English counterfeiters face extended stay in Thailand - in the slammer

[rooster59]

English counterfeiters face extended stay in Thailand - in the slammer

 

Image: Thairath

 

KOH PANGAN:-- The party is over for four Englishmen who came to Thailand with a load of fake £20 banknotes.

 

As soon as the story of their escapade hit the news they were all arrested yesterday on the island of Koh Pangan.

 

They had been changing £100 to £200 a time at money changers such as travel agents. One reported the matter to police on Thursday and a clear CCTV image was obtained.

 

This led local cops to a rented set of rooms in the Ban Tai area of the island. Arrested were Thomas and Luke Anthony, both 23, Adam Lewis, 21, and Steven Belfry (name transliterated from Thai), 23. 

 

Some 96 fake notes worth 86,404 baht were found in their possession plus a bag of ganja weighing 2.11 grams.

 

The gang admitted what they had been doing and said they had visited Bangkok, Phi Phi and Koh Tao before coming to Pangan for the full moon party. The fake money had been brought from England.

 

Several of their victims on the island came to the station to identify them.

 

They were charged with using fake banknotes and possession of a category five drug (ganja). They were all detained following photos where their faces were hidden by sheets of paper.

 

One was wearing an England football shirt.

 

Source: Thairath

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2016-09-17

[tonray]

Lock em up and throw away the key. Fools beyond belief.

[shirtless]

These guys are idiots , 10 years no less .

[nev]

Not the brightest bunch of kids.

Enjoy you're extended stay in Thailand.

[Don Mega]

15 minutes ago, tonray said:

Lock em up and throw away the key. Fools beyond belief.

20 for the lad in the football shirt.

[ezzra]

 

Well, one way to stay in Thailand on an extended holiday and not worry about visa

and other ' holiday ' expenses, way to go boys....

[NongKhaiKid]

Couldn't have been high quality notes. Did they use a John Bull printing kit ?

[tonray]

The sad fact for these idiots is that the average Joe does not counterfeit money....they are dupes used by a larger and more sophisticated criminal gang. If they want any leniency they should sing like canaries and turn that info over to UK officials to go after the real scum behind this operation, 

[alfalfa19]

86 k  baht, seems like very small rewards for the risks and time they are facing.  especially since the rewards were being split at least 4 ways,  whilst all get the full issue of penalties. 

[worgeordie]

After the new order from the P.M. ,for Police not to display suspects

before the media,they have found a way around it,hide their faces,

while the Police can get their faces on view,so everyone knows who

are doing such a good job !

regards worgeordie

[fishhooks]

The guy with the "ADIDAS" shirt was told it was genuine when he purchased it !

[catman20]

1 hour ago, NongKhaiKid said:

Couldn't have been high quality notes. Did they use a John Bull printing kit ?

hahaha your showing your age now i had a john bull printing kit when i was young

[NongKhaiKid]

Just now, catman20 said:

hahaha your showing your age now i had a john bull printing kit when i was young

Yes but I'm still 21 or so and have been for years now.

Not saying what my mental age is though.   

[catman20]

i dont agree with what these fools done but you would think they would do it in pattaya or bangkok not some small island were its easy to get caught

[NongKhaiKid]

4 minutes ago, catman20 said:

i dont agree with what these fools done but you would think they would do it in pattaya or bangkok not some small island were its easy to get caught

Maybe thought they'd have a better chance out in the sticks rather than areas where foreign currency is handled more regularly and in more volume.

[catman20]

yes good point

[catman20]

7 minutes ago, NongKhaiKid said:

Maybe thought they'd have a better chance out in the sticks rather than areas where foreign currency is handled more regularly and in more volume.

yes good point

[dotpoom]

Not sure I understand the terms "fools" and "idiots" when it comes to describing criminals.   "Chancers" may be better.....thieves seem to be willing to risk a lot on the fact that they believe they will get away with it.

  I have met the odd "fool" and "idiot".....they wouldn't have the intellect to go about committing a crime.

[williamgeorgeallen]

suspects not shown in the photo but the cops still get their photo opportunity. very innovative.

[maoro2013]

I thought there was talk about curtailing these photo ops.

[Old Croc]

I would have thought the number one rule for passing counterfeit notes would be to move on immediately after the deed.

Staying on a small island where you changed many notes, to party is idiocy not chance.

[phantomfiddler]

2 hours ago, shirtless said:

These guys are idiots , 10 years no less .

 

You have to be joking, little more than a schoolboy prank and 1 year I think would be excessive  Would be enough to make them see the error of their ways !

[AlexRich]

16 minutes ago, dotpoom said:

Not sure I understand the terms "fools" and "idiots" when it comes to describing criminals.   "Chancers" may be better.....thieves seem to be willing to risk a lot on the fact that they believe they will get away with it.

  I have met the odd "fool" and "idiot".....they wouldn't have the intellect to go about committing a crime.

 

Perhaps they were fools to think that they could get away with the scam for long and idiots for taking such a huge risk for so little reward?

 

[kingalfred]

Boo hoo I WANNA go home . I want my mum


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[kingalfred]

 

You have to be joking, little more than a schoolboy prank and 1 year I think would be excessive  Would be enough to make them see the error of their ways !

Shows your standards and principals called defrauding a "schoolboy prank"


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[BKKdreaming]

I feel for the shop owners who are out  the real money they exchanged , 

 

if there is a "deal" made to let them go back to the UK , I hope the shop owners get paid back  x 2 

 

But like is said above , these punks did not print the money ,  I wonder how much they paid for a 20 pound note ?

 

I wonder how long before UK papers will be bitching about the bad conditions in Thai jails for these punks !

[F4UCorsair]

Transport them to a penal colony ........Australia!!  The land of convicts.

 

I couldn't help myself, and wanted to be first.

[Taco]

Good news is the new Koh Phangan police station and jail is almost finished so they should get a clean room!

[sabaii69]

Good luck changing 20s now. I'll buy em for B100.

[theguyfromanotherforum]

These guys are idiots , 10 years no less .

How much should the banksters get?