Office Worker Raises Concerns Over Unofficial Fine Collection for Cigarette Butt Littering

[webfact]

 

In a recent incident, a young office worker, Ms. E (pseudonym), aged 26, alleged that she was approached by personnel resembling officials near Pattaya's Bali Hai Pier.

 

They demanded a fine of 6,000 baht for littering cigarette butts, ultimately settling for 3,000 baht without providing a receipt. Suspicion arises over the behavior of these individuals, potentially tarnishing the city's tourism image, reported Daily News.

 

Picture: Daily News

 

On the evening of August 9, Ms. E, along with friends from China and Japan, was returning from a boat trip. As her friend discarded a cigarette butt, individuals resembling officials insisted on a fine of 2,000 baht each, totaling 6,000 baht. The scenario raised concern as the attire seemed misleadingly official.

 

The group negotiated and paid 3,000 baht, but the personnel refused a receipt. Authorities recommend reporting such incidents beforehand to ascertain their legitimacy and prevent potential scams or abuse of authority. Ms. E confirmed the face of the personnel and showed the littering site to reporters, underscoring the lack of proper lighting during the incident.

 

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[bob smith]

I see these BMA goons on the streets daily, eyeballing tourists.

 

The official line is that even if you do drop a fag butt on the floor you don't have to pay.

 

At least not right away to the official that grabs you/is asking for an inflated amount. Demand to be taken to the nearest police station immediately and start making a call to your embassy. Don't forget to video the entire encounter and take the BMA officials name and shoulder number.

 

If they start throwing silly numbers at you like 10,000 baht etc call your lawyer as well.

 

They will soon give up harassing you once you have firmly stood your ground and proven that you are not a mug.

Edited August 10, 2023 by bob smith

[mikebell]

I sat in a becalmed Bangkok taxi yesterday and watched a Tessakit official stalk two smoking farangs.  It was like a David Attenborough documentary as the official moved in for the kill only for the prey to stub out their cigs and dispose of them in rubbish bags waiting to be collected.  His face resembled that of a lion's as a monkey alerted the zebra to the predator's proximity.

[2long]

While I don't condone fake or real 'officials' trying to scam or overcharge people, littering needs to be stamped out! Smokers are among the worst for littering, because no one wants to carry around a dirty fag butt. If you have any non-biodegradable rubbish or a fag butt, find the correct place to dispose of it and then you won't have a problem!

[bob smith]

25 minutes ago, 2long said:

While I don't condone fake or real 'officials' trying to scam or overcharge people, littering needs to be stamped out! Smokers are among the worst for littering, because no one wants to carry around a dirty fag butt. If you have any non-biodegradable rubbish or a fag butt, find the correct place to dispose of it and then you won't have a problem!

if they actually had bins properly placed then it wouldnt be a problem. I was walking about the other day and it took me half an hour to find a bin to dispose of my empty can of lager. Half an hour, I kid you not! And this was on a very busy road in a major city.

 

It's almost as though the BMA or whoever don't want to put physical bins on the streets so the corrupt officials can continue raking in the fines...

Edited August 10, 2023 by bob smith

[BangkokHank]

I was once stopped by a policeman for littering. He tapped me on the shoulder as I was going up the stairs of the Ploenchit Center, pointed to a cigarette on the ground, and said to me in broken English that I had dropped it - obviously expecting me to pay a fine. I told him in Thai that I don't smoke, after which he just smiled sheepishly and walked away - to look for another victim.

 

Another time, I struck up a conversation with a foreign woman negotiating with these "catchers of farang litterers". She asked me what she should do. I told her to just run away! They're not going to shoot her, and given that they're just looking for easy money, they're not even likely to chase her. They'll just sit around and wait for the next farang.

 

And while I agree that littering is wrong, these "officials" actually make it a point to remove all trash bins from the area where they are trying to entrap foreigners. If they really cared about littering, they would just put out trash bins. So, as with most things in Thailand, this is about the money.

[bob smith]

4 minutes ago, BangkokHank said:

I was once stopped by a policeman for littering. He tapped me on the shoulder as I was going up the stairs of the Ploenchit Center, pointed to a cigarette on the ground, and said to me in broken English that I had dropped it - obviously expecting me to pay a fine. I told him in Thai that I don't smoke, after which he just smiled sheepishly and walked away - to look for another victim.

 

Another time, I struck up a conversation with a foreign woman negotiating with these "catchers of farang litterers". She asked me what she should do. I told her to just run away! They're not going to shoot her, and given that they're just looking for easy money, they're not even likely to chase her. They'll just sit around and wait for the next farang.

 

And while I agree that littering is wrong, these "officials" actually make it a point to remove all trash bins from the area where they are trying to entrap foreigners. If they really cared about littering, they would just put out trash bins. So, as with most things in Thailand, this is about the money.

Well said mate.

 

They are nothing but a bunch of crooks. What a racket.

[brianthainess]

Caught one following me one time in kaosan rd, I held on to the butt every now and again pretending to throw it in the gutter, some 20min later I put it in a bin, turned and laughed at him. 

[Gandtee]

For smokers the easiest way is to carry a small container to stub out and take your fag ends with you.

[billd766]

If you are a smoker and don't wish to get fined. Go to a 7/11 or Mom and Pop shop and spend 10 baht or so on a small bottle of water.

 

Drink as much as you wish and leave enough water in the bottle to extinguish your cigarette, and carry the water bottle with you until you can dispose of it correctly.

 

The cost will be about 10 baht or less, with the advantage that you will not be fined and you have a cold drink on a hot day.

 

Warning, do NOT attempt to drink the water after you have used it to extinguish your cigarette. It will taste awful.

[SoilSpoil]

Just go to the MBK/Stadium footbridge and watch the 'scam' unfolding when a foreigner lights up a cigarette. They will follow each smoking foreigners in pairs of 2. Easy money.

[Mr Meeseeks]

This scam has been going since the mid 90's and these witless goons are still at it.

 

Money Number One.

[1happykamper]

3 hours ago, bob smith said:

call your lawyer as well

My lawyer? I don't have a lawyer. You have a lawyer? Hmmmm

[thecyclist]

When they first introduced the 2000 Baht fine for littering, I  think it was about 20 years ago copying Singapore, around 80 % of those caught and fined in Bangkok were foreigners ,according to figures published in the Bangkok Post back then.Thais litter a lot more than farangs, who are brought up to not litter. Probably 99% of littering is done by Thais, but very few of those caught are Thais. It is one giant xenophobic scam, and it looks like nothing has changed. 

[BusyB]

3 hours ago, bob smith said:

...

They will soon give up harassing you once you have firmly stood your ground and proven that you are not a mug.

Smoking's a mug's game.

Edited August 10, 2023 by BusyB

[Dionigi]

3 hours ago, bob smith said:

I see these BMA goons on the streets daily, eyeballing tourists.

 

The official line is that even if you do drop a fag butt on the floor you don't have to pay.

 

At least not right away to the official that grabs you/is asking for an inflated amount. Demand to be taken to the nearest police station immediately and start making a call to your embassy. Don't forget to video the entire encounter and take the BMA officials name and shoulder number.

 

If they start throwing silly numbers at you like 10,000 baht etc call your lawyer as well.

 

They will soon give up harassing you once you have firmly stood your ground and proven that you are not a mug.

Don't bother calling the british embassy they are not here to help you

[Dionigi]

Perhaps when informing the police at the police station they will levy the official fine of 2000B also.

[RichardColeman]

Personally I think throwing a ciggie end away on the floor should carry an immediate 500 baht fine and they should invest in undercover ciggie end police unit - it would make its money back in 24 hours.  Smokers are probably the worst polluters on the planet due to their constant littering

[jcmj]

Trash bins with cigarette sand snuffers on top are not expensive and would reduce the amount of trash on the street, but I don’t think that most Thais care as they throw their food bags out everywhere as soon as they finish eating. Pollution is not well understood here or even a second thought for many. 

[Mr Meeseeks]

3 hours ago, Dionigi said:

Perhaps when informing the police at the police station they will levy the official fine of 2000B also.

Rather that than be extorted by a park attendant which is all these Tessaban guys are. 

[redwood1]

I think anyone who throws cig butts on the ground should be rewarded with 500 baht per cig butt by police....

For setting a good exame for others..

 

Smoking is good and good for you...And if anyone sees a cig butt on the ground this might encourage them to smoke too, so a reward is in order...

 

The world needs more smokers..

 

Edited August 10, 2023 by redwood1

[jacko45k]

20 hours ago, bob smith said:

They will soon give up harassing you once you have firmly stood your ground and proven that you are not a mug.

Not sure one needs to go through all your recommended palaver. They simply look for easy marks and mostly would move on if you stand up to them, ie go looking for easier targets. I guess it is intimidation.....I would ask to be taken to the police station.....

 

Oh and stop smoking you litterbugs.

[morrobay]

15 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Personally I think throwing a ciggie end away on the floor should carry an immediate 500 baht fine and they should invest in undercover ciggie end police unit - it would make its money back in 24 hours.  Smokers are probably the worst polluters on the planet due to their constant littering

They pollute the outside air all over Pattaya. Im on defensive breathing all over this area. Should be a notice on Trip Advisor for nonsmokers. Again this is for outdoors. More power to these officials for taking charge. And they really should up their game an fine "these cigarette smokers" smoking in illigal areas like these lowlifes (by construction) smoking at entrances to public buildings.