Police called today - Please help me work out if its geniune

[FarangFarmer]

Hi

I have just had a visit from two police. White t police t-shirts, ID cards, Brown trousers, Unmarked grey car. I live very near Soi 114 at the south end of town.

They are collecting from local houses for the Solider Police and Civil Association in Bangkok.

They were not slow in walking into my house.

First they asked me how long I lived in Hua Hin. Then we sat down and they showed me a magazine with photos of bombs from down south. Then they showed me a photo of an injured soldier in a wheelchair, and said that neighbouring houses had donated money for pay for wheelchairs. They had a receipt book and flicked through the dockets showing me the names and the donation amounts from 2,000 baht to 5,000 baht. I said Kon Farang mak, but he then showed me a Thai name that had given 3,500 baht. They asked would I give money. They were definitely selling, but I think they may have said no problem if you cannot. I was a bit intimidated with two police in my house, and me only wearing a towel wrapped around my waist.

I'm thinking if its geniune, I have no problem donating to injured army soliders but I dont like people calling to my house to collect like this. I'm thinking if its fake, how much trouble can these guys make for me. I'm thinking even if its geniune and I give easily are they sussing me out for a later call by two other police mates for something more sinister (i.e - easy farang lives there - call on him). All this is going through my head as they sit there showing me photos, talking about big police chief from Bangkok, showing me a photo of themselves in the magazine. I want to say to them, if you guys are geniune then I am happy to give, but I am sceptical because I have read about your fake calls and extortion for money. But I dont say this.

I tell them I would like to help but I would like to check with my friends that what you say is all true. A bit of a hurt and surprised look on their face. I say can you come back next week and if I have talked to my friends, then I can give. They say something about going to BKK at 4pm. I say can you call later today. They say Hua Hin big, wont have time to call back. (Now Ive never known a charity back home where if you pledge money they wont call back to you, so Im sceptical, but then things happen so differently here).

I tell them I am happy to give, but I say that even back home I never give money to anyone who just calls at my door. I am happy to post a donation if they give me the details. I am really just buying time or trying to see what other information they have. If they agree to this, Im thinking, then it must be geniune, as they will have to give me an address. They say I can put in Bank. I say ok I will do. He writes out a lodgement slip with the account number. He asks me how much I will give. I say 2,000 baht. He asks me to write my name and address on the receipt part of his book and on the slip they keep. He writes his own telephone number on my receipt and asks me to phone him when I have lodged the money. They bring me from their unmarked police car a large framed photo of the Kings of Thailand. I thank them very much.

They leave politely.

My question to the forum is has anyone else had these two guys calling today collecting for this charity. What opinion did you form - is it all above board. Or am I now known as one of the easy farangs we can call on anytime to get money from. When they walked into the house I was working on the laptop. Im a sort of sceptical guy, so Im not even that happy they now know there is a laptop just inside the main door. My thai wife sort of went all quiet during their visit and wasnt a great help but now she says she is nervous that they know we have valuables in the house. She doesnt trust the DamRuat that much either. However my wife says she will check the bank account number when we make the lodgement, so if its a fund account, then these two guys are geniune.

For the early part of this topic, can we try to keep the replies to the matter of this fund - "Collecting for The Soldier Police and Civil Assiociaton in Bangkok". If it develops too quickly about other less organised scams perhaps, I wont get the answers Im looking for.

Thanks


My own feeling is that all is above board. The framed photo is quite big. I have a deposit slip with bank account number and an official looking receipt. They showed ID cards and smiled a lot. The problem I have is , dont they know they have a bad name amongst farangs for calling to houses. Would they not be better getting volunteer young girls with ID to call and collect on behalf of the charity perhaps. The police thing with pictures of guns on their white t-shirts was just not appropriate. I spent the first 3 minutes thinking - oh sh*t, Ive read stories about extortion but it always happens to someone else - now its my turn.

[buksida]

sounds familiar: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=19210

[STEVE G]

Yes, it's certainly been going on for a long while as I remember a friend being visited like this several years ago. My personal thoughts are that it's probably a genuine charity but like almost all charities, even in the West, knowing that your money actually ends up where it's supposed to is pretty impossible.

[Siani]

I had something similar when I was last in HH. A police officer (tourist he said) called and asked us to sponser the local football team. I did post this on the forum with his phone number too, if I recall. I had met him the previous day outside a shop in Soi 88.
My advice to anyone is to keep your gate locked, I do not like the idea of anyone "just walking in" without invite.

[FarangFarmer]

Thanks Buksida for your link. Yes it is exactly the same charity. I can see from the posts in that topic that some of you considered it a scam.
The only difference now is that they seem to be happy to give you their bank details.
I will go to the bank now and check what details on the account before donating.
Some of you said you would never of let them in the door to the house and Im sorry that I did. I would never do this back home either, but its sort of open here and they were on me before I could stop them off at the gate. To be fair to them they actually shouted from the gate, and my wife let them in.

[leoedgar]

Trayed it 6 months ago, same senario, they just walked in with uniforms, and I was thinking, what have I done. Then they showed me the book with all the disable people, but I was lucky, some friend of mine showed up, so I told them to exuse me, but I have no time for them. They disapered, and I have not seen them again. Leo

[lomuamart]

Although late now, it might have been worth while to say that you were going to call a senior policeman in HH just to check everything was OK.
Might have been difficult to do bearing in mind where you were in relation to them but if they ummed and arred about that, you know they're fake.
A friend once did it to two policemen who were trying to collect money for pool tables. As soon he went upstairs to call, they scarpered. Turned out they were from Phuket and on a scam. They were eventually arrested.

[FarangFarmer]

It should be simple to check this out.

If the charity is geniune then they will have office in Bankgok. By keying into Google the name of the charity on the top of my receipt, I found the following link (but Im not allowed post the link). Just google 'Solider Police and Civil Assiciation in Bangkok'

This webpage has the same address and telephone number on my receipt. If they verify that they have police collecting for them in Hua Hin, then surely it is ok, unless of course the entire Bangkok connection is part of the scam. I phoned the number but at the moment it rings out.

So I will have to stick to my checking the bank account details.

Im probably going to end up donating here. I really dont want them calling back to collect their portrait of the Thai kings. Im probably should have said no, as I dont agree to the method of their collection, even if it is all above board.

or does anyone know the big police chief in Hua Hin and want to ask about this. I know its not the done thing over here to involve yourself in anyone elses business, but if you know a policeman and are curious and its no hassle asking, let me know if you get any info about it. Thx. It would be nice to know if this charity is in fact geninue and carrys no sinister follow ups with it, and that people if called upon can give freely and without fear.

[PET]

I guess they have come to my Soi many times in the past 3 years, because I have noticed them about 10 times and I am often out, but I do not acknowledge the front gate bell ring.

To donate once is Ok but to have them around so often is not on, in my book.

[Arcadian]

This happened to me two years ago, I gave a smaller amount than they suggested so my reward was a small figurine not a large photo of the king. I still have the receipt.

[FarangFarmer]

Ive just been to the bank. I called to the bank where the account came from. It was the light blue bank. Krung Thai. The account number matches an account for the 'Soldier Police and Civil Association in Bangkok'. The bank said the account is geniune and an individual would not be able to setup an account in that name or withdraw money from it. I went out to the ATM but I couldnt bring myself to transfer until I did one more thing. The whole thing has been bugging me since it happened. Police in the house etc, telling me that neighbours donated 5,000 baht etc, just making it difficult to say No and pushing me into a donation of 2,000 baht. Getting personal info about me like my phone number, name etc.

Anyway I am going to do is get a Thai friend who is quite influential to phone the number the police guy left with me and say that their friend is about to make the transfer, but had asked them to phone to just check that everything was ok and what bank to lodge the money into. I want to use this opportunity for my thai friend to ask them a few questions about the way they collect. I havnt done this yet, but I want to get a bit more info so that I can post on this topic that this charity is geniune and this is how they collect and then its up to everyone to chose whether they want to help and not to think that by saying no to the Police, that something more sinister might follow.

[fft100]

We had this over 5 years ago (also soi 114 area).

Got a very large picture of the king and queen with gold elephant tusks etc.

I was dubious, but decided it was better to go along with it. I think they came back about 2 years ago, but i showed them the picture, and they went away :-) A visit every 3 years indicates they arent pushing things.

I do think it is probably a legit charity, but as with many charities worldwide (incl europe/uk), i suspect there admin fees / expenses take up a large proportion of the money raised.

[MrPlum]

Had the 5000 suggestion too but donated only 1500 baht and received a figure of some King or General which I then donated to the local police big-wig. Worth the small investment for the business card.

[GLCQuantum]

Worth the small investment for the business card

A good shout there Mr Plum until you think about it. If they have been allocated these tedious little tasks, that card is like getting a card off of a traffic cop I would assume. In times of difficulty I doubt it's worth the paper it's printed on. I may be wrong though.

[Takiap]

I think you'll find it's all legit. They call around here from time to time as well, but once you've donated, they don't really push for a second donation the next time they come around. Personally I think they're collecting for a good cause. People are usually more than happy to donate to monks/temples and yet they don't want to donate anything those those who are in genuine need of help. The religious institution in Thailand is worth trillions of baht, so in my books, there are others with far greater needs.


It's the same at street level as well.................people will gladly give food and goods to the monks every morning (I'm not knocking it) but they would rather look the other way when they see a homeless person.