Never mind the outcome.

[Geekfreaklover]

This is a well known place to get searched by the police. They're looking for things like Viagra

CORNY JOKE ALERT

I guess there's a " stiff " penalty involved.

Hard to believe the OP is up for it.

Police are on the lookout for hardened criminals.

[RusticCharm]

yet ANOTHER reason NOT to go to pattaya

I like Pattaya. And as long as sanctimonious gits like you stay away, I'll keep liking it.

[HeavyDrinker]

I like Pattaya. And as long as sanctimonious gits like you stay away, I'll keep liking it

[Ulysses G.]

Ever since a mate warned me about shakedowns at Ekkamai bus station in 1993, I have been dying for it to happen to me. Alas I must just look to clever for the coppers

Lucky the grammar police weren't there they wouldn't think you to be "too clever".

[kurnell]

Ever since a mate warned me about shakedowns at Ekkamai bus station in 1993, I have been dying for it to happen to me. Alas I must just look to clever for the coppers

Lucky the grammar police weren't there they wouldn't think you to be "too clever".

But from now on if I've any money in my pockets it'll be time to get off at On Nut!

If there were <deleted> police on this site, then i suggest you would have been locked up long ago

Ah now i remember why i stopped visiting this website.

Ah. Can dish it out, but can't take it. How is my grammar now?

[llso]

Having lived in Thailand previously for a number of years and traveling to just about every part of Thailand by bus ,train, boat,and car have never been hassled by the Police.The only exception being the cigarette butt scam on Sukumvit. Once when I actually was guilty and another when they just grabbed me for no reason. In both instances I was able to bargain it down with a laugh and joke for a couple of hundred baht. The fact that I spoke passable Thai helped I'm sure.

Hang on! Let me get this right. You said on one occasion they grabbed you for no reason. And you still paid them? I may be wrong but the guys doing this are government workers and not the police hence they have no powers of arrest. And you still paid them?

No wonder some Thais think westerners are an easy mark.

Let me explain this one. I thought about mentioning the circumstances in my original post. I had just walked out of Vasu exchange Corner Sukumvit and soi 7 back when it was semi underground. I had over 50,000 Baht in My pocket. When they kicked a gigarette butt in front of me while I was walking. I started to argue and tell them to F%#42 Off and they indicating that I was going to go to jail. I could just see this whole thing blowing way out of proportion and standing there with 50K + in my pocket I just settled it for a couple hundred Baht. You learn these things after a while.

LL

[TAWP]

Probably looking for drugs. I've been stopped and searched about half a dozen times in Bangkok. They usually go through everything. Pocket, wallet, they once took off my shoes and looked in them. Nothing ever happens, they thank me and go.

Indeed - they are not looking to scam someone, there are enough people that actually carry illicit drugs to make a decent living on.

[tailspin]

gotta agree here...scammers and smokers....the world would be alot better off without them

i dont really like to take thai's side but you're a smoker, poluting our air and our land with your butts. You're kind of a million times worse.

Our?

I think there are far worse air pollutants to worry about in Bangkok than cigarette smoke in the open air...

[wellred]

This is all rather worrying as my first trip to LOS approaches. And im travelling solo too.

[snarky66]

Traveling around with a wad of cash is a big mistake & you are asking for trouble. Use your credit card at an ATM; Travelers checks (cheques); figure something out.

[bkkjames]

This is all rather worrying as my first trip to LOS approaches. And im travelling solo too.

Stay away from thonglor district and you'll be fine.

As a side note, last friday I went to sametivej for an eye checkup, they put those drops in to dialate your pupils (gives you cat eye essentially). Biggest fear was getting stopped by the 'notorious' and trying to explain why I looked stoned.

Amazing times when one has to fear going to the hospital over getting 'profiled' by the cops.

[simon43]

The guys "policing" cigarette butts are not even cops. They are BMA (Bangkok Metropolitan Administration) officers, commonly called "Tessakit".

How do you correctly pronounce that word?

Is the emphasis on 'Tossa' or on 'Git' ?

Simon

[mca]

The guys "policing" cigarette butts are not even cops. They are BMA (Bangkok Metropolitan Administration) officers, commonly called "Tessakit".

How do you correctly pronounce that word?

Is the emphasis on 'Tossa' or on 'Git' ?

Simon

Simon I think with the impossibility of doing an accurate translation due to the Thais use of the Abugida in their writing the closest approximation of pronunciation would be " Bunch of snivelling c#nts" At least that's what Andrew Biggs told me.

[bifftastic]

The guys "policing" cigarette butts are not even cops. They are BMA (Bangkok Metropolitan Administration) officers, commonly called "Tessakit".

How do you correctly pronounce that word?

Is the emphasis on 'Tossa' or on 'Git' ?

Simon

Simon I think with the impossibility of doing an accurate translation due to the Thais use of the Abugida in their writing the closest approximation of pronunciation would be " Bunch of snivelling c#nts" At least that's what Andrew Biggs told me.

Isn't the group noun for snivelling c#nts 'shower' ?

[mca]

The guys "policing" cigarette butts are not even cops. They are BMA (Bangkok Metropolitan Administration) officers, commonly called "Tessakit".

How do you correctly pronounce that word?

Is the emphasis on 'Tossa' or on 'Git' ?

Simon

Simon I think with the impossibility of doing an accurate translation due to the Thais use of the Abugida in their writing the closest approximation of pronunciation would be " Bunch of snivelling c#nts" At least that's what Andrew Biggs told me.

Isn't the group noun for snivelling c#nts 'shower' ?

I believe the use of the noun " shower" should be used with " useless bastards"

[bifftastic]

absolutely correct, that scans a lot better

so, wherever these snivelling c#nts hang out, would be a den? I think, in this form, the adjective 'snivelling' can be omitted, perhaps replaced with 'absolute' giving 'an absolute den of c#nts'

I think it's fair to say that this could be used as a blanket term for many locations, if not entire cities!

[CheGuava]

This is all rather worrying as my first trip to LOS approaches. And im travelling solo too.

Don't worry.

[bermondburi]

you can refuse to be searched as they have no grounds to search you and ask to do it in the presence of a lawyer. By law they must have reasonable grounds to search you. Something like they had prior information that you were carrying something etc.

[Richard4849]

you can refuse to be searched as they have no grounds to search you and ask to do it in the presence of a lawyer. By law they must have reasonable grounds to search you. Something like they had prior information that you were carrying something etc.

Seems that getting off the bus from Pattaya is cause enough. Kinda can't argue with that.

[wandrinstar]

Hey, this isn't a western country with rules about illegal search and seizure. Come to think of it, those long-held rights have been eroded in the U.S. ever since 9/11. Maybe that's part of why I'm living in Thailand,

Anyway, remember you're at a bus terminal -- not the first class lounge of Thai Air. Dress a little better than the rest of crowd. Smile nicely when they ask to do a search and start taking photos, especially when they handle your money and documents. Keep up the light attitude. Maybe get someone to take photos of you with the BIB. After all, this is a new experience for you; something worth documenting. Consider yourself lucky if you've traveled before as a solo western male and never encountered a search.

Personally, the only hassles I've ever had was in returning to the U.S. was when I was grilled by U.S. officials like some sort of elderly drug marm because I'd been in Thailand for so long. They went over every item in my luggage, paying much more attention to the paperwork items than to the jewelry or liquor. I guess they thought I was running some sort of business operation.

So true about long held rights.Balanced post as i see it....Well Said.

[londoedan]

yet ANOTHER reason NOT to go to pattaya

I like Pattaya. And as long as sanctimonious gits like you stay away, I'll keep liking it.

Dead right on that score.

[londoedan]

you can refuse to be searched as they have no grounds to search you and ask to do it in the presence of a lawyer. By law they must have reasonable grounds to search you. Something like they had prior information that you were carrying something etc.

Seems that getting off the bus from Pattaya is cause enough. Kinda can't argue with that.

Ha ha ha - you're hilarious - NOT

[MrHammer]

This isn't a scam or shakedown. They are looking for illegal stuff like fake viagra and drugs. Since Ekamai not only serves the crimehole of Pattaya but also the far Cambodian borders it only makes sense. Don't blame the police for fining you if you have something illegal on you. Just because there is corruption doesn't mean you can break the law, or rather, if you break the law, don't bitch when you have to pay some money for it.

I've only been stopped once, because someone I was travelling with looked very scruffy, so I assume they are indeed singling out people based on profiling. One time, I do indeed think I may have had a few packets of some viagra clone to send for a friend and they didn't even care. They are clearly looking for smugglers and dope dealers.

So, all in all, who cares? You go through more privacy violations in any random western airport.

[NanLaew]

I remember Trink in the BKK Post reporting on this going on at Ekamai years ago.

Trink? Bangkok Post?

My Buddha... how old are you???!!!

[thaibeachlovers]

I remember Trink in the BKK Post reporting on this going on at Ekamai years ago.

Trink? Bangkok Post?

My Buddha... how old are you???!!!

Trink was great. Those that missed his reportage also missed the best days of Bkk nightlife.

Nuff' said!

[DavidMavec]

In a weird way these police are being honestly corrupt…

It appears as though you will only ever get into difficulty if you are doing something wrong.

As another poster said – if you are carrying Viagra or some other prescribed drug without a prescription you could find yourself in a sticky situation.

I don´t get this as any pharmacy sells these sorts of drugs without a prescription. I didn't even know it was illegal. What might the penalty be if one were "caught"? Bizarre to think such drugs are illegal in this country.

[gerrygoat]

I walked out of Ekamai bus station this evening (1st Sept). I had no baggage with me as I had just arrived back from Pattaya where I had been looking at rooms for next week

I was walking to the BTS when I was approached by a Police Officer who asked where I was going and did I have my passport with me.I replied that my passport was in my hotel

The next bit was the most frightening because he took me into the trees (I am 62 and no spring chicken).He had everything out of my pockets and went through my wallet with a fine tooth comb.He found nothing and sent me on my way

I have no problem with these people doing their jobs but why search me in the trees. I was shaking like a leaf and was sure he was going to plant something on me

[IanForbes]

So, all in all, who cares? You go through more privacy violations in any random western airport.

Ain't that the truth. As a single male you get treated like a known terrorist, and the customs agent have no respect with any of your belongings. They broke my glasses by dropping them on the concrete floor and would have done the same with my expensive Nikon SLR had I not caught it in time before it hit the floor. I've lost all respect for anyone wtih a gun and a badge.

[moe666]

Thailand the old in and out. Still love it they could have me searched by a ladyboy and it would still be better that the crap going on here in the states.

We have a saying here in my city Want to commit sucide call the police.. Will take a search by Thai cops any day

[moe666]

I walked out of Ekamai bus station this evening (1st Sept). I had no baggage with me as I had just arrived back from Pattaya where I had been looking at rooms for next week

I was walking to the BTS when I was approached by a Police Officer who asked where I was going and did I have my passport with me.I replied that my passport was in my hotel

The next bit was the most frightening because he took me into the trees (I am 62 and no spring chicken).He had everything out of my pockets and went through my wallet with a fine tooth comb.He found nothing and sent me on my way

I have no problem with these people doing their jobs but why search me in the trees. I was shaking like a leaf and was sure he was going to plant something on me

Why did you go with him then, hold your ground. The Thai cops are corrupt but they still donot want physical confrontation like the cops in the states love to provoke.

Ian when you headed back

Edited September 1, 2011 by moe666