Police in Bangkok Conduct Random Checks on Tourists Ahead of Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) Summit

[cruisemonkey]

My winter vacation is all booked... in Cambodia.

[indieke]

I have no problem to be asked something, but why bother me, if I am just walking the street, am 56, and look decent. In which city would they do that? More, these kind actions make "crooked" cops to hold you solo, again want your original passport, and find a way either to fine you and put it in their pocket.  

 

I am staying sometimes near Asoke, as I like the the  Terminal 21 there. There is a good barber, some good food places. Must I be treated like a criminal, to stay in this neighborhood?  I saw with my own eyes a Police-man driving on the sideways, to hassle a decent-looking tourist, and trying coming after me, because I witnessed it.

 

I do understand, that criminality, is a problem. But targeting, what are obvious, innocent tourists, is that preventing crime? And if they so concerned of that, why don't they close down ALL illegal places of their own? Because the police-funds will decrease, and nothing else.

 

And what worries me most, that the illegal goverment , seems to hold the farang responsible for everything.  Tracking with a phone, pissing in cups, fining you if you not carry a passport and so on. Thais can drive without a helmet, a whole family on it, no permit, assurance, but let them go, and annoy the first farang driving by, with his helmet on, and hoping he not got his international driving license.

 

By the way, what is a good APP that say correct phrases in Thai to these <deleted>?  

[sahibji]

4 hours ago, trogers said:

Why?

 

Safety for these business leaders in their after hours haunts?

because it is the responsibility of the host country to ensure smooth operation and safety of attendees and any measures that can help to reduce the risk is worth considering and implementing.

[MANFROMBOCA]

2 hours ago, bridge2bridge said:

What about all the TRASH Tourists that come here and cause problems for ALL of us.

Good to see the crack down IMHO.

If you don't do wrong you have no reason to worry.

 

Benjamin Franklin once said: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."

[Wilsonandson]

Police in Bangkok Conduct Random Checks on Tourists Ahead of Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) Summit

Police from the Metropolitan Police Division 1 check the backpacks of foreign backpackers on Khao San Road

This is from this article written in 2012. No checks have taken place recently on Khao San Road.
http://mobile.dudamobile.com/site/chiangraitimes?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chiangraitimes.com%2Fbomb-plot-shows-gaps-thailands-security.html&dm_redirected=true#2893

[Get Real]

6 minutes ago, indieke said:

I have no problem to be asked something, but why bother me, if I am just walking the street, am 56, and look decent. In which city would they do that? More, these kind actions make "crooked" cops to hold you solo, again want your original passport, and find a way either to fine you and put it in their pocket.  

 

I am staying sometimes near Asoke, as I like the the  Terminal 21 there. There is a good barber, some good food places. Must I be treated like a criminal, to stay in this neighborhood?  I saw with my own eyes a Police-man driving on the sideways, to hassle a decent-looking tourist, and trying coming after me, because I witnessed it.

 

I do understand, that criminality, is a problem. But targeting, what are obvious, innocent tourists, is that preventing crime? And if they so concerned of that, why don't they close down ALL illegal places of their own? Because the police-funds will decrease, and nothing else.

 

And what worries me most, that the illegal goverment , seems to hold the farang responsible for everything.  Tracking with a phone, pissing in cups, fining you if you not carry a passport and so on. Thais can drive without a helmet, a whole family on it, no permit, assurance, but let them go, and annoy the first farang driving by, with his helmet on, and hoping he not got his international driving license.

 

By the way, what is a good APP that say correct phrases in Thai to these <deleted>?  

 

Just a question.Where in Thailand are you living? Where I live they stop thais that drive without helmets, and they stop me if I do the same. They stop me if I have no driver license same like they check thoose on thais too.
You must have been finding Shang-ri-la?

Forgot to say! I have 16 years experiance of living here.

Edited October 9, 2016 by Get Real
Just forgot some

[Get Real]

9 minutes ago, cruisemonkey said:

My winter vacation is all booked... in Cambodia.

 

Going there for a couple of weeks this month. Good too. Hope you have fun.

[KenKadz]

Proactive police work?

 

With hundreds of millions of people coming to Thailand every year, from all over the world.

Multinational Criminal Elements / Gang Violence

Incredible amounts of Drugs / Trafficking.

Terrorist / Threats / Bombs

Illegal Immigrants / People trafficking

Crimes against Foreigners / etc., etc.

 

I can certainly understand that law enforcement and national security agencies have a very big job.

They are damned if they do, and damned if they don't!

Unfortunately for them it is the uniform police in the street, following orders, that are the most visual and criticized for their efforts.

 

Bottom Line: NO ONE IS "REQUIRED" TO COME TO THAILAND FOR A HOLIDAY, RETIREMENT, ETC.

[sahibji]

9 minutes ago, indieke said:

I have no problem to be asked something, but why bother me, if I am just walking the street, am 56, and look decent. In which city would they do that? More, these kind actions make "crooked" cops to hold you solo, again want your original passport, and find a way either to fine you and put it in their pocket.  

 

I am staying sometimes near Asoke, as I like the the  Terminal 21 there. There is a good barber, some good food places. Must I be treated like a criminal, to stay in this neighborhood?  I saw with my own eyes a Police-man driving on the sideways, to hassle a decent-looking tourist, and trying coming after me, because I witnessed it.

 

I do understand, that criminality, is a problem. But targeting, what are obvious, innocent tourists, is that preventing crime? And if they so concerned of that, why don't they close down ALL illegal places of their own? Because the police-funds will decrease, and nothing else.

 

And what worries me most, that the illegal goverment , seems to hold the farang responsible for everything.  Tracking with a phone, pissing in cups, fining you if you not carry a passport and so on. Thais can drive without a helmet, a whole family on it, no permit, assurance, but let them go, and annoy the first farang driving by, with his helmet on, and hoping he not got his international driving license.

 

By the way, what is a good APP that say correct phrases in Thai to these <deleted>?  

my sympathies go with you. you are apparently a clean person trying to make the best of life. yes these incidents like being randomly searched on the roadside will be disturbing. not a a very touristy spirit or experience I  guess,

[sahibji]

15 minutes ago, cruisemonkey said:

My winter vacation is all booked... in Cambodia.

hope you enjoy it. you might find a different set of problems there.

[sahibji]

22 minutes ago, Get Real said:

Yeah, looks like this conversation soon is going to come to an end too. 

I just don´t see the problem here regarding the passport checks. They are quite in order now, when they start to try making
a clean up. It´s highly welcome to see that, due to the big amount of people residing in this country out of the wrong reasons.

About the urine check, I really do not think that they give everyone they check up the passport a cup. I would rather think that
if someone fail to produce a valid visa, then the cup comes automatically but then that person is already wrong and have to
face that fact. If someone is residing or visiting the country in an illegal way, then they surely want to see if there is anything
more that the person does that is illegal or any other reason for failing to show the proper documents.

There is also very easy to see if someone is high on something or have been using drugs, and then I am sure that the cup will
come out for all thoose people too. How anyone can think that it´s something wrong with that, is something I can not understand.

In my opinion everyone that have a problem with that, must have a reason for their behavior. Probably that reason is one of all the
things people can not do anymore as a turist or expat in Thailand.

I am not pointing out anyone or any kind of people or race, but for me it stands clear that everyone with cler papers and nothing to
worry about, doesn´t use prohibited drugs and have a positive mind would welcome all this.

Finally it is happening something and that must be positive, when most of all the people coming here want to feel safe. That is
something that all the criminals are taking away. Just good police work, and they definetely don´t give tha cup to people that
they clearly can see are not using drugs.

whichever way you look at it this would not be a pleasant touristy experience if it happened to me.

[trogers]

9 minutes ago, sahibji said:

because it is the responsibility of the host country to ensure smooth operation and safety of attendees and any measures that can help to reduce the risk is worth considering and implementing.

 

I understand and agree. The places where the police carried out checks would probably be the haunts of these business leaders...

[sahibji]

26 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

There is no way that I will ever let the police make me provide a urine sample on the street or search me. They have no probable cause to do any of this and thus it is illegal. I will of course show passport and visa. If they insist on a search or sample- my answer is take me to the police station and I will bring a witness and a lawyer and to notify the officer in charge of the situation.  Luckily, I have never been stopped  but I do carry my original passport when going out in Bangkok. Their excuse of looking for potential 'terrorists' ring hollow as those stopped do not fit any of the profiles.

would that be possible logistically to  take every one of the suspects to the police station as it will take some time to get the lawyer and a witness to accompany the person to the station. i thinks such a system will break down under its own weight.

[sahibji]

1 hour ago, Americano555 said:

I'm gonna stay in my flat for a couple days.

you think it may be the best solution but i feel it is adopting a defeatist attitude. if you have nothing to hide go and enjoy your life in a normal manner.

[Get Real]

4 minutes ago, sahibji said:

whichever way you look at it this would not be a pleasant touristy experience if it happened to me.

 

The chance of it happening to you if you have the proper visa and the documents you need, and also are free from drug use are very slim.
Like a drunk person have tired eyes, and a high person have stary eyes and sometimes wide pupills and can also somtimes not stand still.

Do really think that they will check thoose instead of you, if you not fall in to that line, which I do not think you do.

[Remus1830]

1 hour ago, impulse said:

 

Lots of guys have to get STD tested here.  And they come back every year...

Why do they have to get tested on holiday???? I would never go back to any country if I was tested while on holiday

[sahibji]

3 hours ago, kannot said:

Welcome  to Thailand, why dont they do it at the airport a s soon as the plane  door  opens along with the chip insert, fingerprints, retina  scan, cavity search and 20k baht "security" deposit

and call it "welcome tourists".

[Remus1830]

Someone should let them know the terrorists from the deep South are Thai 

[sahibji]

3 hours ago, z42 said:

I can't quite believe (well, actually I can really) how someone up high in whatever uniformed "service/s" were involved in this latest fiasco doesn't realize that this kind of thing SERIOUSLY damages tourist confidence, and is frankly scary to many / most.

Just going about your night on the town, and suddenly being asked to produce your passports or piss in a cup without any good reason is scandalous. With the amount of crime and corruption in the city, those 200 officers would absolutely be better deployed in other areas.

A disgrace, pure and simple

i agree that it must be a truly traumatic experience for the bona fide  tourists.

[sahibji]

3 hours ago, hansnl said:

Good show guys!

Go on irritating tourists by confronting them with Nazi-like tactics.

Your neighbours are getting bigger smiles day by day.

When will realisation come to you that expats and tourists bring in a huge amount of money.

 

they think it is an effort to restore tourist confidence. it may work contra to that thinking.

Edited October 9, 2016 by sahibji

[Wilsonandson]

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/bangkok/2016/10/08/six-tourist-charged-police-raid-nana-friday-night/

Six African tourists were charged with failure to carry IDs and testing positive for drugs late Friday night in the Nana area.

The officer who joined the raid, Police Col. Samran Nuanma said the reason they chose to inspect the area was because it was a hub of foreign tourists. He denied police specifically targeted any specific race or nationalities.

His supervisor Surachet however, admitted they only brought in “black tourists” to check up due to information he received from informants.

So it was racial profiling after all.

[indieke]

8 minutes ago, Get Real said:

 

The chance of it happening to you if you have the proper visa and the documents you need, and also are free from drug use are very slim.
Like a drunk person have tired eyes, and a high person have stary eyes and sometimes wide pupills and can also somtimes not stand still.

Do really think that they will check thoose instead of you, if you not fall in to that line, which I do not think you do.

 

I am happy, you are  confident, about the place you live. Great for you!  While I doubt that in the evening, they will look in your eyes, so do I if they let most or all people piss, you be left alone, because you not have the profile, whatever that is.  And worse, these kind of actions, will give a single cop, the idea, he is entitled, to do his on his very own. Like the passport, I now carry, when it should be in a hotel-safe.

 

And about you remark about locals and helmets, I not doubt that in local villages, none or few farangs, they will target the locals, but in places where the farangs are largely present, I seen more then once, heck all the time that no Thai is topped, and the farang target. So you proudly live there, good for you, I am happy I can   always get home again. And enjoy some beter places in Thailand, what I have been doing for 27 years. Cheers! 

Edited October 9, 2016 by indieke

[sahibji]

3 hours ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

i was wondering what happens if you refuse. think i would call a lawyer to witness it, would rather pay her than the cops. easy enough for someone to spike the container. military law is in place, does that mean the cops can do what they want?

if spiking is the intention it can be more easily done at the station. i think speculation should be left out of the equation and work on the assumption that the operation is being conducted fairly and honestly.

[sahibji]

2 hours ago, freebyrd said:

 

Point taken, but your average producing documents and peeing in cups? If that happened to me in any country I wouldn't return and would make a point of telling others no to do so. Not a great way to attract much need tourist currency.

and believe you me the word of mouth  would be a very powerful medium.

[Davehappen]

Only trouble I have with the local police around here is, I SPEAK ENGLISH, sorry old son, no you don't.

[sahibji]

2 hours ago, DSJPC said:

and they think this promotes tourism???...idiots!!!...guilty until proven innocent!

i agree it is going against that thinking.

[sahibji]

2 hours ago, impulse said:

 

Do yourself a favor.  Go to your medicine cabinet and write down a list of all your perfectly legal prescriptions.  If you're as old as a lot of us, the list won't be short.

 

Then Google each one to see if it will ring the bell on a cheap, first pass piss test.  And figure that the more sophisticated test that will eventually exonerate you may take a week or two.  During which time you'll be a guest of the local jail.

 

My BKK doctor strongly suggested I stay away from bars where I'm likely to be piss tested.  He said I'd eventually be cleared, but why risk a couple of weeks of misery?

thanks for the enlightenment. most elderly are on a truck load of medication daily.

[sahibji]

1 hour ago, Zikomat said:

Foreigners are the scapegoats almost everywhere. Now also in Thailand. 

welcome to the risks of the  tourist world but you are taking the risk voluntarily by going to such places.

[sanemax]

Wouldnt it nice if the Police the World over all went to visit Thai restaurants in their Counries and checked all the Thais  documents and working visa and made them all take pee tests and visited them at home randomly to make sure that they were living there etc etc

[No1inbangkok]

2 hours ago, JerryinTH said:

It's always the same areas. Usually Asoke and Thonglor. Now they started fetching people on Soi 3 which actually makes sense. 

I really don't understand why they do this in Thonglor area. I understand that there are lots of clubs around, but there is also tons of very affluent foreigners living there. 

None of them breaks the law, pays the overpriced rent prices and has most likely less to hide than people on Soi Africa. 

 

Never bite the hand that feeds them, but they didn't hear that before I guess. I'll move out of Thonglor as soon as my lease is up. 

Really tired of it. 

 

 

I lived in ThongLo for two years and was never stopped by Police.

 

Did I miss something or are you just being over dramatic?