PATTAYA: A Thai tour guide and his Chinese tour guide peer were charged with fraud for cheating a tourist out of 2000THB in an incident where the victim had been cited for littering with a cigarette at a pier just before his tour boat launched. When the victim received the fine he grew suspicious and informed authorities. More details below.

From Chiang Rai Times:

A photo of the altered receipt was posted on “PattayaWatchdog’’ Facebook page, and the pair were heavily criticized.

The tourist, Yu Jianmin, filed a complaint with tourist police and immigration officers at Suvarnabhumi airport after returning from Pattaya on Oct 8. Mr Yu accused the two guides of cheating him over the size of the fine.

He admitted he had dropped a cigarette on the ground at Laem Bali Hai pier in Pattaya on Oct 5.

An official saw it, charged him with littering in a public place and said he would take him to the Pattaya city office to pay the fine.

The Chinese guide intervened, saying the tour boat was about to leave and he should give his passport to Mr Udom, who would handle payment of the fine.

When the boat returned to the pier later Mr Udom gave him back the passport and a receipt with the figures altered to show 3,000 baht.

Mr Yu said when he questioned the amount, Mr Udom said the fine was actually 5,000 baht but he had negotiated it down to 3,000 baht. The tourist was not convinced and wanted to file a complaint with Pattaya police. The two guides opposed doing this.

Pol Lt Col Piyapong Ensarn, Pattaya tourist inspector, said on Wednesday that investigators concluded the two guides had colluded in altering the figure on the receipt to cheat the tourist of 1,000 baht.

A photo of the altered receipt was posted on “PattayaWatchdog’’ Facebook page, and the pair were heavily criticized.

The tourist, Yu Jianmin, filed a complaint with tourist police and immigration officers at Suvarnabhumi airport after returning from Pattaya on Oct 8. Mr Yu accused the two guides of cheating him over the size of the fine.

He admitted he had dropped a cigarette on the ground at Laem Bali Hai pier in Pattaya on Oct 5.

An official saw it, charged him with littering in a public place and said he would take him to the Pattaya city office to pay the fine.

The Chinese guide intervened, saying the tour boat was about to leave and he should give his passport to Mr Udom, who would handle payment of the fine.

When the boat returned to the pier later Mr Udom gave him back the passport and a receipt with the figures altered to show 3,000 baht.

Mr Yu said when he questioned the amount, Mr Udom said the fine was actually 5,000 baht but he had negotiated it down to 3,000 baht. The tourist was not convinced and wanted to file a complaint with Pattaya police. The two guides opposed doing this.

Pol Lt Col Piyapong Ensarn, Pattaya tourist inspector, said on Wednesday that investigators concluded the two guides had colluded in altering the figure on the receipt to cheat the tourist of 1,000 baht.

Source: https://www.chiangraitimes.com/thai-and-undocumented-chinese-tour-guide-arrested-for-cheating-a-chinese-tourist.html

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A police forensic team examined the scene of the Saturday night shootout that left one Indian dead and four other people wounded. (AP photo)

BANGKOK: One of the suspects in Sunday’s Pratunam gang shooting which killed an Indian tourist has turned himself in to police. Policce are now preparing to make five more arrests. The event was significant not in that a tourist was killed, but that high-powered AK-47 rifles were used. Opinion / Talking Points: This hints that the arms trade within Thailand is strong which has many other implications given the incendiary nature of past political conflicts. If gang members have this equipment, who else does?

Here’s more detail from Bangkok Post:

The hunt for the gunmen is being pursued with all available resources after the shootout between two gangs saw groups of tourists caught in the crossfire.

The shooting of the Indian, and injuries to a compatriot, a Lao national and two Thais, near the Watergate Pavilion shopping mall on the night of Oct 7, have led to police holding daily briefings.

Acting deputy city police chief Khatcha Thatsat, who chaired the latest briefing, announced the progress so far.

“We’ve detained one suspect named Preecha Sakudomphaisan,” Pol Maj Gen Khatcha told reporters, adding that there are “many” suspects on their wanted list.

Police will ask the court to issue warrants for the arrest of five more people, he said.

The officers are checking footage from four security cameras at the crime scene to gather more information about what happened.

Mr Preecha surrendered to Phaya Thai police the day after the deadly shooting and “confessed”, Pol Maj Gen Khatcha said.

However, the acting deputy city police chief did not say Tuesday whether the 28-year-old had fired the AK-47 assault rifle used in the gunfight The police are investigating how the firearm was obtained by the gang.

Reportedly, Mr Preecha will be charged with premeditated murder as he was central to what transpired.

The man reportedly oversaw a snooker hall in the area and his quarrel with a rival gang led to the gunfight.

The investigators did not believe the shooting was linked to local influential figures. The motive for the gunfight is likely to have resulted from a personal conflict, Pol Maj Gen Khatcha said.

Mr Preecha had allegedly been threatened by the aides of Bamphen Phumphuang, 23, who did not believe Mr Preecha was looking after the snooker hall.

“That is believed to have led to the brawl and deadly gunfight,” Pol Maj Gen Katcha said.

Their quarrel erupted in a car park near the shopping mall where foreign tourists were waiting to board a coach.

As they fired at each other, some bullets hit the five victims.

According to investigators who found shells from different weapons at the crime scene, an AK-47 was believed to have been used by at least one gunman.

The find prompted deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon to order a new crackdown on illegal firearms.

Gen Prawit said Tuesday he did not believe the incident was the work of mafia gangs.

“The mafia has gone as we’ve eradicated a number of gangs,” he said.

Meanwhile, permanent secretary for tourism and sports Pongpanu Svetarundra said the government will pay 1 million baht in compensation to the dead man’s family and will pay for any expenses not covered by his insurance.

India is ranked sixth in terms of the number of visitors to Thailand each year.

Last year 1.4 million Indian tourists generated more than 62 billion baht in revenue, according to statistics from the Tourism and Sports Ministry.

Link to Bangkok Post article:  https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1554950/arrest-made-after-deadly-mall-shootout

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The new head of Thai immigration, Maj-General Surachate Hakpal – known as “Big Joke” in the media – has begun implementing his tough anti-corruption message at immigration.

The signage going up nationwide is clear and unequivocal: No Tips. By this he means no more back-handers to corrupt immigration officials or the agents who collect the tea money from tourists and either pass it on or keep it for themselves.

Pictures posted on the Immigration Facebook page showed a permanent sign at an airport that said: No Tips please. The message was also in a graphic with Royal Thai Police insignia behind and “The Immigration Bureau” at the bottom. It was also in Thai and Chinese.

Another stuck on a window at an immigration office clearly stated in English that visa fees were just Bt2,000 – no more.  At Sadao on the Thailand-Malaysia border, a printed sign on a counter said “No Tip” while an accompanying sign said “No other fees charged in passing this border”.

Surachate started his job as immigration commissioner on Monday after his move from deputy chief of the Thai Tourist Police Bureau where he was involved in many highly publicised crime busts.

One of his first statements as he moved to his Immigration desk was to announce an end to the practice of border officials taking bribes of Bt300.

Local media was saying that the practice had become the norm, with agents charging tourists Bt2,300 for their visas.  It was reported that sometimes the fees were kept by the agents themselves but other times they were passed on.  Thus, even honest officials felt they were being tarred with the brush of being corrupt.

Surachate also vowed to go after all agents and their customers nationwide involved in procuring visa extensions with fake documents.

Two Nigerians, who were not named, presented the false papers at the government immigration offices in Chaeng Wattana.

Local media reported that Yupin was handling visas mostly for Indians, Pakistanis and Nigerians.

Yupin was arrested in Soi Dan Samrong, North Samrong after the paper trail led to her residence there.

Source: Courtesy of Nation Multimedia http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30355828

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UDON THANI: Something fishy about that guy, after 4 different robberies by the same man wearing the same getup, police have apprehended Payon Kamsem and charged him with robbery.

With a fish trap over one arm, machete in hand, and balaclava over his face, a man robbed four spots within one week – until police arrested him Sunday.

Authorities arrested Payon Kamsem last night and charged him with robbery after naming him the sole suspect in four robberies in Udon Thani province, mostly at convenience stores.

Payon was found in possession of a motorbike, camouflage trousers, a black balaclava, two caps, a fishing trap, two machetes and coins worth 29 baht.

Col. Phumwit Vejkarma, chief of Udon Thani police, said the first robbery occurred Sept. 26 at a 7-Eleven. The 39-year-old man was carrying a knife and slung a fish trap over his arm. He ran away with ฿7,400 in cash.

Early morning on Oct. 1, the same suspect allegedly robbed two stores: first a 7-Eleven and then a Tesco Lotus Express.

Police said Payon confessed to all four incidents. They added that the building contractor said he had financial difficulties which pressured him into committing the crimes.

Payon allegedly told police he could not afford a gun for the robberies and so used a knife instead. Police said he used the trap to disguise himself by tricking people into thinking he went fish at night.

If found guilty, he faces a maximum of 5 years in prison and / or a ฿10,000 fine.

Source:  http://www.khaosodenglish.com/featured/2018/10/08/police-fish-trap-robber-arrested-in-udon-thani/

ARGENTINA: In better news the Mu Ba 13 football team of children who were trapped in the Tham Luang cave complex which riveted the world months ago, have been given a warm welcome in the country of Argentina. They will attend a “Thanking the World” activity, which would include exchange of culture and sports with local youth in Los Angeles. More here on The Thaiger.

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