"I'll never set foot in Thailand again" - damning review by Taiwanese celeb "extorted by Thai police"

[Bundooman]

8 hours ago, nigelforbes said:

The story makes no sense. She showed her visa passport so she had no basis to pay anything, for any reason, she should have stood her ground.

Extremely attractive young woman, nervous about entering a Thai police station at 1am, being harrassed by 'x' number of police and you suggest                         she stands her ground at 1am in the morning - brilliant!

 

Of course, 'had it been you', Guv - you would have had the police grovelling at your feet and 'Graaping' forgiveness, eh?

 

She was a tourist for crying out loud - probably unaware of the rights and wrongs of Visas, etc - why imply the blame is on her for not defying them and standing her ground?

[mikeymike100]

2 hours ago, pedro01 said:

Last time I was out at that time, a friend and I got pulled over in our taxi at a checkpoint. First thing they did was put hands in our pockets, checking for drugs. Nobody asked for ID, which is just as well as I don't carry my passport around with me here. 

 

It was all friendly, I asked if they caught many people that way and they told me that yes, every night they caught people with drugs there. My experience is that they shake you down when you've done something wrong - like failed a breathalyzer (which I haven't) test. Once you are on the wrong side of the law, the negotiations start.

 

It's the same when they bust you for a wheel over the line at a junction, it's petty but they have their excuse to start the negotiation process. I've not experienced or know people that got shaken down when they did nothing wrong. It seems to generally be the way here

 

I'd put it at 50/50 that the girl in question was on the wrong side of the law, somehow. 27k fine is pretty steep and would be in line with being drunk at the wheel, having narcotics etc. 

 

it's not that I don't believe her, just that normally, you get shaken down for a crime of some sort.

Whilst you make a fair point, but you also agree it could have happened, 50/50?

If it was a fine of 27,000 she would get a receipt? If its a bribe you don't?

Considering its on social media and in the news etc , its strange the RTP haven't responded with a statement? As yet they haven't denied it happened?

[zzaa09]

Well.....these things happen.

Randomly.

[nigelforbes]

33 minutes ago, Bundooman said:

Extremely attractive young woman, nervous about entering a Thai police station at 1am, being harrassed by 'x' number of police and you suggest                         she stands her ground at 1am in the morning - brilliant!

 

Of course, 'had it been you', Guv - you would have had the police grovelling at your feet and 'Graaping' forgiveness, eh?

 

She was a tourist for crying out loud - probably unaware of the rights and wrongs of Visas, etc - why imply the blame is on her for not defying them and standing her ground?

How about, 1am, you're a tourist and you get stopped by the police in Thailand. They inspect your passport and see you have a visa on arrival and they decide that's not good enough and that you need a different visa. They take you to the police station and decide to fine you 27k, you haven't done anything wrong. What do you do, ask if they prefer visa or Amex or do you ask if 27k is really enough and wouldn't they actually prefer more! Is that the correct approach, do tell?

[BangkokReady]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

She suggested that the police had gone without their cut in the pandemic as tourism floundered.

Very astute.  Seems that it is common to the whole tourist trade in Thailand though.

[TheFishman1]

so you can pay for police escorts from the airport to your hotel if you’re from Taiwan and female they can bring you to the police station and shake you down for 20,000 bht when will it stop? When will the corruption in the police department stop is there anybody can clean up the police fire mall hire new people and if they lie, cheat or steal, don’t put them in an active pose send them right to jail TIT

[Dogmatix]

The motto of this story is that Chinese, Taiwanese and others should pay for the police escort and protection in advance and they won't be harassed. 

 

Thailand needs to make up for all the lost tourism income.

[Dazkkk]

7 hours ago, pomchop said:

Does the thai police station where she was taken not have cameras that record people coming and going and interrogations? 

 

It would seem unusual these days if she or her friends did NOT at least try and record a video of the initial stop/demands.....so seems believable to me that cops did not want that video to remain in her possession.  Why would they be concerned with being videoed if did nothing wrong?  In fact they should WANT a video to prove their innocence or whatever it is they claim they found that involved going to police station and paying $$.

 

If all the gal wanted was social media fame a video is almost a requirement to go viral so of course she or her friends would be filming away.

 

And if korean tourists were also there check the police station cameras to ask what that was all about.

 

If Thai police honchos cannot get to bottom of such a simple charge good luck ever doing any real police work.

Not only will no police officers be charged with extortion, the Korean lady’s will be accused of stealing the video cameras. 
 

[Aussieroaming]

RTP...Rotten Thai Police. How many Thai Police aren't corrupt, because they should be screaming blue murder at the thieving police that masquerade as RTP.

[zzaa09]

Just another unsatisfied traveler.

Oh well...

[BusyB]

10 hours ago, JonnyF said:

... or she had the "Don't you know who I am" attitude and rubbed the police up the wrong way.

 

So what? Professional cops who aren't a disgrace to both the uniform and profession would deescalate from a position of firmness.

[herfiehandbag]

4 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

In Thailand? The cops would go on strike!

Would anyone really notice?

[herfiehandbag]

53 minutes ago, TheFishman1 said:

so you can pay for police escorts from the airport to your hotel if you’re from Taiwan and female they can bring you to the police station and shake you down for 20,000 bht when will it stop? When will the corruption in the police department stop is there anybody can clean up the police fire mall hire new people and if they lie, cheat or steal, don’t put them in an active pose send them right to jail TIT

A quick witted policeman (if there is such a creature here) may have realised that, as she was Taiwanese she was "the wrong sort of Chinese" and therefore without diplomatic representation to help her. That may have encouraged them to "up the ante" of the fees to make it all go away.

[Bwazi]

Why did the tourist need the motorcade escort all the way to Pattaya?
Was he that horny and couldn’t wait to release? Lol

[nigelforbes]

11 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

A quick witted policeman (if there is such a creature here) may have realised that, as she was Taiwanese she was "the wrong sort of Chinese" and therefore without diplomatic representation to help her. That may have encouraged them to "up the ante" of the fees to make it all go away.

An unnecessary generalization and slur against all Thai police, just not necessary at all.

[BananaStrong]

Every day I keep 100,000 baht ready just in case this happens!!!  This is THAILAND, LOShakedowns.   

 

If it was me, I would have...............blah, blah............every falang would have paid, done a few wais, happy to stay.

 

We are the problem for letting this happen and not leaving.   So we must blame ourselves, we support this system.  Sure, cheap rent and usually cheap food......but at what cost???

 

at least back home we have some rights.  any rights.  

 

I won't do anything, but it's up to all you farangs to fight for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

[greg71]

New update according to bangkok post , police say she was caught with a vape device in her handbag . 

[herfiehandbag]

1 hour ago, nigelforbes said:

An unnecessary generalization and slur against all Thai police, just not necessary at all.

Really?

 

They conducted a very obvious shakedown on this young lady - how do you suppose the figure of B27000 was arrived at? Almost certainly what was in her bag when they searched her.

 

If there is a slur on the Thai police, it is this team. We shall see if anything is done about it/ to them. I very much doubt it.

[nigelforbes]

1 minute ago, herfiehandbag said:

Really?

 

 

"A quick witted policeman (if there is such a creature here)".

 

Yes

[khaowong1]

Looking at that young lady, I might be coerced into doing a body search myself.. Just saying.  ????

[mancub]

8 hours ago, head bender said:

I have been stopped at the toll plaza entering BKK demanded 2000 when I refused I was made ti sit there with no explaination until after 4 hours I paid up. You try refusing see for far you get? We have lives to live being held by cops with the sole purpose of extorting money is not funny. Try it some time!

Exactly the same experience twice at the toll. A scam involving showing you your no plate written on their pad with explanation that it had been phoned in from a unit somewhere for some road offence. 

Also  "pay bt2000 or go to the station". Stood my ground and was screamed at "this Thailand, I Thai police".

Eventually got away with bt200 a a very nasty taste in my mouth.

Happened again a month later. tried the same story, but backed down when they realized my Thai missus was in the car. I guess most unsuspecting tourists would be intimated enough to pay up. Easy pickings.

I think maybe they chose me as I had Krabi plates on the vehicle .

[Scott]

Troll posts reported and removed. 

 

[hioctane]

12 hours ago, nigelforbes said:

I am in a foreign country and I have been stopped my police. We were stopped whilst driving from Chiang Mai to Sukhothai and a hoard of police swarmed my car and inspected our lugage. They found nothing, they planted nothing, an officer supervised and was very professional, we even split some pizza with me whilst the work was underway!

I have been stopped and searched in many countries. They never found anything and they never asked for anything and I never gave anything. That said, I have friends that paid bribes and mostly because they were being naughty.

[internationalism]

54 minutes ago, greg71 said:

New update according to bangkok post , police say she was caught with a vape device in her handbag . 

So police admitted that they used pretekst to extort large money, if just a warning or small fine would be more apprapriate. 
To allow them for body and bag search, they questioned legality of her visa. They have planned from the very beginning to frame her for anything they can. 
As with this escorting chinese tourists to pattaya, thai social media are putting strong pressure on police. That is only why authorities have to react. 
The government knows that they have to show off before election ballot. Heads will be rolling now in those 2 cases. 

Edited January 26, 2023 by internationalism

[moe666]

12 hours ago, JonnyF said:

I'm guessing this was Thong Lor police. Now I am no fan of Thai police but I suspect either she had something on her or she had the "Don't you know who I am" attitude and rubbed the police up the wrong way. Maybe even deliberately to get content for her social media profile.

 

I've been stopped and searched by them a few times (also outside The Robin Hood on 33/1) and as long as you are pleasant and don't have anything that you shouldn't, then they are OK and send you on your way. 

 

Having said that, if they asked me to do a pee in a cup at the side of the road test, I suspect I might end up spending a night in the cells for 'attitude adjustment' and making a donation to their annual party.

We do not know where this took place and you pull thong lor out of thin air

[Blumpie]

Second world country, they think they are first world but run it like a third world country.  This is Thailand.  

[MrJ2U]

14 hours ago, RandolphGB said:

Yes, I was searched twice in Thong Lor and once in Phrom Phong. Cops found nothing. They sent me on my way. 

Three times made to do a drug test, wait for the results., then carry on as this is just a usual night out?

 

Sounds like a nightmare. 

 

 

[still kicking]

2 hours ago, greg71 said:

New update according to bangkok post , police say she was caught with a vape device in her handbag . 

Here is the list of possible fines for vaping in Thailand:

• Fine 4 times the value of the vaping equipment
• Fine of  up to 30 000 Baht (945 USD, 843 EUR, 720 GBP)
• Fine  of up to 100 000 Baht (3 152USD, 2 813 EUR, 2 403 GBP)
• Fine of up to 1 year in jail
• Fine of up to 10 years in jail

[flyingtlger]

Welcome to the Land of Smiles.....

[d4dang]

10 hours ago, head bender said:

I have been stopped at the toll plaza entering BKK demanded 2000 when I refused I was made ti sit there with no explaination until after 4 hours I paid up. You try refusing see for far you get? We have lives to live being held by cops with the sole purpose of extorting money is not funny. Try it some time!

phone the Tourist Police