Jump to content

Extortion in Pattaya


manchester_dave

Recommended Posts

A friend of mine has recently moved to Pattaya and opened a bar with his Thai girlfriend of 6 years.

 

He has had some experience of running a bar and night club in Southend Essex. He isnt gambling his life savings on the bar either .

 

He sold a house he had previously rented out, he still owns a property in Southend which is rented out now.

 

His bar is in Soi Buakhao Pattaya. I havent been to Pattaya for a while and dont think I have had the pleasure of visiting Soi Buakhao. He says that it is an area with a lot of long term expats, a market which can give a steady but undramatic return.

 

He has ploughed about 2 million baht in to the business and has it decked out nice. Things have been going well since he opened in July and he has built up some regulars.

 

Problems started in December 07. He was visited by some English gentlemen who made it clear that they wanted cash and that if he did not pay them what they were after there would be problems. He told them to f off. Nothing happened for a week.

 

Since then there has been intimidation 3 or 4 times a week invloving the farangs and Thais.

 

It has escalated, last week a farang who had visted his bar was attacked by Thais with rocks. The farang was badly injured and I believe the Thais have been caught but have been released on bail.

 

The Thais are in the employ of these English guys, my friend has described the guys extorting the money as from London originally and aged about 45.

 

They have been in Pattaya for a long time and have boasted that they are untouchable as long as they dont effect Thais.

 

My friend is beside himself and his girlfriend terrified. They are looking for 40 000 baht per month. They say the longer my friend prevaricates the more expensive it will get for him.

 

As I said I dont know much about Pattaya and the workings, in Samui this doesnt happen or at least I have never heard about it

 

I have tentatively said he should approach a senior Pattaya officer but my friend doesnt want to be looking over his shoulder the whole time.

 

He is talking about offering them 20 k per month, I think this is bad idea but its easy to say this when you are not in the postion he is.

 

Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 121
  • Created
  • Last Reply

 

The Thais are in the employ of these English guys, my friend has described the guys extorting the money as from London originally and aged about 45.

 

Sounds like a Tottenham supporter. Seriously, though, can he go to the cops? Is that a viable option?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They have been in Pattaya for a long time and have boasted that they are untouchable as long as they dont effect Thais.

 

That is not true. If there is one thing Thailand does not tolerate, it is foreigners breaking the law, period. Get the police and have them deported and blacklisted for good.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They have been in Pattaya for a long time and have boasted that they are untouchable as long as they dont effect Thais.

 

That is not true. If there is one thing Thailand does not tolerate' date=' it is [i']foreigners[/i] breaking the law, period. Get the police and have them deported and blacklisted for good.

 

That the guy is boasting about being well connected is understandable, because that's part of the game. But how about the possibility that the extortioner is in fact well connected to the police?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...