Beware Ekami Bus Station

[Fgis]

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?

Don't you feel ridiculous to have written this ?

[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?

Don't you feel ridiculous to have written this ?

Not in the slightest. Having lived in Sukhumvit soi 22, which has a lot of police checks, I know exactly what I'm talking about.

[whistleblower]

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.

Er.... shouldn't the police be spending more time arresting the vendors of these such stalls in Sukhumvit rather than strip searching people in the hope of finding a Viagra tablet?? I walked down Sukhumvit last week and what used to be a load of stalls selling handicrafts etc is now an open sex shop. Virtually all stalls are selling dildos and other sex aids along with porn movies and Viagra etc. It is a disgrace. I am no prude but openly selling these items in a very touristy area where young kids are constantly walking by is disgraceful. Amazing Thailand indeed!

[End]

wonder what the police would do if they caught someone with a dildo

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[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.

Er.... shouldn't the police be spending more time arresting the vendors of these such stalls in Sukhumvit rather than strip searching people in the hope of finding a Viagra tablet?? I walked down Sukhumvit last week and what used to be a load of stalls selling handicrafts etc is now an open sex shop. Virtually all stalls are selling dildos and other sex aids along with porn movies and Viagra etc. It is a disgrace. I am no prude but openly selling these items in a very touristy area where young kids are constantly walking by is disgraceful. Amazing Thailand indeed!

I think you should make the effort and read the thread!! I've already pointed this out and why it happens in post #29!!!.

Edited November 13, 2012 by partington

[theslime]

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?

They cops allow it to be sold in Pattaya, so it seems resonable to expect some Tourists to bring it back to BKK via Ekamai. This has been happening for the last couple of decades at least. If you get off the stop before Ekamai you wont have a problem.

[BKKBobby]

Of course being dragged to a police station if for some reason you dont want/cant pay off the cop for finding viagra/xiemed/valium on you is a very unpleasant experience. But what are the chances that you are going to be prosecuted and get sentenced/punishment for carrying a substance that is sold openly all the way between Nana and Asoke in front of the police all day long? And there is news about foreigners getting caught with drugs but not about foreigners getting caught/prosecuted for carrying small quantities of these substances in Thailand, even though Valium and Xiemed are prescription drugs.

Edited November 14, 2012 by BKKBobby

[partington]

Of course being dragged to a police station if for some reason you dont want/cant pay off the cop for finding viagra/xiemed/valium on you is a very unpleasant experience. But what are the chances that you are going to be prosecuted and get sentenced/punishment for carrying a substance that is sold openly all the way between Nana and Asoke in front of the police all day long? And there is news about foreigners getting caught with drugs but not about foreigners getting caught/prosecuted for carrying small quantities of these substances in Thailand, even though Valium and Xiemed are prescription drugs.

I honestly don't know how common this is. It can happen however. This is not a western country where strict legal checks and balances exist.

My view (opinion, I have little real knowledge): if police want to make it tough for you - they can. See article below from 2010:

Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10621178

"A New Zealand-born teenager spent two harrowing nights in a Thai jail after being caught with drugs he didn't know were illegal.

More than six weeks later he is still stranded in the country, waiting to be called to court. His parents have spent about $10,000 on flights and accommodation to support him.

[EDITED FOR LENGTH]

Taylor said he suspected the taxi was stopped in the Kathu area because it was partly on the footpath. A police officer found a packet of diazepam pills on Taylor, which the teenager was shocked to learn was illegal.

"I was told by people you could get valium if you wanted to go to sleep and it was legal to buy it," he said. "Then they took me to the cop lock-up which was like living hell."

He said he bought the pills to help him sleep after consuming a number of energy drinks.

Under Thailand's Psychotropic Substances Act 1974, possession of a "schedule IV" drug such as diazepam is illegal without a prescription.

The maximum penalty is one year's imprisonment, with a fine of 20,000 baht ($800). But drugs such as diazepam and alprazolam [trade name Xanax] are available at some pharmacies in tourist spots."

Edited November 14, 2012 by partington

[End]

that is a scary story

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[eeeya]

i prefer camomile tea

[carra]

wonder what the police would do if they caught someone with a dildo

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Well it would give them something to go on

[partington]

Sorry link I gave above to the full newspaper story doesn't work

here's one that should

http://www.nzherald....jectid=10621178

[edwinchester]

wonder what the police would do if they caught someone with a dildo

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Arrest them for being in possession of an offensive weapon?

[mrtoad]

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

Hard times, I guess. But Kamai has always been notorious for the BIB shaking down tourists. Asoke normally at night.

Bunch of criminals in uniform.

[mrtoad]

wonder what the police would do if they caught someone with a dildo

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Anal Probe?

[Payboy]

wonder what the police would do if they caught someone with a dildo

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Anal Probe?

Gives a new meaning to Boys In Brown.

[THAILIBAN]

as for EKKAMAI Bus-Station: get off at ON NUT BTS-station when coming from Pattaya by Bus, and problem is solved.

Thonglor police are not nice to deal with indeed, I guess they have the worst reputation together with the Silom-Brownies

[JSixpack]

as for EKKAMAI Bus-Station: get off at ON NUT BTS-station when coming from Pattaya by Bus, and problem is solved.

Thonglor police are not nice to deal with indeed, I guess they have the worst reputation together with the Silom-Brownies

But you can't get on at On Nut to come to Pattaya.

[jpinx]

as for EKKAMAI Bus-Station: get off at ON NUT BTS-station when coming from Pattaya by Bus, and problem is solved.

Thonglor police are not nice to deal with indeed, I guess they have the worst reputation together with the Silom-Brownies

But you can't get on at On Nut to come to Pattaya.

I've seen them stop at On Nut sometimes - I think it depends if they're full or not.

The other trick is to get to the depot on BangNa (between BangNa junction and Central BangNa) and get your ticket and bus from there. Depends where you're coming from what suits you......

[Briggsy]

The Ekamai bus station shakedown has been running for years and years and years.

They are looking for anything illegal. They focus on unaccompanied Western males probably coming from Pattaya. They love to find valium or Viagra as these are prescription drugs. They then get the mark in the police box, put the fear of God into him with stuff about a lengthy stay in Thai prison and extract tens of thousands of baht. Always operating in small gangs of 3 or 4.

Speak Thai, they leave you alone.

[brewsterbudgen]

The Ekamai bus station shakedown has been running for years and years and years.

They are looking for anything illegal. They focus on unaccompanied Western males probably coming from Pattaya. They love to find valium or Viagra as these are prescription drugs. They then get the mark in the police box, put the fear of God into him with stuff about a lengthy stay in Thai prison and extract tens of thousands of baht. Always operating in small gangs of 3 or 4.

Speak Thai, they leave you alone.

Correct, although if an illegal offence has been committed, surely an on-the-spot "fine" is better than being arrested and taken through the courts!

By the way, for those with time to kill at the bus station, check out the very farang friendly Red Bus Cafe which has just opened at the front, right next to the entrance that the buses use. Nicely air conditioned, clean and free western toilets, decent coffee and sandwiches and possibly soon cold drinks at reasonable prices!

Edited November 18, 2012 by brewsterbudgen

[JSixpack]

as for EKKAMAI Bus-Station: get off at ON NUT BTS-station when coming from Pattaya by Bus, and problem is solved.

Thonglor police are not nice to deal with indeed, I guess they have the worst reputation together with the Silom-Brownies

But you can't get on at On Nut to come to Pattaya.

I've seen them stop at On Nut sometimes - I think it depends if they're full or not.

Perhaps those are the "local" air-con buses to PTY. They stop everywhere and take about 4 hours to arrive at the PTY Nua intersection.

The other trick is to get to the depot on BangNa (between BangNa junction and Central BangNa) and get your ticket and bus from there. Depends where you're coming from what suits you......

Yes, that's what you'd do if you're close to Bang Na.

[beachroadlover2]

Tip: If you have a long wait for the bus, the medical center next to the station has nice toilets, seating, clean, and air conditioned.

[brewsterbudgen]

Tip: If you have a long wait for the bus, the medical center next to the station has nice toilets, seating, clean, and air conditioned.

But no coffee or snacks, so the Red Bus Cafe is a closer, better option.

[TheGhostWithin]

I had this too, on the intersection outside the best western directly south of Asoke MRT & BTS.

They were giving me a good shake down. They asked me which bar I found my girlfriend in, even though she was dressed in a long skirt with very well done make up and not carrying any bag of any sort (bar girls ALWAYS carry bags, its a give away). This continued until I spoke to them in Thai and offered for them to speak to my girlfriends (who was with me) father, who is a captain in the south. We were quickly ushered into our taxi and let move on. I got the strong feeling we were about to be shaken down, but they moved on to easier targets.

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

[gaucho]

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?

mate i believe the guy 100% lots of people get set up here ...have seen it myself .........was scammed in an asian country 25 years back just after they hung a couple of westerners ...its a terrifying experience ...and one that people gladly hand over money cards jewellery etc to get out of it ....

[gaucho]

yea - right ......

yea right ....right back at u

[jcw]

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.

I will let you in on a little secret, man invented cars and airplanes, not some ghost you call God and his imaginary friends.

The cops are after any pills they say need a prescription , like Viagra and extort money from you if you don't have a copy of the prescription on you.

[OMGImInPattaya]

Lived in Thailand for 15 years...been on the Bangkok to Pattaya bus and back maybe 50-75 times and never even seen a cop...let alone been accosted by one

[Fookhaht]

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

Fingerprint the baggie? You're thinking "western."