Major Police Activity at Zoe Area Tonight

[PostmanPat]

Just walked past Zoe area at 11pm tonight Thursday, on my way home from UN Irish pub quiz, major police & military ( I think) presence. All the bars in that zone closed or closing, disgruntled customers slowly departing, the whole area front and rear surrounded by police and tourist police vehicles, "accident scene" black & yellow tape has been placed all around the area including the couple of restaurants facing onto the main road, no idea whats gone on, or why, simply reporting what I observed as I slowly walked by.

[CMKiwi]

My biased opinion (as my other half has a bar in that area)...its not the first time and it wont be the last.. Powers at be are in a never ending quest to shut the area down.

In the end it pisses off the tourist....sure the owners in this area arent too happy either. Im sorry but not all tourists come here just to learn about Lanna culture.

Bad move by the authorities.....but what difference is my point if view?

[Mickeem]

The Zoe Yellow backpackers moved on to the Ba Ba Bo Bo end of Loa Kroh with 7/11 bottles just in time for closing

The Elder Princess is at the Imperial Mae Ping for 5 nights - Therefore lots of Bangkok bigwig cops in town also .. the local bobbies usually put on a 'crackdown" show to impress them

The Thai kareokes in the vicinity have been told to close 12:30 and no lock ins

Monday is Macha Bucha so things should be back to normal Tueday

[happysanook]

Problem is, there's just nothing better for the army and police to do... Sit around and stare at McDonald's.. No, let's go make ourselves useful.

[TheSiemReaper]

No problems whatsoever getting trashed in the night bazaar area until gone 1 a.m... suspect it has something to do with the location - Zoe is awful, deserves getting rousted over and over and over...

[bristolgeoff]

saw the action a few got driven away for the cells tonight.every police person they tonight from all the sections.wonder if that will make the papers

[luke000]

The Police were checking tourists passports for overstays .

The tourists getting taken away didnt have their passports with them

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Also: Piss tests.

Nice.

[mesquite]

Pity the tourist who had sent his passport off for a visa.

That's why I always get a receipt for mine.

Edited February 18, 2016 by mesquite

[elektrified]

The Elder Princess is at the Imperial Mae Ping for 5 nights - Therefore lots of Bangkok bigwig cops in town also .. the local bobbies usually put on a 'crackdown" show to impress them

That would explain the loads of sharply dressed police with white gloves all over Sansai yesterday. Graduation at Mae Jo or something???

[Throatwobbler]

No problems whatsoever getting trashed in the night bazaar area until gone 1 a.m... suspect it has something to do with the location - Zoe is awful, deserves getting rousted over and over and over...

So just because you don't like it it deserves to get rousted.

[Tywais]

The Elder Princess is at the Imperial Mae Ping for 5 nights - Therefore lots of Bangkok bigwig cops in town also .. the local bobbies usually put on a 'crackdown" show to impress them

That would explain the loads of sharply dressed police with white gloves all over Sansai yesterday. Graduation at Mae Jo or something???

Yep. I was at Mae Jo university on business the other day and traffic was horrendous due to graduation practice and preparations.

[anto]

I think i am safer drinking in the suburbs and away home by 12 .midnight.Sorry for the young and not so young folk involved though .

[luke000]

Most of the clientele who attend Zoe are back packers passing through , so its unlikely that many of them will have overstayed their visas .

Zoe does serve its purpose, its good to go, have a few beers, put your arms around strangers, wave your hands in the air and sing and dance along to the tunes , but as its the same every night, it does get a bit repetitive after a while, so the people who have been here long term and thus more likely to have over stayed, would not be going to Zoe

[fey]

did they say 'cup' cup' 'cup' when they came in?

Edited February 19, 2016 by fey

[arunsakda]

The Police were checking tourists passports for overstays .

The tourists getting taken away didnt have their passports with them

Did the police accept passport copies?

[CMKiwi]

It was abig crack down on anything and everything, the missus updated me this morning. Checking visa, urinalysis to check for drugs and also checking people on motorvcy and cars to ensure they are not drunk.

Friend of ours got busted, luckily he didnt have to stay in the cells overnight but it was a big wake up call for him. He states he will no longer drink in town unless he has a dedicated driver to get him home.... well thats a plus in my book.

Some of the customers in the missus bar were a bit shocked when they were led away for piss test but then TiT

[JacksSmirkingRevenge]

the cops here make you take a piss test? Say what?!?! What kind of crap is that. Some cop comes up to a random foreigner and makes him pee in a cup? Is that what's going on?

And what is this about checking for overstayers? Who carries their passport when they're out at Zoe? And yes, most of them are just the passing through backpackers because Zoe sucks, and everyone here knows it's not worth going to anymore with 12 am closing times...maybe even earlier at times.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Guess I'll be making some passport copies today..

[TheSiemReaper]

the cops here make you take a piss test? Say what?!?! What kind of crap is that. Some cop comes up to a random foreigner and makes him pee in a cup? Is that what's going on?

And what is this about checking for overstayers? Who carries their passport when they're out at Zoe? And yes, most of them are just the passing through backpackers because Zoe sucks, and everyone here knows it's not worth going to anymore with 12 am closing times...maybe even earlier at times.

Random pee testing here has been going on for what seems like forever - it happens in China too. They aren't checking for overstayers, they're checking for compliance with Thai law on carrying your passport everywhere (seriously and no, a photocopy is not legally an alternative either). In Bangkok if you get caught without your passport - you get a free stay in the clink for 24 hours to reflect on why you should carry it... it's Thailand and that's how it works here.

[true blue]

the proplem for young backpackers is There is not a alternative,place to go in chiang mai,That does the same thing as Zoe.

[Chicog]

Well I wish they'd be consistent in their message, because according to this senior cop you don't need to carry your passport at all times.

They're just being a-holes.

https://asiancorrespondent.com/2014/12/thailand-police-foreigners-not-required-to-carry-passports-at-all-times/

[JacksSmirkingRevenge]

yeah, let me carry my passport when i am out drinking..... it's only my passport, who cares if it is stolen or lost.....

btw, how is zoe even in business anymore? the 12 am closing time has been going on for months..... i guess backpackers spend a lot and drink early.

[Tywais]

they're checking for compliance with Thai law on carrying your passport everywhere (seriously and no, a photocopy is not legally an alternative either). In Bangkok if you get caught without your passport - you get a free stay in the clink for 24 hours to reflect on why you should carry it... it's Thailand and that's how it works here.

That song and dance again.

No need to worry says Bangkok Immigration Commander

BANGKOK:-- [thaivisa.com] After the confusion surrounding the news that all foreigners in Thailand are required to carry their passport with them at all times, Thaivisa.com has today obtained official clarification on this matter.

Earlier this afternoon, Thaivisa.com spoke to Deputy Commander and Police Colonel Voravat Amornvivat, a senior official at Immigration headquarters in Bangkok.

Deputy Commander Voravat wanted to reassure the expat community in Thailand about the current situation.

He told Thaivsia.com that information in an article published by The Nation on 31 July 2014, was incorrect.

Deputy Commander Voravat confirmed that foreign tourists and expats do not need to carry their passports with them at all times.

He said that tourists can of course leave their passports locked in their hotel safe and enjoy their holiday in Thailand without worrying about the need to carry their original passport.

Deputy Commander Voravat also said that for expats living here, a Thai driving license or photocopy of your passport can be used as a form of identification.

However, if Immigration Police suspect an individual to be overstaying in Thailand or being involved in illegal activity, then the individual would be required to produce their original passport promptly.

More here - http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/747736-no-need-to-worry-says-bangkok-immigration-commander/

[Tywais]

Royal Thai police spokesmen say that tourists do not need to carry passports

Royal Thai police spokesman Pol Lt Gen Prawut Thawornsiri has said that tourists do not need to carry their passports on them at all times. The comment as made after various media outlets suggested that tourists were being asked for their passports randomly by the police and to put an end to years of ex-pat speculation relating to foreigners been required to have their passports on them at all times.

He went on to say that the RTP would be conducting an investigation published by the Sydney Morning Herald that police had stopped foreigners on the Sukhumvit Road and conducted searches and extorted bribes from foreigners. There have now been three reports in to the stop and searches. Pol Maj Gen Apichat Thi-amart, the chief of the Tourist Police Division said that he ordered an investigation into the matter after the British Ambassador to Thailand had a meeting with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

Pol Lt Gen Prawut Thawornsiri confirmed that if tourists were asked to produce their passports they would be able to provide them at a later time if necessary.

http://www.samuitimes.com/royal-thai-police-spokesmen-say-tourists-not-need-carry-passports/

[Tywais]

And details on what to do in case of search.

It also stated that a foreigner may:

Take photos of the police officers before a search is conducted

A search must be conducted in a well-lit and public area

No money should be paid to police officers who are conducting a search, even if the foreigner is asked to do so

Vehicles or taxis can only be stopped and searched at a designated checkpoint, under the control of officers

Also, the collection of a urine sample for drug testing can only be conducted at a police station and not in any public space.

In addition to saying they’ve been extorted by police for not carrying proper ID, foreigners have also reported bag and body searches and even humiliating urine tests forced on them on the spot, in public.

http://www.basearticles.com/Article/52307/The-Need-To---Or-Not-To---Carry-A-Passport-At-All-Times-In-Thailand-Thai-Law-Spokesman-Comments.html

[TheSiemReaper]

Except in the same article; "A spokesman of one law firm in Thailand said there were only two circumstances in which police are permitted to conduct searches in public places - if they have a warrant or if the officer has reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing."

[jobin]

Regarding all the traffic police in MaeJo and along hiway 1001 yesterday...i heard that the aforementioned Princess was visiting MJU, thus justifying all the official attention and roadway control. Hard to miss the very numerous stalls along the road next to the Univ all selling the same items. Seemed like garish, colorful and useless trinkets to me, but these things may serve some purpose at the higher levels of Thainess.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

the proplem for young backpackers is There is not a alternative,place to go in chiang mai,That does the same thing as Zoe.

Muay Thai boxing camp?

[elektrified]

Just wait until the 20th of March - I believe is the date - when the new Immigration crackdown goes into force. What's happening now will be nothing compared to what's about to happen.

Having been a backpacker myself in the 70's-early 80's, I sympathize with the people hanging at Zoe, who only want to drink, smoke a little grass, and listen to music and dance while on vacation. Nothing wrong with that as long as they are not driving after drinking, etc. But if this new crackdown gets rid of foreign criminals, then I'm all for it. On a trip to Phuket a while back I was confronted by numerous pimps, drug dealers, and other non-desirables selling fake junk, each and every time I crossed the street. These were people from the former Soviet Union (including those ugly Kirghistan prostitutes), Pakistan, Nigeria, etc. There were criminals everywhere. And the constant stories of Russians, Hungarians, and other foreign mobsters killing each other over RE deals.....etc. Just deport them all.