Road Blocks and Police Checks In Light Of Bombings

[stoneyboy]

Is there an increased presence of police and army nationwide,I was surprised to see a road block up here in Phetchabun at the main traffic lights in town.

Further down route 21 also heading towards Lom Sak another lower key police road check.

And low and behold another entering Lom Sak as well.

Here I was asked to pull over in my car and turn on the light,leave the car whereby I was frisked by a police man and had my picture taken.

It was all nice and friendly enough and as I speak a fair bit of Thai I'm wondering if I only added to their curiosity by having a bit of banter.

I'm certainly not complaining quite the opposite,it's good to see they are taking things seriously in the light of these recent atrocities.

Also there are a number of Army bases in this area also maybe that has more to do with it as well.

Anyone had the pleasure ?

Edited August 18, 2015 by stoneyboy

[JaiLai]

Drove all the way from PB to the airport today, not one check point.

Nothing additional at the airport.

Frisked.....was your car searched as well?

[stoneyboy]

Drove all the way from PB to the airport today, not one check point.

Nothing additional at the airport.

Frisked.....was your car searched as well?

A quick glance in the car which had the GF and two kids in.

I voluntarily opened the carry boy to show them my shopping.

First road block on the way to Lom Sak was situated just after Ta Pon.

I may add the police were backed up with soldiers brandishing riffles.

Edited August 18, 2015 by stoneyboy

[JaiLai]

ok - thanks.

[kannot]

lip service

[Jessi]

It just helps to keep the local plod out of the Karaoke bars.

[stoneyboy]

It just helps to keep the local plod out of the Karaoke bars.

Possibly but they actually seemed on top of their game for once,obviously this incident has left the whole country a little shocked and confused.

I'm surprised that no one else,expats have reported an increase in being stopped and questioned especially as I am so far away from Bangkok.

Edited August 19, 2015 by stoneyboy

[JaiLai]

It just helps to keep the local plod out of the Karaoke bars.

Possibly but they actually seemed on top of their game for once,obviously this incident has left the whole country a little shocked and confused.

I'm surprised that no one else,expats have reported an increase in being stopped and questioned especially as I am so far away from Bangkok.

Hardly on top of their game if they just had a "quick glance" in your car...

The frisk still surprises me and also the photo.

Maybe the stop was for a local related incident and nothing to do with what happened in BKK??

[stoneyboy]

It just helps to keep the local plod out of the Karaoke bars.

Possibly but they actually seemed on top of their game for once,obviously this incident has left the whole country a little shocked and confused.

I'm surprised that no one else,expats have reported an increase in being stopped and questioned especially as I am so far away from Bangkok.

Hardly on top of their game if they just had a "quick glance" in your car...

The frisk still surprises me and also the photo.

Maybe the stop was for a local related incident and nothing to do with what happened in BKK??

Yes I understand your comment regarding the quick glance in the motor but given the location and my appearance it would have been easy for them assess the situation accordingly especially as I had my family in tow.

Also with Lom Sak being a relatively sleepy backwater the police do actually know or know of most of the regular expats here surprisingly.

Being frisked and having a picture taken is something I've never encountered here before which took me by surprise a little.

According to the GF who spoke to them this was in light of recent events and not a local issue.

Edited August 19, 2015 by stoneyboy

[JaiLai]

It just helps to keep the local plod out of the Karaoke bars.

Possibly but they actually seemed on top of their game for once,obviously this incident has left the whole country a little shocked and confused.

I'm surprised that no one else,expats have reported an increase in being stopped and questioned especially as I am so far away from Bangkok.

Hardly on top of their game if they just had a "quick glance" in your car...

The frisk still surprises me and also the photo.

Maybe the stop was for a local related incident and nothing to do with what happened in BKK??

Yes I understand your comment regarding the quick glance in the motor but given the location and my appearance it would have been easy for them assess the situation accordingly especially as I had my family in tow.

Also with Lom Sak being a relatively sleepy backwater the police do actually know or know of most of the regular expats here surprisingly.

Being frisked and having a picture taken is something I've never encountered here before which took me by surprise a little.

According to the GF who spoke to them this was in light of recent events and not a local issue.

I guess if one is inclined to pull one over on the bobbies all we need is a female and a couple of children as a decoy - lol.

What would you say the expat population is in Lom Sak is just as a matter of curiousity?

I am amazed at how many expats there seem to be in Phetchabun nowadays, almost all of them miserable by the looks of things...

[stoneyboy]

Expats that live in the Town and are visible on a daily basis going about their normal business like shopping and relaxing having a coffee then very few indeed maybe 10 - 15 and that's being generous.

There are scores of others that live in the surrounding villages who appear once a week or once in a blue moon,many that like myself come and go for either work or who share their time between here and their home countries.

In my old house my neighbour was a copper out in the sticks and even he knew how many and where all the expats lived in his beat so to speak.

Phetchabun is another story the number of expats has risen sharply just in the time I've been here which is 6 years,most as you put it are miserable but this area offers very little in the way of recreational facilities which can add to the boredom.

That's why homeland is often mobbed by hoards of them every week and why like so many they hit the Leo or Chang,it takes a special kind of person to live here IMO and as my kids get older I'm beginning to think about moving on to improve our quality of life.

Edited August 19, 2015 by stoneyboy

[JaiLai]

I think boredom sets in anywhere over a period of time irrespective of where it may be. I've lived in heavily tourist populated places throughout thailand with every pass time and facility imaginable and also butt <deleted> nowhere.

After 16 years here it's really starting to wear me down, the people and their manners ( or lack of ) the quality of work and service they provide ( or lack of ) and also the increasing prices of almost everything ( although the recent EX rate is improving things ). The big question is though, if not Thailand where else to live??

[dirtycash]

NOTE - while travelling allways keep at least a copy of your passport and you international licence and ID on you at all times.

[kannot]

It just helps to keep the local plod out of the Karaoke bars.

Possibly but they actually seemed on top of their game for once,obviously this incident has left the whole country a little shocked and confused.

I'm surprised that no one else,expats have reported an increase in being stopped and questioned especially as I am so far away from Bangkok.

Hardly on top of their game if they just had a "quick glance" in your car...

The frisk still surprises me and also the photo.

Maybe the stop was for a local related incident and nothing to do with what happened in BKK??

Later theyll superimpose the bombers hair and glasses onto him.....success "we found the bomber"

I would have refused the photo, they can have a copy of my passport.

[Broken Record]

It just helps to keep the local plod out of the Karaoke bars.

Possibly but they actually seemed on top of their game for once,obviously this incident has left the whole country a little shocked and confused.

I'm surprised that no one else,expats have reported an increase in being stopped and questioned especially as I am so far away from Bangkok.

Hardly on top of their game if they just had a "quick glance" in your car...

The frisk still surprises me and also the photo.

Maybe the stop was for a local related incident and nothing to do with what happened in BKK??

I would have refused the photo

Of course you would......

[lovelomsak]

I went through a checkpoint near Tesco Lotus yesterday in Lomsak. I was on my phantom and was just let through going into town and again when I left town. But they were stopping a lot of vehicles and checking them. I have been here long enough I am sure most police know me.

Edited August 19, 2015 by lovelomsak

[kannot]

Hardly on top of their game if they just had a "quick glance" in your car...

The frisk still surprises me and also the photo.

Maybe the stop was for a local related incident and nothing to do with what happened in BKK??

I would have refused the photo

Of course you would......

Yep obviously u r a pushover, had a bloke come to the house tuther day and asked me to sign a piece of paper, something about Burmese staff and their employers, told him nope, he also wanted passport number, told him nope, I said immigration have all my info go see them and I have a yellow book with my name in.

He had no ID and was a friend who helped the head of the village............he went away empty handed, now if immigration came Id tell em to check their records and Id need to see ID etc etc

[NoshowJones]

Drove all the way from PB to the airport today, not one check point.

Nothing additional at the airport.

Frisked.....was your car searched as well?

I had a policeman come to my house yesterday and asked to see my passport, he told Mrs Possum that they were doing this to every Farang in Thailand.

I would presume other TV members have had policemen come to their house.

So, on that basis, a lot of overstayers had better watch out.

[PEAP]

NOTE - while travelling allways keep at least a copy of your passport and you international licence and ID on you at all times.

Pray tell why? Photo ID is all that is required by law as previously stated by Police Commissioner.

P.S. What is the necessity of an international licence at all?

[kannot]

Drove all the way from PB to the airport today, not one check point.

Nothing additional at the airport.

Frisked.....was your car searched as well?

I had a policeman come to my house yesterday and asked to see my passport, he told Mrs Possum that they were doing this to every Farang in Thailand.

I would presume other TV members have had policemen come to their house.

So, on that basis, a lot of overstayers had better watch out.

Nope, even immigration said they wouldnt come out to me as they dont have money for gas so no home visit ever........you'd think they were hundreds of km away but in fact only about 30.

[merijn]

Drove all the way from PB to the airport today, not one check point.

Nothing additional at the airport.

Frisked.....was your car searched as well?

I had a policeman come to my house yesterday and asked to see my passport, he told Mrs Possum that they were doing this to every Farang in Thailand.

I would presume other TV members have had policemen come to their house.

So, on that basis, a lot of overstayers had better watch out.

I think that the police man was making up a story to you as there is no any indication that they are visiting farangs at their homes.

Only immigration officers will sometimes do home visits for visa extensions purposes.

[tracker1]

Drove from Chiang Rai to Phitsanulok on Wednesday and had the pleasure of being stopped at 10 checkpoints

[NoshowJones]

Drove all the way from PB to the airport today, not one check point.

Nothing additional at the airport.

Frisked.....was your car searched as well?

I had a policeman come to my house yesterday and asked to see my passport, he told Mrs Possum that they were doing this to every Farang in Thailand.

I would presume other TV members have had policemen come to their house.

So, on that basis, a lot of overstayers had better watch out.

I think that the police man was making up a story to you as there is no any indication that they are visiting farangs at their homes.

Only immigration officers will sometimes do home visits for visa extensions purposes.

If that was the case, then he would have been making up the story to my wife as my Thai is not good enough for him to tell me direct.

He told my wife that it was because of the atrocity in Bangkok, has any other posters had police checking their passports at their home?

I am meeting with my Farang friends later today and will ask them.

[Prairieboy]

Drove all the way from PB to the airport today, not one check point.

Nothing additional at the airport.

Frisked.....was your car searched as well?

I had a policeman come to my house yesterday and asked to see my passport, he told Mrs Possum that they were doing this to every Farang in Thailand.

I would presume other TV members have had policemen come to their house.

So, on that basis, a lot of overstayers had better watch out.

I had one at my house about 10 days ago - took photos, looked at my passport and I wrote my name and address. It seemed to be a farang census thing. They visited all the farangs in our village (maybe 5 or 6)

[KMartinHandyman]

Passed a formidable looking checkpoint on Hwy 3-Sukhumvit btwn Jomtien and Bangsaray on the opposite side we were traveling Friday midday. I don't know its purpose and happy to see it was finished upon returning before 5pm.

We were waved over by police in Pattaya with myself driving the rented motorbike, asked for my license and I gave him my IDP for car only. He pointed out car only but after a little talking with my wife he waved us along.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[NoshowJones]

Drove all the way from PB to the airport today, not one check point.

Nothing additional at the airport.

Frisked.....was your car searched as well?

I had a policeman come to my house yesterday and asked to see my passport, he told Mrs Possum that they were doing this to every Farang in Thailand.

I would presume other TV members have had policemen come to their house.

So, on that basis, a lot of overstayers had better watch out.

I had one at my house about 10 days ago - took photos, looked at my passport and I wrote my name and address. It seemed to be a farang census thing. They visited all the farangs in our village (maybe 5 or 6)

That's interesting, he looked at my passport, took photos, but I was not asked to write my name and address.

[kannot]

Drove all the way from PB to the airport today, not one check point.

Nothing additional at the airport.

Frisked.....was your car searched as well?

I had a policeman come to my house yesterday and asked to see my passport, he told Mrs Possum that they were doing this to every Farang in Thailand.

I would presume other TV members have had policemen come to their house.

So, on that basis, a lot of overstayers had better watch out.

I had one at my house about 10 days ago - took photos, looked at my passport and I wrote my name and address. It seemed to be a farang census thing. They visited all the farangs in our village (maybe 5 or 6)

That's interesting, he looked at my passport, took photos, but I was not asked to write my name and address.

Some man turned up here asked for staffs passport and me to sign his piece of paper , I declined he left with the staff's passport number only, no photos no cavity search no bag search no probes no alien abduction etc etc Head of village said govt said to do it but it was the staff they were interested in so dont know why he asked me to sign.

[kannot]

Drove from Chiang Rai to Phitsanulok on Wednesday and had the pleasure of being stopped at 10 checkpoints

take off those ridiculous glasses, wig and yellow t shirt

[bill1369]

Somewhat related - I live near a 5-star hotel with 2 other high-rise buildings in the complex + shopping.

The day after the bomb, security was stopping all cars with 1 guy looking in car windows while a 2nd guy walked around car with a mirror looking at undercarriage. 2nd day after bomb the security were sitting in chairs holding on to the undercarriage mirrors but never actually getting up to inspect vehicles. After 3rd day - no inspections and no security.

Alfred E. Neuman: "What, me worry?"

[Nice Boyd]

Passed a formidable looking checkpoint on Hwy 3-Sukhumvit btwn Jomtien and Bangsaray on the opposite side we were traveling Friday midday. I don't know its purpose and happy to see it was finished upon returning before 5pm.

We were waved over by police in Pattaya with myself driving the rented motorbike, asked for my license and I gave him my IDP for car only. He pointed out car only but after a little talking with my wife he waved us along.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

u usually just show them IDL and they don't question the motorbike stamp, cuz I just have auto stamp, well the Miserable <deleted>,must be those Mall Cops ,Clueing them in.