Random Drug Testing?

[sbk]

I have just deleted a whole host of flaming, baiting, generalized nastiness and off topic BS.

lets keep it clean, lets keep it civil, lets keep it legal and within forum rules, and lets keep it on topic. OP wants to know if random drug testings are still occurring at nightclubs.

[Cambodge1]

The chances of being in a club when the police spring a random drug raid are remote. My understanding is that farang patrons are generally asked to leave anyway and only the Thais are subjected to testing. It's also likely that they will only be interested in amphetamines and cocaine.

If I was the OP I would not be cancelling my trip to Thailand just because I smoked a couple of joints in Amsterdam. Don't let the prudes on this forum scare you off.

[pampal]

Chances are close to zero that you will be tested, don't put off coming to Thailand just because you smoked ganja in Amsterdam.

[Phil Conners]

There are regular raids of two of the most popular night clubs in Pattaya, Insomnia and Lucifer, where everybody are lined up to piss in a cup for drugs testing. Just check the Pattaya news papers.

Regardless of where you smoked it, if you get caught here with drugs in your system you will almost surely see the inside of a Thai jail at least for a few days. You will then most likely face a serious fine and deportation. Until you can pay the fine and the costs involved in your deportation (including any extra charges imposed by the carrier for taking a convicted criminal out of the country and any eventual cops to accompany you) you will remain in jail.

Thai jails are not nice. In most countries you would get in trouble keeping animals under those conditions.

Not trying to be a scaremonger but they have absolutely no sense of humor when it comes to drug offenses so I recommend if you have any doubt with regards to drugs in your system that you go somewhere else for your holiday.

Maybe a better idea would be to do Thailand first, then Holland after.

Edited January 9, 2010 by Phil Conners

[Briggsy]

They test your pee. I saw them drag a hill tribe lad off a Chiang Mai - Bangkok bus, test him for drugs there and then at the side of the road and then search his bags.

[PaulDoughfile]

If you test positive, you are in trouble.

Doesn't matter where you smoked the stuff, you have illegally imported cannabis into Thailand inside your fat cells.

[borracho]

Regardless, good ganga is readily available nearly anywhere in thailand.

You have to be stupid not to see it. it's pretty much everywhere.

The spot tests are bullshit.

[OxfordWill]

In 7 years it has happened to me 3 times. I have been regularly going to the types of places they would and do target in Bangkok (NOT tourist places). I have had to run away from dozens of entering cops and TV cameras on one occassion, leaving by the fire exit which they had a cop at but he didnt seem to mind us jogging past him at all. I have paid off some cops not to test me on one occassion (they even bring an ATM with them for precisely this, one of those mobile FX counters!) and I have taken and passed a test on another. Its low risk but it does happen. They will not care when you took the substance- if you fail the test they will assume you took it hours before and they will not test anything further nor will anything you can say change their mind (they are not stupid they just want money / quotas met). One of these times they had a table setup manned by a guy not in uniform but clearly also a cop, who was selling clean urine- it wasn't in the corner, or hidden - but almost the focus of the whole event. All very funny.

I have heard of them doing sweat tests too but this could just be a rumour.

I have never taken drugs in Thailand and would advise you not to.

btw- the most recent time it happened to me personally was within the last 8 months and in December Thai news channels had a headline about a well known club (well known to locals who party hard, anyway) being raided with some 40 thais and 30 foreigners (white, big noses, just like us) being arrested. I never managed to find out what happened to any of them.

Be wary of friendly thais inviting you to places if you think or are told drugs are involved. Especially house parties. If you dont speak thai and understand how to tell thai BS its a much bigger risk of being setup than being randomly tested.

Anyway- youll be fine

Edited January 9, 2010 by OxfordWill

[khundon]

Is this thread for real?

Are clubs really doing random testing?

Cannot see myself letting them do this

without one help of a huge brawl

LuckyLew

The Police do the testing. They have guns and handcuffs, no contest.

If you want to brawl with BIB, be my guest, i'll hold your coat and call the ambulance.

[cdnmatt]

Don't quote me on this, because there's a chance I'm wrong. I do know that during the drug tests, they're mainly checking for yabba and meth, and they only administer one piss test per-person. And I could be wrong, but I would be surprised to find out the same test picks up THC as well.

Edited January 9, 2010 by cdnmatt

[PaulDoughfile]

I concur with Oxford Will.

It has happened to me once and twice to a friend.

The police do sell bottles of piss and bring their own card swipe machine to accept payments.

TiT

[surangw]

the drug tests are a chance to extort money from farangs, get as far as hiring a thai lawyer and its the start of the money train for them.

thais usually get a reasonable fine

[GucciLittlePiggy]

Do they test in bars as well or is it just clubs?

[nonghoidave]

Don't tuch any type of drugs in Thailand. You end up in (a not very nice) prison for years. This is not Holland, I promise you!

No one said anything about using drugs in Thailand: do try to keep up.

[nonghoidave]

Regardless, good ganga is readily available nearly anywhere in thailand.

You have to be stupid not to see it. it's pretty much everywhere.

The spot tests are bullshit.

Wow, reality hits like cold water as opposed to some of these gibberish replies....

[dmax]

answer to ur question is very very simple.....dont take drugs !!

[abcdabcd]

Man, I have spent the last 6-8 hrs reading a site with letters from a person who was in Bang Kwang Prison (Bangkok Hilton) and I'm shocked to what I have learned. I'm changing my plans now to go to the UK for a few months after Holland and making sure I'm completely clean then going to Thailand. I don't even feel like visiting the nightclubs anymore. At first I was asking a couple times, "it's just the staff that gets tested" however, after reading what I have about the corruption and the way of life in Thai jails like Bank Kwang. I can't be in an environment and not feel bad knowing where some of these people could be headed and what could happen at any time. Nothing is worth the risk of the worst that could end up happening from what I've read through others experiences. I can't be there and feel at peace by constantly feeling like I'm looking over my shoulder, so to speak.

I thought it was bad in the states but, my research/reading from today really opened my eyes to the dark side of Thailand. There is of course a very good side to Thailand which is the reason I have been quite excited and looking forwards to my visit in the past couple weeks. However, thankfully my suspicions were correct to get more info to be in complete compliance to avoid any trouble. Now, I can plan accordindly to avoid any nightmares.

At this point, I'm not really sure what to think of the people saying it's "ok" or not to "worry". I will have to go there and see how it is on my own (in complete compliance!), I can only trust my own judgements, once I gain my own experience from that I can truly determine about how things go there. With all I've read, you can't trust anybody over there (or anywhere really) when it comes to the dark side!

Edited January 10, 2010 by abcdabcd

[abcdabcd]

I don't know if this is off-topic but, just some things I wanted to say. After learning more about the dark side of Thailand, I can now really comprehend the statement, "money is the root of all evil". It's crazy if they are 'busting' people in nighclubs for drugs in their system and selling clean urine at the same time. Or taking bribes to let people go, of course you can't put a price on freedom but, in a way they're supporting illegal drugs since in a way they are making money from it.

It sounds quite corrupt that it can go on like that without any consequences. I definitely don't want any part of that. I don't think it's worth getting in trouble and further supporting the corruption by using your money to pay them off (if you end up in that situation) and further funding the corruption. Of course I'm not saying I think nobody should be going to the country at all, just saying especially as a first-time visitor I am not wanting to mess around and to not take any chance at all for what could happen or end up.

Edited January 10, 2010 by abcdabcd

[abcdabcd]

I'm not supposed to be posting any links, I hope I don't get banned. I saw some posts from others curious on this topic. If you really want to open your eyes. Check out this site from a Bankwang prisoner with letters about his experience. I spent about 6-8 hrs on this site today, and it has completely changed my thinking. I am in no way affiliated with this site, just found it from searching google. h*t*t*p://w*w*w*.steveatbangkwang.bravehost.c*o*m

[Phil Conners]

Well done. Smart of you to do your own due diligence!

[dvdcm]

Sounds as if you found the information you were looking for in the OP. Have a great vacation, wherever you wind up.

[OxfordWill]

meh, if youre that easily scared by the lack of "protection" I dont know why youre travelling in the first place- probably much better that you just avoid Thailand and any other developing country completely- I assure you the same issue of "dark side" exists in ALL of them outside our nanny countries like the UK and Holland. If you're so risk averse then you should even reconsider international air travel.

Edited January 10, 2010 by OxfordWill

[sbk]

says the man who escapes by the fire exit. lol will.

[haybilly]

Don't take too much notice of all the negative posts, the 'anti-any-drug' brigade will crawl out of their caves at the slightest mention, regardless of where you may wish to partake--be careful, clean up your system if you really think you might frequent somewhere with testing and otherwise--enjoy your stay. Good luck and happy travels.

[OxfordWill]

darn it sbk stop showing me up for what I really am!

[Robski]

I'm changing my plans now to go to the UK for a few months after Holland and making sure I'm completely clean then going to Thailand.

Why? If you want to do drugs and party all night go to Cambodia.

You can smoke weed all day long and the beach bars and clubs are open til the sun comes up.

Probably a reason why Cambodia will attract more tourists in the future,

that those tourist won't be going to Thailand is for most people no great loss.

[abcdabcd]

I'm changing my plans now to go to the UK for a few months after Holland and making sure I'm completely clean then going to Thailand.

Why? If you want to do drugs and party all night go to Cambodia.

You can smoke weed all day long and the beach bars and clubs are open til the sun comes up.

Probably a reason why Cambodia will attract more tourists in the future,

that those tourist won't be going to Thailand is for most people no great loss.

Well my reason for going is not to smoke weed or party all day/night. My only reason for visiting Thailand, is for the cost of living. I want to see what what kind of life I can experience there with my income in U.S. dollars. At the same time, I don't want to risk my freedom by being randomly drug tested for something that's in my system which I consumed in another country where it was tolerated and being prosecuted it in a different country, where I never participated the activity.

I'm willing to give Cambodia a chance, since I figure the conversion rate of U.S. dollars and style of living that could be achieved in Thailand is similiar to Cambodia? Or am I wrong about this? If I'm not wrong, can you recommend some cities in Cambodia to visit? Just to confirm, you're saying in Cambodia they don't do these random public drug tests?

Thanks

[ukrules]

Well my reason for going is not to smoke weed or party all day/night. My only reason for visiting Thailand, is for the cost of living. I want to see what what kind of life I can experience there with my income in U.S. dollars. At the same time, I don't want to risk my freedom by being randomly drug tested for something that's in my system which I consumed in another country where it was tolerated and being prosecuted it in a different country, where I never participated the activity.

I'm willing to give Cambodia a chance, since I figure the conversion rate of U.S. dollars and style of living that could be achieved in Thailand is similiar to Cambodia? Or am I wrong about this? If I'm not wrong, can you recommend some cities in Cambodia to visit? Just to confirm, you're saying in Cambodia they don't do these random public drug tests?

Make sure you never fly with the Emirates Airline. They locked up a British woman in Dubai because she had some prescribed painkiller showing up in her urine. Google 'Tracy Wilkinson' for more information on this and other travesties.

[jdinasia]

I just found a recent thread on this forum which states they have stopped doing raids in phuket and testing the nightclub staff instead, is this accurate info or not? h*t*t*p://w*w*w.thaivisa.c*o*m/forum/Phuket-Kathu-Police-Change-Drug-Tes-t324278.html

(I had to add * in the url since i cant post url's)

While researching previously, I saw on a website where somebody had mentioned they're only looking for chemicals like yaba (meth) so I'm just trying to confirm from others if that's correct or not. The topic in the link above seems to confirm that (only looking for yaba).

I can see the tone and attitude in some of your replies. If another country is lenient and tolerant of cannabis or another chemical and I partake in that country, that's none of your business. If I am wanting to come to your country and trying to do my research before-hand to be in compliance of your countries laws, why are you giving me attitude and what-not? If it's not right for me to be there then I won't go. It's as simple as that. It's not like I'm trying to bring anything in or asking where I can get it in your country (and don't act like that doesn't happen there. I unlike those don't believe it's worth the risk. The reason for me asking here. So try to avoid the attitude and just stick to the facts.)

Then it is easy. ALL drugs are illegal in Thailand! Now you know the laws.

Yes, I now realize the laws. If I have a substance in my system that entered my body in another country where it was tolerated and I entered Thailand that if they randomly drug tested me, I would be put in jail. It doesn't matter if I go there to dabble with AIDS with the many number of prostitutes, and what-not, that will be over-looked. However, I would be put in jail for something that I took part in that was in another country that tolerated that behavior. I should come to Thailand with a clean system and look into prostitutes as that as not as "bad" as it won't involve imprisonment.

Fantastic.

Hmmmmmmm apparently you forgot the country you say you will be coming from ...

Anyways ... if you test positive for drugs here you will not be shown much mercy. If you need drugs so badly that you decide to come here knowing you will have them in your system still AND you get caught up in a random sweep ... you should be shown no mercy

[seedy]

My Brother's Thai wife was caught up in one of these raids. She was taking medication for cold/flu and tested positive. After arriving at the police station, where a second more thorough screening was to take place, no such test was given. Took the parents 3 days to track her down. They asked why no second test was given. Answer - "Sorry, she go now" She was then released. If this happens to a Thai citizen, what are your chances as a falang ???