We are being harassed by policemen in Kantaralak for money, what should we do?

[Fab1958]

Hi,

We have a piece of land in Kantaralak, and the police of that area is harassing us for some reasons unknown to us. We do not know what to do, but we do not want to pay or to give in. We are working out of the country but our farm is being supervised and worked by my brother in law and my mother in law. The policemen are coming almost every day at 4 or 5 in a black car unmarked, sometime even at night to visit and search the house. This has started in July last year, and it is now getting worse. We have about 2 months ago installed 11 surveillance cameras, and we have the recordings.

Has anybody faced such situation and what would be your recommendations?

Help or support will be welcome.

Fab58

[richard_smith237]

What exactly does he want?

What is his leverage? 

Is everything at your land legal?

What rank is the Policeman?

 

 

[DILLIGAD]

Hi, We have a piece of land in Kantaralak, and the police of that area is harassing us for some reasons unknown to us. We do not know what to do, but we do not want to pay or to give in. We are working out of the country but our farm is being supervised and worked by my brother in law and my mother in law. The policemen are coming almost every day at 4 or 5 in a black car unmarked, sometime even at night to visit and search the house. This has started in July last year, and it is now getting worse. We have about 2 months ago installed 11 surveillance cameras, and we have the recordings.

Has anybody faced such situation and what would be your recommendations?

Help or support will be welcome.

Fab58

 

The Army control this country including the police. There are posters all over the countryside saying fight corruption by telephoning the Army’s Anti-Corruption Dept.

Contact them for assistance BUT just like everything else, expect to pay for the ‘service’

As your out of the country, I’d also consider that there may be more to this story (the visits) than meets the eye????

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[johng]

Don't the "police" give a reason as to why they want money ?    they my not be real police.

make a complaint to the "men in green"

http://www.damrongdhama.moi.go.th/

hotline 1567

 

[BEVUP]

No doubt not the police 

They usually go after businesses serving the public

I'd throw this suggestion into the hat.

It may be another Brother Inlaw story being supported by M/IL

Loan Sharks ! 

[phetpeter]

21 minutes ago, Fab1958 said:

our farm is being supervised and worked by my brother in law and my mother in law. The policemen are coming almost every day at 4 or 5 in a black car unmarked, sometime even at night to visit and search the house. This has started in July last year, and it is now getting worse. We have about 2 months ago installed 11 surveillance cameras, and we have the recordings.

I agreed with another answer, not your problem, speak to the Army, find out what they have been up to, or what the BiL/MiL have been doing! Make sure the land deeds are not available to them. Perhaps even speak to wifey, maybe she is not telling you everything, about the situration.

[johng]

you could try here too.

 

According to NNT, The  new 24-hour call centre to receive complaints from foreigners in Thailand  can be reached by dialing the 1111 hotline.

 

[Fab1958]

Thanks to all of you,

The land has the proper title, and if the BiL was doing something bad the policemen would have evidences and would have put him behind bars. After almost 10 months they still have not taken any real action. Only pester everybody, to the point where daily employees do not want to work for us. We are concerned that these bad cops might even want to implant some drugs or God knows what, to later discover it and put the blame on us. As seen in the video enclosed, these guys spread out, and sometime only the MiL is present while the BiL is working in the farm, so she cannot follow each one of them.

It is not easy for us to address such an issue, because we are not on site.

Does anybody know the equivalent of 1111 to be dialed from outside the country?

Thanks again

Fab58

20180405_150119.mp4

[phetpeter]

You certainly need the army to be present when they turn up, I would believe somebody at the farm has been naughty, but, it would be better to have some return than locking them up, Lots of paperwork etc, so they are calling waiting for the pay off, which looks like you are the money, again speak to Wifey, somebodies not telling you everything, but, if you get the Army in , perhaps the truth will come out, Or perhaps the problem will just go away. The Police might be bent, but, someone knows why?

[Happy Grumpy]

Shrug your shoulders and do nothing.

 

Thai problem, for the Thais to sort out. If it isn't a lie/scam in the first place. 

[MrTrip]

If they keep turning up while you’re not there maybe they are looking for you?

Maybe only you can make the pay off?

There’s definitely more to this story [emoji848]


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[NanLaew]

These cops aren't just turning up, walking about, tossing the place and buggering off without telling either Mil or BiL exactly what they want.

 

Before you call the army hotline, if she hasn't done so already, get your wife to ask them exactly what is going on. If she claims that nobody knows, then there's your real problem.

Edited April 6, 2018 by NanLaew

[siamcrut]

According to that VDO, I would say these aren’t official cops.
Without a warrant and showing their police ID’s they cannot just walk into your house! At least not in mine.
BTW throw some rusty nails and spikes outside your drive way on one side (for their next visit....)

[PhonThong]

Post the video from your CCTV cameras TV or YouTube.  Show them tossing the place. With the question,  "what do they want?"  "Is this the real police"?

Just don't accuse them of anything or post any names.  You don't want them coming after you for defamation. 

[hottrader77]

16 hours ago, phetpeter said:

You certainly need the army to be present when they turn up, I would believe somebody at the farm has been naughty, but, it would be better to have some return than locking them up, Lots of paperwork etc, so they are calling waiting for the pay off, which looks like you are the money, again speak to Wifey, somebodies not telling you everything, but, if you get the Army in , perhaps the truth will come out, Or perhaps the problem will just go away. The Police might be bent, but, someone knows why?

yes looks like the brother in law has been upto no good maybe he sells drugs and the police are searching for drugs , best get rid of brother in law or sell the land .

[NanLaew]

6 minutes ago, hottrader77 said:

yes looks like the brother in law has been upto no good maybe he sells drugs and the police are searching for drugs , best get rid of brother in law or sell the land .

Yes, it's always the brother (in law).

[yellowboat]

17 hours ago, Fab1958 said:

if the BiL was doing something bad the policemen would have evidences and would have put him behind bars.

That is not good business.  Sounds like a shakedown.  Being Thai policemen they probably think your CCTV system doesn't work or their amulets allow them to go unseen and unmolested by the "law".  Would love to see such videos on YouTube, but the loss of face would probably result in something far worse than you are experiencing now.  Sadly, this country favors the renter, unless you are protected.  We can only hope you can bring these clowns to justice.   

Edited April 7, 2018 by yellowboat

[KiChakayan]

18 minutes ago, hottrader77 said:

yes looks like the brother in law has been upto no good maybe he sells drugs and the police are searching for drugs , best get rid of brother in law or sell the land .

How about the wife?

[madmin]

Best get a couple of angry dogs the snarling and barking will keep them back

[8OA8]

Install a gate with a chain and padlock at the entrance to your property and attach a sign with your phone number, stating for all visitors wishing entry to call that number. Phone number can be anyone who you trust to give you the real story.

[jimn]

I have heard at least 2 horrendous stories where the Thai family have been up to no good whilst the daughter was out of the country with the Farang husband. Whilst you could be getting the truth from them I have my doubts. Something is not right here. They (the family) could be trying to scam you for money. Dont be nieve and question everything.

[Dogmatix]

The betting is that someone amongst your family or employees knows very well who they are and the reason for these visits but is not sharing the information.  In these rural areas everyone knows everyone else and their business.  Personally I would want to exit this potentially dangerous situation in a country without rule of order and would consider selling the land.  If you go there yourself, you will certainly be a more interesting target for these thugs, whoever they may be. There is no guarantee the army would solve this for you.  Those guys might be soldiers for all you know.  Even if they did, it would make these guys even more angry and they would be back later for revenge.   

 

If you can't sell the land quickly, just put it up for sale with the right of redemption (khai faak) but don't bother to redeem it.  If you are unwilling to sell, let your Thai family deal with it, if you don't mind whether they get murdered or not, and avoid going there yourself like the plague.    

[Dogmatix]

1 hour ago, madmin said:

Best get a couple of angry dogs the snarling and barking will keep them back

 

Drugs, gambling, borrowing from loan sharks are high on the list of possibilities of things people living on the property have got involved with unbeknownst to you and possibly unbeknownst to your wife too.  You say the title deed is legit but you might want to get a copy of the back page sent to you to see if it has been either sold with the right of redemption already or mortgaged to someone.  Normally the first thing rural Thais do with a new piece of land is to hock it.

 

A 33 year old woman was found dead in a ditch with a plastic bag pulled over her head down the road from my MiL last week.  Not raped, not robbed but said to be involved in loan sharking.  No sign of violent struggle, so the murderer was obviously known to her and took her with the plastic bag by surprise from behind.   

 

Sell the land ASAP, if it has not been fully hocked already, and avoid any future business dealings with the in-laws.  If you want investment exposure to Thai land, buy listed Thai property developer shares in your own name and sleep at night.

[NoshowJones]

"What rank is the Policeman?"  According to the OP, it is policemen

But I'm sure there will be a Maj/Gen or Lt/Col somewhere.

 

Edited April 7, 2018 by possum1931

[Scouse123]

For Pity's sake!

 

Make an appointment to see the Chief Superintendent of Police at the main police station that covers your land and make an official report/complaint and ask straight out to their face what is going on! It's as simple as that.

 

Regardless of what many believe, there is a semblance of law and order, even in Isaarn. The chief cop will not want complaints or to concern himself that you may go to Bangkok and complain to the Anti-corruption bureau and involve the newspapers.

 

Before you take this step, inform the family of your intentions and ask them through your partner if there is anything you should know about, NOW is the time to speak or you intend to make problems for the police who are coming to the land all the time for no apparent reason. I guarantee with this approach, you will get to the bottom of it. or if they are bogus, they will get caught by the real police. You cannot always pussyfoot around with nonsense like this!

 

Somebody knows more than they are letting on!

[stropper]

you can just about bet that some one in your family owes  some one some thing, we had the same problem in our village,  the people owed every one , and the police, they never stop coming, ask your wife some serious questions, in thailand all family members are held responsible for any debts, you are there with the land, you are there go between !

Edited April 7, 2018 by stropper

[Thaidream]

There is a missing piece to this story- someone in your family knows why they keep coming and if they don't- they need to ask the question .  I would doubt this is really the police but more like a loan shark collection team.   Your wife needs to ask her family directly for an explanation and if she won't- you need to ask your wife why.  This sounds like money owed or money wanted  by family .

[BEVUP]

14 minutes ago, stropper said:

in thailand all family members are held responsible for any debts, you are there with the land

His wife has the land, so your talking Thai on Thai

Could you imagine a Falang going around the Thai family asking for a loan, (Oops I mean gift )

[BEVUP]

3 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

There is a missing piece to this story- someone in your family knows why they keep coming and if they don't- they need to ask the question .  I would doubt this is really the police but more like a loan shark collection team.   Your wife needs to ask her family directly for an explanation and if she won't- you need to ask your wife why.  This sounds like money owed or money wanted  by family .

maybe BIL got is some strife so MIL gave them the Chanote (a common practice)

Then kept dragging this out, until know that the fan is really covered in crap 

You never know they are maybe trying to force the signing over of the Chanote, but wify ain't in town hence the multiple returns for money 

[Dogmatix]

I recall a case from many years ago when a Thai female friend, a single mum with a son, was visited by thugs in her Bangkok restaurant who threatened to kill her, if she didn't pay off her son's debt.  Her son was football crazy and had got into football gambling, first as a gambler and later, after he got into debt, as a bookies runner.  By the time the thugs appeared, he had dropped out of university and got his girlfriend pregnant to boot. The illegal bookies offer gamblers free credit without the need to pay for any bets in advance. When they lose and can't pay, if they are young and energetic like my friend's son, they might be pressed to work as runners to pay off their debts.  That means they have to find new gambling customers for the bookie and are made responsible for collecting debts from them.  Of course, the boy ended with worse debts to the bookie because his customers couldn't pay their debts either. 

 

I don't know how this was resolved but my friend and her son managed to survive somehow.  The boy disappeared upcountry for several months, roaming around various provinces.  I can only assume that he hustled and stole the money to pay off his own and his customers' debts and was able to pay off the bookie, as he eventually returned to Bangkok and without being murdered but continued to be a ne'er do well.

 

Just one of the many examples of things that can happen in Thai families without the farang's knowledge.  Often debt collectors employed by loan sharks, football bookies, underground lottery operators etc are police or soldiers moonlighting which may be done with the knowledge of the commanding officer, as long as he gets paid off.