British bar owner on Koh Phangan says council man ripped him off and wanted bribes

[jabis]

1 hour ago, miamiman123 said:

Is this the same island were the two murders occurred involving the two Burmese? 

Nope - it's the island next to it - so close enough

[whatproblem]

People need to stand up to theses officials,good luck Lance 

[jabis]

Just now, whatproblem said:

People need to stand up to theses officials,good luck Lance 

I wouldn't encourage this - you know how well it bodes after all.

[GarryP]

I can't understand the actions of the authorities. They are biting the hand that feeds them. People will only take so much before they close up shop. If the backhanders sought were more reasonable, they would have much more long term income streams and everyone would be more or less happy.  

[useronthenet]

1 hour ago, samuibeachcomber said:

 

All you have to be is successful...that alone will land you in trouble

 

Yeah your right, so many stories ... had an honest living, paid taxes, supported the Thai economy, only to have it taken away by lets say a persuader with a firearm, which was put squarely on the negotiation table. Told to walk away from the business. Do you think foreigner have a hope in hell in Thailand? Not in my lifetime !  

[12DrinkMore]

6 minutes ago, jabis said:

I wouldn't encourage this - you know how well it bodes after all.

 

I disagree.

 

The police and the anti-corruption dept. in Bangkok need to be flooded with complaints. Cheap CCTV, vehicle and personal cameras are readily available.

 

Record, file a complaint. Repeat.

 

In the case above I doubt whether the head honcho has a legal right to remove private property and give out fines.

 

My local immigration used to openly demand money for doing their job. Then a couple of local Farangs started to ignore the demands. Slowly this has spread and now I don't know anybody who routinely gives an extra k or 2.

[natway09]

If you want a cheap bar, give me a yell

[starchild5]

Farang's never succeed outside their Bubble in Europe and America. It takes a real man to make it in poor third world countries.

 

I see only Chinese making it and are billionaires in Thailand. They understand the game.

 

You pay to these guys as you are not paying High Taxes, High Vat like in Europe. You still profit and enjoy 24/7 sunshine, plus food and beach. You cannot do business with a western mindset.

 

Most businessmen pay the visit before they visit you...Its lot cheaper and builds trust...and you have to do it once or twice a year...Its not bribe..Its building connections. 

 

100s of western business fail for this simple reason. You cannot put your western moral code in Thailand...

[jabis]

3 minutes ago, 12DrinkMore said:

 

I disagree.

 

The police and the anti-corruption dept. in Bangkok need to be flooded with complaints. Cheap CCTV, vehicle and personal cameras are readily available.

 

Record, file a complaint. Repeat.

 

In the case above I doubt whether the head honcho has a legal right to remove private property and give out fines.

 

My local immigration used to openly demand money for doing their job. Then a couple of local Farangs started to ignore the demands. Slowly this has spread and now I don't know anybody who routinely gives an extra k or 2.

I'm open for that sentiment yes - but the harsh reality seems to be the more you make waves the more you pay ultimately.

Taking a stand, exposing yourself in the media, going after high officials is not a thing I would do, when after all you are an alien by definition here. Sure it is f*cked up system, but you need to learn the local ways to handle that crap, to succeed, at least that is what I think.

[Keesters]

Good for him in having the balls to stand up for himself. Unlike so many wimps and backboneless readers here.

 

 

[jabis]

3 minutes ago, Keesters said:

Good for him in having the balls to stand up for himself. Unlike so many wimps and backboneless readers here.

 

 

Kinda flaming opinion - you do realize the possible repercussions here? Not to mention the possible criminal charges that follow (for defamation of character etc)? It's good if he decides not to do business anymore and ejects from the country ASAP, so long as I can interpret the events. "wimps and backboneless" in what regard - most of us want to just live our lives in peace, without intervention or harassment from possibly xenophobic officials - and tend to minimise exposure towards it. One could do the same the OP did without exposing himself to the public - and I'd hedge the results would be better than `loss of face` for high ranking official.

[elgordo38]

13 hours ago, Upnotover said:

Idiot, go home.

You would think at 50 that all the naiveness would have been gone replaced by the reality of how real life works. Yes going to the BIB is a waste of time but they are good listeners and note takers. Time will grind on and it will all be forgotten. Methinks its time to relocate or find a new business. The BIB more than likely had a envelope waiting from the Deputy Amphur Chief. A 10,000 baht fine for smoking a joint seems a bit steep sounds like he was charged the farang rate. 

[elgordo38]

56 minutes ago, jabis said:

I'm open for that sentiment yes - but the harsh reality seems to be the more you make waves the more you pay ultimately.

Taking a stand, exposing yourself in the media, going after high officials is not a thing I would do, when after all you are an alien by definition here. Sure it is f*cked up system, but you need to learn the local ways to handle that crap, to succeed, at least that is what I think.

Taking a stand here is much like Custer's last stand. Yes we are aliens here with money and it is coveted by others. The hard work ethic is long gone today its replaced by power and extortion. 

[TEFLKrabi]

Lots of people have a dream of opening a bar near a beach and enjoying life and I have no problem with that. I don't agree that he should be slated for that. I hope it works out. We all love to live the dream, even when it turns into reality.

[ncc1701d]

and in other news, water is wet...

[Wavel]

13 hours ago, Upnotover said:

Idiot, go home.

The poor uninformed feller, next month a small wrap of Smack will be found in his room. Then he will be visiting Ban Kwang for 20 years. If anybody knows him that reads TV get him out now while he can.

[swerver]

3 hours ago, hdkane said:

I knew a Dutch fellow who tried to open a cafe in BKK, for his Thai wife.  The police visited so frequently for pay offs that the officers would forget.  The monthly visits turned to weekly, then to almost daily.  Closed the business.  Tried two other times, in different locales but with similar results. Wasted his entire savings.  He returned home to find work. His wife and daughter stayed here. I don't know many people here, but the few people I have spoken to who attempted bars or cafes never succeeded, because of extortion and theft. 

 

 

First of all I do not think he has a Bar License in his name so he says he is the owner is his imagination. Over the years I have known many foreigners lets start with one of the first ones arriving in Thailand, George Pipas RIP and the Texxan and he had a well connected Thai with a very well known name (also RIP) as protector and then walk down the trail, no need to name more names because it was all the same, some Thai female name always on the Bar License, but non had their name on the Bar License.

He is not the first one and will not be the last foreigner falling in the Bar business honey trap in Thailand.

He should take the advice of the several Posts, "GO HOME" because the more he stirs in the bucket of manure the more stink it will produce with him always on the loosing end and if he continues to upset the boys in control he could be found reported as a person missing one day on TVF.

LOL in LOS

[Wavel]

3 minutes ago, swerver said:

 

 

First of all I do not think he has a Bar License in his name so he says he is the owner is his imagination. Over the years I have known many foreigners lets start with one of the first ones arriving in Thailand, George Pipas RIP and the Texxan and he had a well connected Thai with a very well known name (also RIP) as protector and then walk down the trail, no need to name more names because it was all the same, some Thai female name always on the Bar License, but non had their name on the Bar License.

He is not the first one and will not be the last foreigner falling in the Bar business honey trap in Thailand.

He should take the advice of the several Posts, "GO HOME" because the more he stirs in the bucket of manure the more stink it will produce with him always on the loosing end and if he continues to upset the boys in control he could be found reported as a person missing one day on TVF.

LOL in LOS

Suk Yot

[DonaldBattles]

He will be lucky if he comes out of the alive. He should have tried to negotiate. Otherwise you better head for the woods.

[realenglish1]

It s real easy to prevent  Set up hidden surveillance cameras Make sure you can catch the extortionists in action

[bark]

Rest in Peace Sir.

[Chang4u]

2 hours ago, 12DrinkMore said:

 

I disagree.

 

The police and the anti-corruption dept. in Bangkok need to be flooded with complaints. Cheap CCTV, vehicle and personal cameras are readily available.

 

Record, file a complaint. Repeat.

 

In the case above I doubt whether the head honcho has a legal right to remove private property and give out fines.

 

My local immigration used to openly demand money for doing their job. Then a couple of local Farangs started to ignore the demands. Slowly this has spread and now I don't know anybody who routinely gives an extra k or 2.

 

wow.   sounds all so simple, once you explained it.

I hope you go into more details about your personal experiences solving corruption here !

 

 

[impulse]

I can't pass judgment on the guy because I don't know the circumstances.  And there's always "circumstances".

 

Could be he was at the end of his rope, and it was either get some relief, or close down and leave the country anyway.

 

Best of luck to him in any case.

[cyberfarang]

Is it really possible that a Farlang can own and run a bar legally? I always thought that all Farlang bar owners are illegal and pay certain parties tea money to turn a blind eye. This is how it`s always worked in Thailand and think that if this man persists with his complaint, they`ll either put him out of business or worse.

[lvr181]

Wrongly (or rightly) Mr Wayne will not come out of this smelling of roses  

[thaibeachlovers]

No doubt he will shuffle off home before worse happens, but there will always be another farang mug to buy the place, Seems there is an endless supply of farang men willing to take the chance that it won't happen to them, because they are "different".

Sad.

[samuijimmy]

Two posts removed ...unrelated and trolling. 

[Khon Kaen Dave]

There are bars and there are bars.Our bar was in my Thai wifes name.We only ever had one visit and we donated to the ball,a very small amount indeed.We never had any trouble,and we obeyed the rules(well some of them) Only ever dealt with the one guy.We did have 2 guys come in one time and tried to tell mrs Kean That our music licence was no good and we had to but their new one for 12000 b.She outed the old mobile,and took pics of both of them and tried to get them to speak, so she could record them.needless to say they never came back to ours,But a few fools up and down the soi fell for it.

[philthebook]

btw, we are not talking about some little beer bar, the place that got raided is a large successful beach club that has been running since 2013 I believe and the owner has plenty of experience, he must have had a good reason for going to the authorities.   

[ourmanflint]

Amazing just how many problems in Thailand have the same root cause, those boys in brown!