New Police Scam Or Old?

[robbie22]

The Family and I were on our way to Dreamworld my Thai wife and daughter we were taking a taxi from Ratchada. We were on the toll road Don Muang and just paid the toll when as soon as we left the toll booth there were maybe 6 motorcycle police looking like the had a photo or something and were checking the cars when they stopped ours. No surprise yet but the meter was on so no problem there the driver got out and explained we were going to Dreamworld but then the cop came to my window and wanted me to roll window down?? Now i am worried what could the problem be my Wife opened her door and they asked if I had a passport?? Well i did and the only reason was that i was going to get discount for admission to dreamworld the cop looked at it did not open it and said okay go ahead. Is this a new scam or and old one just curious. Thanks in advance. This was also a bad experience for my daughter she thinks the police in BKK are no good she is ten by the way.

[h90]

What was wrong with that?

You must have your passport with you all the time. Police is checking if the Visa is still valid. That is normal. I know several bad guys who stay without visa in Thailand.

[tonywebster]

I don't see the scam here, he asked for your passport only and then let you continue on your way. It is possible the taxi was stopped for speeding as sometimes they have speed cameras and then stop the speeding cars when they reach the toll as its easier that way. possibly the driver said he was taking farang to dreamworld so he looked to see your passport, maybe you would have been fined if you never had it

[dudemeister]

Probably just the BIB trying any avenue to increase their coffers to the tea-fund.

Maybe, couldnt find anything on the taxi driver, spotted farang inside. Ok just check he has passport.

[bkkjames]

Probably just the BIB trying any avenue to increase their coffers to the tea-fund.

Maybe, couldnt find anything on the taxi driver, spotted farang inside. Ok just check he has passport.

Agree.

[robbie22]

I don't see the scam here, he asked for your passport only and then let you continue on your way. It is possible the taxi was stopped for speeding as sometimes they have speed cameras and then stop the speeding cars when they reach the toll as its easier that way. possibly the driver said he was taking farang to dreamworld so he looked to see your passport, maybe you would have been fined if you never had it

We were not speeding and he looked at my passport did not open and check anything inside to see if it were valid?

[bellste]

What was wrong with that?

You must have your passport with you all the time. Police is checking if the Visa is still valid. That is normal. I know several bad guys who stay without visa in Thailand.

"the cop looked at it did not open it and said okay"

It is a bit difficult to check your visa, without opening the passport?

 

Edited January 12, 2010 by bellste

[Travel2003]

To answer the question in the title.....................its old.

[robbie22]

What was wrong with that?

You must have your passport with you all the time. Police is checking if the Visa is still valid. That is normal. I know several bad guys who stay without visa in Thailand.

"the cop looked at it did not open it and said okay"

It is a bit difficult to check your visa, without opening the passport?

 

Yes that is what happened I think the fact that i had with me gave them nothing to swindle me for. I had good luck to have it with me if not maybe some fine I suppose.

[mrtoad]

This really is about nothing out of the ordinary.

[bkkjames]

What was wrong with that?

You must have your passport with you all the time. Police is checking if the Visa is still valid. That is normal. I know several bad guys who stay without visa in Thailand.

You are suggesting that the ave traffic cop knows what a valid visa looks like?

[Travel2003]

We all know its an old scam.

All Police know the visiting foreigners must carry a passport.

So if they happen to be in a situation where a foreigner is present, then why not try?

Just in case the foreigner is not carrying the passport, and a few extra bucks can be made.

[NADTATIDA1]

What was wrong with that?

You must have your passport with you all the time. Police is checking if the Visa is still valid. That is normal. I know several bad guys who stay without visa in Thailand.

Do you tell them that they must have their passport with them at all times

Or are they really bad?

[richard_smith237]

Sounds like a switched on Police man being opportunistic...

Many of us don't carry our passports and as I understand it the law is to be able to produce it within a 'reasonable' time frame. It appears this policeman was very ready to extort a foreigner.

[Phil Conners]

They might have been looking for a certain foreigner. Since "all farangs look same same" he had to check your passport but yours was probably from a different country than the guy they were looking for so no need to look further.

In all the years I've lived here I've never gone around with my original passport on me. I always carry a credit-card sized laminated photocopy of the picture page and the valid visa page and that has worked fine the few times I've been asked for it.

[anchan42]

I don't really see how it can be a scam. There are good police out there. Rare but there are.

The police the op had encountered did not show anything to indicate that he is a bad police.

[ZenHillbillyPoet22]

I don't really see how it can be a scam. There are good police out there. Rare but there are.

The police the op had encountered did not show anything to indicate that he is a bad police.

I agree, where does the scam part come in, unless you are inferring that any attempt to enforce the laws that you might happen to not be following is a scam. I think it's just easy to forget that there are actual laws here sometimes, even though most of the time they're just guidelines.

[deejah]

They might have been looking for a certain foreigner. Since "all farangs look same same" he had to check your passport but yours was probably from a different country than the guy they were looking for so no need to look further.

In all the years I've lived here I've never gone around with my original passport on me. I always carry a credit-card sized laminated photocopy of the picture page and the valid visa page and that has worked fine the few times I've been asked for it.

never once been asked since i left home country over 6 years ago (knock on wood)

i think its mostly because i dont drive

when have they asked you?

driving?

[MrJohnson]

I don't really see how it can be a scam. There are good police out there. Rare but there are.

The police the op had encountered did not show anything to indicate that he is a bad police.

I agree, where does the scam part come in, unless you are inferring that any attempt to enforce the laws that you might happen to not be following is a scam. I think it's just easy to forget that there are actual laws here sometimes, even though most of the time they're just guidelines.

Agreed. Sounds like an opportunity for the conspiracy theorists to unite. Sorry guys but contrary to what you might think NOT all cops are out to get you because you are a farang. Not all vendors are ripping you off. Not all bar girls are bad. NOT all Thai families are parasites. Good and bad come from all walks of life in all shapes and sizes.

[DP25]

Old scam. They were looking for a way to demand a bribe from you, and knowing most foreigners do not carry their passport, asked to see yours. If you didn't have it you would have had to pay them some money. They couldn't care less if you have a valid visa or not, they were looking for cash. This happens a lot in certain parts of the city, random stops of foreigners walking down the street by a motorcycle policeman, and then a small bribe when they find out you don't have it on you. Your passport is in the apartment over there? Sorry, no time to go there, you go to prison now. Thai prison very bad, dangerous.... *hand over cash*... ok you go now.

[bkkjames]

Old scam. They were looking for a way to demand a bribe from you, and knowing most foreigners do not carry their passport, asked to see yours. If you didn't have it you would have had to pay them some money. They couldn't care less if you have a valid visa or not, they were looking for cash. This happens a lot in certain parts of the city, random stops of foreigners walking down the street by a motorcycle policeman, and then a small bribe when they find out you don't have it on you. Your passport is in the apartment over there? Sorry, no time to go there, you go to prison now. Thai prison very bad, dangerous.... *hand over cash*... ok you go now.

Yea I remember the good old days when you had to stay one step ahead of the criminals in order to not get taken ....

[DP25]

If they were looking for somebody, or looking to see if he had a visa, they would have OPENED the passport. They took a chance to collect a bribe and failed. On to the next customer!

[Loz]

Not a SCAM, just men at work. Jeez! a bit oversensitive or what?

I tend to carry my THai driving licence more than my passport as it contains my passport number so if they want to check they can. Never had a problem in nearly 4 years.

I love these OPs where you are waiting for the punch line, and there isn't one.

[salty]

Your daughter is a perceptive young lady.

[hhgz]

" Is this a new scam or and old one just curious."

What's the scam? Did a policeman ask for money? Was anyone in the car threatened? What's the scam?

[Penkoprod]

" Is this a new scam or and old one just curious."

What's the scam? Did a policeman ask for money? Was anyone in the car threatened? What's the scam?

I guess the only way to find out for sure was if the OP HADN'T had his passport on him.

Then, maybe there would have been a different outcome to this.

Penkoprod

Edited January 12, 2010 by Penkoprod

[tingtongfarang]

A while ago a friend and i were walking past asok intersection when we noticed 2 police shaking down 2 thais on a motocyc, As one of them put the money in his pocket and they were walking away they noticed usand shouted...you where you go, Then they asked for our passports ...my friend directly pulled out his thai dl but i kept my wallet in my front pocket and asked to see his police ID, He went balistic but i just repeated i need to see your ID, he then screamed i am thai police...you farang...can do anything i want with you! and kept repeating it as they walked away backwards to thier motocyc and rode away,

btw i also never carry my passport but do carry my thai dl

[Phuquephace]

OLD!!

[BigWheelMan]

What was wrong with that?

You must have your passport with you all the time. Police is checking if the Visa is still valid. That is normal. I know several bad guys who stay without visa in Thailand.

Right.

Just the police doing they`re job.

Sorry, but I don`t see any scam here.

[skippybangkok]

Thai prison very bad, dangerous.... *hand over cash*... ok you go now.

Ahhhhhh.......... but they are very weary of actually putting you in the lock up, alot of paper work and problems with Embassy. Especially American embassy annoys the shit out of them