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[pauljones]

From the Bangalore Mirror Newspaper:

"Come to Thailand at your own peril my Indian brothers and sisters. It is dangerous and the Thai people target Indians for scams and to assault them. The Pattaya jet ski scam is controlled by the local mafia, the police, and the city government officials. That is why no one helps you. They are all getting rich. Like I said before, they are targeting YOU. Avoid Thailand. Go someplace where you are welcome and safe."

[pauljones]

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  COMMENTS FROM TRAVEL FORUMS:
  
  " The info is all over the internet, most families are horrified when they get to Pattaya and their children are exposed to the filth and ungodly amount of prostitutes there. But nice try at a spin to save Pattaya's image, as if it had a positive one to begin with. Many travel agents have stopped promoting Pattaya as a family destination. Go visit the travel agent community sites and see for yourself."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  "Don't rent Jet Skis in Pattaya. Don't even go near a place renting jet skis with your camera, even if you are taking photos of the beach. The locals have been attacking tourists and beating them for being around their scam operation with a camera. The police and the highest ranking city officials are involved with this scam. Pattaya mayor's father is the largest crime boss in all of Thailand who is wanted for murder and is currently "on the run." Pattaya is a mafia controlled city. Beware.tasty thailand is correct about the food and the shopping but the beach in pattaya is nothing special and renting a jet ski can cost you as much as the airfare to Thailand when you get scammed."
  
  Reply

Edited by pauljones, 2012-05-22 05:57:20.

[toenail]

As I was walking along the Beach Road promenade, an Indian family was being followed by the jet ski touts to rent their jet ski. I think this nationlity, new to traveling abroad , are prime targets for the jet ski mafia.

[pauljones]

Fearful blogger confronts Pattaya Mayor over the jet ski fraud.
http://www.travelwir...-investigation/

PATTAYA MAYOR March 2011:
"I have warned all the jet ski operators myself that i am on their trail."

"I met with the police and asked them to move quickly on the vdo evidence."

"You may have reservations about the police but there are some good ones and i know who they are."

"Today i have had a meeting with Pattaya Police and discussed the vdos concerning the Jet ski."

"More to come next week as we have more investigations and implement our plan for keeping police out of any negotiations"

Edited by pauljones, 2012-05-22 06:40:21.

[Payboy]

toenail, on 2012-05-22 05:59:36, said:

As I was walking along the Beach Road promenade, an Indian family was being followed by the jet ski touts to rent their jet ski. I think this nationlity, new to traveling abroad , are prime targets for the jet ski mafia.

And in the event of a serious incident they would receive near zero assistance from their embassy. A fact well known to the mafia.

Edited by Payboy, 2012-05-22 08:52:17.

[striderman]

seek and ye shall find.
after a couple of days of blanks due to unlucky timing, i spy a group of indians departing avec ski's at 17 25 from opposite pattaya city walk.
oh dear, not a good time.
as it was scorchio still and not wanting to hang about i tooled off to watch for their return with 3 beers at the pattaya beer garden.
sure enough as i watch i can scope with zoom at maximum some waterside activity on their return.
i walk back to take a couple of innocent sunset snaps and get a couple of the incident into the bargain.
left them to it in the gathering gloom at 18 35

Edited by striderman, 2012-05-22 19:18:52.

[soihok]

Just seen the TAT tv ad here in Singapore, showing the fun on jetski's to be had.

Disgusting.

[surangw]

soihok, on 2012-05-22 21:21:35, said:

Just seen the TAT tv ad here in Singapore, showing the fun on jetski's to be had.

Disgusting.

I wonder if the jet ski  people  pay part of these ads?

[surangw]

Interesting  ?


a search on youtube using the terms  pattays and scam gets lots of hits, but most of them are deleted.

[KeyserSoze01]

Exsexyman, on 2012-05-22 01:15:43, said:

KeyserSoze01, on 2012-05-21 09:50:32, said:

Exsexyman, on 2012-05-20 20:02:03, said:

Awohalitsiktoli, on 2012-05-20 19:16:44, said:

This would be an excellent topic for an investigative journalist...........who?  On another point, I just saw an advertisement on TV for "Amazing Thailand" or "Remarkable Thailand"..........something like that, showing images of Thailand..........to attract tourism.........and in one shot they show a person having "fun" on a jet ski.  Now that is Amazing/Remarkable and totally STUPID.

It would be an excellent topic for an investigative journalist with a death wish! Andrew Drummond has the cojones to do it, but i think he's got enough on his plate at the moment exposing Pattaya lowlifes, as a visit to his website will confirm!

He could always use a pen name. Just sayin'.  

The problem is, who would publish the article? If someone did have the balls to publish it, then as we all know, the mayor will create a commission to study the problem and will report back, well, never. TiT after all.

I think you will find that the Mayor would do a bit more than create a commission if any journalist tried to expose this ongoing scam that has been raking in millions of baht on a monthly basis for the best part of 2 years. I suggest you do a bit of research about his background! He is up for re- election at the moment, will be a shoo in,pretty much a job for life. At the last election, 'things happened' to anyone of substance, and their supporters who stood against him. The media in Pattaya are in his pocket, again check out Andrew Drummond's website. He has got balls, i will give him that, he was recently informed that there is a 2 million baht contract out on him. Don't be fooled by the sycophantic coverage the powers that be receive on the local media outlets that laughingly masquerades as "News"! BTW it will be interesting to see how long this post remains on here before it is removed!

I guess I should have used the sarcasm emoticon as my tongue was firmly planted in my cheek when I made that comment.

I am well aware of the mayor's family connections and why the jet ski scam will never be shut down. That is not until something happens, such as someone getting killed, to bring the wrath of the BKK elite down on the Chonburi mafia to clean up their act. Just another day at the office in the good ole LOS.

[striderman]

surangw, on 2012-05-23 02:42:20, said:

Interesting  ?


a search on youtube using the terms  pattays and scam gets lots of hits, but most of them are deleted.

just put jet ski scams in and u only get as far as sc and up it comes

[maidu]

pauljones, on 2012-05-22 06:38:07, said:

Fearful blogger confronts Pattaya Mayor over the jet ski fraud.
http://www.travelwir...-investigation/

PATTAYA MAYOR March 2011:
"I have warned all the jet ski operators myself that i am on their trail."

"I met with the police and asked them to move quickly on the vdo evidence."

"You may have reservations about the police but there are some good ones and i know who they are."

"Today i have had a meeting with Pattaya Police and discussed the vdos concerning the Jet ski."

"More to come next week as we have more investigations and implement our plan for keeping police out of any negotiations"

are the quotes above from the mayor himself?

If so, not surprising. The blurbs are hot air mixed with procrastinating.  If they put me in the Mayor's seat for one day, those jet ski extortionists would be frog marched to jail, to await trial for extortion, and threatening bodily harm, and brandishing deadly weapons. Furthermore, jetski rentals would be past history, 100%.

[striderman]

maidu, on 2012-05-23 17:07:38, said:

[

If so, not surprising. The blurbs are hot air mixed with procrastinating.  If they put me in the Mayor's seat for one day, those jet ski extortionists would be frog marched to jail, to await trial for extortion, and threatening bodily harm, and brandishing deadly weapons. Furthermore, jetski rentals would be past history, 100%.

easy to say, lets say a Mr Somchai is put in charge tomorrow.
either he stands to become rich quite soon or intimidated even sooner ie we know where u live where you wife takes your kids to school etc etc
not an easy problem to deal with whoever is in control of things

[striderman]

earlier for the coconut bar walk today but i catch one going down to the right of the steps by mike shopping mall at 14 40.
2 indians getting the treatment and discussions were still ongoing 40 mins later as i passed by on the return journey

[maidu]

striderman, on 2012-05-25 16:20:48, said:

earlier for the coconut bar walk today but i catch one going down to the right of the steps by mike shopping mall at 14 40.
2 indians getting the treatment and discussions were still ongoing 40 mins later as i passed by on the return journey

daily extortions on-going. Meanwhile, the mayor pretends he's doing something, but nothing tangible comes forth.  What a pathetic scenario - each day, a new bunch of tourists get ripped off, and their vacations ruined.  Pattaya needs a new slogan:  Come To Pattaya - where you can get ripped off by jet ski extortionists!

Edited by maidu, 2012-05-25 19:01:22.

[yogi100]

Surely by now every tourist who comes to Pattaya is aware of these scams and must know to avoid them like the plague. All countries have access to the internet even if their media have not warned their citizens of the risk involved.

[Boater]

yogi100, on Yesterday, 15:52 , said:

Surely by now every tourist who comes to Pattaya is aware of these scams and must know to avoid them like the plague. All countries have access to the internet even if their media have not warned their citizens of the risk involved.

No they are not

I spent 30 mins on beach road yesterday , and watch 2 people scammed out of 100,000 the each .. It's a joke .. It made my blood boil as pattaya is becoming better but this vile is keeping it bad !

[maidu]

yogi100, on Yesterday, 15:52 , said:

Surely by now every tourist who comes to Pattaya is aware of these scams and must know to avoid them like the plague. All countries have access to the internet even if their media have not warned their citizens of the risk involved.

It's a common trait for people to think what they know - is known by all others.

Reality check:  what you know, is not known by all or even a majority of others who visit Pattaya or Phuket.

It's up to Thai authorities to clean up their act, particularly regional authorities in Pattaya and Phuket.  If they want to be in the tourist industry, they've got to do some basic things, like eradicate blatant extortions on their beaches. Because they don't (or can't) do that, they are part of that black smear on Thai tourism.

[striderman]

a whole day since i posted so time to report another 1.
out all day exploring the dark side and down to rayong with an expat and car so late to the beach just after 17 00.
the beach is unbelievably quiet at the moment very few people about but as i get down to opposite the best friend bar complex i see a group of about 7 europeans/russians/who knows sitting in a line of chairs.
no thai is with them, but there are no beers on the tables and the umbrellas have gone, so why are they still sitting there?.
my scam o monitor is going off the scale, and i notice the footy mob who work that section are between the falangs and the road.
now there are many more people down this end than near mike shopping mall and it's a lot easier and safer to watch events unfold.
sure enough 18 10 and a thai policeman shows up for a ritual inspection and i've seen enough time to get a swift pic of him and offski

by the way these guys looked fit enough but even with 7 bodies they would have been outnumbered by at least 2 to 1

Edited by striderman, Yesterday, 19:39 .

[Ohio]

I find it absolutely fascinating that this Scam can generate a consistent interest with a plethora of recorded and witnessed incidents providing more than enough reason for Jet Ski Hire in Pattaya to be totally ceased full stop until there are enforceable Regs put in Place.

But that is a normal proceedure to eradicate an organised crime Scam so I guess that is not going to happen.

Almost 700 replies to this topic over time and there were oither threads some years ago similar .

The reality is that with the Funds generated by the Participants and the 'Blind Eye' supplied by authorities this will continue unabated and even if there is a Death it will not stop but will continue in another variation.

It is similar to the Drug market "Too Much Money to be made"

Sad but True