Thai Tourist Police crack down on 'the colored'

[eeworldwide]

I don't understand why they don't have much stricter immigration policies for Nigeria and Ghanaians. That would solve the issue rather rapidly. I hope that all of those rounded up are heavily fined and kicked out. We can do without their sort making Bangkok a worse place to live.

[rubl]

I'm not passing that area as much as I used to and certainly no longer in the wee hours of the night, but till now and unlike some I've never ever been offered drugs. Should I feel discriminated against?

[Monkeyrobot]

I get called an Alien by immigration and a Farang by Thais you think that's ok?

Yes, that's fine - neither of those is an offensive term.[/quote

How is black offensive ? What term would you use if you were the Thai police issuing a statement ?

[DM07]

They should do for everyone, why to profile based on the color.

If race is motive, look like Thai police needs a color blind test first!

A little walk in the neighborhood in question might answer some of your questions??

Do you also find it offensive that people dressed like jihadists are targeted by airport security??

Pray tell: how do "jihadists" dress?

And to answer your question: yes, I find that offensive!

Remember this guys outrage over he was on a non fly list out of BKK?

Is racial profiling pleasant? No. Is racial profiling efficient? Probably not. But it is one of the tools airport security have to work with to make you and me feel safer!!

noflyl.jpg

Racial profiling never works!

The 9/11- terrorists would have never been on any list, even after 9/11.

They dressed normally, acted calm...

Jihadists rarely get on board a plan with a turban and an RPG.

[SoiBiker]

I get called an Alien by immigration and a Farang by Thais you think that's ok?

Yes, that's fine - neither of those is an offensive term.[/quote

How is black offensive ? What term would you use if you were the Thai police issuing a statement ?

Black isn't an offensive term either.

[Local Drunk]

I cordially invite all who want to come to England and walk down the street calling people "coloureds". I know I won't have to buy you a return ticket.

What? Are you saying that Brits have no tolerance of other cultures? That they hey will kill you for using the "C" word? Bloody well done!

Edited April 1, 2015 by Local Drunk

[No Apologist]

They should do for everyone, why to profile based on the color.

If race is motive, look like Thai police needs a color blind test first!

A little walk in the neighborhood in question might answer some of your questions??

Do you also find it offensive that people dressed like jihadists are targeted by airport security??

I find your posts offensive, actually. Particularly one quoted just above. This is a visa forum, to remind you. That includes people of all nationalities and races. And your personal opinions about other races on a site of that purpose are in extremely poor taste.

[JOC]

I'm not passing that area as much as I used to and certainly no longer in the wee hours of the night, but till now and unlike some I've never ever been offered drugs. Should I feel discriminated against?

Maybe leave your walking frame at home next time..................

[rubl]

I don't understand why they don't have much stricter immigration policies for Nigeria and Ghanaians. That would solve the issue rather rapidly. I hope that all of those rounded up are heavily fined and kicked out. We can do without their sort making Bangkok a worse place to live.

Well, don't you fear, Nigeria is not allowed to move here.

I'm not good at the many African languages, but I get the feeling that the Africans targeted could be from Sierra Leone to Cameroon.

Cheers,

uncle Kwesi

[aaacorp]

A little walk in the neighborhood in question might answer some of your questions??

Do you also find it offensive that people dressed like jihadists are targeted by airport security??

Pray tell: how do "jihadists" dress?

And to answer your question: yes, I find that offensive!

Remember this guys outrage over he was on a non fly list out of BKK?

Is racial profiling pleasant? No. Is racial profiling efficient? Probably not. But it is one of the tools airport security have to work with to make you and me feel safer!!

noflyl.jpg

Racial profiling never works!

The 9/11- terrorists would have never been on any list, even after 9/11.

They dressed normally, acted calm...

Jihadists rarely get on board a plan with a turban and an RPG.

What????

Damn all my profiling studies to start again from scratch..i really thought all the terrorists in planes arrived with a keffieh, a long beard, and rpg. clearly visible so they can have a free upgrade or at least a window seat

[JoeLing]

I really do not know what you people have for a problem with Nigerians.

I have a real good friend working for the Central Bank of Nigeria. Although

I never met him personally, he promised to send me 15.5 million dollars.

Well, I'm a very kind hearten person and have written him back with the plight

of those poor fellow country men of his and I'm sure, he will be more then
willing to help every single one of them if only they send him their bank details.

[No Apologist]

I hope that all of you liberals will acknowledge the fact that 'profiling' is a legitimate and effective tactic for narrowing the field in the hunt for criminals. It is, despite the liberal outcry, nothing more than a description of those who have been seen committing a particular crime. Rounding up black people in an area of drug sales is no different than would be rounding up "sexy" women in an area know for prostitution; or rounding up "white skinned foreigners of about 6' tall and 180 - 200 pounds" when a man of such description was seen assaulting a woman; or being a bit more intense in checking body and baggage of Middle Eastern people in an airport, as someone referred to earlier. All of those things, and any other general description of a group of people by appearance and/or behavior, is 'profiling"; and it is a significant aid in identifying and apprehending criminals.

This becomes a problem ONLY when authorities are abusive in their treatment of people who cooperate during detention and questioning. A "good citizen" , who is innocent of any crime, should cooperate with authorities. In the great percentage of cases, respect will be met with respect, and the innocent person will simply lose a bit of time. And in those cases, a "good citizen" should recognize that the authorities are doing their best to protect him and others from being abused by criminals. This is true here. It is true in the USA. It is true all over the world.

"Profiling" is NOT a dirty word; nor is it racism; nor is it a bad practice for principled police. Fighting against it is providing support for those who wish to feed off of, or destroy society.

OK, liberals. Take your shots!

The 'shot' is that your post is utterly pathetic.

[manrogi]

A great April 1st joke

[TheRascal]

They should do for everyone, why to profile based on the color.

If race is motive, look like Thai police needs a color blind test first!

detaining 72 clearly guilty of having black skin for drug tests.

'coloured' people?

who writes this stuff? they are not a journalist that's for sure.

who edited this piece? no professional editor would allow this to print.

Racial profiling and racism is for the ignorant. This clearly shows just how racist Thai society is. How and why they ever signed the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights is beyond me.

Considering my work which is internet based there is without question a problem with Nigerians but certainly not every Nigerian on the planet and therefore to target these people is again a pure act of racism.

The news piece is playing up the stupid comments by the police and trying to make out that the police are simply arresting people for being black - this clearly isn't the case. Ignoring the idiotic racist comments by the police the reality is they are arresting them because they are clearly doing wrong.

For anyone who is claiming it's just picking on these nigerians then you've never spent time around there. Take a walk from Bamboo on Soi 3 down to the end of the soi, walk along sukhumvit, along soi 11 and between 11 and 15 on Sukhumvit road anytime after 8pm and make a note of how many times you get offered drugs and who offers them.

Racism is abhorrent but these guys are absolute pests and i'd say it's even worse for normal black guys who come over here for a holiday or work as Thais automatically think badly of them because of the number of black drug dealers plaguing lower sukhumvit.

[rubl]

I'm not passing that area as much as I used to and certainly no longer in the wee hours of the night, but till now and unlike some I've never ever been offered drugs. Should I feel discriminated against?

Maybe leave your walking frame at home next time..................

Ouch, that hurts.

Young man, let me tell you that last December for my yearly Medical Certificate (as needed for workpermit renewal) the doctor told me I'm in remarkable health (for someone my age that is). One of the best left-handed compliments I've had in a long time

Edited April 1, 2015 by rubl

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

Many people on here are very confused. First not all African's are black, I am an African by birth but are lilly white. Secondly these people will not operate in BKK if they don't have police protection, if anyone doubt it, go and stand on a street corner selling sweets and see how fast you get deported for working without a WP. Thirdly political correctness isn't an issue for Thai's so they can call a spade by its name. Fourthly Nigerians are involved in crimes throughout the world and they have brought the bad name on themselves. If anyone of any race breaks the law in the country they should be dealt with according to the law and if they are targeted according to race so be it.

[senor123]

How is it wrong to say colored? Should be say black? Oh... Africans? No no no... Let's call them Farangs.

It's not that it's wrong, it's the connotations the word has. Historically it comes from a time where being white was considered normal- and people who weren't white were viewed as lesser human beings- lumping all non-white ethnicities into one . (Which is why there's the contradiction in the term itself- that white isn't somehow a colour).

It's not about political correctness either, before somebody drags out that lazy phrase. It's just about not being a dick.

Technically speaking, white is not a colour. (well, pure white if you want to be pedantic).

[saroq]

They should do for everyone, why to profile based on the color.

If race is motive, look like Thai police needs a color blind test first!

Didn't take long for someone to use the race card.

They have every right to target the Africans. They hardly come here to open legit businesses.

Yes a sensible approach to cleaning up this activity even if it is unpopular with the politically correct. I travel extensively and selling drugs seems to be the occupation of choice for many Africans living abroad.

[Mcffee]

Does these 'colored' include local farmers?

[monkeycountry]

More good news. You guys can play the racism card all you want, fortunately Thais and Thailand could not care less about such matters. Fact is the vast majority of drug dealers etc. in the mentioned area are black, hence it makes lots of sense to go after black people.

As a sidenote, most of the mentioned black people in that area are here illegally as well, which I am sure the police will find out once they check their passports and missing workpermits.

I think you'll find the majority of drug dealers here in Thailand are Thai.

I agree, but as you can see in my post, I referred to the specific area mentioned in the OP, and in that area the drug dealers are mostly black. There is probably a reason the police went after black people in that specific area, and not in all of Thailand.

[GreatEastern]

Wow... just wow!

[Bluespunk]

More good news. You guys can play the racism card all you want, fortunately Thais and Thailand could not care less about such matters. Fact is the vast majority of drug dealers etc. in the mentioned area are black, hence it makes lots of sense to go after black people.

As a sidenote, most of the mentioned black people in that area are here illegally as well, which I am sure the police will find out once they check their passports and missing workpermits.

I think you'll find the majority of drug dealers here in Thailand are Thai.

But not in that location, where the majority are plainly African, as confirmed by many posts here. This is clearly a justified use of "racial profiling". PC protests in this thread about racial victimisation are simply out of place, i.e. indignation transplanted from home country situations which are not relevant in this case.

Nonsense.

[Godders]

Yep, Thailand is getting more like the US and UK every day.

[Bluespunk]

I get called an Alien by immigration and a Farang by Thais you think that's ok?

Yes, that's fine - neither of those is an offensive term.

Wrong. The second is very offensive.

[sydneyjed]

I am surprised it has taken this long given the 'gathering' which is a regular occurrence now outside the 5* Sofitel Hotel from 1 am just up from Terminal 21 every night.How the hotel management have not complained about this with the front of their property looking more like The Grace Hotel every time I walk past with hookers hanging around there with their pimps!

The street bars there are also a cess pit of low life degenerates now all up to no good!

[SoiBiker]

I get called an Alien by immigration and a Farang by Thais you think that's ok?

Yes, that's fine - neither of those is an offensive term.

Wrong. The second is very offensive.

Don't be daft. It's just a standard descriptive Thai word. It's only considered offensive by silly old sods looking for something to get offended by.

[realenglish1]

For some reason I have no problem with this. If they arrest someone because of their skin color that is a crime but if they are targeting an ethnic or race group based on a solid profile I have no problem with this

I do not believe in political correctness it gets people into trouble.

If it quakes like a duck , waddles like a duck and swims like a duck Guess what ? it must be a duck

[Tingtau]

WOW!!! I'M SPEECHLESS!! In the US, blacks complain of there being an offence of "Drive while Black!!" I may have small doubta as to there being a problem with drug traffickers in certain areas of Thailand who are predominantly of a particular skin colour....but to target “colored people" suggests that the police (who themselves don't have all that pure a reputation in the minds of many) have been given explicit orders to arrest and detain persons for the "offence of breathing air while black" boggles the mind!! Here I am trying to argue that Thais are not a racist people (and I still don't believe that they truly are) and it is alleged that the police have been given, not only permission to be racist in their dealings with the public but orders to do so. If it was a provable fact that not only was it true that the ONLY criminals carrying out drug trafficking offences in those areas are "coloured people" but that people with "coloured skin" were the only inhabitants of the area, I could possibly have a slightly different outlook on things. By the way, the term "coloured"....what a STUPID adjective when applied to the skin of human beings!!!! Just because I am not BLACK doesn't mean that I am NON-COLOURED or WITHOUT COLOUR. I may be vanilla, coffee triple cream, or just coffee one cream...and then of course there are the "yellow" or "red" skinned people. My God, when are we going to stop with the bloody "COLOUREDS" , "WHITES", ''BLACKS, terminology! What juvenile minds are we still encouraging!! I am "coloured" for Gawd's sakes!!!! And I have children ranging in colour from coffee triple cream to coffee hold the cream!!! I'm not coloured black, yellow, red or brown (well, give me a fair turn of the spit, and you would be hard-pressed not to call me "brown"...at least in those areas generally permitted to be publicly exposed!!) So when will people grow up and stop with that stupid, ignorant and meaningless "COLOUREDS".reference which only exposes the user as an illiterate ignoramus!!!

[Bluespunk]

I get called an Alien by immigration and a Farang by Thais you think that's ok?

Yes, that's fine - neither of those is an offensive term.

Wrong. The second is very offensive.

Don't be daft. It's just a standard descriptive Thai word. It's only considered offensive by silly old sods looking for something to get offended by.

No it's offensive. Except to wannabes that is.

[Commerce]

About time they cleared them off the entrance of Soi 13. Their open drug dealing made the area feel unsafe.

Who is 'them'?