Bangkok Post | The Royal Thai Police (RTP) will now look into five major biker gangs based in the country after arresting the leader, an Austrian national, and some members of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club in Pattaya on July 21.
The arrest of gang leader "Mr Thomas" follows an incident in which a gang member, Olaf Thorsten Brinkmann, was involved in the murder of Hans Peter Walter Mack, 62, a German property broker in NongPrue district, Chon Buri in June.
Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, deputy national police chief, told the Bangkok Post that police are still working to eradicate crimes conducted by foreigners living on Thai soil. "Five major gangs are on our radar," he said, adding they are the Outlaws Motorcycle Club or Outlaws MC, Hells Angels Motorcycle Club or Hells Angels, the Bandidos Motorcycle Club, which is also known as the Green Nation.
The Outlaws also have their networks in Phuket and Koh Samui in Surat Thani, he said, adding the other gangs live in other parts of the country, mainly tourist destinations. The gang members tend to ride big bikes like Harley-Davidson motorcycles, have tattoos and are involved in narcotic drug distribution and other criminal activities, including assault, extortion, theft, loan-sharking, fraud, money laundering, attempted murder or murder. Most of the gangs in Thailand are run by Australian nationals, he said, adding they are international outlaw motorcycle clubs that have members in many countries around the world. Some members come to Thailand and live in places that attract foreign tourists, such as Phuket, Pattaya and Koh Samui. Their targets are foreigners. They demand protection fees from foreigners who want to run businesses in cities where the gang exists or even abduct them for money. "They do not harm Thais because they know they will get into trouble easier than doing it to foreigners who will soon fly back to their home countries," he said.
Source: Bangkok Post, headline by Santosh, photo from internet
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