The brutal killing of a Swede by two other Swedes on Phuket has turned the focus ti criminals from Pattaya moving to Phuket.
According to sources it was a Pattaya argument that was settled on Phuket.
The victim Maksim Schantz had established a successful scamartist in Pattaya and was apparently keen to continue to operate it from Phuket.
But he wanted to make the scams alone, cutting of the former friends.
Tommy Viktor Soderlund, traced him down on Phuket to settle the problem.
Monday night’s bloody killing at an upscale Phuket City residence, The Lantern, today led Phuket police, Immigration officials and Tourist Police to start halting the easy movement of Pattaya’s expat criminals to Phuket.
Investigators also expressed frustration that Thai laws had failed to keep up with international fraudsters. Both Soderlund and the victim, the late Schantz, were running scams that are not illegal in Thailand. Unless the loopholes are closed quickly, more scamsters will target Thailand.
With both Soderlund and Ljung sent to Phuket Prison yesterday to await a court appearance over the killing, Phuket police have continued to talk to their peers in Pattaya about other criminals who may be heading to the island.
The Tourist Polcie in Phuket and Pattaya have a particularly strong connection.
In Schantz’s case, he was using the old trick sending out fake bills to Swedish companies, and finding many gullible enough to send money. Soderlund’s team of Swedish and Norwegian call centre operatives persuaded many companies to send cheques for imaginary call centre vetting services.
