American Teacher by Day, Bank Robber by… Also Day
File this under "lessons not to teach abroad." In mid-2013, a 62-year-old American English teacher in Thailand decided to give himself a very unauthorized raise – by robbing a Bangkok Bank branch in broad daylight. Talk about extra-curricular activities! Dressed in a helmet and concealing his face (COVID mask avant la lettre?), our scholarly thief strode into a Tesco Lotus mall bank and politely handed the teller a note that said something to the effect of: "This is a robbery. I have a gun and a knife. Don't scream… and please use the Oxford comma." (Okay, maybe not that last part, but one can imagine the English teacher stickler even in crime.)
The bewildered teller complied, filling a bag with roughly 350,000 baht (about $11k USD). And off Mr. Teacher went, disappearing like a ninja on a motorbike. For a brief moment, he probably thought he schooled the system – literally made a withdrawal without a deposit. But here's Lesson #1 in heists: Don't leave evidence. Our academic Robin Hood was caught on CCTV, helmet or not, and Thai detectives are no slouches. They traced a getaway bike to an apartment in Nonthaburi, and surprise! There's our beloved instructor, Mr. Lloyd Hall, chilling at home as if it were just another Monday grading papers. Except his apartment held some interesting teaching aids: piles of banknotes still in Bangkok Bank wrappers, and the discarded clothing and helmet matching the robber's outfit. If facepalms made a sound, you could've heard the police do it in unison.
Dragged to the police station, Mr. Hall tried to deny everything ("Who, me? Rob a bank? I wouldn't even rob my students of an A grade!"). But as evidence mounted like overdue homework, he eventually cracked and confessed. It seems financial woes had driven him to this desperate extra lesson. Ironically, this educator ended up learning about the Thai legal system firsthand – not exactly the cultural exchange he'd planned on. He was promptly charged and likely traded his lesson plans for prison blues, awaiting trial in the infamous "Bangkok Hilton" prison. His colleagues were gobsmacked; students possibly thought it was the coolest thing their teacher had ever done (though school officials certainly did not include it in the next newsletter).
The story made international headlines – after all, an expat teacher turned bank robber is clickbait gold. Some wags in the expat community joked, "Guess he really set the bar high for mid-life career changes!" Others, more compassionate, shook their heads at how financial stress can push people over the edge. One thing's for sure: this American's Thai adventure went off syllabus in a way he'll never forget. Let's hope the only thing he's holding up in the future is a pair of trousers with a proper belt. And kids, if you're reading this: please choose a safer way to make a buck – like teaching… oh wait.
The Pattaya 103 Tailors Connection
If only our teacher-turned-robber had come to Pattaya 103 Tailors, we'd have suited him up so fine he'd feel like a million bucks (legally!). A sharp suit can give you the confidence to ace life's tests without resorting to crime. Our advice: dress for the job you want, not the job that lands you in jail. Whether you're an educator or an executive, we'll tailor your look to fit your ambition – no stick-up notes required.