First Farang BIB

[biggles68]

I was in a tuk tuk today travelling through karon to patong and a police road block was set up and there was a farang in full BIB uniform and helmet. Is this the first ever farang BIB in Thailand? I know theres plenty of farang tourist police but ive never seen a farang in full BIB gear.

[Gsxrnz]

Was he packing a sidearm?

[biggles68]

I couldnt see but he was using his whistle, he was very tall white guy and had short sleeves as opposed to the standard long sleeves

[theoldgit]

Nothing to do with visas, moved to Phuket forum.

[merijn]

There is one BIB wannabe in Karon who nows somebody at police so he is kept alone.

He is not wearing a BIB uniform but a old tourist police volunteer uniform which he kept after he was kicked out of the program.

He is also trying to fine people for driving without helmet.

I would tell him to piss of if he tried that stunt on me as he does not have authority.

[falkan]

picture

[edcv2007]

I hope you dont have an accident and your head crash toward the road. Then someone will piss you

[McFarang]

I was driving through Chalong Circle about 11am and I saw the old man I have only see 3 times in the past 8 years in full BIB Uniform well actually is was a BIB (Black ) uniform full military colours!! He was coughing his guts up in the gutter . I believe that he is of Scandanavian descent I dont know but he was so out of place. I am not an accountant.

[wooloomooloo]

It could be a busman's holiday.

[IrishIvan]

I am fairly sure you have to be a citizen of Thailand to become a fully fledged policeman. As far as I know this is quite hard, and no doubt if anyone were to spend all that time and effort to become a citizen, the last job they would want to do is to direct traffic. I would say keep driving and ignore him. If he gets a bit too full on ask him for his work permit as a policemen is a job reserved for Thai nationals

[simon43]

About 6 years ago, I used to work for the Royal Thai Police in Bangkok (Lumpini) as a Thai translator and police volunteer. Foreign volunteers do not just work with the Tourist Police.

Simon

[LookChang]

Juste a side question; what does the BIB abbreviation means and where it comes from ?

I never heard about it before and cannot find any explanation on the web ???

Is it a special code only used in thaivisa.com ???

Thanks to enlight me !

[eezergood]

Boys in .......

[KarenBravo]

BIB = "Boys in Brown".

[LookChang]

BIB = "Boys in Brown".

Thanks!

[Wavefloater]

Perhaps he's luk krueng and the farang half is so dominant in appearance that he looks 100% farang.

[NomadJoe]

I am fairly sure you have to be a citizen of Thailand to become a fully fledged policeman. As far as I know this is quite hard, and no doubt if anyone were to spend all that time and effort to become a citizen, the last job they would want to do is to direct traffic. I would say keep driving and ignore him. If he gets a bit too full on ask him for his work permit as a policemen is a job reserved for Thai nationals

There is an exception in the law for foreigners who volunteer in assisting the Thai government. They do not need a work permit.

There is one BIB wannabe in Karon who nows somebody at police so he is kept alone.
He is not wearing a BIB uniform but a old tourist police volunteer uniform which he kept after he was kicked out of the program.
He is also trying to fine people for driving without helmet.
I would tell him to piss of if he tried that stunt on me as he does not have authority.

They are not the first "farang BIB". Both Karon and Chalong have one foreign police assistant each. They wear the same uniform as Thai police and speak superb Thai. Of course they do not wear sidearms. Only Thai police can do that. The one in Chalong is the tall skinny Scandinavian guy. He has been working there for many years. I see him driving the old beat up pick-up that says "CHALONG POLICE" across the front and sides. There are videos of him done by some news agency from his home town on youtube.

There is a shorter chubby bald one that works in Karon, I sometimes see him at the checkpoints. Both of these people are different than the Tourist Police Volunteers who wear white or dark blue shirts and primarily work the dense tourist areas. In addition, the Kathu police in Patong (Region 8) have a number of foreign volunteers which wear white shirts. Then there are immigration volunteers who work mostly in the immigration offices and also wear white.

Since it is likely to come up, foreign volunteers, when operating under the direction of Thai police have the same authority as Thai police, but that is only under direct supervision. It is the the same for any civilian when directed by a policeman. When they operate independently then there authority falls under the "citizen arrest" laws which basically allow any civilian to arrest someone they see committing a minor or major crime (but not traffic infractions).

[madmitch]

I thought the skinny Swede now worked at Karon but I could be wrong. Yes, he still drives a pickup with POLICE written on the side.

There are many stories about this guy and he is apparently not well-liked in the Swedish community. Last time I posted something derogatory about him I got a warning from the mods so I won't say any more.

[Naxilus]

there is a old, tall, skinny white guy working for the chalong police as a traffic police for the last few years,. Speaks perfect thai but sucks at english.

[NomadJoe]

I thought the skinny Swede now worked at Karon but I could be wrong. Yes, he still drives a pickup with POLICE written on the side.

There are many stories about this guy and he is apparently not well-liked in the Swedish community. Last time I posted something derogatory about him I got a warning from the mods so I won't say any more.

Karon broke off from Chalong a few months ago and since then I have seen the tall Swede only in Chalong. But I know these guys do work outside of their areas, are often "borrowed" by neighboring districts, just like the normal cops do at times. Gary Halpin, for example, is a tourist police volunteer, but you see him in the news often being used by the normal Thai Police on various projects.

Here is the guy from Chalong, Lars-Göran. I think the guy the OP saw was the other guy that works primarily in Karon.

Edited June 12, 2013 by NomadJoe

[Guest]

I once met the man in the video at the Thalang PTT. According to the video he also lives at that area. So maybe part of Thalang police and then borrowed to other parts of Phuket?

[JetsetBkk]

Was he packing a sidearm?

I couldnt see but he was using his whistle, he was very tall white guy and had short sleeves as opposed to the standard long sleeves

Those whistles are worse than guns.

[eezergood]

I thought the skinny Swede now worked at Karon but I could be wrong. Yes, he still drives a pickup with POLICE written on the side.

There are many stories about this guy and he is apparently not well-liked in the Swedish community. Last time I posted something derogatory about him I got a warning from the mods so I won't say any more.

Tell us more! pm if needed

[NomadJoe]

About 6 years ago, I used to work for the Royal Thai Police in Bangkok (Lumpini) as a Thai translator and police volunteer. Foreign volunteers do not just work with the Tourist Police.

Simon

Found your video on YT too! lol

[NamKangMan]

I think it's a new TAT thing - you can buy a package holiday to Phuket, where you get to be a policeman for 2 weeks. :) :)

[simon43]

Found your video on YT too! lol

Which video?

- Me sitting at my hotel and talking about tourists

- Me talking about the OneTwogo plane crash

- Me dancing naked in a gogo bar

Simon

[falkan]

I thought the skinny Swede now worked at Karon but I could be wrong. Yes, he still drives a pickup with POLICE written on the side.

There are many stories about this guy and he is apparently not well-liked in the Swedish community. Last time I posted something derogatory about him I got a warning from the mods so I won't say any more.

Karon broke off from Chalong a few months ago and since then I have seen the tall Swede only in Chalong. But I know these guys do work outside of their areas, are often "borrowed" by neighboring districts, just like the normal cops do at times. Gary Halpin, for example, is a tourist police volunteer, but you see him in the news often being used by the normal Thai Police on various projects.

Here is the guy from Chalong, Lars-Göran. I think the guy the OP saw was the other guy that works primarily in Karon.

swedes car say rescue not police?

[NomadJoe]

I thought the skinny Swede now worked at Karon but I could be wrong. Yes, he still drives a pickup with POLICE written on the side.

There are many stories about this guy and he is apparently not well-liked in the Swedish community. Last time I posted something derogatory about him I got a warning from the mods so I won't say any more.

Karon broke off from Chalong a few months ago and since then I have seen the tall Swede only in Chalong. But I know these guys do work outside of their areas, are often "borrowed" by neighboring districts, just like the normal cops do at times. Gary Halpin, for example, is a tourist police volunteer, but you see him in the news often being used by the normal Thai Police on various projects.

Here is the guy from Chalong, Lars-Göran. I think the guy the OP saw was the other guy that works primarily in Karon.

swedes car say rescue not police?

Police in several places.

[Guest]

I thought the skinny Swede now worked at Karon but I could be wrong. Yes, he still drives a pickup with POLICE written on the side.

There are many stories about this guy and he is apparently not well-liked in the Swedish community. Last time I posted something derogatory about him I got a warning from the mods so I won't say any more.

Karon broke off from Chalong a few months ago and since then I have seen the tall Swede only in Chalong. But I know these guys do work outside of their areas, are often "borrowed" by neighboring districts, just like the normal cops do at times. Gary Halpin, for example, is a tourist police volunteer, but you see him in the news often being used by the normal Thai Police on various projects.

Here is the guy from Chalong, Lars-Göran. I think the guy the OP saw was the other guy that works primarily in Karon.

swedes car say rescue not police?

Police in several places.

Where? Not in the car?

In all. He seems to be a happy and slightly tingtong old man doing free work for the societety. Is there something bad with that?

[NomadJoe]

Karon broke off from Chalong a few months ago and since then I have seen the tall Swede only in Chalong. But I know these guys do work outside of their areas, are often "borrowed" by neighboring districts, just like the normal cops do at times. Gary Halpin, for example, is a tourist police volunteer, but you see him in the news often being used by the normal Thai Police on various projects.

Here is the guy from Chalong, Lars-Göran. I think the guy the OP saw was the other guy that works primarily in Karon.

swedes car say rescue not police?

Police in several places.

Where? Not in the car?

rescue.jpg

In all. He seems to be a happy and slightly tingtong old man doing free work for the societety. Is there something bad with that?

That is an ambulance. His beat up truck has no camper shell, plus it says "police" around it. And no, I don't thing there is, unless he is corrupt like most Thai cops.

Edited June 12, 2013 by NomadJoe