USS Boxer - US Navy Jon Rasmussen
A now notorious Thai jet-ski operator accused of ripping off British Royal Marines in the infamous ‘damaged jet ski scam’ also took cash off US Marines in an incident just days later – and was ‘wai-ed’ by one US Marines in an apparent plea for lenience.
'I'm so sorry sir, I will pay back I promise' Marine tells JJ
The US Marines from the Boxer ARG (Amphibious Readiness Group) which made a call in Phuket just three days after HMS Bulwark had left, handed over the cash without even a protest – because, believes film producer Gavin Hill, they had disobeyed an order banning them from hiring the machines..
Pay out
The US Marines were then handed over to the Naval Police as Thai police watched, after payment of 40,000 baht was handed over by a Naval police officer who asked for receipts, after the Marines used their credit cards. They later faced disciplinary proceedings.
“You’re going to have trouble when you get on board,” JJ tells one of the US Marines.
Gavin Hill, who faced allegations made to police by JJ (who was subsequently arrested for extorting 35,000 Baht of the Royal Marines) that he had set up an earlier incident with the Royal Marines, who were seen to be held at gunpoint, today released more footage obtained during the filming of ‘Big Trouble in Thailand’ as the controversy raged across Thai TV stations.
“I have released this material so that nobody can be in any doubt that any of these sequences were set up. I just shot as things happened. I should not have needed to defend my integrity, but it has now become an issue and I have to deal with it,” said producer/cameraman Hill.
With police in attendance JJ prepares his bill
The film begins with an interview with JJ being asked what has happened as he waits with a group of Marines on Patong seafront in Phuket on June 26th.
“It’s serious damage. We have to make a new bottom. If we can’t make new bottom the jet-ski will sink.
“If a boat gets a hole it will sink.”
He claims later the Marines ran the boat over some rocks.
JJ estimates the damage at 70,000 to 80,000 Thai baht, but again the damage to paint on the boat’s hull does not seem , from images, to be that costly to repair.
“They have agreed to pay for it, but they do not know how much. They give too little money,” says JJ.
As a group of US Marines wait, a large naval patrol officer arrives having been called by mobile phone. There is no
No protest
issue. The Marines have to pay he says. There will be no argument. He has a short discussion with JJ.
As the group waits for police to arrive a young Latino Marine wais to JJ saying: “I’m so sorry sir. I’m sorry. I’ll pay back I promise.”
The arrival both of Patong ’Beach Patrol’ and a motorcycle officer is met with much wai-ing and saluting. The Naval policeman counts out the cash to the ‘manager’ and the US Marines are handed into the custody of Naval Police.
Another bad day in paradise.
Said Gavin Hill: “It was quite a different situation that that of the Royal Marines. The US Marines did not want the cameras. They also knew, I believe, that, as they had breached an order, they could not argue. I have no idea whether they caused the damage or not, but they admitted it. They clearly did not want any trouble.”
“JJ said it would take two weeks to repair the boat. In the meant
Bt40,000 worth of damage
ime he had to charge a day rate also for loss of earnings.”
Gavin Hill insists that the Thai authorities have overreacted to the British television series and says he had no intention of hurting Thailand, but filmed what was in front of him.
The first in an eight part series called ‘Trouble in Tourist Thailand’ went out last Monday and showed how Royal Marines had to hand over 35,000 baht to JJ, even though, claimed Marine Police Sergeant Tim Wright it was ‘old damage’.
Thai authorities have announced a crackdown on the scams, although there is evidence they may have been part and parcel of them.
Next stop the gangplank?
Footnote: The highest known payment made by tourists in this scam has been 200,000 on Koh Samui. That involved a collision between two Jet skis. Unless you know better.
Thanks for the update.
PS If you watch the video on Youtube, it’s 40 not 80k and the money’s not paid to JJ (although maybe he takes a cut later).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LDkSNcuv94
Thanks I was informed it was two payments. It was but two payments of Bt20,000. Checked and corrected
Andrew Keep going! in Pattaya we are also sick to death of these jet ski skammers! tourist go to ko Larn and wont be allowed off the island until they have paid for “damage to the jet ski” a few months ago we picked up 3 ! people on our speed boat who had fallen victim to these scams no other boat would take them off the island. Yet sat on the boat they realised they had paid for the same damage.
What would happen if the jet ski repair shop would charge JJ 35,000 baht for the “repairs?”
Yeah, I thought so….
That JJ wants a bullet!
Well done Andrew as ever. This is all bad news for Thailand but it is a case of having to be cruel to be kind. Word is spreading anyway that Thailand is the Land of Scams not Smiles when every unhappy tourist tells their friends. That’s why there are dwindling numbers of tourists and so a short sharp shock that gets noticed at the highest levels might just force the inbred culture of cheating to reduce in some areas. It will never go away entirely though as cheating is ingrained in the Thai culture at every level and people like JJ, bad as they are, are just copying those far more powerful than him. Sad but true. I marvel at how Thailand can call itself a Buddhist country when a Sunday visit to the temple for the average devout Thai is to pray for forgiveness for all the wrong-doing last week, more money from cheating next week and little more.
I feel physically ill when I see the US Marine waiing thai mafia scum. I understand that the kid (Marine) disobeyed orders and is trying to avoid an Article 15 type punishment(US Military Code of Justice) but when will this stop? Yeah, we know the answer, never.
There is this myth that the Thais try to avoid confrontation. I guess JJ and his boys missed that part lesson in Thai culture…
Obviously the police have been enjoying commissions from these scams and they will probably come back again pretty quickly after keeping quiet for a bit. It is just too profitable.
My younger brother, on his gap year before university in england, at the age of 18, was forced to pay 3000 baht (£56) of damage which was, as he described it “a spot of darkness which didnt even look like a spot in direct sunlight but only when the guy moved his finger between the sun and the hull”. I was disappointed with the RNPC allowing his man to pay 30 000 (£555) for damage (a) not worth that much or anything near it and (b) not caused by him.
Thank you for keeping this ugly subject with jet-skies alive!
I hope even more evidence will come to the attention of the foreign media since the local media does not care anyway.
People should NOT think that this is destroying the image of Thailand. The image is destroyed already!
It is a positive sign that things (scams and un-ethical issues) become public and the authorities are forced to act on it.
I know also ugly stories about Tuck-Tuck scams, but don’t have the evidence on hand to proof!
Thank you Andrew and Thank you Gavin
A good quote from http://notthenation.com
“”FREE PRESS”". Unused for many years, no longer needed. Function never quite understood. Come pick it up on Bangna Trat Road.
Keep it coming I find it of great interest to hear the development (if any) and action taken by the Thai authorities to stop these rip-off merchants.
I’ve witnesed first hand one of the jetski scams on Lamai beach, the guy told the operator to f*ck off later that day he was arrested and made to pay money for repairs or face a trip to the monkey house.
Thailand needs to clean it’s act up, time is running out for them peope outside of Thailand are choosing to travel to other destinations.
If only the Governor of Phuket would start cracking down on the Tuk Tuk mafia, but something tells me there is too much at stake there!
When I first came to Thailand, Bangkok was known as “The Venice of the East”, now, however, the country itself is rapidly becoming known as “The Nigeria of Asia”.
So sad that the ‘ authorities ‘ are now trying to peddle the notion that the whole thing could be a fiction and that the scenes were fimed, as reported in that rag of a paper, The Nation, for a ‘ reality ‘ show in the UK. One truly despairs of anyone with any integrity and in a position of real authority admitting their society is riven with gangsters working hand in hand with one of the world’s most corrupt police forces. Actually,we all know there can be no change and that the Thai way of accommodating the human condition in all its aspects will always prevail. Best just move on and put it down to karma, sum num na and ‘ why should you care, not your business ‘. JJ will get his, eventually.
In all honesty, why bother with a honest business when you are surrounded by idiot tourists who are ready to hand you over 40,000 THB at your request. The business is the scam, JJ and friends don’t need to run a legitimate Jet Ski operation when all they can do is pickup two idiots a week to turn a miserable business into a gold mine.
I mean why bother ?
too many people on the gravy train
where is the motivation to clean it up
Well done Andrew and also accolades to Gavin Hill.
Thai’s will sweep this under the carpet and claim the evidence to be a scripted setup.
In the interview with Gavin when JJ was asked how he got into the jet ski business admitted that his uncle started him off.
Later during the confrontation with the Royal Marines he stated that his uncle was a “BIG POLICE CAPTAIN”. One does not need to be a budding Sherlock Holmes to figure that one out.
Best thing the US and British forces can do is to formally inform the Thai Government that they are now going to use Malaysia as their R & R destination. End of argument, Thailand deserves it.
The net closes. With all this attention being paid now perhaps it can be noted how long one of these jet skis is actually out of action, look for it out on the beach following an incident and what repair has been done. Also find out where jet skis are repaired and get a quote for some hull damage. Patching up some fibreglass and respraying it, in the developing world, will cost stuff all.
Thai was unhappy with these,everyone agreed with that.
Guys you should know that our media report about British Royal Marine
and i very happy when police caught JJ(damn…)
I take your point Ned but do you think the respective governments will go along with that? They think Thailand is too important. Not a view I share.
When are you going to do the airport scams Andrew?
Mike: You should search this site. You will find plenty!
newbie.
You are right. Take a look at the government the Brits are suffering with. Seems their politicians are just as corrupt as their Thai counterparts. Gordy Brown and his forty plus thieves.
As for Pres O-banana, no startling leadership qualities there.
The other major partner in the war against terror - Australia. PM “Kevy Baby” is an ex-diplomat, in other words he has NO BORLZ, just like the other two retards in question.
Ned: Going off at a bit of a tangent here aren’t we?
Ned Kelly? Is that a online alis for Ross Dunkley perchance?
Having lived in many countries in the world the arrogance of western people in others countries astounds me. Pathetic over the top reaction. THIS IS NOT THE UK thank GOD. If you don’t like it bugger off and don’t come here. The streets of the UK are full of violence, yobs, drunken scum and criminals. I believe you have 17,000 foreign prisoners in your jails. The arrogance and naivity of the tourists is staggering. Are all western men childlike and devoid of any understanding of the world and its history and development. Of course there are things wrong in Thailand BUT what about you own horrible country. Open your eyes to your own back yard and keep out of other peoples. No wonedr everybody hates English tourists.
I saw no stand off. I saw a bunch of scared kids who are in the army. Yes its wrong and it not fair. But come on it ain’t that big a deal. I hated the program. It was just a childish bunch of scenes put togther to look at the seedy side of a country. England is far more dangerous at night and far more violent. Aren’t the tourists vile who come to Thailand.
Paul, Aren’t the tourists vile who come to Thailand.
A bit harsh I think you should have said SOME of the tourists not all. Dont judge all by a few.
Daveinbangkok which country do you belong too?
In any case, my horrible country is much nicer that your horrible country! Not that I’m quite sure where it is. (I thought the real cliche was that everyone hated Israeli tourists.) I also seem to remember several nationalities getting ripped off and complaining. What silly people they all are David?
Well perhaps it is actually daveinbangkok that is the alias for Ross Dunkley.
Sure the UK is not pleasant now which is why so many of us live in Asia (Thailand in my case) but I think we’re missing the point that this is about scams in Thailand and the figures speak for themselves. Tourists and long term expats are decreasing in Thailand whereas they are increasing elsewhere in Asia.
I think that says it all but in case anyone is not sure why, it is because of the racist attitude of the average Thai, the cheating that goes on, the inability to get a coherent sentence out of the average Thai and the fact everything is being over priced.
Of course it is better than the UK - anywhere is - but Thailand has lost its appeal for all these reasons and many other Asian countries are capitalizing on this big time and the hard times will just keep on getting harder for Thailand.
The attitude is the issue. They don’t treat the jet ski scam as a wake up call, they see it as a ‘foreign plot’ - please…!
Most Thais I meet, and I have been here for many years and yes they can be very nice but, would be called delusional or at best quite amoral in a western country, such is the vast difference in the way their psyche works.
They have NO sense at all of right or wrong. They never ever accept it’s their fault, they blame someone else, they lie and cheat, they are convinced they are the greatest race on Earth so they look down on everyone else and all for the good of the wallet. Thai-style! Welcome to Amazing Toy-land.
And by the way, because of this lack of morals, only China come close to Thailand for being the worst country to do business with by all European and American distributors, jut ask one…
Yes, the gullibility is disturbing. I would like to ask these marines from both countries just what the compulsion was to hire a jetski when such stern warnings have been issued. I mean it’s a jetski. Big deal! A Honda 90 on water. Hardly gripping stuff.
The fact that I have always lived under the minimum UK wage has always made it completely clear that I cannot afford the Saturday Night culture of binge drinking, f’ing and fighting. And that is now very much a fact of life for the majority of expats here now too. There are times when one would like to engage in some activity that is mildly exciting, or kick out the jams and give one’s enemy the hiding he so thoroughly deserves. But lack of money means this is never possible.
Marines are unlikely to ever experience that sort of life. Much of the violence in both the UK and Thailand is perpetrated by those who can afford to live it up some. And I have never been convinced that law-&-order went hand-in-hand with affluence, since I see strong evidence that violence is something that follows around some of the most aspiring members of society. Another reason why I find so little comfort from either side of the political divide in Thailand. Both sides talk tough on crime, but their illegal activities constantly need to be enforced by the threat of violence.
There are certainly dangers in the UK, but one should not underestimate the dangers here either. If you lived here, you would understand the dangers. Violence is pretty much a nightly occurance on this soi. One of the reasons it is hidden is basically because the Police are worse than useless. What they can never control, they hide. Indeed, they are up to their eyeballs in the sort of scams which always need to be backed up with the threat of violence.
Hi,
I worked at a dive center that was right on patong beach.
and i have seen jj and the mafia do this many times,
We had scores of people comming into the office complaining that they were told to get of the beach if they didnt hire a jet ski.
Even when we did a rescue course on the beach we were told to leave.
That paticular dive company has now relocated because af this scumb.
You know, someone said this to me years ago before I ever saw the place. “Likeable people”, he said.”But you may find after a few years there that you have no real friends amongst them.” That is my experience. It is also the opinion of most the long-term expats I work with. The expats with the most local friends are undoubtedly the young’uns who are in on the bar crowd. But they are also the most vulnerable. The expat survivors tend to go home and bolt the door.
I had a business near the beach in Patong, and yes, the jet ski repair
scam is part of the operator’s business plan, creating a substantial
additional income. Repairs are usually done in short time and costs are just a very small fraction of the amounts extorted.
If tourists would completely avoid renting does machines, the whole
jet ski industry would go out of business.
Marines are already ordered not to rent them, and embassies should
strongly advise against renting them. Why take the risk of a spoiled holiday or worse?
Good post Edward Boniface.
The embassies should certainly do more. They pussy foot around a bit. They should name the problems and scams directly. However that may conflict with their more substantive role
In my view only, their governments should review the importance of Thailand as a buffer state and an ally against terrorism. If propping up Thailand is the deal then the auid pro quo is taht thy clean up their act and not just on jetskis.
dont see the what the big problem is they sained a contract and after looking at the uncut seanes both sets of merines where odered not hire the jet skis and deserve to be court marshalled and from what i under stand jet skis cost a hell of a lot in thailand
Pj82: The US Marines were ordered not to hire jetskis. The Royal Marines were advised not to. Subsquently the US Marines will face disciplinary action. You ought to attend a court-martial by the way for your spelling
I hope that ******* reptile JJ gets sent down for 10 years the hurl the book at him please ,ROT IN JAIL YOU PEACE OF **** JJ…..
BAN JET SKIS FROM THIALAND
Farangs want: Most Thais polled by Channel 3 TV Bangkok supported JJ and believed foreign tv was scamming.