i get stopped several times a day here in phuket but it's just to check to see if i have a driver's license. they really beef them up at the end of the month so they can take home more bribes or commission.

..Often happen to me..a bit diffrent precedure.. they stop me.. i smile to them they let me go.. :-)

Doesn't it make you feel just like being at home in Roxbury, maybe they wanted to welcome you? lol

I never got stopped by the police in Thailand or BKK, and I was told that I should always keep my passport with me? Never do that either, it's always locked up in my hotel safe? Maybe because I look too old and harmless to them? This has been my 15th trip! lol

Funny... odd that you mentioned it.... I stayed over at a friends place until 2 watching football and when out on our way from the depths of the soi we got stopped....by also, two gus in brown... We were searched and that.... the office got a bit nervous when i started struggling with a disposable contact lens i had in my small pocket.... the guy thought i was trying to throw something away and concealing it.....

I must admit that out of the experience, (second time i'm searched in two years) and out of what my friend told me, its a lot better not to admit that you know thai, better play it dumb, reason is like these chaps started to do, start asking all sorts of questions which are really about nothing that is their business...

Cops : (

Theres a big race issue going on here, but for a reason, most of the drug dealing going on at a weekend is run by Nigerian and West Africans, though they don't shift too much of it first hand they let their ''girlfriends'' do the running!

I've been in Bangkok for almost 10 years and only been searched once, on the other hand my good friend and business parter Jon has been here half the time I have and gets searched on a regular basis, I'm white as a sheet, and Jon sports a pretty decent Afro!

So you saying that it's a random stop/search or just being discriminating towards color?

I agree with beejoir about Thai police focusing on people of African descent. I wouldn't go so far as to say that "most of the drug dealing" is done by Africans though. I might go so far as to say that it MIGHT be Thai guys... Of course, I COULD be wrong... I get stopped on a regular basis by police on my motorcycle. Usually it's because I'm in the wrong lane. Many times I get off with nothing because I pretend to not speak thai... Other times the cop is more persistent and I end up paying him 100 baht. Only ONCE did I actually have to "go downtown". The funny thing was that my license had expired on that day, I was on my way to renew my license, and the cop only charged me with the 400 baht fine for driving in the wrong lane. He didn't even bother with the expired license. It's always a surreal experience to run into a cop like that who speaks reasonably good English. I've had it happen a number of times though.

No afook... He's saying that the policeman is a voodoo shaman who saw that he had illegal contraband when he was looking in his chicken bones that morning...

That's okay Mr Matlock, better to stop all you younger studs, than to bother with me.........wait until they throw you behind the walls, and don't expect me to come and visit you..........bread and water wud be too good for the likes of you.....

The Boys in Tight Brown are out in force raising funds for their bosses today. The traffic police always come out towards the end of the month, particularly on the last Sunday. I guess they need to make sure they meet their quotas.

A leisurly came through a green light and the around the corner and as soon as they saw I was a farang they ALL tried to stop me with grunts and cries. Nah, not today I thought; I wasn't doing anything wrong so I didin't feel like giving a donation.

The Punisher is always so cool................

OMG, Punisher

You know my country too well.

you weren't carrying that handbag at the time were you mate?

Watch out at Ekkami bus station too.

I took a bus back from Ko Samet recently to Ekkami.

Upon arriving in Ekkami bus station, the police stopped all the farangs (only) and checked passports, frisked us and searched all bags.

One of the guys in our party got caught out with something that he shouldn't of had.

Cost him 10, 000 Baht.

They were not interested in any of the Thais in our party (males and females) they never got searched even after catching one of us.

Seems to be a regular thing down there at the moment, so I hear.

Next time I will get off the bus at On Nut instead.

Open season on Farang Starts -- Jan 1st Ends -- Dec 31st Same time every year!

never had a problem with the boys in brown .... until i moved to thong lor .... got shaken down 3 times in 3 months .... first time they were complete ***** and very aggressive .... not pleasant but had worse back home in norden ireland !!

Once there was a raid in Q-bar! Everybody had to go out individually, peeing in little jars. I was out with a girl from TF.. Due to my allergy pills and two red bulls, I got a marker on amphetamine when they tested my urine. Camara in my face:" Sir...are you really sure you didn't use any drugs?" I came on national TV at that time... haha no kidding... I was very affraid I can tell ya! I had eaten some happy pizza in Cambodia.. days before.. No drugs in my opinion, but what can I say, I am from A'dam.. Maybe they would find out, because they wanted me to do a blood test next day. I guess they called my work and 'everything was taken care of.' They never called back for the actual blood test. It scares me, just because one sometimes can be busted without a fair trial in Thailand..., brrr I hate them! Watch out with doing drugs just before going to Thailand. I don't think they'll accept it, when you say you just did that back home or at a place it was kinda 'allowed'...

in your blood , even if you did it in another country, and flew here, it is "in your possesion"

guilty!

I got the shakedown at ekamai bus station also.

it is well known on the internet for dishonest cops.

they caught me with something from a Thai pharmacy, and wanted a bribe, or threatened me with prison.

i was on my honeymoon with my korean wife, so i told the cop to let her go, and to take me to prison ("i was bluffing him" or should i say, "calling him on his bluff"

he said "have a nice honeymoon," and let us go.

They are 'at it' in Pattaya too... I have been stopped on my bike a few times... despite always wearing a helmet I get pulled over while two dozen helmetless riders roar past... usually they wave me on once they see I have bike licence/insurance/copy of green book/copy of passport/copy of residence letter/tax disc/letter frm Mum saying I'm allowed out on my own etc etc .... lol

So far I've only had to pay up once.... noisy exhaust... funny cos it was eu certified...2000 baht at the station (official fine) for once I wish I had broken my policy of never giving the cop money ...he only wanted 500 baht..

As for piss tests and drug searches.. thats still going on late at night in Pattaya.. I try to stay away from the places that are known for that sort of thing.. makes life easier..

However I would like to know which is easier.. to speak Thai or pretend that you don't ? guess it can swing both ways when ecountering the boys in the tight brown shirts....

I am just realising how lucky I've been this weekend. Went in 3 differenct clubs and location around Bangkok and I haven't seen any brownies. SiamGirl was saying she had a piss testing in Santika and now you guys...I got lucky, even though I haven't had anything on me except the high concentration of Jack Daniels in my blood

Easy Answer ; That 's why you need a COL's Daughter like me walk with you!!