Searched By Police... Is This Normal?

[JCCR6]

I was on the back of a motorbike taxi on Friday about 9pm, two policemen on a motorbike came up along side and flagged the motorbike over. They told me to get off, then pulled out a flashlight, and asked me for my passport. I replied it’s in my apartment (the truth), they asked me again, and I replied with the same answer.

They then asked me to take out everything from my pockets, I complied, they then searched my pockets (hands inside!), took a look at what was in my hands (phone and wallet), then said thank you, you can go.

Is this a common occurrence? I don't really see what they could have been looking for, I was smartly dressed, wasn't drunk, and they obviously weren't that bothered about me not having my passport.

[camerata]

Is this a common occurrence? I don't really see what they could have been looking for, I was smartly dressed, wasn't drunk, and they obviously weren't that bothered about me not having my passport.

Something similar happened to me 25 years ago, except that I was walking, dressed rather scruffily, and it was in broad daylight. Same thing - hands in pockets and not interested in passport. They would have been looking for drugs like yaa ba.

I keep a copy of my passport details in my wallet at all times, just in case. If it happened again I would turn my pockets inside out before they had a chance to put their hands in.

[Beavis and Butthead]

dont sound normal to me but who knows

[jdinasia]

agree with Camerata there ....

sounds like they were looking for something/someone specific ... drugs/weapon on a specific farang

wouldn't have thought about pulling my pockets inside out (works for front pockets at least) but it would keep a plant from happening

[Tingnongnoi]

I also had it happen about 7 years ago, was in a taxi at the time near M.B.K and was about 11 at night, same thing check pockets wallet etc... pretty sure it was drugs they are looking for.

[chownah]

maybe the police were practiceing searching and questioning foreigners

[Martin]

Where did this happen, 'chownah'?

I guess it wasn't policemen who knew you!

If there had been a flash message on their radios that there was a farang on a motor bike in town who was dealing drugs, I would guess every farang would be being stopped and searched.

I have given up carrying my passport, except if we go to a city. The highway police are much more impressed by my Thai five-year driving licence that just happens to have the business card of my local police chief clipped to it, and on which he has written the Thai for "This farang doesn't speak Thai, so telephone me if you want to put some question to him".

I try to ingratiate myself with them by saying "Phum mae poot Thai. Phum poot Lao nid noi. Bo peng yang, karp?". They then fall apart laughing at my execrable accent, but seem to give me some Brownie points for trying!

[JCCR6]

This was up near my apartment just off Sukhumvit Soi 24 in Bangkok.

I would have pulled my pockets out, but they asked me to take everything out of my pockets (so my hands were full at that point), I was then expecting a pat down, as you might get by a nightclub bouncer etc. As soon as his hands went into my pockets I was extremely concerned about a plant! I would have had no comeback at all really!

I guess it might have been drugs they were looking for, I'm probably in the 'suspect' age range (25).

[Ling Kae]

In the 10 years or so that I have been coming to Thailand I have never been searched. I always carry a copy of my passport in my wallet just in case.

[britmaveric]

drugs for sure!!!!!!!

[skoperism]

Happend to me about 1 year ago a few streets away from Kho San, I was walking alone at night.

[Rinrada]

Where did this happen, 'chownah'?

I guess it wasn't policemen who knew you!

If there had been a flash message on their radios that there was a farang on a motor bike in town who was dealing drugs, I would guess every farang would be being stopped and searched.

I have given up carrying my passport, except if we go to a city. The highway police are much more impressed by my Thai five-year driving licence that just happens to have the business card of my local police chief clipped to it, and on which he has written the Thai for "This farang doesn't speak Thai, so telephone me if you want to put some question to him".

I try to ingratiate myself with them by saying "Phum mae poot Thai. Phum poot Lao nid noi. Bo peng yang, karp?". They then fall apart laughing at my execrable accent, but seem to give me some Brownie points for trying!

Got and do roughly the same thing only with laminated copy of wifes old I.D card with a similar message(to/ for police suggests...call me ...if you dare...prob a thai joke )

Also perfected the phase

..kor tort krup...poot Thai me die...pom hoe my dee...Sorry cant sas-speeck Thai because I am a bit (mutt) deaf

...but in 25 years never been asked yet...

[Donz]

Sounds like a random drug search, once i was in the father inlaws car and we got pulled over, the police wanted to search the car, but when the inlaw showed them a card he backed off and said you can go.

I think he showed a picture of me flexing

[Ulysses G.]

I had this happen right around a dark corner from the Tourist Police station.

I didn't allow him to put his hands in my pockets as I was afraid that he wanted to put drugs in them, but volunteered to be searched in front of the Tourist Police.

He beat a hasty retreat.

[terry57]

This was up near my apartment just off Sukhumvit Soi 24 in Bangkok.

I would have pulled my pockets out, but they asked me to take everything out of my pockets (so my hands were full at that point), I was then expecting a pat down, as you might get by a nightclub bouncer etc. As soon as his hands went into my pockets I was extremely concerned about a plant! I would have had no comeback at all really!

I guess it might have been drugs they were looking for, I'm probably in the 'suspect' age range (25).

ive been coming to thailand 20 years and never had this happen.

as far as the hands in pocket gig and the possibility of a plant thats freaking scary stuff.

but knowing thailand as i do the cop would just extort you.

you would just pay him his money and run along home very bloody quickly. :

[terry57]

I had this happen right around a dark corner from the Tourist Police station.

I didn't allow him to put his hands in my pockets as I was afraid that he wanted to put drugs in them, but volunteered to be searched in front of the Tourist Police.

He beat a hasty retreat.

that sounds ok to me but what if he got nasty on you ?

what do we do then?

im a bit interested in this question as it could happen to anyone of us farang as we all know about the corruption that goes down in los.

[terdsak_12]

Had the same thing happen to me a few years ago near Cowboy, was getting into my mates clapped out pick up, a couple of coppers were going past on their bike, they eye balled me, I eye balled them, they stopped us, search our pockets, found nothing and sent us on our way.

[Donz]

Police usually do search ppl, nothing new about that??

hahahhaha

[sriracha john]

Sounds like a random drug search, once i was in the father inlaws car and we got pulled over, the police wanted to search the car, but when the inlaw showed them a card he backed off and said you can go.

I think he showed a picture of me flexing

You're probably right... They undoubtedly looked it and and let your father-in-law's car through because they presumed the family was rushing you to the hospital for a medical emergency.

Many police possess the capacity for pity.

[alexth]

Never happened to me.

[dog412]

it happens, and will happen. keep your abode clean.

[swissie]

Happened to me about 2 years ago. Since then, if any of the "Boys in Brown" stand in my pathway, I put my hands in my front pockets (I walk around with bare necesseties only, including copy af passport.)

If an interest in my carry-arond stuff shold be forthcoming, I would without hesitation turn over the contenst of my front pockets while immediately steppin back a little, ( out of armlenght of the "Boys in Brown).

Reason: Having plantet "something" in my pockets could turn into a living nightmare, knowing the "Drug-Laws" in Thailand.

Cheers.

[Thaising]

Body search wasn’t that bad where you still can keep an eye on your own pockets. 20 years ago my rented room was raided by BIB right in the middle of the night, without given any explanation, they just orders me and my mate to lie down flat. After searching the whole places and taking down my personal particular, one of the senior officer apologized and say they have raided the wrong place that make me so bloodiest fright. Imagine if these idiots BIB would to plant some illegal drugs in my room and demanded what they like, I can tell you I will never see the light.

[xbusman]

I was stopped Friday night too. On my motorcycle I took a dark side road off Petchburi and there was one of those small parking barriers on wheels they use at various condos to block the driveways. They pulled me over and checked everything three times, passport, registration, license, business card, then searched the bike very thoroughly. After that they patted me down and had me empty every pocket, looked through the cigarette pack, etc. Finally when they could find nothing, the poor policeman gave me the most pitiful "HEW MAK LOYYYYY" and 100 baht for some rice and I was on my way.

[swissie]

Well xbusman. If the same would have happened to you somewhre in Europe, you would have taken Name and Badge Number of the "officer" and have (in the process) "his ass grillred" with all the following consequences for the "officer" involved.

No go in Thailand! Welcome to Paradise!

Cheers-

[Donz]

To answer the OP's question, ofcourse its normal for police to search people. If they have a suspicion then they havethe right to search you.

[Thaiboxer]

I've been coming to Thailand for 7 years and have been living here for 4; I've only been searched by the cops once although I drive and I've driven past many police checkpoints. They seem to always go for trucks and in particular, the "sip lor" or 10-wheeled commercial trucks. Where you were searched is a place with LOTS of farangs living/traveling there so I'm not surprised. Scary situation though, as you could have been the victim a drug planting or perhaps it was just a random check. As for the time I got searched, it was at Ekamai Bus Station back in 1999 or 2000. My wife and I had returned from a trip and there were a couple cops conducting random searches of people's backpacks and duffle bags. Funny thing is, they only searched farangs while tons of Thais were all over the place carrying bags.

[Minburi]

I remember coming back from Koh Samet and the Thai police in Bangkok were searching this young guy and he was asking why only me. He had about 10 pot leaf badges/stickers on his backpack and one on his hat with dreads and scruffy would have been a nice way to put his apperence.

I am not saying he deserved it but he sure was asking to be checked in my opinion.

I have never been stopped and I hope it never happens.

And I thought by Thai law that one must always carry their passport on their person and a copy would not be valid proof and you could be detained till you provided your real passport if the police wanted .

[Ling Kae]

And I thought by Thai law that one must always carry their passport on their person and a copy would not be valid proof and you could be detained till you provided your real passport if the police wanted .

That is the law but in reality nobody does and the Police won't detain you for that. "Passport U Tee Hong or U Tee Hoten" is enough of an explanation. With the hundreds of farangs I know none carry their passports on their person all the time. Most have a license which is ID with passport number on it anyway. If I go for a trip out of my Province then I do carry my passport but to go to the bar at the end of the road I don't worry about it.

[vegas]

Sounds terrible I'll have to ask my driver if we've ever been pulled over while I was sleeping in the back.