Thread: I Was Just Pulled Out of a Bangkok Taxi and Searched for Drugs

^I think you handled it correctly, I wouldn't want pull out a wallet with a wad of banknotes either, especially as it was an unwarranted search.
If they ever pull the random drug testing game on me I'd refuse that too.

^

That was part of it- I was thinking, 'Shit- what a bad time to have excess cash on me'- the second thing the cop said after telling me to empty my pockets was, 'Show me your wallet', not 'Show me your ID'- that was a bad sign.

I'm not a tough guy, and if he had said it was a drugs checkpoint I probably would have complied, but with no information offered, I was very hesitant to just give in.

what I expect is that a cop in any country will have a reason (and will inform me of that reason) before stopping my taxi and ordering me from it and putting their hands on me

You can expect what you fucking like but I don't see any reason why in a situation like this the Thai police - or the police in whatever country you happen to be in - should give a fuck what your expectations are. And why are you so sure that they didn't have a reason? Maybe, just like they said, they were searching for drugs.

even in Thailand probable cause is a requirement to some degree

Do you know the law well enough to know that these police were acting illegally?

Originally Posted by Zooheekock

what I expect is that a cop in any country will have a reason (and will inform me of that reason) before stopping my taxi and ordering me from it and putting their hands on me

You can expect what you fucking like but I don't see any reason why in a situation like this the Thai police - or the police in whatever country you happen to be in - should give a fuck what your expectations are. And why are you so sure that they didn't have a reason? Maybe, just like they said, they were searching for drugs.

even in Thailand probable cause is a requirement to some degree

Do you know the law well enough to know that these police were acting illegally?

I didn't say they didn't have a reason- I said I wasn't informed of it.

I know I can expect what I fucking like- in fact I did.

As far as I know, the cops need reasonable cause and have to tell you why you are being stopped in LOS- I was told nothing until it was nearly over.

I'm surprised you have such faith in the cops here, Dan.

but with no information offered,

not many thai police working street checkpoints have the language skills to explain their procedures in english. get out of the car, show me your wallet, where is your passport, is about all you can expect here.

...... and they dont have to give reasons, they are often deliberately being provocative to elicit a response, and then they will have good reason to take it to the next level. thats how these bullies work, just waiting for the falang to start screaming human rights and you cant do this to ME.

Frankly, it's karma.

Failsafe pontificates like the empty headed blowhard he is upon the virtue of the police charging a blameless, falang victim of a road accident in Samui with reckless driving and then proceeds to the island with his wife to make merit by bunging a donation to a congregation of 3000 monks.

One week later his ass gets hauled by two chickenheads looking for a donation of their own and he screeches like a virgin taken roughly from the rear without lubricant.

Har, ya gotta laugh at them apples.

Originally Posted by thegent

Frankly, it's karma.

Failsafe pontificates like the empty headed blowhard he is upon the virtue of the police charging a blameless, falang victim of a road accident in Samui with reckless driving and then proceeds to the island with his wife to make merit by bunging a donation to a congregation of 3000 monks.

One week later his ass gets hauled by two chickenheads looking for a donation of their own and he screeches like a virgin taken roughly from the rear without lubricant.

Har, ya gotta laugh at them apples.

God, you're a fucking retard (not to mention a cross-thread stalker)- yes, my making a charitable donation of 10,000 baht really should have given me enough karma-points to avoid this situation- if only I hadn't pointed out a mistake (on videotape) that a rider made- it canceled my points out!!! What was I thinking???

It would seem, however, that my ass (I thought you Brits like to use 'arse') didn't exactly get 'hauled' though, did it...?

In any case, I know what the deal was- I feel I did the right thing- your results may vary.

As far as I know, the cops need reasonable cause and have to tell you why you are being stopped in LOS- I was told nothing until it was nearly over.

And how far is 'as far as I know'? Not that far, I expect. Did you have the conversation in English or in Thai? If it was in English, what do you expect? 'I am stopping you pursuant to the power vested in me by the Police Powers Act BE2543. As specified in section 2, paragraph 3, clause 7....'. Get real.

I'm surprised you have such faith in the cops here, Dan.

I don't have that much faith in the cops (see my post above). Equally, I don't have that much faith in immigrants giving an unbiased account of their interactions with the police; most seem to think it's their God-give right to breeze through daily life utterly untouched by these types of things. 'Pay a fine for not wearing a helmet?!? How fucking dare they!!'

the bellicose and truculent falang is a source of guaranteed amusement to thais, especially thais in government service such as the police or immigration.

they know just which buttons to push to raise the ante until the poor falang is rendered helpless with frustration and righteousness. a bit like my avatar.

some nationalities take the bait much quicker than others.

^^ Immigrants? We can immigrate here.

We are guests and they are our hosts!

Originally Posted by Zooheekock

As far as I know, the cops need reasonable cause and have to tell you why you are being stopped in LOS- I was told nothing until it was nearly over.

And how far is 'as far as I know'? Not that far, I expect. Did you have the conversation in English or in Thai? If it was in English, what do you expect? 'I am stopping you pursuant to the power vested in me by the Police Powers Act BE2543. As specified in section 2, paragraph 3, clause 7....'. Get real.

I'm surprised you have such faith in the cops here, Dan.

I don't have that much faith in the cops (see my post above). Equally, I don't have that much faith in immigrants giving an unbiased account of their interactions with the police; most seem to think it's their God-give right to breeze through daily life utterly untouched by these types of things. 'Pay a fine for not wearing a helmet?!? How fucking dare they!!'

Now you're just being obtuse- I didn't expect a long-winded explanation of the laws regarding search-and-seizure in LOS- I expected to be told that they were looking for drugs, or a specific criminal, or whatever- 'Get out- empty your pockets (while feeling their outsides)- show us your wallet' with no other explanation is not acceptable.

Believe it or not, being stopped and fined for not wearing a helmet is a completely different situation- I would have had nothing to complain about if that had been the case.

Now you're just being obtuse- I didn't expect a long-winded explanation of the laws regarding search-and-seizure in LOS- I expected to be told that they were looking for drugs, or a specific criminal, or whatever- 'Get out- empty your pockets (while feeling their outsides)- show us your wallet' with no other explanation is not acceptable.

Did you ask why you had been stopped? If you asked in Thai and they ignored you, then you can feel a little aggrieved. Otherwise, I'm still not sure what all the moaning is about.

I think this says more about the intrinsic naivety of some Americans here who preach from the pulpit of their sanctimony one is obligated by the rule of law in Thailand when in truth the silly fuckers have simply never grasped the reality that there isn't one. And when they get their lardy asses hauled for no good reason, as far as they are concerned, their outrage knows no bounds.

Stop bitchin' Failsafe ( an oxymoron if ever there was one ) and take it up that ass like you was born to it, 'n airythang.

Originally Posted by Zooheekock

Now you're just being obtuse- I didn't expect a long-winded explanation of the laws regarding search-and-seizure in LOS- I expected to be told that they were looking for drugs, or a specific criminal, or whatever- 'Get out- empty your pockets (while feeling their outsides)- show us your wallet' with no other explanation is not acceptable.

Did you ask why you had been stopped?

At least four times- I asked why I had to get out of the cab, I asked why I had to empty my pockets, I asked why I had to show them my wallet, but first-and-formost I asked why they stopped the cab (I never asked rudely or raised my voice)- zero answers to any questions.

Originally Posted by thegent

I think this says more about the intrinsic naivety of some Americans here who preach from the pulpit of their sanctimony one is obligated by the rule of law in Thailand when in the truth the silly fuckers have simply never grasped the reality that there isn't one. And when they get their lardy asses hauled for no good reason, as far as they are concerned, their outrage knows no bounds.

Stop bitchin' Failsafe ( an oxymoron if ever there was one ) and take it up that ass like you was born to it, 'n airythang.

Oh gent, anal penetration might be your milieu, but it's not mine.

I didn't get hauled in, I didn't have to pay anything, and I was on my way (again, probably much faster than otherwise due to my wife's actions- I admit that freely- had I been alone it would probably have been less pleasant).

Originally Posted by FailSafe

Originally Posted by Zooheekock

Now you're just being obtuse- I didn't expect a long-winded explanation of the laws regarding search-and-seizure in LOS- I expected to be told that they were looking for drugs, or a specific criminal, or whatever- 'Get out- empty your pockets (while feeling their outsides)- show us your wallet' with no other explanation is not acceptable.

Did you ask why you had been stopped?

At least four times- I asked why I had to get out of the cab, I asked why I had to empty my pockets, I asked why I had to show them my wallet, but first-and-formost I asked why they stopped the cab (I never asked rudely or raised my voice)- zero answers to any questions.

In Thai or English?

Tamai?

Originally Posted by Zooheekock

Originally Posted by FailSafe

Originally Posted by Zooheekock

Now you're just being obtuse- I didn't expect a long-winded explanation of the laws regarding search-and-seizure in LOS- I expected to be told that they were looking for drugs, or a specific criminal, or whatever- 'Get out- empty your pockets (while feeling their outsides)- show us your wallet' with no other explanation is not acceptable.

Did you ask why you had been stopped?

At least four times- I asked why I had to get out of the cab, I asked why I had to empty my pockets, I asked why I had to show them my wallet, but first-and-formost I asked why they stopped the cab (I never asked rudely or raised my voice)- zero answers to any questions.

In Thai or English?

He spoke to me in English, and I asked him in English- my wife then asked him in Thai, and he didn't respond to her (she eventually spoke to another cop)- sorry, but you're barking up the wrong tree in the point you're trying to make.

They were looking for foreigners- I heard other cops speaking proficient English to the Chinese guys behind me.

Which tree is that? As I said in a post above,'If you asked in Thai and they ignored you, then you can feel a little aggrieved.' It's up to you to speak their language in these situations. If you don't then you have to live with the consequences. If you do, and the policeman still behaves like an arsehole then he's probably an arsehole....so you met a policeman who was an arsehole. That's annoying but hardly unique, here or in any other country on the planet.

Originally Posted by Zooheekock

Which tree is that? As I said in a post above, "If you asked in Thai and they ignored you, then you can feel a little aggrieved."

He was asked in Thai by the Thai standing next to me and still didn't respond (though he kept speaking to me in English)- can I still feel a little aggrieved?

Perhaps you should have said " Hey, tamai hua gai ? ".

Might have done the trick but Dan is the authority here.

It reads to me Failsafe that you were a lucky guy that night and only because your wife was there.

You should treat her like your credit card



Unless you fancy some of this of course

Originally Posted by chassamui

If visitors continue to bend over and accept it, little will change.

Thats where you are going wrong, Failsafe wasnt asked to bend over or accept anything.
Now if his wife wasnt there and he continued to obstruct the b.i.b, and they finally got to see his wallet, then wondered why he was reluctant to show all those notes, then he could well have found himself bent over and 2 fat brown fingers wriggling around his arris