Bangkok shakedown: Tourists report increased harassment by police

[wellred]

Funniest part of that story - cops chasing Barrow around - nosey busybody deserves it.

Which leads us to believe that you think their behavior is acceptable

Spot on. We should be glad there people like Richard Barrow out there. It's fair to say a % of the locals would take notice of what he says, including those in power. The more attention that is placed on this matter the quicker it can be resolved. Trivialising it is ignorant at best.

[surangw]

any stats on how many of these searches turn up any results ?

[Rumblecat]

Is it tourists, or is it those who live here also? I've never experienced an incident because I speak Thai.

If you live here, learn the lingo. If you don't.... not much will change in ATTACKING tourists, I'm afraid.

I don't understand what you're saying- the police have never stopped you because you speak Thai..? It's not like they can tell you can speak Thai just by looking at you.

I can speak Thai.

I've still been stopped and searched by police.

In fact I've had Thai people I've been out with stopped and searched alongside me. They could definitely speak Thai.

[ronthai]

We know this old news already.

The junta, PM, government wants to tackle corruption.

Can not do it all at the same time.

The coppers still need to pay their mortgages and monthly bank car payments.

Who else is going to pay for that, but the farangs, they (coppers) have been ripping us off for years and the " illegal Thai bars" masssages and s h i t.

Who hasn't been stopped buy the coppers, daytime, driving good with a helmet and just in front of you was a Thai motorbike with 3-4 Thai people with NO helmets, but never stop them.

IT IS ALWAYS NICE TO KNOW HOW THEY STOP AND CHECK, to increase their monthly salary.

Just hope it is allowed to say this in public, if you don't see me posting for a week, means I am in jail.

Edited December 11, 2014 by ronthai

[iReason]

Thailand does not seem to be able to stay out of world news and NOT in a good light.

This, along with Hitler, along with murders just keeps on coming.

And for some reason little to no damage control at all.

You would think there would be an official statement from authorities to investigate the reports or issue a directive to stop.

Generally speaking, the Thais really don't care what foreigners think.

You actually think these pitiful stories make headlines in the world.World news on TVF would be the extent of it.

Give it some time.

These soulless thugs know no bounds to their greed.

They'll shoot themselves in the foot once again.

And, it's made International News before.

Most likely quicker this time, because it involves foreigners.

"Thailand’s underprivileged are less inclined to quietly accept their station in life as past generations did and are voicing anger about wide disparities in wealth, about shakedowns by the police ,,,."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/01/world/asia/01thai.html?pagewanted=all

[hughben]

Is it tourists, or is it those who live here also? I've never experienced an incident because I speak Thai.

If you live here, learn the lingo. If you don't.... not much will change in ATTACKING tourists, I'm afraid.

I don't understand what you're saying- the police have never stopped you because you speak Thai..? It's not like they can tell you can speak Thai just by looking at you.

I can speak Thai.

I've still been stopped and searched by police.

In fact I've had Thai people I've been out with stopped and searched alongside me. They could definitely speak Thai.

The Thai people that were searched with you, what was their opinion of the searches?

[GOLDBUGGY]

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

I couldn't agree more. Knowing the language has nothing to do with it when you look Farang. I think he has a false sense of security thinking that. I would sooner lay my money walking with my sister-in-law who is a Thai Lawyer than speaking the language.

If you don't look Thai you are ALWAYS a tourist whether you live here or not. Knowing the language might help to some extent but if they're determined, they'll have your knee one way or another

[Baghdad]

So, where are the numbers, the stats, .. anything about a targeted profile type? .. age group?

People wearing beach gear in the streets? ... Smarter respectfully dressed people?

I have certainly seen loads of slobs and thugs queuing for entry at many places. Maybe someone has just spat the dummy, and going after all younger tourists, happy to throw out the babies with the bath water.

You have certainly seen loads of slobs and thugs.

Please tell me how u know they are slobs and thugs?

What gives you the right to judge them and you don't know them from a bar of soap.

[cookee68]

I don't know why this is news. Been happening for years and years.

Could be because its WRONG ands who ever you are you have rights>

possibly because the military are supposed to be stopping this rubbish ...this is racial profiling and Stop & search in thailand by police is not allowed

Obviously it is, and they don't give a &lt;deleted&gt;, makes you wonder why they are not treated with respect, what happens if a Farang is piss tested but had been smoking in his own country before he or she had arrived in the land of shit? because many drugs stay in the system a long time?

[z42]

Well according to Mark Kent's twitter feed he brought this very subject up in his latest meeting with the tourism minister, so we can expect absolutely NOTHING to change as his diplomacy skills are very thin on the ground and is more akin to a door mat than anything else.

[Bigfarang1948]

Stop and search is not allowed in Thailand. Someone better tell the cops and the Army troops about this. Since the Coup, life in our small village has been dominated by crooked Military guys extorting fines from eveyone, includingmy wife and family several times, These bandits demand on the spot urinalysis, search our truck, house, ransack our dressers and wardrobes and demand money. Thailand is close to becoming a police state, if not already there.

I don't know why this is news. Been happening for years and years.

Could be because its WRONG ands who ever you are you have rights>

possibly because the military are supposed to be stopping this rubbish ...this is racial profiling and Stop & search in thailand by police is not allowed

[BestBitterPhuket]

Why are the criminals who operate in police uniforms allowed to drag Thailand down in the mud and cause irreparable damage to the country? Does the Junta and new government have no control over the police? Can't they see the damage they are doing? How can foreign countries and local Thais believe anything they say, when these things are allowed to happen?

[Star Dust]

....muahahaha....can't stop laughing again....muahahaha......

This mammons will maybe catch 1, or 2 minor overstayers.

Otherwise are dozens of people I know already canceling the Thailand trip saying: Screw the Thais. Let's go elsewhere.

[26vinny]

RTP `s finest i am relaying all i read on here to as many social media outlets as possible, any link to the facebook page mentioned earlier ?

[steve654]

Thailand does not seem to be able to stay out of world news and NOT in a good light.

This, along with Hitler, along with murders just keeps on coming.

And for some reason little to no damage control at all.

You would think there would be an official statement from authorities to investigate the reports or issue a directive to stop.

If they would make an official statement, then it would confirm what is really going on, so I think they think it is better to keep quiet and not attract world news media.

[englishoak]

If you had to pick between Asoke and Nana to stay in would you go for?

Asoke.

Really? From what's being reported here most of the harassment is occurring in the asoke area. I would have though nana would have been better.

What's being reported here is mostly hysterical over-reaction from people who've never been near the place. And Nana is a dump.

Dont let literally hundreds of reports stop you knowing better.

If you know the area you will also know there are some nice swish hotels around and a lot more besides than nana, especially during the day. Its a busy tourist area and guess what..... tourists like to wander around tourist areas preferably unmolested and do what tourists do, Nana is a dump I agree but as its Thailand's dump and they let it operate illegally in a country where prostitution is supposed to be illegal thats also hardly the fault of the tourist either.

As for the cigarette butt BS its just another scam they can extort money for, compared to the amount of crap Thais dump on the street without thinking all the time day in day out its a joke.

[Dumu Ali]

saw this on Wiki !!!

**************************************

False positives have been known to be triggered by consuming hemp-seed bars and other products, although the more detailed, more expensive gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GCMS) test can tell the difference.

Common known pharmaceutical drugs which cause false positives in instant THC dip tests include: Dronabinol, Efavirenz, Ibuprofen, Ketoprofen, Naproxen, Piroxicam, Promethazine, Proton pump inhibitors, Sulindac, Tolmetin

**************************************

my Thai chick confirms no expensive tests in Thai hospital only this pee in a test tube of chemicals test

[dieter1]

I just say: Please Thai Royal Police, keep on doing this fine work. There are far too many tourists in Thailand and now, with facebook ,

finally, these kind of treatment will be a success and the tourists number will drop!

[selftaopath]

I don't know why this is news. Been happening for years and years.

It maybe have been happening for years but now it is making the news something might be done about it.

Let the world see Thailand for what it is.

[heybuz]

i think i know who is behind this "marshal law and his deputies"

[Kitsune]

What people don't understand is that Thailand DOES NOT NEED tourists anymore.

Thanks to previous backpackers making this place more and more hospitable and comfortable, Bangkok has become the head quarters for all world companies for South East Asia, and this is where the real money is.

The BOI is only a fraction of what Thailand is making as foreign investment.....BOI, 2012 saw an investment of 1.127 trillion baht ($33.5 billion), the highest ever.^[2] The number of projects rose by 9% to 2180.

[heybuz]

What people don't understand is that Thailand DOES NOT NEED tourists anymore.

Thanks to previous backpackers making this place more and more hospitable and comfortable, Bangkok has become the head quarters for all world companies for South East Asia, and this is where the real money is.

The BOI is only a fraction of what Thailand is making as foreign investment.....BOI, 2012 saw an investment of 1.127 trillion baht ($33.5 billion), the highest ever.^[2] The number of projects rose by 9% to 2180.

so the ones in singapore are just branch offices of the thai head office

[superal]

A friend of mine arrived at swampy 5 days ago and had walked through Nothing To Declare and was outside the main doors when he was approached by the police . He had 2 cartons of cigs that were laid on top of his open bag . For some reason he thought that the limit was 2 cartons instead of 1 . The police confiscated the cigs and made him pay a fine of 20,000 baht with no receipt .

[Robroona]

I don't know why this is news. Been happening for years and years.

Guess that makes it alright then

[ksamuiguy]

Two of my customers have had reservations cancelled due to reports of police harassment of foreigners in Bangkok.

They went to Vietnam instead.

[Kitsune]

What people don't understand is that Thailand DOES NOT NEED tourists anymore.

Thanks to previous backpackers making this place more and more hospitable and comfortable, Bangkok has become the head quarters for all world companies for South East Asia, and this is where the real money is.

The BOI is only a fraction of what Thailand is making as foreign investment.....BOI, 2012 saw an investment of 1.127 trillion baht ($33.5 billion), the highest ever.^[2] The number of projects rose by 9% to 2180.

so the ones in singapore are just branch offices of the thai head office

World company managers :

Bring 100 times more money than tourists.

Give each obligatory employment to four Thai people in their company, plus hire staff (drivers/maid/nannies)

Stay in designated areas like Nichada where everything is artificially high priced, and are easily taxable.

Don't mix with locals and are not visible and don't cause troubles

This is what Thai immigration call "quality tourists"

[ThePlant]

Thanks to previous backpackers making this place more and more hospitable and comfortable, Bangkok has become the head quarters for all world companies for South East Asia, and this is where the real money is

I'm fascinated as to how you made the correlation between backpackers and Bangkok becoming a regional HQ for all 'World Companies in SEA' apart from making up incorrect nonsense.

What people don't understand is that Thailand DOES NOT NEED tourists anymore.

World company managers :

Bring 100 times more money than tourists.

Give each obligatory employment to four Thai people in their company, plus hire staff (drivers/maid/nannies)

Stay in designated areas like Nichada where everything is artificially high priced, and are easily taxable.

Don't mix with locals and are not visible and don't cause troubles

This is what Thai immigration call "quality tourists"

So are you saying that a few hundred expatriate managers living in dumps like Nichida Thani are providing more to the Thai economy than several million tourists are?

I think you need to come away from Cuckoo land......

Edited December 12, 2014 by ThePlant

[brewsterbudgen]

I don't know why this is news. Been happening for years and years.

Guess that makes it alright then

No it doesn't. It's a major inconvenience. But it doesn't really merit all this hysteria.

[taony]

i was fined 1000 bt a few weeks ago for slapping the cigarette from a thai mans hand in a ''clearly posted'' non smoking area near the hospital in sri racha,at the police station i thought i would see some justice but no luck....sawadee (xtra crap)...

Regardless of if you are right or wrong, You MUST mind your own business in Thailand and let the crap be. Thais really dislike Farangs who stir shit to the point that they will kill you if necessary. My wife tells me that all the times I get pissed at someone for being a jerk, or corrupt...

True, my wife always tells me that too. But we find it hard to be quiet when the crap happens. This morning a taxi said "kee giet bai", so after yelling back a forth a short bit, i left and slammed the door shut. He got out and picked up a paving stone to throw at me. Luckily for me it was too heavy for him, then his shoe went flying off. So I kept walking away and took the bts and boat.

Edited December 12, 2014 by taony

[brewsterbudgen]

Two of my customers have had reservations cancelled due to reports of police harassment of foreigners in Bangkok.

They went to Vietnam instead.

And Vietnam is a real Communist police state with even stricter drug laws!