Does anyone know what's going on near the front of Hollys Coffee on Sukhumvit road near soi 15?? just curious as I always see them talking with tourist, as there's a little table set up and sometimes the tourist are sitting there sifting through their belongings...has anyone been stopped by them or know what's going on?? thanks =]

Litter 'enforcement'- they're not real police but 'litter police.' They look for tourists dropping cigarette butts, bits of paper and so on, and fine them on the spot when they see it. I think it's 1000B but I'm not sure.

Thais can hurl waste scraps from their cooking stalls into the gutter along the same street with impunity....

EDIT: slightly over critical wording made less accusatory...

If you ever do get fined, I have been told there is a book where they record the details. I have been told my several people that they did not see a single Thai name listed in the book of offenders! I believe the fine is 2,000. I also think they are BMA and not real police. I don't think they can arrest you if you just keep walking! However, real police will also hit you up for money if they see you ditch a cigarette butt. I don't think I'd be walking away from them so quickly. I was with a friend who only had 100 baht on him the day before payday. The cop happily took his last 100 baht!

If there were plenty of bins then i would say they are right to do this....but there are no bins, only at the 711. I think every streetvendor who sells disposable packages with food should also have a bin.

Litter police, allthough I do think they are from Thonglor station. On the other side of Sukhumvit, Lumphini police is running the same scheme. They caught me once (two years back). The minute I lighted one up (at soi 16) I see an older police bloke talking into his mobile device, sure enough at soi 10 I eyeballed his younger colleguea, which literally followed me to see if I would dispose of the cigarette.

I must hand it to him he did claim to have seen me dispose of it (no bin in clear sight obviously) allthough it would be next to impossible to have really seen it, as he was 50 meters away and I disposed of it in the most covert way I could manage.

Anyway, I was taken to their booth around soi 12 and was indeed asked to pay 2000 baht as a first offender. I ended up paying nothing, as their threat to be taken into the station was answered with me trying to call someone.

oh ok! thanks guys... I was just curious...

Is the reason of not having bins on the streets the fear of bombs being put in them?

Even at the big malls like Central World there are no bins. I 've been searching for them a lot and only find them at the escalators sometimes.

I will respect all rules of not littering but they should have more bins on the streets. The fact they fear bombs so much sais enough i think. Better not go in those area's. There is loads of security around Central World so in my opinion they should place a bin next to the guard at the main entrances. Developed country's all have that.

i once walked away from one of those "police" next to the bts on nut