Fake/mafia/mystery Cops Still A Bother?

[luumak]

are the fake cops lurking outside the immigration exists still a bother? i dont smoke but will be carrying a bottle of whisky. no smokes.

i dont want any dodgy cop going thru my bag where they might drop something in and give me a hassle and extort money. is it acceptable to ask them to go back thru the entrnace and have my bag ripped up by customs there?? no matter even if you are totally clean the beggar cops will beg money off you becasue thats the way thai bureaucratic class is. hey, give us money for NOT putting a joint in your bag.

thanks

[geriatrickid]

There are easier ways to extort money. If you belive the urban myth, good for you, but no need to pedal it as fact. Customs has plenty of bonafide smugglers to draw upon and there is no need to set up tourist types. Get real.

Edited May 10, 2008 by geriatrickid

[luumak]

im totally serious. you can search the board. unless the posts are wind-ups many, many people have reported being approached by 'cops' outside in the waiting hall where they rummage their bags -and sometimes find and fine people seems to be for cigarettes mainly. reports seem to target smokes or booze...over the duty free.

personally, in 15 years i have never had any problem w/ thai customs or seem anyone hassled in the new or old airport. but the stories are posted here.

[colino]

the real customs are hanging around at the airport iv been stopped all most every time when flying in on flights from the gulf , its no problem having a bottle of booze they have let me pass with 400 cigs and a bottle of whiskey , if you are approached outside the terminal and don't feel safe just ask to go back inside the building to customs

colino

[PadThaiGuy]

3 Mafias control the Airport. The AOT officials are involved with the scams or are just afraid to do anything.

Con artists in official looking uniforms is an ongoing problem.

I met my very first Thai Scammers on my first trip here. Yes, they were in uniform and working over arrivals behind security. Operating with permission by sombody....telling lies to tourists that arn't 'clued up' about Thailand.

Nothing you can do about it since they are probably off duty cops scamming tourists or have protection.

Go out to the Airport Cargo area sometime and attempt to pick up some Cargo.

The workers there are petrified of the cargo mafia and go along with the ripoffs.

Go off to any major tourist site in Bangkok and you will most certainly meet organized scammers working over tourists in plain view of security. Is the Security afraid or involved?

Google " Erawan Shrine Con Artists " to see what I'm talking about.

YES. 25 well dressed Thais lurk at the Erawan all day telling lies to lost tourists.

Similar gangs are at every tourist site.

What about the littering Police stalking tourists? Why has that continued for years?

Why are scammers posing as Taxi drivers permitted to be posted outside every hotel year after year?

Everybody knows the Tuk Tuk operators are untrustworthy. Yes..all of them.

Their only goal is to lie and cheat tourists.Yet they operate with impunity. Why is nothing done?

Why can't regular Taxis operate in Phuket and Pattaya? Transport Mafia make a fortune.

Why do the Tourist Police let the Gem Scam continue ?

Thousands of holidays are ruined every year and nothing done about it. Hmmm?

Tourists are scammed from the moment they arrive, passed off to one scammer to the next... till the moment they depart.

It all part of a major plan to scam tourists. It's an industry now, run with Police protection.

Don't believe me? I was in the tourism industry here for years. I've talked with thousnads of novice travelers.

The scamming of tourists is out of control.

It's so bad, I stopped recommend Thailand to people.

Go to any Hotel and interview people departing. The stories are horrendous.

Land of Tourist Scams.

Edited May 11, 2008 by PadThaiGuy

[Briggsy]

The comprehensiveness of the last post begs it to be pinned under the title of "Widespread scams aimed at first-time tourists"

[bendix]

Comprehensiveness? Yes perhaps.

I prefer to think of it as psychotic obessiveness. Poor old PTG has been waging a one-person war against all this for ages, even to the point of posting the same images as he asks you to Google. And wasnt he the chap behind the Bangkok Post 'expose' recently.

One wonders how some people dare to get out of bed in the morning.

To the OP . . the hundreds of posts you refer to about fake-ID'd officials were posted by our late lamented fellow obsessive, emperor tud. He, too, had a victimisation fetish, to the point that he refused to even read the replies to his accusations pointing out they were legal and real customs officials.

Stop worrying and enjoy your dam_n holiday, for chrissakes.

[burman]

personally, in 15 years i have never had any problem w/ thai customs or seem anyone hassled in the new or old airport. but the stories are posted here.

Perhaps it might be wise to rely on your 15 years of hassle free experience with Thai customs instead of stories on here.

[PadThaiGuy]

Comprehensiveness? Yes perhaps.

I prefer to think of it as psychotic obessiveness. Poor old PTG has been waging a one-person war against all this for ages, even to the point of posting the same images as he asks you to Google. And wasnt he the chap behind the Bangkok Post 'expose' recently.

One wonders how some people dare to get out of bed in the morning.

To the OP . . the hundreds of posts you refer to about fake-ID'd officials were posted by our late lamented fellow obsessive, emperor tud. He, too, had a victimisation fetish, to the point that he refused to even read the replies to his accusations pointing out they were legal and real customs officials.

Stop worrying and enjoy your dam_n holiday, for chrissakes.

Bendix' comments need to be put in perspective.

Arn't you the one who recently stated that you personally never experienced double pricing and you let your wife do all the interacting with locals?

Try getting out of your, car, condo, office and experience the real Thailand sometime....

I've been around 20 years and have run numerous businesses, married into a large successfull family, interacted with locals, seen the inside of police stations, courtrooms, dealt with lawyers, vendors, suppliers, contractors, builders, shipping, weddings, funerals, divorces..... etc....and I was in the TOURIST BUSINESS. Dealt with thousands of novice travelers

I know what I'm talking about.

Edited May 11, 2008 by PadThaiGuy

[bendix]

I dont doubt you know what you're talking about. Nor do I deny such things happening. But the frequency and the exuberance with which you report it give people the (in my view) false view that being here is like living in a never-ending assault course of trying to ward off scam-artists. Frankly it isnt.

They exist, but anyone with half an ounce of savvy, street-smarts and self-awareness can avoid most (but not all of it).

Anyone reading Thaivisa a la PTG and emperor tud would never dare to come here. Listening to you guys and taking your view as the ONLY Thailand would deprive them of many fantastic experiences.

[seagull]

are the fake cops lurking outside the immigration exists still a bother? i dont smoke but will be carrying a bottle of whisky. no smokes.

i dont want any dodgy cop going thru my bag where they might drop something in and give me a hassle and extort money. is it acceptable to ask them to go back thru the entrnace and have my bag ripped up by customs there?? no matter even if you are totally clean the beggar cops will beg money off you becasue thats the way thai bureaucratic class is. hey, give us money for NOT putting a joint in your bag.

thanks

dun tink tu mutt an orso dun werely tu mutt, u weel be allight.

[jeffer]

Airport Scam: Police Net 3 Fake Officers - 5/4/2008

[PadThaiGuy]

I'm not talking about the random scumbag shoving a massage parlor brochure in my face or some taxi trying to get me to an expensive seafood place or some other ripoff joint.

I'm concerned about the thousands of professional employed scammers(working with protection) posted around Bangkok near every tourist site, scammers in uniform at the International Airport...they are everywhere.

Like I said... A good example of what is happening is right at the Erawan Shrine.

There is an organized 'team' of scammers there right now.... Yes, the same people in the photos that I sent to the Tourist Police last June, still working full time, lieing to visitors. http://www.flickr.com/photos/21533131@N06/

Why is it allowed to continue? Many speculate the Tourist Police are involved with the scamming. Imagine that.

Edited May 11, 2008 by PadThaiGuy

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I'm not talking about the random scumbag shoving a massage parlor brochure in my face or some taxi trying to get me to an expensive seafood place or some other ripoff joint.

I'm concerned about the thousands of professional employed scammers(working with protection) posted around Bangkok near every tourist site, scammers in uniform at the International Airport...they are everywhere.

Like I said... A good example of what is happening is right at the Erawan Shrine.

There is an organized 'team' of scammers there right now.... Yes, the same people in the photos that I sent to the Tourist Police last June, still working full time, lieing to visitors. http://www.flickr.com/photos/21533131@N06/

Why is it allowed to continue? Many speculate the Tourist Police are involved with the scamming. Imagine that.

Nope....I have had enough of this clowns obsession. Now banned.

[bendix]

Cripes. I can see it now . . . He'll now contact the Bangkok Post (again) about his obsession but this time the article will talk about how he was banned by ThaiVisa for revealing the evil truth. Perhaps he'll suggest you guys are involved in it also . . . . .

[Briggsy]

Whenever I exit from the airport, immediately after walking through customs, I get my mobile out and pretend to have a conversation whilst also avoiding eye contact with any tout of any sort. Even when some pushy illegal taxi driver or an AoT limo tout shouts, "Where you go?" in my face, I just wave them away in the 'I'm having a phone conversation' way. I wonder if this would work for the fake police or freelancing excise officials or whatever they are. Maybe.

[bendix]

Alternatively, Briggsy, you could say 'mai aow krab'.

It aint rocket science.

[HarryHacker]

I'm not talking about the random scumbag shoving a massage parlor brochure in my face or some taxi trying to get me to an expensive seafood place or some other ripoff joint.

I'm concerned about the thousands of professional employed scammers(working with protection) posted around Bangkok near every tourist site, scammers in uniform at the International Airport...they are everywhere.

Like I said... A good example of what is happening is right at the Erawan Shrine.

There is an organized 'team' of scammers there right now.... Yes, the same people in the photos that I sent to the Tourist Police last June, still working full time, lieing to visitors. http://www.flickr.com/photos/21533131@N06/

Why is it allowed to continue? Many speculate the Tourist Police are involved with the scamming. Imagine that.

Nope....I have had enough of this clowns obsession. Now banned.

You are such a killjoy doc

[luumak]

yes, the scams as pthai pointed out are legend and have to be a dozen more that are quite common. they are ultimately and indirectly run by police or military or obviously condoned. gem scam now decades old is the 2nd best example. the best example is all the scammers at the new airport. if someone can explain how they same sharks made their way from do muang to suvarabum and the police not in on it...id like to know.

my main concern is/was the cops with 'real' fake id that are tied in close with the cops that i have read can hassle people. i speak well enough thai i think that if approached in thai i would direct them back into customs section and have a CUSTOMS guy if HE wishes open my bag and do as he pleases.

pthai's as my concerns are valid - thailand has for FAR too long known about these scams and done nothing. it shows quite honestly what the thai tourism industry is really about. you cant blame the avg thai - they have the same crap in their daily lives.

ps: you gotta love the cigarette butt 'scam'. while no one should be littering and cops are within their rights to enforce as they please, in the years that this has been 'law' in bkk i have only seen it enforced against farang tourists. if i was givin such a ticket in a third world country id pack my bags and go elsewhere next day. the irony is sublime honestly. with all the crime in bkk and elsewhere, cops are watching out for butts. makes one wonder and ...how do i get one of those jobs! :-)

Edited May 12, 2008 by luumak

[jackspratt]

my main concern is/was the cops with 'real' fake id that are tied in close with the cops that i have read can hassle people. i speak well enough thai i think that if approached in thai i would direct them back into customs section and have a CUSTOMS guy if HE wishes open my bag and do as he pleases.

....ps: you gotta love the cigarette butt 'scam'. while no one should be littering and cops are within their rights to enforce as they please, in the years that this has been 'law' in bkk i have only seen it enforced against farang tourists. if i was givin such a ticket in a third world country id pack my bags and go elsewhere next day

They are not cops - they are Excise officers.

They are not fake - they are real. If you have excess fags above your allowance, and they catch you, they will bust you. With legally sanctioned fines.

And as you don't smoke, you are unlikely to get busted for dropping a butt in the Bangkok streets - so no need to keep your bags packed for a quick getaway.

Now get on with life.

Edited May 12, 2008 by jackspratt

[pampal]

I have been approached by the excise guys and as soon as I asked to see the Police they disappeared. Were they fake excise officers?

I don't know, but I know they got scarce real fast as soon as I said police, they were wearing official looking uniforms, but didn't seen interested in going back inside the terminal, so my guess is that they were fake, but hey TIT.

[loubrockbank]

if this is actually happening.... what advise would you give a visitor coming into thailand?? i mean I hve been before and am pretty street ise, but reading this topis does make me a little nervous if Im honest..

[Burgernev]

I prefer to think of it as psychotic obessiveness. Poor old PTG has been waging a one-person war against all this for ages, even to the point of posting the same images as he asks you to Google.

One wonders how some people dare to get out of bed in the morning.

To the OP . . the hundreds of posts you refer to about fake-ID'd officials were posted by our late lamented fellow obsessive, emperor tud. He, too, had a victimisation fetish, to the point that he refused to even read the replies

nice one bendix, quality humour mate

//Edit: restored font format of quoted text as per forum/netiquette rules -- Maestro

Edited July 1, 2009 by Maestro
Restored orignal font formatting of quoted text - Maestro

[bendix]

if this is actually happening.... what advise would you give a visitor coming into thailand?? i mean I hve been before and am pretty street ise, but reading this topis does make me a little nervous if Im honest..

Havent you actually read this (and a dozen similar threads)?

They are NOT fake excise agents. They are real. They are quite within their rights to check your bags for undeclared cigarettes.

How freakin complicated does this have to be?

Ask for their IDs. If they don't provide any, walk away. Alternatively, you might want to stay at home. It's safer.

Oh . sod it, i give up . . .

[loubrockbank]

yes i did actually read the post , and it seems very mixed, forgive me but I thought rather than winge about it - those who are the more experienced visitors could actually advise others who may visit this forum for advice and tips especially first time visitors ....I personally would do as you say and ask for id but hey i was only asking

[Jandajoy]

Alternatively, Briggsy, you could say 'mai aow krab'.

It aint rocket science.

Absolutely Spot On. Works perfectly.

[Antigua]

Oh yes they are alive and well!

Had an encounter with them myself a few days ago but did exactly what you are suggesting and insisted on walking back into immigration hall.

They did not like this and needless to say waiting for us to re emerge.

Luckily (!) I had my elderly father with me and I told them he was in need of a Doctor and pushed past them but without that opportunity I am not sure we would have escaped from them.

The other annoying thing is the guys who wait for the passengers as they deboard the plane and pounce on them as they walk to immigration searching for those pax who are carrying what is clearly a bag of duty free.

Not a great welcome to Thailand - I saw many people giving up their duty free purchases to these guys.

If you must buy DF on route to BKK do what I do make sure you have a non identifible bag for hand luggage to put it in. Otherwise just ignore them and they wont follow you into the immigration hall!

Their beady eyes are scanning the poor unsuspecting arrivals for their duty free carrier bags!

[bendix]

Oh yes they are alive and well!

Had an encounter with them myself a few days ago but did exactly what you are suggesting and insisted on walking back into immigration hall.

They did not like this and needless to say waiting for us to re emerge.

Luckily (!) I had my elderly father with me and I told them he was in need of a Doctor and pushed past them but without that opportunity I am not sure we would have escaped from them.

The other annoying thing is the guys who wait for the passengers as they deboard the plane and pounce on them as they walk to immigration searching for those pax who are carrying what is clearly a bag of duty free.

Not a great welcome to Thailand - I saw many people giving up their duty free purchases to these guys.

If you must buy DF on route to BKK do what I do make sure you have a non identifible bag for hand luggage to put it in. Otherwise just ignore them and they wont follow you into the immigration hall!

Their beady eyes are scanning the poor unsuspecting arrivals for their duty free carrier bags!

Where do I start?

Who is THEY? Be specific. Are they customs inspectors? If so, what are you complaining about? They are there legitimately, and have every right to check people's bags for what is being brought in.

If they are scammers, as you seem to be implying, can you back it up? And even if they are (which I doubt) just walk past them.

<deleted>, grow a pair, people

[colino]

This is getting

sooooooo Boring

yawn yawn

i have not met any fake cops or customs inspectors

but i have met real customs inspectors it seems that they target inbound flights from the Arab states as posted before last time they were waiting at the end of the escalators on the way to baggage claim , when you collect your luggage and walk out arrivals into the crowds of touts their is a small office that they use (inside the building) some will follow you outside and if you stop to light up thats when they come over and ask you what you have. I all ways bring 400 L&M and a bottle of whiskey so far with no problem i just say 200 for me and 200 for Pa (i have been stopped 4 times )

[luumak]

first id like to say that the govt of thailand is well w/in their rights to enforce their laws. my INTEREST was in RUMOURS i had heard regarding "FAKE" cops.

my hunch is if they 'attack' outside the terminal that is absolute sign the act is suspect. they may very well be excise police but they also could be ...whatever.

if this were to ever occur to me i would as stated insist we go inside the customs area and the customs official can inspect the bag. i would also insist on i.d. and speak fairly decent thai (compared to 97% of other farang).

no need to beat a horse here - but i am very interested that:

posters on this board were stopped

they did/said something - and they vanished

that is interesting....