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| Bar manager Kim Fletcher – the Chiang Mai Brit (pixelated) and Bill Haines ‘Foreign Secretary’ at Jameson’s Pattaya |
A former British bar owner in Chiang Mai is today named as one of the ‘bankers’ for a range of ‘boiler rooms’ in Thailand known as the ‘Wolves of Bangkok’.
The former manager of the ‘Bears Den’ pub in Chiang Mai, was involved in the registration of companies to receive cash stolen from victims in Britain, Europe and Australia.
The Briton, now allegedly working for Canadian ‘Wolves’ in Chiang Mai, also made numerous trips to Manila from Bangkok to pick up cash and bring it back to Thailand without ever being checked at Immigration or Customs.
And it is that cash which it is alleged has been used to invest in property and Thailand’s lucrative tourist sex industry.
The allegations are made by a group of victims of boiler rooms who say they have lost over US$20 million between them.
In an internet post today they link the Briton, from Sutton Coldfield to American and British members of the ‘Bangkok Five’ – the top boiler room operators in Thailand.
The Briton received US$100,000 a month for his services to the boiler rooms and invested it in property in the Chiang Mai area.
The business was so lucrative that he gave up his day job organising such events as ‘Ladies Lunch Clubs’ in his bar.
Also named as bankers and money couriers are a Dutchman and an American.
The Chiang Mai Brit is also linked to British boiler room ‘staffer’ Bill Haines, a regular at Jameson’s pub in Pattaya, where he is known as the Foreign Secretary. Haines was recently arrested in Pattaya for possession of cocaine. He was later fined only 5000 Thai baht. It is understood he co-operated with authorities including Britain’s National Crime Agency who may have obtained new lists of British victims.
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| Bill Haines – Foreign Secretary |
An internet pub diary by British landlord Kim Fletcher in December 2012 reports: ‘Friday was going to be one of the maddest in Jameson’s History last week, and approached with great trepidation by both the Landlord and the Singing Party Animal Stuart Daly on knowing the arrival of (name redacted) and Bill Haines for a weekend can be terminal. Both, Stuart and Myself ducked out on the Thursday Night warm up. Which proved to be a very shrewd move as both Dave and Bill over did it on Thursday and only managed one Beer between them on Friday Night before having to retire hurt. Sadly instead of accepting Victory gracefully the Landlord and Party Animal with the taste of Victory in their system went out and celebrated for the next days and were a very sorry site to by the time Monday Morning came around. To quote the Party Animal. “I’ve felt Better!”.
Jameson’s has always been keen to keep close links with the British Embassy (Its Union Jack waving website repeats the Embassy’s sometimes dull press releases) and the BCCT. It is not suggested they know the secret occupations of their customers.
The latest allegations which include company details, and trips made by the Briton, a former bar manager in Hong Kong can be found here.
Companies and BRs linked: McBain Baxter Holdings, Cahill Audleman PTE, Crestwell Mining, Georgia (director) Ariel Luna Management, Talbot and Reese, Grand Shaw Holdings, Jameson West Associates, Carver Brookes Associates.
Bloody well done Andrew…. More of the journalism missing from across the whole of the Thai press and medial.
In Australia today there are growing calls for a Royal Commission into ASIC and the Commonwealth Bank.
Many people they describe as vulnerable and unsophisticated have been ripped off by so called 'financial advisers.'
ASIC claimed they investigated these advisers and found at least 25% were shonky. What did they then do?- SFA as usual.
These boiler room scumbags better keep a low profile. With a lot of the traditional avenues of graft being policed a lot of Thai men in uniform will be looking for an earn.
Been off line for a long time hybernating…………..? Just to let you know about the ‘Bears Den’ pub in Chiang Mai. Well I can tell you this much. The former owner before the Bear Den was Swedish & he leased it & it was called the River Deli—Ok in the weekends as it had a good following of expats
The Bear’s Den never even got off the ground. It was a dead duck when it opened. The investors in Chiangmai spent over 9m-11m baht doing the joint up on the Ping River. The land was leased from a Thai & one bar/restaurant foreign owned across the road lasted about 5 months & made nothing when it started. Sad to say this area of town never did any good as off the beaten track & one of the main UK investors who knew Chiangmai should have known better. When these Brits took over the lease they closed it then they transformed it into an English style Pub which never suited this area & it died before it even opened as all the regulars had gone elsewhere. Bad move as who wanted to be inside a Brit pub on the river looking at 4 walls. Maybe Kim spent his “Cash” here to prop it up as most people avoided the place apart from maybe the 3 guys in the picture. It died pretty quick after they realized what they had done & not achieved. One investor came from Hongkong & lost most of his money & got out before he lost it all —maybe he did— the rest hid.
Kim, happy hour cut back from 7 until 7 now 5 until 7 you could give it away all day with this money pouring in
Ye Godfathers!, never have I seen so many army trucks lined up outside an establishment ,that being Jameson s, drinking alongside field marshal's, generals etc.
Kim, I do not usually send out begging letters,but my close proximity to yourself I feel I have to. All I am asking is a charitable gift of a few million (GBP) I know the "foreign correspondent" is now not exactly floating on water ,but standing upright wearing concrete shoes in it, and you are fortunate enough to have a true friend just around the corner. Stuff a few suitcases with the stuff and I will welcome you with open arms.
See you later Kim
I used often see Kim, swilling beer with a rather corpulent Indian-Thai fellow in the Irish bar Kim managed down Pattaya way.
No chance of these allegations against Kim ever being printed in the Pattaya Mail then !
Its a shame, misdemeanours can sometimes be mistaken for having a personality.
…but having "that" sort of personality is no misdemeanour