June 23rd, 2009, 06:27
I had taken a friend of mine on a visa run over to Cambodia the other day. We took off in a bus, as opposed to taking one of my cars as he needed to get a visa, instead of just a 15 day stamp, so we let the company take care of it for him.
First, I have a 1 year non-imm visa, so I didn't even need to go to the border station, I just waited on the Thailand side. After our return, the bus dropped us off on Sukhumvit Soi 63, where we departed from. My friend headed right to a taxi to meet his brother and sister in Nana plaza, and I started looking for a 7-11 to buy smokes before I headed home. A police officer followed me into the store, and seen I had a bit of cash on me and started chatting me up on my way outside to the taxi. Where you come from, how long you stay Thailand, normal stuff you would think. After traffic subsided, he told me, you come with me now!
He kept on leading me further and further away from the main road. I eventually told the guy, look, if there is a problem, you need to tell me what it is right here, or get the tourist police, but no way am I following you any further. In the near distance, I noticed 2 other officers, and a police substation, so that made me feel a bit more at ease, but the officer refused to tell me anything, just telling me to follow him.
Once we get to where the other officers are, they take a plastic bag I have with my day planner in it, and food and soda from the day, along with my smokes. They start searching everything on me, and digging through my pockets, even sure to leave the wad of cash on the bike they were putting all my belongings on. Checked my passport seen everything was valid, took a pill container I keep for emergencies for medication I take, which happened to be empty. After they eventually realized there was nothing to get any tea money out of me for, they told me they had a report that someone was carrying a 1/2 kilo of heroine. I started laughing and asked them what the description was, a falang with a bag from 7-11 lol. I then made it a point to count my money out right in front of the 3, and said, "well at least you guys didn't steal anything this time."
I know my way around LOS, and even with an officer in uniform, I made the right decisions, and they knew I was not just a 2-week tourist. So remember guys, uniform or not, any officer here ever asks you to come with them and they speak English ask them why, and if they are trying to get you out of public view, it means they are trying to put some money in their pockets. I don't really like them much, nor do any of my inlaws or drivers, as the majority of them are looking to make a quick buck off us any way they can, Thais included. Don't do anything to make yourself a target, such as flashing cash in front of cops, my case was unavoidable, or go off into areas by yourself with police. My guess is since I was watching them so closely, they did not have a chance to plant anything on me, or were just not that smart.
Be safe, and if you do have a run in with the tea patrol, just be sure to play it safe!! :salute:
First, I have a 1 year non-imm visa, so I didn't even need to go to the border station, I just waited on the Thailand side. After our return, the bus dropped us off on Sukhumvit Soi 63, where we departed from. My friend headed right to a taxi to meet his brother and sister in Nana plaza, and I started looking for a 7-11 to buy smokes before I headed home. A police officer followed me into the store, and seen I had a bit of cash on me and started chatting me up on my way outside to the taxi. Where you come from, how long you stay Thailand, normal stuff you would think. After traffic subsided, he told me, you come with me now!
He kept on leading me further and further away from the main road. I eventually told the guy, look, if there is a problem, you need to tell me what it is right here, or get the tourist police, but no way am I following you any further. In the near distance, I noticed 2 other officers, and a police substation, so that made me feel a bit more at ease, but the officer refused to tell me anything, just telling me to follow him.
Once we get to where the other officers are, they take a plastic bag I have with my day planner in it, and food and soda from the day, along with my smokes. They start searching everything on me, and digging through my pockets, even sure to leave the wad of cash on the bike they were putting all my belongings on. Checked my passport seen everything was valid, took a pill container I keep for emergencies for medication I take, which happened to be empty. After they eventually realized there was nothing to get any tea money out of me for, they told me they had a report that someone was carrying a 1/2 kilo of heroine. I started laughing and asked them what the description was, a falang with a bag from 7-11 lol. I then made it a point to count my money out right in front of the 3, and said, "well at least you guys didn't steal anything this time."
I know my way around LOS, and even with an officer in uniform, I made the right decisions, and they knew I was not just a 2-week tourist. So remember guys, uniform or not, any officer here ever asks you to come with them and they speak English ask them why, and if they are trying to get you out of public view, it means they are trying to put some money in their pockets. I don't really like them much, nor do any of my inlaws or drivers, as the majority of them are looking to make a quick buck off us any way they can, Thais included. Don't do anything to make yourself a target, such as flashing cash in front of cops, my case was unavoidable, or go off into areas by yourself with police. My guess is since I was watching them so closely, they did not have a chance to plant anything on me, or were just not that smart.
Be safe, and if you do have a run in with the tea patrol, just be sure to play it safe!! :salute: