Thai Police Still Extorting Tourists

[Lost in LOS]

jackspatt and neverdie get a room or try the boxing ring.......it sure gets a bit boring with you two bitch slapping each other

[mrtoad]

^Holy torledo batman, thats twice in one thread that someone has agreed with Jack.

You see toad, originally it was jack that picked our ole mate pad thai man, woops i mean serpcio and i agreed with him.

Anyway Jack, it looks like Mrtoad and I are coming over for a feed, whatscookin?

I could do the special menu for you, neverdie.

How about Cold Shoulder, followed by Duck Under the Table

At least Toad in the Hole is off the menu.

[neverdie]

jackspatt and neverdie get a room or try the boxing ring.......it sure gets a bit boring with you two bitch slapping each other

yeah common jack, listen to ole LostinLOS, stop the biatch slapping.

But this time LostinLOS, I was actually given Jack a compliment if you read properly, hes done will to pick out what ole Serpico is up to & the re-emergance of one of these tourist EXTORTION thread again.

Was that a Duck under the table Jack?

[mrtoad]

jackspatt and neverdie get a room or try the boxing ring.......it sure gets a bit boring with you two bitch slapping each other

I think the two of them are actually fixing up a lunch date as we speak.

[phetaroi]

The "litter" cops are all over Bangkok now, lurking in the shadows and stalking every foreigner that smokes.

Nice money maker.

These same cops are running all the disfigured beggars and renting the footpaths to the porn & copyright violator vendors.

Here's the problem with your post.

I don't doubt that most of those fined are farang. But, just today I came out of the Emporium and was walking west on Sukhumvit toward Soi 22. There, in front of the park was the litter police hut and there were two people paying a fine. But guess what -- upscale Thais. Yes, they were speaking Thai, not Japanese.

[MrHammer]

Because of best selling books about prisons in Thailand, tourists are naturally wary about dealings with the Thai police. I would be worried too if I had the same happen to me in say Nigeria or Brazil.

Us who live here know that the justice system isn't as crooked as it's made out to be, so we are not as worried, but for a newcomer who's heard all the horror stories in the news, it's natural to frightened.

The real blemish on Thailand is of course that they allow this to happen to exactly the demographic that they want to attract.

[dumball]

Would that be anything to do with the fact THEY DO NOT LIKE or appreciate what farang add to Thailand in many ways .

[barky]

This is the corner of Sukhumvit Soi 11, in the heart of the hotel district.

from http://www.flickr.com/photos/29324583@N05/...57617714418287/

This picture reminds me of some of the beaches in Phuket! Check out Laem Ka beach in Rawai which is frequented by many of the local Thais. It's a pigsty!

Franky, I'd be happy if littering laws were enforced in thailand just as long as they were indiscriminately enforced.

Indiscriminately enforced???????? A Thai cop wouldn't dare try to slap a littering fine on a Thai. NEVER!!!

The cops and a large proportion of the population ONLY go for the westeners because they know they'll get money out of them because they know that most westeners here are so sh*t scared to stand up for themselves. These scumbags also know that westeners don't have any legal assistance available either. The whole system is heavily stacked against westeners here, but hey don't let that stop you from coming for a holiday in the land of scams.

[andyww]

A Thai cop wouldn't dare try to slap a littering fine on a Thai. NEVER!!!

What utter and total nonsense. There is some Xenophobic crap posted on this forum but that takes the biscuit.

[SebD]

jackspatt and neverdie get a room or try the boxing ring.......it sure gets a bit boring with you two bitch slapping each other

yeah common jack, listen to ole LostinLOS, stop the biatch slapping.

But this time LostinLOS, I was actually given Jack a compliment if you read properly, hes done will to pick out what ole Serpico is up to & the re-emergance of one of these tourist EXTORTION thread again.

Was that a Duck under the table Jack?

Oh my Buddha,

Can't you learn to self-fellate or something (give the world a bit of a break)?

[phetaroi]

Would that be anything to do with the fact THEY DO NOT LIKE or appreciate what farang add to Thailand in many ways .

Perhaps they like their own country's way of doing things.

The various waves of immigrants to the U.S. throughout our history have never exactly been welcomed with open arms.

[Curt1591]

Indiscriminately enforced???????? A Thai cop wouldn't dare try to slap a littering fine on a Thai. NEVER!!!

The cops and a large proportion of the population ONLY go for the westeners because they know they'll get money out of them because they know that most westeners here are so sh*t scared to stand up for themselves. These scumbags also know that westeners don't have any legal assistance available either. The whole system is heavily stacked against westeners here, but hey don't let that stop you from coming for a holiday in the land of scams.

In the past, Thesakij pretty much only targeted Thais. All those little street carts and sidewalk vendors are operating illegally. They are only able to continue after paying their "fine" to the local Thesakij crew. They have just come up with a way to exploit their limited jurisdiction.

The traffic stops aren't typically aimed at foreigners. In fact, outside of the tourist haunts, foreigners are often ignored. Sometimes the communication gap isn't worth the effort!

The little extortion scams are just their way of letting the visitor sample real Thai life!

[stolidfeline]

In fact, if you have a mobile cart and push it around, you aren't breaking any laws and the Thesakij cannot exort money from you. You have to pay Thesakij for a pitch on the sidewalk. A record is kept of who is entitled to use which site, which are often even marked out with painted lines. A guy in plain clothes comes to collect the tea money, usually at night. How much is paid depends on the location, but typically a reasonable site on Sukhumvit 1.2m (one table width) wide is 500 baht a month. There are usually two shifts. The daytime vendors who pack up around 9 p.m. and another bunch after that, doubling the take. No receipts are given or asked for. Other places in Bangkok vary - a pitch at the bottom of a skytrain steps outside a large store may be several thousand baht a month. If you aren't selling anything illegal, no hassle from the police.

Pitches on the shop side of the sidewalk are deemed to belong to the shop owner. Anyone wishing to have one of those places usually has to rent the whole frontage and the price is several thousand baht upwards. As the shops open in the daytime, the pitch is usually not available until after 10 pm. You also need to buy electricity from the shop owners, typically 500 baht a month per lamp. The street beer bars have to pay so many people they don't make much money and most of them don't survive long. In fact in recent years, very few street traders are making real money. There are so few customers these days, and it gets worse every year. The only people who can still make a good living are those selling DVD's and fake watches etc.

Average markup of garments on the street is around 50-70%. Most sales are to Thais, not foreigners.

[Serpico]

In fact, if you have a mobile cart and push it around, you aren't breaking any laws and the Thesakij cannot exort money from you. You have to pay Thesakij for a pitch on the sidewalk. A record is kept of who is entitled to use which site, which are often even marked out with painted lines. A guy in plain clothes comes to collect the tea money, usually at night. How much is paid depends on the location, but typically a reasonable site on Sukhumvit 1.2m (one table width) wide is 500 baht a month. There are usually two shifts. The daytime vendors who pack up around 9 p.m. and another bunch after that, doubling the take. No receipts are given or asked for. Other places in Bangkok vary - a pitch at the bottom of a skytrain steps outside a large store may be several thousand baht a month. If you aren't selling anything illegal, no hassle from the police.

Pitches on the shop side of the sidewalk are deemed to belong to the shop owner. Anyone wishing to have one of those places usually has to rent the whole frontage and the price is several thousand baht upwards. As the shops open in the daytime, the pitch is usually not available until after 10 pm. You also need to buy electricity from the shop owners, typically 500 baht a month per lamp. The street beer bars have to pay so many people they don't make much money and most of them don't survive long. In fact in recent years, very few street traders are making real money. There are so few customers these days, and it gets worse every year. The only people who can still make a good living are those selling DVD's and fake watches etc.

Average markup of garments on the street is around 50-70%. Most sales are to Thais, not foreigners.

If they sell porn or copyright material, they pay extra.

I know a lady that sells fake Rolexes and pays them 3,000 a month.

I also notice these guys help themselves to the vendors food and goods.

[moskito]

This is the corner of Sukhumvit Soi 11, in the heart of the hotel district.

from http://www.flickr.com/photos/29324583@N05/...57617714418287/

This picture reminds me of some of the beaches in Phuket! Check out Laem Ka beach in Rawai which is frequented by many of the local Thais. It's a pigsty!

Franky, I'd be happy if littering laws were enforced in thailand just as long as they were indiscriminately enforced.

unfortunately true, Thails never learn in shool or from their parents to remove the trash. Beaches all over Thailand are a mess, specially after Sundays when Thais have a day off....guess THATS something the teachers can teach.....but may be they are same.

BUT btw, here is a pic of a beach in USA Santa Monica so not just "OUR" THais doesnt take care of the Enviroment

Edited November 13, 2009 by moskito

[neverdie]

In fact, if you have a mobile cart and push it around, you aren't breaking any laws and the Thesakij cannot exort money from you. You have to pay Thesakij for a pitch on the sidewalk. A record is kept of who is entitled to use which site, which are often even marked out with painted lines. A guy in plain clothes comes to collect the tea money, usually at night. How much is paid depends on the location, but typically a reasonable site on Sukhumvit 1.2m (one table width) wide is 500 baht a month. There are usually two shifts. The daytime vendors who pack up around 9 p.m. and another bunch after that, doubling the take. No receipts are given or asked for. Other places in Bangkok vary - a pitch at the bottom of a skytrain steps outside a large store may be several thousand baht a month. If you aren't selling anything illegal, no hassle from the police.

Pitches on the shop side of the sidewalk are deemed to belong to the shop owner. Anyone wishing to have one of those places usually has to rent the whole frontage and the price is several thousand baht upwards. As the shops open in the daytime, the pitch is usually not available until after 10 pm. You also need to buy electricity from the shop owners, typically 500 baht a month per lamp. The street beer bars have to pay so many people they don't make much money and most of them don't survive long. In fact in recent years, very few street traders are making real money. There are so few customers these days, and it gets worse every year. The only people who can still make a good living are those selling DVD's and fake watches etc.

Average markup of garments on the street is around 50-70%. Most sales are to Thais, not foreigners.

If they sell porn or copyright material, they pay extra.

I know a lady that sells fake Rolexes and pays them 3,000 a month.

I also notice these guys help themselves to the vendors food and goods.

Still paddling the same boat serpico, after all these years.....I give you 10 out of 10 for consistency.

[MrJohnson]

This is the corner of Sukhumvit Soi 11, in the heart of the hotel district.

from http://www.flickr.com/photos/29324583@N05/...57617714418287/

This picture reminds me of some of the beaches in Phuket! Check out Laem Ka beach in Rawai which is frequented by many of the local Thais. It's a pigsty!

Franky, I'd be happy if littering laws were enforced in thailand just as long as they were indiscriminately enforced.

Indiscriminately enforced???????? A Thai cop wouldn't dare try to slap a littering fine on a Thai. NEVER!!!

The cops and a large proportion of the population ONLY go for the westeners because they know they'll get money out of them because they know that most westeners here are so sh*t scared to stand up for themselves. These scumbags also know that westeners don't have any legal assistance available either. The whole system is heavily stacked against westeners here, but hey don't let that stop you from coming for a holiday in the land of scams.

YIKES! It's a conspiracy!

[YoungNRich12]

People always mention how they are going to make these corrupt, extortionists squirm by stalling, asking questions, dropping names, etc. I would love to actually see this take place. What is more likely, is that they are as quiet as a mouse and pay up. Hard to believe that these so called gangsters have not heard it all and are going to get scared because you spoke Thai to them.

The corruption only comes up when farang are not benefiting. If the littering fine was 500 baht and the cops were asking for half of that off the books, well, all would be well. The fact the cop was robbing the tax payers and corrupt, well that is not the real issue. The real issue is what the cost is to you. So lets drop the ethical debate and look at it more realistically. You don't want to have to pay. You might, if you are unlucky, have to pay at some point in your life.

Move along people.

[Matan]

Perhaps, when they're downtown, foreigners could just not contribute to the mess pictured above by waiting until they pass a bin to dispose of their cigarette?

[stolidfeline]

Actually, most of the mess along Sukhumvit is caused by garbage "recyclers" opening every plastic bag and emptying the contents to see what they can scrounge.

Edited November 13, 2009 by stolidfeline

[ballzafire]

... BUT btw, here is a pic of a beach in USA Santa Monica so not just "OUR" THais doesnt take care of the Enviroment

Most of that is from ocean dumping by cargo ships... But, yeah, disgusting...

[Tyke]

The people you go to are the tourist police. Dial 1155, tell them the scam, but be careful if you let the "policeman" talk to the tourist cops on your phone, he might run off with it.

Alternatively, if you know you are in the right, say "okay, let's go to the police station to sort this out." That will usually deflate them.

Agreed. I would phone the tourist police if you are being scammed or asked for a bribe. For example, if you are stopped by the traffic police for an offence that you did not commit and asked to pay money without a receipt then phone the tourist police and let them sort it out between themselves. Divide and rule.

[mrtoad]

Oh my Buddha,

Can't you learn to self-fellate or something (give the world a bit of a break)?

See your sat on you throne again.

[neverdie]

Oh my Buddha,

Can't you learn to self-fellate or something (give the world a bit of a break)?

See your sat on you throne again.

It always amuses me these idiot farangs that show up in Thailand for 5 minutes and then start running around with expressions like, "Ohh my buddha" and so forth.

It seems as if that poster may be a specialist in self fellatio, he at least rides up high in the sadle on the very tall horse

[salty]

The people you go to are the tourist police. Dial 1155, tell them the scam, but be careful if you let the "policeman" talk to the tourist cops on your phone, he might run off with it.

Alternatively, if you know you are in the right, say "okay, let's go to the police station to sort this out." That will usually deflate them.

Agreed. I would phone the tourist police if you are being scammed or asked for a bribe. For example, if you are stopped by the traffic police for an offence that you did not commit and asked to pay money without a receipt then phone the tourist police and let them sort it out between themselves. Divide and rule.

That would seem to be a sensible approach. From reading various threads over time however opinions seem to be divided about the usefullness or otherwise of the tourist police.

Edited November 14, 2009 by salty

[zzaa09]

my god why are scared by these scum, like other thai scamming scum I tell them what to do when they try to cheat me . CALL THEIR BLUFF. "Ok lets go down the police station" But you decide what police station, all this <deleted> of signing a piece of paper and paying 2000 bht , going to ATMs, Get with it man!!!!!!!!!!

BINGO! Why people put up with such nonsense, is beyond me.

[SantiSuk]

A Thai cop wouldn't dare try to slap a littering fine on a Thai. NEVER!!!

What utter and total nonsense. There is some Xenophobic crap posted on this forum but that takes the biscuit.

Agree 100%. Poster has never talked to a real Thai about how they view the BiB.

[Bagwan]

People always mention how they are going to make these corrupt, extortionists squirm by stalling, asking questions, dropping names, etc. I would love to actually see this take place. What is more likely, is that they are as quiet as a mouse and pay up. Hard to believe that these so called gangsters have not heard it all and are going to get scared because you spoke Thai to them.

The corruption only comes up when farang are not benefiting. If the littering fine was 500 baht and the cops were asking for half of that off the books, well, all would be well. The fact the cop was robbing the tax payers and corrupt, well that is not the real issue. The real issue is what the cost is to you. So lets drop the ethical debate and look at it more realistically. You don't want to have to pay. You might, if you are unlucky, have to pay at some point in your life.

Move along people.

After reading your first paragraph I checked your nom de plume. How appropriate I thought. Young certainly, with all the baggage that comes with that. Rich? Hmm. If so, almost certainly daddies money. Certainly your message would be considered rich by some.

You certainly hit the nail on the head with the second paragraph. If the gouging was a discount on the legislated fine there would be few complaints.

P.S. I have paid off the fuzz on two occasions and in both cases I was in the wrong. In the first case I was hurtling along at 160% of the legal speed and the second was for passing on the inside. I refused to hand over unless the driver hogging the fast land was also fined. They caned him for 500 baht and I joyfully parted with 200. In the other half dozen or so cases of being pestered I have quietly but firmly refused to part with a sitang.

[Curt1591]

Earlier in the thread there was some question of the existence of these guys. I went by today and took some photos. As you can see from the background, they are directly across from Siam Paragon, where I have always seen them.

The one sign, which I have enlarged, is for the benefit of foreigners. It states that you are subjected to a 2,000 baht maximum. If you read Thai, the other sign seems to present a limited time, introductory offer of 100 baht, until December 31st!

[MrRichard2009]

A pompus guy from Pattaya ROFL ..... Now THATS rich ! ! lol