Getting caught with marijuana (THC) in my system

[justaphase]

1 minute ago, mtls2005 said:

I was under the impression that many on-the-spot tests here are for one specific substance - methamphetamine, and not cannabis, so can't see why the OP would have any issues at all?

Yep..the biggest earner for the bib here is riding under the influence. That's a small fine too.

[someonelovesyou]

3 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

I was under the impression that many on-the-spot tests here are for one specific substance - methamphetamine, and not cannabis, so can't see why the OP would have any issues at all?

They should pick up any type of amphetamine - including meth. 

[paulbj2]

1 hour ago, Arjen said:

 

Holland is not a country, it is a small part from a country called The Netherlands

 

I used to live in the Netherlands and I can tell you that quite a few Dutch people themselves refer to their own country as "Holland" and they find it rather amusing when foreigners are surprised by this.

[fruitman]

1 hour ago, Arjen said:

 

Holland is not a country, it is a small part from a country called The Netherlands

 

You smoked too much sir, better not go to Thonglor or Pattaya.

[fruitman]

Just now, Arjen said:

I do not smoke.

 

Stop drinking then and change your medicines

[Docno]

20 hours ago, smutcakes said:

 

I did see it, but i think it is extremely extremely rare, and perhaps there was a specific reason why someone was selected. It is so incredibly unlikely that it would happen to him that it is not even worth thinking about. 

 

21 hours ago, smutcakes said:

You would have to be the worlds most unlucky person for any of that scenario to play out. After a decade here i have never met anyone or met anyone who knew any who has been asked to submit a random drug test, its just such a remote scenario.

 

In fact, just this past February, 100 + police raided one of the most popular (among westerners) bars in Chiang Mai, checking passports and doing random drug testing. It's not just about being grabbed by a police officer on the sidewalk or being caught at a roadblock.

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

[Familyaffairs]

49 minutes ago, topt said:

Written like a true pedant...........I suggest everybody knew what was meant unless you are one of the (few?) who find it insulting......

from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holland

It is insulting for true Hollanders to be confused with denizens from other provinces....

[MANFROMBOCA]

14 hours ago, ricku said:

I smoke occasionally, like 2 - 3 joints per month. You say that my info is false, but according to websites like TheCannabist, It could take more than three months before a person has cleared all the THC from his/her system.

There is an article about it right here:
http://www.thecannabist.co/2016/03/09/how-long-does-weed-stay-in-your-system/48677/

Well, thanks for the input and warnings (everyone), I'll just skip smoking for a few months before I head to Thailand. That's the beauty of this thing, it really never gets addictive. At least if you don't chain-smoke it.

Yeah, I know that the risk of getting caught is extremely low, but I don't want to take any chances in that country.

as the report says it depends on your body fat  my son had to get random tests he has 5% body fat tested negative after1 week  also took a detox potion once and was negative after 2 days,,, so if you over weight could take a few weeks if your obese longer... but there are many safe detox formulas on the market take one before you come and stop smoking a week before if your that nervous,,,  if you have  a med mari card bring it ,,,,

[HooHaa]

3 hours ago, Damrongsak said:

Back around 1978, as I was eating my vegetarian meal at a restaurant in Loei, the 20's-something cook came out and told me he had added some herbs to my meal.  Sure enough!  I didn't believe him at first. 

 

Out in the boonies in Loei, a Catholic missionary priest told me he had been fed green chicken soup before an elephant blessing ceremony.  Poor guy had never had ganja and didn't know what was happening, as though blessing elephants wasn't freaky enough.  The only time I ever smoked a bit was in Maha Sarakam, on the top of the Suntorn Hotel in the dry season in 1977.  A few weeks in country and we're standing on top of a shit hotel in a God-forsaken town in Isaan in the middle of the dry season.  Anyone ever have to flood the hotel room floor with water and drape themselves with a wet pakama just to get cooled down at night?

 

Wow, epically irrelavent..

[Ireland32]

18 hours ago, hanuman2543 said:

It will stay in your system for about one month if you are a regular smoker. 10 days if you smoke only once. When they test your hair, then depending on the length of the hair they can proof it for up to a year or even longer. Next time get your facts right before posting false info.

There is no grace period if you smoked in countries where it is legal and then get caught here. Cough up the fine and take it like a man. You have been warned.

6 weeks

 

14 hours ago, ricku said:

I smoke occasionally, like 2 - 3 joints per month. You say that my info is false, but according to websites like TheCannabist, It could take more than three months before a person has cleared all the THC from his/her system.

There is an article about it right here:
http://www.thecannabist.co/2016/03/09/how-long-does-weed-stay-in-your-system/48677/

Well, thanks for the input and warnings (everyone), I'll just skip smoking for a few months before I head to Thailand. That's the beauty of this thing, it really never gets addictive. At least if you don't chain-smoke it.

Yeah, I know that the risk of getting caught is extremely low, but I don't want to take any chances in that country.

It will stay minimum 6 weeks, -and if your Fat even longer

[HooHaa]

1 hour ago, smutcakes said:

 

Yes there was some incidents a year or so back, but there has been very little more about it, and in 10 years in BKK i have never met anyone or heard of anyone having it subjected to them. As i mentioned it is possible but you would need to be one hell of an unlucky sod to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. When it did happen if i remember there was lots of hand wringing, whinging by tourists etc so perhaps they are even less inclined to do it now.

 

 

To the contrary, thhonglor police have been stopping and searching people from the emporium side of asoke up to the other end of tneir jurisdiction regularly for as long as i can rember, the better part of 15 years at least.

 

It is the reports that are inconsistent. The searches, and later the tests have not ceased.

 

That said, marijuana is not the key target. Meth and its derivates are, as it can be found in everything from coke to ecstacy these days.

 

If i were concerned, id likely find a different place to holiday rather than quit smoking, but im not in the least concerned.

[scorecard]

22 hours ago, ricku said:

Will I get prosecuted, even though I smoked the weed in a country where it's legal?

 

I wonder why you would even ask such a question.  The law / punishment etc., obviously relates to the place where you were requested to take the test, the result of that test, and the laws of that jurisdiction.

[BudRight]

2 minutes ago, scorecard said:

 

I wonder why you would even ask such a question.  The law / punishment etc., obviously relates to the place where you were requested to take the test, the result of that test, and the laws of that jurisdiction.

 

Because if the actual act occurred in another country, being punished for it is prosperous. It would be like going to jail in Saudi Arabia because you passed out bibles in Italy.

[IAMHERE]

They know what state you are from; don't be surprised if authorities decide to piss test everyone coming from those states. Could turn out to be a real rain maker.

[smutcakes]

1 minute ago, HooHaa said:

 

 

To the contrary, thhonglor police have been stopping and searching people from the emporium side of asoke up to the other end of tneir jurisdiction regularly for as long as i can rember, the better part of 15 years at least.

 

It is the reports that are inconsistent. The searches, and later the tests have not ceased.

 

That said, marijuana is not the key target. Meth and its derivates are, as it can be found in everything from coke to ecstacy these days.

 

If i were concerned, id likely find a different place to holiday rather than quit smoking, but im not in the least concerned.

 

I have lived in that area for a decade, and have not once ever seen the police testing people. I regulalry drink with many other expats in the Robin Hood, Royal Oak etc for 10 years and I have never heard any of the locals who live around there ever be stopped or it even be mentioned.

 

We have the thick end of 50 posts on this subject and no doubt many decades of people living in Thailand, and not one poster has been stopped, or been asked to submit for a urine test. I would say the possibility of the OP getting asked to submit to a random test would be next to zero.

 

I have been in pubs when raided by the police in Pattaya, and have had to sit there for an hour when they do checks, again next been requested to submit to any tests.

 

As i have said, it does happen but it is extraordinarly rare and extremely unlikely to happen to someone.

[Thaidream]

In almost 50 years of visiting every part of Thailand; walking at day or night on Sukhumvit Road; being in bars and clubs of every manner and mode in the wee hours I have never been stopped; seen anyone else stopped; or been in a place that was raided. Probably lucky- but then again , it just doesn't happen that often.
If I was stopped, and requested a search, I would request to be taken to a police station with witnesses and the head of the station. I never use drugs nor do I smoke but I would want a witness .

[fruitman]

10 minutes ago, IAMHERE said:

They know what state you are from; don't be surprised if authorities decide to piss test everyone coming from those states. Could turn out to be a real rain maker.

 

In that case: Don't be surprised if the authorities in such liberately states start doing the same to the Thai. They use far too much medicines and have medicin-resistant bacterialstrains in their body which is a real danger to mankind.

[Slip]

Stop and search is far more common, but there is no doubt that random testing does happen even if some members themselves have no experience or knowledge of it- this is dated September this year,

 

https://www.stickmanbangkok.com/readers-submissions/2016/09/a-very-unpleasant-12-hours-in-bangkok/

 

Quote

I have a story of misery and angst I'd like to share as a take it or leave it warning.

I've been coming to Thailand since I was a backpacking youngster in 1990. Now I consider myself a senior backpacker, made the move from Khao San to lower Sukhumvit years ago. In all that time I've had minimal contact with the Thai police, an occasional patting down at most. That's going from bushy haired traveler to bald 50-year old white American. That changed this morning, Friday, September 16.

I'm on a short visit to the city only, just catching up with the changes. Flew in from NYC and didn't bother trying to adjust for the time difference since you can easily go out any time of day in Bangkok. So this morning at around 0300 I went to this late-night place that attracts mostly Africans on Sukhumvit soi 3. The place never closes. I was sitting there in the usual cloud of shisha smoke drinking my Chang when the police came in. I've been to this spot, don't even know the name, might not even have one, a bunch of times. The police always come in, look around, collect, and leave. No problem. This morning was different.

 continued at link.

Edited December 5, 2016 by Slip

[silent]

FYI I think in that what if scenario, there might be some case law being made that people can go to schools where they study and dissect what if's so they can become  legal criminals.    

[smutcakes]

6 minutes ago, Slip said:

Stop and search is far more common, but there is no doubt that random testing does happen even if some members themselves have no experience or knowledge of it- this is dated September this year,

 

https://www.stickmanbangkok.com/readers-submissions/2016/09/a-very-unpleasant-12-hours-in-bangkok/

 

 continued at link.

 

I dont think anyone on the topic has said it does not happen. I think people are saying it is extremely unlikely to happen to the OP, and not worth concerning himself about.

[transam]

Reads like there's a few here sweating....

 

So is smoking the stuff and being caught a criminal offense in LOS. In the past I have read it is possible to get chucked out of LOS for drink driving.

[Slip]

14 minutes ago, smutcakes said:

 

I dont think anyone on the topic has said it does not happen. I think people are saying it is extremely unlikely to happen to the OP, and not worth concerning himself about.

 

It's your final contention that I find a little hard to agree with.  I do agree that it is unlikely, but it's a case of wrong time, wrong place.  Should the OP be concerned? Perhaps, perhaps not- I guess that is a choice only he can make, but as he has already indicated he is happy to quit some time prior to coming here, that would seem most advisable.

 

https://www.google.co.th/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=raid drug test thailand

[elgenon]

3 hours ago, Arjen said:

 

Holland is not a country, it is a small part from a country called The Netherlands

 

Yes, I have friends who are Netherlanders.

[Thaidream]

The scenario of the American sent to jail was a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is also why I always carry my Passport if going out to areas where it might happen. In addition, I would never drink where the Africans drink- not because I don't like them- simply a case that they are often targets of the police. There are many other after hours places that one can go with very low probability of a raid.

In regards to the topic at hand- if I was a weed smoker- I would definitely stop 3 months before coming to Thailand. Why test fate- we all know that while not a serious crime to be caught with the residue in one's system- you could be charged and pay a fine- but also have a police record.

I don't tempt fate especially in Thailand. While I said I have never been stopped in almost 50 years- one instance of bad luck could ruin a lot of futures.

Frankly, I wish all countries would simply legalize or at least decriminalize drugs.  So much time, money and manpower is wasted on policing a personal decision. In addition, a constant and fact filled public relations program and treatment program should be adopted to get people off drugs if they so desire. The drug cartels would go away; prisons would empty out and the saved money could be used for treatment and other health related issues. You can't stop people from taking drugs- but you can find reasons for why they do and help them to not wanting to take them.

 

[hdkane]

3 hours ago, ricku said:

Definitely. I've read lots of posts like that, and not just here on Thaivisa.

Hence my little worries.

When I lived in BKK, I was stopped twice. No drug test, but my possessions were checked. Police stated they were looking for yaba.  As noted previously, it was in Thonglor...

[gk10002000]

Not common but less rare in Pattaya for example, and the drug raids typically are in the unlicensed karaoke bars or some clubs that are open after hours.  Stay in the mainstream and getting randomized is very unlikely.  But it does happen.  They seem to test more for Meth and yaba stuff, but can't really tell from the stories that get posted.

[performance]

How many pictures of immigration and police do you see parading like saviours in the media. If they can they will. There close to dumb but ask yourself this... How long is a piece of string.

[hanuman2543]

2 hours ago, Ireland32 said:

6 weeks

 

It will stay minimum 6 weeks, -and if your Fat even longer

Here’s the thing. Since the rate of THC metabolism varies per individual no one can really say how long you will test positive for THC after smoking weed. But there are some common guidelines that should help. The experts at WebMD report that the amount of time THC stays in your system is anywhere from a week to a month, depending on how often you consume it.

[Khon Kaen Dave]

Hanuman2543

I agree.There is a hair folicle test they can do,if they are suspicious that you are a regular druggee.Or if you piss them off enough,and they want to get you out of sheer bloody mindedness or lack of your willingness to get into their barter system. Your money for your freedom.

This test has been around for sometime now and has been known to be used by judges if a witness,or other,turns up and is suspected of being high.

I have been told that some substances can be detected,using this test,up to 3 years.

Although,i dont know if the RTB have this particular piece of kit yet.

[HooHaa]

3 hours ago, smutcakes said:

 

I have lived in that area for a decade, and have not once ever seen the police testing people. I regulalry drink with many other expats in the Robin Hood, Royal Oak etc for 10 years and I have never heard any of the locals who live around there ever be stopped or it even be mentioned.

 

We have the thick end of 50 posts on this subject and no doubt many decades of people living in Thailand, and not one poster has been stopped, or been asked to submit for a urine test. I would say the possibility of the OP getting asked to submit to a random test would be next to zero.

 

I have been in pubs when raided by the police in Pattaya, and have had to sit there for an hour when they do checks, again next been requested to submit to any tests.

 

As i have said, it does happen but it is extraordinarly rare and extremely unlikely to happen to someone.

 

 

I attempted to reply to this earlier, however there has been some werdness abot how the forum responds on chrome android.

searches and stops on Asoke (thonglor side) in around soi 23, narz, glow, as well as 31 near petburi, and soi 22 area continue apace. 

i have been searched numerous time over the past 10 years, though never  tested.

 

yes urine tests are rare, but the thonglor police have not let up.