Police Launching Tourist ' Safety Zones ' In Khao San, R C A, Patpong

[FarangTalk]

Defending the BIB & metropolitan police when they target Farangs is ludicrous. They get their pay-offs from the vendors, bars, taxis & motorcycle 'road blocks' so why is it ok to rip off tourists walking on the street? I've watched them on Sukhumvit & its tourists who are the target - because they are easy pickings. Resident Farangs know the score & don't ask for trouble. Thais who litter are ignored.

BIB-free areas are more likely to be safe than areas where they operate (as a semi-mafia).

I live on Sukhumvit (near Asoke). I walk regularly (almost daily) in that area. I have been stopped 6 times in as many months from both traffic cops and patrol cops around Asoke asking to see my passport, then subjecting me to a body search.

When my friend recently had her bag snatched - the nearby traffic cop told her he couldn't (wouldn't) help as he was a traffic cop - not a patrol (general cop). Yet it would seem that checking passports is part of his duty.

I have seen an increase in the number of these 'civil' police (who look like cops but are not) in the Asoke - Nana areas and they are always ready to pounce on people for littering. I cannot say if the people they catch are guilty or not - but can say that the 'victims' have been 100 % farang 100% of the time (that I have seen). And that the Thais have been ignored when they drop their cigarette butts or empty water bottle.

The last victim I saw a few days ago (farang of course) didn't have enough money to pay his 2000 baht fine and the kind (fake) cop directed him to the nearest ATM machine.

What I find appauling is that Bangkok is covered in litter on almost every street corner and you almost never see any litter bins - yet they have the audacity to fine (only) a farang for chucking a fag butt in the gutter. How the hell did all the trash end up on the street corners ?? where were the plastic BiB then ?

Good post.

I lived on mid-Sukhumvit for years and was stopped by the cops on a fairly regular basis. Now I live over near the river I never get stopped or hassled by them, in fact not once in the few years since I moved here.

As to the 'civil' Police I would happily test their mettle by refusing to co-operate. They are merely park attendants and have no power of arrest. In fact, it is they that should be going around cleaning up litter from the areas they patrol, not sitting about all day extorting foreigners who they spot dropping cigarette butts.

[tominbkk]

Close down all the prostitution establishments. Enforce heavy fines and outing Johns in newspapers and online as part of the punishment. That would take care of most of the problem. Send all the hookers back to their farms as well. Their sick cows need tending to.

[Thai at Heart]

And yes, they do go after foreigners and not Thai people on these litter stings and I personally have no problem with that. Chances are we can afford it and it ain't are country to be littering.

...for example...?????

I was in a government junior school yesterday, and the place was like a rubbish tip.

If you can't even get kids in school to keep the place clean, what hope adults

[Jim walker]

Police Thailand: 3.35665 per 1,000 people

There are plenty police In Thailand it must be one of the safest places on the planet before any safety tourist zones are imposed.

We don’t realise or appreciate how lucky we are living in such a safe country.

[FarangTalk]

Police Thailand: 3.35665 per 1,000 people

There are plenty police In Thailand it must be one of the safest places on the planet before any safety tourist zones are imposed.

We don’t realise or appreciate how lucky we are living in such a safe country.

Where did you find that figure as I was having a discussion on another thread about Thailand having one of the World's biggest Police forces per capita?

Cheers.

[Jim walker]

http://www.jeywin.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Police-per-capita-most-recent-by-country.doc