I was in Bangkok yesterday & what I saw depressed me.

[ThomasThBKK]

1 hour ago, kellersphuket said:

decided to hit up Soi 4 with some old pals from back home. We haven't seen each other for years and it was great to meet up again over a few cold ones.

I was having a great time when I suddenly noticed what looked like police/security guy waiting on the path and prowling for foreigners dropping ciggarettes on the floor. I watched him constantly for the next 3 hours. In that time he fined 5 different people 2,000 baht (only white foreigners) for dropping their cigs on the floor as there were no bins in sight. I also noted that Thai people dropped theirs on the floor right in front of him and he didn't bat an eye. 

 

lol they do the same in front of Emquartier, they removed the ashtrays and fine people dropping buds.

It's the same with vaping, if you are non-thai you are <deleted>, thais can freely vape in police faces without issues.

[RJRS1301]

44 minutes ago, kellersphuket said:

I never used to see it going on when I lived in BKK 20+ years ago.

Now it seems they are everywhere, waiting only for some unsuspecting foreigner to drop a cig butt.

Well no sympathy for the smokers dropping their butts being fined, should ban it in public spaces, and fine everyone not only the "wealthy" farangs

[mercman24]

i lived there for 4 years use to by one hiding by Mcdonalds there was a sign, there,  he would pop out and fine a few, i bet he is a rich man now or maybe its the same guy,

[luk AJ]

I never used to see it going on when I lived in BKK 20+ years ago.
Now it seems they are everywhere, waiting only for some unsuspecting foreigner to drop a cig butt.

Johng was correct, I got fined 2000 ThB right on the corner of Soi4 and that is more than 10y ago, I know since I quit 10y ago.


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[aqua4]

1 hour ago, kellersphuket said:

I never used to see it going on when I lived in BKK 20+ years ago.

Now it seems they are everywhere, waiting only for some unsuspecting foreigner to drop a cig butt.

I got a fine 10 years ago on Sukhumvit in broad daylight of 500 THB and he gave me a receipt. Its municipal police if I recall. I could see from the other receipts in the book that they had been mostly Thai as the 500THB fines was in Thai writing. 

[OneMoreFarang]

2 hours ago, kellersphuket said:

police/security guy waiting on the path and prowling for foreigners dropping ciggarettes on the floor. I watched him constantly for the next 3 hours.

You visited Nana and you watched that guy constantly for 3 hours.

I am not surprised that you are depressed...

[Pilotman]

1 hour ago, Chazar said:

ALL of them though, thats  the  issue  here

yep, every one. 

[Pilotman]

2 hours ago, kellersphuket said:

Only foreigners though?

Is selective racism also ok in your book?

If they are smokers littering,  I don't really care. 

[Just Weird]

2 hours ago, moe666 said:

I would be depressed as well if I spent several hours watching a city inspector bust people for dropping cig. butts

I would be depressed as well if I spent several hours watching a city inspector doing nothing more than his job!

Edited September 12, 2019 by Just Weird

[Just Weird]

2 hours ago, kellersphuket said:

Only foreigners though?

Is selective racism also ok in your book?

What were the specific numbers of Thais whose transgressions were ignored, you must have those numbers if you were so attentive, yes?

[richard_smith237]

2 hours ago, robblok said:

Ah the serial moaner strikes again with an story. 

 

Like others mentioned wasting 3 hours watching and knowing the amounts that changed hand.. sounds a bit fishy.. then again many of kellersphuket his stories do. 

 

This time his point is valid. 

 

Yes - we get it, smokers should not drop their cigarette butts on the floor - they should find an ash-tray. Better still, they should not be allowed to smoke on he street. 

We also all know that the fine is 2000 baht, this has been reported on so many times. 

 

The real point of the story here is that only Westerners are being targeted by the 'officials', as the Op wrote, lots of Thai's dropped their cigarette butts in front of the official who did nothing - this has also been reported on numerous times. 

 

When street vendors and every Thai around them is littering, yet these officials target foreigners to the point of following smokers down the street its obvious what's going on and its wrong. 

 

Its very wrong. Yes - everyone dropping their cigarette butts and littering should be fined to equal amounts - when only Westerners are targeted it becomes obvious what this is, sanctioned extortion of Westerners - a money grab. 

[Just Weird]

2 hours ago, kellersphuket said:

I spoke to one of them who got done and he told me the fine was 2,000.

It also says on the signs that the fine is 2,000 baht.

The signs actually state either the fine is "up to B2,000" or a "maximum of B2,000".

[Just Weird]

2 hours ago, kellersphuket said:

No. But if they tried to fine me for something similar the phone would be out in a flash!

Why?  You would have been committing an offence, what good would your out-in-a-flash phone have done you?  Are you suggesting that they are not authorised to fine offenders?

[kellersphuket]

4 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

Why?  You would have been committing an offence, what good would your out-in-a-flash phone have done you?  Are you suggesting that they are not authorised to fine offenders?

why aren't they fining thais then who do the same thing?

Why just foreigners??

Can't you see the real issue in my post?

[kellersphuket]

11 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Its very wrong. Yes - everyone dropping their cigarette butts and littering should be fined to equal amounts - when only Westerners are targeted it becomes obvious what this is, sanctioned extortion of Westerners - a money grab. 

It's great when someone actually gets what I am talking about.

 

[richard_smith237]

6 minutes ago, kellersphuket said:

It's great when someone actually gets what I am talking about.

 

Agreed - so many posters here are deliberately avoiding the point. 

 

EVERYONE agrees that dropping cigarette butts and littering is poor form. 

 

I'm sure even yourself [Kellersphuket] would agree that watching these guys in action for 3 hours is sad, I'm sure everyone understands that is not quite what you were doing, you were sat there with friends talking, having fun, watching the world go buy (ppl watching in that area can be highly amusing), off all of the things you saw, you also noticed this 'extortion' going on.... its not as if your solve purpose for being there for 3 hours was to watch these guys.... So again, many posters have deliberately missed the point and clung on stupidly to something which can 'shoot the messengers' rather than discuss the real issue at hand. 

 

My question here to those posters who are finding fault with the Ops observations: It it ok to specifically target and charge a Westerners for this *but not Thais?

 

*If that is in fact happening - I've not watched this issue myself, but it has been widely reported by others on this forum that only Westerners are targeted. 

 

 

[Just Weird]

10 minutes ago, kellersphuket said:

16 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

Why?  You would have been committing an offence, what good would your out-in-a-flash phone have done you?  Are you suggesting that they are not authorised to fine offenders?

why aren't they fining thais then who do the same thing?

Why just foreigners??

Can't you see the real issue in my post?

If it's true then there is an issue but that wouldn't make it ok for you to do it, would it?

 

Did you not see this post 40, or did you ignore it deliberately?...

"What were the specific numbers of Thais whose transgressions were ignored, you must have those numbers if you were so attentive, yes?" 

[Berkshire]

1 hour ago, aqua4 said:

I got a fine 10 years ago on Sukhumvit in broad daylight of 500 THB and he gave me a receipt. Its municipal police if I recall. I could see from the other receipts in the book that they had been mostly Thai as the 500THB fines was in Thai writing. 

The OP may not appreciate you supplying facts which contradicts his narrative.  This kellers guy seems determined to go through life as a perpetual victim.

[pedro01]

This has been going on for years.

 

They are not police. They wear similar uniforms but they work for the BMA. Hence no guns. They do not have the power to arrest you.

 

In this case, it's one bunch of a-holes scamming another bunch of a-holes, namely the low class smokers that think the floor is their dustbin. 

 

It's all good!

[kellersphuket]

2 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

If it's true then there is an issue but that wouldn't make it ok for you to do it, would it?

 

Did you not see this post 40, or did you ignore it deliberately?...

"What were the specific numbers of Thais whose transgressions were ignored, you must have those numbers if you were so attentive, yes?" 

Alright buddy, let me make it as clear as I possibly can for you.

For the 3+hours or so I was aware what was going on, I saw the officer fine 5 white western individuals, mostly dressed in shorts and sandals. 

I saw another 3/4 thai people throw cigarettes, bottles and paper on the floor (in front of the officers or whatever the hell they are.)

No action was taken.

 

It seemed to me that they were out just targeting foreigners, because of course they are an easy target.

[kellersphuket]

7 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

 

I'm sure even yourself [Kellersphuket] would agree that watching these guys in action for 3 hours is sad, I'm sure everyone understands that is not quite what you were doing, you were sat there with friends talking, having fun, watching the world go buy (ppl watching in that area can be highly amusing), off all of the things you saw, you also noticed this 'extortion' going on.... its not as if your solve purpose for being there for 3 hours was to watch these guys.... So again, many posters have deliberately missed the point and clung on stupidly to something which can 'shoot the messengers' rather than discuss the real issue at hand. 

 

 

 

 

I don't know what happens to people here man, 

is it the Thainess that takes over or what??

I'm still trying to figure out how a western person can passively accept these institutionally racist tactics as 'the norm.'

It is far from the norm when a person is singled out for extortion due to the color of their skin. It is so, so wrong.

[bkk6060]

Too bad.

Smokers disgust me and create billions in medical costs around the world. Sickness and disease. What a positive way to live life.

 

Good for the enforcement I say Bust um all for whatever is possible.

Edited September 12, 2019 by bkk6060

[kellersphuket]

2 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Too bad.

Smokers disgust me and create billions in medical costs around the world. Sickness and disease. What a positive way to live life.

 

Good for the enforcement I say Bust um all for whatever is possible.

Do you feel the same way about car pollution?

I would argue that living in bkk for the duration of ones life would equate to health issues akin to being a heavy smoker.

The stench walking down the streets in downtown Bangkok actually hurts the nose!

[madmen]

49 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

My question here to those posters who are finding fault with the Ops observations: It it ok to specifically target and charge a Westerners for this *but not Thais?

Soi 4 is mainly lady boys, trying to fine one of them is a guaranteed heel to the back of the head

Edited September 12, 2019 by madmen

[kellersphuket]

7 minutes ago, madmen said:

Soi 4 is mainly lady boys, trying to fine one of them is a guaranteed heel to the back of the head

not many ladyboys yesterday. 

Edited September 12, 2019 by kellersphuket

[seasia]

I happen to agree with kellers take on it.

I was fined many years ago, fair enough, I was in the wrong.

No bins/cigarette butt receptacles. Probably deliberate.

 

However I have never seen a Thai get fined.

 

In Hong Kong there is also a fine for the same offence. However there are bins/disposal receptacles you can use.

better system.

 

In Italy there is no fine for that offence ( in the areas I have been to ) yet there are bins provided at regular intervals.

 

 

[ThomasThBKK]

3 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

Well no sympathy for the smokers dropping their butts being fined, should ban it in public spaces, and fine everyone not only the "wealthy" farangs

It's not only smokers, it's trash in general. 

 

There's no trashcan anywhere close at the whole phrom phong bts, it's absolute madness... It's all already figured out why people litter, Thailand could just accept the facts that Walt Disney figured out many many decades ago: https://www.thedailymeal.com/travel/disney-park-secrets-keep-magic-alive-gallery/slide-8

 

Did you ever count the trashcans in singapore, every x metres...no one there litters. It just works.

[Destiny1990]

its going on for years.

Sometimes street sweepers are in on it to.

If he sees the tourist dropping the fag he notify his uniformed friend who will fine u.

[Destiny1990]

1 hour ago, bkk6060 said:

Good for the enforcement I say Bust um all for whatever is possible.

Edited

They targeting foreigners only !

[RJRS1301]

4 minutes ago, ThomasThBKK said:

It's not only smokers, it's trash in general. 

 

There's no trashcan anywhere close at the whole phrom phong bts, it's absolute madness... It's all already figured out why people litter, Thailand could just accept the facts that Walt Disney figured out many many decades ago: https://www.thedailymeal.com/travel/disney-park-secrets-keep-magic-alive-gallery/slide-8

 

Did you ever count the trashcans in singapore, every x metres...no one there litters. It just works.

Also older Singaporeans well remember the days when you faced not only a fine but jail for littering, chewing gum in public and longer hair.