Guest Posted July 27, 2001 Report Share Posted July 27, 2001 News direct from freeserve:26.07.01 Dozens of Britons arrested in Thailand -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A number of Britons are among 81 people arrested in Thailand in connection with an alleged multi-million pound investment scam. Most of those arrested were British and Irish in raids on two "boiler room" stock trading companies in Bangkok. Police also confiscated assets worth an estimated £4 million. Those arrested also included Americans, Canadians, Australians and citizens of several European countries, who would be charged with working illegally in Thailand. Nineteen Thais who were also arrested had not yet been charged. Officers from the US FBI and the Australian police joined Thai officers in raids on offices in the Thai capital's business district. General Sant Sarutanond, the deputy Thai national police chief, said two companies were suspected of operating unlicensed securities services and may have engaged in fraud against foreign investors. He said: "Many complaints showed that after the money was transferred to Bangkok accounts, either investors have problems getting their money back or no further contact could be made to the brokers at all." The companies hired more than 70 foreigners hired to cold-call potential customers, mostly in Australia and New Zealand. Under the Thai law, anyone convicted of running an unlicensed securities operation is liable to imprisonment for up to five years. Sant said more than 100 investors, mostly Australians, had been solicited by telephone by sales persons to buy shares of bogus US companies based in Bangkok. He said the transfer of a large amount of money by the two companies raised suspicion that they belonged to an international group based outside Thailand and may have been engaged in international money laundering. A Foreign Office spokeswoman told Ananova the number of Britons arrested in Bangkok is between 30 and 40. She said British Embassy staff plan to visit them in prison on July 27. I think Stickman's column has frequently mentioned these con men and their dirty tricks. Looks like they have finally got their cumuppence! Might be a few spare girls going now as well...!! © Copyright Ananova Ltd 2001, all rights reserved. Join Freeserve | Communicate | Shopping | Channels | MyFreeserve | Chat © Freeserve.com plc | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | About Freeserve | Contact Us Belgium | Denmark | Spain | France | Netherlands | Lebanon | Morocco | Slovakia [ July 27, 2001: Message edited by: ozbod ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 27, 2001 Report Share Posted July 27, 2001 i wonder how many boardmembers can post their prison stories in due time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boo Radley Posted July 27, 2001 Report Share Posted July 27, 2001 There's a bit more at on the story at http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/asia-pacific/newsid_1458000/1458687.stm . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 27, 2001 Report Share Posted July 27, 2001 I reed about these scams in one of stickmans brillent weekly news-letters, I guess the police caught up with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stickman Posted July 27, 2001 Report Share Posted July 27, 2001 Well, it was obviously going to happen, and it finally has. You want to see the splash on the front page of the Bangkok Post. A huge article spanning 2/3 of the page with a number of very sad looking farangs. The worst thing about all of this is that IT WAS IMMINENT! We knew it was going to happen and when we heard that the FBI was involved, it was just a matter of time. A few excerpts from the post article: "All would be tried in Thailand, he said. If convicted they could face jail terms of two to ten years and fines of up to 200,000 baht." "Prime Minister Taksin Shinawwatra promised a review of visas for foreign workers, pointing to weaknesses in immigration screening, and lax blackilisting system". The article is not up on the Bangkok Post website yet (7:35 AM BKK time) but should be up shortly. The big question now, how many of our members were involved? I know of at least a couple that were doing this... Stick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted July 27, 2001 Report Share Posted July 27, 2001 I saw the footage on the news this morning. I've never seen so many farangs trying to hide their faces from the cameras. Actually one looked like Bangkok Phil with the sunnies on and his hand covering part of his face. Just a joke Phil. [ July 27, 2001: Message edited by: Phantom ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boemba Posted July 27, 2001 Report Share Posted July 27, 2001 Yes, I also noted the small comment by the prime minister. Things like this happening, we all as foreigners can do without. It might indeed make it harder to be in the country legitimately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 27, 2001 Report Share Posted July 27, 2001 These don't sound like "tourists" to me. quote: Originally posted by ozbod: News direct from freeserve:26.07.01 Dozens of Britons arrested in Thailand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stickman Posted July 27, 2001 Report Share Posted July 27, 2001 Well, it's not just the Bangkok Post that is carrying this story. It's also all over the front page of The Nation - 3/4 of the page covered with farangs trying to hide their faces in shame.... But to make matters worse, The Nation not only has pictures and a full article, it also has a full list of everyone that was caught, including their names, ages and nationalities - check the list for your friends! Has Bangkok Phil posted today? Also included in The Nation ws the article that I mentioned in another thread that wa from the Australian Financial Review last week... All in all, there will be a few very sad farangs in the City Of Smiles today.... For the links: http://www.bangkokpost.com/newindex/today/270701_news01.html http://66.111.65.118/page.news.php3?clid=2&theme=A&usrsess=1&id=251 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 27, 2001 Report Share Posted July 27, 2001 Thanks for the links Stick. I know (or have met) at least six of the names on that list. Arai wa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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