Boonlua Chatree
Two Chinese students who negotiated their way out of most of
an extortion attempt by Pattaya jet ski vendors were assaulted by the thugs
after they left Pattaya Police Station.
Ka Hong Un, 22, and Man Tek Lei, 21, told police they were
attacked outside their central Pattaya hotel by the jet ski vendors after
supposedly negotiating a settlement with them only minutes before.
On holiday from Macao, the two told police they’d rented jet
skis in front of the Pattaya Baywalk April 16 and had been boating for about 15
minutes when the vendors waved them back into shore, claiming they’d collided
and damaged the watercraft.
The students denied the accusation and when the vendors
demanded 100,000 baht for the supposed damage, the victims took the matter to
police. Police - often accused of colluding with jet ski scammers for a payoff -
“negotiated” the alleged extortion down to a 15,000 baht and then further
reduced it to 7,000 baht.
Apparently upset with having their big payday overturned, two
of the accused extortionists were waiting for the students outside their hotel
and beat them before they could go inside.
The two men returned to the police station, demanding justice
and vowing never to return to Pattaya.
The attack and extortion is just the latest in an unending
series of incidents that continue to damage the reputation of the city and
country, despite promises from Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome and the city council to
curtail the lawlessness.
