Hi folks, I am in the planning process for my story and one of the main characters, who lives in Bangkok, has got into trouble with a local mafia gang. This is just a secondary storyline but I'm struggling to come up with ideas for why he is in trouble? I'm thinking he owes them money but why? Would really appreciate some thoughts on what he may have done, how he got caught up with these people and how he got to the point of owing them money or being in some other kind of trouble with them? To give some further background, he is a down-on-his-luck expat, trying to run a private eye business in Bangkok, with drug and alcohol problems. Help me fill in the blanks please. Thanks, Luke
First ask: What is this gang into? What do they do that makes them so bad? Then ask: What is your guy into? What does he do that is maybe not so good? Or, did he get in their way on one of their rackets? Finally ask: Where do these two overlap? That's where you'll probably find your answers. For example, you said your guy had some drug and alcohol problems. Who's his dealer? Where does he get his booze? Could these places be run by your mafia gang? Maybe work's been slow, and he hasn't been able to pay for his addictions, and his dealer told the rest of the gang? Or, he's a PI. Maybe he investigated them and got a few big fish caught, and now the little fish are PO'ed and after him? Also ask yourself: how does this advance the main plot? Good luck!
I live in Bangkok and I can tell you that the main reason someone gets in trouble with the local criminals is the failure to pay bribes or protection money to the appropriate people.
Ah, yes, that seems more plausible. I live in one of the safest neighborhoods in my metropolitan area, so the most I know about gangs and the mafia and such comes from TV and DARE
A story so intricate even the writer is losing track. Let's hope there is going to be a revealing plot twist in store.
I live in Bangkok too and my knowledge of the Thai mafia leads me to believe that they have a lot of involvement in drugs, extortion and people trafficking. I also know people that run bars in Bangkok and Pattaya and they very often get a visit from the mafia asking for money, as do the police. If your character is down on his luck and has a drug dependency problem perhaps he is buying his drugs from someone in the mafia? Unlikely to be honest because they would only be dealing in large quantities. If his business isn't doing too well then maybe he is supplementing his income with some drug dealing but his drug problem means he is taking them all instead of selling them and he now owes the mafia money. Good luck.
