Random police check on GrabBike

The following is a firsthand account from a Chinese national living and working in Thailand. He has kindly given me permission to share it here. I've removed a few identifying details to protect his privacy.

Recently I using Grab get a motorbike to run errands. While the motorbike was driving, another motorbike suddenly sped up behind me with two police officers on it. These police caught up and asked the motorbike driver

"Who are you with??? Where are you going? Do you know each other? Please pull over immediately!"

I didn't do anything at the time; I was just looking at my phone texting!!!

When the motorbike stopped, I only had a briefcase with me.

The two policemans immediately got off and searched my bag, but there were only some documents and a pen inside nothing else.

They then asked me to show them my passport, but I didn't have it with me. You can't expect a foreigner to carry their passport all the time, right?

I said my passport was at home.

The two officers said, "Then please show me your passport photo."

I showed them my passport on my phone. After looking at it, they asked me to show them my visa page, my latest visa page! I had backed up all this information on my phone, and I showed it to them.

Then the two policemen asked me, "How come you speak Thai? Please show me your work permit!" Then I showed them my work permit again! Which is very small and I always carry it with me. After seeing it, they gave me a forced smile and asked why I wasn't carrying my passport. They said I should always keep my passport with me!

I said I couldn't just go out with my passport every time, because it's difficult to get a new one if I lose it! Then the two policemen told me, "Okay, that's fine, you can go now!"

I've lived in Thailand for many years, and this is the first time I've encountered something so absurd. This is my personal experience today, and I'm sharing it with you.

 

Now I thinking about it and I'm a little scared. I regret not recording a video when the two policemen searched my bag. If they had framed me, and secretly put drugs in my bag when I wasn't looking, it would have been a huge problem.

 

I've lived in Thailand for so many years, and this is the first time I've encountered something like this. I think this kind of thing will become more and more common, and even worse.

It's absurd and embarrassing to be harassed and questioned by the police for no reason at a transportation hub in downtown Bangkok, with so many cars waiting at a red light and the possibility of being photographed.

Personally, I can understand why he was shocked. I think most of us would probably feel the same if we were suddenly stopped, questioned and searched while simply riding on a GrabBike.

At the same time, this may not necessarily be something new or evidence of an increase in police checks. It may simply be that this was the first time it happened to him.

Has anyone else experienced a similar random police check in Bangkok recently?