What to do if Thai police stop you and attempt a ‘shake-down’

[transam]

12 minutes ago, pedro01 said:

Similar thing here - I was in Samui and purchased some shoes from a mom and pop store. They fell apart on the first day and the shop wouldn't exchange & told me to do one.

 

An hour later, I turn up with 3 Tourist police who 'negotiated' a refund. The shop owner was furious and at one point he lunged for me but all he got in reply was a big smile from me as the cops held him back. Best day of my holiday that was.

Weeeeell, cheap flip-flops from a backstreet venue, is a bit of a gamble...

[gargamon]

Just use your Jedi mind tricks on them. Simply say ”sorry, I don't give money to police“. Worked for me every time I've done it. I think they were flabbergasted and didn't know what to do. 

[herfiehandbag]

1 hour ago, Upnotover said:

Quite so, but they do exist, I am doubtful telling them you are "waiting for a consular official" will cut it, at certainly if they see you are a Brit.

The tourist police are certainly limited in effectiveness, however you have more chance of getting one than you do of getting a consular bod, especially outside a 500m radius of the British Embassy.

[djayz]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

How much do they want? 5000B? 10k?

 

Do you really want to argue about that kind of money? Give it to them, walk away, and forget about it. It is not worth to get annoyed or in trouble over an amount like that.

 

Sure, you can try to negotiate and offer only half or something like that. But do it like playing a game. I remember the first time the traffic police stopped me, and they wanted 400B. We talked and talked, and I told them it was the first time that I was in that area, and I won't do it again, and anyhow I have not much money. At the end I paid 100B and everybody was happy. TiT

 

I absolutely agree with you if the person has actually committed a crime. However, if innocent, then I have to disagree with you and say that it's about principles, not money. 

Edited January 31, 2023 by djayz

[DavisH]

2 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Whatever the police want as a payment will be a lot less than the trouble you’ll have to go through if you choose to refuse their on-the-spot offer. If the Tourist Police, or a consular official, advise you to pay up, do so – they’ve been in these situations a hundred times before.

So pay the bribe then if you are guilty?

[Mr Meeseeks]

3 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Secondly, the vast majority of Thai police are there to do a job, protecting fellow Thais and foreign visitors.

Sorry, but that is simply a lie. ???? 

[nigelforbes]

5 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Sorry, but that is simply a lie. ???? 

No it isn't.

[Sandboxer]

Just pretend you're deaf mute (or retard) and start making snorty sounds while holding your hands up in the international "huh" gesture. Works every time I hear^^.

Edited January 31, 2023 by Sandboxer

[pedro01]

 

43 minutes ago, DavisH said:

So pay the bribe then if you are guilty?

That's generally been my experience. Mind you - I've not been guilty of much.

 

The exception was the chief prosecuter of an area of Bangkok. Someone had reported me for something I hadn't done - she agreed it was bogus and agreed to toss the case. She also asked for a new sofa for her office.

 

I told my lawyer there was no f***ing way I was going to part with any cash - and the lawyer ended up paying it from his own pocket as he was interested in an 'ongoing relationship'. That's the only time I've been properly shaken down. I was disgusted.

[pedro01]

18 minutes ago, Sandboxer said:

Just pretend you're deaf mute (or retard) and start making snorty sounds while holding your hands up in the international "huh" gesture. Works every time I hear^^.

There's something to be said for ramping up your accent (mine is West Midlands) and using a lot of slang when talking to them. A few will give up when they can't understand <deleted> you are saying.

[Blumpie]

Yep all great ideas.  Never raise your voice to them unless you are asking for a lawyer.

Don't let foreigners who embrace third world shady practices as "normal" get you down or listen to one word they have to say.  

Thailand is a nice place, its police are third world.  Always have been and it seems they are happy with it this way.  

[richard_smith237]

3 hours ago, Neeranam said:

3 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Don’t agree to leave the immediate area you have been stopped, even if they insist that you go to the police station 

Why not? 

Indeed.... that should be your ‘go to step’ if you suspect they are ‘fake police’ that have stopped. 

 

Additionally, even if they are police, they won’t want the added hassle.

[jvs]

Speaking my foreign native dialect tends to throw them off a bit.

 

[richard_smith237]

35 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

41 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Sorry, but that is simply a lie. ???? 

No it isn't.

Erm... it is and it isn’t.... 

 

The vast majority of Police may want to be there to help people, but they are also embedded in a corrupt system which takes advantage of people.

[richard_smith237]

3 hours ago, Rohe60 said:

The easiest way to deal with a police shakedown is not to let it happen at all.
Advice: Stay out of Thailand!

of course.... and for those who worry about a shake down... ‘if they don’t like it, they should go home’ !!! 

 

 

 

 

 

???? [yes, that was a satirical pish-take at those who may seriously write such a comment]

 

 

 

 

 

[soi3eddie]

4 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Secondly, the vast majority of Thai police are there to do a job, protecting fellow Thais and foreign visitors. But there are a few who will take advantage of situations where they think they can get away with stitching you up for a few thousand baht.

Best laugh I've had all week. 

 

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, djayz said:

I absolutely agree with you if the person has actually committed a crime. However, if innocent, then I have to disagree with you and say that it's about principles, not money. 

Agreed....  Still, as much as I object its sometimes just easier to give them something because too much time is being wasted already. 

 

I recall getting pulled over for turning left from the middle lane...   An illegal manoeuvre.

My objection was that there was a lorry parked on the inside lane so turning left was impossible without rounding the bin-lorry via the second lane. 

I argued and argued but realised I was getting nowhere.... The Police officer wanted 500 baht... he got 200  Baht...  it was just wasting too much time to be bothered with. 

 

 

BUT... I’ve seen an ‘extortion attempt... Police wanted to get me out of a taxi... Wanted passport etc... it was obvious what the game was... Stop the westerner, search him, see what he can be taken for, fine him for not carrying a passport, make him pee in a cup etc etc...  Apart from not carrying a passport, I’ve nothing to hide, but didn’t want t play...  The only option was ‘Phone a Friend’ (who’s a senior Policeman) and the situation was over in a couple of minutes without getting out of the taxi.

 

So.. How to avoid an attempted shakedown ? - The best defence is to have the number of a police friend, preferably a senior one...  

 

Of course, not everyone has that, but in a country with so many police a lot of us expats who have been here any length of time invariably cross paths with and become friendly with a policeman..... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[soi3eddie]

3 hours ago, Denim said:

They helped me once to get a refund from a travel agent.

 

Thai airways had refunded the return leg of an unused flight to the agent I got the ticket from. Agent refused to give me the 6000 baht. Went to tourist police who sent an officer with me to get the money from the agent. The agent span a cock and bull pack of lies to the police officer unaware that I speak Thai. She was very surprised when I spoke to them both in Thai and she was caught in her lie. I got the money back but she had to perform a final act of spite. She had checked the ticket with my passport ( same name ) but instead of returning my passport she threw it in the rubbish bin and told me to get it myself. Both the officer and I raised our eyebrows but said nothing.

I picked up the bin , emptied the whole contents of it onto her work desk and retrieved my passport from the detritus

She was hopping mad but I had what I came for and we left. Back in the police car the policeman had a good laugh and said ' that showed her ' then took me to the hotel with a wai and a handshake.

Great story. Hope you rewarded the policeman for his assistance.

 

 

Edited January 31, 2023 by soi3eddie

[soi3eddie]

2 hours ago, herfiehandbag said:

The tourist police are certainly limited in effectiveness, however you have more chance of getting one than you do of getting a consular bod, especially outside a 500m radius of the British Embassy.

You'll be lucky to get a British consular bod out from behind their bullet proof glass let alone assist you. Just why do they need to have bullet proof glass? ???? Was in there in November and they even had "Bomb" panic buttons <deleted>. They really are that paranoid about their own citizens wanting to harm them. Why is that?

 

[billd766]

2 hours ago, edwardandtubs said:

Singapore? Costa Rica? Neither place has a problem with police extorting foreigers.

Costa Rica I can easily believe, But Singapore is not so easy to believe though I haven't been there for a few years.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_in_Singapore

 

Corruption in Singapore is generally perceived as one of the lowest in the world. Cases are mostly handled by the Singapore Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), a government agency in Singapore that investigates and prosecutes corruption in the public and private sectors.[1] According to a Transparency International survey, an overwhelming majority of people in Singapore do not hear cases of corruption by public officials or institutions through media in their lifetime. In 2020, Singapore's public sector was ranked as the fourth least corrupt in the world and the most transparent in Asia.

 

https://www.indexmundi.com/surveys/results/1

 

Thailand is rated at #24

Costa Rica is rated at #68

Singapore is rated at #97

 

The higher the rating number, the less corrupt the country is.

[soi3eddie]

If I was stopped for a shake down and guilty of wrongdoing then I'd try to blag my way out of it, or failing that, negotiate or simply pay up. If totally innocent then would stand my ground.

 

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

You'll be lucky to get a British consular bod out from behind their bullet proof glass let alone assist you.

One would be lucky to get hold of anyone at all.....   and then have them assist you at 1am in the morning because the police are shaking you down ???... The article seriously over egged that one... 

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, djayz said:

I absolutely agree with you if the person has actually committed a crime. However, if innocent, then I have to disagree with you and say that it's about principles, not money. 

I understand your point, but I disagree.

Let's say you are somewhere on the street and maybe three police officers stop you. And soon they tell you they saw that you had drugs in your hand, and they also saw that you threw them away over there at the corner. And one of the officers goes to the corner and retrieves a small bag with white powder.

Now the officers tell you they have mercy with you, and they will let you go if you pay 10k on the spot, cash, and you can walk away.

You never took drugs in your life, and you are sure your fingerprints can't possibly be on that bag, and you don't even know if sugar or cocaine is in that bag. 

But it seems the cops are serious and want your money. You don't see cameras and you don't see anybody who can tell that you didn't do that.

What would you do? Argue? Get arrested? Stay overnight in a police cell with some other guys? Argue again in the morning that you didn't do it?

Or would you consider paying? Just pay, and the nightmare is gone. Now you can't afford that new phone anymore. But on the other hand, you can sleep at home and not in a cell with some guys. What would you do?

Now please let me know, would you still stick to your principles?

 

Obviously I don't know if things like that happen and how often they happen. But I guess it could happen. I would say: Here, take my money and let me go. And I would be relieved that that nightmare is over.

 

[OneMoreFarang]

3 hours ago, Rohe60 said:

The easiest way to deal with a police shakedown is not to let it happen at all.
Advice: Stay out of Thailand!

Yeah, maybe go to a first world country like America. But look in the mirror first and check your color. ???? 

[richard_smith237]

10 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Now please let me know, would you still stick to your principles?

 

Obviously I don't know if things like that happen and how often they happen. But I guess it could happen. I would say: Here, take my money and let me go. And I would be relieved that that nightmare is over.

One of the very fortunate things in Thailand is that while there is a lot of corruption, corruption on that level is extremely rare, such that I’ve never heard of ‘drugs being planted’....

 

And... Thanks to the latest extortion case (An Yu Qing - AKA Charlene An) there may be more focus on ensuring things such as this no longer occur or occur much much less. 

 

BUT... in that hypothetical station you exampled [OneMorefarang], with no phone a friend option, I think it would be very difficult to stand on principle and spend a night in jail when paying some cash can make the problem go away.

 

What to do?... attempt to secretly record the event... and then seek help the following day filing an extortion case.

 

 

That said: IF I felt that were a realistic situation (getting drugs planted) I wouldn’t be living in Thailand - things like that would be a show-stopper for me. 

 

Edited January 31, 2023 by richard_smith237

[OneMoreFarang]

4 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

That said: IF I felt that were a realistic situation (getting drugs planted) I wouldn’t be living in Thailand - things like that would be a show-stopper for me. 

Do you remember Thaksin's war on drugs maybe 15 or 20 years ago? When I remember it correctly more than 2000 suspects were shot and not much happened. The police had to fulfil their quota.

[djayz]

31 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I would say: Here, take my money and let me go.

And that's exactly why they keep on doing this, to both us and their own. 

I know it's easy for us to sit on a forum debating this back and forth, and yes, of course I want to sleep in my own bed, but I also want to be able to look at myself in the mirror every morning for the rest of my life and not feel like a helpless fool who has been taken by a good for nothing, lazy buffalo. 

 

[BayArea]

the title alone on this article is enough to scare away first-time tourists to LOS.

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, djayz said:

And that's exactly why they keep on doing this, to both us and their own. 

I know it's easy for us to sit on a forum debating this back and forth, and yes, of course I want to sleep in my own bed, but I also want to be able to look at myself in the mirror every morning for the rest of my life and not feel like a helpless fool who has been taken by a good for nothing, lazy buffalo. 

 

I live in Thailand since forever and it never happened to me. I also don't remember any friend telling me a story like that.

But I will never forget a foreigner who was accused of not paying his lady drinks. I followed that from the moment when the foreigner started to argue with the waitress, the mamasan, the manager and then the police. And the police told him they will arrest him if he doesn't pay. And the police talked to him and talked to him and they did everything to avoid arresting him. At the end the foreigner put out his hands and insisted: arrest me!

They did.

What a fool!

I don't remember the exact amount, but the total was less than 500B.

So much about principles. 

[Xanthe]

6 hours ago, Woof999 said:

This article said that, if you'd done something wrong and were offered an on the spot fine, it would likely be a lot less hassle and cost than going to court.

 

Sounds like decent advice to me.

Yes I paid 10K when caught high on ice and wandering aimlessly (or may be looking for someone to warm up my bed in her birthday suit.) in Nana areas.