Are The Thai Police Getting Worse ?

[richard_smith237]

Thong Lor coppers are notorious and have previous for this sort of behaviour.

Agreed - I've heard of a number stories about the Thonglor Police extorting foreigners, usually for a few 100B though.

About 5 years ago the taxi I was in was pulled over by two police riding pillion on a motorbike. The taxi was pulled over in a dark quiet soi between Ekammai and Thonglor, I didn't feel safe. I locked my door, when the police asked something I opened the window an inch.

They asked for my passport, I simply said that I don't have it. They asked for ID and I simply replied 'No!' (even though I had ID), they then waved the taxi along.

I never knew if this was a legitimate stop, but it felt quite dodgy.

I've asked my friend in the police what I should do in this situation. His reply was that if I feel suspicious ask the taxi to take you to a police station, and ask the police to follow you there.

I've been stopped 3 times in total in a taxi, asked where I am going, once was the dodgy experience above, two were in the middle of the day. On each of the occasions I was simply waved along and have not understood or had it explained to me why I've been pulled over.

Luckily there are very few stories rolling around which include the police planting evidence. I'm sure it has happened (in any country) I hope this type of behaviour by the police in Thailand is not on the increase. In general I've always received fair treatment by the police who in all honesty have quit a shitty job to carry out. Nevertheless stories like this which could be true are very frightening.

[pastitche]

I don't know why anyone would doubt this story. The BIB have been running this scam for as long as Farang have been here.

The same thing happened to me a couple of days ago.

I often get stopped by the police because of my dreadlocks and (I guess) because I'm half-Jamaican.

Anyway, this time they planted 12kg of cocaine in my Bob Marley rucksack and demanded a fee of 12 million baht.

I was gonna pay, but then I remembered that my exotic pan-Asian girlfriend's father is a politican. So I called him and luckily he got me off without having to pay.

But yeah -- the local police!!!! All rotten!!!! All corrupt!!!!!!!!

And yeah -- all Thai women are whores!!!!!!!!!!! And all Thais stink!!!!!!!!!

And the only place you get to hear any sense -- and I mean REAL sense -- is here on ThaiVisa.

Peace, brothers. I'm off to listen to some Stones and Led Zep and Lou Reed and King Crimson.

Try to get your musical references closer to what your pot (sorry) post suggests Edited April 29, 2012 by pastitche

[Hawk]

There are easier ways for cops to make money by going after real criminals.

Real criminals? Who might they be? The Russian mafia, Mr.Bout? Give me a clue.

Or are you refering to Thai criminals? The powerful and mighty of Thai society are impossible to squeeze, no lowly cop could ever get near them.

So, more silly answers from you, because in fact the backpacker/traveller/ordinary guy in the street is a very sure and soft target for the cops and always will be.

[Soutpeel]

It happened during the Vietnam war, I was staying at the Malaysia hotel,

what you doing in Malaysia ?.....get lost on the way to Saigon or something ?

[Soutpeel]

Yes i lived in a cave here in Thailand for the last 7 years. How many years do you have here ?

Ever hear of the Vietnam war little boy?

Bloody h*ll another geriatic with flashbacks..Its over my dear chap....you lost...get over it

Edited April 29, 2012 by Soutpeel

[robblok]

There are easier ways for cops to make money by going after real criminals.

Real criminals? Who might they be? The Russian mafia, Mr.Bout? Give me a clue.

Or are you refering to Thai criminals? The powerful and mighty of Thai society are impossible to squeeze, no lowly cop could ever get near them.

So, more silly answers from you, because in fact the backpacker/traveller/ordinary guy in the street is a very sure and soft target for the cops and always will be.

Real criminals, like dealers (low ones are easy to get). There are enough real users too to go after. They can make a lot when just doing traffic stops. They don't have to resort to these extremes. Its not like crime is non existent here. They could try to go after drunk drivers (real good money earner).

My point is that they don't need to fake evidence. I am not saying it wont happen because it happens everywhere. I just don't think its so prevalent as people want us to believe. My dealing with the police have always been good. (ok. did not like parting with money or time but the offenses were almost always true)

I also believe most of the cops are never ever going to plant evidence. The story about the Thong Lor cops i believe and i would be scared too even if its a small chance there is a chance especially with these guys they are famous for it ( has been discussed many times here)

[pastitche]

As a contrast to the completely anti-police rhetoric I'd like to tell you about a recent event in my experience.

We were caught by a speed camera doing 128kph in a 90 kph area (Mrs P was as usual driving). Postal notice of a Thb400 fine was duly delivered with incriminating photograph of the number plate so no argument.

When she went pay the fine she was asked where we lived and gave the town whose amphoe is ours. He then reduced the fine by Thb200 to cover fuel used to get to the station and then realised we live about 1km from the Highway Police station.

He accepted this with good grace and even told us that we would be OK doing 120kph but no more in the 90kph area.

They are not all bent or scammers - outside of BKK, Pattaya, Phuket and similar areas from which these complaints come regularly. In towns and cities elsewhere they live in the same communities as the rest of us

Edited April 29, 2012 by pastitche

[HardenedSoul]

There are easier ways for cops to make money by going after real criminals.

Real criminals? Who might they be? The Russian mafia, Mr.Bout? Give me a clue.

Or are you refering to Thai criminals? The powerful and mighty of Thai society are impossible to squeeze, no lowly cop could ever get near them.

So, more silly answers from you, because in fact the backpacker/traveller/ordinary guy in the street is a very sure and soft target for the cops and always will be.

Ok so the Royal Thai Police exist solely for the purposes of going after and extorting money from tourists or expats, right? It's not the case, then, that there are Thai drug dealers, yaba and meth-heads, thieves, rapists, embezzlers, swindlers etc for them to go after?

Wouldn't it be good if people appreciated that not every idiotic thought they have deserves to be aired in public.

Edited April 29, 2012 by HardenedSoul

[wana]

There are easier ways for cops to make money by going after real criminals.

Real criminals? Who might they be? The Russian mafia, Mr.Bout? Give me a clue.

Or are you refering to Thai criminals? The powerful and mighty of Thai society are impossible to squeeze, no lowly cop could ever get near them.

So, more silly answers from you, because in fact the backpacker/traveller/ordinary guy in the street is a very sure and soft target for the cops and always will be.

Real criminals, like dealers (low ones are easy to get). There are enough real users too to go after. They can make a lot when just doing traffic stops. They don't have to resort to these extremes. Its not like crime is non existent here. They could try to go after drunk drivers (real good money earner).

My point is that they don't need to fake evidence. I am not saying it wont happen because it happens everywhere. I just don't think its so prevalent as people want us to believe. My dealing with the police have always been good. (ok. did not like parting with money or time but the offenses were almost always true)

I also believe most of the cops are never ever going to plant evidence. The story about the Thong Lor cops i believe and i would be scared too even if its a small chance there is a chance especially with these guys they are famous for it ( has been discussed many times here)

this post just contradicts itself ,firstly you think that the thai police would never stoop to such corrupt tactics as planting evidence on a backpacker so they could give him a heavy fine

and then a few words later ,you say " unless it was the thong lor police ,those guys are famous for it as has been discussed many times here "

tong lor is just a small soi off sukhumvit road ,if it could hsappen and is totaly believeable in sukhumvit 54( soi tong lor) why could it not have happened to the op in sukhumvit soi 20 ?

the mind boggles ......these two sois are both off shoots of the sukhumvit rd ,hardly a mile apart .....yet its totally unbelieveable it happened in one and highly probable it happened in the other .........

[Soutpeel]

Wouldn't it be good if people appreciated that not every idiotic thought they have deserves to be aired in public.

side effect of the Agent Orange perhaps ?

[robblok]

There are easier ways for cops to make money by going after real criminals.

Real criminals? Who might they be? The Russian mafia, Mr.Bout? Give me a clue.

Or are you refering to Thai criminals? The powerful and mighty of Thai society are impossible to squeeze, no lowly cop could ever get near them.

So, more silly answers from you, because in fact the backpacker/traveller/ordinary guy in the street is a very sure and soft target for the cops and always will be.

Real criminals, like dealers (low ones are easy to get). There are enough real users too to go after. They can make a lot when just doing traffic stops. They don't have to resort to these extremes. Its not like crime is non existent here. They could try to go after drunk drivers (real good money earner).

My point is that they don't need to fake evidence. I am not saying it wont happen because it happens everywhere. I just don't think its so prevalent as people want us to believe. My dealing with the police have always been good. (ok. did not like parting with money or time but the offenses were almost always true)

I also believe most of the cops are never ever going to plant evidence. The story about the Thong Lor cops i believe and i would be scared too even if its a small chance there is a chance especially with these guys they are famous for it ( has been discussed many times here)

this post just contradicts itself ,firstly you think that the thai police would never stoop to such corrupt tactics as planting evidence on a backpacker so they could give him a heavy fine

and then a few words later ,you say " unless it was the thong lor police ,those guys are famous for it as has been discussed many times here "

tong lor is just a small soi off sukhumvit road ,if it could hsappen and is totaly believeable in sukhumvit 54( soi tong lor) why could it not have happened to the op in sukhumvit soi 20 ?

the mind boggles ......these two sois are both off shoots of the sukhumvit rd ,hardly a mile apart .....yet its totally unbelieveable it happened in one and highly probable it happened in the other .........

What i am saying is that it is possible and that MOST cops wont plant evidence. I am saying they don't have to as there is enough money to be made from real law breakers. But i am also sure that planting evidence does happen (as it does in every country). That clear enough.

I get so tired of people thinking all Thais are out to get them. I have my complaints about Thais but im just not totally paranoid like some here.

[JurgenG]

Where were you when it happended to you ?

So you were tested positive. You had nothing with you. But the test is not about what you have with you but what you have in you.

When you are stopped for drunk driving, it's not about the bottles you have in your car, but the alcohol you have in your blood.

You say you will be honest. Were you loaded at the time ?

It happened during the Vietnam war, I was staying at the Malaysia hotel, when the cops raided my room and accused me of possessing weed.

I was neither loaded, or stoned, and in those days there were no tests, it was simply the cops word against the foreigner's word and the cop was always believed(and still is).

In those days the Malaysia and the Atlanta(soi 2, Sukhum..) were dangerous places to stay as guests were often shaken down by the cops. In those days cops always had a Buddha stick or 3 in their pockets to plant on one.

Personally I don't care if you believe or not but obviously you seem to be living in an alternative reality to most of us, just like some other blind(or just plain ignorant) members on this forum.

Vietnam war ? 40 years ago ? I wasn't even born

Get real grand dad, I'm not living in an alternative reality, you do. The year is 2012. You should stick with your medication.

[thepanom]

I live in Thailand for more then 20 years, most of the time in Bangkok, something like this story never happend to me, and in all this 20 plus years, it also never happened to any farang that I know

[owenjones]

None of that sort of stuff happens in the villages.

You can keep the cities, although when I have been to them I have never had a problem there either.

[bendix]

Where were you when it happended to you ?

So you were tested positive. You had nothing with you. But the test is not about what you have with you but what you have in you.

When you are stopped for drunk driving, it's not about the bottles you have in your car, but the alcohol you have in your blood.

You say you will be honest. Were you loaded at the time ?

It happened during the Vietnam war, I was staying at the Malaysia hotel, when the cops raided my room and accused me of possessing weed.

I was neither loaded, or stoned, and in those days there were no tests, it was simply the cops word against the foreigner's word and the cop was always believed(and still is).

In those days the Malaysia and the Atlanta(soi 2, Sukhum..) were dangerous places to stay as guests were often shaken down by the cops. In those days cops always had a Buddha stick or 3 in their pockets to plant on one.

Personally I don't care if you believe or not but obviously you seem to be living in an alternative reality to most of us, just like some other blind(or just plain ignorant) members on this forum.

It's not a question of not believing you or not Hawk. It's a question of when it happened.

Forty years ago. Are you serious that we should see this as evidence that it is common now?

For what it's worth I've been here eight years and it's never happened to me not anyone I know or know of.

It has happened to lots on friends of people who like to spin yarns though.

Edited April 29, 2012 by bendix

[Jake829]

Never been stopped in Bkk in 12 yrs but have heard of the usual scams, ie tuk tuk driver asks you if you Wana buy ganja? He pulls it out gives it to you then says pay me when we reach your destination, meanwhile he calls a police friend who meets you and the tuk tuk down a Soi and your then faced with the choice to pay up and go the ATM or get nicked and banged up!! If living or staying in Bkk and traveling around by taxi or motorbike etc. take a photo copy of your passport and the relevant visa, but leave your passport locked away at home or the hotel

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Summary - yes these things can happen, more likely in heavily touristed areas, but they aren't as common as the stories about them.

Let's all promise each other if something like this happens to any of us personally, and even if we have to flee the country in the dead of night, we will return to TV and post our first-hand account for the benefit of our brothers here, OK?

[Soutpeel]

I live in Thailand for more then 20 years, most of the time in Bangkok, something like this story never happend to me, and in all this 20 plus years, it also never happened to any farang that I know

Agreed...I have been here 10 and not out in the boonies I might add...spent plenty of time in BKK, Pattaya etc

Think a lot of these stories are urban legends which were started from a bar stool somewhere

[Hawk]

Real criminals? Who might they be? The Russian mafia, Mr.Bout? Give me a clue.

Or are you refering to Thai criminals? The powerful and mighty of Thai society are impossible to squeeze, no lowly cop could ever get near them.

Ok so the Royal Thai Police exist solely for the purposes of going after and extorting money from tourists or expats, right?

Actually, nobody said that, we said that there are only "some" cops that do these dirty tricks and still do, and will continue to do.

[Hawk]

Vietnam war ? 40 years ago ? I wasn't even born

Get real grand dad, I'm not living in an alternative reality, you do. The year is 2012. You should stick with your medication.

It appears that you are still not born, still living in your little cocoon of ignorance, but who cares about a guy who will never reach maturity.

[robblok]

Real criminals? Who might they be? The Russian mafia, Mr.Bout? Give me a clue.

Or are you refering to Thai criminals? The powerful and mighty of Thai society are impossible to squeeze, no lowly cop could ever get near them.

Ok so the Royal Thai Police exist solely for the purposes of going after and extorting money from tourists or expats, right?

Actually, nobody said that, we said that there are only "some" cops that do these dirty tricks and still do, and will continue to do.

If that is what you are saying then i can agree with you i just don't believe this is common. I believe it will happen but not that much.

[Hawk]

It happened during the Vietnam war, I was staying at the Malaysia hotel,

what you doing in Malaysia ?.....get lost on the way to Saigon or something ?

Wow? I am so (un)impressed by your lack of wit and intelligence. IQ? 11.25.

[Hawk]

I live in Thailand for more then 20 years, most of the time in Bangkok, something like this story never happend to me, and in all this 20 plus years, it also never happened to any farang that I know

Lucky ain't you, and your small circle of friends!

[Hawk]

Where were you when it happended to you ?

So you were tested positive. You had nothing with you. But the test is not about what you have with you but what you have in you.

When you are stopped for drunk driving, it's not about the bottles you have in your car, but the alcohol you have in your blood.

You say you will be honest. Were you loaded at the time ?

It happened during the Vietnam war, I was staying at the Malaysia hotel, when the cops raided my room and accused me of possessing weed.

I was neither loaded, or stoned, and in those days there were no tests, it was simply the cops word against the foreigner's word and the cop was always believed(and still is).

In those days the Malaysia and the Atlanta(soi 2, Sukhum..) were dangerous places to stay as guests were often shaken down by the cops. In those days cops always had a Buddha stick or 3 in their pockets to plant on one.

Personally I don't care if you believe or not but obviously you seem to be living in an alternative reality to most of us, just like some other blind(or just plain ignorant) members on this forum.

It's not a question of not believing you or not Hawk. It's a question of when it happened.

Forty years ago. Are you serious that we should see this as evidence that it is common now?

For what it's worth I've been here eight years and it's never happened to me not anyone I know or know of.

It has happened to lots on friends of people who like to spin yarns though.

I was simply pointing out the fact that this scam was happening years ago, and because it was lucrative then, the cops continue to use it even now, 2012.

Just because it hasn't happened to you, doesn't mean the scam doesn't exist, does it? Or are you the centre of the universe that the rest of us revolve around?

[Hawk]

Real criminals? Who might they be? The Russian mafia, Mr.Bout? Give me a clue.

Or are you refering to Thai criminals? The powerful and mighty of Thai society are impossible to squeeze, no lowly cop could ever get near them.

Ok so the Royal Thai Police exist solely for the purposes of going after and extorting money from tourists or expats, right?

Actually, nobody said that, we said that there are only "some" cops that do these dirty tricks and still do, and will continue to do.

If that is what you are saying then i can agree with you i just don't believe this is common. I believe it will happen but not that much.

At last we have another believer. Murder is not common but it happens.

[YipYipYa123]

It was happening almost nightly to one of our guests when we owned the guest houses in khao san

I could name the bar it happens at and everyone who is involved but the mods wouldn't approve of a business rep being tarnished online

Its usually a young drunk farang aged around 18-25 it used to happen to

If they can do it outside a khao San bar, why not anywhere else like outside a sukhumvit disco?

[Kananga]

Sorry Wana, nothing personal, just my opinion .

i have no interest in being a troll ,il leave that to medium paced bowler and the others ,this forum has turned into a witch hunt ,i havent ever made a troll thread and i have near 2000 posts in the last 5 years

its out of control and IMO you have let the trolls win by starting to suggest every thread is a troll attempt

i only said here what she told me and what would she have to gain from lying about a farang being stitched up the bkk police ?

anyway ,mods,lock the thread plz!

lets get back to discussing dirty old men and exotic hi-so chinese......

I was just trying to lighten up the forum on this Saturday night.

So you were trolling then...

[barky]

I live in Thailand for more then 20 years, most of the time in Bangkok, something like this story never happend to me, and in all this 20 plus years, it also never happened to any farang that I know

Agreed...I have been here 10 and not out in the boonies I might add...spent plenty of time in BKK, Pattaya etc

Think a lot of these stories are urban legends which were started from a bar stool somewhere

Maybe not urban legends, maybe happens more often than we know in some areas to some people. But, if you are like me and just don't do drugs..no interest in the slightest, then it's extremely unlikely you'll ever get mixed-up in it in any way. It's like the cigarette scam by the police here. I don't smoke, so the cops would have to be really very, very creative in my case. In fact, on the 2 or 3 occasions in 12 years that a cop has called out to me for whatever reason, I've just kept on walking.....I have no interest in playing whatever game they're up to and I'm not gonna let them waste my time and spoil my day. If they really feel it's necessary...they can shoot me in the back and I wouldn't need to worry about anything anymore would I ?

Edited August 13, 2012 by barky

[falkan]

None of that sort of stuff happens in the villages.

You can keep the cities, although when I have been to them I have never had a problem there either.

yeah stay in issan and have fun hahah

[MrRealDeal]

Your friend was carrying illegal drugs and given an option to pay a fine or go to jail , exactly what do you think the options are in the rest of the world ?

You ALWAYS have the option of coing to Court it's just the penalty will likely be worse , just as not accepting a plea agreement in the USA would end up worse , the only real difference in Thailand is the cops will keep you in jail long enough for you to realise the fine option is more sensible than the jail and Judge option. The only real difference in in the West you negotiate with the Prosecuting attny and in Thailand the Police ..... but if you REALLY want to be a dumbass and demand your day in court you can ..... you will even get 400 bht per day if you are found innocent for your time in Jail waiting trail.

It's not that you can never get a Lawyer or Never go to a Court it's just that the Thai Police have more latatude in giving you time to make the sensible decision of admitting your guilt and paying your deserved fine.

In case you never noticed it's not the Lawabiding that are always complaining about the Police it's the people who are caught doing things and complain the punishment and porcedure is not to their likeing ..... heres a news flash for ya ....... IT"S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE TO THEIR LIKEING ! ......

Edited August 14, 2012 by MrRealDeal