fine of 200'000 bath demanded by local police from a bar boy

[Zebedee]

I personally know 3 Khmer boys who told me they were nabbed in Pattaya and shook down by the police. Mostly they pay whatever they have left in their pockets, including their mobile phones. One boy paid 3000 baht, one 7000 and one 8000 baht. Plus they lost their phones. They had to borrow money from friends to return to Cambodia. They have no plans to return to Thailand ever.

Dozens of Khmer boys have returned to Phnom Penh in the past few weeks because of the clampdown by immigration police. Also, because they say there are too few punters left in Pattaya.

If this is a new method of extortion I would imagine there will be a rapid decrease in available guys in the near future. The bar owners better have a plan B.