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chateaujade
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From today's BANGKOK POST:
"Russians flocking to Pattaya
Mafia also winging in on tourist visas
Jerdsak Saengthongcharoen
Pattaya has become a popular venue for Russians _ including members of the mafia who enter Thailand as ``tourists''.
This year so far, the coastal resort town in Chon Buri province attracted 84,343 Russian tourists, a 40% increase on the corresponding period last year, said Manit Bunchim, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand's Central Region Office 3.
A source said more Russian tourists had visited Pattaya after being told many of their compatriots lived and ran businesses in the town.
Their businesses include restaurants, go-go bars and tour companies, as well as other legal and illegal businesses.
Some gangsters established brothels with Russian women providing sex services to foreigners and Thais.
Russian tour firms are mostly located near the popular Jom Thian beach, the restaurants along the Walking Street in South Pattaya, while their bars with go-go dances were mushrooming all over Pattaya., he said.
The source said most Russians entered Thailand on tourist visas.
When they arrived in Pattaya, they usually stayed at inexpensive hotels or guest houses. Groups of four or five people stayed in the same guest houses.
When their visas expired, these people mostly travelled to Koh Kong in Cambodia or Malaysia to have their visas renewed.
The renewal of their visas in neighbouring countries allowed them to stay in Thailand for another 90 days.
Russian gangsters have established a foothold in Pattaya during the past six to seven years and are actively involved in illegal businesses and crime.
In 1998, an Estonian man, Hardo Kerz, 29, was sentenced to life imprisonment for a gangland-style killing of a Russian bar owner in Pattaya. Police said a business conflict was the likely motive.
The incident prompted police and agencies to set up a centre to crack down on Russian crime syndicates and other foreign criminals. This led to foreign mafia-like gangsters becoming less active.
However, Friday's robbery of the Bank of Ayudhya's South Pattaya branch by a group of armed Russians has made residents and tourists anxious.
Charoen Pakthaisong , 37, who rented his central Pattaya house to the suspects, said about three to five Russians stayed there. He said they were often seen leaving the house at night to buy things or bringing women back to sleep at their place."
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 10:10 pm on Sep. 3, 2002
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chateaujade
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I had a meeting with my close friend, a law professor at the largest university in Thailand, former Dean of its Law School, two terms as Senator, and son of a Supreme Court justice.
He tells me it is for certain that visa-on-arrival for CIS citizens will be dropped, and criminal background checks instituted for all visa applicants at all Thai consulates in CIS.
GOOD.
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Bangkok Women : Meet Sensual Bangkok Women
Posted on: 10:15 pm on Sep. 3, 2002
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mt
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Pardon me, but what is CIS?
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 9:14 am on Sep. 17, 2002
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Ghostwriter
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Confederation of Independent States, I think. Russia
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Sexy Bangkok Girls
Posted on: 9:33 am on Sep. 17, 2002
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max
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Thanks BK .
I 'll buy you a beer or a soapie when I get to BKK or if you ever get to NY I'll buy you a watered down drink and a $20 lap dance
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 11:00 am on Sep. 17, 2002
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Cat Woods
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Chateaujade, I believe what youheard from your friends are true.
But considering the efficiency of Thai officials, the lack of dignity of Thai politicians and the will of the criminals, I am very skeptical the Russian-linked crime tide in Pattaya can be restrained. And I doubt if anyone who knows Thailand well enough will be more optimistic than me.
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Thai Girls : Meet Active Thai Girls
Posted on: 12:02 pm on Sep. 17, 2002
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MrJoe
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Cat Woods'
I agree with you up to a point. However, as chateau knows, on the rare occasions that the authorities do decide to truly put a stop to something-they usually can and do.
There are a few good examples in the cases of supposedly untouchable gangsters. Eventually they became more trouble than they were worth and they embarassed the wrong people.
To pick both a Thai and Falang gangster, there was Mr. Klaew (Bangkok boxing promoter) and Lothar (Pattaya; Baby a GO-GO etc).
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 9:29 pm on Sep. 18, 2002
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chateaujade
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Klaew Thanakul: survived many attempts on his life, finally killed by a commando-type attack using M16s, 40mm grenade launchers etc. 1991. Klaew was a hothead.
Lothar (a longtime Pattaya resident, hotelier and reputed head of "the German Mafia") I believe was double crossed by his wife and his accountant, who provided enough info to get his kicked out of the Kingdom. Typical. If something more "abrupt" happened to Lothar, I didn't hear about it.
A current cause celebre is that of Wolfgang Ulrich. Lots of smoke, no fire. In fact the lawfirm I am associated with might be taking his case, as the Thai Supreme Court has held that he was illegally deported and the German police and courts have cleared him there.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 12:45 am on Sep. 19, 2002
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