Doubts emerge over Time report on Thai police harassment

[chainarong]

One can only go on the evidence and so far the finger of suspicion points at the RTP, and that's how it remains until they can clear the air, don't fall for their excuses, as they are past masters of deception plus B/S, they are so good that they could pin a murder rap on you and after two hours you would believe you actually did it and you were in London at the time , don't you worry someone got their nuts squashed and now the tall tails and But, But, But, not us syndrome.

[arjunadawn]

I find it is generally true with reconstructing history the more absurd and unlikely an event is the greater the likelihood that it happened. In this case, I suspect the police might have the greater truth.

[Gunna]

A restaurant known to sell drugs. Good police work. So good the place is still open, and one would assume still selling drugs.

Owned by a prominent RTP ??

[ldiablo]

Hahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahhahahahahaha and ha!

[Emster23]

Don't need a surge in level of harassment. Previous background level more than acceptable.

[stoli]

always 2 sides to a story, if they differ, 1 must be incorrect, who to believe is the 6 million dollar question

I would never listen to two people tell a story differently, and then assume that one of them is correct. Visit any courthouse and observe both sides. Rarely does either side speak the absolute truth.

[kkup]

Any reports that come from police should be considered doubtful.

[Roadman]

"The harrowing, first-hand story written by Ian Lloyd Neubauer reports a damning account of police misconduct said to have happened at a terrace bar in the Silom Road area that is at odds with information and records provided by the police."

Um, I thought everyone agreed the police were corrupt liars? Apparently all deception and corruption was suspended while the Nation report was wtritten, and resumed immediately after.

The whopper was "Neubauer was among five foreigners they said were detained on suspicion of drug use several kilometers away in the Sathon district at a restaurant known for selling drugs to its clients."

Um, no arrests of the bar owners, operators or workers...? Curiouser and curiouser said Alice (and everyone else).....

I thought the OP said the bar owner and a member of staff had been arrested?

Edit {from the rest of the coconuts article}

They arrested the Thai woman owner and a male Thai staff member who are now in jail awaiting trial on drug charges.

Oh jeez Bluespunk...why go and place some investigative honesty in among all the mindless scenarios

[oneday]

The harrowing, first-hand story written by Ian Lloyd Neubauer reports a damning account of police misconduct said to have happened at “a terrace bar in the Silom Road area” that is at odds with information and records provided by the police.

And with the reputation of the RTP I'm sure whatever they say can be instantly believed.

However, I must say I've heard and read a lot of stories about Thai police, but nothing so blatant as in this story. I guess my first thought was would they be so stupid as to do something like this where so many people could witness it? Shaking people down on Sukhumwit is low-key compared to what this story was saying. I guess we would need the exact place where this happened and see if this could be verified by people who work there...even anonymous verification would be something.

Also, if this Neubauer cannot be reached and will not re-confirm his statements then I would start to suspect this is a bogus story.

The headline should have been clear it was referring to this one report, because everyone knows there were numerous incidents of shaking people down on Sukhumwit last month.

[CapeThai]

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

A restaurant known to sell drugs. Good police work. So good the place is still open, and one would assume still selling drugs.

They will be supplying the drugs to the restaurant.

Shakedown because of Tea money not being paid ?

[chrisinth]

I find myself in a weird position where i would tend to believe the BIB's version of this story than that of Mr. Neubauer.

In his original article printed in Time, he has twisted the story that he is an innocent being harassed. If you add the unwritten facts (albeit supplied by the police) that it was a full-on drug bust where product was seized, of a known supplier and that 'customers' were detained for drug tests, then, to me anyway, it is a completely different story. Why would he not mention the seizure in the original article for an unbiased report?

Not only do i believe their account, but feel a certain sympathy towards their portrayal in this instance.

[nithisa78]

always 2 sides to a story, if they differ, 1 must be incorrect, who to believe is the 6 million dollar question

There are often several sides to every story, then there's the truth.

[2fishin2]

The police have raised the doubts. No surprise there then. All very convincing like all the police work here.

And Neubauer's gone very quiet, that's surprising if he was genuine. All very convincing like all the local Thai bashers.

Huh are you shittting me with that statement? I would hope he would go quiet hes probably fearing for his personal safety.

Ill bash, the Thai police department is one of the most corrupt in the world. Tell ya a secret even after all this crap the local Phuket force is in full high season force pocketing 200 baht from unsuspecting farangs at the usual check points. Same same different day Sam. Hasnt nothing happened.

[jabis]

Sathon / Silom - area, kilometers apart? Well basically it could be "kilometers apart", should you wonder downwards for example Thanon Charoenrat a few blocks

[mommysboy]

I have been involved in a web site that relies on reviews, some of them are complete works of fiction. Very upsetting. I don't know who to believe here but note the BiB have invited the reporter to clarify. If the reporter dies not respond, well!

[John1thru10]

The police have raised the doubts. No surprise there then. All very convincing like all the police work here.

And Neubauer's gone very quiet, that's surprising if he was genuine. All very convincing like all the local Thai bashers.

My money is on an angry old man who shouts insults at people on the internet all day.

[razer]

At a restaurant known for selling drugs? ..... Why doesn't the RTP go after the drug sellers and not bother tourists? Duh ....

[John1thru10]

I find myself in a weird position where i would tend to believe the BIB's version of this story than that of Mr. Neubauer.

In his original article printed in Time, he has twisted the story that he is an innocent being harassed. If you add the unwritten facts (albeit supplied by the police) that it was a full-on drug bust where product was seized, of a known supplier and that 'customers' were detained for drug tests, then, to me anyway, it is a completely different story. Why would he not mention the seizure in the original article for an unbiased report?

Not only do i believe their account, but feel a certain sympathy towards their portrayal in this instance.

Actually, how and why would this individual possibly know what was seized at some location? You're saying that the reporter lied, and you imply strongly that he was somehow involved with the inner workings of this place, or a drug dealer himself somehow. He was outside being searched and being demanded to pee in a cup on the street. Not a position to be going over details around the location from, huh? Are you saying that the BiB then came to offer him a full report of things concerning a place he was not the owner of? Again, no, because he was outside - in his reporting - being searched, and watching police kicking a man, and threatening people. His report read to me as someone unfortunate to be in a location at the wrong moment, and encountered this. And sounds like the BIB were unfortunate to believe no one there could possibly a reporter for Time magazine. Oops.

[John1thru10]

The cover up begins. When they lost tea money from vendors, they moved on to harass foreigners. There was a social media backlash. BIB has significantly curtailed the harassment in the last few weeks. I don't see them between Asok and Thong Lor anymore. There was one night in December, at approx. 6pm, that I saw 40 BIB in front of the Westin doing nothing but harassing foreigners. Glad it has ended, but this is the way the government manages to save face - a cover up. I don't know about the particular story reported in Time, but any resident in the Sukhumvit areas knows what foreigners were subjected to after BIB lost traditional sources of tea money.

Most accurate statement here, I think.

[ThaiSanookGuy]

We know we can trust the police in Thailand, right ?

<3

[maidee]

if the police know this resto/bar is selling drugs, why is it still open ????

[ggt]

Am I the only on who doubts any thing the Thai police reports?

[carter1882]

To the brilliant resident who thinks Thung Mahamek is the Silom Road area. Where are you resident, Chiang Mai?

[surangw]

more like doubting the doubters

[RigPig]

A restaurant known to sell drugs. Good police work. So good the place is still open, and one would assume still selling drugs.

and passing on the brown envelopes in the appropriate direction....

[jcisco]

To be fair the original article from the Times wasn't exactly balanced, and of course definitely not from a neutral standpoint. And that is the fault of the editors for letting it go without verifying the facts (which in this case, is likely impossible).

And the police rejecting that they could do a shakedown, cause they don't know the language well enough. I've meet plenty of cops at my local late night food place and they have no problems interrogating me every time I meet a new one. Which i put down to the fact they domain knowledge english and theirs is policing so its personal question and probing questions only not much for small talk. So I imagine, what he meant to say was, "we do not do that sort of thing".

[Xircal]

Youtube video stop and search tourist in Asoke area: http://youtu.be/EXsFNmeprB8

They aren't wearing caps, so maybe they aren't police but their uniforms look the same.

[bangon04]

Don't need a surge in level of harassment. Previous background level more than acceptable.

The surge in harassment of the Thai police by means of social media and press picking up the stories is just what is needed ......it may not change their behaviour overnight, but slowly it is embarrassing them into a change.

[IAMSOBAD]

I find myself in a weird position where i would tend to believe the BIB's version of this story than that of Mr. Neubauer.

In his original article printed in Time, he has twisted the story that he is an innocent being harassed. If you add the unwritten facts (albeit supplied by the police) that it was a full-on drug bust where product was seized, of a known supplier and that 'customers' were detained for drug tests, then, to me anyway, it is a completely different story. Why would he not mention the seizure in the original article for an unbiased report?

Not only do i believe their account, but feel a certain sympathy towards their portrayal in this instance.

Actually, how and why would this individual possibly know what was seized at some location? You're saying that the reporter lied, and you imply strongly that he was somehow involved with the inner workings of this place, or a drug dealer himself somehow. He was outside being searched and being demanded to pee in a cup on the street. Not a position to be going over details around the location from, huh? Are you saying that the BiB then came to offer him a full report of things concerning a place he was not the owner of? Again, no, because he was outside - in his reporting - being searched, and watching police kicking a man, and threatening people. His report read to me as someone unfortunate to be in a location at the wrong moment, and encountered this. And sounds like the BIB were unfortunate to believe no one there could possibly a reporter for Time magazine. Oops.

Exactly what happened!

Caught by a reporter trying to leave and go home. BIB always lie or make up charges to make money. Nothing has changed.

[Leonardo Madison]

It's getting out of hand.