First the Royal Marines: - Now retired ‘Para’ is struck down in Thailand’s jet ski war
From ANDREW DRUMMOND , BANGKOK, February 20 2010
A 61-yr-old retired paratrooper from Walsall has become the latest victim in a ‘jet ski war’ which has claimed hundreds of tourist victims in Thailand.
Last night David Marshall, a former Sergeant in (2 Para) 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, told how he fought off five youths, after he refused to give in to an extortion attempt in the resort of Pattaya, 100 miles east of Bangkok.
He was attacked after Thai thugs tried to pull a well worn tourist scam that their jet ski had been damaged and demanded compensation.
Former Sergeant in '2 Para' David Marshall
“There were five of them on me. They got in a couple of punches in my eye and mouth, but it took them some time to get me to the ground before they kicked me and ran off. I think I acquitted myself alright” he said.
Added Mr. Marshall, who ran his own construction firm after leaving the Parachute Regiment: “These 20-30 year olds were a bunch of cowards and a disgrace to Thailand.”
The incident at the weekend follows widespread, threats, some at knifepoint, and extortion of tourists in Thailand’s other resort areas of Koh Samui and Phuket . Victims have had to pay up to 1,500 pounds each time.
Thai Jet ski man and Royal Marine Police Sergeant face off in Phuket
Last year, on the holiday island Phuket a Group of Royal Marines of 40 Commando from HMS Bulwark faced a gun as a Thai jet-ski hirer extorted over 600 pounds from them, claiming loss of earnings and repair work. The Thai ‘enforcer’ admitted he had to pay 20% to police.
Marine policeman Matt Turner
Royal Marine Police Sergeant Tim Wright described the Thai jet ski boss as ’a two bit swindler’ and in the British TV series ‘Big Trouble in Thailand’ and Marine Policeman Mat Turner went on to describe how men on shore leave were being ‘ripped off everywhere, hiring jet-skis, taxis, tuk-tuks’. He said the rip-off were organised ‘as if by criminal gangs’.
After orders from the Minister of the Interior Phuket’s Governor stepped in and all jet ski businesses were ordered to insure their boats so they need not get the cash back from tourists. Tourists now claim they are being scammed for ‘loss of earnings’ while the boat is being repaired.
And in one three month period on the island of Koh Samui, consular officials recorded 150 such cases of extortion which included alleged damage to land buggies. The Foreign Office has already issued a Travel Advisory warning of the dangers of renting jet skis in Thailand and warnings are also running on the website TripAdvisor.
Fraudsters, usually working with the co-operation of local police, force high payments out of tourists for alleged damage – on pain of going to jail.
David Marshall was on holiday in Pattaya with his son, Darren, 37, and a friend . They hired three jet skis and they closely examined their jet skis before taking them.
“The day before we had seen a tourist getting scammed. So when we hired them we checked them out very carefully. As we looked at the bottom of Darren’s jet ski, the owner must have put his hand over some damage as he held it up.
“When we got back he pointed it out and we said it was definitely not from us and I told them I was having none of that nonsense,” he said.
The attack came as they walked away.
“My face looks like I’ve been in a car crash, but luckily there’s no serious long term damage – apart from a broken tooth”.
David Marshall said that, while he had been to the police once by pre-arrangement, the senior policeman involved had forgotten to turn up. He planned to go again (Monday). “Apart from this incident we have had a very good holiday.”
The foreign embassies don’t seem to have any balls to deal with this. Thailand needs the west more than we need them. It’s time the embassies started having principles and protect this ongoing scamming of foreigners. Cut the aid and see if that raises the bargaining counter
Ehem. Not to put too fine a point on it….I think its us who need the aid - certainly in the UK
We need to plan a mega-swindle I think. The GT-200 and ADE651 were good for starters!
Maybe I could get the boiler room boys to speak to Thaksin.
Actually its time the Pattaya Tourist Police started looking after foreigners, rather than turning a blind eye.
Hey ho silver! where’s the Lone………………’Howard’?
I was referring to the military aid particularly ( mainly usa ) Early days for Obama but he made the right start by offering the hand of frienship in some countries. When that fist was not opened he moved up a gear with sanctions. I’d like to see the west go a step further. Here’s the aid, but the condition is equal justice for thai and farang.
Maybe the Lone Ranger is waiting for Tonto in the gise of the bib associates? But may not get the response he wants.
( Well friend we’re outnumbered but let’s sort this scam out. What do you mean paleface )
No help there I fear
“These 20-30 year olds were a bunch of cowards and a disgrace to Thailand.”
Almost par for the local course. Normally there would be 10-12 twenty year old thugs on a 61 year old. And no surprise that the senior copper was a no show.
Never mind as “Judgement Day” is fast approaching and we will all soon be scrambling up the rear ramps of military evacuation transports. . .
Hang about. Just heard that this has been postponed by a massive payoff. Imagine that!
this kind of scam as been going on in many other places same same thailand
stay away from them and uninsured motorbikes also unless you wont to spend big money
Thailand is the land of scams. People who travel to Thailand are seen as fair game. That is it in a nut shell. Even when you keep your wits about you, go enough times or stay long enough, and you to can be a victim. Whether it is a “mugging” which occured recently near Soi Cowboy when a farang was knifed three times and left for dead, or dopings in bars or a dozen or so other scams which extend from credit card copying and fraud to identity fraud, it’s all happening in Thailand and more often that not the police are in on the scam taking their cut.
Thailand is a place of smoke and mirrors. Just when you think you have it nailed, bang out of the blue comes something new or at least new to you.
It really does take the edge off the Land of Smiles.
Wayne is certainly right. The only way to survive here is to subsist, if one isn’t exactly rich or doesn’t plan to die young, but blissed out. It isn’t much of a life. Not many people are prepared to say it, since they gambled so much by moving away from home. And I suspect it was often because they also didn’t have any great prospects at home. After a few years here, the chances of finding gainful employment at home are probably about zero. Even if you subsist, ’shit happens’ is still just around the corner. We may be ever so slightly better off than many Thais, but you should note that we practically live in a vacumn, since the legal system treats us with even more distain than it does the vast majority of its own citizens. Let’s face it, most Thai authorities would prefer it if they didn’t have a single resident farang on their patch. Even a rich farang is all too often a pain in the arse to them. And tourists are not even very popular with those who genuinely benefit from them.
I have previously met several lawyers here, and with each realised very quickly that I had no confidence in their ability to do anything other than look after their own cause and their own pocket. After all, they are known associates of Thai policemen, politicians, civil servants, military men and judges. And all we know that means hand-in-hand corruption, arrogance, intrigue and sheer bloody-mindedness.
Motorbike hire uses exactly the same extortion technique in claiming you scratched their bike.
Newbie - it may come as a surprise but Thailand does not accept AID money anymore. Thailand cut AID several years ago and now supplies AID to neighbouring countries.
Thailand is a rather wealthy country all in all, with a massive trade surplus - meaning that the West values Thailand more than Thailand needs the West.
The entire SE Asia area is advancing at an extremely rapid rate, these countries are not poor by any means - they just have massive income distribution inequalities.
I have a plan for dealing with rip off jet ski operators that can not fail. Stop renting jet skis….
Right Tom! Or never start!
I suggest they buy a bicycle instead. But really …..
Check your sources. Both the UK and the States supply considerable military aid to Thailand. Check sources outside of Thailand.
The only time american military aid was postponed was during the coup.
Newbie and Thai Resident,
Thailand actually still receives a good deal of foreign assistance from the US, EU and Japan - among others. It may not always go directly to the government anymore (though military aid does, and Japan makes low interest rate loans for infrastructure projects) but there are still many programs assisting the Thai people - be it in environment or democracy and human rights building in the deep south.
It is also true that Thailand provides assistance to neighboring countries and globally. However, the amounts are low and it is generally technical assistance - sending experts to those countries or bringing them here to receive training.
Wolf
“not poor by any means - they just have massive income distribution inequalities.”
I’m sure many Thais will take great comfort in your words. Whether it will result in their having more baht in their pockets is another issue of course.
Somehow I think the poor will still think they’re poor
Colonel Blimp and Tom have it down. This is not mainland Europe but the edge of the wild east. Don’t come out here with family expecting a visit to Butlins - Thailand is both a paradise and a walk on the wild side where anything can take you out at anytime.
Thailand - not just a holiday but a way of life (hahaha)
Most Thai people resent farang people. We’ve become a nuisance. The only reason why they keep us around is because the locals need our money. Why should we need protection from uk officials when we’re on Thai soil? My advice is: stop being so naive. Its a foreign country for goodness sake!
I just saw Wayne’s post above regarding fraud. I have lived here for several years and regular as clockwork my bank, Standard Chartered, tell me my credit card has to be changed as it has been used for fraud. It happens on average every three months or so…
Anyone shed any light on whether I am just unlucky, using it in the wrong places or it is the norm?
I am yet to lose any money, it should be said, but it does get annoying having to keep changing the card even if it is a very personal and convenient service getting the new one…
i think - in thai vwery lot lie people… i here live more 10 years
I agree with Koh Samui Aboriginal!
The jet ski paint scratches scam is still on in thailand 24.7.10 my friends took out a jetski and when they got back in there were lots of scratches ,they must have used water soluable paint to hide them which came off in the water and had to pay £900 before they could get their passports back.