Walking around Silom......Not safe...

[moontang]

I rarely go to the area known for ripoff beer pricing, raunchy shows, and high rent.  Seems to be popular.  So a friend comes to town, on a tour, is staying at Holiday Inn, I meet her for a few beers.  We didn't meet until 10, as she had come from Dubai, so we walked around the filthy neighborhood and came back to the bar, where a small beer is 190++.  Great to see her, ended up chatting on the smoking area benches in front of the Family Mart.  I had planned to use the 24 hour busses to get home in Nonthaburi.  So I walk up Silom, to the MRT station and walk about 300 m to the first bus stop, for the 4 bus to go to Sam Yot.  I was just about at the edge of the Dusit Thani construction site.  Finished my beer, and <deleted> in the bushes, very dark out there, and grab a seat on the bus stop bench.  Next thing I know, I am getting encircled by Bib. They were keeping their distance, and just kind of observing me, but I was getting nervous.  No sign of any busses, and apparently the 24 hour busses aren't that regular, a cab pulled up, I opened the door and once he agreed to use meter, I got in.  By this time, the main cop, was so close to me, i thought there was a decent chance he was going to grab the door and stop me from leaving.  I had a total of 6 beers, started at 10, over 4 hours... not wasted by any stretch, and was wearing shorts and nice cross trainers.. expensive looking by Thai standards.  We have read at length about the situation around Thong Lo.. is this area just as bad?  Did they simply transfer the rogue cops to the Lumphini Station?  Were they getting ready to <deleted> test me?  Is the entire park area a no go, after dark?  Really makes me appreciate my area in Nonthaburi, lots of people hanging out by the river, very late, drinking, never hassled by 5-0.  So, is this reason for extreme caution?  Should I have simply been arrested?  Or am I just out of my mind? 

[moontang]

Before you tell me I was dumb for not taking a cab from the hotel.. Let me add, I was going to see if there was any late nite action near KSR, where I could catch a bus almost to my door.. and it was really a nice night to he out walking.. that was more the issue than saving 300 THB on taxi fare.  And if you think you are any safer from stops in a taxi, I would say the opposite is true. 

[Dnyy]

What's bib?

[Firefan]

Been loads of cops around last few days due to ASEAN meeting often just standing around awaiting some VIPs to pass in traffic. Cheers!

[moontang]

2 minutes ago, Firefan said:

Been loads of cops around last few days due to ASEAN meeting often just standing around awaiting some VIPs to pass in traffic. Cheers!

Yes, most definitely.  But it was 2am.  And something else unusual.. the cop approaching me was about 50 yo+, kind of Burmese looking.. bloodshot eyes, yellow teeth... seems odd that it wasn't more of the Hitler Youth types.  

[ihightower]

36 minutes ago, Dnyy said:

What's bib?

Boys In Brown ....... the police.

 

I had to search too.. I didn't know before.

[mauGR1]

So, did you feel not safe because some policemen were looking at you ? And.. ?

[moontang]

9 minutes ago, mauGR1 said:

So, did you feel not safe because some policemen were looking at you ? And.. ?

And.. I was not carrying my passport.. and was a bit intoxicated. 

[mauGR1]

7 minutes ago, moontang said:

And.. I was not carrying my passport.. and was a bit intoxicated. 

..You are such a bad boy..

[steven100]

13 minutes ago, moontang said:

And.. I was not carrying my passport.. and was a bit intoxicated. 

so ….  no passport, pissing in the bushes,  intoxicated,  and you didn't feel safe …..

I think you should stay in Nonthaburi …..  Bangkok is too big for you.

[bbi1]

1 hour ago, Dnyy said:

What's bib?

It's one of the things they put around a baby's neck so they don't drop food on their clothes. Here's some pics of what a bib is: https://www.google.com/search?q=bib&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjx4Mz3n9XlAhXxILcAHZf6DGIQ_AUIESgB&biw=1502&bih=703

[bbi1]

Quote

 

By this time, the main cop, was so close to me, i thought there was a decent chance he was going to grab the door and stop me from leaving.  I had a total of 6 beers, started at 10, over 4 hours... not wasted by any stretch, and was wearing shorts and nice cross trainers.. expensive looking by Thai standards. 

 

Possibly he was eyeing those expensive nice cross trainers to see if they'd fit him if he roughed you up. Unless he was trying to eye what you might be carrying under those shorts after seeing you pop it out to take a leak behind those bushes. You never know what the cops might be thinking.

[Farangwithaplan]

5 minutes ago, steven100 said:

so ….  no passport, pissing in the bushes,  intoxicated,  and you didn't feel safe …..

I think you should stay in Nonthaburi …..  Bangkok is too big for you.

When I was staying in Nonburi some years ago now, there there were more than a few shootings in the open. There was a shooting in a shopping centre and two fatal stabbings in a shopping centre that I recall.

And apparently it was the capital of illegal micro breweries and at one time it was up there with Bang Sue in gambling.

 

But there were some cracking places to go out at night back then to make up for it ????

[giddyup]

So, what exactly was not safe?

[Skallywag]

1 hour ago, moontang said:

Before you tell me I was dumb for not taking a cab from the hotel.. Let me add, I was going to see if there was any late nite action near KSR,

Pretty simple, take cab to KSR

1 hour ago, moontang said:

I rarely go to the area

Another reason to take a cab

 

1 hour ago, moontang said:

But it was 2am. 

Reason 3 to take a cab.

 

 

36 minutes ago, moontang said:

And.. I was not carrying my passport.. and was a bit intoxicated. 

4th reaon to take a cab

[ExpatOilWorker]

1 hour ago, moontang said:

Yes, most definitely.  But it was 2am.  And something else unusual.. the cop approaching me was about 50 yo+, kind of Burmese looking.. bloodshot eyes, yellow teeth... seems odd that it wasn't more of the Hitler Youth types.  

They look like this?

 

[Greyhat]

There were police around? Wow, are you ok?

[moontang]

42 minutes ago, steven100 said:

so ….  no passport, pissing in the bushes,  intoxicated,  and you didn't feel safe …..

I think you should stay in Nonthaburi …..  Bangkok is too big for you.

Do you carry your passport, clown? And no one goes to Silom to club. 

[Number 6]

If I recall from my backpacker days. Red bus #5 will get you point to point.

 

Silom is just sad. Stay well clear. Far better, safer places to spend your money.

[RJRS1301]

Sounds like a lil bit of unnecessary concern about you urinating in the bushes .

Carry a photocopy of the biometric page of the passport with a copy of your visa and also have a digital on your smartphone. Relax

[moontang]

3 minutes ago, Number 6 said:

If I recall from my backpacker days. Red bus #5 will get you point to point.

 

Silom is just sad. Stay well clear. Far better, safer places to spend your money.

No more bus 5.  But, I appreciate you not being a sanctimonious <deleted>. 

[moontang]

5 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

Sounds like a lil bit of unnecessary concern about you urinating in the bushes .

Carry a photocopy of the biometric page of the passport with a copy of your visa and also have a digital on your smartphone. Relax

I did have copies of my photo page and extension on me, as well as a pink ID.  Recently returned from the US, and had a little KGB to go with my steak, and Guinness to start my days in America. 

[tabarin]

If just experiencing that, while nothing actually happened, makes you scared, there are many more places too. 
Grow some balls, stop whining over a more expensive beer on a seldom visit, take a taxi home.

Hanging around some dark area bus stop, drunk, as a foreigner, is suspicious to me too, lol. I would have checked your ID for sure.

[pookondee]

After seeing you pee in the bushes, i suspect the plod were contemplating a good ole "hands in pocket"

drug search.

Ive found myself, they can be quite fascinated with big tally-wackers.

[bbi1]

11 minutes ago, pookondee said:

After seeing you pee in the bushes, i suspect the plod were contemplating a good ole "hands in pocket"

drug search.

Ive found myself, they can be quite fascinated with big tally-wackers.

No way I'd allow a cop to get "a good ole hands in pocket" if they were quite fascinated by my big tally-wacker.

[moontang]

22 minutes ago, tabarin said:

If just experiencing that, while nothing actually happened, makes you scared, there are many more places too. 
Grow some balls, stop whining over a more expensive beer on a seldom visit, take a taxi home.

Hanging around some dark area bus stop, drunk, as a foreigner, is suspicious to me too, lol. I would have checked your ID for sure.

But you are a fool to think you are safe in an area like that in a taxi.. in retrospect, might be safer than walking, but not safer than the bus.  I was standing practically on top of the blue line....been coming here for 21 years.. searched at Ekami back in 1998, not since.  Been through 300 checkpoints.. this was out of the ordinary.  Notice, not a single person is defending Silom, or is it practice night for the Gay Choir?  Ten years ago, Silom was the greatest thing since South Beach. 

[moe666]

1 hour ago, giddyup said:

So, what exactly was not safe?

It gets unsafe when you put yourself in a unsafe situation

[moontang]

5 minutes ago, moe666 said:

It gets unsafe when you put yourself in a unsafe situation

Correct, and apparently it isn't safe to walk around the perimeter of the Silom Bar areas. Was just trying to compare notes with others, who may have more experience in that area.  Pay 10 million for a condo, and you get rat infested sidewalks and cops looking for a quick extortion.. count me out. 

[PingRoundTheWorld]

Thanks for the laugh. I've been searched like 10 times this year, mostly in various parts of sukhumvit, and while it is an unpleasant and unnecessary experience - I have never felt unsafe. Typically they will ask for your passport (I carry mine) and ask you to empty your pockets. That's it.

 

I have heard of entrapment cases before - sure - but the stories I heard involved 1-2 cops, when they're out in a group like that then they're really just looking for actual bad guys.

[buick]

as noted by another, the police you saw might have been stationed in that general area due to the ASEAN gathering in bkk.  i can't remember which night i started to see them, i think it was wed, oct 30.  maybe a day or two before that.  they seemed to be gone yesterday.  i was out late several nights on sukhumvit and silom and police all over the place.

 

as far as the usual checkpoint, it has moved to soi 39/emporium area on sukhumvit. 

 

i don't think it is dangerous to walk around silom late at night.  i've done it many times.  the only issue i ever have is negotiating my taxi fare to get home.