Randomly interrogated by foreigner & Thai officer, is this normal?

[Thaiwrath]

50 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

So, you don't figure there were teams of cops interviewing people randomly all over town after the temple bombing?  And establishing their authenticity or insisting on going down to the station may have given the bad guys more time to get away?  

 

Takes 30 seconds to show them your ID and speed them on their way.

 

They ask you to pee in a cup?  That's different.  That doesn't seem to be the case here.

 

How long does it take them to show you their ID ?

[baboon]

46 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

Would have been funny if said just a minute and ordered a beer to lighten the situation. all the such, this is intrusive but sounds like another Asoke ordeal. Nothing to hide, nothing to worry.

Right until the day it is 'Never you mind who we are. Documents, NOW.' Whether anyone has anything to hide or not, my sentence above is reason enough to worry.

[evadgib]

No ID?

 

No ID!

 

Simple; as is taking a mugshot or pointing them at the in house CCTV. If they're the real McCoy there are no comebacks. If they're not they'll scarper.

 

HTH

[jspill]

I remember reading about the civilian guy on a StickmanBangkok post, I'll see if I can find the link 

[evadgib]

5 minutes ago, baboon said:

Right until the day it is 'Never you mind who we are. Documents, NOW.' Whether anyone has anything to hide or not, my sentence above is reason enough to worry.

The ol' 'Gene Hunt' routine doesn't work in the 21st century, not even here.

[baboon]

3 minutes ago, evadgib said:

The ol' 'Gene Hunt' routine doesn't work in the 21st century, not even here.

Gene Hunt routine?

[toelli]

19 minutes ago, berybert said:

Not sure I would want someone photographing my ID. Specially not a middle eastern chap who could use such Id for his own benefit.

Someone suggested you might have a similar appearance to a rapist or bomber. Well if that is the case that rapist or bomber might now be using your ID as his own.

Never trust an Arab.

Middle eastern as in Turkish, not Arabic. 
But that was just a guess, what do i know heh :-)

[evadgib]

 

2 minutes ago, baboon said:

Gene Hunt routine?

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Hunt

[kannot]

I would answer nothing except at a  Police station with someone else present, id also ask to see the foreigners work permit

[toelli]

Just want to thank everyone for the feedback.

 

I clearly have to be more careful in the future regarding events like this.

 

Hopefully as some suggested it's nothing to worry about.

[baboon]

4 minutes ago, evadgib said:

 

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Hunt

Gotcha. Yes, let us all do our best to ensure the Gene Hunt routine doesn't wash anywhere at any point in the future by demanding what few rights we have...

[berybert]

9 minutes ago, toelli said:

Middle eastern as in Turkish, not Arabic. 
But that was just a guess, what do i know heh :-)

I'd trust a Turk as much as a Arab.

[NanLaew]

2 hours ago, elviajero said:

As UJ said the foreigner could simply have been working with the Thai police looking for somebody. You may have resembled the person they are after. Foreign police working in Thailand is not unusual.

 

And it is common practice in Pattaya that banged-up foreigners looking for a faster way home are volunteered for use in police stings to catch other dodgy foreigners.

Edited December 7, 2016 by NanLaew

[jspill]

Can't find the link but that Turk / Arab guy has been working with police a few years now, it's a bit weird

 

Not a foreign police officer, some kind of expat interpreter who doesn't wear a uniform like the volunteers in Pattaya / Phuket 

Edited December 7, 2016 by jspill

[louse1953]

2 hours ago, HooHaa said:

correct response is yes, i have id, can i see yours.

 

1 hour ago, impulse said:

So I guess very few of you guys would feel any remorse at all if they were looking for a bomber or a rapist and you wasted their time by not cooperating?

 

Is it that onerous to pull out some ID so they can do their job? 

 

Not to any Tom,Dick or Somchai.

[louse1953]

22 minutes ago, berybert said:

I'd trust a Turk as much as a Arab.

I'd trust a Turk and an Arab the same as a Pom.

[berybert]

10 minutes ago, louse1953 said:

I'd trust a Turk and an Arab the same as a Pom.

How racist.

[billd766]

2 hours ago, tropo said:

If the Thai was dressed in official police uniform, then it's obvious the foreigner was there as a police volunteer just to facilitate communication. IMO asking for ID was not necessary in this case.

 

If it is possible to buy Thai military uniforms then it is equally possible to buy Thai police uniforms. Just because the foreigner was with a man dressed in a Thai police uniform does not mean that either or both are genuine and it certainly is not obvious to me.

 

IMHO I would have been polite and asked to see their ID before I showed them mine. I would probably also asked for their station and badge numbers too.

 

I am sure that they were genuine but a little checking does no harm and genuine police officers would have no problem with that.

[jspill]

That Thonglor police pamphlet says you're allowed to film police

 

It's a bit nerve wracking in the moment but you could start filming yourself, say the date, what's happening, then turn the camera on them

[tropo]

1 hour ago, berybert said:

I'd trust a Turk as much as a Arab.

I don't care what country you're from - I trust no one by default.

[tropo]

56 minutes ago, billd766 said:

 

If it is possible to buy Thai military uniforms then it is equally possible to buy Thai police uniforms. Just because the foreigner was with a man dressed in a Thai police uniform does not mean that either or both are genuine and it certainly is not obvious to me.

 

IMHO I would have been polite and asked to see their ID before I showed them mine. I would probably also asked for their station and badge numbers too.

 

I am sure that they were genuine but a little checking does no harm and genuine police officers would have no problem with that.

 

 

 

 

Not only military uniforms. There have been many reports over the years about fake police doing raids on various establishments.

 

If you think the uniforms could be fake, then why trust the ID's? All police ID's would be in Thai, so you can't read them, and even if you could, how would you know a genuine police ID from a fake one?

 

I think checking does more harm that good. If they are genuine police officers they may become more aggressive, so it's a risk. If they're fake, you wouldn't know it anyway.

 

I think the best way to avoid these problems is sticking to areas inhabited by many foreigners such as shopping malls rather than making a spectacle of yourself on a street, either walking around or eating at street carts. The sooner you get off the streets in Bangkok, the better.

The other way is to just flash your ID and get it over and done with as quickly and painlessly as possible, always being super polite. Thinking they're going to steal your Identity is just paranoia. People who are that paranoid shouldn't be living in Thailand.

Edited December 7, 2016 by tropo

[berybert]

28 minutes ago, tropo said:

Not only military uniforms. There have been many reports over the years about fake police doing raids on various establishments.

 

If you think the uniforms could be fake, then why trust the ID's? All police ID's would be in Thai, so you can't read them, and even if you could, how would you know a genuine police ID from a fake one?

 

I think checking does more harm that good. If they are genuine police officers they may become more aggressive, so it's a risk. If they're fake, you wouldn't know it anyway.

 

I think the best way to avoid these problems is sticking to areas inhabited by many foreigners such as shopping malls rather than making a spectacle of yourself on a street, either walking around or eating at street carts. The sooner you get off the streets in Bangkok, the better.

The other way is to just flash your ID and get it over and done with as quickly and painlessly as possible, always being super polite. Thinking they're going to steal your Identity is just paranoia. People who are that paranoid shouldn't be living in Thailand.

Is being scared of being on the streets also a sign of paranoia ? Woooow look at me I'm walking down the street. Arrest me for walking in a funny manor and talking with a strange accent.

[chrisinth]

3 hours ago, tropo said:

If the Thai was dressed in official police uniform, then it's obvious the foreigner was there as a police volunteer just to facilitate communication. IMO asking for ID was not necessary in this case.

 

Sorry, would have to disagree with you on that. Because someone is dressed as a policeman doesn't mean he is. To assume that two people, one a foreigner, dressed in civilian clothes with him are there in an official capacity is, IMHO a mistake. Perhaps its just my twisted way of thinking.

 

This is one reason why you should always ask for identification when suspicious of any questioning, it is very much your right to do so. It may not turn out to be pretty, but it is your right. Truthfully, I could go out tomorrow morning and, even as a foreigner, purchase a surplus uniform and be fully decked out as a police officer by midday, utility belt and all. A lot easier for a Thai to do this obviously.

 

And just for clarity, I am 100% in the favour of security and will help to the fullest of my abilities when and if questioned. As long as I know who I am talking to. 

[gdgbb]

4 hours ago, Asiantravel said:

 

 

but how do you know they were bone fide? how many stories of the been on this forum about impersonation of police officers?

and if they were genuine are we suddenly living in East Berlin?

"...how many stories of the been on this forum about impersonation of police officers?"

 

It's not common as you seem to be suggesting, I can recall one, how many do you have links to?

 

What's living in Germany (East Berlin [sic]) got to do with it?

 

 

[gk10002000]

Sounds like a Tijuana shake down to me.  Politely say "pound sand" until I see some ID.  Be polite but refuse and don't get into any type of car without first calling the TAT for starters

[gdgbb]

4 hours ago, kannot said:

I would answer nothing except at a  Police station with someone else present, id also ask to see the foreigners work permit

 

Why would you want to go to a police station to identify yourself?  Do you have authority to examine another persons work permit?

[gdgbb]

3 hours ago, jspill said:

Can't find the link but that Turk / Arab guy has been working with police a few years now, it's a bit weird

 

Not a foreign police officer, some kind of expat interpreter who doesn't wear a uniform like the volunteers in Pattaya / Phuket 

 

There are a number of foreigners who volunteer their services as interpreters to assist the police and, of course, those members of the public that need an interpreter when being questioned.  They are neither Volunteer Police nor foreign police and they cannot wear uniforms because of that.

[gdgbb]

53 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

Sounds like a Tijuana shake down to me.  Politely say "pound sand" until I see some ID.  Be polite but refuse and don't get into any type of car without first calling the TAT for starters

 

What's their number but what would the Tourism Authority be able to do for you, even if you called during business hours?  I doubt many foreigners have that number in their contact list.

[Moonmoon]

anyways the Arab looking guy might actually be born in Thailand and grew up as a Thai guy who received an english education (which explains why he spoke english) and a Thai one as well to give him the benefit of the doubt. 

 

I know quite a few South Asian Thais, Middle Eastern Thais, Caucasian Thais, Chinese Thais and probably quite a few other mix as well. You don't have to be South East Asian or Thai Thai to have a Thai Nationality. 

 

But yeah try to ask for their IDs next time.

[Briggsy]

Sounds like Thong Lor police going back to their tried and trusted techniques dating back to 1973, random stop and search of foreigners. Give it 6 months and they will crank up the random piss testing of foreigners. If they feel emboldened they might even start up 'no passport, immediate arrest, detain and fine' scheme that riled the foreign embassies.