Reports emerging of police drug testing scam in Bangkok

[bkkcanuck8]

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I think its mainly for Meth/Yeh Ba. If they are testing for weed then that hangs around in you for weeks. I dont think the instant ones on the street can pick it up, might be wrong but I thought that had to be lab test

Weed will show up in a urine test for about four days; in hair for months. THC binds to body fat so is slow to clear.

I once did an experiment using a test bought through Amazon. The subject smoked on Saturday night and it was the following Thursday before a urine sample showed clear.

So yes it could be a problem for incoming travellers who have smoked in a place where it's legal.

Thats an instant reading or withing minutes for weed ?

Marijuana Detection Time Chart Urine Drug Test

1 time only 5-8 days

2-4 times per month 11-18 days

2-4 times week 23-35 days

5-6 times per week 33-48 days

Daily Usage 49-90 days

[lvr181]

"Prayut vows to improve corruption rankingPrime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha voiced satisfaction for the country's improved ranking of corruption perception index to third place among ASEAN countries, pledging he would make better ranking next year."

Best he make an early start before foreign press pick up on what is going on.

[SGD]

Old news regurgitated to put TV back on top of the news feeds.

Like many other scams, this is omnipresent and just one of the things to watch out for.

If you are clean, then you wouldn't need to bribe your way out of a test and if you have been partaking, then you are as dumb as dumb can be and for my part, deserve a few years in the Hilton.

[HerbalEd]

Not that I'm worried about testing positive, but this is enough to make me want to cancel my upcoming trip to Bangkok. Just not worth the hassle.

Are you worried about testing a false positive. It does happen, you know.

[pulnamin4]

Isn't this old news? http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/781621-surge-of-reported-police-harassment-suggests-campaign-targeting-tourists-expats/

Can anyone tell me the link to the facebook page describing these tourists tests ?. Thanks

[Robert24]

so when I'm in Bangkok later this week, I should avoid Sukhumvit or are reports exaggerated? In principle I have nothing against police go after drug dealers.

[InTransit]

I came along Sukhumvit in a taxi about an hour ago, there was police loitering around the entrances to soi 5 and soi 11 with walkie talkies in hand communicating with other police officers positioned slightly further away from the entrances to the soi's, (probably eyeing up intended targets). Also a huge police presence at the major traffic lights at Asoke. I have nothing to worry about as far as testing positive for a urine sample but just their mere presence is very intimidating.

[thaifamilyguy]

would be nice for a major Country to investigate (they all have staff at their embassies that should be doing that) and then issue a brief little travel advisory:

"Please note that visitors should be aware that legal rights that they are accustomed to in their home country may not presently apply in Thailand. For example, Police have been increasingly exercising their rights to random stops of tourists without probably cause or reasonable suspicion to demand evidence of identity, immigration status, search any and all personal belongings and compel a Urine test for evidence of illicit drug use, under penalties of arrest."

Seriously, just one embassy please! Screw the press reporting. Then let the government respond formally.

I have lived in a lot of countries where I have accepted severe restrictions on my civil rights, but I think the embassies do a serious disservice to their citizens if they do not educate them on this and take a stand (and make the government do the same)

[brewsterbudgen]

We should launch a true I HATE THAILAND video, not a fake shiite from TAT !

Not everyone hates Thailand. No need to go overboard. Some of us who live here have been living with this oppressive policing for years. It's just part of the whole Thai (or rather, Bangkok) experience.

[bartender100]

Tourists should be able to understandbthat junkies are not welcome in Thailand. They should be able to figure out before they cross the border. Given that, they should be able to get clean in their home countries. If they prefer a trip on meth to a trip to Thailand, then it's up to them. Is that so difficult to understand?

You don't get it sorry. Its not about junkies, Thailand is full of their own junkies, its about scamming gullible people nothing to do about up holding the law, scamming pour and simple. No better than the jet-ski mob and their police protectors

[RtotheC]

Not that I'm worried about testing positive, but this is enough to make me want to cancel my upcoming trip to Bangkok. Just not worth the hassle.

With a 10% chance of error you should be, that's one out of every ten people getting false positives.

[richard_smith237]

The bottom line is that is a daily occurrence, at Soi 22 they hide in the dark and jump on "suspected" falangs, the going rate is 20 to 30Kthb for thais and 50k thb for falangs to skip the test. Amazing Thailand, land where the police are notorious scammers.

They're well hidden then, I have a place there and I've never seen them let alone be 'jumped on' !

For every thread reporting this (which I have seen happen once) there are 2 more threads complaining about the drug use in Bangkok !!

Any excuse to moan really isn't it.

You are wrong... This is not about moaning or finding any excuse to moan.... If this was a one off foreigner making a complaint then I could understand how you might think this is one person and a lot of internet warriors taking a rare event out of proportion.

You are wrong because the context of this 'Webfact' thread is evidence enough that enough people have complained.

Those who suspect their dress and beautiful displays of Thainess could befit them a humble escape from this hinderance are wholly naive, this really does appear to be the BiB specifically targeting Westerners / foreigners without reasonable cause. There have been too many reports from posters who have shown themselves to be well balanced in the general postings.

I have been pulled over, asked to present ID, and asked exit the taxi for such a test, I refused to exit the taxi and after calling a friend (BiB himself) I was waved along.

In general I have had good encounters and experiences with the Thai Police - These range from a handful of minor car accidents over the past 15 years or so, to police check points, to helping an assaulted friend...

These examples however, present a completely different story - its quite apparent that this is a very specific group of BiB targeting 'any' opportune foreigner in the hope of catching someone without Passport ID and someone who may fail a drugs test. The 10% error margin if true is highly worrying - That said, in the event of a false positive a further hospital test would prove otherwise.

[toooa]

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The bottom line is that is a daily occurrence, at Soi 22 they hide in the dark and jump on "suspected" falangs, the going rate is 20 to 30Kthb for thais and 50k thb for falangs to skip the test. Amazing Thailand, land where the police are notorious scammers.

They're well hidden then, I have a place there and I've never seen them let alone be 'jumped on' !

For every thread reporting this (which I have seen happen once) there are 2 more threads complaining about the drug use in Bangkok !!

Any excuse to moan really isn't it.

Well aren't you wonderful! No, it's not "any excuse to moan". Ha, where do you get your logic?

Ok then.... so imagine, that it became known that the custom among, I dunno, smak dealers for e.g., to hide their stash in their ass for transportation in this fair city. So, to deal with the problem, you'd have no worries about being whisked off the street, for a quick rectal exam, on the chance that you might have a stash in your butt? That is the same logic you are applying. Just a step up. These are people going about their business that are being hassled, not street corner prowlers. If you want the prowlers, they're Thai and easy to spot.

As for the "drug use in Bangkok" it's not the foreigners they're talking about. All the young (and old) Thais, rich and poor who've got a taste for the nasty stuff. In a time when the economy is taking a hit, what do you think the black market is doing? More, that's what. Most of the stuff about "foreigners" is just xenophobic nonsense from people with big egos and small minds. They love to blame anyone else but themselves.

And it's known everyone but the very green and wet behind the ears that the BiB are first degree scammers.

In summary, your reply is nonsense, and I'm irritated that I had to waste the time putting you straight.

[BestBitterPhuket]

If the police involved are not stopped ASAP, the damage might be huge. The police is part of the government, and if word spreads that the Thai government is subjecting tourists to harassment, blackmail and other crimes, then it is a matter for foreign governments to intervene to protect their citizens. The TAT was talking about building Thailand's brand name as a quality tourist destination. Is this how they do it? Does the junta really accept and allow some local criminals and street thugs in police uniforms to undermine the effort so far? These "policemen" needs to be arrested.

[Guitar God]

I sat next to a guy who drove a bread truck for a living and watched him smoke at least half a joint by himself one evening. As luck would have it, the very next day he was selected for a random drug test for amphetimines, narcotics and cannabis. He passed.

Metabolites of cannabis can remain in your system up to 90- days depending on how much and how often you use it. So if you are unfortunate enough to be diagosed with prostate, colon or any of the other types of cancer treatable with cannabis, you go to one of the dozen states or countries when cannabis is prescribed and do a three month course of treatment with oil or oil-filled suppositories, are declared cancer-free, the Thai police expect you to stay outside of Thailand for an additional three months until your metabolite level is below their testing threshold? Bullshit!

I've yet to read that their roadside piss test " includes detection of cannabis metabolites". Nobody knows?

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I think its mainly for Meth/Yeh Ba. If they are testing for weed then that hangs around in you for weeks. I dont think the instant ones on the street can pick it up, might be wrong but I thought that had to be lab test

Weed will show up in a urine test for about four days; in hair for months. THC binds to body fat so is slow to clear.

I once did an experiment using a test bought through Amazon. The subject smoked on Saturday night and it was the following Thursday before a urine sample showed clear.

So yes it could be a problem for incoming travellers who have smoked in a place where it's legal.

Thats an instant reading or withing minutes for weed ?

Marijuana Detection Time Chart Urine Drug Test

1 time only 5-8 days

2-4 times per month 11-18 days

2-4 times week 23-35 days

5-6 times per week 33-48 days

Daily Usage 49-90 days

[Kan Win]

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Yeah, fly in from Washington State and Colorado where smoking pot is perfectly legal. Next thing you know you're sitting in a Thai jail for popping on THC. That would thoroughly suck, especially for tourists who are doing nothing illegal in their own counties. Yeah, this issue definitely needs world-wide exposure.

I think its mainly for Meth/Yeh Ba. If they are testing for weed then that hangs around in you for weeks. I dont think the instant ones on the street can pick it up, might be wrong but I thought that had to be lab test

So, pray tell us all connda, why do they want to come over here when smoking pot is perfectly illegal.

Please, tell them to stay in the country where it is legal, as it is not over here in Thailand.

Save your mates, please.

Win

[toooa]

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Tourists should be able to understandbthat junkies are not welcome in Thailand. They should be able to figure out before they cross the border. Given that, they should be able to get clean in their home countries. If they prefer a trip on meth to a trip to Thailand, then it's up to them. Is that so difficult to understand?

you have no idea what you're on about do you? What are you on?

[sydneyboy]

Not that I'm worried about testing positive, but this is enough to make me want to cancel my upcoming trip to Bangkok. Just not worth the hassle.

Good... Don't come. Stay where you are!!!!

[eastcanje]

I heard someone say they thought insisting on giving the sample at the station would slow them down- not worth the trouble for them.

I'm not paying a damned fine to this corrupt system

I'd rather spend my night in jail.

But all things being equal, I'd prefer not to.

What's the best way to handle this?

Just my thoughts, but why doesn't everyone who is concerned about the BIB skewing the test results, or perhaps planting drugs on them, write a letter stating their concerns, sign just their first name, state their country of citizenship, and come together and retain a law firm to deliver the bundle to the Ministry of Tourism, with copies going to the Prime Minister and the Chief of Police? Perhaps with copies to the media.

Would you prefer waiting until some crooked cop planted something on you?

I'm good for some Baht to pay the law firm!

[Guitar God]

So people who do something perfectly legal in their home state or country should not be allowed to visit Thailand just because of corrupt police, innaccurate tests and tests which can't determine if someone is under the influence of drugs or merely has metabolites still in their system from a substance they legally used at home, weeks or months ago?

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Yeah, fly in from Washington State and Colorado where smoking pot is perfectly legal. Next thing you know you're sitting in a Thai jail for popping on THC. That would thoroughly suck, especially for tourists who are doing nothing illegal in their own counties. Yeah, this issue definitely needs world-wide exposure.

I think its mainly for Meth/Yeh Ba. If they are testing for weed then that hangs around in you for weeks. I dont think the instant ones on the street can pick it up, might be wrong but I thought that had to be lab test

So, pray tell us all connda, why do they want to come over here when smoking pot is perfectly illegal.

Please, tell them to stay in the country where it is legal, as it is not over here in Thailand.

Save your mates, please.

Win

[cup-O-coffee]

I'm sorry... don't they mean DNA testing scam?

[Guitar God]

Even though your reply makes you sound like a jerk, I hope you're not one of the 10% of the people randomly tested whose test returns a false positive, I'm sure the tone of your post after that would be quite different, and a lot more whiny.

Not that I'm worried about testing positive, but this is enough to make me want to cancel my upcoming trip to Bangkok. Just not worth the hassle.

Good... Don't come. Stay where you are!!!!

[TheRascal]

I think these stories are appalling. I read another similiar tale yesterday. A tourist on his 2 week trip to Thailand. Second day in the mid- afternoon.

I don't know Bangkok very well, but tell me are Thonglor and Asoke 'red light districts'?

Soi Cowboy is in Asoke but it's also home to a major mall, many many offices, restaurants, hotels and high end condos. It's a huge business district and they are searching people all over it, in the daytime too and clearly not just sex tourists.

Thonglor is known as a hiso party area and an expensive neighbourhood. On sat night they were slowing taxis on Soi Thonglor and searching farangs and waving on Thais.

Tourists should be able to understandbthat junkies are not welcome in Thailand. They should be able to figure out before they cross the border. Given that, they should be able to get clean in their home countries. If they prefer a trip on meth to a trip to Thailand, then it's up to them. Is that so difficult to understand?

Obvious Troll is obvious.

Yeaaaaah... cos it's actually about stopping drugs. There's a huge gang of chaps selling drugs between Sois 13 and 15 (and on Soi 11) every evening, stalls openly prescription medication, pharmacies selling prescription medication with no prescriptions and a Thai guy offering drugs to any westerners walking past New York Gardens but these kind hearted policemen obviously just want to help expats/tourists and stop them poisoning their bodies.

[soalbundy]

Maybe "Sharky" has the right idea after all, just go bananas at the them, swear at the top of your voice, prod them in the chest, and tell them they are a bunch of corrupt %^&&&'s. Then watch them disappear

No, watch yourself disappear more likely

[Cypress Hill]

These vocal anti-drug clowns are willing to tolerate any and all trampling of their personal privacy as long as they can get a leg over with a young local.

[bkkcanuck8]

I do think it is worthy of updating the travel alerts to indicate that people should not travel to Thailand if they have used any drug for up to 3 months before. (you could add tables and vary the amount of time -- but simple is always better when it comes to warnings).

I had already given my nephew the same warning last year (though I said 2 weeks would probably be sufficient at that time).

[connda]

Maybe "Sharky" has the right idea after all, just go bananas at the them, swear at the top of your voice, prod them in the chest, and tell them they are a bunch of corrupt %^&&&'s. Then watch them disappear

They disappear because you are now unconscious?

[Partigo]

Seasoned greetings from a newbie with first post. To the matter at hand: I arrived here having left Australia in 2013. It oft occurs to me that some contributors have not been to the 'Western world' for a while. In Australia - the police, dressed in black, operating in section size squads, accompanied by dogs and backed up by vehicles coming behind them 500 metres down the road, conduct raids on quiet (albeit 'hippy' type) hotels.

I witnessed such an operation & frankly, I found it disgusting. One patron was taken away after the remains of an illegal cigarette was found in his pocket. Calculating the cost of the operation, it seemed ridiculous. The chap was given a fine and released (he was only arrested because he loudly voiced his objection).

This is but one thing that springs to mind... am I missing something in my thinking? What Australians and Americans put up with beggars belief. I know Asia is not perfect but compared to where we have come from...

[jlwilliamsjr18]

Looks like someone needs to jerk some chains, before it has serious damage on tourism. Do they have supervisors or are they lone wolves? Or is this someones (wonder who) idea of creating havoc?

[connda]

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Yeah, fly in from Washington State and Colorado where smoking pot is perfectly legal. Next thing you know you're sitting in a Thai jail for popping on THC. That would thoroughly suck, especially for tourists who are doing nothing illegal in their own counties. Yeah, this issue definitely needs world-wide exposure.

I think its mainly for Meth/Yeh Ba. If they are testing for weed then that hangs around in you for weeks. I dont think the instant ones on the street can pick it up, might be wrong but I thought that had to be lab test

So, pray tell us all connda, why do they want to come over here when smoking pot is perfectly illegal.

Please, tell them to stay in the country where it is legal, as it is not over here in Thailand.

Save your mates, please.

Win

Ummm, they like the food?