Tourist Robbed by Thais masquarading as Cops...

[Rider]

Two Thai men impersonating police searched a German tourist and robbed him of Bt300,000 in cash at gunpoint on Friday evening.

Following a report of the theft, police rushed to Soi Thepprasit 7 in Chon Buri's Bang Lamung district at about 6pm. Michael Maslankowski, 43, told police he was riding a motorbike in the soi when stopped by two men wearing clothes similar to police uniforms on a red Honda motorbike. They searched his bike and found a plastic bag of Thai money, which he had helped a Swedish friend to exchange for 8,500 euros. One man pointed a gun at him before the pair fled with the cash, he said.

Police took him to Khong Dong Tan station to get more information and had him look at pictures of Pattaya City police volunteers in hopes of finding someone who looks like the robbers.

Source:
http://www.pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/ ... ormed-men/

[PeteC]

What is the Thai nationwide emergency number? We talked about it on here before but I forgot. 191, 119? It's a good number to program into your phone where one push connects you if you find yourself in a situation like this. This is now two similar stories this week, The Nation employee in Bangkok, and this one in Pattaya.

What good will it do? Maybe nothing, but it might, at least to have an open connection and let the officer on the other end hear what's going on with the thugs. I believe they can trace cell phone locations pretty quickly now as compared to the past. Pete

[PeteC]

Found this on Wiki. If outdated, please post. Pete

Thailand: Police 191 Medical 1669 Fire 199

Bangkok EMS Command Center - 1646 (Bangkok only), Tourist Police "1155" (English speaking emergency and routine assistance).

The 1155 may be the best for us?

[Gus]

300,000 baht, even i couldn't spend that in a good week on Soi Cowboy.

It sounds to me like he was being observed from wherever he collected the money and then intercepted by the miscreants at their leisure.

[cozza]

I wonder...what are the chances of this happening by chance and someone carrying around 300,000B? Does anyone change that much money at once, in cash?

Sounds dodgy, possible travel insurance scam? Sorry, I don't buy this at all...

Not taking away the need to know the emergency hotline numbers though.

[pharvey]

I would imagine you would have to give notice of a day or so to make a currency exchange of 300,000 Baht..... surely time enough for the bank teller/cashier to make arrangements with his or her ''colleagues'' should they be that way inclined...

Not a bright thing to do exchanging that amount in one go IMHO.

Not taking away from the seriousness of the event though.

[redzonerocker]

Not taking away from the seriousness of the event though.

no, but it would surely raise a few eyebrows for a variety of reasons ???

call me suspicious but . . . .who would ask their friend to go to the bank to change such a large sum of money & not go with them ?

i think the whole story is a little suspect with a lot of blanks to be filled in

[STEVE G]

Perhaps his Swedish 'friend' now has 8,500 Euros and the 300,000 bt minus the policemans commission!

[redzonerocker]

Perhaps his Swedish 'friend' now has 8,500 Euros and the 300,000 bt minus the policemans commission!

& i thought i was suspicious . . . . . . .

[Big Boy]

Hmmmm, good point - I didn't consider the policeman's commission

[Marino01]

100 % sure somebody from the inside made a little money....

Marino01

[Spitfire]

Yeah, smells fishy, too perfect. Had to have been being observed or in cohorts with someone.

How many times have you all been in an average bank and had to wait for some normal looking Thai guy/woman with a nap sack and has produced 500,000 baht in 1000 baht notes for the clerk to put through the counting machines as a casual 'end of the week' deposit or something similar?

They never seem to have any problems.

[Rider]

What is the Thai nationwide emergency number? We talked about it on here before but I forgot. 191, 119? It's a good number to program into your phone where one push connects you if you find yourself in a situation like this. This is now two similar stories this week, The Nation employee in Bangkok, and this one in Pattaya.

What good will it do? Maybe nothing, but it might, at least to have an open connection and let the officer on the other end hear what's going on with the thugs. I believe they can trace cell phone locations pretty quickly now as compared to the past. Pete

When second count, the police are minutes away.
In Thailand that actually comes down to hours.
I was in Hua Hins Bintabaht when some sht went down a few years back. The cops that were on night-shift were all asleep in the Police Station! LOL.