Motorcycle rental blackmails overstay customer

[Ali G]

A mate had recently an unpleseant experience renting a big 2005 motorcycle behind Mike's shopping mall. After loosing the key he went to the owner, which said he would have to pay 27.000 bath for the key (worth about 1000 bath), because he was already overstaying his visa for 60 days. The bike owner had his customer's passport because of the rent and threatened to go to the police and have him arrested and deported, if he didn't pay the 27.000 bath.

 

Through friends that knew this owner he could have the bike owner's blackmail money reduced to 13.000 bath, which he payed.

 

Visa overstays are 500 bath/day upto 20.000 baths/40 days, then it doesn't get higher (I'm told). the bike owner knew about his customer's overstay because of having his passport as security for the bike rent.

 

Obviously some Thais prefer to collect farang blackmail visa overstay fines, if they can, although some others don't.

Edited April 11, 2008 by Ali G

[Thai Visa Express]

And name and shame this place please ?

[FatherMojo]

Name and shame....

 

Also, why would anyone overstaying hand his passport over to anyone? That is something that should remain top secret. Too many stoolies and shifty characters running around looking for an easy mark.

 

FatherMojo

[ROOTER]

Never ever hand over your passport as security "Anywhere" not just Thailand-At best give them a photocopy of the detail/photo page only,and if thats not good enough for them,then fuck'em and go somewhere else

[Thai Visa Express]

Some people must be totally crazy to hand over passports.

[***]

I never hand over my paspoort,i always have a copy with me.

[Ali G]

And name and shame this place please ?

 

After further checking with my mate ...this motorcycle rent is the first rent on the left on the corner of Beach Road and Soi 13/2 in front of Pizza Hut, next Soi north of Royal Garden Plaza shopping mall on Beach Road. The Thai owner's name is SAK, which is on many of his bikes.

 

This motorcycle rental specializes in power racers like Honda Repsol 1000 cc & 600 cc and CBR RR 600 etc.

Edited April 13, 2008 by Ali G

[BobbyTits]

After further checking with my mate ...this motorcycle rent is the first rent on the left on the corner of Beach Road and Soi 13/2 in front of Pizza Hut, next Soi north of Royal Garden Plaza shopping mall on Beach Road. The Thai owner's name is SAK, which is on many of his bikes.

 

This motorcycle rental specializes in power racers like Honda Repsol 1000 cc & 600 cc and CBR RR 600 etc.

 

 

 

They are also Thai Muslims.

 

 

I avoid giving them any business if I can.

[Thai Visa Express]

Ok im aware of this place il avoid it in future.

[Ali G]

They are also Thai Muslims.

 

...yeah ...that's what my mate said, but I didn't want to get religion into this blackmail story ...that's unfair to many other good muslims here on this chatboard.

Edited April 14, 2008 by Ali G

[whitespider - RIP]

Couple of things, both simple logic

 

1. If you are overstaying why advertise the fact by handing over a passport. If you are going to risk OS you need to stay OFF motorbikes anyway. Even a minor accident and the BiB are called to the scene.

 

2. WHY pay the bribe?? he is gonna get caught anyway when he does leave and will have to pay the fine. Its not as if paying the bribe is going to avoid it so he will just end up paying twice if he coughs up.

 

Sounds harsh but your mate doesn't sound like the brightest button on the jacket mate.

[ROOTER]

Fuck those cunts!-Why am I not surprised to hear its those pricks?

I have watched these assholes in action over the years whenever I stop in for a pizza-I have seen fights, arguing and the whole outfit seems just plain nasty.I'd rather pay double than rent from that outfit-

[Randy]

Couple of things, both simple logic

 

1. If you are overstaying why advertise the fact by handing over a passport. If you are going to risk OS you need to stay OFF motorbikes anyway. Even a minor accident and the BiB are called to the scene.

 

2. WHY pay the bribe?? he is gonna get caught anyway when he does leave and will have to pay the fine. Its not as if paying the bribe is going to avoid it so he will just end up paying twice if he coughs up.

 

Sounds harsh but your mate doesn't sound like the brightest button on the jacket mate.

 

Expensive lesson, better get the most out of it.

[Ali G]

Sounds harsh but your mate doesn't sound like the brightest button on the jacket mate.

 

...well those who rent 1000 cc Repsols for 1.200 bath/day ain't exactly broke ...so money wasn't the main issue in his case ...it was being blackmailed as customer of this motorcycle rent.

 

I guess he had the choice of "paying the blackmail money" or being deported, which he wasn't ready for because of many reasons. One was gf. Now he's trying to figure out how leave to reenter Thailand legally.

[whitespider - RIP]

...well those who rent 1000 cc Repsols for 1.200 bath/day ain't exactly broke ...so money wasn't the main issue in his case ...it was being blackmailed as customer of this motorcycle rent.

 

I guess he had the choice of "paying the blackmail money" or being deported, which he wasn't ready for because of many reasons. One was gf. Now he's trying to figure out how leave to reenter Thailand legally.

 

His best bet is to leave asap or he will hit the stage when its not just a fine but possible imprisonment too.

 

Then go home and get a Non Imm O Visa. What country is he from and we can then tell you how to get one as its different in each case.

 

Ali I am REALLY not meaning to be harsh. If money wasnt an object why didnt he just fly to Penang or somewhere when his original stamp expired and get a 6 month Visa. Mots overstayers cant afford to do this but it sounds like he could have done and he would have been back in 4 days and all legal.

[Ali G]

His best bet is to leave asap or he will hit the stage when its not just a fine but possible imprisonment too.

 

we can then tell you how to get one as its different in each case.Then go home and get a Non Imm O Visa. What country is he from and

 

Ali I am REALLY not meaning to be harsh. If money wasnt an object why didnt he just fly to Penang or somewhere when his original stamp expired and get a 6 month Visa. Mots overstayers cant afford to do this but it sounds like he could have done and he would have been back in 4 days and all legal.

 

...thanks for the help ...I'll forward your advise to him.

 

...He's from Canada.

 

 

Another case: a permanently deported guy I know of from one of the scandinavian countrys, in which you can change your name legally ...changed his name, got a new passport and reentered Thailand within weeks. I just met him on Beach Road the other day.

Edited April 14, 2008 by Ali G

[mai pen rai]

damn, i've rented a superbike there, only bad thing I have to say about the place is the bike was not very well maintained, it didn't run smoothly in neutral, frequently shut off when stopping at a red light in neutral, real nuisance. I was lightly rear ended at a red light by a car because of this problem, they didn't notice the tiny dent when I returned it, so I really let them have it, ay?

[Shuggy]

Sorry for the delay in posting this but after this thread was posted i went and spoke to Mr Sak. I pretended to be interested in renting a bike. Told him that i didnt have a bike licence and he told me that it wasnt a problem. I asked about what he needed from me and he said all i had to do was give him my passport which he would keep. I pretended that i was scared of handing over my passport and he opened up his man bag and showed me a whole bunch of passports that he was holding. Mainly British but with an Irish, Grerman and American as well.

 

He had a variety of bikes available but they didnt seem to be in the best condition.

 

He Struck me as rather shifty and he had been sitting with a bunch of even shiftier looking Thai guys.

 

He didnt have a business card and was going to write dwon his number but i told him i'd take a picture of it instead so i wouldnt lose it. So here are the pics

 

Some of Saks bikes

 

 

Some more of Saks Bikes

 

Saks 'Business Card"

 

Sak The Blackmailer

[Ali G]

...in April when this thread was on ...I tried to get SAK's photo, but he seemed suspicious and ran away, so I couldn't ...so good job.

 

 

...latest news of my Canadian mate is that a policeman was looking for him to blackmail him for overstay ...but by then he had already solved his immigration problems through his lawyer ...but I guess the policeman didn't know that if his information came from SAK?

 

...you only get upto certain overstay amount ...there's a roof ...about 62.000 bhat ...after that no higher.

 

...news to you all ...when you get one month visa extension in the jomtien immigration office ...you can get 3 months in Bangkok immigration offices leagally with the same papers (info from russian girls).

Edited July 5, 2008 by Ali G

[Goldfishpie]

I've seen numerous disgruntled customers outside that place. Most of them being accused of scratching the machines in some way. Was even toying with the idea of renting a bike. This thread has certainly put me off. Does anyone know of any reputable hire compamies.

[HDELUX]

Nothing surprises me about the guys with this cultural background, they are all crooks looking to take an advantage they can.

 

I have hired a Bike on every visit, but have never and will never give over my Passport, Photo Copy of relevant page only.

 

I guess a warning to everyone, be careful and guard your passport like your life depends on it, because oneday it just might.

 

HD

[Goldfishpie]

Another thread on here tells of a guy getting busted and being forced to hand over 70 quid for not carrying his passport by the police. Then you've got the rental guys telling them you have to hand it over. So surely if you informed them of the Thai law that states a foriegner must have his/her passport on him at all times theres not much they can say.

[Troy]

As mentioned above NEVER hand over your passport, if they insist, give them a copy or go somewhere else.

 

I have 2 criterias when I rent a motorbike in Thailand,

 

1) Don't give them your passport, only a copy (picture of it).

and

2) Don't give them the correct address.

 

the last one comes as a result of a mate of mine got his bike stolen, and I'm 95% sure the bike owner was in on it.

[chuckrivera]

I guess conventional wisdom would say not to overstay your visa. No good can come of it. Thanks for the heads up though, now we know to avoid this place.

[Ali G]

As mentioned above NEVER hand over your passport, if they insist, give them a copy or go somewhere else.

 

I have 2 criterias when I rent a motorbike in Thailand,

 

1) Don't give them your passport, only a copy (picture of it).

and

2) Don't give them the correct address.

 

the last one comes as a result of a mate of mine got his bike stolen, and I'm 95% sure the bike owner was in on it.

 

...yes I agree ...never give your correct address. A policeman stopped me for running red-light (I didn't agree) and fined me 300 bhat on the spot ...bribe money ...he put his helmet over the money ...when I gave it to him ...but then he wanted my address and room number in apartment building where I rented ...I said I didn't remember it. Why would he need my address ...if the case was closed?

Edited July 6, 2008 by Ali G