Foreigners searched on Sukhumvit
ON August 12 the Bangkok Post published a letter with the headline: “Paranoia Strikes on the Street.” Following are exerts from the letter: “I was walking along Sukhumvit Road close to Interchange Tower, totally sober and minding my own business, when a policeman standing near a group of motorcycle taxis asked me where I was going. At first I actually thought he was just being friendly, but then he told me to hand over my backpack. He gave it a pretty good search and then asked me to empty my pockets and show him what was inside. “When I pulled out my wallet he took it and looked through it, but didn’t take anything. Then he asked me where I lived before waving me off. It may be that there was a credible reason for stopping me, but his demeanour was kind of creepy and I was happy to be on my way with no complications. “I’m aware of the scams in which police take small bribes from motorists and the one from the ‘cigarette police,’ but in the more than 10 years I’ve lived in Bangkok this is the first time I have been stopped and searched or hassled in any way on the street, which I think says a lot for the Thai police department’s treatment of foreigners in general.” The letter caught our attention because we had been monitoring the vicinity for a while after hearing of similar incidents. In July and August The BigChilli witnessed three searches of foreigners, all males and all Caucasians. In one incident a young foreign man holding a plastic bag was searched at the corner of Asoke and Sukhumvit roads by six policemen. They appeared to be enjoying themselves, joking and laughing while searching the visibly frightened man. The police found a box of Viagra, likely counterfeit, inside the bag and asked him where he bought it. The man was also told to empty his pockets. One policeman waved his hand to direct the crowd of onlookers who had gathered to move on. Coincidentally, about five meters where the man was stopped were two stalls, one displaying several boxes of “Viagra” and other such sexual aids and sex toys, and the other about 30 counterfeit watches. The police made no contact with the vendors but we noticed after we returned to the location about 30 minutes later that the stalls were still there. The vendors stood nearby and only approached the stalls when foreigners stopped to examine the goods. We also witnessed the search of another foreign man who arrived at about the same spot by motorcycle taxi without a bag. One uniformed policeman wearing a helmet searched him while another officer sat nearby on a motorcycle. They found nothing and let him go.
Another foreigner who was also allowed to move on after police stopped and searched him agreed to talk to The BigChilli. “I was about to walk up the stairs to the BTS station when a policeman who was chatting with motorcycle taxis called out to me in English: ‘Hey, where are you going? Give me your bag!’ “He opened the bag and searched inside pretty diligently. Then he asked me to empty my pockets. He looked at my mobile phone and wallet but didn’t take anything. “I’m sure both of them were real cops, with real guns. The one who searched me didn’t introduce himself or ask me if I would allow the search. He was about 40 years old. He said he was looking for a bomb, and didn’t ask to see any ID or other documents. Maybe I should have asked which police station he was attached to, but I just wanted to get away. “He was kind of intimidating, not at all polite. If he had been more professional I don’t think I would have minded so much, but the way he conducted himself was totally unacceptable. I don’t know if what he did was illegal, but in my country policemen aren’t allowed to make searches without probable cause, and I don’t think there’s much to distinguish me from the thousands of other foreigners walking down this street every day.” We have also heard reports of several foreigners being stopped and searched on Sukhumvit Road near the Thonglor BTS station for no apparent reason. According to one of our police advisers, before conducting a search the policeman should identify himself and give the reason for the search. “The police can always find some reason to justify the search. Just to say that the person appears suspicious is reason enough,” he said, adding that females can only be searched by a policewoman. A policeman is prohibited from touching a woman.
The law:
Criminal Proced
ure Code of Tha ila
nd B.E. 2477 (193 6) Section 93 The search of an y person in the pu blic place shall be ited, unless such prohibsearch is made by the administra lice official wher tive or poe there are the gr ounds expedien that such person t to suspect has the article in possession to co offence or be ob mmit the tained by the of fence.
TheBigChilli
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10/1/55 BE 2:40 PM