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Mafia in Patpong Markets. |
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Written by Lucky.
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Monday, 07 July 2008 |
This is something I have never heard about on here and I am not sure if anyone has seen it. I was staying in BKK for a couple months. I was coming to the end of my holidays. I had 1 week left and was hanging out in the markets looking for some gifts. I had got over all the shouts of “Ping Pong Shows” every 2 minutes and also “Tuk Yuk taxi” and sat back just to watch the people walking around shopping and just listen to random conversation. I found myself next to a little store with some rather cool looking Thai guys with tattoo's and piercing they were laughing joking around and spoke English too. I said hello and offered them some cigarettes they happily took the offer and I handed over about 5 smokes to these guys. One guy in particular spoke more English than the others translating things for me to talk with some of the other guys that had come to hang out to.
He started to explain to me how the markets worked and who runs what. I found it pretty interesting listening to this guy, I then stepped off for a moment to get a drink from 7 11 and while I was there grabbed a few Singh beers for the guys I was talking to. So we sat back and watched and I talked with these guys and had a good laugh. I said I had to go at about 4 am the markets were closed and these guys were pretty drunk but still having a good time. I had watch some of these guys walk off and hassle a few bar girls and come back every now and then I even saw a few get some money off them but I didn’t take much notice.
The next night after a big day I thought I would go back to the markets and see if the guys were there and they were so I said hi got them a drink and started talking and watching then joke around and have fun it was just interesting to see what these guys did at night, after a few rounds of beers we were all laughing and then the attention came to me I was placing my finished cigarettes in a empty bottle and they started asking why you don’t throw cigarette? I said the police are there I don’t want to get fined. They all started laughing at me and said throw it on the floor its rubbish. I looked around and saw there was a police officer 5 meters away. I said no way there is a cop there. They laughed at me and the main guy who spoke the better English took the smoke off me, lets call this guy Mr. X. He then proceeded closer to the officer (now at this point i didn’t know what to think BKK police look pretty mean with there helmets and face covers) and yelled at him and threw the smoke at his face and walked back over to me. I was Like OMG I am going to jail now. All the men started laughing to my surpise the officer did nothing just turned around and kept hassling tuk tuk drivers. I was like who are you why didn’t he do anything to you. To answer the question, he started pulling off his shirt, he yelled at the top of his lungs “me Thai Mafia me Thai Mafia”.
On taking off his top he revealed a whole body cover in tattoo’s of different Buddha’s and various tattoos you find on monks in a temple. I didn’t know what to think he then while ranting and raving in front of every one was yelling “F*ck You, me mafia” (he was pretty drunk) and proceeded to pull out his private parts and urinate in front of the policeman. Still the cop did nothing.... I was in shock but also amazed was this guy Mafia? or was he just a drunken lout well things settled down and we were back to drinking and i was a little afraid thinking who am I hanging out with. But my curiosity got the better of me and I stayed. I asked him and his friends if they were really Mafia. They explained to me yes and that they run this part of Patpong. While chatting away a police office approached and handed Mr X a cup of coffee and walked away with a little bow, when seeing this I was convinced these guys were something, I left and went to sleep...
I came out again killing time in the evening and met with the guys again we drank and laughed. Again I bought them beers and some smokes, and why not it didn’t cost me much but I got to see a different part of Thailand.... that night while we spoke and and joked around they say I had a can of Mace on me they laughed at me and made fun saying what is this toy hahaha. I was like just in case you know and then Mr x called one of his friends over and said show show him making a hand gesture to the man’s crotch. I was like huh. Within 2 seconds it was uncovered a mini machine gun under his shirt they all laughed and said you want gun you need gun.. I said no no no I am not wanting to go jail they laughed and tried to hand me a small pistol. I refused the offer and said sure sure ? I said I am sure and it disappeared as quick as it came out. I asked them if they all had guns. Mr X explained most people here do and showed me around the market place introducing me as his friend to His other friends and asked them to look out for me if they saw me getting hassled.
At the end of the night when the markets were closing Mr X asked me to come with him walk around the main part of the markets I agreed and we went off. While we were walking he was stopping a number of bar girls and going off at them in Thai and they would be angry and yell back, but all paid him money. He said he collected money from the bar girls and they couldn’t do anything about it.... I nodded and just watched and listened ....
The next night I came out and as usual I met Mr x in the markets we sat drank talked ,,,, all in all they were cool guys when I went out there was also 1 of his friend looking out for me if anyone came up and hassled me some one came out and always sorted it out using Mr X's name even one night a guy tried to come up and fight me while he was intoxicated I got up to stand my ground when Mr X pulled me back and let his boys look after it for me said I didn’t need to get attention from police because I was tourist. . I thought this was pretty cool but always wondered what they wanted from me why would they be friends with me ...they never asked me for money but were always happy to take my drinks and smokes which I didn’t mind giving to them. Well, I found out not long after. Mr x explained to me they ran a number of bars along the strip and would like me to help them get tourists in there because I could speak good English, What they really wanted was to lure people in to these girly bars and scam money from them they just wanted a good spokesperson to ensure that the club and girls were good....
Anyways, this is just one of many stories I have about my visit to Thailand.
Sorry its a bit all over the place but I just wanted to tell that story.
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this is a quite interesting stories after all the marriage and hanky hanky stories. It is my third day in Phuket now and after reading all those stories. I am almost afraid to go out of my apartment room. I need to add that I am travelling on my own.
These three days so far were wonderful and I was really enjoying it. But this website made me so unsure about everything in this country.
Well. Thanks for the story :)