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Too Much Too Young 8:21 Fri Oct 13
Koh Tao - nightmare
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Dear who,
I fully appreciate that this may get conflicting responses, but any help would be hugely appreciated and the story should serve anyone else well.
My eldest lad (21) went to Thailand mid September. Monday the 16th he had a nightmare.
After 4 days in Bangkok seeing the sights, he went to Koh Tao for a scuba diving course.
On the last day, I got texts as follow so:
5am - dad, I've had my account hacked, loads of moody Uber rides that I haven'tt had.
11am - dad, I think I have decompression sickness.
1pm - dad, I have been done for pocession (3g of weed).
I got the consulate to get him sent to a hospital, where he stayed for 3 days.
That was 25 days ago.
The old bill have his passport, yet were legally obliged to hand it back last weekend.
Are insisting he uses some local translator to communicate with them. Who the consulate have advised not to deal with, as she is after 700 quid for her services,
I had a grand sent over to cover the bail when he was nicked, but Koh Tao very much seems like it's run by some local mafia. That's where my lads passport is, and he is on Koh Samui.
Do a search for "Koh Tao Mafia" and you will see why I am not HP about this situation, so I say this as a warning to anyone with kids around the age of 20 or so...avoid Koh Tao.
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Replies - In Chronological Order ( Show Newest Messages First)
Nurse Ratched
8:24 Fri Oct 13
Re: Koh Tao - nightmare
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Christ, mate.
Hope your lad's ok and you get it sorted out.
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Too Much Too Young
8:30 Fri Oct 13
Re: Koh Tao - nightmare
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Yes nurse.
If you did ypthyat search, you would find the top result is an article by the Independent from July this year.
Via my network, I do have about 3 people in contact with him over there, but I am on the verge of going to the press..
I need to get him out of there.
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Too Much Too Young
8:35 Fri Oct 13
Re: Koh Tao - nightmare
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http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/asia/koh-tao-thailand-dark-side-car-crash-murders-mafia-suspicious-deaths-a7824171.html
Who wouldn't be worried after reading that?
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Sniper
8:46 Fri Oct 13
Re: Koh Tao - nightmare
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Wow that's horrendous
Can I ask, Did he actually send those messages? They reads like either someone else has written them or forced him to write them to get money from you. Do you actually know how well he is? Has he been done for possession?
Sounds awful mate, hope you get it sorted and soon
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Too Much Too Young
8:50 Fri Oct 13
Re: Koh Tao - nightmare
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I have been speaking to him every day via what's app, so it ain't a scam.
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Brucies_Star_Prize
8:50 Fri Oct 13
Re: Koh Tao - nightmare
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I’ve got a mate who lived on Koh Tao for 6 months as a diving instructor. The island is indeed run by a local mafia - he said you’re fine providing you don’t step out of line. If you do then you’re generally put on a boat and made to leave the island, or worse.
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Too Much Too Young
8:57 Fri Oct 13
Re: Koh Tao - nightmare
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Yes, he is being done for possession. The old bill have said that can take anything up to 48 days.
His visa runs out in the 16th. First they said he could extend it, then they said he couldn't. They change their mind what they want and when day by day.
The consulate Haven't been that helpful. In fact, via my contacts I know someone who left the job 6 months ago, yet is still getting the email aupdates and knows about my lad.
He left because he said the embassy's ability to help was pretty much ineffectual, which hardly eases my stress.
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BRANDED
9:05 Fri Oct 13
Re: Koh Tao - nightmare
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Good fortune.
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lowermarshhammer
9:12 Fri Oct 13
Re: Koh Tao - nightmare
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Was there in 94. One of the motorcycle taxis was piloted by a bloke we called DANGER. He only had one eye. They all wore numbered bibs, he was easy to spot, no. 4 he wore.
Used to enjoy looking out for the look of absolute fear on the face of the pillion.
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Dwight Van Mann
9:13 Fri Oct 13
Re: Koh Tao - nightmare
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Too Much Too Young 8:21 Fri Oct 13
shit! you must being pulling your hair out.
Hope you get your boy home soon
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lowermarshhammer
9:14 Fri Oct 13
Re: Koh Tao - nightmare
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Too much
Has your son indicated how much cash might be sufficient for all this aggravation to be swept under the carpet?
Pretty sure that his going to be the best way to sort this.
Good luck.
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Too Much Too Young
9:28 Fri Oct 13
Re: Koh Tao - nightmare
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Lower
Indeed, a bung when he was caught would have sorted it. Refer to point 1 about getting his account hacked. He had no money.
He was caught at a army checkpoint and they all went off to the old bill shop. Pics with the army etc..
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Too Much Too Young
9:34 Fri Oct 13
Re: Koh Tao - nightmare
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By luck, as he did have decompression sickness, I got him off Koh Tao to Koh Samui, where they have the hospital to treat it.
Lucky I forced him to get travel insurance before he went, as he ran up about 4k.
It's been so fucking stressful you wouldn't believe.
I need the SAS, the A Team, 007 and Thunderbird 3.
Nèed him back
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collyrob
9:35 Fri Oct 13
Re: Koh Tao - nightmare
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Koh Tao is usually quite easy going with weed. We were offered it in almost every bar.
We got stitched up over one of the mopeds that they claimed we damaged but my mate had no incidents on it, and the little cunt claimed we scraped the under carriage. The police took his side and we ended up just giving the cunt €80 to get out passports back.
So my advice would be just give them whatever they want and get him home.
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lowermarshhammer
9:39 Fri Oct 13
Re: Koh Tao - nightmare
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If I was in your shoes I'd be thinking about going there in person. Forget going to the press, that will only wind them up and make it harder to get your some out.
Go there, find out who you need to talk to, arrange an independent translator in Bangkok to travel.with you to the people who have your son's passport.
Keep your cool and do not raise your voice when dealing with them. Remember they have you by the bollocks and are happy to twist hard.
Do not suggest a bribe, rather a fine for the inconvenience caused and the return of the passport.
Get the fuck out hopefully with your son and tell him not to be such a fucking dick to get caught. Oh and that he owes you quite a tidy sum of money.
I reckon if you are really lucky you might get everything sorted for less than 10k (that's a big guess TBH) but you can bet they will do everything they can to find out how much you are worth and will charge accordingly...
Like I said, good luck.
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Gavros
9:53 Fri Oct 13
Re: Koh Tao - nightmare
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They're fining people 3 grand for smoking a fag on the beach now.
Would also suggest you get out there yourself as with the time difference and communication problems they will fuck you about as much as they can.
There must be some ex pat advocacy group you can go to who will be more savvy dealing with them
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Gavros
9:56 Fri Oct 13
Re: Koh Tao - nightmare
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And well done the lad going from having the bends to being on the bong within two hours.
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Far Cough
9:57 Fri Oct 13
Re: Koh Tao - nightmare
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ag ag ag
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Too Much Too Young
9:59 Fri Oct 13
Re: Koh Tao - nightmare
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I have 2 contacts out there about to provide friendly legal support.
But they are taking the piss keeping his paasport.
The money I would spend going out there is better spent on a lawyer.
Unless it gets worse.
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ray winstone
10:07 Fri Oct 13
Re: Koh Tao - nightmare
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Good luck mate, sounds like an awful situation to be in.
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