Metropolitan police chief tells foreigners to carry passports or copies at all times

[jvs]

Yeah something else to moan about,don't forget every Thai has to have his or her id.card with them always!

[BuckBee]

So if a criminal walks by with his passport & valid visa on his way to one of these illegal entertainment zones that many high ranking police own or take brown envelopes to allow operate how they going distinguish his ill intent !

Seems to me 2 scenarios likely on this, it either a response to the tighter immigration rules & way of trying grab & pressure those without visas or they have some details on potential suspects for the area . Not going be good for the working girls in these lovely entertainment zones (aka whore dens) as trade going take a hit from this lol ...

[Roomuck]

C'mon guys.!

Go to any Kodak shop with your passport.

For $3 they will colour copy your passport front page and Visa/Extension, reduce to wallet card size and laminate with one on the front and the other on the obverse.

In less time than it takes you to enjoy a cold frothy.

Do it on the way home from your annual Immi visit - you'll need a coldie by then.

Or you could take a cold frothy to the Kodak shop. You have made me thirsty.

Bugger all chance of being asked for it anyway. Just a lot of thaivisa fuss.

[pinkpanther99]

Whether you need a photocopy or original is missing the point.

It's this idea that foreigners need to carry ID because they might be criminals!

Is anyone else beginning to feel like we aren't welcome?

[Evilbaz]

C'mon guys.!

Go to any Kodak shop with your passport.

For $3 they will colour copy your passport front page and Visa/Extension, reduce to wallet card size and laminate with one on the front and the other on the obverse.

In less time than it takes you to enjoy a cold frothy.

Do it on the way home from your annual Immi visit - you'll need a coldie by then.

You miss the point entirely! Thailand police are doing this under the assumption that foreigners are guilty or criminals without reason. They are harassing tourists causing undue stress and given their history perhaps even causing fears of being bribed. Nobody goes somewhere on vacation expecting to be confronted by the police demanding to see their passports unless they are in a communist country. As much as I like Thailand I think the BIB are wrong in this and I hope they lose tourists for their actions.

You must be a newbie.

It has been a RTP Police directive for decades.

Only in "communist countries" - codswallop!

Edited March 19, 2016 by Evilbaz

[phoenixdoglover]

Just a silly question:

How does a passport indicate whether a visitor to Thailand is involved in "transnational crime"?

[donnybay]

“The reason I decided to do the mission tonight is because many entertainment venues which attract foreign tourists are located in these areas. And since many foreigners visit these areas I’m afraid some of them might have ill-intentions to be involved in dark business, or even crimes, especially trans-national crime.

“This operation also helps to boost confidence between tourists and the security forces”, he added.

The biggest pile of horsesh!t I've ever heard.

People who frequent clubs = criminals is what he is saying. Jesus wept

Many of the bars in that area are owned/leased by the biggest foreign gang of criminals there is, and the police are well aware of this. Go to AD site to get the background

[300sd]

The BiB should announce that any foreigners enrolled in criminal activities should turn themselves in as soon as possible. What a pile of X. The longer I live here the more unwanted the feeling becomes.

[BuckBee]

^ you are unwanted, it only the money they want stay ...

[thesetat2013]

C'mon guys.!

Go to any Kodak shop with your passport.

For $3 they will colour copy your passport front page and Visa/Extension, reduce to wallet card size and laminate with one on the front and the other on the obverse.

In less time than it takes you to enjoy a cold frothy.

Do it on the way home from your annual Immi visit - you'll need a coldie by then.

You miss the point entirely! Thailand police are doing this under the assumption that foreigners are guilty or criminals without reason. They are harassing tourists causing undue stress and given their history perhaps even causing fears of being bribed. Nobody goes somewhere on vacation expecting to be confronted by the police demanding to see their passports unless they are in a communist country. As much as I like Thailand I think the BIB are wrong in this and I hope they lose tourists for their actions.

You must be a newbie.

It has been a RTP Police directive for decades.

Only in "communist countries" - codswallop!

It has not been a police directive to go check the public to see if they have a passport in their possession.

What you are saying is that while in London or Sydney I can expect a task force to hold me from leaving the club until I produce my passport. Methinks you are the newbie

[Scouse Twoccer]

Just what you want when you are enjoying a night out.

Taken outside and made to feel uncomfortable by the biggest mafia in Thailand.

Only if you can't produce your passport or a copy. Nothing unreasonable about that, Thais have to be able to produce their original ID cards at all times, why should exceptions be made for foreigners?

[paulinbkk111]

Motorbike license does the same thing, right?

[Scouse Twoccer]

“The reason I decided to do the mission tonight is because many entertainment venues which attract foreign tourists are located in these areas. And since many foreigners visit these areas I’m afraid some of them might have ill-intentions to be involved in dark business, or even crimes, especially trans-national crime.

“This operation also helps to boost confidence between tourists and the security forces”, he added.

The biggest pile of horsesh!t I've ever heard.

People who frequent clubs = criminals is what he is saying. Jesus wept

Actually makes a lot of sense. It is well known that a huge number of entertainment venues in Bangkok are owned by foreign criminals so it's not unlikely that that kind of element of society is likely to be found there.

[The Big Mango]

Seems that a bangkok based "boy" has some decent contacts then.

He posted this around 4.30 as a maybe and at 6pm confirmed it was going to happen

[mca]

Just a silly question:

How does a passport indicate whether a visitor to Thailand is involved in "transnational crime"?

In the passport photo he's wearing a black mask, a striped jersey and carrying a bag marked "swag"

[djjamie]

Yes, have to respect the rules of any country that you visit or live in. I carry a photo of my passport on my phone to ensure I abide by the law.

At the end of the day if this catches only one illegal foreigner or only saves one life by arresting a potential threat then this initiative has worked.

I am sure the very same people that suggest this is too controlling of the govt will be the same ones that complain about the govt if someone that this initiative is targeting commits a violent crime.

Can't win if you do and can't win if you don't.

I prefer the presumption that one is not an "illegal foreigner", whatever one of those is, or violent criminal until it has been proven otherwise. However it is no surprise to me that you would prefer it the other way round and that the onus should be on the individual to prove his or her innocence, even without a shred of evidence as to any nefarious activities.

.... a wet dream come true for some Thaivisa members...

As stated can't win if you do and can't win if you don't.

The same people will still complain.

[Scouse Twoccer]

He added that following the raids and passport checks, everything went smoothly and no one was found to be breaking the rules.

What's amazing to me, based on the OP report, is that they did all these checks the other night at "entertainment venues" and apparently didn't find ANY foreigners without either their original passport or a photocopy??? Really?

I've taken to carrying a laminated photocopy in my wallet since the coup, and always have had photos of the passport pages on my smartphone. But I live here, and tend to follow developments in the news. But I seriously doubt that most farangs in Thailand, especially tourists, are doing that.

Back in my tourist days here years ago, I NEVER carried any passport or passport photocopy around with me.

But as unlikely as it seems, it does appear that you were wrong with your doubts.

[Scouse Twoccer]

Seems that a bangkok based "boy" has some decent contacts then.

He posted this around 4.30 as a maybe and at 6pm confirmed it was going to happen

Of course he does, he is indirectly on the payroll of the owners of most of Bangkok's farang oriented entertainment places. That's who his contacts are. Take a look at the venues that advertise almost exclusively on Stickboy's banal site.

[jucel]

“The reason I decided to do the mission tonight is because many entertainment venues which attract foreign tourists are located in these areas. And since many foreigners visit these areas I’m afraid some of them might have ill-intentions to be involved in dark business, or even crimes, especially trans-national crime.

“This operation also helps to boost confidence between tourists and the security forces”, he added.

The biggest pile of horsesh!t I've ever heard.

People who frequent clubs = criminals is what he is saying. Jesus wept

Actually makes a lot of sense. It is well known that a huge number of entertainment venues in Bangkok are owned by foreign criminals so it's not unlikely that that kind of element of society is likely to be found there.

Makes sense in La La Land.

If it's well known why haven't they been shut down and all the assets seized.

Section 44 covers that quite nicely

[jucel]

Just what you want when you are enjoying a night out.

Taken outside and made to feel uncomfortable by the biggest mafia in Thailand.

Only if you can't produce your passport or a copy. Nothing unreasonable about that, Thais have to be able to produce their original ID cards at all times, why should exceptions be made for foreigners?

No, you are taken outside to show your docs.

You don't think they are conversing with you in the club with banging music and dim lighting.

Why would you be apologising for such actions? Very strange.

[jucel]

Ok, from now on EVERY ALIEN who arrives at Swampy has to pay 1000 baht for a nice laminated copy of their passport/visa.

This is then surgically attached to them so they never leave their hotels without it.

1000 baht also on leaving to detach it

[Hawk]

C'mon guys.!

Go to any Kodak shop with your passport.

For $3 they will colour copy your passport front page and Visa/Extension, reduce to wallet card size and laminate with one on the front and the other on the obverse.

In less time than it takes you to enjoy a cold frothy.

Do it on the way home from your annual Immi visit - you'll need a coldie by then.

You miss the point entirely! Thailand police are doing this under the assumption that foreigners are guilty or criminals without reason. They are harassing tourists causing undue stress and given their history perhaps even causing fears of being bribed. Nobody goes somewhere on vacation expecting to be confronted by the police demanding to see their passports unless they are in a communist country. As much as I like Thailand I think the BIB are wrong in this and I hope they lose tourists for their actions.

You must be a newbie.

It has been a RTP Police directive for decades.

Only in "communist countries" - codswallop!

No it has not been a police directive for decades.

This is a new procedure, its a new clamp down from the immigration office on all foreigners with a flimsy excuse of searching for foreign criminals. I'm sure that there are lot of foreign villians coming to Thailand but I'm sure that their passports do not have the word criminal stamped in block letters on the inside page!

As for terrorists, most of them seem to be members of the fanatical side of islam and therefore shun booze and other vices.

[Merylhighground]

Glad to be away from these Keystones and their inept masters making up and'enforcing' laws as they go.

Sad to see the country plummeting new lows...

[mickyboy]

Nice to know that nothing illegal was going on near Grace hotel.

that the one they had on tv in the uk about sex trafficking and any thing else illegal to do with eastean europeans and arab guys mafia type

[terryp]

The great moronic dumb TV forum debate sets off again on whether to carry a passport, photocopy, or thai DL continues; while ignoring the real problem …..US

Something is brewing and so many of you are blind to it

[legend49]

Its time the media and BIB got the stories aligned. Can we get the Prime Minister to post and document what HE requires and live by that!

I recently had a heated argument with a farang working as police assistant who demanded we carry THE passport and current 90 day report' another buffalo whose part time job has gone to his head.

[Caspersfriend]

The sooner they start microchipping those pesky farang the better off everyone will be.

What a sensible idea: my dog came to LOS with me in 2007 and has never been required to report nor present any documents.

[doublephil]

It looked like they were doing something similar at Thapae Gate in Chiang Mai last night. There were over a dozen police there at 10.00pm checking walking tourists and stopping foreigners on motor bikes. They were blocking the road and disrupting the traffic as I went past very slowly in a car - waved through because they only saw the driver who was Thai and they did not see me through the windows. Did anyone else see what was going on?

[jucel]

Any westerner working as a police assistant in Thailand is the lowest of the low pondlife

[brewsterbudgen]

Anyone living here should know they have to carry a copy of their passport. I hope the message is communicated to tourists via their hotels or Embassies.