police

[Big Boy]

barrys wrote:

We often hear how those from English-speaking countries, in particular, as well as European countries complain about people going to live there who "cannot even speak the language".

Well, we are immigrants here, aren't we?

I'm sure that things would be a lot easier if we all made a little more effort to assimilate.

In the UK, providing somebody is prepared to put in the effort to learn the language and a bit about British culture, the rewards for you efforts can be great in 'right of abode' terms. Maybe barrys suggestion would be better received if the Thai government were to reciprocate.

[redzonerocker]

In the UK, providing somebody is prepared to put in the effort to learn the language and a bit about British culture, the rewards for you efforts can be great in 'right of abode

i think we could learn a little from the thai government on the subject of immigration.
they obviously don't want their culture destroyed by an invasion of foreigners who want to colonise the areas of their country & change all the rules to suit.
the uk is quite prepared to take in anyone & everyone whether they are prepared to put in any effort or not & reward them at the expense of their own people, or so it seems

[Big Boy]

rzr,

I think you are referring to the EEC invasion problems. This is one of the benefits of being part of a free trading market.

My reference (that I did not make clear) was trying to make a comparison between those who have moved to the UK with their spouses against those who have moved to Thailand with their spouses. There is a definite imbalance.

Those that move to the UK have a definite chance (providing they put in a bit of effort) of being given an indefinite stay status, and eventually British Citizenship/British Passport. Those that move to Thailand simply retain a status that does not give very much security.

[STEVE G]

Hobiecat wrote:

I'm trying to figure out how to get a mini cam stuck to my mirror so I can get a shot of my next contribution and then post it on the internet.

Actually my partner’s brother, who is in an office job with the Bangkok police, has told us to record any attempt at corruption on a mobile phone camera and send it to him, but we always forget to do this until afterwards.

[redzonerocker]

bb,
i agree with you totally (now you clarified the point )

stevie g, do you think that if you did manage to get a clip of the dirty deed & presented it as evidence, anything would come of it?
& would it be in your favour, especially if it happens in a smaller town like hua hin for instance?

[STEVE G]

Redzonerocker, I would only ever send in anything like a photo through Thai’s, and I wouldn’t expect it to have any direct results. I’ve been led to believe that there is some slow movement to stop this sort of thing in the Bangkok Police but I suspect it is something like chipping at a mountain with an ice-pick. I suppose the fact that someone in the Police suggested doing such a thing shows that there is some slight progress.

[redzonerocker]

a small step in the right direction then steve g

[Call_me_Daddy57]

I had heard many bad things about the Police in Thailand but till today had no official contact with them.

Somewhere in my travels in the last month I managed to lose my bank passbook so when I discovered it missing I went to bank here in HH to get a replacement only to be told I first had to report to the police that I had lost it and get a form from them.

I had all sorts of visions of a bad experience and wasn't looking forward to testing my bad Thai on this one.

When I got to the Police station, behing the information desk was a smiling lovely lady cop who spoke good english and was very helpful.
After a look at my passport and an old bankbook I had she filled in the required form and in about 5 minutes I was on my way back to the bank.
Cost for this service 20Baht.

The cost for this service is.......0 Baht But they love to try it on

Great service and a great lady to deal with, if anyone from the police reads this please once again pass on my greatful thanks.

I now have no trepidation about going to the police if I ever need their services.

You are joking of course.....or just naive ?

Korp khun maak na krap
Robby

[Vital Spark]

I'll just put in my two-penny worth.

Parahandy and I have lived here for ten years. Firstly in Bangkok, then four years in Nakhon Pathom, and now (over four years) out in the sticks here. We got burgled in Nakhon Pathom and the police, quite frankly, didn't care. From my correspondence with family in the UK - it's the same there. We've been stopped by the police once while driving in BKK - we negotiated a fine. Yeah, I don't like it, but that's the way it is here.

We basically keep our heads down, smile at everybody, and have built up some good relationships with the local Thais. I'll probably get shot down in flames here, but as I see it if you treat the men in brown with respect (however much it sticks in your throat) then you get the same back. Maybe it's because we're both farangs and speak a smidgeon of Thai, but we don't/haven't had the sort of hassle that some people have had when they're here for a short time.

I personally don't think that all the boys in brown are bad guys - and I don't think that I'm that naive - or, have I just been lucky?

VS

[dtaai-maai]

I'll just put in my two-penny worth.


I personally don't think that all the boys in brown are bad guys - and I don't think that I'm that naive - or, have I just been lucky?

VS

And I'll hand over my 200 baht's worth with a contented smile, agreeing with VS and asking the same question - have I just been lucky? Not quite as lucky as VS, because in the last four years I've been stopped by the police, either on a motorbike or in a pick-up, about 14 times. Often at a standard checkpoint/roadblock, once in HH with the aid of a shrill whistle (which I very briefly considered ignoring, but then got sensible), and more recently by a suicidal cop standing in the fast lane of the bypass in camouflage brown.

I've been fined five times, three for no crash helmet, one for no seat belt (by the station), and one for speeding. Each fine was 200 baht (how much would it have cost me in the UK? ) Every fine was justified, and every cop has been polite, or at least not rude. I have a UK driving license only.

I don't know how to quote two people in one posting, but Barry's comment on communication is hugely relevant. I use the bypass between Cha-am and HH pretty much every day Mon-Fri and have been stopped 3 times in the last 5-6 weeks by the same pair of cops (Mr Suicide in the fast lane and Mr Sensible at the side of the road), in the same spot on the way back to Cha-am in the afternoon. Being able to respond politely in Thai to 'Where are you going?' and explain that I'm an ajarn at a local university has resulted in nothing more than one "Please don't drive in the fast lane unless you're overtaking... ( )" one "Drive slowly, krap" and one slightly embarrassed "Good luck" with a salute, would you believe. Although by then I'm pretty sure he recognised me...

I'm talking about attitude at traffic stops, not dealing with crime, but I have to say I've no complaints at all.

Of course, if I fail to spot Mr Suicide's white gloves because I'm singing along with Frank Sinatra or Pink Floyd, I might have another story to tell...

[barrys]

We were driving to Pattaya a few days ago in a pickup truck towing a speedboat on an unlicensed wooden trailer with no electrics.

On the freeway going into Bangkok just after Samut Sakhorn, one of the trailer tyres blew out and there we were stuck in the fast lane not able to move.

As we were putting the truck's spare wheel on the trailer with all sorts of traffic zooming past, a traffic cop duly arrived.
After asking what the problem was, he immediately radioed the station to say it was ok, the farang speaks Thai and he could sort it out - no need for reinforcements and no need for the otherwise obligatory tow truck.

He then held up all the traffic so we could pull over to the inside lane and let us stop there.
He then took me on his motorbike to a tyre repair shop a couple of km away and told the guy there to fix our problem.

Less than 1 hour later, we were on our way again.

The traffic cop disappeared with a wave before we left and before we had the chance to give him a thank you tip.
At no time did he ask for money.
All we had to pay was a 200 baht service charge on top of the price of the 2 tyres for the guys risking their lives changing the wheels on the freeway.

A very pleasant experience in what could have otherwise been a very unpleasant situation - only slightly soured by another traffic cop stopping us the other side of Bangkok for towing an unlicensed trailer - still, after a chat about our misfortune just before, he was happy with THB 300, way under the normal rate for the MiB in the capital and a lot less than it would have been if he'd taken us to the station.

I'm convinced that everything turned out well because of our will to communicate.

Negative attitudes are mutually contagious, I think.

[Burger]

I like the police here.

It's nice to know you can buy your way out of trouble if ever required.

Ofcourse I'm a model citizen, so does not apply

Don't forget we chose to live in a 3rd world country, rife with corruption, we knew what we were letting ourselves in for.

Burger

[hogus]

Exactly, Burger,

in this case we're on the same side again!

In Western Countries you can lose your life-existence, because driving 20 m/h too fast.
That's just one small example...
In 3rd world countries like TH you have the chance to clear small troubles without lawyers, courts etc....really a big plus point in my eyes!

In all my years here, I discovered police-guys as very helpfully, polite and friendly.
No reasons to complain about them till now!

May be I just had luck...who knows?

[STEVE G]

I’ve never had a problem around Hua Hin, but I’m getting a bit fed up of being stopped in Bangkok for invented offences; it’s one thing to pay for something you have done, but quite another to be stopped for nothing. I used to get the same behaviour from the police when driving in Jakarta, they used to see a white face and then tell you, you had jumped a red light a km away.

[aim666]

the truth is that the police(especially in hua hin) is more worse than the mafia and i do not mean matters like getting stopped in traffic because of wearing no helmet! in case of need you must pay them extra to do their job! bar owners must pay every month for nothing and from time to time police comes and ask for free whisk(e)y!
When there is a holiday all bars have to be closed except the one in binthabat which belongs to corrupt policeman!
many girls who tell you that they are singles have policeman as boyfriend (or protector) who takes care also in collecting the money! (i know this cause i have girls in my neighbourhood who i know from binthabat and see her boyfriends daily)!
Police pays very low salaries to its stuff(between 5 and 10 t bht),nevertheless most of them are living in big and nice houses! is this possible because they also controll the drug selling? so dont get wrong opinion because some police is "friendly"! they are criminals in uniform!