Q Bar Raid

[Axel]

One thing for sure DaveYo, you said it and it is correct. Keep photocopies of your p/port. The embassy can than easily issue a new one ir it is lost.

Now, a new EU-passport takes 6-8 weeks, the German embassy still issues non-EU-p/ports, handwritten and delivered within 1 day.

But with the visa you must be careful nowadays. Better report the lost p/port as lost, carry the new one (the emergency one) to the immigration office together with your police report (lost p/port), the photocopies of your previous stamps and the (new) standard letter by the embassy confrming that they did issue the new one.

Immigration will check and tranfer your stamps into the emergency p/port. For this, at least in BKK, you not even need an application form.

So nowadays I would use the emergency one, if valid for one year, for about 4 months and than apply for the real EU-passport, which will arrive roundabout 6 months b4 the emergency expired and actually becomes useless for travel as most countries want a validity of minimum 6 months.

So again, you have to show the used (and voided) emergency, the letter by the embassy regarding the new one and the new p/port and your stamps will be transfered.

But nowadays, I would not send any passport out of the country, just too dangerous.

[Up2U]

Although I pass by Q-Bar every day, I have never been inside. So the following is not a commercial from my side, just a quote from letters in The NATION 23/8/04:

Disgraceful police-state methods will not stand

Re: "Hundreds fined as police swoop on Q Bar" (August 16). As an internationally respected, Thai-owned business established in 1999, Q Bar does its best to respect and fully cooperate with the authorities and enforce policy as it is given to us, including bag checks, ID checks and the recent 1am closing enforcement. Q Bar supports the crackdown on illegal nightlife activities.

However, the methods used can be confusing and disturbing. Many of our customers were upset by the way they were treated during the police raid earlier this month, and we apologise for this.

It must be pointed out that the vast majority of them were held even though they carried valid picture ID or a copy of their passport, as most embassies instruct them to do, but on this particular occasion original passports were demanded (which is not a requirement, according to local police). In addition, all operating licences were found to be in order, and not one patron was found to be on illegal drugs or under-aged, a fact we're sure the authorities applaud.

Q Bar management

BANGKOK

Here the link, 2nd letter from the bottom:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/page.news....19488&usrsess=1

They carried out ID checks at Q Bar, but then a hundred people were fined for not having their passports?

What sort of ID checks did they carry out? Obviously not the correct one.

Why all this fuss about one bar - just because the people who frequent the place think that they are above such hassle? Above the law? A hundred of them obviously were not. They were fined for BREAKING THE LAW.

[Up2U]

Whoever was responsible made a MAJOR mistake when Q Bar the night was raided. This incident will have serious repercussions for the kingdom"s high end tourist industry and foreign population.

Foreign guests in a country cannot be obliged to offer a urine sample just because they happen to be eating or drinking in a certain establishment. There has to be more evidence than that to force someone to undergo this humiliating experience.

This incident is absolutely disgraceful. What has happened to Thailand's well earned reputation for hospitality? Is the place turning into a police state?

Where are you living?

In UK it is possible for police to raid a restaurant / nightclub if they have reason to believe that drugs are being sold / consumed there. And subject all patrons and staff to a urine test.

I assume it is the same in most countries where the police are allowed to fight this criminal culture, although in some 'tolerant' countries it may be more difficult. Which of course means that this evil will not be destroyed.

[Axel]

I would make a difference between BREAKING THE LAW and disregarding or violating a rule.

Let's say, you drive a vehicle without having a driving licence is breaking the law, however, driving without carrying the licence is a violation.

For the first you are punished, for the latter you receive a fine.

Not carrying your p/post is violating a rule or regulation, not having a p/port (with a valid permit to stay) is breaking the law.

Bars and pubs etc. are asked by police to check for ID to avoid minors entering the place. If minors are found the owners of the place will be fined. But I would not expect staff of a place to check wether or not I carry a p/port. Neither would security ask an adult looking far older than 20, for an ID to show not being a minor.

[Elysium]

Why all this fuss about one bar - just because the people who frequent the place think that they are above such hassle? Above the law? A hundred of them obviously were not. They were fined for BREAKING THE LAW.

Again it is noted that there is a strong predjuce by some against some places and in particular Q bar.

I do not feel above the law and neither think that I deserve hassle less than others.

However, I do not think that classifying all visitors to this establishment as oneis correct. We are all individuals and deserve respect for our individual choices.

It seems though that you are targeting people on the fact that they choose a certain bar to drink and have fun, above the bars you are frequenting. Where is the mistake?? Do you not respect the freedom of choice?? Let some (including me) go to Q Bar and we let you go to the places you like. We will not judge you on your choice, being it in Nana or at the Oriental.

As stated by others. Not carrying your passport is a violation and might deserve a fine. It is not justifying the statement 'BREAKING THE LAW'. By stating it like this you seem to feel superior above many foreigners who are not carrying a passport and choose to carry a copy instead...

I almost hope that you will be the first one to loose his passport.......

[Insight]

Can anybody name a place that is frequented only by Thais which was targeted in the past few months?

Think hard now...

[marquess]

In UK it is possible for police to raid a restaurant / nightclub if they have reason to believe that drugs are being sold / consumed there. And subject all patrons and staff to a urine test.

If I recall correctly (having lived in the UK for 30 odd years), to undertake such an action. One would need a court order. It could not be done on arbitary basis. Also not every patron would be subjected to a drugs test, unless the officer(s) had good cause to suspect that he or she had been under the influence of drugs. A person in the UK and most western countries has recourse to the law to protect individual rights. This is not so here in Thailand. Lets face the facts, this is just another example of the authorities using a sledge hammer to crack a nut. In this case the nut was not even visible. Therefore there can be little comparison with a nightclub raid in UK and those undertaken here in Thailand.

[Foggy Bottom]

Can anybody name a place that is frequented only by Thais which was targeted in the past few months?

Think hard now...

Irrelevant question as such raids would hardly raise an eyebrow in the farang community .... but to answer it - watch Thai TV news, especially after 7pm, and you will almost nightly see footage of raids taking place in areas not attended by farangs - especially in the provinces outside of Bangkok.

Now for those of you in Bangkok, turn the question over and ask "Can you think of a night club in the capital that is guaranteed to have no farangs on a friday night?"

Even here in "sleepy hollow", the night clubs get raided, accompanied by TV crews, and large numbers are urine tested. This ongoing campaign has also been featured in a special Star News Asia report, brioadcast internationally, and which featured clubs in Bkk and CM.

Having witnessed the farang types who pour out of the clubs into all-night restaurants at 2am - mostly 20-something wannabees and yuppies whose only knowledge of Thailand is from a club dance floor and 5 year old copy of Lonely Planet, then I'm in favour of weeding some of these out - especially considering some of the falacious nonsence, about this country, that they scream at each other in their drunken reverie while waking up the neighbourhood.

Honestly, the nearest they get to Thai culture is reading an in-flight magazine, and they bring the Thais scorn to the rest of us who do try to learn, and fit in, because we live here.

[Elysium]

Having witnessed the farang types who pour out of the clubs into all-night restaurants at 2am - mostly 20-something wannabees and yuppies whose only knowledge of Thailand is from a club dance floor and 5 year old copy of Lonely Planet, then I'm in favour of weeding some of these out - especially considering some of the falacious nonsence, about this country, that they scream at each other in their drunken reverie while waking up the neighbourhood.

Honestly, the nearest they get to Thai culture is reading an in-flight magazine, and they bring the Thais scorn to the rest of us who do try to learn, and fit in, because we live here.

Since we are taling about Q Bar.

Your statement does not seem to cover the average visitor to Q Bar.

Please come by and see for yourself....

Or do you prefer, as others here, not to go to some places because you could be labelled by somebody as a "wanabee yuppie"?

Q Bar is an international reknown club with a loyal and extensive following. Places like this are attracting the higher than average spenders, if we talk about tourists. Isn't it policy of the present government to have more 'quality' visitors? Why having such a bad advertisement than? Maybe they should all just go to Nana and Soi Cowboy then....

[DaveYo]

Hold on here a spot folks. If I was in a bar and drinking say Coke Cola, and in come the troops, and then they ask for my passport and I show it to them, and is totally sober and has two forked eyes, and then they ask me for a urine test, I would laugh at them and simply say " Me no Urine to donate, just did it a minute before you walked in". After that I get the heck out of there.

They still cannot do a thing. They cannot force me to give something if I am high and dry without legit cause, just because I am empty only drank Coke Cola.

That is the way I am. If I am clean, and know I am clean, I tell them tough luck charlie, better luck next time and move on out of there.

Refusing to submit to insult of your own intelligence is not a crime.

Daveyo

[meemiathai]

You seem to be the smartest man here in this forum, Dave!

[sriracha john]

Hold on here a spot folks. If I was in a bar and drinking say Coke Cola, and in come the troops, and then they ask for my passport and I show it to them, and is totally sober and has two forked eyes, and then they ask me for a urine test, I would laugh at them and simply say " Me no Urine to donate, just did it a minute before you walked in". After that I get the heck out of there.

They still cannot do a thing. They cannot force me to give something if I am high and dry without legit cause, just because I am empty only drank Coke Cola.

That is the way I am. If I am clean, and know I am clean, I tell them tough luck charlie, better luck next time and move on out of there.

Refusing to submit to insult of your own intelligence is not a crime.

Daveyo

It would seem plausible to me that if you told Thai police that you just "went" and didn't have urine for sample testing and especially if you laughed at them while doing so, then they would simple say "fine" and proceed to prepare a catheter to forcefully insert into your urethra.

[pnustedt]

A good tip for going to such places whilst wishing to partake of chemical refreshments - from Diego Maradona: Take a plastic penis filled with "clean" urine, in your pocket, have a hole in the pocket. When asked for a urine sample push the plastic penis thru the pocket and flies and hey presto!

[stumonster]

Take a plastic penis

um.. i was under the impression that plastic penises were illegal in thailand.

[Absingjul]

BiB are still playing this game. Last week Narcissus was raided.

[T_Dog]

Note to those reading.... Original Post is from 2004. Some things never change I guess....

[Plus]

This is not the news. Narcissus or whatever should get its own thread if it's important.

"Q-Bar has been raided" - it's a screaming headline from five years ago that is at the top of the current news section.

Mods, please do something.

[BigSnake]

WOW!! We have been warn. How long will this Crackdown last?? I wonder? Sound like maybe a new Police commander in charge a is eager to show his stuff stance to the local farang, bar owner and most of all impress his BOSS

[TAWP]

PLEASE SPLIT THESE LAST POSTS INTO THEIR OWN THREAD AS THE ORIGINAL NEWS IS FROM 2004!

Sorry for yelling, but the headline as it stands will alarm people for no reasons...about that bar.

[animatic]

This is S.O.P. over time here.

Someone is asked to 'up the back channel payments' and balks,

so their business is raided quite publically, the payments DO go up anyway,

AND get paid, but with less business to do it with till the incident is forgotten.

BIB SOP same same.

So this political seasons victim is Narcissus, another high profile farang connected operation,

exactly the type of target that wins points politically and has deep pockets; slow or booming business.

This also tends to happen when there are 'upper level' transfers,

or prior to hoped for rises in pay grade and status.

Being seen to do SOMETHING publically for fun and profit.

Edited June 16, 2009 by animatic

[wefearourdespot]

Of the 373 people tested, 104 didn't have passports with them as required in Thailand, and were taken to a police station where they were fined and released. He did not know the amount of the fine.

We all know there's a lot of farang scum who go to the beaches or swim in the sea without passport too.

Let's hope the Royal Police does something about such heinous crimes.

[wefearourdespot]

"Of the 373 people tested, 104 didn't have passports with them as required in Thailand..."

I thought it was acceptable to have a passport photocopy to hand rather than actually having to carry the real-thing around with you all the time. Perhaps someone could clarify this?

were taken to a police station where they were fined and released

At least it lets wanted criminals know that the only penalty for refusing to identify yourself is merely a small fine, it seems. No follow-up on these folks?

Indeed.

As I just wrote above, such leniency might induce them to perpetrate other heinous crimes like swimming without keeping passport inside the swimming suit.

[wefearourdespot]

Make a color copy of your pasport's front page will all of the information in it. Also, make a copy of your visa page with the TM card. Take the two copies and cut them out to passport size, and them laminate them back to back.

but before don't forget to get them stamped at the post office !

[george]

Thread closed, this info was many years ago.