Nightclub goers tested positive for drugs in Pattaya entertainment venue crackdown, passport inspections for foreigners to continue

[jimn]

People should stop getting their knickers in a twist. These venues are not the traditional tourist venues on Walking St and LK Metro, but Thai venues on 3rd road etc where very few foreign tourists go. Now if Republic, Insomnia, Bliss or Escape were raided then it would be a concern.

[Chivas]

Never carried my passport out at night in 30 years (you'd have to be a colossal total moron to do so)

Never carried a copy either

Never been stopped as a foot walker

 

 

The chief immigration officer was clear "you have 24 hours to produce your passport to a local Police station"

 

End. Of.

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, cheapcanuck said:

If they are asking for passports in bars/clubs I'll be in trouble.

No passport; lost, stolen. threw it away, dog ate it, washing machine ate it, expired 2 years ago...

[Smokey and the Bandit]

3 hours ago, bob smith said:

great advertisement for potential holidaymakers this high season. "come to Thailand, where you will be treated as a potential criminal the minute you step foot off the plane. oh, and don't forget to leave a big tip before you leave."

 

the morons in charge haven't got a bleedin' clue!!

They are trying to make up all the money???? they lost during Covid?

[connda]

5 hours ago, ukrules said:

It's going to be a fun high season.

Actually, it's going to be a fun-less high season.

Edited November 21, 2022 by connda

[mikeymike100]

25 minutes ago, Lucky Bones said:

Plod will soon get tired of waiting to get a small gratuity.

They will generally move on.????????

I take your point.

Tourist police usually will help if you have a problem with say being overcharged in a bar, or something like that. However I think its very unlikely the tourist police will intervene with the immigration police. They are all police and generally will stick together?

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, ukrules said:

It's going to be a fun high season.

Welcome to Thailand, go out to enjoy yourself and get a free "shake-down"

[sezze]

30 minutes ago, jimn said:

People should stop getting their knickers in a twist. These venues are not the traditional tourist venues on Walking St and LK Metro, but Thai venues on 3rd road etc where very few foreign tourists go. Now if Republic, Insomnia, Bliss or Escape were raided then it would be a concern.

I also believe that is the case. I guess, these venues are frequented by Asians and might have got something to do with drugs/gambling. Some places in Bangkok came recently in the news for similar facts, maybe same owners? I am pretty sure that a normal acting tourist might get a drug test when checked, but when they ask you your passport and say i left it in my room at X place , at a polite manner they will not even check further and just let you go. Btw i did get stopped frequently in Thailand for alcohol test, drivers license , speed limit ( that was just ripoff but ok) and to be honest, i never gotten into trouble , besides paying a fine. Also the police were always friendly and understanding.  React normally , calm and cooperative and i am pretty sure not much will happen.

[Dan O]

2 hours ago, mikeymike100 said:

Whilst I agree when going to a foreign country you should follow their laws etc, however the problem in Thailand is the laws that the police follow are inconsistent. Some say you need  your original document, some say a photo copy is OK, some say a picture on your phone is fine?

If the police were serious about this they would have portable fingerprint scanners, like other counties,  instead of taking people to the police station to extort money?

Where did it say they extorted money?

 

Your required to provide proof of identity in every country I've traveled in as a foreigner on request , and that's.been a lot of countries.

Based on the quality of reporting you have no idea of what people may have been trying to hide since it was a raid and a bit of lilicit activity was going on. 

[Cake Monster]

6 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I would never carry my passport. Except when going to immigration, leaving the country, or the rare visit to the bank when it is required. 

 

Here is a color copy of my passport. Please go away now. You are making a nuisance of yourself, officer. 

And the Officer would have every right to march you off down to the nick.

Thai Law states that all Foreigners must carry their Passport at all times.

[Smokey and the Bandit]

35 minutes ago, Dan O said:

Where did it say they extorted money?

 

Your required to provide proof of identity in every country I've traveled in as a foreigner on request , and that's.been a lot of countries.

Based on the quality of reporting you have no idea of what people may have been trying to hide since it was a raid and a bit of lilicit activity was going on. 

 

6 minutes ago, Cake Monster said:

And the Officer would have every right to march you off down to the nick.

Thai Law states that all Foreigners must carry their Passport at all times.

I'm sure it depends on which cop is asking for it, how you reply etc? The law maybe one thing, how it is interpreted by the police is another?

[Dan O]

1 minute ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

 

I'm sure it depends on which cop is asking for it, how you reply etc? The law maybe one thing, how it is interpreted by the police is another?

And your speculation is just that, a guess

[mikeymike100]

41 minutes ago, Dan O said:

Where did it say they extorted money?

 

Your required to provide proof of identity in every country I've traveled in as a foreigner on request , and that's.been a lot of countries.

Based on the quality of reporting you have no idea of what people may have been trying to hide since it was a raid and a bit of lilicit activity was going on. 

It doesn't say they extorted money! But its not going to is it? However common sense and having been in Thailand 25 years, tells me its certainly a possibility?

Some countries, as you say, you are required to carry ID. Have you been to the UK, or USA where you are not required by law to carry ID. In those countries, if you are a foreigner they can check  your fingerprints with a portable scanner. Having said that most folks in the USA carry ID as they drive cars.

Certainly agree with your comment about the quality of reporting.

[Bim Smith]

Is this what the tourist tax is paying for. Genius.

[Kevin Taylor]

Yeah, the economy and tourism slowly recovering so time to go back to showing off your authority with so called nightclub raids to make yourselves look important and get in the news cycle. I guess things are returning to normal.

[mikeymike100]

11 minutes ago, Dan O said:

And your speculation is just that, a guess

So can you quote the law, with reference,  which says you are required to carry your original passport? The reason i ask is, as you can see there is much confusion of the matter,  maybe you can clear it up?

[mikeymike100]

27 minutes ago, Cake Monster said:

And the Officer would have every right to march you off down to the nick.

Thai Law states that all Foreigners must carry their Passport at all times.

Where does it state that?

[jacko45k]

3 hours ago, HuskerDo2 said:

They make everyone pee right there and then to test them for drugs in their system?  This must be the only country in the world that allows such a thing. Well, other than a certain country that starts with a "C" and ends in "hina". 

Isn't mandatory drug tests standard for some employment categories in the USA say?

[moe666]

6 hours ago, bob smith said:

great advertisement for potential holidaymakers this high season. "come to Thailand, where you will be treated as a potential criminal the minute you step foot off the plane. oh, and don't forget to leave a big tip before you leave."

 

the morons in charge haven't got a bleedin' clue!!

I have heard this whine for over 20 years and you know what it has never stopped tourist from coming. 

[mikeymike100]

1 minute ago, jacko45k said:

Isn't mandatory drug tests standard for some employment categories in the USA say?

Yes, when I was last working there, there would be a regular test. You would get a phone call or email to report to HR in say one hour and you are required to give the nurse a urine sample, while she waits. You go into the toilet of course to actually fill the specimen vial. Then it gets sent to a lab for analysis.

[Dan O]

4 minutes ago, mikeymike100 said:

It doesn't say they extorted money! But its not going to is it? However common sense and having been in Thailand 25 years, tells me its certainly a possibility?

Some countries, as you say, you are required to carry ID. Have you been to the UK, or USA where you are not required by law to carry ID. In those countries, if you are a foreigner they can check  your fingerprints with a portable scanner. Having said that most folks in the USA carry ID as they drive cars.

Certainly agree with your comment about the quality of reporting.

I'm from the US and also been in thailand since early 80's and you're required to provide ID on request in similar situations.

 

Is there Brown envelops here, absolutely but not at every situation that occurs and especially ones like the article. Can it happen yeah, but not at every event or situation claimed. It's been my experience it's more of farang perpetuating the same stories whenever possible

 

As a foreigners you are also required to provided proper identification in most instances. Very few countries have or carry portable fi gerprint equip.  You may watch too much NCIS tv.     People caught in illegal activities are absolutely subject to I'd verification and if you think otherwise you may want to reconsider your position. 

[Lucky Bones]

2 hours ago, mikeymike100 said:

I take your point.

Tourist police usually will help if you have a problem with say being overcharged in a bar, or something like that. However I think its very unlikely the tourist police will intervene with the immigration police. They are all police and generally will stick together?

Yes, it's all a bit of a raffle.????????

[bob smith]

9 minutes ago, moe666 said:

I have heard this whine for over 20 years and you know what it has never stopped tourist from coming. 

and i've heard the thai apologist whines for about the same time too. some people never swap the rose tinted glasses for a pair of real ray-bans ????

Edited November 21, 2022 by bob smith

[Gottfrid]

2 hours ago, scorecard said:

No passport; lost, stolen. threw it away, dog ate it, washing machine ate it, expired 2 years ago...

Yeah, that´s the way to go! Be rude and obnoxious. The next question you will hear is: Why did you not make a new one then? Pretty sure you have a funny answer for that one too.
 

24 minutes ago, Bim Smith said:

Is this what the tourist tax is paying for. Genius.

Not that I know what it is paying for, but I am pretty sure it´s not paying for letting foreigner be on overstay. Or, what do you think?

[Dan O]

28 minutes ago, mikeymike100 said:

So can you quote the law, with reference,  which says you are required to carry your original passport? The reason i ask is, as you can see there is much confusion of the matter,  maybe you can clear it up?

I never said you have to carry your passport.at all times, even though it's advised. I said you have to produce proper ID on request in these situations.

 

If you have a shady photo copy of your ID page and are stopped as a random check that's one thing. But if your caught up in a shady illicit situation like the article and are halled to the police station because you have no valid ID you'll need to prove who you are and you better be able to produce one if your a foreigner 

[mikeymike100]

4 minutes ago, Dan O said:

I'm from the US and also been in thailand since early 80's and you're required to provide ID on request in similar situations.

 

Is there Brown envelops here, absolutely but not at every situation that occurs and especially ones like the article. Can it happen yeah, but not at every event or situation claimed. It's been my experience it's more of farang perpetuating the same stories whenever possible

 

As a foreigners you are also required to provided proper identification in most instances. Very few countries have or carry portable fi gerprint equip.  You may watch too much NCIS tv.     People caught in illegal activities are absolutely subject to I'd verification and if you think otherwise you may want to reconsider your position. 

Both the USA and UK  and Germany have portable fingerprint scanners. They are reasonably cheap and very accurate, of course the database they are linked to must be accurate.

https://www.police1.com/police-products/police-technology/biometrics-identification/articles/atlanta-police-get-new-mobile-fingerprint-scanners-Wk2lWyC7szd0W6QL/

 

The article was from 2011, so you can imagine how many police have them now? This is not fiction from watching the TV?

 

 

 Biometric technology has come a long way and it would make sense for immigration in Thailand to have portable fingerprint scanners, I mean they take your fingerprints every time you enter and leave the country?

[Smokey and the Bandit]

1 hour ago, Dan O said:

And your speculation is just that, a guess

No experience.????

Edited November 21, 2022 by Smokey and the Bandit

[PEE TEE]

I have a pink thai ID card so not need to take a passport with me ...is this true ?

[VocalNeal]

^ Not sure you can prove your visa/extension is current with that????

[jacko45k]

3 minutes ago, PEE TEE said:

I have a pink thai ID card so not need to take a passport with me ...is this true ?

I  suspect many police officers would not know what it was. Just keep copies of passport and extension/whatever on your phone... this is being accepted.