Disturbing Trend In Sukhumvit Area, Bkk

[HardenedSoul]

I asked a similar question a couple of weeks ago but some of the thread's contributors got a bit catty when it emerged I was not (and am still not) a Caucasian. The remarks - since deleted by moderators - centred on the fact that, as a non-white foreigner walking along Sukhumvit carrying two bags of grocery shopping, I was more or less up to no good.

It was hilarious!

[BookMan]

Out of ALL these people you know how many have complained or gone to the Tourist Police? How about the gal with the shoes, did she complain? this is why I always have my iPhone ready to video and tale pictures of the BIB.

okay....

[impulse]

To the OP, I appreciate the heads up. Sadly, I haven't done everything there is to do and I don't know everything there is to know and I certainly haven't read every post from forever in TV, so information like this is a good thing...

Edited January 4, 2012 by impulse

[FalangBaa]

Personally speaking I wish they would do this every day, randomly, all over Bangkok. I wouldn't be put out in the slightest by being searched or even patted down for a few minutes on any street in Bangkok. I have nothing to hide, and if the police catch any farangs with drugs or concealed weapons or anything else illegal, so much the better. Bangkok will be a much better, safer and nicer place without these drug-using or criminal foreigners walking the streets. There are probably tens of thousands of foreigners living in Bangkok today who wouldn't even be there if they weren't able to support themselves through illicit activities. Kick them all out, with a lifetime ban.

Edited January 4, 2012 by FalangBaa

[robblok]

Actually i would not like to be patted down by the police at all. They are as criminal (often) as the criminals they are looking for. I would worry a lot about a plant. In my home country i would not mind to a search as i know the police in general is corrupt. Here i would really worry.

So i really don't agre with the crazy farang. A name says it all doesn't it.

[HardenedSoul]

Personally speaking I wish they would do this every day, randomly, all over Bangkok. I wouldn't be put out in the slightest by being searched or even patted down for a few minutes on any street in Bangkok. I have nothing to hide, and if the police catch any farangs with drugs or concealed weapons or anything else illegal, so much the better. Bangkok will be a much better, safer and nicer place without these drug-using or criminal foreigners walking the streets. There are probably tens of thousands of foreigners living in Bangkok today who wouldn't even be there if they weren't able to support themselves through illicit activities. Kick them all out, with a lifetime ban.

Good for you Mr. Squeaky Clean. Just bear in mind that that members of any police force that's as instituitionally corrupt as the Royal Thai police are unlikely to think twice about adding items to the inventory of any search if you're in the right street away from establishments with CCTV. It may not happen often but the chances are increased the more regularly you're stopped so you might want to rethink your call for opem season on stop an search.

[benbear]

Thanks for heads up, no point arguing. In the famous words of crime watch " Keep your eyes peeled "

[Suikki]

This is for all of the people who wish thai police would search people more often.

I really wish that I, or anyone else don't end up in this kind of a situation anymore.

My own post quoted about a month ago...

I would like to share my bad experience with Thong Lo Polices at Asok intersection.

Week ago on Tuesday night me and my friend got stopped by those scumbags and searched. It was late around 5am and luckily we weren't that drunk. Just few beers and hanging out with friends in a sports bar and a street bar at sukhumvit.

They took both of us out from the taxi and there were 3 officers searching us. 1 wanted to see what I have in my pockets and 2 other officers checked my friend. He looked in my wallet and bag and put me back in the taxi. While I was sitting in there waiting my friend I realized something is wrong. Other police was checking my friends pockets and wallet while the other police was looking into his laptop case. When my friend was keeping eye on the police checking his wallet the other one "found" a short straw from my friends bag which wasn't in there. They asked me back to the street and kept asking us what is it. We were calmly saying that we don't know and it doesn't belong to us.

After that the real show started. They accused us taking cocaine whit that straw, which we of course denied all the time. Then they cutted the straw half with their knife and tasted with finger like they do in the TV series and said it is cocaine for sure. We denied everything. Another officer then said that he needs to call to his boss. We just said that go on because we haven't done anything illegal or wrong. He took his phone, opened the keylock and put the phone on his ear. I saw that he didn't even search for the number or anything, so he was trying to bluff us. After that they said that we need to go to station. We said that we can go because we haven't done anything. After that they said that we need to take urine test over there, and we again replied that lets go then. They just kept asking that are we sure so many times that I almost got bored of answering to that question. At the end my friend got searched inside his shoes and everything. After 30min of that show they just put us back into the taxi and probably got ready for the next victim who might be easier money for them.

Be carefull with Thong Lo Police and keep your eyes on their hands all the time when they search your belongings. If they try to scam you be calm and polite, deny everything and don't panic. They are trying to get easy money and probably waited us to pay ourselves out from the situation.

Edited January 4, 2012 by Suikki

[pauljones]

A dear friend of mine has a policeman brother. She recommends NEVER trust them.

These random searches of foreigners is a shakedown. They know the tourists have no where to complain to.

They are terrorizing and extorting anybody that may have a pill in their pocket with no prescription.

(Pills that can be bought all over Thailand without a prescription)

Is there any doubt that these thugs in uniform would plant something in a tourists pocket for their own amusement and profit?

This is the same police district that had the Santika Club fire killing 68 people.

Thong Lor police allowed them to operate illegally for a fee.

When all those people burned to death, they investigated themselves and blamed others.

Nice people.

[deejah]

i have read, seen, and heard many a 'got drugged and robbed' in thailand stories, and i am certain some if not many are true

however i have seen, heard, and read practically nada about drugs being planted by police

is this really an extremely rare occurrence or does it just get so much less ear-play as there are more embarrassing consequences?

(in addition i think false positives on these spot urine tests are not uncommon)

[Travel2003]

I think there are 1000s of posts on TV regarding Thonglor police station.

Has anyone made a complaint against this station?

Dont know if anyone made a complaint yet.

maybe someone did, abut we never heard from them again.

;-)

This is the station where the Police are infamous for "planting" stuff on foreigners, and then pressure them to pay up.

Again, lots of post on TV regarding this.

[nong38]

I often see shoes and flip flops on the road or by the side of the road, I never realized that is how you know where the police are doing spot checks, I will now start collecting in case I ever get stopped!

[phuturatica]

Me and my boyfriend (he is Thai) got stopped and pulled over in our car near Victory Monument the other day. They went to search me but I explained that I wanted a female officer to search me if they were going to pat me down and touch me etc.

They said that was not possible so I resisted and said they would not put a finger on me or touch me. I think more than anything they were surprised that I was being so adamant and defensive even though I was surrounded by at least 20 police officers.

They took my boyfriend to the side and searched him and turned the whole car inside out and kept telling my boyfriend I was being difficult and I should co-operate. My boyfriend said to let them pat me down and check my pockets and I was pretty angry that he was giving in to them. However one of the officers grabbed my arm quite tightly and went to pull me to the side out of the way, which was out of my boyfriend's view and at that point I kicked off and resisted.

Another officer made the officer who had hold of me let me go and they exchanged some words in Thai. I said I would empty my pockets and bag but they would not touch me out of view from my boyfriend and other officers. They finally agreed to do this and I then co-operated fine.

Either way, I felt very intimidated and they really rough handled my boyfriend too. So I don't think it's just farangs they're cracking down on.

[soundman]

Post flaming another member in Thai language has been removed.

[BookMan]

Personally speaking I wish they would do this every day, randomly, all over Bangkok. I wouldn't be put out in the slightest by being searched or even patted down for a few minutes on any street in Bangkok. I have nothing to hide, and if the police catch any farangs with drugs or concealed weapons or anything else illegal, so much the better. Bangkok will be a much better, safer and nicer place without these drug-using or criminal foreigners walking the streets. There are probably tens of thousands of foreigners living in Bangkok today who wouldn't even be there if they weren't able to support themselves through illicit activities. Kick them all out, with a lifetime ban.

This is why they dont have a 'dislike'; button.

[nong38]

If what you are all saying is right then I am glad I am up country, things are different here. I nod at the police, they nod back, sometimes they they wave and say hello. Have never been stopped and asked for ID apart for driving to BKK in May last year when things were going off in town.

[nong38]

Mention of shoes being taken by the police is disturbing it makes me wonder if the "shoe" could replace the "baht".

I expect eurozone finance ministers are watching this carefully in case the Euro colapses.

[David48]

Some people would pay to get touched up by a man in uniform...

Pick me, pick me ...

Though want it to be a female and preferably in a nurses uniform ... though would settle for a Police chick ... ahhh ... women in uniform, reminds me of a song ... ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXZLTn0jrvA

[BngkkB]

I dont wear any underwear, does that mean if they ask me to take off my trousers (pants to yanks) i then commit another offence of being indecent..............the wife says its indecent, but thats another story!!!

Travelman it is my understanding that it is illegal to leave your house with out underwear in Thailand. Check strange laws. So yes you would be charged with an offence. That is if the Thai Police know this law? Last month a Thai friend of mine opened the door of a taxi (on the curb side of the taxi) and a motor cycle hit the door. When she went to meet with the police and rider later to settle it, the police said that it was 100% her fault. I produced the driving manual opened to the page that says it is illeagal for a motorcycle to pass between the curb and car and the police let her off and charged the motor cycle driver. When the motor cycle driver protested the police told him that the Farang showed him the law.

[KRS1]

I thought you had to carry ID at ALL times when in Thailand? and she had none.

Ah, that explains why they took her shoes. Thanks travelmann.

ehh, i think she's just trying to get her BF to buy her new shoes.

Cops probably told her to take off her shoes to search and she thought they wanted them.

[KRS1]

I dont wear any underwear, does that mean if they ask me to take off my trousers (pants to yanks) i then commit another offence of being indecent..............the wife says its indecent, but thats another story!!!

Its actually a law here that you have to wear underwear when leaving your home. Gets it inhibits the time needed to whip it out.

[KRS1]

Maybe Thai authorities have picked up on Thaivisa and are starting to realize the majority of farangs don't exactly view thai people in a good way.

Then you'd have to wonder, just why are they here then?

If i was a high ranking cop that was fluent in English and had read the general consensus regarding thai people on this website. I'd issue the order to erradicate also.

[KRS1]

I think there are 1000s of posts on TV regarding Thonglor police station.

Has anyone made a complaint against this station?

Dont know if anyone made a complaint yet.

maybe someone did, abut we never heard from them again.

;-)

This is the station where the Police are infamous for "planting" stuff on foreigners, and then pressure them to pay up.

Again, lots of post on TV regarding this.

Pure speculation, got proof?

[StreetCowboy]

Maybe Thai authorities have picked up on Thaivisa and are starting to realize the majority of farangs don't exactly view thai people in a good way.

Then you'd have to wonder, just why are they here then?

If i was a high ranking cop that was fluent in English and had read the general consensus regarding thai people on this website. I'd issue the order to erradicate also.

So you reckon they really are cracking down on farangs then, and will continue to do so until we form a better opinion?

[Travel2003]

I think there are 1000s of posts on TV regarding Thonglor police station.

Has anyone made a complaint against this station?

Dont know if anyone made a complaint yet.

maybe someone did, abut we never heard from them again.

;-)

This is the station where the Police are infamous for "planting" stuff on foreigners, and then pressure them to pay up.

Again, lots of post on TV regarding this.

Pure speculation, got proof?

This has been talked about again and again on TV.

The very fact so many have written about this (here on TV) makes the station infamous.

One can not prove if a station is infamous or not. It is like make a proof that aliens do not exists.

Whether they plant stuff or not, is irrelevant as long as many people claim it.

It makes the station look bad purely because someone say the officers do this.

[Travel2003]

Maybe Thai authorities have picked up on Thaivisa and are starting to realize the majority of farangs don't exactly view thai people in a good way.

Then you'd have to wonder, just why are they here then?

If i was a high ranking cop that was fluent in English and had read the general consensus regarding thai people on this website. I'd issue the order to erradicate also.

I believe the majority do view the Thais in a god way.

Yes we do criticize, but we also do that with our own family as well.

Nevertheless, if someone high ranking was not happy about this site, he/she would probably get it banned, like the other 1 000 000s of other web sites the authorities already have censored (like China, North Korea, and Burma).

[KRS1]

Maybe Thai authorities have picked up on Thaivisa and are starting to realize the majority of farangs don't exactly view thai people in a good way.

Then you'd have to wonder, just why are they here then?

If i was a high ranking cop that was fluent in English and had read the general consensus regarding thai people on this website. I'd issue the order to erradicate also.

So you reckon they really are cracking down on farangs then, and will continue to do so until we form a better opinion?

Well you have to consider why farangs other than retirees are here , when more income can be made in their own countries from a thai's viewpoint.

Searches that are going on are obviously for drugs. Everyone knows drugs are more easily obtained by farangs foreigners than thais. This doesn't mean more farangs get high, it means their more willing to sell to a new face if its a foreign one.

Im sure though, that the general opinion of thais isn't accepted with much gratitude to a thai reading this forum. Mainly the fault of the foreigner in a different land though, since problems that arise can arise in any country, but are just too swift to pin the persona of 'a thai' as a prefix when singling out a specific issue.

If a country boy from the UK or US or Oz moves to a big city in his or her own country, they would have the same opinion about their own people in their own country.

Gold diggers, conmen and cheats are worldwide not just a problem endemic to thailand.

[HardenedSoul]

They're cracking down on the drugs so, once confiscated, they can be given to the dealers who pay for police protection.

The drugs are everywhere including clubs owned/partly-owned by top-ranking police officers. Go into Wip168, Swing, Spicy, Shock 39 or Mixx and listen to the Dyson-like soundtrack emanating from the stalls.

[Murf]

Not really into the hoover soundtracks, but i don't mind the balloon squeeking stuff...

[ashacat]

Everyone knows drugs are more easily obtained by farangs foreigners than thais.

- Wow! That's a big statement!! What makes you think this is true?

Anyway back on topic, I suppose that being the O.P. of this thread it was only a matter of time that I got stopped and searched, this happened on Friday night....

I was walking our babysitter to the paak soi of my home at midnight on Friday night (the location that I describe in the O.P.) as soon as the babysitter was in a taxi I turned back up my soi to go home when 2 policemen on a motorbike sped in front of me and blocked my path. This soi is pretty dark and being a dead end soi is very quiet, especially at night so I was a bit nervous. They searched my pockets and took ages going through my wallet and asked me, where I had been, where I was going, whether I had been drinking, whether I speak Thai and how long I have been living in Thailand.

Even tho I am pi**ed off at the blatant racial profiling by the police in targetting farangs in this area, I must say that they were not aggressive with me and did not try any funny business, once they were happy I was not carrying anything untoward I was allowed to go with a 'kob khun krap'...