Please urgently discuss/advise on problem with police and alleged criminal damage

Hi sorry if this is the wrong place to ask this but this room has the most traffic and I need to discuss this urgently with some friendly foreigners in Thailand.

Last night I was walking home to my apartment in silom at 2am and wanted to pop into the hotel two buildings away to use the atm in there. I used a side door, which is a double glass door. Anyway, I pulled the door and it opened about 4-5 inches then stopped with a bang. The handles of the 2 doors were chained together, in the middle. Anyway the door stopped but the glass didnt and it fell out onto me. I wasn't injured. There was a security guard about 10 metres away. He woke up from the sound of glass. I walked off to my apartment not really sure of what had happened and the guard ran after me. He didn't catch up. I went to bed.

At 9am this morning my door was banged non stop til I opened it. Outside were 4 security guards. Yes 4. They told me to go to the lobby. I said ok and closed the door to put some clothes on. One guard stopped me from closing the door. They all waited for me. At the lobby the head guard showed me a thai language police report and a photocopy of my work permit that they got from my apartment reception. I'm not sure if it was an actual police report but he said it was. He showed me where 50,000 Baht was written and said I was on cctv kicking the door open. I said no way. They all went to call the police, so they said. I walked to the hotel door and saw no cctv camera. The door looked a bit buckled i.e. the bottom of the frame was sticking outwards (towards where I had been stood when I pulled) about 2 inches. I left to go for a long walk. Now im at a net cafe

I have lots of questions
What should I do? Deny everything or explain that the glass fell on me when I tried to open the door. It must have been very weak glass to shatter from that shock by the chain stopping the door opening

Why no safety glass used?

What is the 50,000 Baht? I can't believe a 6 foot by 3 foot pane of glass costs that. Are they trying to get me to pay for a new door too?


What should I do about this?

Go with them to the police, should cost about2,500baht for the glass at most, safety glass is generally not used here due to expense.

New aluminum frame would be 1,000 to 2,000baht complete.

Have you got a copy of the report ?

Thanks for the information. I feel really scared right now and don't want to go home yet.

Should I go to the hotel and ask to see the manager and let him call the police?

I can't afford 50,000 baht. It is many weeks salary for me. I think they were trying it on but this is scary because they got the staff at my home involved and could contact my boss too.

I didn't break the glass or door. Maybe it was loose or cracked already. I dont know. I can pay the 2,500 baht you said for the glass if this will make it go away but I think they are trying to fit up a "rich" farang with this 50,000 huge amount.

i know to my cost - never try to open or close anything in thailand

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Originally Posted by Thetyim

Have you got a copy of the report ?

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No, they didn't give me one. I told them to show me the cctv then they went to call the police and walked out of my building. That was about 4 hours ago. I hanged around for a few minutes then felt really scared and went out, away from near home. I havent been back yet.

I would contact the Tourist Police and not the regular BiB

The tourist police will speak better English and are usually more likely to help you. With 50K on offer a good bung could go towards the BiB and influence their decision.

Security guards are generally the intellectual giants of the Issan world, ie they have 3 or 4 years education and generally live in slum dwellings, so this is the chance for them to change all that with parting you with some of your wealth, best bet is to get down to the nearest tourist police office and get 1 of them to go with you to the hotel.

^ Agreed

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Thetyim

I would contact the Tourist Police and not the regular BiB

The tourist police will speak better English and are usually more likely to help you. With 50K on offer a good bung could go towards the BiB and influence their decision.

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I thought of contacting them but im not a tourist and the hotel have a copy of my work permit proving it.

I couldn't think of bribing anyone. I feel worried enough already that maybe some of that 50,000 is to bribe someone about something to do with this to fix me up, but i really don't know so i won't accuse anyone outright.

Sorry, I was not suggesting that you make a bribe.
I was trying to say that some of the 50k might be given to the BiB

the tourist police might be able to knock a bit off the bill for you.
its worth a shot anyway. i am pretty sure they helped me a little in CM when faced with a similar situation.

I think the Tourist Police will help all foreigners.

I do not think that your WP will be an obstacle

get someone who can speak thai to help you. dont go on the offensive.
Get the police involved, ask to see CCTV.
Ask to get a second quotation for the damage from another company, keep your translator with you at all times. Tell them you work here (show work permit) and are aware of the general cost of things. this door might cost 5000 baht maximum.
Forget about the 50k, that is the charge for Mr Holidaymaker:)

Thanks for all the advice everyone. This is a friendly forum to help me when I've joined only today to ask for opinions.

I will try to find tourist police.

Does anyone know where I can get proof that a piece of glass and maybe an aluminium door as well does not cost 50,000 baht?

I think they were trying to frighten me into handing over all that money on the spot. I kind of believed them at first as I was just waking up but yes you are right, no way glass and a door can cost that!

So should I deny touching the door? (i dont think there is any proof) or explain what actually happened to the police?

i paid about 3000 baht for a window. I think they are taking the piss.


i would just tell the truth. i dont believe you have anything to gain by bullshitting, especially if they can prove that you have touched the door.

if you are into case studies

https://teakdoor.com/the-captains-lou...t-in-full.html

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Originally Posted by richarda

So should I deny touching the door?

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Nope. They will come up with 3 witnesses.

Get the price down to a reasonable level, after the price for repair has been agreed then say that the door was already in a bad condition and that you should only pay half.

When the price is agreed say that you can only afford to pay 500 baht per week

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Thetyim

I would contact the Tourist Police and not the regular BiB

The tourist police will speak better English and are usually more likely to help you. With 50K on offer a good bung could go towards the BiB and influence their decision.

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(cross posted)...Could do with nothing to lose, but I've known them to back off when they discover you're not actually a tourist, though I guess much depends on how much they think they can prise from you.

Tourist police 02 664 0222

I called the tourist police 1155. Their office is near R.C.A. at Petchaburi road. A nice lady told me to go to see the normal police because tourist police can only help with things like lost possessions reports, not criminal type stuff but she said she can act as a translator if the normal police want to call her

The report they showed me had some Thai script at the top but didn't look like a police report. I've seen one before and it had a crest emblum at the top and the details of the police station. I'm beginning to think they wrote this thing themselves overnight then came to scare me with it. I haven't gone home yet. I will stay at my girlfriends tonight and go to the police tomorrow.

^ That's complete crap

I know for a fact that the TP can investigate serious crime

I can only go on what she said. Maybe I will go to the tourist police office tomorrow not the normal police

You phoned the national number for the tourist police, probably best to phone the local number for your local station.