A Funny Thing Happened

[Lordfoul]

Today on my way back from doing a Visa run in Tachileik, The Van I was in was stopped at a checkpoint. An Officer walked up to the drivers side and spoke to the driver and his wife then looked back and spotted me, I smiled and gave a nod to the officer as I always do at these checkpoints. Normally this is the point where they see That I am not Burmese and they lose interest and send us off on our merry way.

But not this time. An Officer opened the van door .. Smiled at me, so I offered up my passport (just in case they might have thought I was a Burmese Albino), one officer took my passport and three others grabbed my bags before another asked me to step out of the Van.

So I was now standing by the side of the road watching them go through by shopping bags which consisted of enough DVDs to open my own shop in Pantip. It did cross my mind that maybe they Have their own shop and this was a cheap way of stocking it. As soon as that thought entered my mind an Officer handed back my Passport and the others repacked my belongings and loaded them in the Van .. I got back in.. was saluted by an officer and then we drove off.

I am still not sure what that was all about .. They only searched my Things .. and I don't think they even checked the ID cards of my Driver or his wife .. I should note that everyone was polite and they were gentle with my belongs, but at no point was an explanation offered and I certainly wasn't going to ask for one.

On a side note : Immigration was fairly quick going in and out .. possibly the fastest I have seen.

The Tuk-Tuk Tour Guides were now offering Lady Boom-Boom instead of the usual temple tours (Don't know if thats new but that has never happened to me there)

Dvd 5 are 35-40 Baht and Dvd 9 70 Baht

I was pretty much left alone by the wandering sales people (when I said no they actualy walked a way instead of following me) with the exception of one lady who kept insisting that I really needed Saddam Hussein playing cards .. (good thing I didn't by those .. as I understand its Illeagal to bring playing cards into Thailand)

that's all Folks...

/sm

[rishi]

... lately a couple of actual drug carrying farlangs - riding in vans - have been snatched at that route ... the Burmese shans are renowned as substantial providers

[Maejo Man]

The Tuk-Tuk Tour Guides were now offering Lady Boom-Boom instead of the usual temple tours (Don't know if thats new but that has never happened to me there)

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I must look particularly seedy as that's the first thing they mention, and when I politely refuse, the temple tour gets thrown in as an after thought. Once again a ploite shake of the head leaves a perplexed expression on their faces, wondering if I'm off ladies for the day. or that way inclined

[Maejo Man]

... lately a couple of actual drug carrying farlangs - riding in vans - have been snatched at that route ... the Burmese shans are renowned as substantial providers

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Links? Source?

[zzap]

I just had a similar experience, coming back from Mae Sai!

Touching my stomach, breast and shouldrs for concealed bags, and going through my baggage, the guy thought my heavy carved buddha statuette was a gun!

Most unusual, yeah, link to the 'farang traffickers', please!

[rishi]

... lately a couple of actual drug carrying farlangs - riding in vans - have been snatched at that route ... the Burmese shans are renowned as substantial providers

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Links? Source?

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Chiang Mai Mail - 3-5 of the latest issues.

[Lordfoul]

... lately a couple of actual drug carrying farlangs - riding in vans - have been snatched at that route ... the Burmese shans are renowned as substantial providers

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I guess it would to be something like that ... A shame really ... I always enjoyed the "We're not Interested in you Whitey" look I used to get at those checkpoints. I just can't imagine the level of stupidity it would take for a farang to run drugs between Burma and Thailand.

I must look particularly seedy as that's the first thing they mention, and when I politely refuse, the temple tour gets thrown in as an after thought. Once again a ploite shake of the head leaves a perplexed expression on their faces, wondering if I'm off ladies for the day. or that way inclined blink.gif

Hmm not sure if I should be offended, As distasteful as I find sex peddlers I am not sure I want to be thought of as a guy who looks like he needs to see another temple.

/sm

[Gulliver_in_LOS]

Hmm not sure if I should be offended, As distasteful as I find sex peddlers I am not sure I want to be thought of as a guy who looks like he needs to see another temple.

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Good one!

[Lordfoul]

The only Thing I could find on drug traffiking in that area is this.

http://www.chiangmai-mail.com/161/news.shtml#hd5

But the "Aliens" they are talking about are probably not Farang (Whitey). Thailand seems to save the Term "Aliens" for residents of the poorer neighboring countries who are hear illegally.

/sm

[Maejo Man]

The only Thing I could find on drug traffiking in that area is this.

http://www.chiangmai-mail.com/161/news.shtml#hd5

But the "Aliens" they are talking about are probably not Farang (Whitey). Thailand seems to save the Term "Aliens" for residents of the poorer neighboring countries who are hear illegally.

/sm

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That's the only article I found in the last few issues. No mention of "farangs" anywhere, as I'm sure it would have made major headlines if two were actually caught. Please let's have an actual link or quote the article you"read"

[rishi]

The only Thing I could find on drug traffiking in that area is this.

http://www.chiangmai-mail.com/161/news.shtml#hd5

But the "Aliens" they are talking about are probably not Farang (Whitey). Thailand seems to save the Term "Aliens" for residents of the poorer neighboring countries who are hear illegally.

/sm

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... right! --- It appears that Chiang Mai Mail doesn't consider the drug-related stories from their hardcopy to be relevant for online publications.

With very few exceptions every hardcopy issue from the last several months have had 1-3 stories about various drug-traffickers getting caught or shot.

I think it was either the hardcopy issue of nov 12 or nov 19, where there was a story (with photos of a handcuffed, obviously farlang guy) - French or German I think the story told. They where caught at some checkpoint, north of Chiang Rai, on their way back from Mae Sai. If I remember right, they where (are?) residing in Chiang Rai jail

Sorry, I can't be more specific than this (stories about trafickers doesn't make me keep back issues).

[rishi]

... I think it was either the hardcopy issue of nov 12 or nov 19, where there was a story (with photos of a handcuffed, obviously farlang guy) -  French or German I think the story told. They where caught at some checkpoint, north of Chiang Rai, on their way back from Mae Sai...

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My apology to the French and German --- the culprit was Italian:

http://www.chiangmai-mail.com/158/news.shtml#hd25

[Ajarn]

... lately a couple of actual drug carrying farlangs - riding in vans - have been snatched at that route ... the Burmese shans are renowned as substantial providers

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From what I've been reading over the years, it seems that the Red Wa get the most blame for the drug production and smuggling....

[Maejo Man]

Thanks for the link Rishi. I must have missed that as I was looking for two farangs, however, I'm surprised that it didn't get greater coverage.

[kayo]

They also have quotas to fulfill... ie> How many cars, trucks etcc... how many burmese searched, thai's searched and falang too... etc...

[polecat]

I think you're all very brave reading the Chiangmai Mail at all. Don't you have any morals?

[zzap]

They also have quotas to fulfill... ie> How many cars, trucks etcc... how many burmese searched, thai's searched and falang too... etc...

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As far as I know, it's not how many they search (this couldn't be verified), but how many they catch. It's important for their end of year evaluation, i.e. promotion hinges on this. That's why they seem most active towards the end of the year.

[maitembot]

I think you're all very brave reading the Chiangmai Mail at all. Don't you have any morals? 

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TROLL!