Terror in Pattaya: Burmese ‘gangsters’ nabbed for gun roleplay with Kuwaiti tourists
Police apprehended two Burmese men following the emergence of a video of a foreign man holding a gun to the head of a Kuwaiti tourist and threatening about 10 of his fellow countrymen in Pattaya. The suspects admitted their involvement but insisted they were only playing a gangster role in response to the tourists’ request.
The incident was brought to the attention of the authorities yesterday when a concerned Thai person reported witnessing a foreign man holding a group of tourists captive while brandishing a gun and pointing it at one of the foreign victims.
The incident was reported to have taken place at the Voice of Navy 5 Viewpoint, also known as Sor Tor Ror 5 Viewpoint in Pattaya. The Thai national urged the police to conduct further investigation into the case and arrest the violent foreigner in the video.
Upon further investigation, Meaung Pattaya Police Station officers concluded that the threatening scenario depicted in the video was, in fact, a staged setup for online content. They identified the man portraying the gangster role as a 25 year old Burmese man named Kaew Shor, and the video recorder was Kaew’s friend, 22 year old Scene.
Officers arrested both of them yesterday at a convenience store in Pattaya and discovered the gun, a cigarette lighter in the shape of a gun, in their motorcycle.
Kaew admitted to the action but insisted that it was just role play. He explained that he and Scene went up to Viewpoint on the morning of August 1 to enjoy the scene. A group of 10 to 15 Kuwait tourists on motorcycles also arrived at the same spot.
While Kaew was lighting his cigarette with the gun lighter, one of the Kuwait tourists approached him and requested him to join in their video creation for their social media accounts. They urged him to play a gangster by using his gun-shaped cigarette lighter to threaten him and his friends.
Kaew agreed to join in while Scene recorded the whole act using the tourist’s mobile phone. Neither of them anticipated the video would go viral on Thai social media platforms, nor did they have any intention of tarnishing Pattaya’s reputation.
However, the police identified the duo’s actions as a violation of Thai law and the pair now face a change of circulating false information which put the public in a state of panic. The penalty is imprisonment of up to one month, a fine of up to 10,000 baht, or both according to Section 384 of the Criminal Law.
Additionally, the two will face more charges if officers decide that they intended to spoil the reputation of Pattaya and Thailand.
The police intend to contact the Kuwaiti tourists involved to bring them into legal proceedings and have issued a warning to other content creators and YouTubers about creating similar misleading videos in Thailand because it can affect the good image of the country.
ORIGINAL STORY: Gunpoint drama: Thai witness captures shocking video of foreign mafia in Pattaya
A shocking incident took place at the Voice of Navy 5 Viewpoint in Pattaya, as a Thai witness captured a distressing video of a foreign mafia member threatening a group of Asian men at gunpoint.
The video, lasting 1.39 minutes, shows a foreign mafia man dressed in all-black attire brandishing a gun and intimidating approximately ten foreigners, believed to be Kuwaiti nationals. The most alarming moment was when the gunman pointed his weapon directly at the head of one of the men.
The Daily News reported on the incident, though they did not include the original video in their report. Instead, they shared some screenshots, one of which indicated that one of the victims was a boy aged under 15 years.
The incident occurred in a public area, leaving bystanders terrified. The brave Thai witness decided to secretly record the act, intending to seek justice for the victims. It’s believed that the victims may not file a complaint with the police, making it even more critical for authorities to take action against such violent behaviour, as it tarnishes Pattaya’s reputation and good image.
Foreign mafia in Thailand has been a concerning topic on social media, especially after the tragic death of German businessman Hans Peter Mack.
One of the reputed gang members, Olaf Thorsten Brinkmann, a German man, holds significant influence within the mafia circles in Pattaya. Reportedly, he demands hefty benefits from those looking to conduct business in the city, and those who fail to comply may face dire consequences, as demonstrated by Mack’s unfortunate fate of being dismembered and stored in a large freezer.
The police have been actively pursuing these criminal elements.
In February, police arrested French gangster Herve Christian Robert Leonard. The 58 year old was apprehended for extorting money from foreigners by falsely claiming to have connections with high-profile Thai police officers.
Similarly, in March, a Thai woman sought justice after being physically assaulted by a group of foreigners at a bar on Koh Samui, an island in the southern province of Surat Thani.
Just last week, the authorities apprehended an Australian man named Tomas Jinner and his gang members in Chon Buri. Their charges include extorting money from a European businessman who had recently established his business in Pattaya.
