Pattaya's Finest

[snotface]

Had this story from an Australian businessman friend the other day. Among his other activities he lets out a couple of apartments in Pattaya. Not having heard for a while from a tenant who was a personal friend, he went round to check up on him. No answer on ringing the doorbell, so he let himself in. The tenant was lying on the floor semi-naked and stone dead - arms extended straight out in rigor mortis, face completely black from where the blood had gone to his head. My friend is no faint heart but he said it was one of the most horrible sights he has ever seen. No sign of violence, it looked like natural causes. Dead about twelve hours he estimated. He phoned the police and, being a savvy guy, removed for safe keeping the dead friend's wallet and one or two other small items of value while he waited.

Twelve (!) policemen duly arrived on the scene. While one or two made a cursory inspection of the corpse, the rest started going through every drawer and cupboard in the place intent on evidence collection, otherwise known as appropriation of anything worth having. The fact that my friend was taking a few pictures on his mobile cramped their style somewhat and they finally left looking disappointed. My friend said he had deliberately left a hundred baht note in the dead man's pocket to see what happened - that had gone when he checked, as had a gold ring which he had forgotten to remove from a finger.

My friend (who told his story with a worldly-wise smile, any outrage well under control) had been prepared for the police behaviour by previous conversations with other farangs. He knew that, for the police, the death of a farang alone in his apartment is seen, quite simply, as a welcome opportunity to do a bit of wealth redistribution. The reasoning goes: the dead man no longer cares and there are probably no relatives within thousands of miles to kick up a fuss. If there's a safe in the apartment, oh goody, that gets jemmied off the wall and removed to the station for further questioning. All in a day's work.

When I passed on the Australian's story to an English friend in my building, who has lived in Thailand for many years, he looked shocked. 'Goodness,' he said finally, 'I had no idea such things went on here.' Lovely guy, bit of a sheltered life.

[StevieWonders]

Similarly someone known to regular customers of Telephone Bar in the late Eighties/early Nineties died on a Bangkok bus (heart attack probably) and was only discovered at the terminus. The regular customer who regaled us with the story (his boyfriend’s address and phone number was found on the body and some of Bangkok’s finest turned up for help in identification) ended on the incredulous note, “There was still money in his pockets”

My Bangkok tailor once told me that after fire gutted his shop and the firemen had finished checking for damage “Not even any brass buttons were left”.

[francois]

My friend (who told his story with a worldly-wise smile, any outrage well under control) had been prepared for the police behaviour by previous conversations with other farangs. He knew that, for the police, the death of a farang alone in his apartment is seen, quite simply, as a welcome opportunity to do a bit of wealth redistribution. The reasoning goes: the dead man no longer cares and there are probably no relatives within thousands of miles to kick up a fuss. If there's a safe in the apartment, oh goody, that gets jemmied off the wall and removed to the station for further questioning. All in a day's work.

Snotface, your story is so correct; have seen it happen.

[StevieWonders]

Don’t forget the Lauda Air crash in 1991 where the rescuers found on arrival that the local villagers had pilfered anything of value from the bodies and the luggage at the scene

[pong]

Note from a capital-city in EURope-where there is also a special section from the ´council´ for the many dead found without close by relatives to take care of it all. They send out notes to each adress, also of societies/subscriptions etc. to inform about the passing away, stop any payments, ask about any remaining debts to be paid etc. and to do that they also have to search the whole house-just as I had to do when my dear single sister passed away some time ago. And they will take care of funeral/cremation.
Your story should come as no real surprise to those who know a little of TH and especially their BiBs, when neighbours would have been first to find out, most likely they would have done the same.

[latintopxxx]

im really confused...thought the place was inhabited by peace loving gentle live and let live Buddhists...not a feral bunch that would strip a plane load of dead/dying of anything valuable like a pack of hyenas...

[Brad the Impala]

If only the BIB on the ground were paid a sensible salary, and didn't have to act as income earners for their officers, who didn't have to provide income for their patrons, who can use the income to buy off the BIB, who need the money as their salaries are crap! How will this vicious circle ever be ended?

[Mancs]

I just hope the 3,000 baht I paid to the BiB for my Cambodian lad who had gone past his 15 day visa went safely to its proper place in the justice system. The young Cambodian lad did negotiate the police down from 5,000 baht, which I was most impressed by, especially as I was paying. He used the Mother Hubbard (no more money!).

[Oliver2]

To be fair, I've never personally experienced Thai police corruption in the way that I did in Zanzibar where I was stopped by two different policemen for two non-existent offences in the space of five kms.

Places like Tanzania and Thailand that pay officers paltry salaries will inevitably encourage officers top make a bit on the side. However, I note that the most senior officers can make a fortune, as exemplified by the recent murder/luxury car case.

By the way, none of that sort of thing came as a surprise to those of us who have read John Burdett's police- procedural books set in Bangkok.

[bkkguy]

Places like Tanzania and Thailand that pay officers paltry salaries will inevitably encourage officers top make a bit on the side. However, I note that the most senior officers can make a fortune, as exemplified by the recent murder/luxury car case.

what salary do you think you need to pay police officers to stop them trying to make millions extorting drug dealers by putting plastic bags over their heads or rorting luxury car confiscations?


If only the BIB on the ground were paid a sensible salary, and didn't have to act as income earners for their officers, who didn't have to provide income for their patrons, who can use the income to buy off the BIB, who need the money as their salaries are crap! How will this vicious circle ever be ended?

I am sure there are good arguments for increasing police salaries but if you want to break this vicious circle you need attitude change - how many people here go into the police force, public administration, politics, etc to get in on the corruption payments? how many people turn a blind eye or know and do nothing but gossip with their friends about "unusually wealthy" people in these positions?

and it takes two to tango, someone is paying this corruption money - what was the survey a few years ago that showed a large percentage of the population were willing to go along with corruption payments if they got some benefit?

[goji]

I agree about the requirement for an attitude change.
Just execute any police officer or other official requesting a bribe, obviously after a cut off date.

[StevieWonders]

I agree about the requirement for an attitude change.
Just execute any police officer or other official requesting a bribe, obviously after a cut off date.
Surely that’s the solution for prison overcrowding - just execute everyone convicted of any crime?

[Dodger]

......and it takes two to tango, someone is paying this corruption money - what was the survey a few years ago that showed a large percentage of the population were willing to go along with corruption payments if they got some benefit?

Yep...this is totally ingrained in the culture.

It starts at the VERY top...everyone follows suit...it becomes acceptable practice...they remain blind.

Jai and I had this uncomfortable conversation several years ago when I decided to get a Will made. My instructions to him were very clear: "If I were to die at home the very first thing you do is put the contents of the room safe in your man-purse". "Then you call the ambulance".

The BIB, who are paid less money than an average 7/11 clerk, understand when they take these jobs that their total net earnings are an aggregate of their monthly salaries - plus any residual funds they earn under-the-table. To the Thai people, paying tea money and bribes is completely understandable, and actually considered acceptable practice. That's how deeply the corruption in Thailand has permeated the culture. Again, it starts at the very top.

[goji]

The police are paid above the minimum wage. I wouldn't have thought that's a good justification for them to get involved in collecting bribes, extortion and petty crime, like robbing the dead.

However, with the fox firmly in charge of the henhouse, I guess its best to take a few countermearures to avoid being robbed by them upon one's death.
It isn't that difficult to have a decoy safe and a separate concealed compartment for any valuables.

[StevieWonders]

The police are paid above the minimum wage. I wouldn't have thought that's a good justification for them to get involved in collecting bribes, extortion and petty crime, like robbing the dead.And there was I thinking goji had no sense of humour

[bkkguy]

The BIB, who are paid less money than an average 7/11 clerk, understand when they take these jobs that their total net earnings are an aggregate of their monthly salaries - plus any residual funds they earn under-the-table.

I find it interesting to be in this discussion here at this time - one of the podcasts I listen to ("Bad Gays") is currently focused on the recent resignation of Cressida Dick and the London Metropolitan Police, their focus is more on institutionalised racism, misogyny and homophopia in the Met, but they have had some interesting comments about "people who take these jobs" given what they know that are just as relevant to the discussion of corruption here!



To the Thai people, paying tea money and bribes is completely understandable, and actually considered acceptable practice.

I don't know that I agree with this - it is the classic distinction between acceptance and tolerance! I would say paying bribes and tea money are a fact of life and are tolerated but I don't know that too many people find it "understandable" and "acceptable"!

[bkkguy]

Surely that’s the solution for prison overcrowding - just execute everyone convicted of any crime?

surely before going down this path you need to start with executing corrupt officials who falsely accuse or convict innocent people of crimes they did not commit?

[Dodger]

I don't know that I agree with this - it is the classic distinction between acceptance and tolerance! I would say paying bribes and tea money are a fact of life and are tolerated but I don't know that too many people find it "understandable" and "acceptable"!

Agree, "Tolerance" would have been a much better choice of words.

You have to excuse me sometimes, because I never had the opportunity to study the English language as others have. I left school at age 13 after completing 7th grade...went to work...and never returned to a classroom after that.. I am self-taught...give myself an "A" for effort...but a C minus for academic accuracy. Did I say that right???

[StevieWonders]

Agree, "Tolerance" would have been a much better choice of words.

You have to excuse me sometimes, because I never had the opportunity to study the English language as others have. I left school at age 13 after completing 7th grade...went to work...and never returned to a classroom after that.. I am self-taught...give myself an "A" for effort...but a C minus for academic accuracy. Did I say that right???

‘F’ for comprehension

[mr giggles]

I am self-taught...give myself an "A" for effort...but a C minus for academic accuracy. Did I say that right???

and an "I" for integrity