Surge of reported police harassment suggests campaign targeting tourists, expats

[Kooweerup]

or else you can have a laugh and joke with the coppers and carry on with your life.

Exactly.

+1

Stop it your hilarious and my belly hurts.

Yea right always look on the bright side of life. Bloody tourists can't take a joke.

Yea I would be rolling around on the ground with laughter saying oh Somchia the way you threatened to drag me off to prison before you took 30K baht from my ATM was simply hilarious. Wait here, don't go away I have got to go and get my mates, they are going to love this. Can you scam them also. Please can I get a photo, the people back home will never believe how great this is. Geez talk about the land of smiles, my face is splitting and I will never get this grin off. Thank you Thailand for a truly wonderful and uplifting experience.

[berybert]

or else you can have a laugh and joke with the coppers and carry on with your life.

Exactly.

+1

Your assuming people find it funny to be stopped harassed searched or taken for a urine test on holiday ? I think most would not.

If you live here and know what the cops get upto you may well shrug it off or make a joke of it but as a tourist not having a clue about the country and expecting a LOS relaxed atmosphere etc I doubt that would include stop and search being an expected part of the Thai experience. Youd feel intimidated at least and probably disgusted if scammed by the end of it.

When im on holiday minding my own business I wouldnt think it a joke to be stopped and harassed by the police if doing nothing wrong and I certainly wouldnt be back if I felt intimidated or scammed.

No I don't find it funny at all. All I am saying is why would you give your money to someone/anyone you don't know?

Would you go along with it in the country you live in ?

Someone once asked to see my English money when I was in Turkey. Then put my money in his pocket. I was dumb. Once I said I was going to knock him out he gave it back.

Just be normal. Don't give money to people just because they ask you too.

[englishoak]

or else you can have a laugh and joke with the coppers and carry on with your life.

Exactly.

+1

Your assuming people find it funny to be stopped harassed searched or taken for a urine test on holiday ? I think most would not.

If you live here and know what the cops get upto you may well shrug it off or make a joke of it but as a tourist not having a clue about the country and expecting a LOS relaxed atmosphere etc I doubt that would include stop and search being an expected part of the Thai experience. Youd feel intimidated at least and probably disgusted if scammed by the end of it.

When im on holiday minding my own business I wouldnt think it a joke to be stopped and harassed by the police if doing nothing wrong and I certainly wouldnt be back if I felt intimidated or scammed.

No I don't find it funny at all. All I am saying is why would you give your money to someone/anyone you don't know?

Would you go along with it in the country you live in ?

Someone once asked to see my English money when I was in Turkey. Then put my money in his pocket. I was dumb. Once I said I was going to knock him out he gave it back.

Just be normal. Don't give money to people just because they ask you too.

We are not talking about just someone we are talking about the uniformed RT police.

You do understand I hope the effect a uniform has on people regarding trust, respect and authority but if used in certain ways it comes out as intimidation, fear and abusing their authority.

Threaten to knock out a Thai policeman ? try it sometime and see what happens

[berybert]

Oh I would never threaten to knock out a Thai policeman.

We are not talking about just someone we are talking about the uniformed RT police.

You do understand I hope the effect a uniform has on people regarding trust, respect and authority but if used in certain ways it comes out as intimidation, fear and abusing their authority.

Threaten to knock out a Thai policeman ? try it sometime and see what happens

[englishoak]

Oh I would never threaten to knock out a Thai policeman.

Nor would I

[Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere]

ATTENTION:

We need to brainstorm and find a resolution to stop these harassment from the Thonglor Police! So, what can we do, any suggestions? Does anyone has a connection with CNN, Fox news or Huffpost? We should let the world know about the harassments involving tourists and expats in Bangkok from Thonglor Police Department!

Just go to panthip and buy a pen video recorder for around 2000 baht and become the bait for a Real, Live, up close and personal account then upload to CNN I-Report.

[berybert]

Oh I would never threaten to knock out a Thai policeman.

Nor would I

But would you ?

[DaffyDuck]

Just be normal.

I think that right there is the problem.

[Kooweerup]

Just be normal.

I think that right there is the problem.

What is normal, is it conforming to a particular type, standard? What is considered very normal in say the U.S, Australia or Nigeria may very well be considered abnormal in Thailand. Wearing shorts, thongs and singlets in a public place in extreme heat is considered very normal in Australia but in Thailand it definitely is not normal. So an aussie acting normally as you say they should will still be stopped. So what you mean they should be acting abnormally.

[DaffyDuck]

(rolls eyes) The inability of some people to simply apply common sense is staggering.

Some people act in Thailand in a manner they wouldn't act in their own country - the exception, according to you, being Aussies. Then again, I know plenty of well-raised, upper middle class Aussies that don't seem to have any trouble engaging their brain, so maybe it's just 'certain' people.

[englishoak]

(rolls eyes) The inability of some people to simply apply common sense is staggering.

Some people act in Thailand in a manner they wouldn't act in their own country - the exception, according to you, being Aussies. Then again, I know plenty of well-raised, upper middle class Aussies that don't seem to have any trouble engaging their brain, so maybe it's just 'certain' people.

You miss the point and topic entirely.

[soundman]

Off topic posts removed. If you have difficulty understanding and or using the software please open a topic in Forum Support.

[CarlTyson]

Can we assume the posters downplaying the extreme police abuse of authority have business/property in the target zone?

Real estate agents?

[DaffyDuck]

The point of the topic has long been addressed and sufficiently debunked many pages ago.

[CarlTyson]

The Police Harassment discussions have amassed 51 pages here, including 1,250 comments and over 121,400 view in a week.

The story is all over social media, newspapers and TV. The major news outlets are going to pick this up soon.

The damage has been done to tourism and the discussions, news, blogs will live on for years and years.

Very stupid for the business operators in this target zone to tolerate the abuse of their customers.

[chooka]

The point of the topic has long been addressed and sufficiently debunked many pages ago.

It hasn't been debunked, just because you alone think it is myth doesn't convince the victims and so many others.

[mrtoad]

For those that are new in these parts, Thong Lor has a long history of alleged corruption and abuses of power. The stop and searches have been going on as long as I have been here., so it's not new; it does however appear to have increased recently. I was in Bangkok last week, and did walk in those areas, but didn't see any of the harassment, so I must have been lucky.

Irrespective this rogue BIB Station does nothing to promote Bangkok as a tourist friendly destination. As for their grubby little hands, just remember Santika was on their "watch".

[CarlTyson]

QUOTE from THAI VISA 2009:

"The Thonglor police are particularly evil, I and several friends have all had horrible extortion or threat experiences with them. Not to mention the many threads on this board about the very same police station."

[ThailandRick]

Agree this is a long standing problem in this particular area and doesn't promote a good image for tourism... Shouldn't happen but it does as many things here... Seems to rampant this season with new twists to the scam. However, every year it does pick up a little during high season maybe as tourists are easier targets for them... I was searched near ASOK a year ago. Not asked for ID, and just did a pocket check from the outside... Felt crappy, but it was over with fairly quickly.

Is there any reports of late still showing the increased shakedowns or have they begun to back off? I have not seen any reports lately on this thread.

[CarlTyson]

For every report you see here, there are 1,000 more that have gone unreported.

[zydeco]

And, btw, Richard Barrow tried for a second time to get stopped and searched at Asoke. Again, nothing. No sight of anything either. Promised to keep trying. Signed off with this:

Richard Barrow ‏@RichardBarrow 8h8 hours ago

I think I’m going to need some more tips about how to get stopped by cops in #Bangkok. It’s never happened to me once in more than 20 years.

He probably should have talked to the experts on TVF, I guess.

[ThailandRick]

Thanks... I just read his feed on twitter too... Not being stopped but enjoying the exercise. I wonder if they are shying away from him if they see the big camera... or... maybe it's dying down.

And, btw, Richard Barrow tried for a second time to get stopped and searched at Asoke. Again, nothing. No sight of anything either. Promised to keep trying. Signed off with this:

Richard Barrow ‏@RichardBarrow 8h8 hours ago

I think I’m going to need some more tips about how to get stopped by cops in #Bangkok. It’s never happened to me once in more than 20 years.

He probably should have talked to the experts on TVF, I guess.

[Friendly Stranger]

QUOTE from THAI VISA 2009:

"The Thonglor police are particularly evil, I and several friends have all had horrible extortion or threat experiences with them. Not to mention the many threads on this board about the very same police station."

Maybe a silly question, but what's with this area and it's police? Something against affluent foreigners or another reason? If one is with a local, would they still bother you?

[newcomer71]

Calling you out on your agenda.

That's exactly what you are implying, in your passive-aggressive manner, by implying that it is the junta's fault, or that they are complicit, by doing nothing. Now you're just backpedaling

I would argue that Prayuth's government has both bigger issues to deal with and bigger fish to fry, none of which I will discuss here.

The fact that you immediately blocked off any debate of salient issues via PM is enough of an indicator that you are only interested in publicly smearing the current government every chance you have, ie your agenda.

The same arm-waving also to Pattaya in appropriate threads, with the same chicken little attitudes announcing that the govt (or whatever bogeyman) wants to shut do all sex tourism in Pattaya - again, rumors and speculations that have gone on for at least a decade back.

Considering some of the elements that sex tourism attracts, I can't fault the Thais if they did want to do that - except that's not going on. The majority of the crackdowns that are happening is that laws are being enforced more strictly that hadn't been previously enforced (ie visa abuses), which are interpreted incorrectly by those feeling entitled to break laws or abuse systems.

So, I guess we can add one more thing to Prayuth's achievements (take note, BigMountain) - an emphasis on actually enforcing existing laws on the books, without compromises. Something we can all agree on, can't we (including that 'democratic) governments that came before did absolutely nothing in that regard, something else we can agree on).

This topic is not about politcs or Junta, so please stop to derail the topic.

[judgedredd]

Death of Tourism = Death of Thailand . . .

[brewsterbudgen]

Death of Tourism = Death of Thailand . . .

If SARS, bird flu, the tsunami, military coups, martial law, months of street protests in the centre of Bangkok, bombs and a terrorist insurgency in the South didn't lead to the death of tourism, a few stop & search police stops in one small area of Bangkok are hardly likely to!

[CharlieH]

some off topic posts removed

[DaffyDuck]

Death of Tourism = Death of Thailand . . .

If SARS, bird flu, the tsunami, military coups, martial law, months of street protests in the centre of Bangkok, bombs and a terrorist insurgency in the South didn't lead to the death of tourism, a few stop & search police stops in one small area of Bangkok are hardly likely to!

Yep.

+1

But you gotta admit, the predictability of the doom & gloom brigade is somewhat entertaining, right?

Now back to bemoaning the inevitable changes to Pattaya, how ST prices are skyrocketing, and how the end of Thailand is presaged by them no longer being allowed to wear vomit stained with singlets every day. I mean, the horror, right?

[CarlTyson]

From the article:

"They wanted to urine test, they wanted me to sign a document," he said. "I refused."

When he told them his lawyer was coming to the station, "they lost interest" and eventually fined him THB100 for not carrying his passport and released him.

Why would these fine police officers fear an attorney?

[jspill]

Can't link but if you Google 'Yvonne Bohwongprasert, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' she's just written a piece on the BK Post about widespread police corruption, accepting bribes from drug dealers, their greed, and current financial problems / low pay scale.