Military Police Collecting Donations?

[Jay08]

I've just had two gentlemen visiting my house in Pak Lok, claiming to be from the Thai Military Police and collecting donations for hospitals in the South of Thailand.

They showed me some sort of identification, but I suppose this can easily be faked. They also came in a plain car.

Does anyone have any information if this might be genuine, does the Thai Police actually do that? Or is it a scam?

I sent them packing, but they said they would be back...

[kenny999]

All sounds a bit dodgy to me!!!

[steelepulse]

Ah yes, the fake donation mafia. There's another variation on this and that's when people hit tourists up at the beach showing sad faces and handing all the tourists something written in Thai. I guess we can add this to our mafia list.

[LivinLOS]

No but fake collectors are commonplace..

Someone I know (retired old guy) posted about how his missus let them into his house and they were intimidating to him.. Wanted a 'donation' of the multi 1000 type and he paid them 1000 to get out.

Personally I think he was soft.. But he just wanted them out and no trouble.

[Jimi007]

I had one of those guys come to my house a couple of years ago. I told him no and he had better leave before my dog comes. He didn't listen and kept on. My dog came, she nipped him, he threw his photo book at her and I went in the house and locked the door. I haven't seen anyone come to my house for a donation since...

[petercallen]

It sounds like a scam.

If they come back call the Volunteer tourist police.

Tell them you are doing it to check them out and they will disappear

No uniforms, unmarked car, no official receipt, its a scam.

[Old Croc]

I had the same guys come to my place. I was going to give them short shift at the door, but before I could do anything about it my missus had them sitting at the dining table sipping cold water.

They claimed they were collecting for a military/police hospital in the south that treated servicemen who had lost limbs in the troubles there.

To get them out I gave them a reasonable donation (three figures), in return I received a very detailed, official looking receipt and a sizable bhudda statue in a box.

Later I had a few words to the little lady about letting people into the house. She seemed to think they were genuine.

[surayu]

Ok, you all, stop distrusting this honourable country, the collectors are REAL, the donations (when they are taking place) are REAL too!!! ...let's just say that all the cash might just end up in the pockets of someone else which have a different name from the one they are advertising, but hey! that's a REAL person too, the army never loose a chance to emulate their competition (BIB's), or maybe is the other way around, whatever.... :jap:

[snamos]

I had them knocking on the door about 3 weeks ago in Chalong. They were wearing pink polo shirts (so it must have been the day when all the Thais were the same colored shirts...Tuesday or Wednesday??)...I offered them 100 baht to get lost....they said the minimum donation was 1000baht and they would give me a buddha, my GF came to the door and saw what was going on and sent them packing. Scam

Edited November 3, 2010 by snamos

[LivinLOS]

Scams ?? Taking money under false pretenses ??

Say it aint true !! On Phuket as well.. I can scarcely believe you lot.. Proof will need to be provided !!

[petercallen]

About three years ago i had the same pair with the same story in Kathu.

They try to get into your house, they are just con merchants who say they are police to frighten Thai people into letting them in.

[logbags]

About three years ago i had the same pair with the same story in Kathu.

They try to get into your house, they are just con merchants who say they are police to frighten Thai people into letting them in.

A guy I know was done over by the "fake handicapped child mafia" I tried to warn him when he met this woman who had this kid with a dodgy eye and only half her fingers. She said if only she had the money the Doctors could fix this kid with surgery.

He handed over some loot and was even collecting money at his church when he went home. By the time I found out she'd had him for a bit of dough but he never mentioned how much. I asked her where she lived and went to check, my girlfriend said the kids problems couldn't be fixed and if they could Doctors would have done it already as there are lots of ways a poor person can get free treatment. The girl with the kid started to get evasive and there were two brand new cars in her driveway. We demanded the doctors name that was supposedly treating the kid in Bangkok but he said he'd never heard of this lady or the kid when we phoned him.

The lady just stopped coming to see him and I suspected it wasn't even her kid. Sometimes it's hard to tell some people when they get on a do gooder high. I've seen it a few times where people use their kids like this as a meal ticket.

[mca]

.they said the minimum donation was 1000baht and they would give me a buddha,

Sounds pretty cheap to me. Do you have a spare room he could sleep in or would he have to kip on the sofa?

[snamos]

HAHAHA LMAO If it was the big man himself Im sure he could sleep in my room and blast the aircon....the spare room is full of junk and not fit for a hunchback

.they said the minimum donation was 1000baht and they would give me a buddha,

Sounds pretty cheap to me. Do you have a spare room he could sleep in or would he have to kip on the sofa?

[skippybangkok]

Yeh, had them walk into my shop some time back, similar scam peddling books of pu yai. Just tell them some came last week with the exact same thing, and you already gave them.

Really gets them confused.

[BangTaoBoy]

Scams ?? Taking money under false pretenses ??

Say it aint true !! On Phuket as well.. I can scarcely believe you lot.. Proof will need to be provided !!

You will notice though that nobody is boo hooing about it. It didn't ruin any bodies day, get them all depressed and make them want to leave Phuket, and nobody even got scammed. Everybody knew exactly what was going down and acted accordingly.

If your tuk tuk stories are anything to go by, you would have been repeatedly scammed and instead of learning the error of your ways, you'd have just come on here telling us how you're moving to Chiang Mai soon. (bet you don't by the way)

I'd just grab my camera and ask them to say cheese. That will normally get them scurrying away.

Edited November 3, 2010 by BangTaoBoy

[surayu]

I've seen it a few times where people use their kids like this as a meal ticket.

Spot on ! one of our builders kept asking money in advance because of his kids or just sent his wife to do it, he then disappeared after taking 10 days worth of money in advance for his work, knowing where he and all his relative were living i just went there to take my money back, he was building up a new house for his sister on front of his house.... then a local alcoholic (woman) came saying she didn't had any money to buy the milk to feed her baby, but obviously she only wanted money to feed her vices (local whiskey and cigarettes).

[Stomatopod]

Yes, I have had some turn up from police stations elsewhere in Phuket, military police and police magazines as well. I paid for one ad 2 years ago when we first opened our office but am savvy now.

All police who come for donations should have the agreement by the local police station to do this. So....

When the next lot turned up - I showed them that I was already advertising and just mentioned I would check with the police in Chalong that they had permission to do this (as they were not accompanied by a local policeman) and would they excuse me a moment. They left saying they would come back. They did not. ... I wonder why?

[keestha]

People claiming to be police or military asking donations for a worthy cause frequently walk into my resort here in Khao Lak, though now I think of it, they only come during the high season. I never give them anything.

Last time they came, when seeing me, they started the conversation by saying "we are army police", whereupon, though tempted to reply " yes and I am the president of North Korea", I told them in my politest Thai that I was sorry not to be able to give them anything, and that I wouldn't want to waste their time any further. Upon leaving, one of them made a vaguely threatening remark to one of the waitresses who chanced to be nearby.

[LivinginKata]

A number of off topic posts between 2 members have been removed.

[kenny999]

A number of off topic posts between 2 members have been removed.

As usual a simple post asking a simple question has descended into insults, some very strange people out there and on these forums!!!1

[Igaar]

I had them come to my house also around 6 months ago. They were waiting for me in front of the house since my thai wife had told them I'd soon be home. I told them I had no cash at home but could transfer money to their bank account in order to get their account number and name for later identification if they would come back and try to give me problems. I got the information but never transferred anything and never saw them again.

Edited November 5, 2010 by Igaar

[PST]

I had them come to my house also around 6 months ago. They were waiting for me in front of the house since my thai wife had told them I'd soon be home. I told them I had no cash at home but could transfer money to their bank account in order to get their account number and name for later identification if they would come back and try to give me problems. I got the information but never transferred anything and never saw them again.

Just been to mine in Kata,unmarked silver car,4 people,white tshirt,black trousers,with an ID tag around their neck.I was outside my house and they went past,must have spotted me,then stopped,then came to my front door,as i had gone back inside.Started explaining that he was Military police,and made a move to walk in,told him i was busy,and to come back.

PST.