Chiang Mai: 100 armed police arrest foreigners for not carrying passports

[rooster59]

100 Armed Police Raid Zoe in Yellow, No Criminals Found

CHIANG MAI: Last night, 18th February, one hundred police officers and tourist police officers raided and roped off the Zoe in Yellow entertainment complex, refusing to let tourists go, testing urine for drugs and arresting tourists without a passport on them.

At 10pm last night, the police raided the complex, quickly roping off the area with police tape to stop anybody leaving or entering.

Some of the police were armed with assault rifles.

The police did random urine testing on many party goers but found no evidence for any substance abuse.

Full story: http://www.chiangmaicitylife.com/news/100-armed-police-raid-zoe-in-yellow-no-criminals-found/

-- Chiang City News 2016-01-20

[Crossy]

it will be interesting to find out what actual law has been broken.

I mean with an actual article reference rather than 'you must carry your passport'.

[colinneil]

Bloody hell m16s just to check for passports.

Police state or what?

I better be careful they maybe lock me up for driving my wheelchair ! without due care !

[craigt3365]

That picture, with a semi-automatic weapon, in the tourist zone of CM is sure to make TAT happy! LOL I wonder how many trips are being cancelled as I write this???

[Rob8891]

I carry a credit-card sized, laminated copy of the main passport page with copy of the current visa on the reverse, plus my driving licence. It will be interesting to see if they accept that, since last year's announcement that a copy was enough...

[catterwell]

It's a good idea to keep a (reduced size) photocopy of your passport about your person. Technically the law requires you to carry the original at all times; but in practice a photocopy will do.

[catterwell]

I carry a credit-card sized, laminated copy of the main passport page with copy of the current visa on the reverse, plus my driving licence. It will be interesting to see if they accept that, since last year's announcement that a copy was enough...

You beat me to it as I was posting. But you're quite correct.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

This and the similar raids in Pattaya lately arresting people for not carrying passports....

The military government just deciding to flex its muscles, or, a response to the reports of some kind of IS terrorist threat inside Thailand?

[Daffy D]

I thought this business about carrying a passport at all times had been settled.

According to previous threads a copy of passport was OK as long as the actual one was produce at police station if requested.

[WhizBang]

I hope this makes the international press, as it will be another nail in Thailand's tourist coffin. Assault rifles to check for passports? W.T.F.?

Edited February 20, 2016 by WhizBang

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

It's a good idea to keep a (reduced size) photocopy of your passport about your person. Technically the law requires you to carry the original at all times; but in practice a photocopy will do.

That's what I do also, since I don't want to risk carrying around (and potentially losing) my original passport.

But in the news reports of the recent passport raids in Pattaya and Chiang Mai, there's been no mention of whether those arrested for not having "passports" either didn't have anything, or perhaps had copies but not the originals. No mention of that detail whatsoever.

So, I'd say it's pretty hard to know/assume whether a copy is going to be sufficient in this latest "crackdown" -- notwithstanding what the authorities told us last year.

[Always18]

Totally OTT and frankly outrageous behaviour in a supposedly civilised country - Thailand is firmly in reverse gear and my wife and I are firmly headed back to the UK in a few weeks as a result.

Goodbye Thailand and we wish Thais all the best in their bleak future.................

[Tywais]

There is a difference between being detained and being arrested. Arrested just makes better headlines. The latter means going through the full process of booking the person in preparation for court appearance. One member who was caught up in it said none of that happened and many just walked away from the station.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The final sentence of the City News report says

All the tourists who did not have their passport with them were taken to Chiang Mai police station and processed.

In Thai police parlance, I don't know what "processed" means.... clearly detained... arrested, apparently... charged, not clear...

[Tywais]

The final sentence of the City News report says

All the tourists who did not have their passport with them were taken to Chiang Mai police station and processed.

In Thai police parlance, I don't know what "processed" means.... clearly detained... arrested, apparently... charged, not clear...

Not obvious what they are referring to regarding 'processed'. If some had zero form of ID on them then I can see going through the whole procedure.

[than]

This and the similar raids in Pattaya lately arresting people for not carrying passports....

The military government just deciding to flex its muscles, or, a response to the reports of some kind of IS terrorist threat inside Thailand?

When you know that terrorist come from western country, some of them are native and converted and carry french or belgian passeport

[z42]

Even by the gutter standards of late, this is an abysmal low & utterly disgraceful to boot. I await NCPO spokesman Major General Sanserm Kaewkamnerd's spinning of this latest farce with glee

[Denim]

Fortunately , don't get this sort of thing outside the main tourist areas. Life goes quietly by with very few hassles.

[DavisH]

Whatever the law, Id rather pay a fine than risk losing my passport. Is this only clubs that have been raided? Do I stand being arrested while spending my money at Central?

[Chicog]

I'm not taking my passport out on the piss, period.

And if that isn't acceptable in Thailand, I'll go elsewhere.

I've already moved this year's golf tour (10 people) from Pattaya to Cambodia.

So ---- them and their silly rules.

The Chinese can have the place as far as I'm concerned.

Edited February 20, 2016 by Chicog

[Jeremy50]

It seems that to some , the penny never drops, that we are not actually liked here.

[Just1Voice]

The only times I carry my passport is when I have to go to Immigration, and when I take one of my bike trips. Only once during my many trips was I asked for my actual passport, instead of them accepting the laminated copy, along with my Thai driving license. They simply compared the laminated copy to the original, smiled, said "Thank you", handed them back and waved me on.

[oldsailor35]

Perhaps the best solution is for everyone to be recruited into the RTA on arrival, then the military govt under Prayuth will know how to deal with them. But first send them on leave .

[beerzy]

I carry a credit-card sized, laminated copy of the main passport page with copy of the current visa on the reverse, plus my driving licence. It will be interesting to see if they accept that, since last year's announcement that a copy was enough...

Good as long as you have a copy of the current visa stamp too

[shirtless]

If this happened to me as a tourist it would be my last visit

[Inyourendo]

I hope this makes the international press, as it will be another nail in Thailand's tourist coffin. Assault rifles to check for passports? W.T.F.?

The number of times I have read that coffin comment.......the coffin must weigh a ton by now...but keeps on floating

[billsmart]

I carry a credit-card sized, laminated copy of the main passport page with copy of the current visa on the reverse, plus my driving licence. It will be interesting to see if they accept that, since last year's announcement that a copy was enough...

I do too..

[LivinLOS]

There is a difference between being detained and being arrested. Arrested just makes better headlines. The latter means going through the full process of booking the person in preparation for court appearance. One member who was caught up in it said none of that happened and many just walked away from the station.

Thats nonsense..

I myself have been arrested, then released without charge, in my youth.. Arrest does not mean your automatically charged it means having your liberty removed. Detained is stopped and asked a question or two, but then are free to go, if your not free to go after that, your under arrest.

[Guitar God]

"Thailand on high alert due to ISIS threat".

Since this ID check is happening right after the threat was announced, do you think there may be some sort of connection , or just a coincidence??

[billsmart]

I'd guess "processed" means "extorted out of THB 300"...