Visit from the police. What was that all about?

[billd766]

I live in rural Thailand, 65km from Khamapeng Phet and 6km from Klong Lan Pattana.

On Wednesday after lunch 3 guys in civilian clothes driving a white Honda CRV with a red number plate turned up so my wife talked to them.

It seems as though they were from the local police station and I recognised a couple of them.

They know me from riding my motorbike around the area.

They told my wife that they were checking, looking at the farangs living in the area but they never asked me for my passport or visa stuff.

I had my photo taken with a couple of them and then they went away?

I wonder what they wanted?

Edited October 18, 2013 by billd766

[Huayrat]

I would of been asking why they want a photo before I agreed to it... Open your mouth and ask don't just say nothing..

[VisaProblem]

Sounds like bored cops with nothing better to do, or, they are interested in a different farang and consequently are lightly digging into all local farangs as part of their homework. I wouldn't worry about it at all.

[ThaidDown]

Yes, I would have asked too, the photo could well have been proof for their supervisors that they were out checking on foreigners and had found one..

Of course, they could have been fitting you up for all the crimes in the area, and the photo would have been put with your confession after they had written it.( This last point only added to satisfy the Conspiracy theorists)

[aussieinthailand]

possibly just checking your asset situation to see just hard to push you for cash in the future, or they are legit n just checking on falangs with and without papers

[dao16]

The better to scam you with, my dear!!!!

Seriously, though, sometimes I think the police chiefs just get an idea on a whim and send the police out to see what they can find. I have seen it where I live...not with foreigners, but with other random stuff. Word gets around that police will be looking for something on some day, so people seem ready for those things.

I would find it disturbing, to say the least. I don't like seeing them around my neighborhood.

[VisaProblem]

Don't listen to the old cynics above!!! :-)

The police cant extract money from you if you're not doing anything wrong, and especially if your wife is the type that doesn't panic or scare easy.

If your paperwork is fine and your not doing anything really dumb like growing pot or running illegal gambling with your wife then forget about it.

Edited October 18, 2013 by VisaProblem

[CharlieH]

Could be ferang caused a problem somewhere and as we all look alike to them they wanted a pic to illiminate you, could go the other way, then someone "identifies" you from the picture and the games begin.

[Swiss1960]

Of course, they could have been fitting you up for all the crimes in the area, and the photo would have been put with your confession after they had written it.( This last point only added to satisfy the Conspiracy theorists)

But then we would need to know whether there was any finger pointing on the OP...

[swissie]

Or, if Falang staying on "Marriage O Visa": Immigration is authorized to involve local police to check out if "couple is actually living together". Then police will report back to immigration.

This only comes into play, when immigration has reason to believe, that the marriage was only performed for "Visa-Reasons".

Cheers.

[lovelomsak]

Had something similar happen yesterday at my place. Onr officer drove up in his Toyota pickup came to the gate ask if he could talk to my wife. I called the wife at work .He ask her my name ,age and what country I was from and if I planned on staying in Thailand or would be going back to my home country soon. After he was finished with the wife he ask for my phone number and left. I just thought he was checking for deadbeat farangs so amnot concerned.

[Farma]

Posts of police visits pop up every few months mostly in the Issan forum although i've seen therm in the Chiang Mai and Phuket forum.

I've also had a visit a couple of years ago while I wasn't in the country. They ask a few questions and take a photo if possible. They sometime will also ask neighbours for information. There is a scan of one police districts questionaire someone posted in one of the older posts.

I asked my police BiL and he assured me there was nothing sinister behind the visits. The local police get requests from higher ups to keep tabs on foreigners living in their patch to help the police contact foreigners in times of need or emergency.

[Beetlejuice]

They`re coming to take you away, ha, ha.

What was that all about?

What did the nice policeman say when you asked them what they wanted?

[MJP]

Most likely sent on a fact finding mission . . . by their wives.

I had this years ago. A few plod turned up as I was finishing our kids house, seemed to be inspecting!

The following Sunday the whole station turned out with their wives and kids. Turned out it was about house decorating and gardening tips. The kettle was red hot that day.

[David48]

Rumour has it that they have been secret fans of yours here on Thai Visa and seized their opportunity to have their photo with a TV Legend!

Well ... just as plausible as the other speculation*

* ... don't tell StreetCowboy !

[A1Str8]

I have heard so many similar stories from all over Thailand. Strange indeed.

[skyaslimit]

May be because, you have been here for so long, just a visit out of curiosity I guess.

[cooked]

I believe that their exists a law requiring Farangs to report to the police station every year. So if you don't go they are entitled to come see you. I may be wrong.

I have had two visits from Nissan reps since I ordered a car, they looked around the house and took photographs. You get used to it.

Edited October 18, 2013 by cooked

[HeijoshinCool]

Some time ago three came to my door, too, and when I politely refused to produce my passport, and after much cajoling on my part and hemming and hawing on theirs, they finally said something like this:

Many farang here are killed by Thai men. Very embarrassing for Thailand if we can not identify the farang.

Not embarrassing when they are killed, only if they don't know who you are.

EDIT: Because of illiterate spell-checker.

Edited October 18, 2013 by HeijoshinCool

[HeijoshinCool]

I believe that their exists a law requiring Farangs to report to the police station every year. So if you don't go they are entitled to come see you. I may be wrong.

I have had two visits from Nissan reps since I ordered a car, they looked around the house and took photographs. You get used to it.

Nissan reps?

You let people look around your house and take pictures?

Please clarify before I say something I'll regret ....

[MJP]

Some time three came to my door, too, and when I politely refused to produce my passport, and after much cajoling on my part and hemming and hawing on theirs, they final said something like this:

Many farang here are killed by Thai men. Very embarrassing for Thailand if we can not identify the farang.

Not embarrassing when they are killed, only if they don't know who you are.

If any of us here actually had a brain we'd head for the airport.

I remember on a Korat forum, the police had gone round to each farang house and demand the missus hold a firearms licence and the farang have a gun as so many were being killed. Nothing else to corroborate this, but seemed true enough.

My MIL and FIL used to stay round here when there was a plot to bump me off and sisters-in-law nagged on and on about me getting a gun.

Honestly, I can't stand the place, stuck with it because I can't get the kids to the UK.

Edited October 18, 2013 by MJP

[cooked]

I believe that their exists a law requiring Farangs to report to the police station every year. So if you don't go they are entitled to come see you. I may be wrong.

I have had two visits from Nissan reps since I ordered a car, they looked around the house and took photographs. You get used to it.

Nissan reps?

You let people look around your house and take pictures?

Please clarify before I say something I'll regret ....

They are checking if I am worthy of credit. If I want the car, I go through with it. What did you expect me to do, make them sit down on the grass?

[VisaProblem]

Re the Nissan reps - the finance companies frequently photograph household inside and out for their files. Who cares?

Re the police - if the police wanna feel they need to tick boxes for their superiors by keeping tabs on people - who cares!

Other than drink driving, visa overstays and being a general pain in the balls, most farangs are legal so why worry?

Edited October 18, 2013 by VisaProblem

[HeijoshinCool]

I believe that their exists a law requiring Farangs to report to the police station every year. So if you don't go they are entitled to come see you. I may be wrong.

I have had two visits from Nissan reps since I ordered a car, they looked around the house and took photographs. You get used to it.

Nissan reps?

You let people look around your house and take pictures?

Please clarify before I say something I'll regret ....

They are checking if I am worthy of credit. If I want the car, I go through with it. What did you expect me to do, make them sit down on the grass?

Understandable, since their exists nothing like a credit bureau here, though I wouldn't do it. But to each his own.

Did they threaten to kill you if you missed a payment?

[HeijoshinCool]

Re the Nissan reps - the finance companies frequently photograph household inside and out for their files. Who cares?

Re the police - if the police wanna feel they need to tick boxes for their superiors by keeping tabs on people - who cares!

Other than drink driving, visa overstays and being a general pain in the balls, most farangs are legal so why worry?

What's that motto the NSA just released?

"If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear."

Go along to get along, eh?

[swissie]

Still think post # 10 comes closest.

Cheers.

[kikoman]

Bill, I had the policeman visit my house about 3 days ago, They asked my wife where I was from and what language I spoke, my wife asked what was the purpose of the visit and they answered they had been tasks with the responsibility to know what Farang's lived in their districts.

I have no reason to not believe their explanation, They are responsible for knowing what foreigners live in their police district, took no picture and asked no further questions.

Cheers:

[JimsKnight]

This is for later when they need to round up the farangs. They are just getting all their ducks in a row is all.

[enyaw]

Your name's not Tony is it, by any chance?

[HeijoshinCool]

This is for later when they need to round up the farangs. They are just getting all their ducks in a row is all.

I've considered that possibility myself.

But then, that would take a Thai with great foresight.