Beware Ekami Bus Station

[hercdogules]

I don't know if this is a the right place, but I feel a warning is due 100%. As I was leaving Ekami bus station I was approached by a wide eyed police officer wanting to search my bag. I immediately knew what was going on, so I kept walking until he got in front of me and tried to stop me. I said no. My Thai ladyfriend said just let him. He wanted me to go away from the crowd and I said no. I put my bag down right by the ticket offices and said "here now". He seemed "very surprised" when I was not alone but with a Thai.

I have been to Mexico/Africa. This is the first time in my 3 years here to experience this. I am honestly shocked. My Thai friend yelled at him and asked why he needed to search her underwear in my bag. They told her they had found guns. I wonder why they needed to search my little cosmetic bag for a gun - old west style darringer perhaps.

Anyway - I had to come home and take a shower after being acosted by such slime. Luckily this scumbag wasn't able to put the drugs he was carrying in his pocket in my bag... Red shirts can have it. This country is out of control. I'm done.

Edited November 11, 2012 by hercdogules

[dantilley]

Luckily this scumbag wasn't able to put the drugs he was carrying in his pocket in my bag

You saw that he had drugs on him?

[End]

This happens all the time at ekkamai bus station. It happened to me and a number of other people here. Although it is an intimidating experience, I don't think the cops are looking to plant anything in people's bags. They are just probably checking for security reasons or for drugs.

[puuchai299]

It's been going on for years.Not nice I agree..

[jpinx]

yea - right ......

[saramsland]

Been there many a times but never experienced that.. but thanks for the heads up..

As for all police inspections its wise to ask the officer to show you his hands, both sides & between his fingers just incase he is hiding something himself

[Theo007]

Last year my nephew was grabbed as he left the 7/11 at Ekkamai and taken into the police box. They found nothing on him but still wanted money. He had his bus ticket for Pattaya and told them that he uncle was waiting for him so they let him go. Fortunately he did not have his ATM card with him.

[Fgis]

Don't be so emo and next time read the forum, everybody knows this trick used by Ekkamai retards to make money.

Even if it seems that no plant story has ever been reported you took the right decision anyway by not going somewhere dark.

The best is to empty your bag on the ground yourself and record the scene to make sure that they don't put anything illegal.

Remember, this is their country and they do what they want. It can also happen anywhere in the word and in other countries cops are a lot more agressive, so you have just been lucky !

[ccarbaugh]

The same thing happened to me

but I went to the Police Box.

When they found no drugs and

saw that my passport was in order

they had no reason to demand

money from me so they had to

release me without me having to pay.

[Spoonman]

would be amused to have drugs planted, even more amusing when they fingerprint the baggie and only find the cops prints on it.

[brewsterbudgen]

There's a big problem with drugs in Thailand, so it's really quite understandable that people are stopped and searched, and it's definitely not just farangs that get picked on. However, any demand for money is out of order although I wonder if this really happens?

[hercdogules]

dantilly, did not see the drugs, but instincts kicked in and have been in this situation in Mexico, Africa, etc. and knew what was going down. check with Thai girlfriend's family and police connects later and everyone agreed this is what would have happened if she had not stepped in and they found out I was with her and not alone.

saramsland, that's really good advice thanks!

Fgis, I've been many places. Used to go a lot more - surfing, but Thailand? Come on. This place is changing. Just reading the articles here on ThaiVisa is pretty upsetting the last couple years. And that's a good idea to dump the bag, but I had some fragile stuff (macpro, etc) so I couldn't just dump it. I did set it down right on the steps and refused to move and just opened it. GF got pissed when they wanted to look at her bag inside there - so they need to search a Thai lady I guess too, since the process had already begin. We were wondering what would the police do if we did starting vid'ing them - have you done this personally?

For the doubters, my instincts went into full alert especially his eyes. Any doubts disentigrated when he found out I was not alone, but with a Thai - his countenance completely changed.

Thanks to everyone. Just wanted to give heads up. Reading for years, first post.

Thanks/Cheers.

[eeeya]

There's a big problem with drugs in Thailand, so it's really quite understandable that people are stopped and searched, and it's definitely not just farangs that get picked on. However, any demand for money is out of order although I wonder if this really happens?

I watched the cops in a thai area in bkk checking everyone on a moto. Empty pockets,

Bag check, under the seat.

Everyone complied and was quickly on their way.

While being uncomfortable for foreigners, id say the chances of being planted with drugs, locked up and appearing on next seasons "banged up abroad" are pretty slim.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The problem here with the OP's account is the following:

There are real Thai police, and then there are guys dressed like and posing as Thai police who are IMPOSTERS....

There have been many reports of FAKE police accosting passengers coming out of Ekamai for whatever reasons....

The difficulty for the average farang is trying to distinguish between the real police, who do have a legal right to search you for drugs on demand, and the fake police who probably are trying to extort money.

Uniforms and badges are cheaply and easily had here by any criminal minded Thais...

I guess one way to deal with that kind of situation is to look for an official Thai police car or motorcycle. I wouldn't want to go anywhere with those types. But maybe others here have some better suggestions for sorting out the professional criminals from the amateur ones...

Edited November 12, 2012 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

dup post deleted

Edited November 12, 2012 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[lomatopo]

One of many posts on this subject:

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Here's a good recap of how the FAKE police at various Thai bus stations operate:

http://www.bangkokscams.com/scams-in-bangkok/scams-at-bus-terminals.html

[brewsterbudgen]

The problem here with the OP's account is the following:

There are real Thai police, and then there are guys dressed like and posing as Thai police who are IMPOSTERS....

There have been many reports of FAKE police accosting passengers coming out of Ekamai for whatever reasons....

The difficulty for the average farang is trying to distinguish between the real police, who do have a legal right to search you for drugs on demand, and the fake police who probably are trying to extort money.

Uniforms and badges are cheaply and easily had here by any criminal minded Thais...

I guess one way to deal with that kind of situation is to look for an official Thai police car or motorcycle. I wouldn't want to go anywhere with those types. But maybe others here have some better suggestions for sorting out the professional criminals from the amateur ones...

That's an excellent point. I use the bus station a lot and I often have to wait for my girlfriend to arrive, the real police have a small area just in front of where the buses pull in, and if they're stopping people it's always right off the bus. I would be very suspicious of anyone stopping people further away, although there is a legitimate police booth by the 7-11.

[p_brownstone]

Yesterday around 1.00 pm on Soi Asoke, directly opposite the Rutnin Eye Hospital I watched two policemen on a motorcycle stop a Farang who was walking along the street and searched him. I did not see any money change hands and after a few minutes he was allowed to walk away.

I've never seen that before - on the street in broad daylight.

Patrick

[End]

The problem here with the OP's account is the following:

There are real Thai police, and then there are guys dressed like and posing as Thai police who are IMPOSTERS....

There have been many reports of FAKE police accosting passengers coming out of Ekamai for whatever reasons....

The difficulty for the average farang is trying to distinguish between the real police, who do have a legal right to search you for drugs on demand, and the fake police who probably are trying to extort money.

Uniforms and badges are cheaply and easily had here by any criminal minded Thais...

I guess one way to deal with that kind of situation is to look for an official Thai police car or motorcycle. I wouldn't want to go anywhere with those types. But maybe others here have some better suggestions for sorting out the professional criminals from the amateur ones...

That's an excellent point. I use the bus station a lot and I often have to wait for my girlfriend to arrive, the real police have a small area just in front of where the buses pull in, and if they're stopping people it's always right off the bus. I would be very suspicious of anyone stopping people further away, although there is a legitimate police booth by the 7-11.

Agreed. I was stopped as soon as i got off the bus and my bag was searched there and then. Nothing was found and the police waved me on. No problems.

[thaigold]

Lesson here. I don't do bus stations in the US, I certainly don't do them here. That's why God invented cars and airplanes.

[eeeya]

They'll still pull you out of a taxi for an inspection. Had it at Asoke late one night.

[HeavyDrinker]

I have heard that it is Thong Lor Police District who orchestrate most of the stop and searches.

The bottom line if stopped is to deny them a search and request you be taken to the Police Station where you will gladly comply to any searches.

[Mrjlh]

Humm...only two post? If you are real, not saying your not but suspicions arise, this is their country not yours. They go by their laws not yours. You don't have the same rights as you think you do.

Two, next time suggest you look (and even learn where) for the nearest Police Traffic Station (one at major intersections) or the know where the local Police Station is. Also learn the number for the "Tourist Police" and put the number in your cell phone. Then CALL them FIRST! I've seen several different numbers depending on where you live. 1157 is one and I know there are others.

Three the area you are in is riff with drug traffic or has been. Plus people posing as Police are everywhere scamming innocents.

[saramsland]

Thailand isn't the only country that this kind of thing does occur.. hence my mentioning of inspecting the hands of the Police.

Also, Thailand isn't the only country with the Good Cop Bad/Fake Cop situation either.. & I agree with having a number from the Tourist Police to ensure your not being held up by a couple of Jokers trying to extort some money from you!

All in all..

1. Protect yourself.. ask for identification & to see their hands before conducting any searches.
   
2. After having their identification, call the tourist police to check.
   
3. If you a not guilty & see they have nothing to plant, let them have a look or better yet pull the items out of your bag yourself placing them somewhere that a Joker cant grab it & run away with.
   

To the OP I think you did the right thing by doing it right in front of all the ticket booth's at the Bus Station.. plenty of Eye's to help you out if needed... if those eye's are willing to speak up for you..

Ive never had this issue in Thailand myself but have heard many a stories of random roadside searches by real police as that whole strip is rife with substance's, maybe something that should become more frequent along the beach's of Pattaya & Patong?

[partington]

Just to add, in Bangkok the two places regularly reported as common sites for the Thai Police to stop and search foreigners are Ekkamai bus station and at, or around, the intersection of Asoke and Sukhumvit.

I have been stopped once at Asoke in the 18 months or so I've been here, at 3pm on a Saturday, for no reason other than walking along the street (to the dentist).

I'm never at Ekkamai so have no experience there.

My view is that real police are unlikely to plant drugs on you, but they are definitely looking to make cash if possible rather than making a serious attempt to enforce drug laws.

So what they are after is 1. People not carrying their passports 2. People who have bought prescription drugs like Viagra, Cialis, Xiemed , Xanax and Valium.

These drugs are available cheap in Pattaya, and as fakes all along Sukhumvit (where they are sold alongside things called "Indian Flirting Powder", "Love Drops" and "Super Gold Viagra" in boxes with pictures of girls in bikinis on(!).

It's hard for me to believe that people buy stuff like this off stalls in the street and expect it to contain any active ingredients at all, but in any case if you do, and the BIB stop you, prepare for a lot of trouble. The cash they can make from foreigners who want to avoid hassle arising from these situations more than justifies the stop and search procedure.

So beware, but don't be too paranoid - just don't be carrying these things and do have your passport, and you'll be OK.

[End]

So what they are after is 1. People not carrying their passports 2. People who have bought prescription drugs like Viagra, Cialis, Xiemed , Xanax and Valium.

So they let vendors sell these drugs in order to extort the people that buy them?

[Payboy]

So what they are after is 1. People not carrying their passports 2. People who have bought prescription drugs like Viagra, Cialis, Xiemed , Xanax and Valium.

So they let vendors sell these drugs in order to extort the people that buy them?

It's called playing both sides of the drum.

[partington]

So what they are after is 1. People not carrying their passports 2. People who have bought prescription drugs like Viagra, Cialis, Xiemed , Xanax and Valium.

So they let vendors sell these drugs in order to extort the people that buy them?

The vendors are allowed to sell stuff because the "influential people" who own the stalls pay the police off. Most of what they sell is strictly illegal in Thailand (sex toys, pirate DVDs , knockoff bags and perfumes, porn ). Every day on Sukhumvit you will see police walking or riding past all these stalls.

Anyhow the fact that they can make cash off foreigners who buy from these stalls is not the point I think, but it's a useful bye-product of deals that are made higher up the chain of command than street police.

[saramsland]

So what they are after is 1. People not carrying their passports 2. People who have bought prescription drugs like Viagra, Cialis, Xiemed , Xanax and Valium.

So they let vendors sell these drugs in order to extort the people that buy them?

Again.. not only in Thailand..

Have heard many a times whilst in Bali there are locals that wander around & sell illegal products to foreigners & as soon as the foreigner is around the corner they are met by the police, tea money = foreigner on their way, illegal products back to the local & the nasty cycle starts again...

Leaves everyone thinking they got 'lucky'

BTW, not saying that happens here in LOS but it does occur elsewhere... its difficult to catch a fish without bait isn't it?

Edited November 12, 2012 by saramsland