Beautiful, wholesome Pattaya
How’s this for a fascinating/depressing micro-economy? – Apparently an entire sub-industry of Russian loan sharks has sprung up in Pattaya to service the needs of Russian tourists who run out of money while vacationing in Thailand.
Police officials in Pattaya are claiming both that they have control over the situation, and that the activities of Russian loan sharks do not affect Thais nationals. The network of loan sharks working in the infamous vacation spot exists, apparently, to the exclusive benefit and detriment of Russian citizens.
This fresh news about the activities of Russian loan sharks in Pattaya comes on the heels of a high-profile arrest, in which police officials took Ayrat Khabiryanov, an alleged member of a loan shark gang, into custody.
In addition to Khabiryanov himself, Thai authorities also seized several passports and a list of Khabiryanov’s customers.
The Bangkok Post reports that the current crackdown began after several Russian tourists complained about the activities of loan sharks in the region.
