Police was about to arrest me

[luckyluke]

23 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

20 years in Thailand and never stopped by the police and asked to identify...guess I'm just lucky.

Same, same, and regularly a few months a year in Thonglor. 

But I am only out in daytime. 

 

 

[mtls2005]

12 minutes ago, mr mr said:

so odds are most of those you saw being stopped were rightfully stopped. 

No clue? "Targeted" might be the word that comes to mind?

 

It is interesting to note that I have never, ever seen them stopping a Thai person (other than at the occasional road check) for littering?

 

Strange? Or not?

 

I have no personal aquaintances who've been stopped.

[jacko45k]

4 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

It is interesting to note that I have never, ever seen them stopping a Thai person (other than at the occasional road check) for littering?

 

Little money on them and very unlikely to pay an on-the-spot 2000 baht fine. 

Edited August 18, 2020 by jacko45k

[mr mr]

2 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

Strange? Or not?

the only thing i find strange is when foreigners expect anything less than this to happen here ? it's not like we all didn't know these things happened before coming here. yet we still came and continue to stay.

 

 

 

 

[Moonlover]

8 hours ago, Chivas said:

9 hours ago, tomazbodner said:

. And ps: by law you're supposed to have original passport with you.

 

8 hours ago, Chivas said:

How many times does this need to be said. You dont. TV even went as far as to get official comment from Chief Immigration officer and posted to forum. I have the copy still at hand

You have reasonable time to produce it to any Police Station. Nobody should be carrying their official passport on them period.

And this is what a senior police officer, Col Kathathorn Kumthieng in Phuket said: ''although the archaic law remains unchanged, requiring foreigners to have their passports at the ready to show officials at any time of day, enforcement of the law in Phuket will be not so strict''.

 

So @tomazbodner's statement is actually correct. That most police officers will accept a copy of your passport is a concession only.

 

https://www.thephuketnews.com/no-passport-required-phuket-immigration-confirms-passport-on-person-not-required-despite-operation-x-ray-outlaw-foreigner-69367.php

[Dmaxdan]

10 hours ago, freesudani said:

my question is even if they arrested me what they gonna charge me with? 

Were you wearing a face mask? 

[rkidlad]

This happened to me years ago. A guy came up to me and just sternly said, "Passport". Took me a few seconds to process what was going on as he caught me off guard. I looked him up and down and just asked for his ID. He said passport, I said ID, he said passport again and I walked off. Nothing came of it. 

 

Not sure who the guy was. He wasn't in any kind of uniform and he didn't identify himself. 

[Pattaya Spotter]

1 hour ago, tonray said:

Lived in Bangkok 5 years...never had it happen or had it happen to anyone I know in Bangkok

3 years for me and many visits since I moved to Pattaya...maybe its my cis-white priviledge.

[Pattaya Spotter]

31 minutes ago, mr mr said:

the only thing i find strange is when foreigners expect anything less than this to happen here ? it's not like we all didn't know these things happened before coming here. yet we still came and continue to stay.

 

 

 

 

Random police identity checks are prevalent in many countries...even liberal democratic ones like Japan. I just wish America had them...maybe then I'd consider living there again.

[Pattaya Spotter]

5 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

This happened to me years ago. A guy came up to me and just sternly said, "Passport". Took me a few seconds to process what was going on as he caught me off guard. I looked him up and down and just asked for his ID. He said passport, I said ID, he said passport again and I walked off. Nothing came of it. 

 

Not sure who the guy was. He wasn't in any kind of uniform and he didn't identify himself. 

Probably trying to sell you a fake or stolen passport ????????????

[ChipButty]

Even 20 odd years ago Thonglor area was famous for getting stopped and searched by the police 

[tonray]

17 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

3 years for me and many visits since I moved to Pattaya...maybe its my cis-white priviledge.

I think for me it's my general 'old-man' grumpiness....the police just can't be bothered with a grumpy old sod

[BritManToo]

9 hours ago, freesudani said:

well ive been in thailand for nearly a year and i have been asked for documentation  around 15 times.

In 12 years the only times I've been asked for anything is my DL at the roadside money collections.

They don't even want to see my passport in the CR immigration stops coming from the border, zero interest in white people. 

 

Look's at OPs nick ........... thinks black Muslim in drug dealing area of Bangkok.

Edited August 18, 2020 by BritManToo

[thedemon]

44 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

No clue? "Targeted" might be the word that comes to mind?

 

It is interesting to note that I have never, ever seen them stopping a Thai person (other than at the occasional road check) for littering?

 

Strange? Or not?

 

I have no personal aquaintances who've been stopped.

 

That's because they are Tessakit or BMA city officers, not police though they like to translate that on their English signs as "City Police". They have little real power and most Thai's would know that so would never pay the 2,000 or so fine which is the maximum fine intended for serious breaches such as illegal dumping.

 

Generally there is no love lost between the Tessakit and regular police who need to be present to make an actual arrest so if you stand your ground they will likely give up. You can always tease them by saying you only talk to police carrying a gun. No gun = not real police.

[OneMoreFarang]

10 hours ago, JoseThailand said:

This happens all the time in Bangkok

Define "all the time".

I live in Bangkok, Sukhumvit since >20 years and the police never asked me to see my passport.

The traffic police stopped me maybe 100 time but they also never asked for my passport.

Yes, it happens, but not all the time.

[BritManToo]

Just now, OneMoreFarang said:

Yes, it happens, but not all the time.

I suspect it happens all the time to black foreigners.

[4MyEgo]

11 hours ago, freesudani said:

i had thousands of photos in my phone so i wasnt able to find it.

I have created an album within my mobile and store a copy of my passport photo page, TM6, Immigration stamp of extension expiry date, and update my 90 reports when I do them online.

 

Creating an album will save you sifting through thousands of photos, time to get organised and avoid being harrassed in the future.

[dsf9]

Happens on Sukhumvit, sometimes two of them around green bank near top of 33, they happy with photo ID but they ask for passport, and then "where you go" - just tell your off "same same everyday to go pub" -  sort of dropping a hint of you're a local in one of the establishments that "support" the local police..  Probably just raised supicision by having neither governmental photo ID or passport, at least carry one.  Don't overthink it... 

Edited August 18, 2020 by dsf9

[JerseytoBKK]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

Sort them into Albums and make one passport stuff. Copies of passport, entry stamp, Visa stamps, TM6 etc handy. I suspect you are African/ Arab and likely have been subjected to some profiling. 

This is what I do. Every 90 days update the folder with the latest 90 day report. At least once a year take another photo of my passport so that it's always at or close to the first photo in the album. Also have a paper copy of passport in my wallet.

 

I also keep the email from Immigration that my 90 day report was approved in a separate folder. Since it takes all of 60 seconds to do it online I never stopped doing it.

 

About 9 months ago I forgot my passport when traveling with my girlfriend to another province. Upon checking into the hotel they asked for my passport. I told them I forgot it but I pulled up the photos of my passport, TM 6, latest entry stamp that showed permission to stay until date. They had no problem with using their phone to take pics of the documents on my phone. 

[Fatman666]

11 hours ago, JoseThailand said:

This happens all the time in Bangkok

Live here more than 30 years and never happened to me.

[JackThompson]

11 hours ago, teacherclaire said:

Thousands of photos of...well. Obviously not one that was helpful. I've scanned all my documents in and sent them to my e-mail account and when needed, I have access to them whenever I want.

 

Using technology wisely isn't always easy, right?

I created a folder (use whatever 'gallery' software is on your phone) called "Immigration" which has everything related there.  The cops can look through that folder, and see I have been consistently legal for years.

It won't prevent them searching you like a drug-dealer suspect, though - has happened to me 2x in a few months in Bangkok, for 'walking while farang'.  Every pocket, bag-pouch, etc searched down to the lint. 

 

Note that the cops were seemingly enjoying this - hoping to find something they could use to extort a big stack of baht.  Even when they didn't find such, they were good-sports about it, and went off to find another victim.  

 

Contrast to Immigration, who seem to get more angry each time you pull a "document" out of your bag, which they have spontaneously added to the "official requirements," in their attempts to force you to their agent-partners.

 

10 hours ago, freesudani said:

... this perception of africans ...

 

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

I suspect it happens all the time to black foreigners.

I am as white as they come (no tattoos, etc), but had the same thing happen 2x in 4 months.  It only stopped because work went remote due to covid, so I wasn't out there to be stopped and searched any more.

Edited August 18, 2020 by JackThompson

[JackThompson]

9 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I’ve been asked for my passport about twice in the past 20 years or so, but am also aware that a few years ago the Thonglor Police were hassling foreigners to such a degree it made headlines.

Never happened to me for years in the Jomtien/Pattaya area - but immediately started when I moved to Bangkok. 

 

The headlines were due to them demanding urine-samples from farangs on the street.  As a result of headlines in the UK press, they stopped doing that, except at 'official checkpoints' under certain conditions.  Some officer(s) were 'transferred' for their transgressions (generating bad-press).

[tomazbodner]

9 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Personally: I never have my passport with me. I have a Pink ID card, I have a Driving Licence. I have a Photo of my Passport ID Page, TM6 and Visa Page on my Phone. 

I do take my passport with me if I’m leaving the province. 

 

I’ve been asked for my passport about twice in the past 20 years or so, but am also aware that a few years ago the Thonglor Police were hassling foreigners to such a degree it made headlines.

Fully agree with all of your post, and I do the same as you just stated above. In 25 years I've been stopped once... had no passport with me... well, I was on motorbike taxi and had no helmet on... that was near Airport Link Makkasan station on that lonely road just next to the railway tracks... my wallet was inspected... then maybe he decided it wasn't worth it and let me leave. Passport question didn't come up. I had no pink ID back then.

 

But that said - we have seen foreigners dragged to police station from around Asoke, especially in the evenings, by Thonglor police, so if it didn't happen to us, it doesn't mean that it doesn't happen to anyone. So having at least a copy of passport with you that shows the stamps until when stay is permitted, or easy to find photos on the phone should help calm the situation if stopped.

[Pilotman]

12 hours ago, JoseThailand said:

This happens all the time in Bangkok

another good reason to stay clear of the place. I haven't seen a need to go to Bangkok in over 7 years 

[trucking]

On 8/17/2020 at 9:19 AM, freesudani said:

well ive been in thailand for nearly a year and i have been asked for documentation  around 15 times.

 

Move away from Sukhumvit.

 

Police in that area are known to be like vultures. Every now and then they get their wrists slapped and lay low for a while but they are soon back at it waiting to put the squeeze on any prey that cross their turf.

[zzzzz]

11 hours ago, freesudani said:

well ive been in thailand for nearly a year and i have been asked for documentation  around 15 times.

LOL
been here for over 34 years and ONLY been asked for my passport at immigration ( renewing extension or entering/leaving the country), checking into hotels
and a few times while driving along the Thai/Burmese border

MY thai dl when checking in for domestic flights

 

Profiling??

[freesudani]

1 hour ago, zzzzz said:

 

Profiling??

pretty much lol

[freesudani]

5 hours ago, MJKT2014 said:

Sukhumvit is the longest road in SE Asia did you know? Covers a number of police districts, so whereabouts exactly? Soi 22 in Bangkok again?

Onnut area

[jacko45k]

3 hours ago, Fatman666 said:

Live here more than 30 years and never happened to me.

We get reports of it happening quite frequently, particularly around Asoke/Suk area, usually if one throws down a cigarette butt, a 'fine' shakedown, or a desire to search, even going through your wallet. There might be a particular profile they look for. I am older, and don't smoke and would not expect to be selected.....

[Surelynot]

Seems sensible not to be carrying such a precious document as your passport around all the time.....can I ask (being too lazy to read all 4 pages of the thread).....is my Thai driving license good enough for the police?

 

The loop hole here seems to be that that doesn't show what visa permits you to be in Thailand?

 

Would they then ask to see your passport at a later date?

 

Can you show them photos (stored on your phone) of your passport and visa?

 

Edited August 18, 2020 by Surelynot