ThePlant

I don't know why this is news. Been happening for years and years.

BS...it has not

You may not have been aware of it, but it's been going on in this area for many years. Absolutely nothing new (have a read through Stickman's archives if you don't believe me).

You can go earlier than Stickman and read about it in Trink's archives....

I understand utterly where you are coming from but why make an issue of this?

My main point to you would be that seeing as comfort and even luxury are very affordable here;

Is depriving yourself of creature comforts really worth it?

I don't know your personal circumstances but I'd say: 'Live a little; be good to yourself''

Surely even on a modest pensioner's income or lowly TEFL salary you could afford the odd decent meal in a nice restaurant where the main garnish isn't exhaust fumes?

I hope this thread doesn't develop into one of those "I live on a billion Baht a month' willy-waving threads though....

What is truly incredible is that people think this is a new thing or denying it happens at all. No matter how long you have been in Thailand or 'love' the place and ''your'' Thai family, or how well you think you can sa-peaka da language you'll be just as valid a target in their eyes if you're a Westerner.

This seems to have been a mandate from Thong Lor police for a long time now. I recall being stopped and searched at Ekkamai back in 2001 along with the only other Western passenger on the bus from Chanthaburi - an elderly man - who they also searched thoroughly (they didn't stop a single Thai).

Trink made an issue of the Ekkamai searches and this topic has jumped up to prominence from time to time for more than a decade now. When it last sprang to prominence a few years ago it soon fell away once the cops were told to calm it down a little.

I was in a cab around three years ago near Asok BTS when, on seeing me in my cab, three cops came running off the pavement towards my cab jibbering and jabbering like monkeys but the driver on seeing them said '<deleted> this' and managed to slip into the outside lane (the oly lane of moving traffic, and power on our way. Since then I avoid that area like the plague yet reports have abounded on various BKK based blogs, both English and Thai.

I'm not too sure how this works but hopefully you can follow the link.

Terry Reid who could have been in both Led Zep and Deep Purple but never did.

I saw him a few years ago in Manchester but sadly washed up and dreadfully intoxicated (him not me) but even then he still came through in his former glory in spells. Was a very sad night.

I saw him again 3 years ago now dry and clean and he was excellent.

Two units of police needed for a small peaceful gathering of people coming to terms with a personal tragedy. Vile.