Tourist Police : Friend Or Foe?

[None The Wiser]

Hi to all,

 

for my first post I would like to discuss tourist police here in Thailand. I am a little skeptical as to their true intentions. Are they setup to help foreigners in Thailand or just to hinder us?

 

I have seen some things that have made me come to the conclusion that they are just as corrupt as the normal police. What is the point in having them? they seem like really dodgy people, kinda like mafia types with bad attitudes. The worst ones are in the airport, I saw something there today that shocked me and my wife, how can they behave in such a way?

 

is my first time coming to thailand and so far not impressed.

[Blue Muton]

I've never had a problem with either tourist police or regular police, but then I don't give them any excuse to bother me.

 

That doesn't mean I don't believe some of the more negative reports I've read on here and elsewhere. I think a lot of it depends on where you're located but also how you choose to interact with them.

[tlandtday]

you would have to wonder about someone's inclination to join a Thai police force....

[Pattaya46]

2 minutes ago, tlandtday said:

you would have to wonder about someone's inclination to join a Thai police force....

How is it different of people in your country joining your national police ?

 

PS: Maybe you didn't understood that people of the Tourist Police are Thai policemen ?...

[tlandtday]

3 minutes ago, Pattaya46 said:

How is it different of people in your country joining your national police ?

 

PS: Maybe you didn't understood that people of the Tourist Police are Thai policemen ?...

I was interpreting as being foreign members of the tourist police. My mistake.  However, do you believe the police force is held in high regard by the locals?  I think it may be a bit different than in one's home country in that regard?

[BritManToo]

The police anywhere in the world is never your friend.

[nausea]

Just people trying to integrate I suppose, with a few bad eggs; as you get everywhere. 

[Pattaya46]

21 minutes ago, None The Wiser said:

Are they setup to help foreigners in Thailand or just to hinder us?

Their main role is to protect the interests of tourists, to guarantee their safety and assist them in case of trouble.

 

22 minutes ago, None The Wiser said:

I have seen some things that have made me come to the conclusion that they are just as corrupt as the normal police.

What is the point in having them? they seem like really dodgy people, kinda like mafia types with bad attitudes.

And what allow you to make such harsh judgment on precisely this Royal Thai Police division ?

And why did you have any contact with them?  (you accused them of being corrupt. why?)

[nausea]

Just now, BritManToo said:

The police anywhere in the world is never your friend.

I agree; the guys I knew in my youth who joined the police weren't the best poster boys. 

[Pilotman]

Fingers crossed, so far I have not had a problem with either the regular police or the Tourist lot.  I have been shaken down a few times, but I was at fault on each occasion and I don't care who gets the money.  Rather a poor Police officer than it ends up in the governments pocket. The ones that I don't trust are the farang nationals who dress up as tourist police and 'assist' in their work.  I wouldn't trust any of that lot as far as I could throw them. A chap I knew vaguely joined that crowd and he had previously  been sectioned for a mental illness in the UK and was an emotional and social wreck.  Enough said.    

[None The Wiser]

This police shout at my wife wehn arriving in bangkok because she cannot find her passport.

 

when found he laugh at her passport because said from Ghana. They dont like black people here? We dress smartly and always portray good manners but they treat us like 3rd class people on the bottom of their shoes.

[Pilotman]

5 minutes ago, nausea said:

I agree; the guys I knew in my youth who joined the police weren't the best poster boys. 

or the brightest I bet. One chap in my school class joined the UK force and made Superintendent.  He was the dunce of the class, thick as a brick.  Maybe he improved,  but I somehow doubt that. 

[Pattaya46]

10 minutes ago, None The Wiser said:

This police shout at my wife wehn arriving in bangkok because she cannot find her passport.

 

when found he laugh at her passport because said from Ghana. They dont like black people here? We dress smartly and always portray good manners but they treat us like 3rd class people on the bottom of their shoes.

 

The person you show your passport to when arriving at airport is (usually) an Officer from Thai Immigration;

Nothing to do with Tourist Police in this case.

[None The Wiser]

2 minutes ago, Pattaya46 said:

 

The person you show your passport to when arriving at airport is (usually) an Officer from Thai Immigration;

Nothing to do with Tourist Police in this case.

Not immigration officer. this police who laugh wear funny hat like beret and badge say tourist police. he stand at side of queue when we go through passport control.

 

Immigration officer was nice man, even ask for my phone number and facebok. Good boy, tourist police bad boy.

[CharlieH]

CLOSED

 

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