Accosted by police thugs

[Guderian]

I arrived back at Swampy early on Friday evening after a great business class flight with Oman Air. Happy as a lark, I was a bit non-plussed when I went through the Fastrack immigration section and after trying to interpret what the IO was saying in her Benny Hill Chinglish I had my finger and thumb prints taken for the first time. I assume this is the new normal at Swampy.

Anyway, still feeling reasonably content I collected my two suitcases and went through customs. No problems there, just two guys on duty, one of whom was fiddling with his telephone and the other was busy checking the luggage of a youngish Asian (probably Thai) lady, which seems to be their favoured demographic.

I always meet my taxi driver at the same place above gate 8 so off I set, but some young Thai spiv stepped in my way claiming to be a police officer and saying I should go with him. I told him where to get off, my mood definitely having taken a turn for the worse and marched on, only to be accosted by two more thuggish looking types claiming to be cops. They had some sort of ID badge but no official police ID that I could tell and were in plain clothes. I was in no mood to play these silly games and was getting very impatient, not to say annoyed. I mean, I’ve been using Swampy several times a year ever since the place opened and have never had more trouble than somebody pestering me to use their taxi-limo.

I think they could see that I was soon going to lose my rag as the older one said they were checking on cigarettes and alcohol. I pointed to my Heathrow airport duty free bag with one bottle of champagne in it and told them I don’t smoke so I have no cigarettes, and after a cursory glance they said that’s fine, go, go. I think they were scared I was going to have ago at one of them as I’m quite a big guy, over 90 kg, and I was clenching my fists I was getting so angry at this nonsense.

My taxi driver said they were just rogue cops trying to extort money from innocent tourists, but having lived here for 15 years I don’t fall into that category. He told me I should report it to TAT or AoT, what do you think? I’d like to think they might do something to keep these corrupt elements away from tourists, but I have little confidence that they’d actually take some positive action. Is it worth wasting my time on it?

[johng]

Yes report it...they should have it all on CCTV

[Farma]

Sounds like you you were met by excise and not police. Black coats if I remember.

[Guderian]

2 minutes ago, Farma said:

Sounds like you you were met by excise and not police. Black coats if I remember.

 

Nope, just plain clothes, and they said police, no mention of customs or excise.

[Lacessit]

You didn't lose anything apart from a bit of time, and patience. Move on.

[dabhand]

Been stopped a couple of times by excise guys in the last few years. They loiter after customs in the arrival area. Seem to target flights from the Gulf area and, in particular, those with duty free bags.

Once was taken to their small office adjacent to the exit from customs. near the SCB kiosk, I had no problems following them as only had the permitted allowance with me. A quick check and I was good to go. There was another guy having his bags thoroughly searched already in the office. Could see a number of ciggie cartons so seems like he was in for a hefty fine.

Another time was just given a quick lookover at the exit point and told to go once they had seen I only had a load of chocolate in the duty free bags.

Yes, they are in plain clothes and cant recall if they had a badge or not. But I had read of these excise guys being on the prowl so had no issue with the check-up.

They have been known to follow passengers out to the car park area as well.

Surprised you were not aware of their existence from earlier reports on a number of threads on TV and other forums.

Edited June 26, 2019 by dabhand

[josephbloggs]

Yep, they are legit, no point in clenching your fists and getting angry - that's totally the wrong behaviour.  They didn't let you go because they were scared of you - you showed them your duty free, they saw there were no cigarettes or excessive alcohol, they let you go.  That's it, move on, get on with your day.

 

It's only happened to me once; after customs, in plain clothes, asked if I had cigarettes in my duty free - I showed them the bag (chocolates), they said thank you and waved me on my way.

[Vacuum]

On 6/26/2019 at 10:10 AM, Guderian said:

after trying to interpret what the IO was saying in her Benny Hill Chinglish

 

On 6/26/2019 at 10:10 AM, Guderian said:

some young Thai spiv stepped in my way claiming to be a police officer and saying I should go with him. I told him where to get off

 

On 6/26/2019 at 10:10 AM, Guderian said:

I think they were scared I was going to have ago at one of them as I’m quite a big guy, over 90 kg, and I was clenching my fists I was getting so angry

 

On 6/26/2019 at 10:10 AM, Guderian said:

cops trying to extort money from innocent tourists, but having lived here for 15 years I don’t fall into that category

IDK, but perhaps you should try some of the blue pills (valium), and maybe learn some thai instead of complaining about Immi Officers "Benny Hill Chinglish".

 

Just a thought.

[The Cobra]

storm in a tea cup, life is too short, move on, you dealt with it, make a report if it helps you sleep better.

[NanLaew]

Great bar stool story though. "I clenched my fists and talked loudly and they all ran away."

[SteveK]

One time last year I landed in swapmy, for some reason my phone didn't work and I didn't have Thai coins to use the public phone to call the person picking me up. A Thai policeman saw me looking a bit concerned and asked if he could help. He let me use his mobile phone for free, my problem was solved, it's a shame that on this site that so many Thais are tarred with the same brush.

[Essex Reject]

Well that's 2 minutes of my life I will never get back. A complete non story.

[Essex Reject]

''I think they were scared I was going to have ago at one of them as I’m quite a big guy, over 90 kg, and I was clenching my fists I was getting so angry at this nonsense'

 

 

Hahaha. Utterly hilarious. No offense but scary guys don't get home and report to a bunch of strangers on the internet that he was picked on by a couple of bods, and a scary guy certainly wouldn't call an airport 'swampy'.

[sammieuk1]

If you came by Oman air you should be used to OTT security 4 shake downs in transit appalling place????

[Happy Grumpy]

On 6/26/2019 at 5:10 PM, Guderian said:

I’m quite a big guy, over 90 kg, and I was clenching my fists I was getting so angry

????

[sunnyboy2018]

They are border police and use a spotter in the carousel area and people are checked usually after custons control but before leaving the airport.  It happened twice to me and another pal in every instance we were carrying Bahrain Duty Free bags. Thereafter i hid my duty free in my carry on bag and it stoppes happening. They had a screened off area and where searching many bags fir booze and cigarettes.  You had a very lucky escape my friend.

[sunnyboy2018]

On 6/26/2019 at 11:26 AM, Farma said:

Sounds like you you were met by excise and not police. Black coats if I remember.

Correct.

[Inn Between]

So, the OP figures he intimidated them all off with his 90 kgs and clenched fist. Interesting perspective.

 

I wish the OP had punched one of them. Then we could have actually had something interesting to read -- the story about a foreign guy at Swampy who got his butt kicked and thrown in detention for assuming he owned Thailand. 

Edited July 12, 2019 by Inn Between

[richard_smith237]

I'm 95 kgs and 6ft... I clench my teeth and make myself look 'well-'ard'... never been stopped by these guys !!!  They're obviously s£!t scared of me... 

 

... but really, its just Customs an Excise going about their business in an extremely clumsy manner, they said they're police as they likely figured that phrase is most effective with foreigners.

As with all things in Thailand, chill out, take a breath and relax and its easy enough to find out that guys doing their jobs are just guys doing their jobs, in this case the rights of a handful of us foreign princesses are not really infringed upon quite to the degree we feel... 

[reefsurfah]

On 6/28/2019 at 11:38 PM, Vacuum said:

 

 

 

IDK, but perhaps you should try some of the blue pills (valium), and maybe learn some thai instead of complaining about Immi Officers "Benny Hill Chinglish".

 

Just a thought.

Exactly, chinglish is not a language and calling someone benny hill chinglish is moronic and offensive.   

[luckyluke]

OP seems somebody who is trying to get attention here. 

22 reactions so far, not really a success. 

[NoshowJones]

On 6/26/2019 at 5:29 PM, Guderian said:

 

Nope, just plain clothes, and they said police, no mention of customs or excise.

Do what has already been suggested, report them, the cameras don't lie.