Surge of reported police harassment suggests campaign targeting tourists, expats

[Tatsujin]

What a load of naive rubbish. Yesterday were reports of 70 year old Indian couples being scammed by these mafia-in-brown. Is this the first you've seen of this story? How can you possibly spout nonsense that it's backpackers and tourists when most of the reports are of perfectly respectably-dressed EXPATS going about legitimate business? Everything you've said is ignorant of all that's been reported so far. In fact, you actually sound like a parrot working for the brown mafia.

This... is... not... about... drugs...

This is about going after a vulnerable section of society who are easy marks for cash. Foreigners have few connections, few rights and - a lot of the time - little knowledge (same as you) of Thailand and thus they are ripe for the picking by the fecal mafia.

"This is about going after a vulnerable section of society who are easy marks for cash."

But you will only be a member of that "vulnerable section of society" if you have illegal drugs in your system, or on your person, and if you do fall into that category you only have yourself to blame.

I can't wait for the day when you get stopped here for no good reason and they put their hands down your trousers and start fondling your genitals in full public view looking for the non-existent drugs they are allegedly looking for and then miraculously finding them cos they were in the cops hand to start with.

Perhaps then you'll stop defending these criminals and the criminal actions that are perpetrated here by them and that you continually defend ad infinitum.

[gemguy]

I always carry original and valid id. I don't do drug, prostitute or alcohol. If police want pee test or ass search, I am happy to comply. After all, it is their duty to keep alien safe, and not be drug, rape or murdered like the 2 brits in Koh tao.

You want ass check? Alien?

You arent real?

I think he meant he would not mind at all if an Alien was to check his ass ....I think..!

[Bocking]

Last year, I was shaken-down in the litter purge between Robinsons and Asoke. The English speaking officers were very calm and pleasant, but they couldn’t seem to grasp the fact that E-Cigarettes don’t leave any butts on the sidewalk. Sure, I was angry, and if I’d been a tourist I would have vowed never to return to Thailand. But I’m not a tourist, I live here voluntarily, Thailand is my home. In the long-term, such actions might result in a reduction in tourist numbers, but while that impacts on Thailand as a whole, it has very little direct impact on those creating the anti-tourist sentiment around Asoke.

It’s difficult to say what the impact of the current practice of ‘Stop & Search’ will have on local businesses in the area, Terminal 21, Soi Cowboy etc. But, maybe that’s the point! At present, these businesses will not be suffering, but if this location-specific practice continues, and word begins to spread, then there will be financial consequences as tourists begin avoiding the area.

A cynic might suggest that the individual tourists are the sacrificial lambs, and that the real targets are the larger beasts with deeper corporate pockets.

[Fairynuff]

When you have a problem you go to the police. Where do you go when the police ARE the problem?

[mataleo]

Are you for real?

Just because you want the Thai police to ass search you doesn´t mean it is ok for others.

What if they plant a yaba pill in your pocket???

"What if they plant a yaba pill in your pocket???"

They're not doing that though, are they?

There is report here they did plant straw with traces of drugs and other that faked test results. .... read more man

Oh wait they planted it in Sharky condo....

Edited December 5, 2014 by mataleo

[Jip99]

Ok I know the Thonglor police are reading this forum either you stop this or I will see to it that all officers that takes bribes demands bribes or is doing criminal activity will have there pictures and videos of them doing this sent out on the worldwide web for all to see.

I bet they are quaking in their boots now.......

[mataleo]

When you have a problem you go to the police. Where do you go when the police ARE the problem?

Call phone district police. Calls are recorded. And local cops dont like big police turns up...

[mataleo]

If i remember correct this is Thailand not your home country. If you obey the laws, do not cause problems, not over staying your visa, being obnoxious and disrespectful to the Thais or their customs you should have nothing to worry about. Never in all the years living here had any problems when i was stopped at a police road block. Show respect to the Thais, learn to speak some Thai if you plan to stay here for any length of time, don,t dress like a slob, don,t walk around drunk with beer in hand, no problems.

U must live in different Thailand then.

Im here just over year and i seen it all

[Baghdad]

Strange how the never search the Chinese. If they want tea money let them go and search the Africans in soi 5 Nana.

[CapraIbex]

Print a copy of (alas English only):

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/747736-no-need-to-worry-says-bangkok-immigration-commander/

and keep in your pocket or g/fs handbag together with copies of p/port, visa, 90 day address confirmation etc...

[Monkeysee]

This is why I always carry krispy kreme donuts in my bag.

[mataleo]

So, where is the Prime Minister on this? I am surprised not to hear anything, because I know he is against corruption.

This is not corruption, it's the police doing what they are entitled to do. They are searching people and if all is in order you're on your way.

Yes this is not corruption, its extortion...

[CarlTyson]

This is why I always carry krispy kreme donuts in my bag.

Bad Cop = No Donut !

[kingalfred]

Strange how the never search the Chinese. If they want tea money let them go and search the Africans in soi 5 Nana.

I think they dont "need to find" anything on the Soi 5 Africans. Fully aware what they are up to and we dont need to wonder why they are left alone.

[hughben]

So where is Thong Lor on this list?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_districts_of_Bangkok

I would like to know exactly where it is, so I can avoid the area and these goons.

My two queries are, if you are in a taxi with a Thai and they had some drugs for example, would you be treated as a criminal too?

And these litter rent-a-cops - reports they are working in hand with the goons in Thong Lor, what rights do they have doing anything?

[trainman34014]

Everyone has their view of why such things happen but i've been around the place for a few years now and in my humble opinion this is only about MONEY, the driving force of all Government departments and officials in Thailand.

Most who wear a uniform, be it brown, black, beige , white or any other colour believe it is their right to extort money from anyone and everyone to supplement their income. They do not see anything wrong in scamming Thai's or Farang as they see the people above them in higher positions right up to the top of Government stealing money in vast amounts and never being punished for it.

Keep talking about scaring tourists away won't help because they care not who they scam, the future of the country doesn't interest them at all. It's only 'Me and my family'.

[Tatsujin]

We as foreigners (myself included) often accuse Thai's of being unable to use critical thinking/analysis, of being unable to think outside of the box and connecting the dots when analyzing disparate sources of information to form a conclusion.

Well, I got to tell you, there's far too many foreigners that post here that I could say the same about.

You want to know the "reasons" why this is happening? It's quite simple, and (although there are many, many other reasons) this is one of the bigger ones:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/779812-army-close-all-happy-ending-massage-shops-on-sukhumvit/

The lovely Boys in Brown have just lost a massive source of monthly income (their "protection" or indeed even "ownership" <in the wife's name of course> of such places), and they are finding other excuses/reasons/methods to recoup some of those lost monies.

It's not rocket science.

[metisdead]

Off topic deflection posts have been removed.

Some posts in violation of the following have been removed as well:

6) You will not post comments that could be reasonably construed as defamation or libel.

Defamation is the issuance of a statement about another person or business which causes that person to suffer harm. It does not have to be false to be defamatory. Libel is when the defamatory statement is published either in a drawing, painting, cinematography, film, picture or letters made visible by any means, or any other recording instruments, recording picture or letters, or by broadcasting or spreading picture, or by propagation by any other means. Defamation is both a civil and criminal charge in Thailand.

11) You will not post slurs, degrading or overly negative comments directed towards Thailand, specific locations, Thai institutions such as the judicial or law enforcement system, Thai culture, Thai people or any other group on the basis of race, nationality, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

[Jip99]

I wonder what our respective embassies are doing to make representation/seek explanations from the Thai government.

I can see Mark Kent thrusting forward now in his desire to protect the interests of British tourists and expats.................................................... NOT!

[DaveE13]

I wonder what our respective embassies are doing to make representation/seek explanations from the Thai government.

I can see Mark Kent thrusting forward now in his desire to protect the interests of British tourists and expats.................................................... NOT!

Mr Kent doesnt give a tinkers. unless it happens to one of his staff

[Tatsujin]

If the reports are true, can the police be charged with:

Dereliction of duty, abuse of authority, intimidation, extortion, bribery, fraud, harassment, robbery, kidnapping, entrapment, malfeasance, aiding & abetting.

Did I miss anything?

These are the creeps that should be taken off the streets. Not some stoned tourist on holiday.

You are quite correct, but until such time as they actually target the higher ups that actually run, organize and control all of this (Politicians, Govt Officials, Business owners, Military etc), then nothing will change, and (other than a few Thaksin-aligned officers), they aren't doing so, and it's certainly not going any higher up than it already has, otherwise they'd all be in trouble regardless which side of the political divide they are on.

[hughben]

I found the so called are these goons operate in, or Thong Lor - which is in the Watthana district:

How many police stations/precincts are in this area?

Is it just the Thong Lor goons doing this - centered around one police station?

If you walk along the even side of Suk, is that another district?

Edited December 5, 2014 by hughben

[Jungle Jim]

agree Thailand needs to worry less about tourist numbers and find a more stable solution to the economy.

They just don't want tourist anymore !

Everyday another attempt to stop tourists from choosing Thailand as a travel destination.....

Yep, I swear they fail to realize that without tourism this country would wither and die. Do they think they can function on the sale of rice? Best call in Yingluck

Why do you equate a 6% loss of revenue with certain doom? And by the way, agriculture brings in more than tourism.

[robblok]

Sadly very true here in CHiang mai as well-I followed a Thai woman on a motorbike over a road and a policeman stepped out of the shadows and stopped us-he waved the Thai woman on and demanded 500 Baht from me-I wAS OUTRAGED AND WOULDNT comply so he pulled out his book and issued a ticket for Baht 500 and kept my Drivers license. I went down to the station to speak to the commander and said just the same-that what good will it ever do Thailand to target foreigners and tourists,it will only drive them away in the long run.Tourists should be forgiven very readily because we dont know all the laws or see the non-existent signs or we many times we follow the Thais,when in Rome do as the romans do, so it is terribly unfair to stop only the Farangs.Later on after my fine was forgiven I went back several times and watched their actions and indeed they were stopping only foreigners.When they saw me taking video they packed up and left,presumably for aNOTHER STREET CORNER.What are they thinking?????????????????

yeah Chiang Mai is a up place too. They They have been harassing people for years . They don't just stick to street corners ,they rake the whole city.In Bangkok in the days when the teens rode around with those 2 stroke racing mufflers ,and if they went anywhere near the king's Palace they just used to shoot the bastards.

Thais with a little education all know too well what morons their own people are .And,Buddhist

patience flies right out the windows easy in this country. They even dress like the gestapo with their Black uniforms.

Pattaya is not any better

Police stops 80% foreginers on bikes. They know wheres money...

Myself before when I bought Ninja I was stopped everyday sometimes twice!

That was going for few months.

I got thai licence so they were not wery satisfied.

Then they memorized my bike and let me through check points.

But reall everyday i was like bored of it at the time...

Duh.. of course they go after foreigners.. no thai drivinglicense or a foreign one that allows a you to drive a motorcycle. That is no scam its the law. I got a motorcycle too and the only times i get pulled is when I break the law (not staying in the left lane but i rather pay up then risk my life in that suicide lane)

[DrTuner]

Thong Lor in BKK, right? Nice click bait, has nothing to do with the most common tourist destinations.

[gemguy]

Strange how the never search the Chinese. If they want tea money let them go and search the Africans in soi 5 Nana.

That would be a good Idea..... in theory...but......that is down the road and in a jurisdiction controlled by a different group of police officers while practicing police mans decorum that says: "You stay out of our turf" type of mentality ..." and we will stay out of your turf" type of mentality.....as in.... we know where our sources of money comes from while you have to create your own sources of income in your area....as in ......We shake down the Blacks and Arabs in the Nana area and usually leave the white folks alone, while you guys shake down the various enterprises in your area and try to shake down the foreigners in your area..... if you want.........as it does not bother us, what your doing, as long as it does not spill over into our area and somehow effects us and or exposes our activities.....like you know what I mean...brother.

Cheers

[hughben]

Strange how the never search the Chinese. If they want tea money let them go and search the Africans in soi 5 Nana.

That would be a good Idea..... in theory...but......that is down the road and in a jurisdiction controlled by a different group of police officers while practicing police mans decorum that says: "You stay out of our turf" type of mentality ..." and we will stay out of your turf" type of mentality.....as in.... we know where our sources of money comes from while you have to create your own sources of income in your area....as in ......We shake down the Blacks and Arabs in the Nana area and usually leave the white folks alone, while you guys shake down the various enterprises in your area and try to shake down the foreigners in your area..... if you want.........as it does not bother us, what your doing, as long as it does not spill over into our area and somehow effects us and or exposes our activities.....like you know what I mean...brother.

Cheers

So where exactly are these borders between police stations?

[Time Traveller]

I'm waiting for one of the law firms that advertise here to offer a helpline number that people can call for help when this happens + start a lawsuit for illegal search and detention against the Police.

What the police are doing, i.e. searching people for illicit items is not illegal.

There needs to be a reason or probable cause. Stopping any random person walking past is not a valid reason to search them on the street.. So yes it is illegal to conduct a public search of someone's body in such situation

[CarlTyson]

The Army has been vigorously cutting off the funding of their political enemies, the police.

Now we get this.

[hughben]

I wonder if these goons have also stepped up their famous Ekkamai bus station bag searches?