Darker side of Pattaya

[ikarus]

No, this post is not about the part of Pattaya which is on the other side of Sukhumvit. It is about stories I hear from time to time
but never was able to properly understand. It is about farangs who were being blackmailed on behalf of their boyfriends, so to say. The typical story goes as follows. Farang is approached by gangsters who demand, say,a gamble debt owed by his boyfriend.
What I really do not understand why farang cannot ask for help from Thai attorney, police or even DSI ( local analogue of FBI).
There is no gay marriage in Thailand and obviously farang has no legal obligations for his boyfriend. Besides, gambling is illegal in Thailand and no court would ever accept such a case. There was a time (perhaps, fifties) when gangsters (recent Thai movie Antapan comes to mind) were really powerful but it is no longer the case in Thailand. Besides, I do not believe that police will not consider carefully any kind of serious threat to foreigner in Thailand. Of course, one can argue that the real danger is to the boyfriend rather than farang himself. But is it worth to care about somebody who set you back for several million baht?
This is not to mention that a scenario described above fits into category of perfect extortion and the role of boyfriend may or may not be so obvious.
May I suggest to keep a discussion of this topic on an abstract level (i.e. without reference to concrete names , especially
if the story is relatively recent)?

[Geezer]

There was a time (perhaps, fifties) when gangsters (recent Thai movie Antapan comes to mind) were really powerful but it is no longer the case in Thailand.
WRONG!

I do not believe that police will not consider carefully any kind of serious threat to foreigner in Thailand.WRONG!

[ikarus]

Let me just say this. I have experience in Thailand far beyond dark alleys of Pattaya. I am familiar with some people in University and Government circles. I can say absolutely: you are WRONG.

[Geezer]

Tell that to the Thai professional in Jomtien who recently reported his extortion to police, and has had to leave the country owing to threats to his life.

"Absolutely" is a very big word.

[Manforallseasons]

Difficult for me to comprehend the degree of ignorance here. The BIB surely would be paid a share of any money extorted.

Difficult for me to comprehend the degree of ignorance here. The BIB surely would be paid a share of any money extorted.a share? The Thai police are gangsters in uniform arent they?

[latintopxxx]

This is why its best to keep your relationships with bar/gogo/host bar boys very casual, I will never live in Thailand, simply no protection (legal or otherwise), when the minimum salary is 200/day and set to rise to 300 in a months time the temptation presentation by the obvious wealth surrounding the average farang is overwhelming.....тВм50,000 to the average farang is not a huge amount but to the majority of Thais it represents a small fortune...we should not forget that we are dealing with the lowest of the low...absolute moral scum... people who sell themselves..their brothers...to anyone....fathers and sons working together is gogo/host bars....the average "boyfriend"is only one very small step removed from a gogo bar stage....there is no love..or care..or feeling...only hard cash..once he moves in he starts believing that whats yours is his....
I will gladly spend month or two here...keep a boy for a few days ...but never actually let him move in as a permanent fixture...

[Up2U]

On a smaller scale, the well publicized Jet Ski scam in Phuket and Pattaya comes to mind. Extortion by mafia types with the complicit assistance of authorities and BIB.

On a positive side, I have had farang friends get justice through the Thai justice system over real estate purchases gone bad. It took time and money but they won.

[ikarus]

Difficult for me to comprehend the degree of ignorance here. The BIB surely would be paid a share of any money extorted.
Difficult for me to comprehend the degree of stereotyping here. If it would be the case, every farang with any semblance of money would be a subject of some kind of extortion. Nonsense. Many of you guys have no idea how Thailand really works and display your stupidity and nonsense in public.

[cdnmatt]

This is why I don't allow my money to be instantly accessible, and will generally only have access to a couple weeks of spending cash at a time in Thailand. Additional funds take about two days for me to have access to them. This way, worst case scenario I'm out two weeks of cash, which is hardly a big deal. And I can't ever see myself in a position where people would forcefully kidnap and hold me for several days.

Cue "Twilight Zone" theme tune

[Up2U]

Difficult for me to comprehend the degree of ignorance here. The BIB surely would be paid a share of any money extorted.
Difficult for me to comprehend the degree of stereotyping here. If it would be the case, every farang with any semblance of money would be a subject of some kind of extortion. Nonsense. Many of you guys have no idea how Thailand really works and display your stupidity and nonsense in public.

ikarus you seem naive. You association with academics and government officials does not provide you with special insight but may in fact cloud your judgement.

http://cpi.transparency.org/cpi2012/results/

Thailand has dropped a few notches from the previous year.

[adman5000]

I think the more common situation is one where a Thai will tell the Farang that a gangster is demanding money from he or his family for past debts. I think this is covered in Chapter 10 of the barboy manual on ways to separate the unsuspecting Farang from his money.
I also agree that anyone who thinks there are no gangsters, corruption, or collaboration with police in Thailand is living in fantasyland.
Personally, I carry business cards of Thai acquaintances who the undesireables would prefer not to mess with. I have never had to use them and would prefer not to.

I asked Ickarus in another thread if he can give us the name of the company that makes his ros├й colored spectacles.

[latintopxxx]

...again in order to avoid issues don't get too close to the lower classes....take your time when making local friends..

[Lunchtime O'Booze]

...again in order to avoid issues don't get too close to the lower classes....take your time when making local friends..

in other words avoid most ex-pats. :occasion9:

[latintopxxx]

...you might just have a very good point there...