Surge of reported police harassment suggests campaign targeting tourists, expats

[CharlieH]

A quantity of off topic, flame posts removed.

7) You will respect fellow members and post in a civil manner. No personal attacks, hateful or insulting towards other members, (flaming) Stalking of members on either the forum or via PM will not be allowed.

[chubby]

only thing that would worry me, is the one report, of the guy in Thong Lor, who says that the TamRuat were threatening to place drugs and frame him for the same. I wonder if you are asked to do a side-soi urine test, if it is best to insist on doing it at the station, and not in the street ?

anyway, I sent my complaint to fb TAT, and their complaint page, as listed on the 1st page here, why doesn't everyone else as well.

In New York City , for many years , we had 'stop and frisk' , mostly for black people, I believe they claimed it was effective, under Mayor Bloomberg, called "racial profiling" ; try dressing like an arab and flying in the USA these days

[The manic]

I have been told that the reason

For upsurge in stop checks

Is drug related

The police have got the idea

That the back pack er

Tourist are drug dealers users

Hence urine test

Seem to be targeting

20/30/40

Age group

Male mostly

If you've never smoked weed

Or taken any

Recreation drugs

Drugs are the big no no

THIS IS THE REASON

We have gone over this before. Dope is legal in many countries and states of the USA. But it stays in your system for a long time. Therefore you may be in Thailand, have never committed a crime there but be persecuted for something you did elsewhere legally. Secondly we know many legal remedies including Solpadeine which contains small amounts of codeine can cause a positive result. Thirdly we know that some cold remedies which contain ephedrine may cause false positive for Meth use. Fourthly the Thai police have no moral right to be extorting biological samples from people's bodies in an attempt to extort them for what they, the police know, is a perfectly acceptable and very common social habit, smoking pot. What they are also doing is exploiting their inhuman prison system, corrupt police system and non existent justice system to bully people.

[kblaze]

I don't discount your account, or even that of being forced to drink 4 liters of water (though not sure possible), and I am not saying justifiable in any situation... Just saying this thread is exaggerating what is, and mostly is motivated by those who wish to harm the current government, which i admit I support....

lol...case closed.

FWIW, I've had two close friends get stopped around sukhumvit 36 this year. One was piss tested. But of course as you intimate, anyone ELSEs personal experience means nothing, because YOU haven't seen it with your own eyes.

[jspill]

I have been told that the reason

For upsurge in stop checks

Is drug related

The police have got the idea

That the back pack er

Tourist are drug dealers users

Hence urine test

Seem to be targeting

20/30/40

Age group

Male mostly

If you've never smoked weed

Or taken any

Recreation drugs

Drugs are the big no no

THIS IS THE REASON

We have gone over this before. Dope is legal in many countries and states of the USA. But it stays in your system for a long time. Therefore you may be in Thailand, have never committed a crime there but be persecuted for something you did elsewhere legally. Secondly we know many legal remedies including Solpadeine which contains small amounts of codeine can cause a positive result. Thirdly we know that some cold remedies which contain ephedrine may cause false positive for Meth use. Fourthly the Thai police have no moral right to be extorting biological samples from people's bodies in an attempt to extort them for what they, the police know, is a perfectly acceptable and very common social habit, smoking pot. What they are also doing is exploiting their inhuman prison system, corrupt police system and non existent justice system to bully people.

Also logically they'll target an area with a high concentration of people with no rights, who they can intimidate easily, that also carry around large amounts of cash and will part with it to avoid being inconvenienced. Happens to be the western tourist / backpacker / expat ghetto. Of which group the majority by far happen to be 20 - 40 males.

[The manic]

So who is this English guy?

Then this English guy crosses the road and says Youve been acting suspicious ... I want to see your passport,' he recounted."

Since when can Brits, or indeed any other foreigner, ask to see a passport?

He gives a name that sounds more Turkish but he is British. I think the name was Akkar. He claims to have a work permit for assisting issued from the Thai Royal Police head quarters. He doesn't actually ask to see the passport (at least in my case) but tags along with the police and translates as he is fluent in Thai. My feeling he tags along to play good cop if someone is caught out for something.

The Turks know how to use the system against travellers. It seems the police are using the Midnight Express Model to bully and extort tourists.

[CarlTyson]

A police extortion/shakedown of visitors framed as a drug war.

Same same for the littering police scammers. Hide the trash cans then follow every farang that lights up a smoke. CaChing!

So Thai.

[The manic]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I have been told that the reason

For upsurge in stop checks

Is drug related

The police have got the idea

That the back pack er

Tourist are drug dealers users

Hence urine test

Seem to be targeting

20/30/40

Age group

Male mostly

If you've never smoked weed

Or taken any

Recreation drugs

Drugs are the big no no

THIS IS THE REASON

it's not the REASON, it's the excuse. The reason is, coming up to New Year and there's a major shortfall of "profits" in the little steel box. since the army have been busy, the usual avenues of income have dried up somewhat. Soft target are good targets.

We have been over this before. As it is socially acceptable and indeed legal to smoke pot in many countries and as pot stays in your system a long the actions of the police are completely unacceptable. This news needs to get on all forums including the Gay travel forums, Saga, Trip adviser and Lonely Planet all these group include recreational drug users who do not want to be degraded by the police of any country. Many other OTC remedies such as Solpedeine and some cold cures will register a false positive for Narcotic abuse.

[The manic]

The broader truth is that the police have been harassing the locals and Burmese/Cambodian workers since the curfew was lifted. As some of the members mentioned, the police AND immigration in general have been losing their source of bribes (primary incomes) not salary (secondary income).

- Illegal gambling den. Gone.

- Grey businesses (massage parlour, bars, etc). Gone.

- Import of grey market products. Gone.

- Taxi/Tuk Tuk/Motobike. Gone

- Check Points. Gone

There are stalemates btw police and army. Since the army is officially keeping order, businesses cannot pay police off like they used to since police's permission cannot supercede military's permission. On the other hand, army bribe system works very differently. Army don't bother with small bribes and they're not trained to handle such transaction (from first and second hand experience).

Only top brass gets paid and it trickles down. And when top brass gets paid, it's huge ticket items like jet fighter and airplane to Thai Airways (that's why Thailand's price for Boeing plane is one of the most expensive in the world).

Thai police suffered through the political standoff as much as many businesses (ironically). I remember the first day curfew lifted...you saw so many "check-points" it's almost funny. Those guys came out in force, hungry to make back what they lost. It's something that the locals had to suffer through for many months already.

I guess tourists are the next logical move because they'd already tapped out on the locals.

So stop whining about being picked on because you're an expats. Understand that the locals took the brunt but without the benefit of int'l media behind them to report it.

I'm not even talking about the bastion of paragon, Immigration. That's another post for another day.

Seriously? Stop whining about being intimidated on the street for no reason, extorted and having drugs planted on you with the threat of imprisonment? You're insane.

Yes but the rest of the article is spot on about the change in power balance. The stop whining comment has no merit but the rest of his comments do.

[DP25]

I don't discount your account, or even that of being forced to drink 4 liters of water (though not sure possible), and I am not saying justifiable in any situation... Just saying this thread is exaggerating what is, and mostly is motivated by those who wish to harm the current government, which i admit I support....

Criticising the corrupt police is not criticising the current government. The police have always been supporters of former PM Thaksin and they were allowed a free reign with corruption. The current PM shut down one of the their main sources of corruption money, a huge number of massage parlours that were illegally operating in the Suhkumvit area. With a major source of their money being taken from them, and their former patron unlikely to return anytime soon, they have turned to a new source of corruption that is less likely to attract the attention of the government. This is why they are now extorting large numbers of foreigners, both tourists and expats, to replace the money that was cut off from them by the anti corruption drive of the current government. The police are suffering under the current government, and have turned to harassing foreigners now that their massage parlours, gambling dens, etc are being shut down.

This government is in conflict with the police, trying to root out lackeys of former PM Thaksin and reduce corruption. It is misguided to defend them, they are corrupt and need to be cleaned out, and hopefully this government will be successful.

[harada]

With a couple of airlines now offering direct flights from Singapore to Chiang Mai perhaps when the tourist dollars start going north those people in high places with a vested interest in the tourist industry in Bangkok might arrange for a few pineapples to be inserted in the right places.

[paddyjenkins]

If these police aren't real police with powers of arrest, or even if they are real but are right at the bottom of the police food chain, then what happens if you just keep walking away when they approach you? Are they really going to chase after you? Are these the type of police with guns who actually look like police or are they those scruffy, sweaty types with no guns....sort of turds on legs that just sit by the road all day?

This thread has degenerated into mostly useless bickering. We need strategy, not useless bickering.

[CarlTyson]

The major hotels in the area all have Facebook pages.

Lets all sign up and warn their guests about the Police harassment in the area.

Here is a link to this discussion.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/781621-surge-of-reported-police-harassment-suggests-campaign-targeting-tourists-expats/

You can also private message the hotel directors and ask:

1. Advice about how to deal with random body searches & urine tests on the street outside your hotel?

2. Does the hotel have an attorney we can contact when we are being harassed by Thai Police?

3. Should we cancel our trip?

Here is the Sheratons Hotels Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/sheratongrandesukhumvit

List of the major Hotels impacted by the Sukhumvit Police harassment:

Sheraton, Rembrandt, Windsor, Adelphi, Majestic Grand, Novotel, S15, Center, Citidine, Best Western, Park Plaze, Sofitel, Grand Millenium, Ambassador, Davis Hotel, Raddison, Landmark, Somerset, Furama, S33, Emporium Suites, Marriott, Tai Pan, Westin, Hilton, Hyatt,

[siampolee]

The manic post # 702

Excuse me! The PM was thrown out in a coup. The current non elected head of state/the Junta is a dictator not a Prime Minister and has never held elected office in his life! And as a soldier he has never fought for his country.

No matter what the status you perceive the current Prime Minister to be he seems to be trying to clean up some of the corruption that has flourished without restraint over the recent years and indeed many years before.

Regarding the inane comments you make .

Well we can be assured you were never a Prime Minister.

However have you, did you ever fight for your country?

I know a large number of military personnel from the U.K. and America, Australia etc etc who have never had to fight for their country.

[The manic]

Frakking genius. What a great way to help Thailand recover its reputation as a tourist destination. I have started to tell my fellow Ozis to go to the Phils, not Thailand, for their 4 weeks of annual freedom. Even with its problems (the occasional 'super' typhoon), it is looking better and better. Maybe time to relocate? But is there a Phil equivalent to thaivisa, where I can recursively bitch and moan with like minded cynics?

Back at uni in England and a couple I know were keen on going to LOS just after new year. They are both quite well off (unlike me ).

They had heard about the 'troubles' and asked me about them yesterday. Now, the Thai authorities would've been angry with my answer...but i don't care. These people are my my friends and I'm in the UK. So, I can and will tell the truth. So, I told them (among other things)

1) The military took over again

2) There is still martial law

3) Tourists are being attacked and murdered in some areas

4) The cops are making tourists pee in bottles based on the colour of their skin. There have been reports in the past of people having drugs shoved into their pockets/bags by cops to obtain large bribes.

5) The country is becoming even more nationalistic than it was...and it was already pretty nationalistic.

6. People havee been arrested and/or detained for reading 1984, giving the Hunger Game's salute or eating sandwiches in public. They had to google at this point after laughing and not believing me.

They said they are gonna look at the Caribbean instead. Unlike me, these were the 'top quality' tourists Thailand were after.

Theyre gonna look at the carribean? <deleted> did they find on google that made them think the carribean was a better place to go?

And my best friend is jamacian so ive been told enough about there to not want to go there... ever.

The Caribbean is bigger than Jamaica and includes Cuba, The DR and many other Island.

[newcomer71]

If these police aren't real police with powers of arrest, or even if they are real but are right at the bottom of the police food chain, then what happens if you just keep walking away when they approach you? Are they really going to chase after you? Are these the type of police with guns who actually look like police or are they those scruffy, sweaty types with no guns....sort of turds on legs that just sit by the road all day?

This thread has degenerated into mostly useless bickering. We need strategy, not useless bickering.

I think the only strategy possible is that whoever has first account episodes of harassing, extortion, and humiliation, must document it to newspapers, TAT, tourism related websites, social media, or anything that has visibility.

And go through official channels as I did, reporting the episodes to your embassy.

[CarlTyson]

You can also private message the hotel directors/manager.

Dear Hotel Director,

We are apprehensive to take our holiday to Thailand this year due to the reports of police harassing tourists, particularily in the Sukhumvit area.

Here is a link to the discussion.

http://www.thaivisa....ourists-expats/

Please,can you advise us on the situation?

1. Advice about how to deal with random body searches & urine tests on the street outside your hotel?

2. Does the hotel have an attorney we can contact when we are being harassed by Thai Police?

3. Should we cancel our trip?

Facebook pages of Sukhumvit Hotels impacted by Police harassment.

Rembrandt Hotel:

https://www.facebook.com/rembrandtbkk

Windsor Hotel:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Winsor-Suite-Hotel/121376954601579?rf=349265071852836

Majestic Grand,

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Majestic-Grande-Hotel/147151600798

Novotel,

https://www.facebook.com/novotelbangkokploenchits

S15,

https://www.facebook.com/pages/S15-Sukhumvit-Hotel/144041808942680

Citidines, Soi 11

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Citadines-Sukhumvit-11-Bangkok/117195575022557?rf=209048619205421

Citidines Soi 16,

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Citadines-Sukhumvit-16/116245621788329?rf=121824064602381

Best Western Soi 20,

https://www.facebook.com/bestwesternplusat20sukhumvit

Park Plaze,

Sofitel,

https://www.facebook.com/SofitelBKKSukhumvit?ref=br_tf

Raddison,

https://www.facebook.com/RadissonSuitesBangkokSukhumvitSoi13

Westin Hotel,

https://www.facebook.com/WestinBangkok

S33 Hotel,

https://www.facebook.com/S33Hotel

Marriott,

https://www.facebook.com/MarriottSukhumvit?rf=481050825279825

[The manic]

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 yo

u do fall into that category you only have yourself to blame.

But they were not illegal when and where they were taken, perhaps weeks before. But anyway the recreational drug scene is a part of many travellers' holiday and though it can not be advertised as such in Thailand it is known by everybody. It is hypocrisy and cant to think or say otherwise.

[mngmn]

Some educationalists worry that critical thinking is not emphasised in the Thai education system. I am all for improving critical thinking in Thailand and I believe a good place to start is this forum.

1. "If you are doing nothing wrong you have nothing to worry about."

Surely even the most blinkered and optimistic person must realise that there is proven corruption in most police forces of the world. Corrupt officers are not above planting evidence on innocent people to suit their own purposes. There is no reason to assume that the Thai police force is any less corrupt than other police forces. This means that being searched by the police anywhere in the world carries the (possibly small) risk of having something planted on you (with very dire consequences). If you require further evidence, Google "police corruption" and remember to omit the word Thailand.

2. "I have never been stopped by the police in Thailand".

I invite someone who has been murdered to post on TV. If no one does that will surely prove that murder is an alarmist rumour that never actually happens. One of the first steps on the way to critical thinking should be the realisation that personal experience rarely translate into universal truth.

3. "If you don't like it get out".

Thailand spends considerable sums of money encouraging tourists to visit Thailand. Once here, tourists are guests in this country. Being a good host often involves a degree of flexibility (as does being a good guest). Many of us who respond to the initial invitation, find our lives increasingly intertwined with this country. We learn the language, establish lasting relationships and raise half-Thai children. Possibly many do indeed wish that they could simply just leave but they have responsibilities here that they take seriously. I would ask at what point does one become a valid stakeholder in Thailand? Is it based on length of time, PR, citizenship, amount of tax paid, number of children? No simple answer right?

[Hanuman2547]

You can also private message the hotel directors/manager.

Dear Hotel Director,

We are apprehensive to take our holiday to Thailand this year due to the reports of police harassing tourists, particularily in the Sukhumvit area.

Here is a link to the discussion.

http://www.thaivisa....ourists-expats/

Please,can you advise us on the situation?

1. Advice about how to deal with random body searches & urine tests on the street outside your hotel?

2. Does the hotel have an attorney we can contact when we are being harassed by Thai Police?

3. Should we cancel our trip?

Facebook pages of Sukhumvit Hotels impacted by Police harassment.

Novotel,

https://www.facebook.com/novotelbangkokploenchits

The link for the Novotel Hotel is broken. All of the others are correct.

[EyesWideOpen]

I wonder how many people who boast what they would do if they were stopped realize how ridiculous they sound. They know what they would do. It would be "Yes sir. No sir. Sorry officer."

Your only intelligent statement on this thread. Yes , when a member of the world's largest mafia,

wearing a sidearm, and hung over from last night's karaoke session, starts barking

out orders, it is a wise man that listens.

[The manic]

Again whats that fb page or group anyone got link

Obviously it's https://m.facebook.com/groups/562587763877947?ref=bookmark

But it seems to be a secret or hidden group. Invite only. So, it makes no sense at all. Paranoia in the rise.

Paranoia or an intelligent response to the military's constant threats against anyone

posting information critical of them on social media.....

total BS and i would love the military to press even harder on vile red shirt thugs and rest if it means no critisism fine buy me much prefer to darling of issan, her megalomaniac brother and rest of them.

I suspect your deluded, hate filled, ramblings should be on another thread. This thread is about Bangkok police malpractice not the Junta, the murder of democracy activists, the closing down of the airport, the murder of foreign journalists and not about the deposed Prime Minister living in exile. Although I am sure you would like it to be.

[The manic]

...

Could it be we have a few drama queens on Thaivisa?

More than a few, many with an ax to grind, many who jump on the wagon to bash Thai people and Thailand. If they are actually even here, they have the choice to leave and if they hate it so much they should. I would suggest Syria or Iraq to them... There is a significant group here who will seize any opportunity to criticize this country and its people. If these people are the ones being targeted maybe it is because their attitude shows through. I definitely shouldn't let them annoy me. as they really post without substance and facts (even the so-called first hand accounts are not independently verifiable) but honestly I love Thailand and the people here. Thailand has been very good to me, and I'm grateful for the ability to live here.

You blithely tell complete strangers to leave the country they live in, and yet, you won't even go to the trouble to find a new thread to comment on.

I deeply resent you saying repeatedly that people are 'bashing' Thailand for being concerned about police corruption and intimidation, because I happen to love this country and many of it's citizens very dearly, for quite a while now. Promoting a fantasy image, as you are in your statements of 'everything's great, don't talk about it', does not make you a more deserving person; it means you are ignorant about a country's history and what it's like to be a citizen in that country. The average lower class Thai citizens' view of the police is one of fear and utter distrust; used to shakedowns and intimidation and corruption as a fact of daily life. This is not my 'opinion', these are the daily descriptions from Thai people over years now.

These aren't 'radicals' I'm referring to, either. These are the people cooking the food you eat, emptying your garbage, and driving you around; you just don't notice them, and believe that if they smile it means everything's 'great'. That you could be so vastly out of touch with how they feel, while describing yourself as 'loving Thailand' more than others, casts you as the 'ugly American', if there ever were one.

You don't even consider it worth mentioning that they have recently lost the ability to vote, for example. You don't mention that they have blocked access to human rights websites. You don't mention that they don't have a free press, and expelled foreign journalists, and block newssites which report on them from outside. You just don't care, in fact. You think that they should be happy (or worse, you think they 'are' happy) accepting conditions you never would in your home country. What does that say about you?

And secondly, all you do here for days now, is say that people targeted for police shakedowns 'deserve it'. That's an awful thing to say, in any country. Here you repeat it again (despite having been very long winded earlier denying that you would ever say that). You justify that extremely negative attitude by projecting all the worst qualities on whoever that happens to; Civil rights leaders throughout history have had to struggle against attitudes like yours. I am certainly no civil rights leader, but I do find your attitudes extremely out of touch with reality.

A close friend of mine is married to the former US Embassador to Thailand. A very close friend is head of the Crisis Group at the United Nations, who are very concerned about recent events. I originally came here at the invitation of a person doing choreography for the Royal Family, and I fell in love with this country and it's culture, and have spent the last 5 years (as an artist) studying Thai religious symbolism and history (I'm a history buff, and I can tell from some of your other comments that you definitely are not, by the way). Are you really going to tell me that I don't love Thailand? SHAME on you. I've just matured past the point of thinking my own pleasures are more important than other peoples realities; a level of maturity you apparently haven't reached. I can dearly love a place without being blind as to it's problems. And I can be concerned about other people, even if I haven't experienced everything they have.

So again, why don't you just move to a different thread, before you start casting judgments like how everyone else should leave a country they love. And don't you dare tell other people that they don't care about Thailand for simply being more knowledgeable than you apparently are, and concerned to see corruption as described in these accounts. Shame on you, for your obstinate and purposeful ignorance. Your motivation is selfish, laziness.

Thank you John for your coherent and wise response. I am so tired of some of the so called Thailand lovers on this forum who refer to the disenfranchised masses as scumbags and perceive foreigners as trouble makers just because they would like the Thais to enjoy some of the benefits they have had in their lives including, education, rule of law, the right elect their own government etc. But I am also really nauseated by their:' I am a decent non druggy non drinking respectable person' statements. The vast majority of recreational drinkers and drug users are also decent, respectable and hard working.

[The manic]

You should really go to a different thread, if you disagree so much. And, I didn't say that, under your logic.

Another thread is not what concerns me, rather spurious allegations against the RTP.

Perhaps if you want to make a genuine contribution to this topic it would be in the form of presenting facts and evidence rather than just screaming about the alleged abuses of power by police. Prove it.... The one person here who posted what may be a credible account admitted he has been repeatedly targeted (so hardly random) and that he indeed had smoked cannabis albeit not in Thailand. I sympathize with him, but again he was not randomly singled out.

Nobody is screaming at you. They are merely quietly and logically destroying your silly, elitist argument. Go to another forum to promote, your anti freedom, anti Thai, and anti rule of law world view.

[The manic]

Thats not all folks - Reports on DSBKK today say they are stopping tourists coming in at the Airport for having too many cigarettes, which seems plausible since there is a limit.

But wait!

They waited until the tourists walked outside the airport before they pounced, searched bags, found 3 packs of cigarettes, then fined them 10,000 baht!

But why outside the airport? Surely the Xray and customs officials inside the airport is the usual place for this?

Oh right - the 10,000

I don't smoke, and I detest those that do. So, sorry, no sympathy here.

This has happened to me twice. I do not smoke (tobacco) and had no cigarettes but for a tourist to be shaken down by officious plain clothed police officers who were dressed like taxi/limo touts is a disgrace. It was in the arrivals hall. Welcome to Thailand! They were border police I later heard.

[Stradavarius37]

If stopped, pull out your mobile, start to video record it. Ask for name, badge number, supposed offense, etc. Then hand them the business card of your Phu Yai Father in Law and go on your merry way. Works for me....

[Soutpeel]

If stopped, pull out your mobile, start to video record it. Ask for name, badge number, supposed offense, etc. Then hand them the business card of your Phu Yai Father in Law and go on your merry way. Works for me....

And there is a lesson in this, if you do live here do yourself a favour and get your hands on a Thai lawyers business card all written in Thai, preferably a real hi so one, and if stopped pull the card out and call their bluff, and make out your calling them, if its a scam, you will see they will back off very quickly

[Thian]

Our company moved all meetings to Hongkong now, we want to feel safe on the streets. This is going to cost Thailand a lot of money/reputation.

[harada]

i agree ive heard this before about some of these taxi touts could be customs. i normaly ask for same driver but makes me think twice if i arrived via gulf states

He was border police. Him and his colleagues had a cordoned off area to where we were escorted to do the bag searches. When he first apprehended us after we left arrivals he was in the same scrum/melee of hustlers some of whom some are taxi/limo touts. My comments here are not about taxi drivers or limo touts but about non uniformed officials of doubtful jurisdiction subjecting newly arrived tourist to additional baggage searches one minute after clearing customs and about to leave the airport. An income generating exercise of little use to promoting happiness or catching serious criminals. A borderline scam. Akin to the notorious zig zag scam.

I can see a new TAT slogan in this. Amazing year for scaring off tourists.

[CharlieH]

Off topic posts removed.

This not about Border control, Customs officers or taxi touts.