Police and Immigration Checkpoints

[eng911]

I've never seen so many checkpoints in my previous trip to Thailand. They are all very pleasant so far. Lots of smiles and a few simple questions. Is this the new reality under military rule?

I get off the plane in khon kaen and I get a quick hello in the main hall while meeting my family. We had an obscene amount of luggage so I didn't give it much thought. Where are you from? How long you staying? Have a nice vacation.

Then driving from KK to Muk we hit 4 checkpoints. Got stopped at 1 and my brother in-law had to provide a pee sample. He was in the pickup truck in front of us. They said he looked tired. Asked about drugs. No worries for him. They just asked me for my DL. Where you from? Where you staying? OK bye.

Next morning leaving Don Than area going into town stopped again. These guys were very nice. Looked at my DL. Made small talk with the wife. I smiled a lot and said falang put Thai mai dai. They laughed. Bye bye.

We get into town. I'm walking down the main drag by the river. Huge crowds for dragon boar races. So many Laoations you could barely move. Suddenly through the crowd here comes 6 or 7 uniformed officers. They just walked up and said "Can we take a picture?" I had a camera in hand and I'm a photog by trade so I thought they wanted me to take a photo of them. LoL

Then I realized they had a photographer with them. We chatted and I was introduced to the head man who then introduced me to his boss who was hanging back observing the walkabout. They were very nice actually. I posed with them and told them where I was from. Then off they went.

So many hard working officials these days, which is a good thing I guess. No doubt trying to reduce the numbered of illegal immigrants, drug dealers and criminals. I was a bit shocked at the roadside pee tests but this is not my country. I'm a guest.

Regards,

Tony

[manxninja]

In a nutshell tea money.

[eng911]

It was nice to be treated kindly and to meet some of the boys in blue. I've found this to be the case 99.9% of the time in Thailand.

[prk888]

driving from near Si Sa Ket yesterday we had 11 police/military stops in the first 200kms going southwards. Polite officers and no problems but I agree why suddenly so many?

[kuifje]

In a nutshell tea money.

Not at all.(tea money) There are indeed many more checkpoints from police/military in the last few months. All very professional. They not try to catch you, if you are in order, you are on your way very quickly. I must have past at least 100 checkpoints, no hasle at all, sometimes they ask papers, many times you are just waived thru. Cargo's from pick up/big trucks are more checked.

Seems they are more active and doing their job.

[nithisa78]

We have no idea, what the police know and we wish we did.

[SOMeTOM]

" Looked at my DL. Made small talk with the wife. I smiled a lot and said falang put Thai mai dai. They laughed. Bye bye. "

So none of the BiB actually did try to fix an extramarital affair with your missus??? I don't believe it!

It seems to be one of their main purposes when they stop a westerner with his lady next to him, probably they don't expect a foreigner to understand what they say or perhaps are just silly as a very large amount of the locals i have meet with......

[SOMeTOM]

ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect Thailand1412865936.636578.jpg

It was nice to be treated kindly and to meet some of the boys in blue. I've found this to be the case 99.9% of the time in Thailand.

Sorry i didn't pay much attention to the pic before my previous post, so i don't think anybody had a go with their usual lines....

They also have strange uniforms, are these from the immigration or tourist police??

When i encounter road's blocks they are all dressed in brown uniforms, unless they are military

Edited October 10, 2014 by SOMeTOM

[mick01827]

I had the same experience a couple of days ago in ubon ratchathani, I don't know if it's the same all over issan but in ubon 8th October they celebrate loy kratong, lots of police, government officials and immigration were there, all asking if they could have their photo taken with me, I actually got a bit paranoid at one point wondering if they just wanted my photo for official purposes.

I was actually told by the immigration chief that when a farang is here on a multiple entry visa he has to be registered at the nearest Immigration office with an address where he's staying which I confessed that I didn't know, he said that my gf's mom and dad could receive a 5000b fine for not registering me

[willyumiii]

Agree.

In my area, you could count on police check points during the last week of every month previously.

Check DL, looking for a helmet.....200 baht if you don't have.

But, you got a nice piece of paper stating that it was o.k. for you to continue to drive without the helmet or licence for the next 24 hours since you had paid your "fine" already.

All very polite and friendly.

Recently, there are check points all of the time.

I haven't stopped at one yet, but friends have.

Surprisingly, one was stopped this week had no DL.

He held his breath and told the officers that he had no money with him!

He said they just smiled and told him to be safe and let him leave!

Judging from this, maybe tea money is not the motivator now.

But they are more active than before.

Edited October 10, 2014 by willyumiii

[NoshowJones]

driving from near Si Sa Ket yesterday we had 11 police/military stops in the first 200kms going southwards. Polite officers and no problems but I agree why suddenly so many?

All the police checks have stopped in my village since Martial Law started, before, there were at least one a week.

[laislica]

Agree.

In my area, you could count on police check points during the last week of every month previously.

Check DL, looking for a helmet.....200 baht if you don't have.

But, you got a nice piece of paper stating that it was o.k. for you to continue to drive without the helmet or licence for the next 24 hours since you had paid your "fine" already.

All very polite and friendly.

Recently, there are check points all of the time.

I haven't stopped at one yet, but friends have.

Surprisingly, one was stopped this week had no DL.

He held his breath and told the officers that he had no money with him!

He said they just smiled and told him to be safe and let him leave!

Judging from this, maybe tea money is not the motivator now.

But they are more active than before.

Be careful out there!

Didn't I read that if the BiB catch you offering a bribe,

they get a 10,000b reward from their bosses when they prosecute you!

[Ombra]

The wife and I drove from Nakhon Phanom to Khon Kaen in the middle of last month, and we were surprised to go through half a dozen police and army checkpoints. They were all polite and professional. They checked our documents and our car and waved us on our way.

[soalbundy]

Some military check points around Surin but they don't seem to stop anyone, just sit under their tents.

[raybal5]

I drove through Issan in July/August and the police checks were everywhere. One guy was trying really hard to get me on some thing. When he found zero chance of tea money from me he started quizzing my Thai friend about the stuff in the back of the pick up. Asked for receipts too. When we presented them he was pissed. Waved us on without pocketing any bahts.

[khwaibah]

On the 24 highway from Prasat to highway 2 about 200 km there are 8 check points all maned with army. At the Nong Ki check point this past week a faring was asked to produce his passport, English was not even his 4th language, no pass port and was taken to the luxurious Non Ki Cross Bar Hotel. 3 days and 3 nights latter his beloved worried about her atm and with help from the bamboo telegrph tracked him down and was able to produce his pass port. Be advised gentlemen this country is under marshal law and the army walks to a different beat.

[Suradit69]

In a nutshell tea money.

Presumably that comment came out of a nut shell as well.

Edited October 10, 2014 by Suradit69

[mikiea]

We have no idea, what the police know and we wish we did.

[louse1953]

ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect Thailand1412865936.636578.jpg

It was nice to be treated kindly and to meet some of the boys in blue. I've found this to be the case 99.9% of the time in Thailand.

Sorry i didn't pay much attention to the pic before my previous post, so i don't think anybody had a go with their usual lines....

They also have strange uniforms, are these from the immigration or tourist police??

When i encounter road's blocks they are all dressed in brown uniforms, unless they are military

Your rude Tom,you should apologize.

[louse1953]

On the 24 highway from Prasat to highway 2 about 200 km there are 8 check points all maned with army. At the Nong Ki check point this past week a faring was asked to produce his passport, English was not even his 4th language, no pass port and was taken to the luxurious Non Ki Cross Bar Hotel. 3 days and 3 nights latter his beloved worried about her atm and with help from the bamboo telegrph tracked him down and was able to produce his pass port. Be advised gentlemen this country is under marshal law and the army walks to a different beat.

I don't expect farings to speak any English at all,never mind 3 others.

[SOMeTOM]

Ohh c'mon, just having a laugh, not intending being offensive, my apologize if you feel that way, ok?

[Maestro]

Removed a troll post.

[Maestro]

The police and/or army checkpoints in the Northeast may be related to the underground anti-government movements that might be particularly active in that area. See this recent news article: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/766695-gen-prawit-urges-underground-resistance-to-stop/

[soidog2]

To understand how far Thailand is sliding back towards autocracy & dictatorship just look at this old Library of congress propaganda poster

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/95505044/

[sfbandung]

All of my dealings with the police and immigration people have been perfectly pleasant. I give them the respect their position deserves and never forget I am a guest. You tend to get back what you put out.

[SOMeTOM]

Ah ahh ahhh, thanks for the humour Sfbandung, that was one of the silliest jokes i have ever read here on TV, it really makes my day

[MobileContent]

Hway 22 from Udon to Sakon is full with road blocks, Nong Han - Sawang - Phank Khon - Phana and before Sakon Nakhon.

[Farma]

Maybe something to do with the funeral for former deputy house speaker Apiwan.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/767605-red-shirts-turn-out-in-large-numbers-to-receive-apiwans-body/

[MobileContent]

The police and/or army checkpoints in the Northeast may be related to the underground anti-government movements that might be particularly active in that area. See this recent news article: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/766695-gen-prawit-urges-underground-resistance-to-stop/

Yes, this is one of the points. They even broadcast twice weekly on the village speaker to turn in their weapons or they will face jail.

[Goanna]

More checkpoints than before, and many of the police checkpoints have army personnel as well. The greedy cops pull me over quite regularly pull me over and fabricate some fine or other. However, I haven't been fined for 6 months now. I put it down to the army presence. The last fine was for stay too long in right lane. What a joke. And this was at a checkpoint.