Is There A "mafia" In Thailand?

[Weho]

In Pattaya tonight, I witnessed a street fight between two guys, beating up a motorcycle taxi driver. Although there were lots of people around, no one came to his assistance, nor tried to stop the fight. I asked inside the bar I was at what the dispute was about, and they whispered "mafia". That was all they would say. People in nearby stores continued cutting hair, playing pool, having beers, selling street food etc. People were basically pretending nothing was going on. The fight lasted some 20 minutes, and got pretty brutal at some points.

Just curious if anyone can shed any light on any of this, given the admittedly sketchy details above.

What could the dispute possibly have been about?

[cdnvic]

There are so-called "mafias" in Thailand but not "a mafia" (TRT and Democrats not withstanding)

[Tarragona]

What could the dispute possibly have been about?

Not paid his motorcy' fees.

Not paid his gambling debts.

Not paid his drinking debts.

Not paid back his borrowed debts.

[DragonQuest]

I have a friend living in pattaya and he said there are russian mafia in pattaya, but im not sure cause theres a ton of old bags down there alot of old farts and old dirty men lol

Edited January 4, 2007 by DragonQuest

[londonthai]

if they were mafia there would be 10 of them and not 2 and the fight wouldn't last 20 minuts but 20 seconds

[ThaiPauly]

What could the dispute possibly have been about?

Not paid his motorcy' fees.

Not paid his gambling debts.

Not paid his drinking debts.

Not paid back his borrowed debts.

The list could go on and on.

Thais will rarely involve themselves in somebody else's problem...and its in our best interests to stay out of Thai on Thai too..unless there is a Girl involved

[DragonQuest]

ROFLMAO or just one guy dress in black and last 5 seconds

[solid]

Many times I even think that the country is run by a bunch of mafias.

[Jingthing]

There are definitely criminal gangs. There is certainly violence for unpaid loans. I saw a similar incident in South Pattaya and it was much more violent. A young man was brutally beaten up by three men who arrived by moto. The Thais around saw everything and walked away as quickly as they could. To do otherwise would be suicidal. The sirens were heard 10 minutes later ...

Not in the tourist brochures I guess.

Edited January 4, 2007 by Jingthing

[kayo]

There is NO Mafia in Thailand.

(there is no prostitution or drugs either... )

[cdnvic]

There is NO Mafia in Thailand.

Dat's right Mr. Kayo... an' don' yoo foget it!

[kurgen]

There is NO Mafia in Thailand.

Dat's right Mr. Kayo... an' don' yoo foget it!

Bloody heel !

George wearing a tie

[tutsiwarrior]

in Kuta beach in Bali I had my small son and a load of groceries and attempted to get into a taxi...some thug barred my way and started shouting at the driver...naturally I backed off but picked up the same taxi a few minutes later. I can speak bahasa and queried 'who was that guy?' the driver just breathed 'mafia'...

welcome to paradise...there are mean streets all over asia and if you don't use good judgement it is easy to be a victim...and if you defend yourself and win you will lose with the cops...always.

[Donz]

There is mafia's all over the world, you walk down a wrong st anywhere in the world its a good chance you will get farked up.

I heard the taxi's at Chang Mai train station are a small time mafia and will beat up any taxi's who try to pick up and passengers.

I know there is a big Mafia in Patong in Phuket as my friend who owns a business right on Bangla Rd has to pay them money every month.

I know Bangkok has a few mafia's who own different parts of the city and businesses in the busy parts need to pay them protection money etc.

[LaoPo]

There is mafia's all over the world, you walk down a wrong st anywhere in the world its a good chance you will get farked up.

I heard the taxi's at Chang Mai train station are a small time mafia and will beat up any taxi's who try to pick up and passengers.

I know there is a big Mafia in Patong in Phuket as my friend who owns a business right on Bangla Rd has to pay them money every month.

I know Bangkok has a few mafia's who own different parts of the city and businesses in the busy parts need to pay them protection money etc.

I'm sure all mafioso will run for their lives if they see the GREAT DONZ coming.....

LaoPo

[Donz]

There is mafia's all over the world, you walk down a wrong st anywhere in the world its a good chance you will get farked up.

I heard the taxi's at Chang Mai train station are a small time mafia and will beat up any taxi's who try to pick up and passengers.

I know there is a big Mafia in Patong in Phuket as my friend who owns a business right on Bangla Rd has to pay them money every month.

I know Bangkok has a few mafia's who own different parts of the city and businesses in the busy parts need to pay them protection money etc.

I'm sure all mafioso will run for their lives if they see the GREAT DONZ coming.....

LaoPo

Im a one man gang

[Grover]

There is mafia's all over the world, you walk down a wrong st anywhere in the world its a good chance you will get farked up.

I heard the taxi's at Chang Mai train station are a small time mafia and will beat up any taxi's who try to pick up and passengers.

I know there is a big Mafia in Patong in Phuket as my friend who owns a business right on Bangla Rd has to pay them money every month.

I know Bangkok has a few mafia's who own different parts of the city and businesses in the busy parts need to pay them protection money etc.

I'm sure all mafioso will run for their lives if they see the GREAT DONZ coming.....

LaoPo

no one likes to be raped by a monster

Edited January 5, 2007 by Grover

[LaoPo]

There is mafia's all over the world, you walk down a wrong st anywhere in the world its a good chance you will get farked up.

I heard the taxi's at Chang Mai train station are a small time mafia and will beat up any taxi's who try to pick up and passengers.

I know there is a big Mafia in Patong in Phuket as my friend who owns a business right on Bangla Rd has to pay them money every month.

I know Bangkok has a few mafia's who own different parts of the city and businesses in the busy parts need to pay them protection money etc.

I'm sure all mafioso will run for their lives if they see the GREAT DONZ coming.....

LaoPo

Im a one man gang

I know...that's why they will run......

LP

[Heng]

There's organized crime everywhere. People who say there isn't are probably more influenced by the Godfather and Goodfellas than real life. Of course it's not exactly like the movies.

[davidjtayler]

There's definately mafia where I live ... my wife ....

[cdnvic]

I'm sure all mafioso will run for their lives if they see the GREAT DONZ coming.....

You get hit by one of those 'special' buses, you don't get up.

[LaoPo]

1, There's organized crime everywhere.

2. People who say there isn't are probably more influenced by the Godfather and Goodfellas than real life.

3. Of course it's not exactly like the movies.

1. seconded

2. seconded

3. agree, it's beyond the movies, especially in Thailand.

4. No scenario-writer in Hollywood could -ever- come up with the 'scene' in LOS....

LaoPo

[Weho]

Someone told me that it was GOOD to have a mafia here in Thailand, mostly because they keep the POLICE in check. Might be some truth to that.

[Heng]

Someone told me that it was GOOD to have a mafia here in Thailand, mostly because they keep the POLICE in check. Might be some truth to that.

At this point, some cynic will usually post something like... "the police are the mafia." I'd say in many places, sure, the police are involved and have connections to organized crime, but IMO they are rarely the entire organization by themselves.

[jbowman1993]

Ok, I've been keeping it a secret long enough. In point of fact, I am the Godfather of all criminal activies in Thailand. My associates in the family call me "Don Jing Jing".

I am sorry that my associates caused a scene in Pattaya, and that you were witness to it. If you give me your name and address, my associates can come and "make you an offer you can't refuse".

Fugetaboutit...

[Donz]

Why else would people call me THE DONZ

[Robski]

Ah now I see... I was in a scuba shop the other day and overheard a guy say that he would be out of town for a few days and would like his wife and daughter to 'swim with the fishes' while he was away. seemed very innocent at the time, but when i put 2&2 together.... I think scuba companies are front for mafia hitmen!

[terry57]

in Kuta beach in Bali I had my small son and a load of groceries and attempted to get into a taxi...some thug barred my way and started shouting at the driver...naturally I backed off but picked up the same taxi a few minutes later. I can speak bahasa and queried 'who was that guy?' the driver just breathed 'mafia'...

welcome to paradise...there are mean streets all over asia and if you don't use good judgement it is easy to be a victim...and if you defend yourself and win you will lose with the cops...always.

farang will hardly ever be involved with mafia in thailand unless they are up to no good.

the average person will never have contact with mafia.

[terry57]

i had the pleasure to meet 2 ex police, turned mafia hit men in the early years when i was involved in business.

actually one of our friends used to employ 1 full time in his dive shop.

he'd just sit there everyday keeping an eye on the local thais and making sure there was no bother. he never caused any problem and you would never know who he was.

the other one was a personal friend of my thai partner and would only be called into action when needed.

we had a problem with an israil'y dude one time and we took him down for a friendly chat with the hit man.

the dude spoke very good english and told the israil'y to pay us the money he owed us or there could be a little problem .

i think the gun sitting on the table made the israil'y a little nervous, and i must say i was on my best behavior as it was the first time i had met the hit man.

the israil'y nearly snapped his wrist pulling out his wallet to pay us.

but i must tell you punters,

the israil'y was a real flogger, as he smashed our motor cycle up and refused to pay so the hit man taught him a little lesson about respect.

so there you go, the mafia is alive and kicking in the mighty los but they never worry me as i dont cause any problem and play within the rules.

learnt my lesson in the early years.

be good boys punters and you'll be sweet.

[womble]

Organised crime in Thailand..........

Don't make me laugh......

Disorganised maybe (like everything else here)..........

It's great here tho, cos you know who they are.....

They wear uniforms.