PHUKET: Accidental death or premeditated murder, the killing of a Swede by two other Swedes on Phuket has triggered an intense review by Phuket authorities of an influx of expat criminals from Pattaya.
''It was a Pattaya argument that was tragically settled on Phuket,'' Phuket's Police Commander, Major General Pekad Tantipong, said today. ''Our aim is to not let that happen again.''
Knife-in-the-throat victim Maksim Schantz had established a successful scam in Pattaya and was apparently keen to continue to operate it from Phuket, sources have told Phuketwan..
But he didn't count on an old friend, Tommy Viktor Soderlund, tracking him down on Phuket to settle a score. Nor could he have known that Soderlund's companion, Johan Sebastian Ljung, was not skilled at grabbing a t-shirt and gripping a 12-centimetre knife at the same time.
Monday night's bloody killing at an upscale Phuket City residence, The Lantern, today led Phuket police, Immigration officials and Tourist Police to start halting the easy movement of Pattaya's expat criminals to Phuket.
Investigators also expressed frustration that Thai laws had failed to keep up with international fraudsters. Both Soderlund and the victim, Schantz, were running scams that are not illegal in Thailand. Unless the loopholes are closed quickly, more scamsters will target Thailand.
''We will be looking much more carefully at expat visitors who come to Phuket to do business and we aim to prevent this kind of outcome in future,'' Major General Pekad said.
Russians have long been suspected of criminal activities in Pattaya, and in danger of spreading their vices to Phuket. Now Swedes have joined them at the top of the Phuket ''watch'' list.
''Phuket is a more international destination than Pattaya, and it actually has a better reputation than Pattaya and even Thailand,'' Major General Pekad said. ''We are already improving our systems to make sure it stays that way.''
Shared data bases have enabled Phuket police to react quickly at the hint of a new expat criminal presence on Phuket.
With both Soderlund and Ljung sent to Phuket Prison yesterday to await a court appearance over the killing, Phuket police have continued to talk to their peers in Pattaya about other criminals who may be heading to the island.
The Tourist Polcie in Phuket and Pattaya have a particularly strong connection, TP Phuket Chief Lieutenant Colonel Eakachai Prapormkul told Phuketwan today.
''After this case, our efforts to liaise with Immigration, with local police and with Tourist Police in Pattaya will become much more intense and regular,'' he said.
Action is also expected to be taken quickly by Bangkok's new government lawmakers to close the loopholes to reduce the number of expat scamsters operating beyond the Thai law.
In Schantz's case, he was reportedly sending out fake bills to Swedish companies, and finding many gullible enough to send money. Soderlund's team of Swedish and Norwegian call centre operatives persuaded many companies to send cheques for imaginary call centre vetting services.
Both scams must have been relatively successful - accommodation in three-storey duplexes with swimming pool at The Lantern was costing them each 7000 baht a night.
Phuket's Murder Replay: A Horror Show for Three Swedes''It was a Pattaya argument that was tragically settled on Phuket,'' Phuket's Police Commander, Major General Pekad Tantipong, said today. ''Our aim is to not let that happen again.''
Knife-in-the-throat victim Maksim Schantz had established a successful scam in Pattaya and was apparently keen to continue to operate it from Phuket, sources have told Phuketwan..
But he didn't count on an old friend, Tommy Viktor Soderlund, tracking him down on Phuket to settle a score. Nor could he have known that Soderlund's companion, Johan Sebastian Ljung, was not skilled at grabbing a t-shirt and gripping a 12-centimetre knife at the same time.
Monday night's bloody killing at an upscale Phuket City residence, The Lantern, today led Phuket police, Immigration officials and Tourist Police to start halting the easy movement of Pattaya's expat criminals to Phuket.
Investigators also expressed frustration that Thai laws had failed to keep up with international fraudsters. Both Soderlund and the victim, Schantz, were running scams that are not illegal in Thailand. Unless the loopholes are closed quickly, more scamsters will target Thailand.
''We will be looking much more carefully at expat visitors who come to Phuket to do business and we aim to prevent this kind of outcome in future,'' Major General Pekad said.
Russians have long been suspected of criminal activities in Pattaya, and in danger of spreading their vices to Phuket. Now Swedes have joined them at the top of the Phuket ''watch'' list.
''Phuket is a more international destination than Pattaya, and it actually has a better reputation than Pattaya and even Thailand,'' Major General Pekad said. ''We are already improving our systems to make sure it stays that way.''
Shared data bases have enabled Phuket police to react quickly at the hint of a new expat criminal presence on Phuket.
With both Soderlund and Ljung sent to Phuket Prison yesterday to await a court appearance over the killing, Phuket police have continued to talk to their peers in Pattaya about other criminals who may be heading to the island.
The Tourist Polcie in Phuket and Pattaya have a particularly strong connection, TP Phuket Chief Lieutenant Colonel Eakachai Prapormkul told Phuketwan today.
''After this case, our efforts to liaise with Immigration, with local police and with Tourist Police in Pattaya will become much more intense and regular,'' he said.
Action is also expected to be taken quickly by Bangkok's new government lawmakers to close the loopholes to reduce the number of expat scamsters operating beyond the Thai law.
In Schantz's case, he was reportedly sending out fake bills to Swedish companies, and finding many gullible enough to send money. Soderlund's team of Swedish and Norwegian call centre operatives persuaded many companies to send cheques for imaginary call centre vetting services.
Both scams must have been relatively successful - accommodation in three-storey duplexes with swimming pool at The Lantern was costing them each 7000 baht a night.
Photo Album Murder reenactments are an odd combination or theatrics and real drama, and so it proved for two Swedes in a Shakespearian tropical island tragedy.
Phuket's Murder Replay: A Horror Show for Three Swedes
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@Action is also expected to be taken quickly by Bangkok's new government lawmakers to close the loopholes to reduce the number of expat scamsters operating beyond the Thai law.
Unfortunately, a disgusting crime had to happen to open the eyes of local authorities that something should be done against too many con artists roaming between Phuket, PhangNga, Krabi, Pattaya and Koh Samui.
Posted by Whistle-Blower on August 5, 2011 15:52