Link to Sheffield Star story based on copy supplied by this author: Man on the run in shooting
From Andrew Drummond, Bangkok
January 29 2009
The wife of a Briton wanted in Sheffield for drugs dealing has been arrested in Thailand for ordering a ‘hit’ on one of her husband’s clients in Thailand.
And police have also issued a warrant of arrest for Darren Oxley, 41,a former Sheffield night club bouncer, over the shooting of an American on an estate he managed in the Thai resort of Hua Hin, 140 miles south of Bangkok.
Janpen Oxley, 31, his Thai wife, was seized today as she tried to cross Thai Cambodian border at Aranyaprathet, 200 miles east of Bangkok.
Police said they are still looking for Oxley, who fled bail while awaiting drugs charges at Sheffield Crown Court to become a builder property developer and property manager in Thailand. But they believe he may have successfully crossed the border.
Janpen Oxley, had allegedly commissioned the shooting of American Donald Whiting, who had accused Oxley of sending him extortionate water bills on a private estate in the Thai resort of Hua Hin.
Whiting’s water was cut off when he complained and Oxley had been summonsed to appear in court in Prachuap Khiri Khan, the provincial capital 200 miles south of Bangkok, the day after the shooting.
Whiting, 65, was gunned down outside his retirement home last October. He remains paralysed from the waist down. He is being cared for by his wife Dolly, a University lecturer. Prior to the shooting, he claimed, his car had been firebombed.
Also prior to the shooting the Whitings and Oxley had been involved in a public slagging match on the ‘Monsters and Critics’ website forum. The site administrators had to close the forum because of the insults traded. The Whitings were warned they were ‘in for a slapping’ Oxley is believed to have been furious at the damage done to his business.
A former doorman at the Republic Club in Sheffield, Oxley, 38, was arrested in a sting operation carried out by police on May 19th 2001 and subsequently charged with dealing in a Class A drug.
His rise from petty criminal to club bouncer and violent drugs dealer has been compared to that of Carlton Leach, the subject of the 2007 film ‘Rise of the Footsoldier’. Carlton Leach was a football hooligan, who went on to become a club bouncer and major drugs dealer. His gang beat up their rivals and nailed enemies to the floor.
Nine colleagues of Oxley, who were arrested at the same time, were sentenced to a total of sixty years in jail. At their trial at Sheffield Crown Court it was claimed Oxley was the ringleader of the operation and his crew had “lived in fear” of him. He was described as “violent” and “not a man you mess with” who had made considerable amounts of money.
Oxley jumped bail and fled to Thailand where he bought a Lamborghini and Bentley and Range Rover and went into the property trade, and married the ex-wife of a Thai police officer.
Scores of expatriates have complained they have been the subject of rip-offs in Hua Hin - where Thailand’s King Bhumipol Adulyadej has a summer palace, -and Oxley is alleged to have even employed local police to carry out threats against troublemakers on his behalf.
Two other Britons with convictions of fraud and breaches of the Trades Description Act in Britain are also involved in the property business there.
One of them Keith ‘Mitch’ Malone, owner of First Choice Homes, used to run a fraudulent holiday company in Britain – Lifestyle Travel. He swindled over £1.8 million out of customers and then fled.
The Department of Trade and Industry moved in to freeze the company’s assets and Mitch Malone fled inititally to Pattaya while on bail. His partner Martin Holland was jailed.
A local expatriate, who asked not to be quoted by name said: “Many people have been ripped off here. But they are scared to complain even though they may have lost their life savings. They developers can get nasty, and people believe they have the police in their pocket.”
Currently another foreign property developer is supplying offices free in Hua Hin to Immigration police, and Land Office officials, and also runs a local newspaper. All complaints against this developer have been dealt with amicably, said Tuck Dechapanya, the brother of the Mayor of Hua Hin. Funds, he said, it had been agreed would be returned to Whiting who had first bought a house from him which was never completed.
Dechapanya has set up the Hua Hin Foreign Service Link Centre, to deal with complaints from scammed home-buyers, most of who are foreigners who had planned to retire in Hua Hin.
He said: “There is a big problem at the moment with foreign property developers. People are asking who are they? What are they doing here? There are some complaints that they are taking money but not building.”
Many of the scams involve projects which are nothing more than artists’ impressions. Eighteen months ago British footballer and English international Joe Cole was used to promote the proposed ‘luxurious’ Hua Hin Country Club. The club still does not exist and the site office has closed down.
It is illegal for foreigners to buy land in Thailand. It is believed several foreigners have bought land in Hua Hin, and at Oxley’s suggestion put it in his wife’s name.
Last week Thailand’s Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva ordered local police, who benefit from handouts by property developers, to stop dragging their feet on the shooting of Donald Whiting.
Earlier this week Thai police arrested three suspects who actually carried out the shooting. They claim they carried out the shooting for 200,000 Thai baht ( £4000).
Immigration Police Colonel Benjapol Lortsawat said: “An arrest warrant has been issued for Darren Oxley (UK Passport No 703118196) but his whereabouts are unknown.” Edited 30/01/09
The best advice one can give about buying property here is don’t bother. The developers are pretty much all dodgy & dishonest, the architects can’t even design a watertight (or even long-term beautiful) garden toolshed and a worse-than-average DIYer could do a much better job. And as Andrew constantly points out, it is also almost impossible to find an honest and friendly fellow farang here. Better to rent and put with a few inconveniences. I’m afraid the ‘Land of Quality & Refinement’ is largely a myth.
could it possibly be that the brother of the mayor of Hua Hin who stated the all complaints about the other newspaper owning property developer have been settled amicably is also being paid off by the other property developer? me thinks so…..
Mark The realms of possibility here are endless and I am sure you are not the only person to pick up on this. But having a ‘respectable’ or ‘influential’ Thai attend your party does not necessarily mean he is on your side. Abhisit seems to have got this one rolling though.
Excellent work Mr Drummond. Unfortunately there remains several other crooked estate agents and developers in Hua Hin, almost all exclusively expats from the UK. It’s gotten so that even some Hua Hin web boards are protecting these ilk, disgusting.
When the rot is removed, many more will feel safe to come forward and hopefully after others will feel more assured. Keep digging, a ways to go yet sadly.
Very best wishes to Mr. and Mrs Whiting in their ongoing horrendous ordeal - and to many others whom suffer quietly, intimidated by gangland Brits in otherwise lovely Hua Hin.
More to Come: Yes I know of other cases….space dictates.
More to Come rightly hilights the fact that local expat forum holders are frequently compromised by having too many business and political dealings with locals. I used to work for one such, until it became increasingly obvious that he by accepting info from insiders she was starting to limit what could be said.
Fancy a full-blown forum based on this site Andrew? If so, I might well be interested in administering & moderating it.
I am also a victime of another British so called developer, Mr. Alan McDonald, who is building my house since 2006 and until now I have yet to see the result. There are a number of us here in the same position and being deceived by this man from Scotland.
There has been a lot of news and stories about his misdemeanours but clients seem reluctant to come forward to lodge a complaint.
I am in some way in a similar situation as Mr and Mrs Whiting and these so-called expat developers who have come here in Thailand and exploit and extort monies from people like myself who have risked our life savings to come and retire here, are being duped and robbed of our savings.
These people know the loopholes and the weak legal system of Thailand laws and use this for their own benefit.
Good report Mr. Drummand. I would agree as noted by another reader that it seems certain forums in Hua Hin ( ominously with the same blood red color logo as Mr.Oxleys estate agency) are protecting his name and his business associates. One must also ask where the illegal drug money was laundered and will the police inspect the accounts of his agency and development businesses. Keep up the fearless reporting and try to root out other dangerous characters who sully the towns name and reputation. Everyone who is honest looks forward to your investigative journalism.
Hello Andrew, great work, you have outed possibly, no definitely the worst of the worst in Oxley. The rest of the hoodlum developers and agents will now maybe take note. The developers who I have had dealings with have arrived in Hua Hin and reinvented themselves as pillars of the community and with their ever so hi-so bar girl wives certainly make life uncomfortable for the HH community.
There’s many more to look at Andrew, many without work permits or even the correct visa. Should keep you busy.
Regards
John
johnforsterwebb@yahoo.com
Good work as usual, Andrew. No doubt, these reinvented scam hooligans are at work in more locales than Hua Hin. Just look for another lucrative real estate market in Thailand and you will find them and paid “circles of influence”.
It used to be UK estate agents in Hua Hin would grass each other up, slap each other up on Bintabaht, or simply shoot ”each other”.
Now it appears several have banded together like a thug-cartel of sorts to protect the overall turf, intimidating any whom dares speak out. Ex UK barmen, lager louts and gangsters all masquerading as real estate ”professionals”. Throw in the odd Greek and German for good measure.
Standard equipment, Fortuner SUV bigger the logo the better, swagger when walk, bull when talk and a 180 degree instant personality change reflex when questioned.
What Mr. Whiting began, a new PM and Mr. Drummond has assisted which will begin the much needed exodus of these cowboys, hopefully like lemmings unto the sea. There are likely some decent estate agents and developers in beautiful Hua Hin but until the lot is weeded, few will see roses.
John Burke: Hi John I knew of your case from Ian. Keep me posted. Just put andrew and one of those ‘at’ signs before the name of my webside and u can reach me.
Yes
I have had first hand experience of this cartel. However this is the tip of th iceberg. I was quite suprised to see Mr Oxleys former Sheffield boss parading as a teak furniture expert. Hua Hin looks to be the place the English mafia ran to when they all fled from the costas. A certain ammount of blame has to be placed with the Thai authorities. It allways amazes me that a few sharp words from Bangkok in the right place can bring these people to account. It is worth noting even the Thai developers use the same tactics and behaviour. I think this is less reported as they are more familiar with how to grease the right peoples palm.Finally what are UK police doing to get Mr Oxley extradited to face charges outstanding in the UK.
Again best wishes to Mr Whitting and his family
I think if the British government applied the same pressure that the Americands have done (Mrs Whitting knew which buttons to push) The Thais would be solving many more cases. However there are so many takers in the grand scheme of things its highly unlikely. Its taken for granted that most Thai police and to some extent civil servants. Take up thes positions for the back handers and not the pitance of a salary they receive
Mike: Why not contact me direct. See my reply to John Burke
Nice report but still very much an anecdote to the full story. I suppose self preservation is the better part of valour! Interesting though no comment from the Be Bangkok as to why Oxley’s extradition was not seemingly pursued.
Karzi: If you knew me better you would know nothing has been pulled for self preservation.
Why is my name being mentioned and ‘tagged’ with regards this matter as I have no involvement with ‘Gangland activity, attempted murder or drugs’ the article published represents irresponsible reporting. I demand an official apology. JC.
Please explain why my name is being dragged into this article…?? JC.
Gangland Britain in Thailand - Hua Hin and the ‘Rise of the …
Eighteen months ago British footballer and English international Joe Cole was used to promote the proposed ‘luxurious’ Hua Hin Country Club. …
http://www.andrew-drummond.com/2009/01/30/gangland-britain-in-thailand-hua-hin-and-the-rise-of-the-footsoldier/ - 49k - Cached - Similar pages
I am happy to point out that there is no suggestion that Joe Cole is involved in any gangland activity, and if anyone believes the suggestion is there then I am happy to apologise.
Mr.Cole is merely one of many sports personalities who have been jetted off to far climes on one promotion or another, but usually property. In this case the Hua Hin Country Club has not been built and some artists impressions of construction at the site are in fact of construction at another site.
Sorry, Joe, if that is really you. That should have read ’some photographs in the progress section of the Hua Hin Country club site, are in fact photos of progress at another site’. The artists impressions are lovely.
I prefer to call them, collectively, ‘The Architect’s Sketch’.
Does anyone know why in such a high profile crime no images have been made available of Darren Oxley? Have the Thai police made any statement about what charges Oxley is actually wanted in connection with. Have they actually said they have a warrent for his arrest? It looks like too many people could “loose face” with this one. I wonder how many of Mr Oxleys associates have had to go overseas on urgent business in the last week? I think its probably quite difficult to do a real estate deal at the moment.Due to the fact 90% of the agents will be holed up somewhere.
Tony: Well police have made the statement to several media organisations. Of course what police say and do, don’t necessarily follow. Their statements are not that reliable. Just look at the contradictions over the Santika fire.
Without a confession from his wife, one can argue, the police would be hard pushed to present a case….unless.
Well there are other authorities involved.
The following is taken from Hua Hin Blog, an editorial site of HHAD, Hua Hin After Dark which has taken a back seat in the above story.
“A flurry of armchair detectives, bar stool rumour mongers, and property developer pundits have flooded the board with their own version of events and opinions mostly derived from the writings of a few so called ‘investigators’ on other websites.
The big question is the whereabouts of a Mr Darren Oxley, the owner of the development and farang husband of the woman arrested for the planning and paying for the shooting. UK media have also picked up on this story and have reported on some of Mr Oxley’s not so spotless past just to add a bit of spice to the story.”
AD: I just had to add this because it was so funny. According to this rather out of touch author
revealing that Oxley is recorded in a UK court as a man of violence, wanted for drugs dealing, is wholly irrelevant and just a ‘touch of spice’ provided by the UK media and so called investigators.
No wonder the folks down at Hua Hin are not enamoured with their main info portal. Land, cloud, and cuckoo.
And now the site is banning people for calling them stupid.
I am currently enduring ( & mostly ignoring) a Thai TV soap opera as I type this. The plot is, as always, far more bizarre/surreal than normal ’soi’ life - and that is truly saying something. Or is it? The idea of collective insanity springs to mind. Hardly a new phenomenon in this region or Europe: Mao, Stalin, Mussolini, Hitler & Pol Pot, to name just a few.
If the public here is collectively daft enough to sit rivetted to the daily soap opera carnage (and discuss it earnestly), it is also brainwashed enough to think that two opposing men have all the answers to their problems - and are thus entitled to destroy anything that gets in their way. When the elephants fight in the banana plantation, you’d better scarper quick.
It’s worth noting that many farangs, who stay here too long, have apparently fallen foul of this contagious megalomania. But then again, perhaps a country where greed is openly-respected has brought out their worst closet tendencies - spawned during the last 3 decades of ‘get rich quick’ in Europe and elsewhere.
I half-suspect that many of these housing development site problems are the fuckups of developers who are completely out of their depth in this culture. When a problem arises, the ‘friendly’ policeman or civil servant will help you for a small fee. And before you know it you have locked yourself in a vicious circle of ‘killing’ to survive.These guys don’t exactly have the sanest grip on reality on their own turf. Put them in the mayhem of Thailand for a few years and they completely lose what little common sense they had in the first place.
I’ll clue yer. The best business for any farang to invest in in this psychotic country is a good hobby. And even then you might want to avoid competitive sports where you could easily end up getting shot for exposing someone as a cheat. Or just develop yourself as a graceful loser. Forget buying a house! You’ll probably live longer if you rent.
It is now clear that HHAD are complicit in the attempt to cover up the fact that Oxley and his associates have been ripping people of for a number of years.
Reading the comments on here, with regards to Darren Oxley, (most of which appear to be hearsay and conjecture)I have known Darren Oxley since 2005 I have had 2 properties built by Darren both of high standard both finnished before completion date and everything i had requested had been completed. At no time did he ever request money upfront,and even allowed me to make final payment 4 months after it was due. The amount of venom spouted on these forums has caused me to write this. Who has been ripped off by him? I for one would love to know. His character is being asssisinated on these forums by what appears to be people who have never met or had dealings with him but hey it makes great gossip !
Mr. Oxley’s abilities to put up a house on time at an agreed price have not been disputed. The only person close to being assassinated in this story was Donald Whiting.
“his character has been assassinated” George you can’t be serious.
The fact that the likes of you and HHAD will happily defend a fugitive drug dealer make me more determined than ever to help rid Hua Hin of the rogues and scum that have descended on the place in the last few years
i know neither party in this dispute but have followed the story from the outset.
all i would ask is, if the accused is so innocent of all the alleged crimes committed, why hasn’t he faced his accusers & set about proving his innocence??
from a neutral viewpoint, the assumptions that have been bandied around on the various media outlets seem to have an element of truth about them.
some of the facts are also quite clear to see.
an arrest warrant for the drug related crime in the uk is not hearsay & nor is the fact that his wife & three other men have been arrested in connection with the shooting in hua hin.
it is possible that he knew nothing of his wifes involvement with the crime, but highly unlikely.
so where is he now?
will he show up at the courts in thailand & the uk to prove his innocence?
until he does, most people will assume guilt of involvement in both crimes & thats a fair assumption to any rational thinker.
George
Why has Darren Oxley and his associates quickly left Huahin if they are innocent. Wanted in the UK and Thailand is hardly Mr perfect, no matter how quick they nocked up your house. What is in question here is his part in class A drug dealing in the UK and did he have any part in the attempted murder of Donald Whitting. I know its innocent until proved guilty However, hes ran off from both cases. I personaly would now presume hes guilty wouldnt you?
This is not based on hearsay its based upon Press announcements by South Yorkshire Police and the Royal Thai Police.
Finally for what its worth. I have never heard anyone or read anywhere that Darren Oxley is a bad quality builder. I hope this will go some way to repairing his reputation…..
Tony. Yes there appears to have been a little exodus of people from South Yorkshire from Hua Hin. There were previous departures I understand from Tenerife and the Costa del Sol where British ‘property agents’ brought fraud to a state of the art level
as somebody has pointed out on another board.
All English language newspapers in Hua Hin and their associated blogs/forums are either owned or seriously linked with and/or dependent on foreign property developers. News is an area which they shy away from and if it hits them in the face they will take the route of least pain. (Edited Feb 13)
These English language newspapers operate with impunity as fronts for the various developers and unfortunately most foreigners are unable to see their real motive. I can only hope now that their true colors are out there for everyone to see, people will wise up.
I don’t understand how people are allowing themselves to get riped off.
Surely they are getting independent surveys done, getting a reputable Thai lawyer to check the title deeds and not being daft enough to put there house in a strangers name.
“I don’t understand how people are allowing themselves to get riped off.
Surely they are getting independent surveys done, getting a reputable Thai lawyer to check the title deeds and not being daft enough to put there house in a strangers name.”
Gary - You can’t legally own land in Thailand as a foreigner, and that’s all there is to it. No lawyer or further advice needed.
So naturally the real estate market aimed at foreigners is fraught with pitfalls and many of the companies and people involved less than salubrious.
Dealing in Real Estate is a vocation prohibited by law to foreigners in Thailand.
Many foreigners that come here are fooled into believing they can own land legally or they just don’t care about the laws and believe they don’t apply to them.
Hi Andrew,
I have a law office in Pattaya, we have many case here as well, we are helping foreigner here that is being duped by developers.
If you have any one in this position please give them my E address.
I lived in Australia for many years and understand the western mind set.
Regards.
Tira
HUA HIN AWAITS ITS NEXT OXLEY MURDER!
Heard while sitting on a bar stool that Darren Oxley is frantic for money. It seems that the owner of a bar and Hua Hin property company purchased a townhouse in Oxley’d AVE 88 projrct, which he has not paid for. Oxley needs money and has demanded full payment. The buyer doesnt have the money and explained. Oxley send him several threatening “pay or else”messages. The bar owner is now frantic since we all know what “or else” means since Donald Whiting’s murder. Maybe the HH police will soon have another crime to investigate.