A Night Out with the Foreign Tourist Police in Thailand's Seediest City

DUNCAN FORGAN

 

Photo by Aaron Joel Santos

 

In 2002 Pattaya, Thailand invited foreigners to assist them, at first for translation and as an informal tourist information service, but its scope has since been widened to include real law enforcement.

 

Thailand’s most sinful city, Pattaya is famous for getting men a little hot under the collar. And discontent is boiling over at the police mobile unit stationed at the entrance to the resort town’s infamous Walking Street. A giant Pakistani man is stating his case vociferously to the volunteer foreign cops who patrol the red-light district on a nightly basis. Beside him, a feminine Asian form on skyscraping stilettos chews gum and shoots him sour looks. “I am not a homosexual,” cries the man. “This thing deceived me,” he says, jabbing a finger at his companion, whose perceptibly manly features and guttural tones make it obvious she was born a he. 

 

“He refused to pay her,” says Andros Plocins, an English member of the Foreign Tourist Police Assistants (FTPA), as we watch the scene unfold. “So now we have to sort it out.” The situation is soon defused. The man, who it transpires, had got a degree of value for the transaction before he realized the reality of the situation, has to pay the agreed price. The ladyboy, meanwhile, is hit with a 200 baht ($6) fine for soliciting. “He should have just paid in the first place,” continues another policeman, laughing.

 

Full story: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/a-night-out-with-the-foreign-tourist-police-in-thailands-seediest-city-704

 

-- VICE 2017-04-13

25 minutes ago, webfact said:

In 2002 Pattaya, Thailand invited foreigners to assist them,

Never to this day, understood why anybody would want to be a police volunteer here ?

Not accepted as a proper copper in their home country in their younger days ? 

 

I would do it just to warn tourists about he truth here--but thai cops would likely fire me

or worse!......if u cant beat em join em.....do i get a cut of the helmet scam????

14 minutes ago, Thaiwrath said:

Never to this day, understood why anybody would want to be a police volunteer here ?

Not accepted as a proper copper in their home country in their younger days ? 

 

Maybe just a desire to give something back to the local community.  

Probably never amounted to anything in their home country, so the uniform makes their childhood dream come true. 

 

3 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Maybe just a desire to give something back to the local community.  

Or maybe for the parachute wings for the uniform.

 

The man, who it transpires, had got a degree of value for the transaction before he realized the reality of the situation 

 

 

Never to this day, understood why anybody would want to be a police volunteer here ?

 

I was a police/translation volunteer in Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya (I should write a book).

 

As BrewsterBudgen commented, 'maybe just a desire to give something back to the local community'

 

I recall working in Pattaya Soi 9 police station and seeing more fights within the station building than outside....

 

Never got my parachute wings though :)

 

 

The man, who it transpires, had got a degree of value for the transaction before he realized the reality of the situation  

 

Don't think too deeply about this comment 

1 hour ago, samsensam said:

 

The man, who it transpires, had got a degree of value for the transaction before he realized the reality of the situation 

 

 

Best line in a long time.

 

There was a training for TPV in Pattaya a few weeks ago,all in all around 50 volunteers.

I do not think anyone who attented was there for the glory of the uniform.

The people who comment negatively on the TPV have issues of their own imho.

 

2 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Maybe just a desire to give something back to the local community.  

I've never seen them help give back the money scammed by the police. 

 

The title of this article should help with sales for some of the condos that are frequently pushed here!

3 hours ago, samsensam said:

 

The man, who it transpires, had got a degree of value for the transaction before he realized the reality of the situation 

 

 

 

He was, at first, blown away by the family-friendly atmosphere in a new Happy (ending) Zone.

Thailand's seediest city.....Bangkok by far. Thailand's most dangerous city.....BKK. Thailand's dirtiest city....BKK.

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand’s most sinful city

Sinful? Only if you're a religious nutter. If so don't go there.

<removed>

Let the Thais do the policing.

cant stand,  The you pay,    in any other language in Thailand,   its just  offensive 

 

4 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

Never to this day, understood why anybody would want to be a police volunteer here ?

Not accepted as a proper copper in their home country in their younger days ? 

 

'Wanna-be's' Coppers............... 

5 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Maybe just a desire to give something back to the local community.  

Poppycock! It's because they don't have traffic wardens in Pattaya.

4 hours ago, simon43 said:

 

 

 

I was a police/translation volunteer in Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya (I should write a book).

 

As BrewsterBudgen commented, 'maybe just a desire to give something back to the local community'

 

I recall working in Pattaya Soi 9 police station and seeing more fights within the station building than outside....

 

 

 

 

"Never got my parachute wings though :)"

 

Buy 'em on Beach Rd.

 

3 hours ago, jvs said:

 

There was a training for TPV in Pattaya a few weeks ago,all in all around 50 volunteers.

I do not think anyone who attented was there for the glory of the uniform.

The people who comment negatively on the TPV have issues of their own imho.

 

Let me guess, you are a police volunteer yourself?

8 hours ago, webfact said:

“This thing deceived me,” he says, jabbing a finger at his companion, whose perceptibly manly features and guttural tones make it obvious she was born a he. 

How does that song go "The women all get prettier at closing time."

Picking between posts 4 and 5 I am going with 4

Ya gotta love a uniform.

And a beret.

And trousers tucked into boots.

And not forgetting those parachute wings.

Me, "what we have here, is a total lack of respect for the law"...

Curious do they need a work permit??

Good on them, most Pattaya expats spend the days in bars because they have zero hobbies and zero interest, just a mundane, may as well be dead lifestyle.

Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

11 hours ago, sawadeeken said:

'Wanna-be's' Coppers............... 

In some cases 'have been for a long time' coppers and unable to retire, need something to do types,

And like to give to the country that hosts them.

There will also be a few strutting peacocks and wanna-be's, who like to feel officious in the mix....

 

But if the sum total provides a useful service, which the local force appears incapable of doing, I see no harm.

Not that I would want to do it,  but you know, one day I may need their help. Sadly I would feel more confident in my own language... even talking to a fellow countryman.

6 hours ago, Ijustcashier said:

Good on them, most Pattaya expats spend the days in bars because they have zero hobbies and zero interest, just a mundane, may as well be dead lifestyle.

Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Come to pattaya and become a cop !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nah

Ex pat,  4 hobbies, a week,  also prop up a bar a few times as well.

Do we need to become a cops,   to fulfil our lives. No.

Don't join the plonkers club, 

There's loads to do in this town.

 

Let the Thais be the cops,  they are more than capable of this.

They do not need foreign rejects,  for help.

 

Ps  Also they are taking  jobs away from good Thai citizens,  who could be employed in this roll if it's needed.

 

18 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

Never to this day, understood why anybody would want to be a police volunteer here ?

Not accepted as a proper copper in their home country in their younger days ? 

 

Having that said, I noticed a foreign police volonteer once: A huge, stocky, broad shouldered, short blond haired and blue eyed Scandinavian guy. 

In his dark blue uniform he resembled .............. well, you can guess what he looked like!

 

I can imagine that people feel the urge to do something for the community they live in, but becoming a traffic-/tourist-police volonteer? 

 

 

22 hours ago, Thechook said:

Or maybe for the parachute wings for the uniform.

the parachute wing on their uniform, means they took many times airplane from homecountry to Thailand 55

 

Curious do they need a work permit??

There has been much discussion about that in the past and from what I remember they don't have work permits as they are "deputised" and as such are exempt from the requirement.