Tourist Police/Reporting theft

[nathanlowe]

Last night on a bus between Bangkok and Chiang Mai, my girlfriend has had her bumbag/fanny pack taken from her during the night. It has either been slashed with a knife or carefully unclipped.

I am currently staying at The Royal Guesthouse - 5, Soi 4 Kotchasarn Road, Tambon Changklan, Amphoe Mueang Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai, 50100

Where is the nearest tourist police?

We need to go and report this and obtain the relevant documents to issue a claim to our insurance.

Two sets of sunglasses and around 8,500 THB has been stolen.

I have heard mixed reviews about reporting such things to the police so any advice would be great. Do we need to take passports or anything with us?

We are not interested in the Police ringing around the bus companies and finding out the who the driver is etc as we know this will not bring a stop to the crimes or our items back.We just need a police report stamped with a list of what has been stolen also on the report.

Thank you

[MrBrad]

As you know, you'll never see your property again. The only reason for obtaining a police report would be for documentation for your insurance company to settle your claim, assuming that you have theft insurance.

And, if your insurance company requires the police report to be in English or another language other than Thai, you'll need to visit an office that does certified translating. I recommend Star Visa Service which is located just west of the US Consulate about 100 meters. Street view is here: https://goo.gl/maps/r6Wq1TAEA542

[Dante99]

Night Bazaar Tourist Police: Onsite, outside the Vieng Ping Centre, Changklan Road (booth).

Tourist police station: 196 Moo 1, Sri Wichai Road, Chang Puak, Muang, Tel: (053) 212 146-8, Fax: (053) 212 147, Emergency call: 1155.

Airport Tourist Police Office: 60 Mahidol Road, Suthep, Muang, Tel: (053) 270 222 Ext. 2191.

Arcade Tourist Police Office: Arcade Bus Station, Tel: (053) 247 318.

Your guest house can tell you which is closest, probably night bazar. Take your passport. Tell them what you want, not what you do not want.

[mikebell]

Good job it didn't happen in Pattaya. No one answers the phone here lest they have to some work. They will not stir for less than 10,000.

[tails]

4 years and I have called the tourist police maybe 10-12 times for various reasons. They haven't actually answered the phone yet...

[Sparkles]

Forget the Tourist Police go to the police station on Walking Street CM, they will document your report.

[Chicog]

+1 Sparkles, although I took a Thai with me to translate. Went to get a police report so I could get a new bank book. Took all of about five minutes and a few hundred baht if I remember correctly.

Pretty standard and they had absolutely no interest in how I lost it.

[nathanlowe]

They wouldn't do anything bevause we didn't have our bus ticket which stated the company name. Only an orange slip which said BKK to CM for 2 pax which we handed to the driver.

Also bevause we didn't know where we got dropped off (7-8km) outside of Chiang Mai he also said that was a reason.

He knew we needed documentation for our insurance which has to be reported in 24 hours but wouldn't give us anything because an investigation could not be completed with the info we gave.

We showed a bank receipt to show we withdraw moneh at 5am bevause money was stolen, we bring passport and our bus slip.

Nothing.

[NancyL]

They have many cases of tourists who try to file fake police reports so they can make a claim with their travel insurance so they are understandably wary of cooperating when there is incomplete evidence and someone delays lodging a report.

Normally when something like this happens people don't delay filing a report and they get the name of the bus company, driver, where they were when it happened etc. Not that they driver and company are to blame, but this is all routine info needed in any police report, i.e when and where did the crime occur.

[2fishin2]

They have many cases of tourists who try to file fake police reports so they can make a claim with their travel insurance so they are understandably wary of cooperating when there is incomplete evidence and someone delays lodging a report.

Normally when something like this happens people don't delay filing a report and they get the name of the bus company, driver, where they were when it happened etc. Not that they driver and company are to blame, but this is all routine info needed in any police report, i.e when and where did the crime occur.

Define many. I highly doubt there is a high percentage of this of which you speak.

[NancyL]

I can't speak for the police, of course. But it was brought up by Laurie Simmons, a foreign volunteer with the Muang police dept as being something that happens often enough that the police are quick to question if a tourist filing a report really was robbed of an item or is merely submitting a false report to make a claim on his travel insurance.

[NancyL]

I can't speak for the police, of course. But it was brought up by Laurie Simmons, a foreign volunteer with the Muang police dept during his recent program at CM Expats Club as being something that happens often enough that the police are quick to question if a tourist filing a report really was robbed of an item or is merely submitting a false report to make a claim on his travel insurance.

For example, if someone claims they were robbed of a valuable camera, they will first be asked to prove that they owned the camera and then they will be escorted to their guesthouse by the police who will inspect their room looking for the camera. Sometimes it's found among their belongings. Filing a false police report is a serious crime.

[nathanlowe]

We simply couldn't provide the information they required to

Complete their part which is understandable.

I think In future taking pictures of the bus, reg, travel ticket before it's taken away etc will be required.

Can see it from the police side with the number of fake claims but annoying from our part bevause our bus ticket was taken in Bangkok before we departed and we were dropped off in the middle of kneeere at 5am.

[oldgent]

hi nathan for such a small amount might not be worth it, with say 100-300 for police report

and excess on your insurance policy

[Dante99]

They wouldn't do anything bevause we didn't have our bus ticket which stated the company name. Only an orange slip which said BKK to CM for 2 pax which we handed to the driver.

Also bevause we didn't know where we got dropped off (7-8km) outside of Chiang Mai he also said that was a reason.

He knew we needed documentation for our insurance which has to be reported in 24 hours but wouldn't give us anything because an investigation could not be completed with the info we gave.

We showed a bank receipt to show we withdraw moneh at 5am bevause money was stolen, we bring passport and our bus slip.

Nothing.

Don't know where you got off the bus? The police had good reason to send you on your way.

[nathanlowe]

We were awoken at 5am, hurried off the bus and told we needed a tuk/tuk to the centre which was about 20 minutes away.

Conveniently there were tuk Tuks waiting exactly where we got dropped off.

How do you expect me in this situation to know where I am?

[Dante99]

We were awoken at 5am, hurried off the bus and told we needed a tuk/tuk to the centre which was about 20 minutes away.

Conveniently there were tuk Tuks waiting exactly where we got dropped off.

How do you expect me in this situation to know where I am?

Certainly I would not expect You to know where you are or were.

But it is a reasonable expectation for most people. Even the Indians stood on high mountians saying "wherethefuckarewe" and figured it out.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Don't book buses on Khao San Road, or anywhere else other than an actual bus station.

This has been rife for decades. It's only lessening now due to more affordable flights.

[2fishin2]

We were awoken at 5am, hurried off the bus and told we needed a tuk/tuk to the centre which was about 20 minutes away.

Conveniently there were tuk Tuks waiting exactly where we got dropped off.

How do you expect me in this situation to know where I am?

Certainly I would not expect You to know where you are or were.

But it is a reasonable expectation for most people. Even the Indians stood on high mountians saying "wherethefuckarewe" and figured it out.

Myself, I think its reasonable to not know where you are when a bus drops you off somewhere in Thailand you have never been to before.

Myself, I think its reasonable to not have TV members such as yourself belittling and being argumentative towards another poster who comes here looking for a little advice.

Myself, I dont think that is too much of a reasonable thing to ask.

Dude really?

[Dante99]

Yeh Dude Really!

You ask on this forum where the police department is? Between you, your girlfriend, the staff where you are staying and your internet access, you could not work that out?

You buy a bus ticket without confirming where your trip ends. You did not recognize the loss when you got off the bus? Why not, it was attached to her body? If you did why did you not deal with it then and there or at least get the relevant information then and there?

And you want reasonable.

Edited June 23, 2016 by Dante99

[BarnicaleBob]

The bus you took to Chiang Mai was most likely one that was not licensed to deliver you to the bus station in Chiang Mai. This happens all the time every day and they let off their riders out on the Chiang Mai Lamphun Road in the Norg Hoi area. It is also common for such buses to not have proper tickets as they are not properly licensed to deliver people into Chiang Mai. So you can use that information for filing your report. You should try one of the other tourist police offices with this new information and maybe you will have better luck. Being that the Thai government wants to look pro-tourist safe to the rest of the World they are reluctant to take criminal reports of suspected thefts. I suggest you approach the new tourist police office as victims who simply lost their property while on the bus rather than accusing a Thai of having taken it. You will at least get a report then for your bank and insurance company. Good luck and try to enjoy the rest of your stay here.

Edited June 23, 2016 by BarnicaleBob

[Oscar2]

the tourist police don't answer the telephone in C.M. either. i called one evening many times trying to help someone out. after calling maybe 8 times and letting the phone ring 20 times each, finally a guy answered. i told him (in Thai language) what was happening. he cursed me for waking him up over a matter he deemed not important and slammed down the telephone.

[mrfaroukh]

You don't need to go to tourist police, you just go to the local police and make a report. If this happened on the bus then may be you should have informed the bus driver about the case to give some kind of letter or could be contacted by the police if needed.

There are many tourist who try to make false report to lure the insurance. So the police will make their own investigation such as checking CCTV etc to make sure you are telling the truth. Once everything is done you will get a police report. The report is probably in Thai language. You can ask them that you want it in English and they will charge you few hundred baht to translate it in English for you.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

The bus you took to Chiang Mai was most likely one that was not licensed to deliver you to the bus station in Chiang Mai. This happens all the time every day and they let off their riders out on the Chiang Mai Lamphun Road in the Norg Hoi area. It is also common for such buses to not have proper tickets as they are not properly licensed to deliver people into Chiang Mai. So you can use that information for filing your report. You should try one of the other tourist police offices with this new information and maybe you will have better luck. Being that the Thai government wants to look pro-tourist safe to the rest of the World they are reluctant to take criminal reports of suspected thefts. I suggest you approach the new tourist police office as victims who simply lost their property while on the bus rather than accusing a Thai of having taken it. You will at least get a report then for your bank and insurance company. Good luck and try to enjoy the rest of your stay here.

This is the best reply yet.

The tourist police is a good start. You got a ticket for an illegal bus operator, typically those operate out of the Khao San area in Bangkok. I saw it again departing from ChianG mai too, it departs now from Moon Muang Road where Mandalay Club us, and clearly there are still people who don't know any better who book it at hotels and guesthouses around town.

These buses are bad news, frankly you were lucky. So yes report to Tourist Police although it's like a big corrupt mess anyway.

For all bus travel in Thailand: buy your ticket from a legal, government regulated company that departs form the designated bus station. All Thais manage to do this, but tourists (backpackers especially) seem to love the convenience of departing from Khao San..

[SOTIRIOS]

...good luck....

..the manner in which it was taken.....and lack of details would suggest....impossible...

...no such thing as a passenger list....maybe they should consider it.....