Originally Posted by
bkkguy
no it is not a "reasonable" request, it is just security theatre at its worst and the BTS and MRT efforts make the TSA scanning at US airports look professional - and they have a 95% detection failure rate!
just walk confidently past as if you haven't even noticed them, they will rarely if ever challenge you - your HI-SO Thai friends can help you master this skill, they have perfected it for avoiding all sorts of irrelevant, irritating, useless obstructions like security, beggars, touts, etc
having said that I don't disagree with your advice about dealing with people in Thailand who really have the power to complicate your life - I will always smile and be polite to them even if they are being absolute pricks
bkkguy