Tourist Police

[Tyke]

hi,

Has anyone had any need to call the tourist police and, if so, what was the outcome? Were they helpful? Good command of English? Easily contactable by phone? Efficient?

I also wonder what your views are on contacting the tourist police by phone if a regular cop demands a bribe. For example if a traffic cop stops you and asks for a bribe (or fine without a receipt) and you pretend not to understand at all what is going on and then say "wait I will contact the tourist police". What do you think the regular cop's reaction will be, and what the tourist police's reaction would be if you told them that the regular cop wants money without issuing a receipt? All done with an impression of total ignorance of the bribery system here.

[bkkjames]

Your first paragraph is quite funny, terms like efficient, friendly and all.

I once got pickpocketed near pratunam market and when I eventually found a TP near World Trade Center walkover, he said to me in broken English...you need to be very careful over there (pointing), many bad people around.

I said to him, if that's so, then why are you over here and not there?

He said, I like it over here better, not too many farangs.

[barky]

Without really ever needing their "assistance" I have always guessed they would be a total waste of space like the others in brown. However, there was one occasion about six months ago at about 10pm in the evening as I was walking out of the Pat Pong area to catch a taxi on Silom a young guy refused to take no for an answer when I ignored his forceful offer of going to a massage parlor, and he began to get aggressive and obnoxious. I indicated that I would seek the help of the Tourist police who were not more than 7 or 8 metres away and he laughed his head off and offered to get the tourist police for me. That told me everything I needed to know about the Tourist police right then and there.

[Mosha]

I had the tourist police here a few months back, they wanted me to volunteer to help with the tourists. The ones who came here definitely had no English language. As my English tends to be the West Riding type, that could have been interesting.

I do know of one expat who was fluent in Thai. He got pulled in at a checkpoint when under the influence. When the officer in charge said anything, the guy just kept saying in English "I do not understand". With 2 subordinates looking on maybe the officer was scared of losing face. He rattled something off in Thai and waved the guy on his way.

[Neeranam]

I've been arrested by the tourist police and they were very nice.

I know they hate the farang voluteers.

[NanLaew]

I know they hate the farang voluteers.

They do? Why?

[Neeranam]

I know they hate the farang voluteers.

They do? Why?

Because they don't want them but are made take some. Also, they are usually a very strange type of farang. Also, one time I was drinking with some of them, they said most of them couldn't even speak Thai.

Edited July 23, 2008 by Neeranam

[intumult]

Two incidents so far involving the Tourist police.

1) I needed some help on a legal matter. I phoned up. The original officer to answer spoke broken English but enough to inform me I would be called back. I was called back later that day and asked to go to the police station. The new officer I spoke to had a good command of English, was very helpful too. He made a number of telephone calls on my behalf and got me the help I needed.

2) Was strange. One evening I was sat in a restaurant I frequent and a lady I knew came over and sat for a little while before going back to her friends. Next thing I knew, as i sat alone, one of the waitresses came over, took my drink and put it on a nearby table where 3 Thai men sat.

Two of these were Tourist Policemen. They sat me down, gave me food and we talked for about an hour before I made my excuses to leave. The two officers were concerned that the lady I was sitting with earlier was a lady of 'bad reputation'.

They wanted to make sure I was OK and being treated well here also. All in all a reasonable evening and a telephone number given in case I need any help in the future.

Later that night in another restaurant the lady of 'bad repute' came over. She was not happy I was sat with the officers at their table. After I had left they gave her and her friends a very bad time.

Next visit to the restaurant and I got some stick off the waitresses for sitting with policemen !!

H_ll. What was I supposed to do? Ignore them and have possible future problems? Besides, to me they were polite, offered me drinks and gave me food too.

So, no bad reaction from my 2 encounters in different situations.

No idea what the BiB reaction would be if I called a Tourist Policeman to assist. Doubt if I would risk doing that.

[barky]

intumult, That all sounds OK and all, but I have to comment on the fact that they did not "invite" you to their table you were ordered (non-verbally). Typical of the way many Thais like to "lord it over" westeners because they know most westeners are s**t scared to cause a fuss lest they be give a very difficult time by all and sundry including the authorities.

[roygsd]

hi,

Has anyone had any need to call the tourist police and, if so, what was the outcome? Were they helpful? Good command of English? Easily contactable by phone? Efficient?

I also wonder what your views are on contacting the tourist police by phone if a regular cop demands a bribe. For example if a traffic cop stops you and asks for a bribe (or fine without a receipt) and you pretend not to understand at all what is going on and then say "wait I will contact the tourist police". What do you think the regular cop's reaction will be, and what the tourist police's reaction would be if you told them that the regular cop wants money without issuing a receipt? All done with an impression of total ignorance of the bribery system here.

Hi,

Many years ago a friend of mine and his wife were visiting LOS with me and as he had previously spent 10 years or so living in LOS I was much supprised when he complained to the Toy Police when he had been riped off for about £200 by a thai trader over some clothing he was shipping back ot the uk. As he had spent around £3k already I didnt see the point in making a fuss as I have little faith in Police in any country much less LOS.

We visited the Toy Police who listened, smiled and nodded at the ppropriate time and at the end of the story tellling gave my frined and his wide a piece of paper ( not a real business card) with the ToY Police phone number on it and showed them the door.

I thought it was very amusing however they didnt apprecaite the humour of it all, what got me was this guy was a sharp wheeler dealer type who would not dream of going to the police back in the uk but for some reason had it in his head that a farang was something of importance in LOS.

Roy gsd

[colonelsing]

As I have said the last time this subject was brought up,which I thought would be the last time but obviously not,I have experiece with the tourist police which was very positive and I found them to be very polite and helpful.I know both Thai and farang volunteer tourist police and they are very helpful to any tourist or foreigner needing assistance,but this is my experience and other people have their own experiences which apparently were not always positive.As to the guy who says he "knows" the Thai tourist police all hate farang volunteers I happen to know he is wrong about that,which is not hard to understand as his experience with the tourist police consists of them throwing him in jail.

[Crushdepth]

I've only 'used' the tourist police for informatoin services, but they have always been very helpful (much more so than the regular boys in brown). It's a good idea IMHO.

[girlx]

My friend and I were robbed of about $5000 worth of stuff on Samui. We went to the real police and they just laughed at us, checked out our asses, did absolutely nothing to help. The tourist police on the other hand were very polite, professional, and helpful.

[tw25rw]

How do you identify the tourist police?

I saw some middle aged white guys in black uniforms (military dress style with berets) in Patong one night.. Were they tourist police, or just weirdos?

[Chaimai]

How do you identify the tourist police?

I saw some middle aged white guys in black uniforms (military dress style with berets) in Patong one night.. Were they tourist police, or just weirdos?

and the difference is........

[pgs]

On my first visit, I had acamera stolen by a tuk-tuk driver (not that they'd ever do that), TP fill all forms in Thai only, 'read' it back as per what they were told. It was translated later and said I gave the tukkie the camera. Lovely. Wouldn't trust them after that.

[simon43]

How do you identify the tourist police?

[\quote]

In Phuket the foreign Tourist Police volunteers usually wear black/dark blue trousers, white polo shirt and blue baseball cap. The Immigration volunteers (who are stationed at the Patong immigration office and main immigration office in Phuket Town) wear dark trousers, white shirt and black baseball cap. Both types of volunteer have identifiable logos/text on their shirts/caps and have a photo id.

As for the military black/berets, the closest thing to this is the dark blue uniform and beret that is worn by supervisors of the Tourist Police volunteers. But I don't think it looks very 'tourist-friendly' myself

Regardless of how they look, here in Phuket both types of volunteer are there to assist and help tourists and expats alike. They are friendly!!

Simon

[bkkjames]

I find it amazing in a way that a country that professes to be so tourism friendly needs to recruit 'westerners' to act as volunteer go-betweens to offer assistance to tourists.

[simon43]

bkkjames, I have to agree with you to some extent. The main problem (from my viewpoint), is that most Thai Tourist Police speak little English. So foreign volunteers are recruited. But ... most of the foreign volunteers speak little Thai!! Truly a tower of Babel...

I am lucky in that I do speak/read/write reasonable Thai. Due to the large numbers of Arab tourists in Phuket, I am making an effort to learn to read/write/speak Arabic. (Well, it's squiggles, just like Thai...). Early days but it's not too difficult

Simon

[qwertz]

Last year in Pattaya I turned in my motorbike and the the travel stallholder told me to come back later for my 2,000 baht deposit.

I returned 2 hours later and she and the stall had disappeared.

I called in the tourist police who combed the town with me by car until we found her.

They arrested her and held her until her daughter came up with the cash.

Edited July 24, 2008 by qwertz

[Payboy]

Tourist Police

can't blame them..as the name suggest, their primary duty is to apprehend criminal tourists from causing nuisance in nightlife areas e.g. refusing to pay exhorbitant cover charge...etc.

[ovenman]

I find it amazing in a way that a country that professes to be so tourism friendly needs to recruit 'westerners' to act as volunteer go-betweens to offer assistance to tourists.

Or ostensibly that there is so much crime targeted against tourists, the problem warrants its own special branch of the police.

Edited July 24, 2008 by ovenman

[bassmaster50]

I went to hot springs where there were different charges for Thai and farangs,like in many places here.Guy in front of me in line showed some kind of id card and paid Thai price.I asked guy about card,thinking maybe it was some kind of id card anyone could purchase to pay Thai prices.Guy was very friendly,showed me volunteer tourist police id.He said volunteer tourist police pay Thai price everywhere if they show id.

[qwertz]

I went to hot springs where there were different charges for Thai and farangs,like in many places here.Guy in front of me in line showed some kind of id card and paid Thai price.I asked guy about card,thinking maybe it was some kind of id card anyone could purchase to pay Thai prices.Guy was very friendly,showed me volunteer tourist police id.He said volunteer tourist police pay Thai price everywhere if they show id.

A really nice volunteer tourist cop would have got you a discount too.

Selfish bugger.

[geriatrickid]

I'd love to join in the bashing, but on the 3 occassions I have seen them in action in Patong, Phuket I noticed patience, and discipline. 1st event involved a drunken farang making an ass of himself on Bangla. (If you have walked the strip after midnight, you know the type I mean.) They took him out of harm's way as he was about to be taught some manners by the other farangs he was annoying. 2nd event was outside Jungceylon where some lady was screaming, and I mean screaming, that she was disgusted by the service at some store and that they'd over charged her. As I sat there eating my ice cream she kept going on and on. If I had been the farang TP guy I would have said, yo mamma jump on the plane back to Riyadh and see how far you'd get with your attitude. Instead he went back into Jungceylon with the lady to try and solve the problem. 3rd event was a motorbike crash. The tourist police were there and rather compassionate and attentive to the farang that had the crash.

Tell ya what, given the option of not having someone there that can communicate with a farang and lend a hand vs. the usual chaos that ensus with the BIB, I'll take the calming influence of the TP any day. Their mandate is to help and they do accomplish that despite the hiccups along the way.

[bkkjames]

I'd love to join in the bashing, but on the 3 occassions I have seen them in action in Patong, Phuket I noticed patience, and discipline. 1st event involved a drunken farang making an ass of himself on Bangla. (If you have walked the strip after midnight, you know the type I mean.) They took him out of harm's way as he was about to be taught some manners by the other farangs he was annoying. 2nd event was outside Jungceylon where some lady was screaming, and I mean screaming, that she was disgusted by the service at some store and that they'd over charged her. As I sat there eating my ice cream she kept going on and on. If I had been the farang TP guy I would have said, yo mamma jump on the plane back to Riyadh and see how far you'd get with your attitude. Instead he went back into Jungceylon with the lady to try and solve the problem. 3rd event was a motorbike crash. The tourist police were there and rather compassionate and attentive to the farang that had the crash.

Tell ya what, given the option of not having someone there that can communicate with a farang and lend a hand vs. the usual chaos that ensus with the BIB, I'll take the calming influence of the TP any day. Their mandate is to help and they do accomplish that despite the hiccups along the way.

I wonder why I have not seen this volunteer farang police force in Bangkok. But then again, the TP don't actually do anything with tourist besides follow them around hoping they will drop a cigarette butt, in between hassling street vendors for additional payments.

Funny (not so) is that I often see a bunch of TP near Chong Nonsi BTS station (is this a big tourist area?) but never, ever see any in the evening along Sukhumvit Road between Nana and Emporium where there are tons of hotels and tourists out and about.