Please do your part to stop BKK police from harassing tourists/expats

[dean008]

I was stopped a few months ago by the police in the Kho San Road area I was walking on a quiet road near soi ramabuttri (at about 8pm) and was stopped and told they had to search me for bombs or guns. I refused to be searched (as it was dark and there were no witnesses) in the street and went to the police station were they searched me.

Apart from this I have had next to no contact with the police and am happy for it to remain that way. I do nothing legal and have nothing to hide but would not want to find myself in court on some trumped up charge

As far as I am concerned, I am not worried at all.

I visit lower Sukhumvit and Thonglor perhaps twice or thrice a year and only if I absolutely, absolutely must. But not even 10 horses would get me down to Khao San.

I avoid those tourist ghettos like the plague, and frankly, I've never really understood what is so compelling about them that makes every other traveler want to stay there.

Lemming mentality? TripAdvisor recommendations? Girly bars? Cheap banana pancakes (apparently some "globetrotters" cannot survive without those)?

As I understand it, the current "crackdown" is largely confined to those ghettos.

Is this for real? Any oter verification that this is going at Khaosan Rd. area?

[daveAustin]

Better idea! Tell everyone in your country Thailand ain't the place to stagger around in a drunken or drugged out haze!

You're clearly trolling, but whatever, it seems you have a lot to learn, dear green lady. Ironically, Thailand IS the place to stagger around drunk as evidenced by the vast number of very visible, street-side bars. They welcome this as it brings in lots of coin. If you don't like that side of it, then may I suggest moving to somewhere more apt, like the DPRK? You'd fit in nicely there as it's run by a pack of trolls. Secondly, if you take your head out of the sand, you'll notice they're pulling ordinary, non-boozed up tourists at all times of the day. I hope you get the pleasure.

[daveAustin]

I am avoiding lower Sukhumvit these days and advising my friends to do so.

I avoid the capital full stop nowadays and advise friends and family to give the country a miss altogether.

[stevenl]

Is it really as bad with random stops and searches as people here are making it out to be? Or is it all just one of those internet things: 1 person gets stopped, and before you know it the whole world knows about it.

I've never seen Thonglor completely deserted from Farang in the middle of the day,especially in high season

So, does that answer the question?

Yes it does, Thonglor is a Farang hub,full of condos, if they suddenly cleared up, there must be a very good reason.

I actually logged to Thaivisa to understand it... And surely enough I have my answer.

Ah, so now you're saying Thonglor is fully cleared of farang so the story must be true.

[JohnThailandJohn]

Thank God the police in my home country don't stop foreigners walking around in seedy areas in the middle of the night.

Seriously though - there are cops in some districts that are looking for an easy mark but in all my years I have never been accused of anything I didn't do and paying small fines here and there for stuff I did do doesn't phase me except for wishing I didn't do it or looked before. Been stopped numerous times and searched over the years and questioned at stops but never was intimidated or accused of something I didn't do nor was there any hint I should pay money for some imagined things. Cops were always professional with me though I could question the fact I was being stopped in the first place for nothing but then again, not my country and not my laws and not my police, just got to roll with the flow when you are in another country and deal with the minor inconvenience to enjoy the greater good .. at least my take and it makes me have a happy life here.

Although there are these certain examples of loss of freedoms, overall I feel much more free to do as I please here than in the US. No doubt not being stopped randomly here vs. home (except for DUI check points, immigration points far from the border or if you are in a suspicious area or middle of the night or not wearing seatbelt....) is a nuisance here but not going to find many things like the red light districts style venues in the US where they let consenting adults have their fun often to all hours of the night, nor are there police driving around everywhere looking to harass people for the smallest infractions and nor do I have to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for these lessor infractions here or have my record tainted or insurance go up. Pretty much unless you are in certain hot spots here the police are very easy to avoid. Again, I feel much more free here from big brother but no doubt there is more fear here if you do run into trouble since it is not my country ... I actually think it is a freedom to be able to pay off police to avoid more serious problems but then again maybe I am one of those people who like this less developed nation because partly it is less developed and expect these less developed things to occur.

Edited December 7, 2014 by JohnThailandJohn

[Cheap Backpacker]

I had a scary stop a couple of years ago. I was walking through a street during the day (not a touristy area and few whites really walk there) and a cop popped out of some door from some store. He was by himself and had me empty my pockets in front of him. I was a bit worried because I had pepper spray on me and wasn't sure if I could get in trouble for that.

I also wasn't going to go into that store or what looked like an abandoned store. I was going to run at the first sign if he wanted to detain me. I figured there is no way this fat cop would have a chance at catching me by himself and it would be safer to run then going inside some abandoned building with him.

Since the whole thing was odd to me it got a little worse when he went to take out what was in my little pocket that was on my jeans. That is where I had a lot of cash and I didn't purposely empty it. I think I may have stopped his hand from reaching there and it got more intense. I finally took the cash out and he then checked there.

I'm not sure what the whole thing was about, some say here they check for drugs, maybe that was the case.

Edited December 7, 2014 by Cheap Backpacker

[Ridercnx808]

i got pulled in bkk near to soi 7 on my last visit to bkk, 2 BIB came down the PAVEMENT on their bike,and i refused to move out off their way and stood my ground,they then got off and asked me for identification,i then asked them what crime had i commited and what reason could they give me for asking me to produce I.D. they said obstructing police in their duty, i just said it is illegal to ride a bike on the pavement you both have no crash helmets on ,and i by thai law do not have to show you my passport unless i have commirted a crime or broken a by law,he then pointed to a cigarette butt next to my feet and said you drop you pay 2000 bht In my best English i told them both to <deleted> off and i would be willing to go to the nearest police station to be searched for a lighter or even a packet of cigarettes,but if it was shown that i was not carrying these I would be taking legal action against them both for false accusation and malpractice as i have both your numbers. They then decided to apologise for their mistake and allowed me to proceed, then driving off on the pavement without helmets etc. I also have asked the BIB many times to show me in the Thai highway code book where it says you have to wear a helmet and there is nothing in the book that states this,maybe it is somewhere else and until i find it i will piss then off every time by not wearing one. Little victories are worth enjoying.

oh god your just the kind of farang that needs to be kicked out of the country.

[Kitsune]

So, does that answer the question?

Yes it does, Thonglor is a Farang hub,full of condos, if they suddenly cleared up, there must be a very good reason.

I actually logged to Thaivisa to understand it... And surely enough I have my answer.

Ah, so now you're saying Thonglor is fully cleared of farang so the story must be true.

The "story" like you said is nothing new,just an amplified version of what has been happening for years.

Punters tourist looking young Farangs being pulled out just walking on Sukhumvit to be intimidated and extorted tea money under false pretexts like having dropped a cigaret's butt is common place in lower Sukhumvit.

Now it seems it has evolved to larger scale.

For me as I witnessed the small scale for years, and given the general climate and attitude towards foreigner since the coup, it is not difficult to put 2 and 2 together and believe the larger scale upgraded version of the scam with pee test .

But you have to know Thailand and Bangkok to understand

Edited December 7, 2014 by Kitsune

[Kitsune]

i got pulled in bkk near to soi 7 on my last visit to bkk, 2 BIB came down the PAVEMENT on their bike,and i refused to move out off their way and stood my ground,they then got off and asked me for identification,i then asked them what crime had i commited and what reason could they give me for asking me to produce I.D. they said obstructing police in their duty, i just said it is illegal to ride a bike on the pavement you both have no crash helmets on ,and i by thai law do not have to show you my passport unless i have commirted a crime or broken a by law,he then pointed to a cigarette butt next to my feet and said you drop you pay 2000 bht In my best English i told them both to <deleted> off and i would be willing to go to the nearest police station to be searched for a lighter or even a packet of cigarettes,but if it was shown that i was not carrying these I would be taking legal action against them both for false accusation and malpractice as i have both your numbers. They then decided to apologise for their mistake and allowed me to proceed, then driving off on the pavement without helmets etc. I also have asked the BIB many times to show me in the Thai highway code book where it says you have to wear a helmet and there is nothing in the book that states this,maybe it is somewhere else and until i find it i will piss then off every time by not wearing one. Little victories are worth enjoying.

oh god your just the kind of farang that needs to be kicked out of the country.

And you sound like one of these obnoxious farang who think he's better than the rest.

[Whale]

I live on Thong Lo and I have not seen ANY changes recently nor have I ever been stopped by the police on TL in over 5 years of living on the street.

[inzman]

I live on Thong Lo and I have not seen ANY changes recently nor have I ever been stopped by the police on TL in over 5 years of living on the street.

Well there you have it folks, doesn't happen. But in 2 of my last 5 trips from ekamai I have been aggressively searched and harassed. Me- clean cut white guy, mid 50s. Must be a dream on my part. Go figure?

[thailiketoo]

I live on Thong Lo and I have not seen ANY changes recently nor have I ever been stopped by the police on TL in over 5 years of living on the street.

Well there you have it folks, doesn't happen. But in 2 of my last 5 trips from ekamai I have been aggressively searched and harassed. Me- clean cut white guy, mid 50s. Must be a dream on my part. Go figure?

Either Karma or the cops are reading Thai Visa.

[SoiBiker]

I live on Thong Lo and I have not seen ANY changes recently nor have I ever been stopped by the police on TL in over 5 years of living on the street.

Well there you have it folks, doesn't happen. But in 2 of my last 5 trips from ekamai I have been aggressively searched and harassed. Me- clean cut white guy, mid 50s. Must be a dream on my part. Go figure?

Maybe you fit the 'unprescribed boner pills' demographic?

[stevenl]

So, does that answer the question?

Yes it does, Thonglor is a Farang hub,full of condos, if they suddenly cleared up, there must be a very good reason.

I actually logged to Thaivisa to understand it... And surely enough I have my answer.

Ah, so now you're saying Thonglor is fully cleared of farang so the story must be true.

The "story" like you said is nothing new,just an amplified version of what has been happening for years.

Punters tourist looking young Farangs being pulled out just walking on Sukhumvit to be intimidated and extorted tea money under false pretexts like having dropped a cigaret's butt is common place in lower Sukhumvit.

Now it seems it has evolved to larger scale.

For me as I witnessed the small scale for years, and given the general climate and attitude towards foreigner since the coup, it is not difficult to put 2 and 2 together and believe the larger scale upgraded version of the scam with pee test .

But you have to know Thailand and Bangkok to understand

And now you're saying something different again.

I don't know you, and after reading a few of your posts and your presumptions I'm glad.

[Kitsune]

The "story" like you said is nothing new,just an amplified version of what has been happening for years.

Punters tourist looking young Farangs being pulled out just walking on Sukhumvit to be intimidated and extorted tea money under false pretexts like having dropped a cigaret's butt is common place in lower Sukhumvit.

Now it seems it has evolved to larger scale.

For me as I witnessed the small scale for years, and given the general climate and attitude towards foreigner since the coup, it is not difficult to put 2 and 2 together and believe the larger scale upgraded version of the scam with pee test .

But you have to know Thailand and Bangkok to understand

And now you're saying something different again.

I don't know you, and after reading a few of your posts and your presumptions I'm glad.

Thank you

And as reciprocation I shall refrain from bothering to answer your comments

Personal attacks always have been a sign of lack of argumentation ...

Edited December 8, 2014 by Kitsune

[Kitsune]

I live on Thong Lo and I have not seen ANY changes recently nor have I ever been stopped by the police on TL in over 5 years of living on the street.

Yes but you are a whale.

No one would harass a whale