Befriending Thai Cops?

[farangme]

Kind of crashed a Thai police celebration while staying at a hotel in Issan. Hung out with some of the more junior level minders. Seemed like ok guys.

Anyone have any experience re: farang befriending Thai cops? Possible to have amicable friendship or will there be some scam somewhere? Better to be avoided? Just curious what others may have encountered.

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[mrtoad]

I know a few, and occasionally will have a drink with them, but still generally keep my distance. I don't want to get caught up in any of their business ideas.

[MrRed]

Ok guys?

Did you think that when they asked you for money for "speeding"

Stay as far away as possible.

[jbrain]

Having a cop as friend is the best thing in life that can happen to you in Thailand.

They will always help you out, for a small donation of course, when their mate , who they have informed of course , will arrest you for any dreamed up offence.

[Tim207]

Ok guys?

Did you think that when they asked you for money for "speeding"

Stay as far away as possible.

That is just foolish. Most cops are not bad guys. Sure they have some power, and as most people with power do, they can abuse it sometimes. That is just the way it is, it doesn't make them bad people or dangerous to be around.

In a country where who you know is extremely helpful, being friends with cops, even low level cops, is a huge advantage. I am not saying befriend them because they are cops, just don't avoid being friends because they are.

[farangme]

Ok guys?

Did you think that when they asked you for money for "speeding"

Stay as far away as possible.

Well, my auto was moving in excess of the limit, so....would have cost me far more at home.

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[SteeleJoe]

Have had and have friends that are cops. It's only ever been an advantage, never a disadvantage.

But as with anyone you choose to associate with you have to be careful about your choice -- especially in a case where the person whom you are choosing to associate with has a certain amount of power -- and a gun.

[Travel2003]

Having a cop as friend is the best thing in life that can happen to you in Thailand.

They will always help you out, for a small donation of course, when their mate , who they have informed of course , will arrest you for any dreamed up offence.

One of my friends (for about 10-11 years) is a cop.

He has been a great help, without donations.

That is what friends do.

Not sure if he is corrupt, because i dont want to know, and it becomes an issue in our friendship.

He lives in a tiny studio apartment (after 15 years on the force).

[Travel2003]

Forgot to add,

As we know, the Police carry their weapons with them all the time.

He normally kept it in a "fanny pack".

I had to make him change that since people though we were a couple.

Edited November 2, 2012 by Travel2003

[stoneyboy]

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

[noob7]

It very useful, to have 'friends', knowing policemen. Not sure about this, if you know them yourself, 'only'.

But it's very useful, in case they know/remember you, because of your friend, who know them or, even better, their bosses.

'ou, khod thood, krap!' (wai, wai, out of the way)

(Not that I like that, but what can I do? )

[cbrer]

Invite them over for a bottle of scotch or two.

No harm could come of it.

Edited November 2, 2012 by cbrer

[payak]

at my wedding, good guys.

drink alot though.

[MrRed]

Ok guys?

Did you think that when they asked you for money for "speeding"

Stay as far away as possible.

That is just foolish. Most cops are not bad guys. Sure they have some power, and as most people with power do, they can abuse it sometimes. That is just the way it is, it doesn't make them bad people or dangerous to be around.

In a country where who you know is extremely helpful, being friends with cops, even low level cops, is a huge advantage. I am not saying befriend them because they are cops, just don't avoid being friends because they are.

What is foolish? i refuse to suck up to people because of there work or there abuse of power in whatever position they hold in any walk of life whatever country i am in.

Foolish is thinking to befriend somebody only for them to help you when you are in trouble,that to me is never a friend for the correct reasons and ends in tears,or here in money.

[payak]

my police friends are treated like all my other friends.

[Neeranam]

I know some high ranking cops through some clubs/organizations Im in. Ive been asked to work for them over the years with 'protection' as a perk. Ive always refused diplomatically. They are good guys as my wife says - they get other people to do. their ****ing now.

[jbrain]

Many years ago a Thai business owner told me, if a cop want to befriend you..............run, because at one point in the future it will cost you.

I'm sure that foreigners on this forum know better though.

[SteeleJoe]

I'm sure that foreigners on this forum know better though.

No, of course not. A Thai is always right by virtue of the fact that he is Thai. Foreigners on this forum must be wrong if they ever state anything that contradicts a single Thai person.

(If a group of Thais ever expressed himself about something in the US (that had nothing to do with business per se) and another Thai said that can't be right because an American business man once told him something else...I'd think that was really stupid. I'm not saying you're wrong but I object to your sarcastic inference that that one single comment from one Thai is inherently more correct )

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Edited November 2, 2012 by SteeleJoe

[Neeranam]

I'm sure that foreigners on this forum know better though.

No, of course not. A Thai is always right by virtue of the fact that he is Thai. Foreigners on this forum must be wrong if they ever state anything that contradicts a single Thai person.

A foreigner may have lived here for 30 years but some posters prefer to take the advice of their 24 y/o girlfriend.

[SteeleJoe]

I'm sure that foreigners on this forum know better though.

No, of course not. A Thai is always right by virtue of the fact that he is Thai. Foreigners on this forum must be wrong if they ever state anything that contradicts a single Thai person.

A foreigner may have lived here for 30 years but some posters prefer to take the advice of their 24 y/o girlfriend.

No doubt. In fact I've come across a few myself. I hope you aren't you under the impression that I am so moronic and/or deluded as to think the foreigner -- even one who's been here 30 years -- is inherently more correct. Trust me, I've met relatively few foreigners here whose knowledge, opinions and insights I thought reliable and accurate. But just as there are plenty of Americans (for example) who don't know what they are talking about on any number of US topics, there are plenty of Thais who I wouldn't pay much heed to on many a Thai topic.

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[tinfoilhat]

i have known a few cops in my time here and while none of them have become best friends we have remained in touch over the years.

I like some of the thai cops i know much more than most of the foreign cops i have met.

in the end, unless you are dealing coke or caught up in something you would not want them to find out, why not?

[jbrain]

I'm sure that foreigners on this forum know better though.

No, of course not. A Thai is always right by virtue of the fact that he is Thai. Foreigners on this forum must be wrong if they ever state anything that contradicts a single Thai person.

A foreigner may have lived here for 30 years but some posters prefer to take the advice of their 24 y/o girlfriend.

Did I mention the word girlfriend?

Never mind, I live here for 2 decades and have seen many foreigners with high placed friends, taking the dump.

You remember snufu with the yellow hummer in Pattaya?

Mr wolfgang Ulrich?

The french guy from the 19th hole in walking street.

I could go on because the list is endless.

All untouchable because they had the right conections

[tinfoilhat]

who said anything about befriending cops to help you in your illegal enterprise?

hubris brings these people down, not the fact they had a drink with a cop

[jbrain]

who said anything about befriending cops to help you in your illegal enterprise?

hubris brings these people down, not the fact they had a drink with a cop

Of course it's not the same

small cops = small money

Big cops= take everything

[payak]

I'm sure that foreigners on this forum know better though.

No, of course not. A Thai is always right by virtue of the fact that he is Thai. Foreigners on this forum must be wrong if they ever state anything that contradicts a single Thai person.

A foreigner may have lived here for 30 years but some posters prefer to take the advice of their 24 y/o girlfriend.

Did I mention the word girlfriend?

Never mind, I live here for 2 decades and have seen many foreigners with high placed friends, taking the dump.

You remember snufu with the yellow hummer in Pattaya?

Mr wolfgang Ulrich?

The french guy from the 19th hole in walking street.

I could go on because the list is endless.

All untouchable because they had the right conections

and when they cross a man with bigger connections, then what.

you dont need connections unless your a pussy who cant walk alone.

[Tim207]

I am not saying befriend them because they are cops, just don't avoid being friends because they are.

What is foolish? i refuse to suck up to people because of there work or there abuse of power in whatever position they hold in any walk of life whatever country i am in.

Foolish is thinking to befriend somebody only for them to help you when you are in trouble,that to me is never a friend for the correct reasons and ends in tears,or here in money.

Perhaps you missed my last sentence.

[Travel2003]

Many years ago a Thai business owner told me, if a cop want to befriend you..............run, because at one point in the future it will cost you.

I'm sure that foreigners on this forum know better though.

More than 10 years have passed.

Not one single dime asked for.

I will let you know if any changes.

[nisakiman]

Father-in-law's best friend presided over our wedding. Nice guy, very friendly, very helpful. Turned out he was the head honcho of the Ubon BiB (now retired). I remember remarking to my wife that he was a useful person to have as a friend of the family.

I can't see a problem with having policemen as friends. Choose your friends as you always would, regardless of their job.

[Satcommlee]

In my opinion they are best avoided, there are many decent honest police out there and I don't mean to tar them all with the same brush but when you friend them they simply become the person who takes a larger slice of the bung if you ever get into trouble or stitched up.

In Pattaya everybody somehow seems to know the "top man"

Stay under the radar is best, don't let them know your business or about your wealth etc..

[Beetlejuice]

My son and my wife`s nephew are both cops in Chiang Mai.

The wife`s nephew joined first, then he talked my son into joining up that I wasn`t happy about at first.

My Dad was a New York cop for a number of years after the war, so my son is only following an old family tradition.

Most of them that I have come to know in Chiang Mai are a decent crowd and one thing for sure, I am well protected here. In the event of any trouble, help is only a phone call away, which is good for me.