Police was about to arrest me

[freesudani]

9 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

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?

 

Iagree ... carrying my passport around with me all the time is risky , and in case i loose it then it will be a huge headache and time consuming  doing everything all over again , when i told them im not carrying my passport  then they asked me for a driver licence ... so seems it was sufficient enough , probably they were just inquiring about my identity and not my visa status at that moment , after i told them i dont have it then they asked me for a photo of my passport.

[Surelynot]

1 minute ago, freesudani said:

Iagree ... carrying my passport around with me all the time is risky , and in case i loose it then it will be a huge headache and time consuming  doing everything all over again , when i told them im not carrying my passport  then they asked me for a driver licence ... so seems it was sufficient enough , probably they were just inquiring about my identity and not my visa status at that moment , after i told them i dont have it then they asked me for a photo of my passport.

Live on soi 11 so keen not to fall into their clutches 

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

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?

 

A driving licence and a polite manner will be more than sufficient in the majority of cases, if on the very rare chance you are stopped by the BiB.

 

It's only in the very rare examples when a Police officer is being extremely difficult that they would ask for a Passport.

 

 

Regular Police are not trained or supposed to investigate your visa status - thats only for Immigration Police. Of course, attempting to ’teach’ a policeman what they can and can’t do (by law) is not going to go down so well. Its obviously best to just play along, play nice. 

 

Photos of your passport on your phone and a Thai DL are more than sufficient in ‘most’ examples of a stop. Unless it's those areas where in the past the BiB have been specifically targeting and trying to fleece foreigners. 

 

 

Carrying your passport is a personal choice - I never do (when in Bangkok) and I never worry about being stopped, it happens so rarely. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Surelynot]

4 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

A driving licence and a polite manner will be more than sufficient in the majority of cases, if on the very rare chance you are stopped by the BiB.

 

It's only in the very rare examples when a Police officer is being extremely difficult that they would ask for a Passport.

 

 

Regular Police are not trained or supposed to investigate your visa status - thats only for Immigration Police. Of course, attempting to ’teach’ a policeman what they can and can’t do (by law) is not going to go down so well. Its obviously best to just play along, play nice. 

 

Photos of your passport on your phone and a Thai DL are more than sufficient in ‘most’ examples of a stop. Unless it's those areas where in the past the BiB have been specifically targeting and trying to fleece foreigners. 

 

 

Carrying your passport is a personal choice - I never do (when in Bangkok) and I never worry about being stopped, it happens so rarely. 

 

 

 

 

 

Brill.....thanks for that

[stouricks]

15 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? 

 

 

  

Put them all, photos & documents,  up on OneDrive or GoogleDrive....sorted

[holy cow cm]

15 hours ago, freesudani said:

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

Living and walking in the wrong place. Been here almost 30 years and never once for me. 

[Surelynot]

9 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

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

Seriously? I have never been asked except when driving......I need to get out more.

[holy cow cm]

56 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

Seriously? I have never been asked except when driving......I need to get out more.

Look at post 66 above this. The content and poster for that statement is not me. Mine is almost 30yrs here and never been asked. 

[ChouDoufu]

this really ain't rocket sciense.

 

make a photocopy of your passport id page, along with copies of your latest entry stamp, and latest extension stamp.  fold 'em up and stick em in a wee, tiny plastic case along with a your health insurance card, and carry that in yer wallet.

extra points if you also have a copy of your latest tm-30 receipt.

[DrJack54]

8 minutes ago, ChouDoufu said:

this really ain't rocket sciense.

 

make a photocopy of your passport id page, along with copies of your latest entry stamp, and latest extension stamp.  fold 'em up and stick em in a wee, tiny plastic case along with a your health insurance card, and carry that in yer wallet.

extra points if you also have a copy of your latest tm-30 receipt.

What for.

Read post above yours. 

I have only been here 8yr. I go out a lot including soi4 and Pattaya etc. Never been asked for passport. 

What's with "health insurance card".

I don't even know a friend of mine that has been random asked for passport or photocopies there of.

Edited August 18, 2020 by DrJack54

[ChouDoufu]

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

What for.

Read post above yours. 

I have only been here 8yr. I go out a lot including soi4 and Pattaya etc. Never been asked for passport. 

What's with "health insurance card".

I don't even know a friend of mine that has been asked. 

these are little things we carry with us to make life easier, just in case.

you haven't been stopped yet, but it could happen, so you plan for the event.

just as you have health insurance, and you carry the card, if you ever need it.

 

you carry a condom in your wallet, right?  just in case.  same-same.

as with the condom, you'll probably never need passport copy, but it's there all the same.

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, ChouDoufu said:

you haven't been stopped yet, but it could happen, so you plan for the event.

Piece of advice. Granted more easy if you have Thai partner or friends. Forget the passport. Have a contact in royal Thai police with cell number. Higher up the better. 

Passport means little for shakedown. 

When the curfew was in place after military takeover. I flew in late from Saigon and took taxi DMK to Hua Hin (you were allowed to travel outside of curfew if you had flight ticket). 

Stopped at road block into HH. 

The officer wanted money and had my pp in his hand.

I rang Thai "friend" as her brother is senior officer.

Handed him the phone. 

No problems. Wonder how my health insurance card would help. My pp certainly did not. 

[richard_smith237]

19 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Piece of advice. Granted more easy if you have Thai partner or friends. Forget the passport. Have a contact in royal Thai police with cell number. Higher up the better. 

Passport means little for shakedown. 

When the curfew was in place after military takeover. I flew in late from Saigon and took taxi DMK to Hua Hin (you were allowed to travel outside of curfew if you had flight ticket). 

Stopped at road block into HH. 

The officer wanted money and had my pp in his hand.

I rang Thai "friend" as her brother is senior officer.

Handed him the phone. 

No problems. Wonder how my health insurance card would help. My pp certainly did not. 

Have you deliberately missed his point on health insurance card?

 

I too always carry the health insurance card in my wallet - if involved in an accident etc and taken to a hospital, when someone searches my belongings for ID they will find the Insurance card. It's about being prepared. 

 

Having ’that phone call’ option is good, I have a few ‘phone a friend options’ and even though I see my ‘friend’ weekly for a beer I try not to use the ‘phone a friend’ option unless absolutely necessary (3 times in 20 years) - he’ jokes I’m one of the few friends who doesn’t call him all the time for help, I joke that if I need to call him I’m in so much trouble he can’t help !!!!! 

 

It’s good to make sure we have the little things planed for, just incase and for peace of mind. 

 

In your case, even through you had the Passport you encountered Police who were simply chancing their luck at a fine - unfortunately, most of the BiB are like this whenever they smell an opportunity, which is why no one likes them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[CANSIAM]

21 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

A driving licence and a polite manner will be more than sufficient in the majority of cases, if on the very rare chance you are stopped by the BiB.

 

It's only in the very rare examples when a Police officer is being extremely difficult that they would ask for a Passport.

 

 

Regular Police are not trained or supposed to investigate your visa status - thats only for Immigration Police. Of course, attempting to ’teach’ a policeman what they can and can’t do (by law) is not going to go down so well. Its obviously best to just play along, play nice. 

 

Photos of your passport on your phone and a Thai DL are more than sufficient in ‘most’ examples of a stop. Unless it's those areas where in the past the BiB have been specifically targeting and trying to fleece foreigners. 

 

 

Carrying your passport is a personal choice - I never do (when in Bangkok) and I never worry about being stopped, it happens so rarely. 

 

 

 

 

 

I have passport photos on my phone as well as the Arrival/Departure TM6 code and carry my Thai DL. This should be enough, Never will I carry official passport around, never been questioned 6 years. 

[Caldera]

I'm out and about very often in Bangkok (including Thong Lor) and have been since 15+ years. I've only been asked for my passport twice, more than 10 years ago, both times when walking nearby Ekkamai bus terminal which falls into the Thong Lor police precinct. I didn't have my passport with me on both occasions (I never carry it unless I travel overnight or out of town) and they accepted photocopies. Friends of mine who've had "the same pleasure" more recently have reported the same. Be polite, don't talk too much (it only confuses them or makes them think you are nervous) and have at least photocopies of the relevant pages. Personally I wouldn't recommend carrying the original passport, too much hassle if it's lost or stolen.

 

No need to claim that I have high ranking police friends either, that kind of barstool nonsense always cracks me up.

 

I've been through checkpoints many times though, it's almost inevitable when being out late at night. My taxis have been stopped at night more recently in the Asoke and Rama 4 areas, but they've just shone their flashlight inside and waved us on. I guess that were close encounters, maybe I didn't fit their profile for some reason or another.

[FlyingThai]

I think many commenting on this now 5 page thread overlook the part that the OP is a Black African which is likely the reason why he was stopped and questioned about his documents.

 

This happens frequently not just in Thailand but also in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia and especially China. Mostly - just like the OP himself noted - it’s due to the unsavory reputation of Nigerian criminals that are found in pretty much every major Asian metropolis. Certainly discriminatory but it is as it is.

 

Never say never but the likelihood that this happens to a caucasian individual are extremely slim so no reason to go into a panic frenzy and suspect a “shakedown campaign”.

[Berkshire]

On 8/17/2020 at 11:55 PM, freesudani said:

thank you for your kind words...yeah this perception of africans is gonna continue and only time gonna change it ...the influx of Nigerians who use to do their dirty works are not active any more (as far as i can see) ..so the only thing left for them to do is to arrest and stop innocent black people till they eventually come to  conclusion that its a waste of time and resources.

Are you an American?  I think you are correct that blacks do get unfairly profiled due to the actions of certain Nigerians and other Africans.  Especially in Bangkok.  But if you prove that you are an American, that should help a bit....yes? 

[balo]

On 8/17/2020 at 6:19 PM, freesudani said:

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

That's because you're a young black dude.  They would never stop a white old geezer. 

 

[richard_smith237]

3 minutes ago, balo said:

On 8/17/2020 at 11:19 PM, freesudani said:

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

That's because you're a young black dude.  They would never stop a white old geezer. 

 

Wrong... a few years back when it was common for the Thonglor Police to extort foreigners there were reports of many foreigners being stopped, asked for their ID, asked to perform a Urine test. 

 

The issue became some common it made international and national headlines with a few ‘police reshuffles’ as a clean up facade. 

 

Many of those extorted were also middle aged white guys. A couple of reports of elderly foreigners (husband and Wife) being targeted. 

 

No one was safe from an attempted shakedown.

 

As things slow down in Thailand, it wouldn’t surprise me to see a little resurgence in Police Activity against foreigners / shakedowns. 

 

 

[balo]

46 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Wrong... a few years back when it was common for the Thonglor Police to extort foreigners there were reports of many foreigners being stopped, asked for their ID, asked to perform a Urine test. 

I am aware of that, anyone can be stopped if you walk around in the wrong area of Bangkok. Especially Sukhumvit/Thonglor. 

But I am sure an old white pensioner are in less risk of being harassed by the police than a young black dude.   They spot the skin of your color and your age from distance, he was stopped 15 times within a year. Says it all really. 



 

Edited August 19, 2020 by balo

[ben2talk]

Wow, so many people saying this is 'normal'.

I've lived here since 2001 - never seen this before!

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, balo said:

That's because you're a young black dude.  They would never stop a white old geezer. 

I think this is mostly correct, but is not an absolute. A few years ago, a white American friend of mine, who was about 70 years old at the time, was shaken down and searched by police at Ekamai bus station. They found a single Prozac pill in his luggage (prescribed by a doctor in the US to ameliorate his nerves when flying) and extorted (as I recall) about 15,000 baht not to prosecute.

[JackThompson]

6 hours ago, FlyingThai said:

Never say never but the likelihood that this happens to a caucasian individual are extremely slim so no reason to go into a panic frenzy and suspect a “shakedown campaign”.

Me - white guy - no tattoos - well-dressed (for work) - every 2 mo when I was commuting to work in Bangkok.  Yes, it is common - but depends on what parts of Bangkok.  Walking while Not-Thai is enough. 

[Dan O]

On 8/17/2020 at 11:09 AM, freesudani said:

i had my university ID , but they told they only wanna see a driver license or atleast a photo of my passport , i had thousands of photos in my phone so i wasnt able to find it.

What "grace period" are you referring to?   I dont think there's any grace period for carrying proper ID as a foreigner in the country. Sounds like the police were more than reasonable in going to your home with yo. You probably wouldn't have received that in another country

[freesudani]

7 hours ago, Dan O said:

What "grace period" are you referring to?   I dont think there's any grace period for carrying proper ID as a foreigner in the country. Sounds like the police were more than reasonable in going to your home with yo. You probably wouldn't have received that in another country

grace period means they arent able to accuse you of overstaying till 26th September ... i usually carry my passport  with me 24/7 which is quite terrifying  and impractical ..because this incident happened while on my way from home to 7/11 just to get some groceries... 

[freesudani]

On 8/19/2020 at 5:09 PM, balo said:

But I am sure an old white pensioner are in less risk of being harassed by the police than a young black dude.   They spot the skin of your color and your age from distance, he was stopped 15 times within a year. Says it all really. 



 

That's absolutely right ... im not saying that other foreigners are immune to this ...it can happen...but seems ppl of a certain race is their primary target .... once i have seen a motorbike police driving around nana area and he only targets black people for their documentations ... they asked me ...then they drove few meters away from me to ask three black women ...then they went to the other side of the road and asked 2 black dudes... though the street was crowded with whites and asians but they never ask them. haha

[freesudani]

On 8/19/2020 at 3:51 PM, Berkshire said:

Are you an American?  I think you are correct that blacks do get unfairly profiled due to the actions of certain Nigerians and other Africans.  Especially in Bangkok.  But if you prove that you are an American, that should help a bit....yes? 

im not american ...are you saying they would react differently if i was ??....because they usually start by asking about my nationality ...i never hear about any instances of african-american being profiled ....probably coz they arent many of them in bangkok anyway.

[Caldera]

8 hours ago, freesudani said:

grace period means they arent able to accuse you of overstaying till 26th September

That's not correct if you generalize it like that. There are people who have been found on overstay and arrested during the grace period. Simply because they were already on overstay on March 26, when the grace period started.

[ravip]

On 8/17/2020 at 9:10 PM, herwin1234 said:

1. you always have to carry identification with you. Thais, you, everybody. 

 

2. They didnt "attempt" to arrest you. If they would "attempt" to arrest you, they wouldnt have failed. lol.

 

3. They simply checked you for your passport, and body searched you, whatever that means. (probably just checked your pockets..)

 

4. The police were reasonable to listen to you and go jolly together to your appartment. (in the usa you probably would have been tasered and or handcuffed by bully cops telling you "you can tell that on the station!!")

 

5.Say "thank you police for being understanding and going to my appartment."

 

6. "what if they arrested me." well they didnt. No need for a hypothetical "what if". ???? If in the end your passport or visa are okay, you should not have problems, unless you make your own problems with arguments etc

 

7. Happened to me also. Wanted to check my visa but didnt have my passport with me. (i had a copy of passport and visa but this was not accepted) Anyone in such or similar situation, be understanding and respectful, they are just doing their job, and are very reasonable. Just like the OP they were helpful to check my visa in an easy way.

 

8. I always carry my passport with me now, even if it would be a massive headache to get a new one in the case i lose it, or rain destroys it....

100% true. This is reality.

Whats wrong with the Police asking for your ID?

They were considerate enough to follow you to the apartment.

It is the "losing face" syndrome that makes one mad!

[freesudani]

10 minutes ago, ravip said:

100% true. This is reality.

Whats wrong with the Police asking for your ID?

They were considerate enough to follow you to the apartment.

It is the "losing face" syndrome that makes one mad!

1- Their primary motive was not the ID ...they were looking if i had any drugs  (not saying they dont care about my visa status) 

2- They were only considerate enough to follow me to my apartment  because it was incredibly close (i just left home on my way to 7/11)  and  it will cost them more to take me all the way to the police station.

3- going by the number of times i had been through things like this, you would understand why it is frustrating.