 baht because his time was wasted..I am sure that will piss most people off especially if you were accused of time wasting and you weren't

The French tourist agreed to a 3 day rental and a ride to the airport. The next day, returned the scooter, got into an argument and cancelled the airport transfer. The shop owner decided to keep 300 Baht. Hard to argue with the shop owner. A verbal contract was changed.

yeah... are you really sure the "verbal contract" included a clause for a 300 baht cover charge as well as another clause that incase of an argument, the motorcycle renter agrees to be beaten up by 3 thugs? get real.

The owner could have just refused to take the bike back early. I think 300B if fair.

If the owner can be trusted, the Frenchman threw the first punch. But who knows. The others getting involved is ridiculous and they should be arrested and charged. But we know that won't happen. No consequences for things like this just mean they'll get repeated in the future.

[manarak]

The shop owner decided to charge 300 baht because his time was wasted..I am sure that will piss most people off especially if you were accused of time wasting and you weren't

The French tourist agreed to a 3 day rental and a ride to the airport. The next day, returned the scooter, got into an argument and cancelled the airport transfer. The shop owner decided to keep 300 Baht. Hard to argue with the shop owner. A verbal contract was changed.

yeah... are you really sure the "verbal contract" included a clause for a 300 baht cover charge as well as another clause that incase of an argument, the motorcycle renter agrees to be beaten up by 3 thugs? get real.

The owner could have just refused to take the bike back early. I think 300B if fair.

If the owner can be trusted, the Frenchman threw the first punch. But who knows. The others getting involved is ridiculous and they should be arrested and charged. But we know that won't happen. No consequences for things like this just mean they'll get repeated in the future.

the motorcycle rental shop in Jomtien I rent from has simple one-page contracts (oh my god?) that state what happens regarding insurance, liabilities, early cancellation, etc...

hmmmm. wow. contracts.

BTW, I believe the renter has the legal obligation to carry a copy of the rental contract, maybe someone can confirm this?

If that is the case, rental shops not writing contracts may even be illegal in the first place.

Edited July 28, 2016 by manarak

[Asiantravel]

8:30 at night?

62-year old man?

Group of motorbike taxi drivers particpate in a "beat down" that leaves farang with serious head injuries.

This is why I tell everyone I know in the US to never visit Thailand.

Even if the damage to the motorbike is true, and there are many instances of this type of scam, the resulting actions are criminal.

Lesson to all farang: Smile. Be apolite. Get the police involved.

it's definitely deteriorating here and I predict it's going to get even worse

[gdgbb]

Yup but the frenchman started the fight according to the shopowner.

She shopowner's face doesn't show even the slightest red mark a punch would have left.

As usual, the cowards just lie to save their face and avoid prosecution.

The French tourist agreed to a 3 day rental and a ride to the airport. The next day, returned the scooter, got into an argument and cancelled the airport transfer. The shop owner decided to keep 300 Baht. Hard to argue with the shop owner. A verbal contract was changed.

yeah... are you really sure the "verbal contract" included a clause for a 300 baht cover charge as well as another clause that incase of an argument, the motorcycle renter agrees to be beaten up by 3 thugs? get real.

Why can't some people read? There was no shop owner, the bike was rented from a motorbike taxi driver (why would anyone do that in a city with hundreds of rental shops?). The verbal contract included a deposit and the Frenchman broke the contract so the retention of the deposit is reasonable. Pretty sure there wasn't a clause in the contract that allowed the renter to hit the bike owner first either, manarak. Get real.

[gdgbb]

Everyone is allowed to change their mind for whatever reason. verbal contracts in Thailand are not worth the air the words go into..too many lies are told

And anyone who is paid a deposit in return for an arrangement is entitled to retain that deposit if the one who changed his mind puts the other at a financial disadvantage.

[gdgbb]

the motorcycle rental shop in Jomtien I rent from has simple one-page contracts (oh my god?) that state what happens regarding insurance, liabilities, early cancellation, etc...

hmmmm. wow. contracts.

BTW, I believe the renter has the legal obligation to carry a copy of the rental contract, maybe someone can confirm this?

If that is the case, rental shops not writing contracts may even be illegal in the first place.

Your rental arrangement is irrelevant, there was no rental shop involved in this.

[Nasrullah]

The "Seasoned" response from those of us who have been here a while, would have been to sum up the situation, and just pay the Baht 1000, the consequences could have been a lot worse, I am not suggesting in this case that the victim lost his cool, but it has been known, that does not excuse the way the Thai's acted, but there are a whole new set of rules that foreigners should learn if they want a stress free holiday/ life here.

The dispute was over 300 baht.

Yup but the frenchman started the fight according to the shopowner.

quote........However, Mr Gabrielly’s plans changed and he returned the motorbike after only one day and also said he no longer needed a car to the airport.

Arin-thorn said he decided to charge Mr Gabrielly 300 baht for ‘wasting his time.’ Mr Gabrielly disagreed and refused to pay. Arin-thorn then said that he changed his mind about the money and just asked for his key back and claims that, at this time, Mr Gabrielly punched him in the head.

He says that the elderly gentleman had friends with him, and he feared for his safety, so began punching everybody around him in self-defence and that three of his fellow taxi drivers ‘came to his rescue.’

does anybody believe the above

Why would you pay a deposit for a taxi anyway?...........can be obtained at the drop of a hat!

Never pay for something up front unless you really really have to

[Nasrullah]

the motorcycle rental shop in Jomtien I rent from has simple one-page contracts (oh my god?) that state what happens regarding insurance, liabilities, early cancellation, etc...

hmmmm. wow. contracts.

BTW, I believe the renter has the legal obligation to carry a copy of the rental contract, maybe someone can confirm this?

If that is the case, rental shops not writing contracts may even be illegal in the first place.

Your rental arrangement is irrelevant, there was no rental shop involved in this.

i read it as a deposit for the taxi??..........surely he would of had to pay for the 3 days up front.....deposit for what?.....even if it was for the rental

how is the thai out of pocket?........

[impulse]

I don't know about the fight, but the guy deserved a thorough tongue lashing for wearing that shirt in public.

Mom would have kicked my ass if she saw photos of me dressed like that in public.

[american12bthai]

The "Seasoned" response from those of us who have been here a while, would have been to sum up the situation, and just pay the Baht 1000, the consequences could have been a lot worse, I am not suggesting in this case that the victim lost his cool, but it has been known, that does not excuse the way the Thai's acted, but there are a whole new set of rules that foreigners should learn if they want a stress free holiday/ life here.

yep and those rules are

dont come here on vacation. come here to exploit the locals.

and the locals love to be exploited for 300b.

[WhizBang]

8:30 at night?

62-year old man?

Group of motorbike taxi drivers particpate in a "beat down" that leaves farang with serious head injuries.

This is why I tell everyone I know in the US to never visit Thailand.

Even if the damage to the motorbike is true, and there are many instances of this type of scam, the resulting actions are criminal.

Lesson to all farang: Smile. Be apolite. Get the police involved.

Getting the police involved will NOT solve the problem, and may inn fact, make things worse, as the police are often working WITH the scammers.

[ClutchClark]

So the Frenchman took a beating over 300 baht

OK I must be kind of slow but how do you figure 300 Baht?

[ClutchClark]

8:30 at night?

62-year old man?

Group of motorbike taxi drivers particpate in a "beat down" that leaves farang with serious head injuries.

This is why I tell everyone I know in the US to never visit Thailand.

Even if the damage to the motorbike is true, and there are many instances of this type of scam, the resulting actions are criminal.

Lesson to all farang: Smile. Be apolite. Get the police involved.

Getting the police involved will NOT solve the problem, and may inn fact, make things worse, as the police are often working WITH the scammers.

I disagree unless you can provide examples.

The police want low profile.

Nothing about this was going to turn out low profile.

[ClutchClark]

I still don't understand why the frenchman rented a scooter from a motorbike taxi. Am I misunderstanding this?

Do motorbike taxis try to rent bikes to new unsuspecting arrivals?

the "elderly" frenchman does not look like I had envisioned...he looks like the kind of guy who would push his weight around...especially after a couple pints.

The price negotiated is not clear. The deoosit was 1,000 Baht but no statement how much was for the scooter times 3 days and how much for the taxi.

Why rent for three days and return after one day?

Because he found a better deal.

So he made an agreement and he backed out.

At a scooter rental shop this would not be an issue unless a multi-day discount were apied to the day rate compared to a 1-day rental.

The taxi should not enter into this. It was 2 days away.

No farang deserves a gang style beat down but I do think the frenchy created this problem by backing out of his agreement.

[phycokiller]

the reason for the fight doesnt matter, the point is that violence against tourists is not considered to be breaking the law in Thailand, no arrests were made and a clear message is given once again, "beating western tourists is considered part of Thai culture and westerners should understand this even if they cant"

[JHolmesJr]

The French tourist agreed to a 3 day rental and a ride to the airport. The next day, returned the scooter, got into an argument and cancelled the airport transfer. The shop owner decided to keep 300 Baht. Hard to argue with the shop owner. A verbal contract was changed.

Sounds like BS….these motorcycle hire shops don't do verbal contracts.

They have a standard contract on a cheap xeroxed form where they fill in the time and date the bike was taken….

I always take pictures of the bike all over with my phone, especially the parts prone to dispute….exhaust pipe….the fibreglass body etc….and I ask the shop owner to do the same (honest ones usually do).

I never give them my passport either.

The taxi to airport is a separate transaction that cannot be bundled with motorbike hire….you don't pay for that in advance either.

The thais are making up some bullshit…..mind you I can see how things escalated with a frenchman…..they can get righteously belligerent in a nanosecond.

[amrishtony]

"He says that the elderly gentleman had friends with him, and he feared for his safety, so began punching everybody around him in self-defence and that three of his fellow taxi drivers ‘came to his rescue."’

So these scumbags say anything they want and we are suppose to believe it??

[OMGImInPattaya]

the reason for the fight doesnt matter, the point is that violence against tourists is not considered to be breaking the law in Thailand, no arrests were made and a clear message is given once again, "beating western tourists is considered part of Thai culture and westerners should understand this even if they cant"

You might want to read all that has happened before posting on threads...it will make what you write a little more credible.

[teacherpaul]

So the situation has nothing to do with the hopped-up thug motorcycle taxi drivers, but they see an opportunity to act like a pack of cowardly dogs and do the usual 5 or 6 on one gang attack. I guess these types do this kind of thing because every morning when they wake up and take their yaba, they know they're nothing more than human garbage and it infuriates them -- always some quest for cowardly violence brewing inside them.

Its almost as if they seethe with hate against farang and just await the chance they can seriously harm one of us.

I believe they call it small dick syndrome or little man syndrome.

[williamgeorgeallen]

8:30 at night?

62-year old man?

Group of motorbike taxi drivers particpate in a "beat down" that leaves farang with serious head injuries.

This is why I tell everyone I know in the US to never visit Thailand.

Even if the damage to the motorbike is true, and there are many instances of this type of scam, the resulting actions are criminal.

Lesson to all farang: Smile. Be apolite. Get the police involved.

good advice except for get the police involved. they will only escalate things, generally side with thais in any dispute and want money for 'solving' any problems.

he would have been better to forget the 1000thb and get a bike from someone else next time.

[ClutchClark]

8:30 at night?

62-year old man?

Group of motorbike taxi drivers particpate in a "beat down" that leaves farang with serious head injuries.

This is why I tell everyone I know in the US to never visit Thailand.

Even if the damage to the motorbike is true, and there are many instances of this type of scam, the resulting actions are criminal.

Lesson to all farang: Smile. Be apolite. Get the police involved.

good advice except for get the police involved. they will only escalate things, generally side with thais in any dispute and want money for 'solving' any problems.

he would have been better to forget the 1000thb and get a bike from someone else next time.

OK.

I have been corrected on this last point enough times that I am now a believer.

Do not involve the police.

Thanks

Edited July 28, 2016 by ClutchClark

[MZurf]

Tough guys. Gang fight against a 62 year old. They should be ashamed of themselves. Terrible behavior here.

"They should be ashamed of themselves."

For one to feel shame one needs to admit guilt. That's not a major part of Thainess (as I'm sure you know).

[bodymassagemyfriend]

Thainess in display? We take your money or we beat it out of you! Sabai sabai, mai penrai. We will get it out of you one way and no other!

Just to be fair, I'd also like to know the reason why the shop did not want to return the deposit though? But no matter how you cut it, street justice is never the right solution. Should have just gone to a police station to sort it out.

Lesson here is to never lose your temper in a country that is not yours. From the hindsight, was it worth it? 1000 baht vs moral principles vs beat down?

If you dont ask for your 1000bhat back they will think its not money for you and increase deposit. You also loose the face so in there country maybe it gives a very negative message about us.

[hawker9000]

I would like to read just one time when 6 Thai,s are beating on a one farang that 5 farang,s jump in and beat the Thai,s silly. I would love to read a story of some Thai,s being beat senseless.by farang,s in self defense.

The farangs would then be locked up for life.

[sahibji]

it is not the question of quantum of the money involved.

it is a question of humanity, of moral values, and social and

legal responsibilities. if thugs take the law into their own hands,

then what is the purpose of the police force.

mobs like these must be dealt with by having strict laws and punitive

punishment. caning must be made mandatory for group assault on an individual.