Mafia Wars Bangkok – The Triad

Bangkok, the Mafia Wars upcoming expansion thrusts the player into the intrigue of a war between the Triad and Yakuza and is set in the orient in Thailand. While many players could care less about the story behind the expansion there are those of us who are interested in learning more about the factions involved. Today we are going to learn about the Triad.

Triad or the “Triad Society” is a Chinese underground society which is responsible for the majority of organized crime in the far east in countries including Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia and Mainland China. This group has strong cells in Western Countries where there is a significant Chinese population such as New York, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle and Vancouver.

Like the Mafia of Sicily they have their hands in all forms of organized crime such as car theft, drug trafficking, contract killing, extortion, money laundering and many others including the counterfeiting of copyrighted products. The products that they counterfeit range from phony name brand clothing and watches to computer software and DVDs. Unlike the Mafia of the United States they also traffic in the sale of endangered species.

The Triad began as a resistance to the Manchu Emperor of the Qing Dynasty. The Manchus were regarded by the population as a foreign occupation force at the time. In the 1760s a society called the Tian Di Hui or The Society of Heaven and Earth was formed in Mainland China with the purpose of overthrowing the dynasty. Spreading through other parts of Chine the group branched off into many groups. One of which is the Sanheuhi or the Tree Harmonies Society.

Since the groups used the triangle prominently in gang imagery the term “Triad” was coined by British authorities in Hong Kong.

Over the years the societies which began as patriotic entities transformed into a criminal organization.

When the Communist Part of China came to power in 1949 they cracked down on crime and the Triad members moved to a more open society in the British colony of Hong Kong. During the 1950s it was estimated that there were about 300,000 members in Hong Kong alone.

The Triad divided the city and island up into geographic areas and ethnic groups and set up eight main groups to control the areas. The main groups were Wo, Tung, Rung, Chuen, Luen, 14K, Yee On, and Shing. Each group had its own sub-societies as well.

Since the 1950s the Triad gangs have spread to many other countries including areas of the United States. One might think that with so many groups there would be little organizational structure but actually it is quite the opposite. Triad gangs follow a very strict rank structure.

Here is a diagram of the structure of a Triad Gang.

Triad members take live by a list of morals and an oath that includes the following.

1. After having entered the Han gates I must treat the parents and relatives of my sworn brothers as my own kin. I shall suffer death by five thunderbolts if I do not keep this oath.
2. I shall assist my sworn brothers to bury their parents and brothers by offering financial or physical assistance. I shall suffer death by five thunderbolts if I do not keep this oath.
3. When Han brothers visit my house, I shall provide them with board and lodging. I shall be killed by myriads of knives if I treat them as strangers.
4. I will always acknowledge my Han brothers when they identify themselves. If I ignore them I will be killed by myriads of swords.
5. I shall not disclose the secrets of the Han family, not even to my parents, brothers, or wife. I shall never disclose the secrets for money. I will be killed by myriads of swords if I do so.
6. I shall never betray my sworn brothers. If, through a misunderstanding, I have caused the arrest of one of my brothers I must release him immediately. If I break this oath I will be killed by five thunderbolts.
7. I will offer financial assistance to sworn brothers who are in trouble in order that they may pay their passage fee, etc. If I break this oath I will be killed by five thunderbolts.
8. I must never cause harm or bring trouble to my sworn brothers or Incense Master. If I do so I will be killed by myriads of swords.
9. I must never commit any indecent assaults on the wives, sisters, or daughters, of my sworn brothers. I shall be killed by five thunderbolts if I break this oath.
10. I shall never embezzle cash or property from my sworn brothers. If I break this oath I will be killed by myriads of swords.
11. I will take good care of the wives or children of sworn brothers entrusted to my keeping. If I do not I will be killed by five thunderbolts.
12. If I have supplied false particulars about myself for the purpose of joining the Han family I shall be killed by five thunderbolts.
13. If I should change my mind and deny my membership of the Han family I will be killed by myriads of swords.
14. If I rob a sworn brother or assist an outsider to do so I will be killed by five thunderbolts.
15. If I should take advantage of a sworn brother or force unfair business deals upon him I will be killed by myriads of swords.
16. If I knowingly convert my sworn brother’s cash or property to my own use I shall be killed by five thunderbolts.
17. If I have wrongly taken a sworn brother’s cash or property during a robbery I must return them to him. If I do not I will be killed by five thunderbolts.
18. If I am arrested after committing an offence I must accept my punishment and not try to place blame on my sworn brothers. If I do so I will be killed by five thunderbolts.
19. If any of my sworn brothers are killed, or arrested, or have departed to some other place, I will assist their wives and children who may be in need. If I pretend to have no knowledge of their difficulties I will be killed by five thunderbolts.
20. When any of my sworn brothers have been assaulted or blamed by others, I must come forward and help him if he is in the right or advise him to desist if he is wrong. If he has been repeatedly insulted by others I shall inform our other brothers and arrange to help him physically or financially. If I do not keep this oath I will be killed by five thunderbolts.
21. If it comes to my knowledge that the Government is seeking any of my sworn brothers who has come from other provinces or from overseas, I shall immediately inform him in order that he may make his escape. If I break this oath I will be killed by five thunderbolts.
22. I must not conspire with outsiders to cheat my sworn brothers at gambling. If I do so I will be killed by myriads of swords.
23. I shall not cause discord amongst my sworn brothers by spreading false reports about any of them. If I do so I will be killed by myriads of swords.
24. I shall not appoint myself as Incense Master without authority. After entering the Han gates for three years the loyal and faithful ones may be promoted by the Incense Master with the support of his sworn brothers. I shall be killed by five thunderbolts if I make any unauthorized promotions myself.
25. If my natural brothers are involved in a dispute or law suit with my sworn brothers I must not help either party against the other but must attempt to have the matter settled amicably. If I break this oath I will be killed by five thunderbolts.
26. After entering the Han gates I must forget any previous grudges I may have borne against my sworn brothers. If I do not do so I will be killed by five thunderbolts.
27. I must not trespass upon the territory occupied by my sworn brothers. I shall be killed by five thunderbolts if I pretend to have no knowledge of my brothers’ rights in such matters.
28. I must not covet or seek to share any property or cash obtained by my sworn brothers. If I have such ideas I will be killed.
29. I must not disclose any address where my sworn brothers keep their wealth nor must I conspire to make wrong use of such knowledge. If I do so I will be killed by myriads of swords.
30. I must not give support to outsiders if so doing is against the interests of any of my sworn brothers. If I do not keep this oath I will be killed by myriads of swords.
31. I must not take advantage of the Han brotherhood in order to oppress or take violent or unreasonable advantage of others. I must be content and honest. If I break this oath I will be killed by five thunderbolts.
32. I shall be killed by five thunderbolts if I behave indecently towards small children of my sworn brothers’ families.
33. If any of my sworn brothers has committed a serious offense I must not inform upon them to the Government for the purposes of obtaining a reward. I shall be killed by five thunderbolts if I break this oath.
34. I must not take to myself the wives and concubines of my sworn brothers nor commit adultery with them. If I do so I will be killed by myriads of swords.
35. I must never reveal Han secrets or signs when speaking to outsiders. If I do so I will be killed by myriads of swords.
36. After entering the Han gates I shall be loyal and faithful and shall endeavour to overthrow Ch’ing and restore Ming by coordinating my efforts with those of my sworn brethren even though my brethren and I may not be in the same professions. Our common aim is to avenge our Five Ancestors. If I break this oath the Incense Master has a right to assassinate me.

** This list is abbreviated due to translation.

As you can see the Triad gangs are as organized as any other criminal organization in the world and follow a set of rules just as the Mafia, Vory, Mayfia, and others.

Understanding your enemy is the first step in defeating them.

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4. Reputation and Money In Bangkok

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