I was nabbed by a policeman yesterday for tossing my ciggy down a drain. But yet I see Thais spit and throw rubbish in the street every day!

" But yet I see Thais spit and throw rubbish in the street every day!'

but tourists are an easy mark ( and the thais know the score, and dont/won't pay)

Thank you Mikey, I see, so the dog bites the hand that feeds it?.

yes, short sighted.

get the money now, and not worry about tomorrows concequences

if you were around siam square on the bts walkway there are signs everywhere that say, there is fine of 2000 baht for littering.

I've been to BKK many times and I guess my luck ran out this time. I was 'nabbed' or conned a few days ago as I was just about to cross the road to go to the Nana hotel. Yes, I did litter a cigarette butt and I kinda did so unconsciously - as you do. Bad habit, I know.

Anyway, out of nowhere this police dude came up to me and told me that I had littered and that I broke the law, and I had to pay a fine. I offered my apologies and to pick the offending butt, and promised not to do it again. Nothing. He just told me to walk with him, and as he did so he was asking me if I was holiday, and from what country - the usual bollox. Obviously, doing this he's merely confirming that I'm not a Thai national. Bastard.

We stopped at this little booth thing a hundred metres or so from the entrance of the Nana Plaza/hotel street ( near the JW Marriott) , and the first police guy left and the guy inside the booth took over. He showed me this laminated sheet regarding the law that I had broken, and how much the fine was. I tried to read it but obviously it's infused with a lot of legalese, and my brain zoned out after a few paragraphs - it was two fucking pages, man! - but basically, it said that I was liable to a 10,000 Baht fine for littering, but as a first offender, I was liable for a fine of 2000 baht. Shit!

In my mind, I did litter, and that I should get a caution, and I was certainly not very willing to pay a 2000 baht fine - it's the principle. I'm a tight bastard, I suppose, as well. Anyway, I'm not one for arguing with the police of another land, especially the Thai police, so although I was trying to convince the copper in the booth I was sorry, and that it would never happen again, and hopefully just walk away, I also knew this was an unlikey scenario, so, what to do?

I knew that money was going to be involved, so I acted like a spazz, and basically kept giving him reasons as to how I could not pay him 2000 baht, and I just talked shit and more shit and tried to wear him down. I went onto this tale of how I had lost my wallet in Koh Samui, and so I had a few hundred left - the wallet with the huge wodge of big notes was safely inside my bag and was gonna stay there no matter what - and how I didn't have a credit card, but a debit card so it wouldn't work in all ATMs, and actually it's just one bank - the HSBC - that I can get money from, and it's closed today ( Sunday)...and so on and on...total and utter pish...

Anyway, when travelling, I sometimes have two wallets - one a dummy one with limited notes and passed it credit cards and other crap I could afford to lose - but that day I had a small pouch to store some money for quick buying instead of delving into my other, and fuller wallet for all to see. From this pouch I pulled out about 460 Baht, and told him that's all I had and showed it to him, and knowingly placed it onto the sill of the booth window - all the time repeating I can't pay the 2000 baht. Anyway, I kept rabbiting on and on, and even said I now have no money, and I need the 60 baht to get some food as I had not eaten all day. I'm pretty sure most of what I was saying he had no idea what I was on about...but I'm sure he knew that I was unwilling to pay the full fine, but however, I was willing to pay 400. It's amazing how just the sight of money changes a greedy coont. I'm thinking he felt it was better than nothing, and looked around like a thief before taking the money from the sill and grinning. I knew then that was it, and I could get outta there. So, still talking crap about having no money I strolled away.

As I turned right to head into the Nana hotel again, I walked passed the coont cop who originally nabbed me. He actually asked me how much I paid. I merely replied 'too much' and walked quickly on, thinking he could make up some other law I might have broken if I didn't.

I count myself lucky, basically. It's a waste of 400 baht, but I guess I'd rather pay that than 2000, or the hassles of getting involved with the Thai police in whatever manner, even if i wanted to challenge it, or even if I was innocent. I just don't want to be involved with the police whilst I'm on holiday in their land.

So, the scam is very real. And can be a bit scary for newcomers to BKK, but the blow can be softened if you keep your cool and realise that the police just want to make some money, and that it's pointless getting involved with them by challenging the fine. Accept it, give something, and get the F out of there.

interesting the link for the Tourist Police on this site goes to thai language site first, and the link to the english language

how much bother would it have been to post the correct link

http://www.thaitouristpolice.com/main.php


( even if it seems to be mostly nonsense)

Hi Kevin, thanks thats really usefull information, but has no reflection on the expereience i had. People are using these laws to there own advantage.

Simon,

Bad exeperience mate, but you seemed you got out of it reasonably good. Lets hope we stay out of there way in future visits, as i wont stop viisitng!

Cheers,

Joe

Yep, Just been hit by that one less than 5 minutes ago... Played soft and negotiated down to 500 baht for a first offence and then found this website!

Here for 2 weeks and my girl arrives on Monday - glad I'm a little bit wiser!

I'm not quite sure why this is an issue, there are bunches of bins all over the place I think that one should we be mindful about. If a police officer or claiming a police officer gets one attention and asks for a fine, I certainly wouldn't be concerned of the fine but of my behavior. Much that I'm not in my home country and just a guest. I would react better if one asks me to pay something I haven't known and done.....

I wonder what could have happened as well, if that "claiming" police officer insisted for you to go to the police center and have your violation documented, THAT IF you were really violating a certain LAW. :)

I'm not quite sure if there were some changes in the amount of the fine, but please always keep in mind. The maximum fine for litter was 2000 Baht and that depends on the amount you litter.
So for a cigarette butt I would never pay the maximum amount, not even more than 500 Baht.
I experience this scam once at the Chatuchak Sunday Market.
I was butting a cigarette butt on the floor, when I was stopped by a so called Clean Watcher (those are no police officer, remember).
I liked to play with him and talked to him in English what he wanted. He tried to explain I had to pay some fine for butting a cigarette butt on the floor. I called my girlfriend, she was walking 10 meter in front me and ask her to explain to me, where my fun stopped. She asked me in Thai why I would speak with the officer in English, since I can speak Thai and what the problem was. The sudden face change of the officer was priceless. He looked at me and asked if I'm Thai? I answered with a yes and showed him my Thai ID. For all who didn't get it yet, I'm half-half and look more then a foreigner then a Thai.
He suddenly changed his mind and say I can go, without warning and everything. I would have paid the fine, but not more than 500 Baht. But what I like to tell with this story is, it is OK for Thai to litter, but for a foreigner they doing if you had just killed someone and this is fu... up.

Worked in Bangkok for 6 months and must of been hassled 50 times by scammers. Every time just turned to them and said a la Monty Python Scam scam scam scam scam wonderful scam they always buggered off. Remember everyone and I mean everyone is trying to stitch you up!

Thank you 50-50, now I know the score!

some Thai phrases that might help:

Mai dai (sounds like 'my die') means: 'no way!'

paeng pai (payng pie) = too expensive

mai mee ngern = (I) don't have any money

mai supap = not proper

For the last 15 years I have been a very regular visitor to Thailand. My hobby is wildlife photography and the Kingdom has so much to offer.
I like to think that I am fairly streetwise, but even for a seasoned traveller it is still easy to get taken in.
On my last visit ,a few weeks ago, I was doing some last minute shopping in MBK (Bangkok). After spending quite some time walking around the centre, I decided to make my way back to my apartment, stopping to collect a take out ice coffee from one of the well known franchise on the ground floor.
Knowing that I would not be allowed to take the drink onto the BTS, I decided to sit on the steps outside the centre, sip my drink and watch the world go by for 10 minutes or so.
Having almost finished my drink, I got up and had just started to walk in the direction of the BTS, looking for a rubbish bin, when a voice from behind me said “Excuse me sir”. I turned around to see a man in paramilitary type uniform. Not a uniform that I immediately recognised.
He informed me in broken English that he was a policemen, and that he had seen me stub out my cigarette and drop it on the floor. He told me that I had committed a serious offence and that I would have to pay a fine.
I politely informed him that he must be mistaken. He asked why. I told him that I’ve never smoked in my life. He said that he had seen me and that he was not blind. He then produced a cigarette stub from his pocket and told me this was the evidence. He then demanded I hand over 2000 Baht.
I tried to reason with him, I even offered to turn out my pockets to prove that I neither had any cigarettes on me or matches/lighter. He was having none of it. “You break the law, you have to pay. You not pay, you go to prison for long time”.
By now he had taken a pad from his back pocket and began writing on it. He then gave me a piece of paper from the pad and again demanded that I hand over 2000 baht. The document he gave me was in Thai, part was pre-printed with gaps that he had written something in Thai – I confess, I am not able to read Thai.

I realised that this was some sort of scam. The guy was clearly after ‘tea’ money. But as I did not know if he was a real policeman or not, I had no idea how I was going to get out of this situation without creating a scene, and possibly being arrested if he was a real policeman .

I protested that I just been shopping in the centre and that I did not have that sort of money on me. Like a previous contributor to this blog, I always have two wallets on me. I took out my dummy one and showed him that I only had about 200 Baht, enough money to get a taxis and a meal that evening.

He said you have card, you go to ATM get money. He then pointed in the direction of one of the nearby banks. What he had actually seen in the dummy wallet was an expired frequent flyer card. I have to give this guy 10 out of 10 for being persistent.

I agreed to go to the bank and get some money, and started to walk in the direction of the nearest bank accompanied closely by this uniformed guy. My thought was that I would fake a transaction, and tell him that I had no money left in my account and take it from there.

When we got to the doorof the bank, he said I wait here you get money and bring back to me. As I entered the bank I noticed that he had turned around and was facing the opposite direction – not looking inside the bank.

I was in luck. I had been to this bank before to change currency, and I knew that there were two entrances, one from the road where I had just entered, and a second from inside MBK. So what did I do, I just kept walking out of the second entrance into MBK and up the nearby escalator to the first floor.

I have to admit, my heart was in overdrive. I kept looking over my shoulder to see if he was following. As I walked across that road bridge to the Siam Centre I could see him still outside the bank, pacing up and down.

It took some time (about 5 minutes or more) before he realised that something was wrong. He opened the bank door, peered in. He obviously realised then that there was a second entrance and that I had dissapeared. I would love to have been a fly on the wall to hear what he said. I can only imagine the flood of Thai expletives. But his body language said it all.

As he walked back up the road he took out the pad again from his back pocket and tore a sheet of paper from it. He screwed the sheet of paper up, and guess what. He throw it on the floor.

I’m now a bit older, I have a few more grey hairs, but I am certainly a bit wiser.

Hi. I live here in Thailand (Chiang Mai). If you are ever stopped for anything, insist you go to the police station to pay any fine. Make sure you ask which police station you are going to. Don't go on a motorcycle. Go only in a police car. Get a receipt for any money you give. Get an ID or Badge number. Have them explain to you in English or whatever your mother language is, exactly what you have done. Keep saying you don't understand AND DENY EVER HAVING DONE IT. Do not try to speak Thai and only speak your mother language. This will, for the most part, discourage them from going any further. Worst case, tell them you want to speak to your consulate. This is the last thing the Thai police want you to do. If you paid them you are one of 50 to 100 people a day they 'hit up' for money. The police are horribly paid and horribly corrupt. Having said that it is always the few who ruin it for the majority and not all the police are corrupt. This is how they make extra money on the side (or should I say enough money to live a decent life).

Example: I was stopped at a place where the police set up an area to ticket people. My Thai wife was not wearing a helmet and I was. We were waved over. She got off the motorcycle to talk to the police. Since my arms are about the same color as a Thai, he must have thought I was Thai. He started to take my wife's ID and ask her her where mine was and why I wasn't getting off the motorcycle. She called me and when I took off my helmet, he did an instant about face. Gave back her ID and said to make sure next time she wore a helmet. No fine, no ticket. He couldn't speak any English and I wasn't about to speak any Thai. End of discussion.

@Stewie. I'm not so sure your advise is wise.

Police everywhere take pride in demonstrating their authority and punishing those who supposedly disrespect them. In Thailand, if you behave as you suggested in front of other people, you might make a cop lose face, for which he will surely go after you.

Escalating might work sometimes, but you occasionally run into a wrong cop, it could cost you dearly... remember the couple that was *murdered* by a cop in Kanchanaburi over loss of face?

My approach would be to speak Thai (if you can speak it well enough), wai, apologize and politely offer a smaller appropriate amount (maybe 100-200 baht or so) on the spot. Their goal is usually to pocket *some* money and move on. For a Thai, an accepted bribe can be as low as 40 baht (seen a taxi driver pay this for making a forbidden turn).

@Crocodilexp, I agree with Stewie, as long as you smile and show respect, why would the policeman lose face? Especially if you have done NOTHING wrong.

Hi guys, police play the scam as well, I too butted out a cigarette a police man in full uniform directed my girlfriend (Thai) and myself to another 4 uniformed officers and fined me 5000 baht. (remember there are 5 uniformed officers 1000 baht each) My girlfriend said asked for a receipt in which I did, the officers play stupid and pretended that they didn't understand English. So my girlfriend asked them for a receipt in Thai. All the officers looked at each other, all of the sudden I was paying 250 baht with a written receipt on the spot was handed out.

ol'tiger...you're a jackass..

...and a p***y...

@Daniel, if I was your ma, I would wash your mouth out with raw chilli soap!

Come on man, don't be rude, not everyone can be as hard as guys like you and me?

I have had 20 holidays in thailand, apart from a service girl leaving my room too early in the morning from that promised, the only odd people approaching me for money have been westerners pretending thay have run out of money, I once gave an irishman 100 baht, which he went straight back to a bar and brought a beer.

I was at the exchange booth next to the 7-11/gas station at the end of Nana Soi 4 awhile back and got caught dropping a fag butt.
The copper wanted a 2000bht littering fine(he knew I had it on me because I had just had a change up) but as I had the phone No of a senior ranking Policeman I had been drinking with the day before,I gave him a call and we got it down to 200bht.
The very next trip,I was at the same place doing the same thing and I could see the same policeman lurking behind me in the reflection of the exchange booth window.
I put my fag out then put the butt in my pocket and wagged my finger at him while saying,"Not this time Pal!"

@Rusty, have you tried nicorette with fruit chilli, its great mate!

I see these BMA Police stalking foreigners all day long.
It a big money maker.
Always amazes how immoral and unethical the Thais really are.
Scam your best customers. Really stupid...but typical Thai mentality.

When I was busted for dropping a butt on the footpath I was booked for indecent exposure......

Interesting comment from someone on the Nation's forum!

" Besides the suffocating pollution from diesel buses, two-stroke bikes and tuk-tuks and idle taxis, never-ending traffic jams, rampant corruption in the police and politicians, multitudes of prostitution parlors and street-walkers, ignorant beggars with innocent babies sitting under bridges, ineffective schooling and law systems, plastic bags littering the last few remaining square meters of green in the city, excessive noise pollution from loud speakers at malls and modified bikes, inconsiderate pedestrians unaware of anything going on around them or people wanting to pass them, lax safety standards or any standards for that matter, suicidal bus and taxi drivers, dilapidated housing, open sewerage rotting in the sun, the smell of excrement every few meters, noisy and insolent children, deep-fried food being part of a child’s staple diet, swindlers, pirates and scams, obtrusive hierarchical systems with incompetent managers, superficial outlooks on money and happiness, glorified focus on appearance, rude people standing in front of an exit of a train or bus trying to shove their way onboard, spoiled children, deserted Buddhist values, cruelty to animals (elephants, birds and fish for example), unabashed yet unwarranted elitism and egotism, and the apathy of people to resolve any of the above, Bangkok is a great place to live. "

How about you guys just don't go to other countries and litter cigarette butts. use AN ASHCAN. it takes a but up to 8 years to decompose. DON"T LITTER!!!!!

@Reginald
Nice one Reggie.... that about sums it up - could not have expressed it better myself..... sadly it's a love hate relationship for most major cities these days!!! I wonder if the original writer was Thai or farang.

@Shan, thanks, farang I believe.

Just to say i class myself as fairly streetwise. If someone comes up to me the first thing i say is "what do you want from me"? They normally show some kind of expression on there face. Then i say to them "If i want something from you i go to you, If you want some thing from me, you come to me. I then either smile or tell them to F...K OFF!!

@Knobby37, I would just like to say, if you do this to a Thai I hope you have good medical insurance, because when one Thai fights a farang, they'll all join in (no rule book here I'm afraid) and the police will arrest you, kapish?

I'm from Berlin and if any Thai scammer said anything to me, I'd punch them in the face and stomp them when they're down.

Anyone who gets done from littering cigarette butts - you get what you deserve. No question about it.

@Birk, you will be in the biggest truble my fiend, if you where to you use the violence. I have witness eurpena be beaten nearly dead by 5 thai man for argument tuk tuk fare. if you want deathwish, then bring it along tough littlebig man!

Alon,
I abhor littering but the way the BMA Footpath Police are enforcing the law is a scam against visitors.
How about the BMA make a small effort to put some trash bins out there.
(By the way, the Cigy butt police removed them)

Stop throwing trash on the ground (most of you dingdongs threw garbage, including cigarettes/fags/butts, whatever) and put it where it belongs. All you do is welcome that sort of scammer behavior.

Same happened to me on Silom Road. But it was definitely a real policeman. I was told the fine was Bht3,000. For littering. Maybe Thai law says that is the case actually. In my mind it was my fault as i did throw a cigarrette but on the ground. I asked to see the receipt i would get which was a photocopy form. Policeman said I was nice and would reduce the fine to BHT2,000. I said i insisted on paying the fine in full and go to the police station as i wanted to get a proper receipt. then we had a big argument - policeman kept reducing the fine until it got to BHT500 - i kept insisting i would pay BHT3,000 BUT at the main police station. In the end the policeman said i was crazy and no fine.

@Harry, well done laddy, you psyched the bugger out.

i agree with that big time

Good for tourism. Real ambassadors these guys.
Scam tourists in the hotel tourist district.
Smart.

Cigarettes are cool but dont think its cool to throw your butt at a policeman -I did and he shouted at me but he didnt fine me -releif!!!

Exploiting foreign visitors. Is this how Thais treat their guests?
These BMA Officers stalking and fining tourists for cigarette buts rent the footpaths to vendors that throw their trash all over the place.
I see it every morning at 6:30AM. City street sweepers must clean up truckloads of trash from the vendors. The footpaths and streets are covered in trash.
But a foreigner smoking will be followed by these BMA Officers and get nabbed for up to 10,000bt.
That show how much respect Thais have for foreigners.

Was turning off Suk to the airport freeway. Stopped to pay the toll and saw a motor bike cop just getting onto his bike looking at me. Told my wife "here we go sure". He pulled me over said I had done a right hand turn from the incorrect lane. I denied it saying I have done that turn 100 times and know exactly what lane I was in and what lane I had to turn into. He then asked for my licence. I gave him my Australian one ( lost my international one). He spoke good english and knew the rules. Said it was a 2000bht fine for no licence. I agreed I was guilty. Asked him for the ticket. He said pay now and you don't have to go to the Police station to pay. I told him it was no problem for me to pay at the station, just give me the ticket. After heaps of polite back and forth, it got down to 200 bht. Amazing.

BTW...I was allowed to continue unlicenced.

Wow! Nice one Whisperingoldman, thanks for the story, I will make sure that I have a every legal document on me if I am ever stopped by the BIB.

This made headlines in Bangkok Post today:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/investigation/193476/bangkok-cigarette-police

Apparently they are strickly going after tourists on this... Shame on them!

These BMA officers are making 6000bt per hour each. They wont be giving this up anytime soon.
We should be afraid if they do get shut down as they are unscrupulous and dangerous.

I´ve been taken for that ride outside Nana too - negotiated the price down a bit. A little later two motorcycle cops came out of Nana coffeeshop, no 1 spitting on the ground, no 2 stubbing out a cigarette.
But I had a rather funny thing happening in Phuket, Patong. I was stopped at the intersection where the road to Kalim goes, and asked for my licence. Since I had none the officer gave me a ticket for 300 baht and told me to go to the police station and pay it and then come back and show me a receipt. So I took off on my motorbike, still without licence, paid my fine, went back to him and showed him my receipt, upon which he slapped me on my back saying "you´re a good man!" After which I took off - still without a licence!

Phantom, lets just say you had an accident, your a farang (presumably) without a licence, your taking a big risk mate?

I have no sympathy for those that litter. In certain parts of the USA the fine can be up to $1000US for littering, so the fine in Thailand is peanuts. But......I do have some advice for those that want to reduce the fine, or not pay one at all.

You are a tourist so you should have a camera with you. The very first thing you do as soon as they say anything to you is immediately take out your camera, and take their picture. This will set them back as you have proof who they are. Then take out a paper, and pencil, or pen, and ask them to spell their name for you to write down. If they ask what you are doing, or give you any talk back, ask them to please wait (being very polite) while you write this information down, asking them exactly where you are at, the name of the soi (street), and again their name if they haven't given it to you yet. Then continue writing on your paper of what is happening.

At this point ask them why they are bothering you, and continue writing. Ask them how much money they want, and again continue writing. They should be at this point asking you if you are with the press, which you say "yes" to. They are very concious of the press, and don't like dealing with them. If they haven't asked you this yet, then explain that you are with the press (giving the name of a well known magazine), and you are writing an article on what to be careful of in Thailand. Then thank them for providing proof for your story. Act as though you respect the littering law, and just want to warn people not to litter, and what the penalty is.

I have on 5 different occassions had them appologize profusely to me that they had made a mistake, and let me go, on 3 occassions they waid me with their hands at their nose level. Not one time was there ever any expectation of me paying a fine. I never had littered on any occassion, and they were just trying to scam me as though I had.

I am with the International Press Corp so I do have ID to prove this, but they have never asked for it. The main thing is to just keep your cool, and continue writing. If you want to, you can get very real looking press ID on Kao San road if you really want to cover all bases to pull this off. It does work, and you don't have to have a big camera. Any point & shoot camera will work, and any small note pad will work. You just have to be ready for when it happens, and it will happen if you travel to Thailand with any regularity, or live here.

With the regular scammers, not the police, the first thing I do is take their picture, and then explain to them that they owe you bt2000 for the picture. This game is real fun to play with them, again being very polite but insistant.

Um those are usually real cops. And all cops have a 'menu' in Thai and English in their hands. I've been stopped on my motorbike in the middle of Bangkok alongside 20 Thai riders for not being in the far left lane (I now know it's a law! lol). And when I started asking him what I did wrong he produced the menu and showed me the law and the fine.

I then did the old Thailand fine payment, 200bht hidden behind my ID. He looked at my ID and let me go with a warning. The Thais were getting their moto key's taken, and had to go pick up their ID's and keys at the local police dept and pay a similar if not higher price at the actual department.

I always say 'I dont know where police dept is, complicated. Can I pay thru u?' if they dont first just accept my 200bht under my ID card. I've seen real cops bust ppl for cig dropping.

It's almost the same as getting caught speeding or the wrong lane. It's a small violation, but one that happens frequently. When they want money they go look for it and hope for the best. I've even heard of ppl getting tagged for jaywalking if you can believe that. I've also seen 2 cops watch 20 ppl walk right across Sukvt jaywalking, np's.

Nice post Anon, can you/anyone tell me what the "rule of law" means, because I've heard/read it quiet a few times since I've been in Thailand?

Same thimg happened to me on the skybridge outside MBK,a policeman aproached me saying that i had thrown a sigarette,he took me to a corner that people could not see,there was a table there and two other policemen sitting.
They verbally blackmailed me to pay 4.000 baht for my offence,I refuse to pay,they kept pushing for money,I still refused to pay,I only carry small amount of cash with me anyway,after a long conversation they allowed me to go,
I believe the are doing it for cash,there s no other reason to treat a tourist like this.

Well done Harry.

Anon, they are NOT real policemen. They work for the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority and only target foreigners. They are scum! If you are stopped by them, refuse to pay them and ask for your ticket. Then walk away.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/investigation/193476/bangkok-cigarette-police

BTW, throwing cigarette butts on the street is illegal, so you've been warned.

Dear admin, the Thai Police link needs checking, my computer keeps reporting a security problem with this link (I'm not even clicking on it)?

They are NOT police yes the uniform looks the same..... but no gun see ..... you will find the story on the Bangkok Post site........ they are only targetting tourists

they have no power to enforce the fine........ or to detain you ...........all they can do is hand you a written warning if you refuse to pay LOL.

On Christmas Eve I sustained a serious leg injury whilst chasing a fake policeman who had just tried to get away with my wallet and phone. I hope this scam doesn’t spread. Perhaps others will avoid the same fate if I describe what happened.

I had just finished some last-minute shopping and was walking home alone, ice cream bar in one hand, shopping bag in the other. Nobody else was on the dark footpath next to the main road in Nonthaburi where I live.

A solo motorcyclist wearing a police hat and dark jacket approached me on the footpath and asked to see my passport. I was raised to respect the uniform, so I started to reach for my wallet, where I keep a Thai driver’s license. Seeing that my hands were full, the cop reached in my pocket.

I protested, but by the time I dropped the ice cream, he had both my wallet and my phone. In eight years living in Thailand, I’d never had a police encounter. But I knew that everywhere in the world there are bad cops, so I imagined he was just looking for a bribe.

Thinking back on it now, I probably should have pretended from the beginning that I can’t speak Thai. Either that or told the fake cop that I wanted to see his ID or take his picture first before handing over anything. I could have also said something about reporting his request to my embassy. Of course none of those things occurred to me then. I just assumed that it was a routine check, and that after he saw my driver’s license everything would be OK.

I demanded the stuff back. He said if I wanted to argue, we could go to the station. As I thought about whether going there would jeopardize my visa, he revved the motorcycle and took off.

Powered by adrenalin, I gave chase. Luckily for me, he took the first turn too hard. His motorcycle skidded to the ground and briefly pinned him. I spotted my wallet and phone on the ground and lunged for them. The spinning wheel of his motorbike clipped me on the leg, but I managed to retrieve my belongings.

A security guard emerged from a nearby shop and asked me what was going on. He and I both still believed the cop to be real. The guard said I should cooperate or else things could be worse for me. The thief righted his bike and started to come toward us. I got out my driver’s license and showed it to the guard, saying, “I don’t want anything more to do with that dishonest cop.”

The thief must have realized that his story wouldn’t hold up, so he rode away. Only then did it dawn on me that he had been fake. My brain just hadn’t been able to get beyond the first impression. The guard called the real police and reported it, explaining that the thief had a police hat, but his jacket and motorcycle weren’t standard police issue.

An hour later, after the adrenalin wore off, my calf had swelled up and I couldn’t bear weight on that leg. An x-ray showed nothing was broken, but the nasty bruise will make walking difficult for the next couple weeks. I suppose I was lucky to get back everything except my pride.

Probably a real cop. They are out of control in Thailand.
A gang of thieves.

It did happen to me at the Benjasiri park also... been working and passing in front of that booth everyday and once, i did look around for them as i know the rules (living here for almost 4years), of course no bins around so i did throw my cigarette butt "into" that very special small booth(as i don't wanna throw in the middle of the footpath), the thing is, i haven't pay attention as the booth was closed but this guy was sitting inside taking a nap lol
He didn't move but call other BMA around that came to me on bicycle telling me in Thai that i just throw my butt which was true but the guy took out of his pocket a Red Malboro butt , I do smoke Malboro light!
Went to the booth, apologize for waking him up in such a busy day with a smile on my face, asked me 2000baht of course i did only gave him 200 without discussion but telling him that i did throw my butt here but next time show me at least my own while showing me my Malboro light pack.

Not to do list: Do not speak thai with them, that make them confident n making u feel guilty of knowing thailand but still littering ...but ur own language with always keeping the respectful "wai"

Check this out - fake police strike again:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/01/13/opinion/Nation-journalist-held-up-at-gunpoint-by-police-30146231.html

Hope we're not at the beginning of a new fad.

yesterday I was having a few beers with a thai friend who has a stall close to khao san road. I asked him where can I pee and he showed me an alley. there was already a another thai guy peeing and I also started doing my job. then suddenly a motorbike with men in brown stopped in front of the alley. thai man suddenly disappeared and police come to me. they checked me, and asked for my password. then they said it was illegal to pee there so I had to pay a fine. I shouted at my thai friend, he came and they had a long conversation. and at the end he said the normal fine was 2000b but I could pay the half. so I paid 1000b and they let me go. so be careful where you pee as well, even if your thai friend says it is ok.

At above, only animals piss in the street, you fool.

so you say that the thai already pissing on the alley was an animal as well, you bloody moron? you are the type of fool who always tries to put the blame on the farang. go screw yourself.

Can the knucklehead, let me make this simple for you, when a HUMAN being pisses in public, the vast majority of fellow human beings would look at this as the act of an animal, the ones that dont, are animals such as yourself, kapish?

Had someone try and scam me whilst I was walking up the stairs to Ekamai skytrain station. I did drop a ciggie on the floor then this chubby official loking guy appears from nowhere demanding 2000b stating he was a police officer lol. I refused to pay him and he asked me to follow him somewhere too wich I refused. I then asked him "where is your gun?" as he was a copper. Had no anwser too that and we were then geting a bit of a audience. I gave him 100b for his cheek. Then went on my merry way.

Dear Embassy Directors,

I think you should know about this company..this company run an ad in the Bangkok Post everyday.
.
BEWARE OF THIS COMPANY :
Owner :Phillips thaivisarun.com asst.Kan
Sukhumvit 71 ( prakhanong ) PBS Building
027132498 ---0890245255
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Many complaints about the owner (phillips) cheating the customer out of funds.saying he can buy everyone in the thai embassy because he has great connections.
To get many kinds of visas,and permits,
Taking the customer money and after he fail,his comment is ,,sorry.. But does not give a refund!!!!
His asst.Kan ,steals money from the customer on the visa run trips.Phillp tell the customer ..if you want a
seperate room its 200 baht extra,,when you arrive the asst.Kan tells the customer the room is 300 baht extra.?? (for each trip)
Drivers have been seen going into customer bags when the truck stop for a toilet stop.
There are many stories about this company cheating people,but for now BE WARNED THIS COMPANY IS BAD NEWS
They get very angry if you want a receipt..Why..(The Thai Goverment knows why )..
There are good companies in Bangkok doing this work,,But Phillips thaivisarun.com is not one of them. They cheat everyone.
Best Regards,
Tim

tim,
you should share your concerns with the bangkok post!!

Yes. Cigarette 'Police'. Soi 4 & Sukhumvit.

Same same but different. 500 baht fine.

LOL

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Joe, the author, writes, "Lesson : Be confident - stand your ground, and always quote that you want to be taken to the tourist police if things get nasty."

I would also add -
Lesson: Don't litter.

When I smoke in a public place, I either put the butt in one of the special receptacles for cigarette butts, or if there are none, I butt the cigarette then pick it up and put it back inside my cigarette case. This I do both in my home country and abroad.

"I would also add -
Lesson: Don't litter."

May I also add, how about giving it up for your family: 8.6 million live with a serious illness caused by smoking/on average, smokers die 13 to 14 years earlier than non-smokers/smell is rancid/teeth/gums/cost/facial skin/passive smoking. But hey who am I to tell you what to do! Did you know only heroine was more addictive then smoking!

These guys who run the " Holiday Club Scams in Phuket " are the ones who keep spamming this site, just look at the thousands of complaints against them!

The guys who run the " Holiday Club Scams in Phuket " are the ones who keep spamming this site, just look at the thousands of complaints against them!

Be aware that the thai police hang out outside thai embassy visa section many people are applying for a visa to stay longer all of course farangs..the thai pig knows this and also knows that mr farang doesn't know the rules on litter smoke put it out on the floor and the pigs come over..same they dont bother about the dirty shitholes they live in!

Whisperingoldman wrote: "After heaps of polite back and forth, it got down to 200 bht. Amazing."

Hellloooo.... that's why it's called Amazing Thailand. (Try doing that with an Aussie copper!)