Cops Eating Free At Restaurants

[PaulUSA302]

When I was in Chiang Mai befriended a police officer in a Restaurant who at the time was waiting for a large order to be filled. He let me know that he was taking food home to his family. When his food order was complete he did pay the bill.

The next day I met him and a few of his fellow officers for dinner. (I paid) We ate at a BBQ restaurant where the food it set out raw and we cook it at our own table. They were good natured and very friendly. The staff did seem to show them unquestioning respect but they did nothing while I was with them that would indicate that they expected anything special.

I forget how much the bill was for the 3 of us, but I do remember that I gave the waiteer 1000 baht and got back a few hundred Baht in change.

[Alwaysright]

To all the restaurateurs in the Forum...

1) Do cops generally eat "for free" at restaurants here, especially if in uniform?

2) Do they "throw their weight around" or "hint" that they eat free if they enter restaurants? (whether big or small restaurants, farang or thai owned/runned).

3) Generally, even if they don't "throw weight around" nor "hint", is it customary for restaurant owners to "mai pen rai" the bill?

4) Does your Thai staff hesitate to give the cops the 'chekbin', especially if they're in a big group and/or high ranking (many stars on the shoulder, etc.)

What's it like in your experience?

In the high crime areas in the states owners ask the police to come in and eat for free.The customers like it.

[britmaveric]

Business(s) usually give free stuff out to entice the local police to patron their establishments - high visibility means less chance of some crime occurring in their business.

[mca]

When I worked in BKK in hospitality our hotel (international chain) gave signing privileges per month to the local top cop and his immediate subordinates. Not unlimited but they could certainly have a few good nights out on it. Sort of a "you scratch my back..." situation. It came in handy on occasions when people started throwing their weight around.

[Munted]

To all the restaurateurs in the Forum...

1) Do cops generally eat "for free" at restaurants here, especially if in uniform?

2) Do they "throw their weight around" or "hint" that they eat free if they enter restaurants? (whether big or small restaurants, farang or thai owned/runned).

3) Generally, even if they don't "throw weight around" nor "hint", is it customary for restaurant owners to "mai pen rai" the bill?

4) Does your Thai staff hesitate to give the cops the 'chekbin', especially if they're in a big group and/or high ranking (many stars on the shoulder, etc.)

What's it like in your experience?

Really <deleted>. You haf to be mad to not see corruption. So just accept. You aint in ur cuntry. Mai pen rai. That's the way it is.

[perousing]

When I was in Chiang Mai befriended a police officer in a Restaurant who at the time was waiting for a large order to be filled. He let me know that he was taking food home to his family. When his food order was complete he did pay the bill.

The next day I met him and a few of his fellow officers for dinner. (I paid) We ate at a BBQ restaurant where the food it set out raw and we cook it at our own table. They were good natured and very friendly. The staff did seem to show them unquestioning respect but they did nothing while I was with them that would indicate that they expected anything special.

I forget how much the bill was for the 3 of us, but I do remember that I gave the waiteer 1000 baht and got back a few hundred Baht in change.

paul you said "you met him and a few of his fellow officers" then you say "the bill for the 3 of us" well him and a few officers plus yourself dont make 3 just a bull sh-t story paul

[Dakhar]

This thread brings to mind:

http://www.videosift.com/video/Policeman-P...or-Short-Change

[sassienie]

Back in 1991 I was visiting Thailand for a month and staying with my wife’s best friend’s parents in Bangkok.

Her brother was a high ranking policeman and he invited me and a Thai group of friends to visit Patpong on one evening.

A small mini bus turned up and off we went, a first for me never having been to Patpong before.

We visited several bars downing a couple of beers at each one. All the drinks where served with the compliments of the house. And for the Grand fanarly, we ended up at a bar plus soapy massage bathhouse. The boss permitted me two girls for an hour and a half.

Never paid for anything and because I was a guest of the policeman, I was treated like some sort of celebrity with VIP status.

I think that if this guy were to turn up with his mates at a restaurant or bar, the owners would not have the bottle to present him with a bill. Not in Thailand, anyway.

Edited September 17, 2009 by sassienie

[ozzieovaseas]

When I was in Chiang Mai befriended a police officer in a Restaurant who at the time was waiting for a large order to be filled. He let me know that he was taking food home to his family. When his food order was complete he did pay the bill.

The next day I met him and a few of his fellow officers for dinner. (I paid) We ate at a BBQ restaurant where the food it set out raw and we cook it at our own table. They were good natured and very friendly. The staff did seem to show them unquestioning respect but they did nothing while I was with them that would indicate that they expected anything special.

I forget how much the bill was for the 3 of us, but I do remember that I gave the waiteer 1000 baht and got back a few hundred Baht in change.

paul you said "you met him and a few of his fellow officers" then you say "the bill for the 3 of us" well him and a few officers plus yourself dont make 3 just a bull sh-t story paul

You obviously dont know who Paul is...He's famous around these 'ere parts (J.T loves him )

If you dont believe me just look at how everyone took to him in his last few threads

Actually if you did read his other threads you would hardly be bothered about such trivial details as how much a few or couple is

no no NO...Even with lunchtime police escorts Paul is still worried about his personal security in LOS, AND as a result,has CANCELLED his holiday

...Just when we were gonna roll out that red TV carpet for him

[ozzieovaseas]

AHEM..oh yes..back to the topic...

Hate to burst the anti BiB bubble but i was at my local noodle house a few months ago and spotted 2 of LOS's finest having lunch a few tables away.

Wasnt being a stickbeak or anything but i did notice one of them went to pay for the meal and the owner handed him him the money back.

Policeman gave it to him again..but again the owner insisted..no no mai pen rai ect..and gave it back.

Policeguy went back to the table where his mate was,picked up his helmet and left 100bht on the table

Not sure how much the bill was tho, couldnt have been much over 200bht anyway

[gorber]

I forget how much the bill was for the 3 of us, but I do remember that I gave the waiteer 1000 baht and got back a few hundred Baht in change.

Yeah, that happens to me all the time. Only the other day I bought a £9.99 variety bucket in KFC. I do remember that I gave them a £10 note, and I know they gave me 1p change, but I am <deleted>*ked if I can remember how much the bucket cost.

Maybe it will come back to me sometime...

[perousing]

When I was in Chiang Mai befriended a police officer in a Restaurant who at the time was waiting for a large order to be filled. He let me know that he was taking food home to his family. When his food order was complete he did pay the bill.

The next day I met him and a few of his fellow officers for dinner. (I paid) We ate at a BBQ restaurant where the food it set out raw and we cook it at our own table. They were good natured and very friendly. The staff did seem to show them unquestioning respect but they did nothing while I was with them that would indicate that they expected anything special.

I forget how much the bill was for the 3 of us, but I do remember that I gave the waiteer 1000 baht and got back a few hundred Baht in change.

paul you said "you met him and a few of his fellow officers" then you say "the bill for the 3 of us" well him and a few officers plus yourself dont make 3 just a bull sh-t story paul

You obviously dont know who Paul is...He's famous around these 'ere parts (J.T loves him )

If you dont believe me just look at how everyone took to him in his last few threads

Actually if you did read his other threads you would hardly be bothered about such trivial details as how much a few or couple is

no no NO...Even with lunchtime police escorts Paul is still worried about his personal security in LOS, AND as a result,has CANCELLED his holiday

...Just when we were gonna roll out that red TV carpet for him

hi ozz yes i have came across paul threads and posts before, a remarkable guy, to say the least

[lioness]

I know in Oz they used to eat half price at Maccas

as suprised as i was to see it with my own eyes, i can also attest to this happening in Oz.

Quite true, Hungry Jacks has the same policy.

[moskito]

Back in 1991 I was visiting Thailand for a month and staying with my wife’s best friend’s parents in Bangkok.

Her brother was a high ranking policeman and he invited me and a Thai group of friends to visit Patpong on one evening.

A small mini bus turned up and off we went, a first for me never having been to Patpong before.

We visited several bars downing a couple of beers at each one. All the drinks where served with the compliments of the house. And for the Grand fanarly, we ended up at a bar plus soapy massage bathhouse. The boss permitted me two girls for an hour and a half.

Never paid for anything and because I was a guest of the policeman, I was treated like some sort of celebrity with VIP status.

I think that if this guy were to turn up with his mates at a restaurant or bar, the owners would not have the bottle to present him with a bill. Not in Thailand, anyway.

WOW, what a cool story, you should thinking about writing books :D her BROTHER.....LOL ...and have u been with your ladys at the soapy massage or just parked them home for this event?

Cant get rid of the feeling that the most farangs lying in their own pocket. I met every single day Farangs here which tell me (without asking) they have big police friends....Boss of Police station mostly :D FRIENDS wishfull thinking.

BTW, my wife owns a restaurant in Phuket and the Police pay like every other guest, sometimes I spend a Coke or another softdrink or coffee but she pay tax, why should the police eat for free than?

[bendejo]

In San Jose, California the cops favor the taco restaurants as opposed to donut shops. This is not a veiled racist comment about the number of Hispanics on the force, if you hang around that town you'll see what I mean. I have seen them pay, but I'm sure they get a discount: if your place has a reputation for being on good terms with the cops, it becomes a less likely target for thieves and not a place where a drug dealer would set up shop*. I don't think of it as bribery, but as a way of staying on good terms -- it may be to their direct benefit sometimes.

On the other hand, look at how law enforcement works (or doesn't work) in Thailand: there is an official bar closing time, but the bar stays open until the cops show up. In the US, this would only happen once: the first time they get a fine and a warning, the second time they lose their liquor license (this will vary on the local level). A similar area would be moving violations by drivers.

I would think that if a cafe/food stall/restaurant owner would blatantly hand a bill to the cops with a 'you pay now' attitude he wouldn't be in business for very long.

Soft drinks that come from a fountain costs pennies per serving, even in the West, so it's the easiest thing to be generous with.

[* the owner of a 24-hour donut shop in San Francisco's Mission district was arrested for allowing drug dealers to operate on his premises; it was a family-owned place, Chinese immigrants. Fat chance they would have been able to take on the street slime. This was a few years ago, never found out how the case ended up.]

[thefalang]

To all the restaurateurs in the Forum...

1) Do cops generally eat "for free" at restaurants here, especially if in uniform?

2) Do they "throw their weight around" or "hint" that they eat free if they enter restaurants? (whether big or small restaurants, farang or thai owned/runned).

3) Generally, even if they don't "throw weight around" nor "hint", is it customary for restaurant owners to "mai pen rai" the bill?

4) Does your Thai staff hesitate to give the cops the 'chekbin', especially if they're in a big group and/or high ranking (many stars on the shoulder, etc.)

What's it like in your experience?

You should include:

"do cops drink for free at your bar?"

"have you been extorted by cops with arrest and/or enforcement of a law(whether you have broken the law or not) for money or free food, drinks, etc?

[tomahawk]

Who cares really? Food here is cheap for most farangs but police don't make much money, and if free rice or coffee is someone's idea of police corruption then they have not been around much. If someone wants to give cops or firemen or farmers or whoever a free meal, that is their business. if somebody wants to give me one I would gladly accept it but noone is so mai pen rai.

[fred2007]

In Australia back in the 70's the pubs were closed on Sundays but I regularly went to one a few kms out of town. Let in through the back door. The local sergeant of police & a couple of constables were always there drinking for free.

I don't think you are quiet right every body could ride out of town ( I guess it was some km )

and drink there legally only the cities where not allowed to serve drinks and by the way this was in 1971

now we have 2009

[bellste]

To all the restaurateurs in the Forum...

1) Do cops generally eat "for free" at restaurants here, especially if in uniform?

2) Do they "throw their weight around" or "hint" that they eat free if they enter restaurants? (whether big or small restaurants, farang or thai owned/runned).

3) Generally, even if they don't "throw weight around" nor "hint", is it customary for restaurant owners to "mai pen rai" the bill?

4) Does your Thai staff hesitate to give the cops the 'chekbin', especially if they're in a big group and/or high ranking (many stars on the shoulder, etc.)

What's it like in your experience?

There is no such thing as a free lunch. The restaurant owners have a reason to do this. I hope youcan guess what. One favour is worth the other.   

Edited October 18, 2009 by bellste

[Maizefarmer]

To all the restaurateurs in the Forum...

1) Do cops generally eat "for free" at restaurants here, especially if in uniform?

2) Do they "throw their weight around" or "hint" that they eat free if they enter restaurants? (whether big or small restaurants, farang or thai owned/runned).

3) Generally, even if they don't "throw weight around" nor "hint", is it customary for restaurant owners to "mai pen rai" the bill?

4) Does your Thai staff hesitate to give the cops the 'chekbin', especially if they're in a big group and/or high ranking (many stars on the shoulder, etc.)

What's it like in your experience?

No such thing as a free lunch (excuse pun)...... a free meal equates to a blind eye been turned, or forewarning when the blind eye can't be turned ......... TIT

[Heng]

I don't think of it as bribery, but as a way of staying on good terms -- it may be to their direct benefit sometimes.

That pretty much sums up the whole system here as well.

Edited October 18, 2009 by Heng

[nakachalet]

To all the restaurateurs in the Forum...

1) Do cops generally eat "for free" at restaurants here, especially if in uniform?

no, policemen do not eat free, unless they are invited, which happened rarely.

2) Do they "throw their weight around" or "hint" that they eat free if they enter restaurants? (whether big or small restaurants, farang or thai owned/runned).

they are well behaved each time dining at our restaurant.

they never ever hint that they want any free. almost always they insist on paying, especially the top dogs insist on paying full price without any discount.

3) Generally, even if they don't "throw weight around" nor "hint", is it customary for restaurant owners to "mai pen rai" the bill?

no, unless they are invited for certain occasions, they aways pay at our restaurant.

4) Does your Thai staff hesitate to give the cops the 'chekbin', especially if they're in a big group and/or high ranking (many stars on the shoulder, etc.)

whoever was serving the table would have to pay out of their next paycheck for sure.... as previously stated in #2, the big shots always insisted on paying in full.

What's it like in your experience?

policemen respect our places of business which include a number 1--pub in center of town, a floating restaurant and a #1 farang resort.

more important than anything else.... we do not do anything underground or say anything to undermine any arm forces....

the chief da and his staff often dined here.... because it is a fair and equitable place to eat the best original thai food and relax in a small rainforest type resort at a reasonable price....

where else can family owners boast of having 6 persons servicing 20 rooms.... not even FOUR SEASONS can boast of same.... lol

Edited October 19, 2009 by nakachalet

[LooseCannon]

In Australia back in the 70's the pubs were closed on Sundays but I regularly went to one a few kms out of town. Let in through the back door. The local sergeant of police & a couple of constables were always there drinking for free.

I don't think you are quiet right every body could ride out of town ( I guess it was some km )

and drink there legally only the cities where not allowed to serve drinks and by the way this was in 1971

now we have 2009

Part of the licensing regulations at the time was that accommodation & meals had to be provided at all licensed premises. Bona fide 'commercial travelers' were allowed to drink in the bar which was not open to the public (not sure of how bona fides were proved or if you were required to be a resident of the hotel). All the drinkers at this particular pub were local farmers etc well known to the publican. The doors were locked & you were only admitted if known.

[ryladie99]

Give'em the bill just like anyone else, unless your business is a front for illegal activities.

We don't own any restaurants here but from friends that do, it's totally your call whether you want to treat these folks or not. I have one friend who never charges cops for JUST coffee and soft drinks, limit one per BIB, and charges for all other menu items.

Hello all

I never see Cops in my town eat free. They have to pay as anyone else. Even one time I thought I lost my handbag ( later on I found out that I left it in the garage ) and the cop came to take a statement. I offered him a glass of coke. He said no thanks..well it almost 35 years I never seen Cops eat free...my take.

[neverdie]

I know in Oz they used to eat half price at Maccas

as suprised as i was to see it with my own eyes, i can also attest to this happening in Oz.

Firstly, in Oz, its not just the coppers that get half priced maccas, its also the ambos and the firemen and its totally up to each individual business if they want to offer something like this for free or at a discounted price.

Personally I don't like Maccas but occassionly got caught out with nothing else to eat, I always requested to pay full price because I didnt agree with the practice myself.

Having said that, I use to have a good mate and neighbour that owned a corner shop and I always use to walk in and out of there without paying for what I took, it was something that was accepted between the two of us & I once had a complaint by a nosey nobody about that, typical do gooder trying to stick his nose into someone elses business.

Unless your being ripped off by some cop demanding free food, its probably not something you should get too worked up about. I agree with the theory that just because your a police officer doesnt entitle you to get stuff for free, its a form of corruption, something which is very common in these parts.

[Neeranam]

At my wife's restaurant we had the police round trying to get freebies but they didn't get any. However at my mother-in-laws night club, the police practically live there and get everything 'free'.

[Patong Bob]

We had four of the scruffiest, dangerous looking Thais of all time come into my Patong restaurant one day and buy cokes. I asked my girl to find out who they were, and possibly get them out.

Turned out they were undercover cops. The boss, a sergeant-major I think, said I should leave and come back in an hour. After he assured me that there would be no shooting (this was during the crackdown around 2003) I left.

Came back, the staff were jumping around excited - a farang had been arrested for selling seven eccie tabs - got seven years, by the way - and the police had paid the bill including the farang's beer.

I'll never work this country out.

[whistleblower]

Drinking and eating with a police friend in Tawaeng Daeng, they get a discount there on production of police ID.

I do know a lot of bar owners who operate on a 3 month tourist visa so they give the cops what they want or they may get shook down. If you are strictly legal, wp etc then I see no reason to give out freebies.

[whistleblower]

What a load of crap.

The OP hasn`t had one decent answer to his question.

I think he would like to hear from restaurant owners in Thailand and how to deal with police customers.

Used to own a restaurant in Bangers. Police never came in. It was a mid priced restaurant and not noodles/fast food, so that may be why.

Was also involved in a bar in Bangers. Police came in every month to collect their 'tea money' (everyone pays), once they had their tea money didnt see them until the next month. Around new year they did hint that they wanted a couple of johnnie blacks for a gift, but i told them to buy it out of their tea money!!! When they come round for their tea money they try and talk to the staff about the owners etc. I was fully wp and visa'd up, so maybe thats why they left me alone??