Friend Busted With Marijuana On Khao San

[belg]

let the guy contact chalem and get this croocked cop arrested and death sentenced?

[NewlyMintedThai]

let the guy contact chalem and get this croocked cop arrested and death sentenced?

Um...it's druggies that Chalerm wants to put to death. Great advice!

[tragickingdom]

If he does not have the money, do not pay. A small bag of Marihuana lands him in jail for a few weeks at the most. If you pay, make sure someone record the entire circus in order to have some leverage over the crooked police. If the marihuana was not really marihuana but were Yaa Ba or Ma, pay and get out.

[Cholorado]

... F the cops, wouldnt it be cheaper to get a new passport at the US embassy?

[samsiam]

Exactly....report it lost on KSR and if anything comes of it....say it was not him buying the drugs.....just someone using his passport.....like the fake or rogue cops are going to pop their heads up to say it was him..

[walterego]

I cant believe that someone found his passport and then used it in a cop hustle.

Get a hair cut, maybe some bleach or dark dye use foundation on your skin, eat loads of fat food or dont eat anything at all so your gaunt. All Farangs look the same.

Go to the embassy tell them your passport is missing. As it is missing. This cop is unable to take any action anyway. He will have to explain why he didnt take the tourist impersonating you into custody and now he has got away. Your passport is stolen. (it has been stolen by the pig In all truth anyway). Video everything, sound record everything with everybody including the embassy and anybody else.

Wait for the embassy to advise you of the blackmail or charges and apply for a new passport chances are they wont advise you of anything as the cop wont have said anything. Download an app that records all your phone calls for your smartphone. Have the money ready (more than 20 in case of inflation) so you can give it to the corrupt policeman.

If you have to pay the cop video it and when you get home release it into the media but not until you are in your home country.... pay backs are a bitch. deny everything all the time everytime... because that is the truth anyway. There are now to many problems in the cops pursuit of the alledged offender for him to not look like a fool in the first place. He is illegally in possession of a passport and needs to present it to your embassy. I hope they get the guy that was impersonating your friend and buying Pot. A new passport is cheaper than 20k

Corruption can only be stopped if everyday people do their best to expose it at every chance and every opportunity. It must not be tollerated. Do whatever you can to get that corrupt orificer and the bar on video if you choose to go the easy route and pay it out. Release it when your home and safe.

I myself would 100% go the embassy route.

Goodluck and an update as to the outcome would be great.

Edited March 25, 2012 by walterego

[RichardinBKK]

Ok...here it is...

(1) move away from, and stay away from khao san road

(2) create an electronic record...go to air asia, an attempt to book a flight to chaing mai. Go all the way to the point where they ask for your passport number.

(3) "Discover" that it is missing

(4) Go to the American embassy first thing Monday, and report it stolen. Bring any photocopy or record of it, bring your itinerary that proves exactly when you arrived, bring 2+ passport photos, bring cash in 100 baht notes. (please tell me you know your passport number and have a copy somewhere...please?)

(5) Do whatever they tell you to do (IE: report it to a local police agency)

(6) get a new passport and stamp

(7) Tlak as little as possible, only answer the questions asked and do not "over explain" This is to them a very standard story "I live on Khao san and my passport went missing." I think they have heard that once or twice. Don't make it more complicated than that.

(8) ignore any suggestion to be a secret agent and perform a sting operation. We really do not want to read about your 27th story "suicide."

(9) very important...learn a lesson, and do not repeat it.

(10)Please be aware of your current situation. You are a danger to a corrupt cop. You are in Thailand with no passport or visa, and if stopped (and you will be is he sees your face again) you are going to sound a bit lame claiming then that "you lost it."

He now has a very strong case that does not require further evidence to make your life hell, and some whining about how he set you up will only solicit some very loud laughter at the police headquarters. Also, since that is a genuine crime...your embassy can only agree with local laws.

Do not engage this person in a cat and mouse game. let me be perfectly clear...in that scenario...you are the mouse...and this "cat' is a tiger.

Document your lost passport, have a logical supporting electronic record, get a new passport and stay far from Khao San...unless you are eager to "rinse and repeat."

Edited March 25, 2012 by RichardinBKK

[robanywhere]

My expat friend's son was caught by the BIBa few years back with mj after leaving a BKK club. His parents had to spring him from the police station at 3am with a 35k payment. Of course the price is higher if your perceived wealth is greater.

I would consider 20k a bargain to stay out of a Thai prison. Why Is this guy even questioning whether to pay?

[BigJohnnyBKK]

FYI my wife is a Thai lawyer and i hear about these type cases all the time. Here is a common scam for you that never hits the papers. A Thai family dresses their 12 year old daughter up as a bar girl. The girl is fined and taken home. At 6:00 am she pops off and by 8:00 her parents and the police are at the door demanding 2,000,000 baht. You pay it or you will be arrested and spend the rest of your life in jail. Your home country will press charges as well and you will lose everything you have ever worked for. Ah and the family laughs all the way to the bank until next time. Pay the 20,000 , idiot. Dont complicate the matter, think of it as the fine for stupidity and don't buy drugs in foreign countries. Please thump your friend in the nuts for me as well.

If an ordinary "family" tried this, they would get into very deep trouble for competing with the police. All such scams must be worked through proper channels, and the upstream powers that be all get their proper cut.

The alternative is total chaos, which of course those in charge don't allow. It just looks like such to us because we don't understand the PTB behind the scenes.

And believe me they break down the door long before 6am, usually just wait long enough for you to have your pants down around your knees.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Best advice here is of course mine now far above, and RichardinBKK's recent post. Do **not** try anything idealistic, no James Bond stuff, no "coming clean" with the embassy staff, just KISS and focus on saving your own skin.

If you really can't afford the money, then calling their bluff and going though the process will be much worse than back home, but most likely all done within a year. IMO they won't even book you, but it's not taking the risk no matter what the odds are if you can at all possibly raise the money.

OP posted on 17 March so I assume it's all been finalised - what was the outcome?

Goodluck and an update as to the outcome would be great.

If he is successful, he'd be stupid to tell the tale here wouldn't he?

If he goes to the monkey house, then I hope we find out so we can go visit him to bring food and cigarettes.

Wow what a lovely place

It is a lovely place, this kind of stuff is just the other side of the coin of what brings most of us here in the first place and is fortunately statistically rare, especially for those that have done their research and exercise (un)common sense.

I know I for one wouldn't want to live in Singapore or Switzerland, safe but sterile isn't my style.

[isdb91]

Well, you guys are a helpful bunch. I'm the friend of the OP. I decided to re-read the post and see how helpful you guys were. I appreciated some of your posts and others were quite ignorant. I would like to ask you a few questions:

1. How many motor vehicle accidents have occurred directly due to marijuana intoxication?

2. How many times has marijuana use ended someone's life? I am talking strictly due to the effects of marijuana.

Alcohol is far more dangerous drug and I am sure that a couple of you that were calling me a junkie are "junkies" yourselves.

I like(ed) Khao San Road because it is a nice place to occasionally meet foreigners( I am one as well and would never claim to be anything close to a Thai; I'm a guest here as well as most of you) and have a good time while at the same time saving some money. I don't really like going to Sukhimvit because there tend to be types that I don't really get along with there. I am going to go ahead and assume everyone makes mistakes even if they weren't caught in the act. I made a stupid decision and literally paid for it. And buying drugs in any SE Asian country is quite a stupid decision. I have learned a lesson from this: First of all, I became too comfortable here. I have been here coming up for two years and I am off to another country by the end of this year. I also speak Thai among other languages so it is not as if I come here and do not respect the people or their varying cultures. I took care of the problem and now have my passport back. Everything is just peachy and I would appreciate if you people who were bashing me would stop and think what would have happened to you if you had been in Thailand at 20. I have been doing my university work over here as well. It was an expensive lesson learned.

I also would like to thank those people who posted helpful comments. That meant a lot to me even though I had the problem taken care of within a few days. I would suggest some of you start your research on the harmful effects of drugs on Wikipedia. I think some of you could use some mind altering in order to get rid of your narrow minded ways. It is because of people that hold views such as marijuana offenders are junkies or even that "smack" users are junkies that allow police to extort people anyways. Drug abuse, however, not use, should be treated as a health problem. Throwing sick people into jail didn't work, doesn't work, and will never work. Please take a look at statistics back America or Europe and compare the treatment model versus incarceration. Trust me, I will never get near marijuana in Thailand and plan to stick to the alcohol even though it is exponentially more harmful.

Don't spout off rude, uninformed advice unless you know what you are talking about.

Thanks again for the support I received from some of you.

Goodnight all, its time for bed

Edited April 3, 2012 by isdb91

[F4UCorsair]

I can't figure out how a young guy even thinks it's worth the risk of having to pay $650+ for a drag on a joint??? You can get 20 hookers for the same money, and that makes it a very enjoyable three week stay.

Buying drugs in a country like Thailand, on the street, is more than nuts!!

Edited April 8, 2012 by F4UCorsair

[chrisinth]

Well, you guys are a helpful bunch. I'm the friend of the OP. I decided to re-read the post and see how helpful you guys were. I appreciated some of your posts and others were quite ignorant. I would like to ask you a few questions:

1. How many motor vehicle accidents have occurred directly due to marijuana intoxication?

2. How many times has marijuana use ended someone's life? I am talking strictly due to the effects of marijuana.

Alcohol is far more dangerous drug and I am sure that a couple of you that were calling me a junkie are "junkies" yourselves.

I like(ed) Khao San Road because it is a nice place to occasionally meet foreigners( I am one as well and would never claim to be anything close to a Thai; I'm a guest here as well as most of you) and have a good time while at the same time saving some money. I don't really like going to Sukhimvit because there tend to be types that I don't really get along with there. I am going to go ahead and assume everyone makes mistakes even if they weren't caught in the act. I made a stupid decision and literally paid for it. And buying drugs in any SE Asian country is quite a stupid decision. I have learned a lesson from this: First of all, I became too comfortable here. I have been here coming up for two years and I am off to another country by the end of this year. I also speak Thai among other languages so it is not as if I come here and do not respect the people or their varying cultures. I took care of the problem and now have my passport back. Everything is just peachy and I would appreciate if you people who were bashing me would stop and think what would have happened to you if you had been in Thailand at 20. I have been doing my university work over here as well. It was an expensive lesson learned.

I also would like to thank those people who posted helpful comments. That meant a lot to me even though I had the problem taken care of within a few days. I would suggest some of you start your research on the harmful effects of drugs on Wikipedia. I think some of you could use some mind altering in order to get rid of your narrow minded ways. It is because of people that hold views such as marijuana offenders are junkies or even that "smack" users are junkies that allow police to extort people anyways. Drug abuse, however, not use, should be treated as a health problem. Throwing sick people into jail didn't work, doesn't work, and will never work. Please take a look at statistics back America or Europe and compare the treatment model versus incarceration. Trust me, I will never get near marijuana in Thailand and plan to stick to the alcohol even though it is exponentially more harmful.

Don't spout off rude, uninformed advice unless you know what you are talking about.

Thanks again for the support I received from some of you.

Goodnight all, its time for bed

Just hope you learnt a lesson from your experience. Your advice to doing research into weed v alcohol? you should do your own research first to see which one is legal in the country you are in at the time before spouting off.

I think Scorpio has you pretty much weighed up...................... Cheers Scorpio, saves me repeating.

[Cornichon88]

The argument about weed vs alcohol is just bull***t and you know it.

Most if not all people smoking weed drink alcohol at the same time. After all it's party time. The vertuous aspect of weed vs alcohol is a lure.

In addition, by buying illegal drugs you finance other illegal activities of mafias that do not just sell grass. Human trafficking, weapons, terrorism etc.

Edited April 8, 2012 by Cornichon88

[metisdead]

Some inflammatory posts have been removed.

[F4UCorsair]

Last time I traveled to Bangkok, the information video played at top of descent mentions that severe penalties, including DEATH, apply for drug offences in Thailand. You didn't hear it? I bet you heard how much a taxi costs from Suvarnabhumi to the city. OK, got it, only marijuana. That's not a drug? Because 'everybody' uses it??

You're no fool, doing a degree (although I know you don't need to be be a genius to do that as I gained a BSc by barely attending, back in the days of attendance courses) but obviously you're a touch short on common sense. Let it be a serious lesson, an expensive one at B20,000.

[phuturatica]

Well, you guys are a helpful bunch. I'm the friend of the OP. I decided to re-read the post and see how helpful you guys were. I appreciated some of your posts and others were quite ignorant. I would like to ask you a few questions:

1. How many motor vehicle accidents have occurred directly due to marijuana intoxication?

2. How many times has marijuana use ended someone's life? I am talking strictly due to the effects of marijuana.

Alcohol is far more dangerous drug and I am sure that a couple of you that were calling me a junkie are "junkies" yourselves.

I like(ed) Khao San Road because it is a nice place to occasionally meet foreigners( I am one as well and would never claim to be anything close to a Thai; I'm a guest here as well as most of you) and have a good time while at the same time saving some money. I don't really like going to Sukhimvit because there tend to be types that I don't really get along with there. I am going to go ahead and assume everyone makes mistakes even if they weren't caught in the act. I made a stupid decision and literally paid for it. And buying drugs in any SE Asian country is quite a stupid decision. I have learned a lesson from this: First of all, I became too comfortable here. I have been here coming up for two years and I am off to another country by the end of this year. I also speak Thai among other languages so it is not as if I come here and do not respect the people or their varying cultures. I took care of the problem and now have my passport back. Everything is just peachy and I would appreciate if you people who were bashing me would stop and think what would have happened to you if you had been in Thailand at 20. I have been doing my university work over here as well. It was an expensive lesson learned.

I also would like to thank those people who posted helpful comments. That meant a lot to me even though I had the problem taken care of within a few days. I would suggest some of you start your research on the harmful effects of drugs on Wikipedia. I think some of you could use some mind altering in order to get rid of your narrow minded ways. It is because of people that hold views such as marijuana offenders are junkies or even that "smack" users are junkies that allow police to extort people anyways. Drug abuse, however, not use, should be treated as a health problem. Throwing sick people into jail didn't work, doesn't work, and will never work. Please take a look at statistics back America or Europe and compare the treatment model versus incarceration. Trust me, I will never get near marijuana in Thailand and plan to stick to the alcohol even though it is exponentially more harmful.

Don't spout off rude, uninformed advice unless you know what you are talking about.

Thanks again for the support I received from some of you.

Goodnight all, its time for bed

At least the situation got sorted out and everything is peachy!

Khao San Road is rife with corruption and drug stings. I see it happen all the time! At least it was only 20,000 baht and you paid and got your passport back! Good luck with the rest of your travels and try to stay out of trouble!

[Geekfreaklover]

It could have been worse, my friend. You could have been stung in some lawless, greedy, tourist mecca like Ko Phangnan

Edited April 9, 2012 by Geekfreaklover

[Razzler1973]

I imagine full moon time is very lucrative

No question regarding the paying up and chalking it down to experience and be more careful in future. I don't mind the odd smoke but haven't had any in years and don't even bother when I am in Thailand, just not worth the hassle and I'm gonna have a great time anyway

Edited April 16, 2012 by Razzler1973

[nocturn]

I would get the transaction on video and post it on youtube

Not very wise if you value your safety.

This is a business for them. How much profit in selling a bag of dope versus scamming a tourist for 20K baht, plus getting the bag of dope back too? It's been going on a long time and they are good at it, much like the jet ski scammers. Remember where you are.

Not QUITE like the jet ski scam, in which the victims are totally innocent. Let's not lose sight if the fact that the guy was BUYING DRUGS. He should feel lucky that he's being given a chance to buy his way out of it rather than doing hard time. No sympathy at all from me.

He's a complete plonker for buying drugs anywhere in Bangkok. There are quiet, out of the way places for that type of behaviour. Bangkok is waaay to much of a risk.

If of course this isn't the usual troll post.

I would say he is a complete plonker for buying on Khaosan.

But i am more interested in how he got it sorted. he neglected to mention that while educating us.

I have no issue with weed or its use, at all, but khaosan road? he cant be as simpatico with thailand as he infers.

in all the time he have spent here he couldnt come up with a single connection?

Edited April 18, 2012 by nocturn

[mjj]

Alcohol and ganja are evil......

Cocaine on the other hand....

[FOODLOVER]

Alcohol and ganja are evil......

Cocaine on the other hand....

What are things that Charlie Sheen says for 500, Alex?

[Totster]

Well, you guys are a helpful bunch. I'm the friend of the OP

I would like to ask you a few questions:

1. How many motor vehicle accidents have occurred directly due to marijuana intoxication?

2. How many times has marijuana use ended someone's life? I am talking strictly due to the effects of marijuana.

Who gives a f***.. surely he knew it was against the law, and knows the strict penalties (it's not as if they are kept secret). I switch off when I see these pleas for help, so don't get upset when no one wants to help your junkie mate, and certainly don't try and justify what he did.

totster

Edited April 21, 2012 by Totster

[kblaze]

The argument about weed vs alcohol is just bull***t and you know it.

Most if not all people smoking weed drink alcohol at the same time. After all it's party time. The vertuous aspect of weed vs alcohol is a lure.

In addition, by buying illegal drugs you finance other illegal activities of mafias that do not just sell grass. Human trafficking, weapons, terrorism etc.

LOL. If you actually smoke, you would know that they actually really don't go well together. But you don't do you? You saw this in movies? Rap music?

Their effects are profoundly different my man. When you are smoking, you are (generally) not going into the "party rockers" mode that alcohol brings on. And when you drink you are (generally) not going into the relaxed but slightly paranoid, focused, everything-is-fascinating (especially food) mode that comes with smoking greens.

yes sometimes its nice to sip on some whiskey or beer after smoking, or have a little puff after drinking at a club to put you to sleep, but the majority of the time, the activities are best done independent of each other.

Finally, you must have seen the hilarious adverts in the states years back about how buying weed leads to terrorism. Use your head. Selling weed is just a way to finance their operations. Its not like weed is the only financial avenue they have. It's just the easiest. Stop buying weed and they are just gonna close up shop and pursue more Godly endeavors? ha. If anything it strengthens the legalize argument that groups like NORML push; allow people to grow their own or choose their own vendor or buy from a government dispensary and you put the "terrorists" out of business.

Ok end of rant.

[farang000999]

if you lose your us passport i think they make you return home.

[Jake829]

Here's the deal.

I agree with the poster that said that the buyer made the mistake and is getting off easy for 20 k (that is since he has NO power here).

If he did, then he should call that 'power'.

But obviously he does not.

He goofed.

He is lucky that he can pay.

Do it.

Have it done.

Learn and never let it happen again.

totally agree, pay the 20k wipe your mouth and put it down to experience, as he's said he's only 20 we've all been there, but just don't ever F with drugs in Thailand again

[Puccini]

...I took care of the problem and now have my passport back...

Would you care to give details of how you did it?

[Daewoo]

I can't believe all the sanctimonious losers who get on here and would throw him under a bus for buying some weed... 'because it is illegal'... so is recording a TV show to watch later, quick, send around the BiB....

I haven't had a puff since I was 14, a good few decades ago... I don't like pot, I've seen lots of guys ruin their lives over it by becoming barely functioning idiots... living in filthy share houses, eating badly, having a hard time holding down a job, and just being 'wasters'... I don't buy into the 'legalise it' argument because of those things, but suggesting someone should face prison time or massive fines for pot use is ridiculous...

Fools here suggesting he faces 10 years for a joint, in a country where undoubtedly most of the same guys are buying sex from economic slaves, drinking and driving, living here when not entitled to by manipulating the Visa system, disrespecting everyone they meet...

In a country where murder goes unpunished and often rewarded, you let the 'lawmakers' and police tell you what is right and wrong??? Use your own brain for once!!!

Hope the subject of the OP got out of it OK... $600 is a fair amount to pay for a bit of a smoke...

To the rest of the hang em high brigade, "let he who is without sin..."

/rant

Daewoo

[chrisinth]

I can't believe all the sanctimonious losers who get on here and would throw him under a bus for buying some weed... 'because it is illegal'... so is recording a TV show to watch later, quick, send around the BiB....

I haven't had a puff since I was 14, a good few decades ago... I don't like pot, I've seen lots of guys ruin their lives over it by becoming barely functioning idiots... living in filthy share houses, eating badly, having a hard time holding down a job, and just being 'wasters'... I don't buy into the 'legalise it' argument because of those things, but suggesting someone should face prison time or massive fines for pot use is ridiculous...

Fools here suggesting he faces 10 years for a joint, in a country where undoubtedly most of the same guys are buying sex from economic slaves, drinking and driving, living here when not entitled to by manipulating the Visa system, disrespecting everyone they meet...

In a country where murder goes unpunished and often rewarded, you let the 'lawmakers' and police tell you what is right and wrong??? Use your own brain for once!!!

Hope the subject of the OP got out of it OK... $600 is a fair amount to pay for a bit of a smoke...

To the rest of the hang em high brigade, "let he who is without sin..."

/rant

Daewoo

I think you are reading what you want to read from other posters. My interpretation of the thread is that the majority of the posters think the guy is an idiot for doing something in Thailand which has been globally recognised as a no-no.

This is the laws of the country and not individual recommends. If the guy decides to ignore the multitude of warnings that have been issued regarding drug abuse in this country, and is arrogant enough to use a well known falang area to purchase illegal substance, then I agree with the majority that he deserves what he gets.

The dangers of drug use v alcohol don't enter into this, it is all about the laws of the country. The guy is in his early 20's; let him put this down to experience and enjoy the rest of his life. Just hope he does a bit of research in the next country he visits. Malaysia and Singapore spring to mind................

[nocturn]

The argument about weed vs alcohol is just bull***t and you know it.

Most if not all people smoking weed drink alcohol at the same time. After all it's party time. The vertuous aspect of weed vs alcohol is a lure.

In addition, by buying illegal drugs you finance other illegal activities of mafias that do not just sell grass. Human trafficking, weapons, terrorism etc.

LOL. If you actually smoke, you would know that they actually really don't go well together. But you don't do you? You saw this in movies? Rap music?

Their effects are profoundly different my man. When you are smoking, you are (generally) not going into the "party rockers" mode that alcohol brings on. And when you drink you are (generally) not going into the relaxed but slightly paranoid, focused, everything-is-fascinating (especially food) mode that comes with smoking greens.

yes sometimes its nice to sip on some whiskey or beer after smoking, or have a little puff after drinking at a club to put you to sleep, but the majority of the time, the activities are best done independent of each other.

Finally, you must have seen the hilarious adverts in the states years back about how buying weed leads to terrorism. Use your head. Selling weed is just a way to finance their operations. Its not like weed is the only financial avenue they have. It's just the easiest. Stop buying weed and they are just gonna close up shop and pursue more Godly endeavors? ha. If anything it strengthens the legalize argument that groups like NORML push; allow people to grow their own or choose their own vendor or buy from a government dispensary and you put the "terrorists" out of business.

Ok end of rant.

you seem quite the authority.

do you have any other recommendations on how other substances, illegal or otherwise are "best" used?

seems to me that all through my formative years they were interchangeably and simultaneously used rather than independently. One was rarely ever present without the other.

Certainly there were folk who used one or the other exclusively, but they were rare.

best indeed

Edited May 3, 2012 by nocturn