Bank Robbers in Thailand
By now I'm sure you've all heard about the Bank Robbery by an American teacher in Bangkok. At first the internet was full of chatter about what nationality the guy was since it was first reported that the guy was of European origin. American's don't look European to me but a Thai was the eye-witness. Most Thai's I've met can rarely tell the difference. But it appears the guy didn't speak just use a note so perhaps he did just looked "European". But really does any of this matter? And even if it does it's a complete surprise that the guy turns out to be American.
Americans don't typically do things half ass-ed. And robbing a bank well that just seems like an american kinda thing to do. Watch any wild west movie and you'll come to the same conclusion. Sure there just movies but I'm sure there's a statistic out there that shows that the average american has watched at least 100 movies with bank robberies in it. My point? What movie have you seen that the perpetrator robs a bank with their own car. Everyone knows you need to steal one!
This is what perplexes me about Bank robbers in Thailand. They all seem to have one thing in common. They don't don't seem to do any planning when robbing a bank. Maybe they are so low on funds that they simply don't have the time to pull off a great heist.
Do you remember the Bank Robber in Chiang Mai, Stole over 500,000 baht from the bank to pay for gym fees and used a rental bike. He didn't even have the sense to remove the plates when he robbed the joint and even more amazing he lived not a kilometer from the bank he robbed.
Really the deeper question here is why would these guys rob a bank especially in Thailand. I asked several mates and they said sure if I could get 100 million baht I'd definitely consider something like that. Though I doubt they would actually go through with it. So what makes a guy rob a bank in Thailand and walk away with less than $20,000. I guess if you're an English teacher this could help you out for a few years.
These bank robbers show just how tough it can be in Thailand. It's not easy to make money in Thailand and for some people there are little options left. Once you've moved your life to Thailand it's very hard to go back. Think about these guys in their 50's maybe they have no family back home with no money and all their friends living in Thailand when they get off the plane in America or whatever they are now destitute. I can see how they end up this way. But should you feel sorry for them? No of course not, they robbed a bank without even stealing a bike! What do you think?
Robbing banks is very popular in Thailand, while back home people go for ATM machines in Thailand they still do things the old fashioned way with a gun or a note. Actually i'm sure the american this week modelled his heist from the guy in Chiang Mai, the note was a dead giveaway. But maybe they should have looked at how the Thai's do it. They seem to get away with it.
Here's a video of a recent Thai Bank Robber who cleaned up, totally covered on a stolen bike! Hit and run out in 60 seconds. The most amazing thing about the video is the camera survalence system. This is a bank, they should have HD video running 24/7!
What are the convos in the background about, they don’t sound alarmed at all?
Not really sure myself.
To an Asian or Thai person, any white guy is European. Whether he is American, Australian or French he is still European. After all, our ancestors only left Europe 500 years ago.
Don’t equate criminals with intelligence. There is an inverse relationship. Criminality is the easy way out when you are not smart enough to earn a living.
I saw a Thai blog that said Farangs can’t tell the difference between Southeast Asians. She said her Farang friend thought she was a star from TV. LOL
Even SE Asians can’t distinguish the difference between themselves.
I am a Vietnamese but whenever I travel to another SEA or NEA country people there just think that I am a local and always talk to me in local language which I obviously have no clue…
xin chào. i’m in vietnam atm with my thai girlfriend and they all talk to her in vietnamese it must be so annoying.
the ‘convos’ are polic commenting whilest watching the video after the crime. Duh!
Thanks Jim, my speakers are out so i couldn’t go back to listen what they were saying.
“American’s don’t look European to me.” Er, just what does a European look like? You think a Greek guy looks like an Icelandic guy? They’re both European. Does Tiger Woods look like Brad Pitt? They’re both American. Gosh…
Give me a white guy from the USA a white guy from England and a white guy from Australia, it’s pretty easy to tell the difference, as well as russian greece and the nordic countries you mentioned.
But the Thai would just say, “Blondes, whites, big noses, tall guys, so what? Just another three Farangs.” LOL
Take off our clothes and we all look the same. Hey, isn’t that the way most Thai’s see us anyway?
Really? never heard that one before
Krypton
yes – you are soooooooo right for the THAIS. We are not look down for them BUT just don’t knows where are they come from then we call them alls “FARANGS”
BECAUSE alls they have a big nose (nice) and skin whites …. and other we call them AFRICA. Just like this.
Yeah, quite simply defined. Once my Indian friend said people call him Africa.
yeah chris
the American bank robber. the guy who wrote the note.his name is denny, I met him before. was an arogant asshole. he worked in bkk at the mall nam wang wan. he did it cuz his gf needed money he said,,for bills… thats all i know for now
what else would you expect from a dumb seepo ? typical yank that thinks Uncle Sam will come rescue him leading a charge of cavalry or a troop of US Marines (lol) every god dam yank i have met claims he was a marine give me the ozzi or pommy SAS any day even the French Foreign Legion that a bunch of yanks that call themselves Marines more like a bunch of poofter boy scouts. now come to think of it i really do not like yanks after living in good old USA for 10 years.