Thread: Koh Samui Vendors Protest Police 'Extortion'

SURAT THANI — More than 50 vendors on the southern island of Koh Samui gathered in front of a police station last night to protest alleged rampant bribery among police officers on the island.

The rally was sparked by the arrest of 42-year-old woman who sold counterfeit purses near Chaweng beach yesterday evening.

Patcharee Chimthaprasert, 49, who represents an association of vendors selling counterfeit goods on the island, said the arrest occurred several hours after she and police had failed to agree on bribe fee.

According to Patcharee, police had originally demanded a total of 50,000 baht from the store owners to overlook their violation of copyright laws. However, they later raised the price to 190,000 baht, which the group refused to pay.

"Because we disagreed on the fee, those police officers immediately made an arrest at one of the shops that sells brand names bag," said Patcharee.

"This is like killing the chicken in front of the monkey," she continued, using a Thai idiom that describes making an example of someone in an effort to intimidate others. "Arrest today and make us pay tomorrow. They are acting like racketeers. We cannot accept that."

After news of the arrest spread, around 50 vendors from 20 shops near Chaweng beach closed down their stores and staged a rally in front Bo Phut Police Station.

"Today, they can arrest me, but I won't let them get away with it," said Nampueng Moongraiklang, who was charged with selling copyrighted material. "I don't sell narcotics. I don't kill anyone. They extorted money out of me, and when they couldn't do it anymore, they arrested me.”

Speaking to reporters, Pol.Lt. Pitaksith insisted that his team raided the shop and arrested Nampueng because the store violated copyrights laws.

"Law enforcement officers have the power to make arrests without complaints from the victims, because the state is the victim in this case," Pol.Lt. Pitaksith said. "There is also a notice by the Royal Thai Police to strictly arrest cases of counterfeit goods of copyrighted material that has been registered in foreign countries, so we made the arrest."

He also explained that his team only targeted one store because "there were only four officers, so we could not arrest other shops," but he vowed to crackdown on similar offenders soon.

"As for whoever accused the officers of demanding bribes, there may be legal action against them, on charges of insulting law enforcement officers," Pol.Lt. Pitaksith said.

Patcharee, the representative of the vendors, said the officers acted rudely during the raid. She submitted CCTV footage and mobile phone videos of their behavior to police at Bo Phut Police Station as evidence.

"I couldn't pay the amount of money [police demanded], because the economy is bad at the moment," Patcharee said, referring to the 190,000 baht fee that officers allegedly demanded earlier in the day. "Our profit is small. Nowadays, there's only debt, and I cannot simply quit my business, because I wouldn't be able to find money to pay my rent and other expenses."

Koh Samui Vendors Protest Police 'Extortion'

I don't sell narcotics. I don't kill anyone.

An honest, hardworking, non-violent criminal. Need more of those, yes.

"As for whoever accused the officers of demanding bribes, there may be legal action against them, on charges of insulting law enforcement officers," Pol.Lt. Pitaksith said.


Yep the little guys are going to get screwed and anyone that complains locked up.
Amazing Thailand

Its a tricky one this. The vendors are allowed to carry on breaking copy right laws by selling knock off gear but must pay the Police .

Sounds reasonable to me as they are breaking the Law and so are the cops but the system works.

The alternative is for Thailand to stamp out Copy right breaches. Then the locals go broke and the cops get no bribes.

What do people want. ?

Given that Thailand is a signatory to the Berne and Geneva conventions on copyright I rather think the position is quite clear. Of course, like any other law, international agreement and convention, Thailand's obligations have no value in practice.

Institutionally, they are utterly amoral.

^

What makes me laugh about all this stuff is that they do not try and hide it.

They're quite upfront about the fact that selling Copy right gear, DVD's and all other shit is perfectly acceptable as long as one slings the Pigs a wedge.

Brilliant innit.

There is an association of vendors selling counterfeit goods on the island

What I do not understand is that the cops know this is going on.
Lt. Colonel Pitaksith said he could not arrest all of the vendors because he only had 4 police officers.
May I remind the good colonel that there are other cop shops on the island and there are 24 hours in the day. Get his men off the fat arses and do their duty.

"As for whoever accused the officers of demanding bribes, there may be legal action against them, on charges of insulting law enforcement officers," Pol.Lt. Pitaksith said.

Funny how some people don't like to hear the truth

Flogging counterfeit shit so the old bill can take corruption money

What a joke of a Country , you couldn't make this shit up

Does it ever think the mainstream of the world will take this place seriously ?

What reforms was Mr. Happy ass talking about...? Not to worry, article 44 will fix everything...!

Originally Posted by nigelandjan

Flogging counterfeit shit so the old bill can take corruption money

What a joke of a Country , you couldn't make this shit up

Does it ever think the mainstream of the world will take this place seriously ?

Christ, I hope not...!!!

Originally Posted by terry57

Its a tricky one this. The vendors are allowed to carry on breaking copy right laws by selling knock off gear but must pay the Police .

Sounds reasonable to me as they are breaking the Law and so are the cops but the system works.

The alternative is for Thailand to stamp out Copy right breaches. Then the locals go broke and the cops get no bribes.

What do people want. ?

Colonialism?
A manufacturing economy?
A welfare state?

It's not really that tricky, unless you advocate a "Guild of Theives", a "Chamber of Counterfiting", or how about the "Association of Drug Dealers, Imposters, Counterfitters, & Theives"?

Exploitation by criminal gangs is no better than exploitation by transnational companies. The people need real leadership as well as real education.
If you think the military is bad, the civilian agencies don't seem to offer anything better.

It's tempting to hope the 80-20 rule applies here; i.e.: most countries in the world would probably benefit by being run by the developed ones, simply to have the proper implementation of rule of law and a welfare state, and the vision to build sustainable industrial economies (god I sound like a right lefty!).
That might translate as the top 40 countries running the bottom 160, but it doesn't look like there are 40 countries good enough, more like a dozen:

Originally Posted by misskit

Patcharee Chimthaprasert, 49, who represents an association of vendors selling counterfeit goods

surely you'd get nicked anywhere else?

The thing is,

If they cleaned up this mad house, stamped out corruption, closed down the blow job bars and fixed up all the holes in the side walk Thailand would be boring as fuk.

We would all be off home.

Na Fuk it,

Its absolutely fine as it is.

The beautiful irony of lazy criminals berating lazy criminals.

Always gives me a chuckle