White boys in black!

[azza33]

(perth_couple @ Feb. 28 2009,11:15) You may wish to review your logic on this one.

Hey perth_couple

It not about logic...

Just want some concrete evidence about whats really going on down there.

Saying you observe LB under arrest every time is fine - but all i want to know is the reasons they are there?

To call people thugs without justification is a little rough.

Have the police issued a directive to the lads to clamp down on ladyboys in walking street? Are the lads just doing what they have been told to do by the BIB?

A few more concrete facts wouldn't go astray - Pacman has already alluded to this.

[kahuna]

Who knows and who cares...except perhaps for you...It can be your job to interview the
police and discover their plans and motives...

All I'm saying is you can walk down the street from the entrance at Pattaya Tai all the way to
Soi BJ at midnight and not see one ladyboy...And I can also tell you that it wasn't that way in
November...But it sure is now...You likely won't see any ladyboys except for a stray one or two
on their way somewhere else until they open the street at 3 am and all the cops go to wherever
cops go at 3 am...Perhaps the Thai donut shop...

Sorry I don't have any answers to your questions...You'll just have to come and experience it for yourself...

PS: I didn't call anyone a thug...

[pacman]

This fellow we are talking about here has demonstrated he is a thug, what more justification would be necessary?

The unanswered question is - is he the exception or the norm?

Have the Thai police directed the Volunteers to single out the LBs, I dunno, I think it more likely that they are an easy target, fuelled by some homophobia &....

let's not forget that there is a drug taking element among the LBs who, left unchecked, would happily terrorize unsuspecting tourists into handing over money.

Fortunately there are not many of them we need to worry about, most of those get rounded up & given 3 months in the monkey house, that slows 'em up a bit.

But the fact that the decent girls can't move around Walking Street without trouble is disgraceful. Walking Street can't be the same without them.

Still no word from jonstroud explaining his connection to the Volunteers. I would like to hear his side of this, perhaps he can tell us what is behind this heavy-handed approach. And tell us a bit about Mr Harrison.

[azza33]

(kahuna @ Feb. 28 2009,14:33) PS: I didn't call anyone a thug...

I know it was Stogie who labeled the volunteers as thugs.

[jimslim]

Giving adults uniforms and letting them play pretend cops and robbers can never be a good idea .

I put these clowns in the same bracket as traffic wardens , litter wardens and security gaurds - people who fantasize about being real cops but just never made it .

[saiphon]

The more I look at the photo of this guy I'm sure it's the same looser I had to suffer a long and boring conversation with last year.

I was sat in a bar off 2nd road minding my own business when this waster came and sat beside me. Normally I don't mind talking to anybody but this guy was so full of bull it was nearly spilling out of his ears.

I had to sit and listen to him tell me that he was a retired cop in one story then after a few more beers he was an undercover drugs agent working in Thailand (duh and telling a stranger) and so on. The only reason I stayed where I was, was that I had arranged with someone to meet at that particular bar at that time. He was such a sad individual that he couldn't see that he was really pissing me off even when I turned my back on him.

It was clear that he was one of these sad guys who sit alone at night fantasizing what he could have been if only .... I'm sure I saw him sitting immediately inside the entrance area with a German guy the following night, needless to say I gave him a wide berth.

Having worked in Thailand for many years and having dealt with the Thai police, both Tourist, National and Military I cannot see the need for these guys.    

Saiphon

[insearchofxxx]

(azza33 @ Feb. 28 2009,04:14)
These guys are offering a community service, giving up their time and income,  to help solve the problems the euortrash are creating in LOS.

Well - as far as I know, they are also dealing with
aussietrash
amitrash
and perhaps even arabtrash.


Putting some idiot in an uniform, who wants to improve his self confidence by playing police agent "Mr. Great" makes me feel far more uncomfortable then dealing with thai tourist police (if the need should ever arise).



...mai kooi looi

[azza33]

Yup no doubt - trash comes in all forms... eurotrash just has a lovely ring to it

As for wanting the Thai police to solve your problems... I've seen 1st hand how that takes place... watching the money changing hands on Bangla road never gave me the hope of getting a fair deal.

[Stogie]

We are NOT spies...but we DO go undercover to trap tourists!

[Stogie]

WHAT PEOPLE THINK OF PATTAYA'S FOREIGN POLICE ASSISTANTS

FRIEDEL, GERMAN TOURIST:
The presence of the foreign policemen was a surprise to me. I saved money the whole year to have a holiday and a good time in Pattaya and I don't want to see any European policemen watching me on the street, especially when I am talking to a girl or maybe two or three. Every time they walk past, I feel uncomfortable.

The way they stare at us makes me uneasy, like we've done something wrong. One policeman with tattoos all over his arms looks especially scary. I am not sure what purpose they serve. Tourists want to have a good time here and not be watched by foreign `policemen'. I don't like the colour of the uniforms they wear either.

NUI, A CLOTHES VENDOR:
I think that the foreign policemen are useful and beneficial here. They are helping the Thai police solve problems involving foreigners. Our police do not speak foreign languages very well.

When I saw them a few years ago, I was afraid of them because many are so big, but now everyone around here has gotten used to them. We are not afraid anymore.

FRANK, BRITISH EXPAT:
Maybe the foreign cops are useful to the Thai police, but I don't like their black uniforms. They look not so friendly. In England the policemen wear white shirts and ties. These guys look like commandos or the bomb squad.

The Thai tourist police should handle every situation on their own. I understand that they can't sometimes communicate with foreigners because they don't know the language. In such cases maybe the foreign assistants could help, but they should be more discreet. Why do they have to wear the uniform with all the gadgets on the belt? I think that when there is trouble, like a fight in a bar, this should be handled by the Thai police.

A GROUP OF MOTORCYCLE TAXI DRIVERS:
The drivers were reluctant to say anything about the foreign assistants, but after talking on other subjects for a while one said that their presence was 80% positive as they can easily communicate with foreigners who need help or are in trouble. He refused to elaborate on the negatives.

BARTON, AUSTRALIAN TOURIST:
I don't like their outfits. They look intimidating. In Australia, some policemen work in shorts or ride bicycles. They look friendly and blend in very well with the environment. The foreign volunteers in the middle of entertainment areas, huddling around the Tourist Police vans, look out of place. They should dress more politely. The presence of the foreign police is intimidating. Maybe they will arrest the girls who are talking prices to me and I will have to get involved. Maybe they will report me to my embassy.

WARAWITH, A THAI SECURITY GUARD:
I think that they are doing a good job and helping our police to solve cases involving foreigners. We need them here. I have never heard anything bad about them.

YURIJ, RUSSIAN TOURIST:
The foreign cops should keep out of sight. It's not necessary for three of them to stand on the corner or around the big Tourist Police car on Walking Street and watch everyone passing by. I feel uncomfortable. A few days ago, I saw some of them talking to each other, looking very serious, like they were going to bust someone walking on the street. I was afraid to ask them for directions. They don't look approachable. I also saw the volunteers in Phuket and I got the same impression about them as here. I think that the Thai police could manage the job, something they've been doing for many years.

SOMPORN, THAI CLOTHES VENDOR:
All police are the same, whether they are Thai or foreigners. They work together and help each other. However, I think that the foreigners are useful because the Thai police do not speak English or other languages very well.

TAILOR, AMERICAN EXPAT:
They look to me a little bit macho when they walk on the street. It's surprising to see foreigners doing this in Thailand. I dont think they really blend in well in this environment with hundreds of tourists walking past the police van. They and also the Thais are wearing similar `battle' uniforms like there's something dangerous waiting for us around the corner and that's why they are there huddling around the van. Think when there's a brawl between two US tourists ... will a Russian cop step in? Can he solve the problem? Maybe the two Americans will stop fighting each other and beat him up instead.

MIKE, AUSTRALIAN EXPAT:
I understand the idea that sometimes it is necessary to have interpreters. The assistants should wait in the police station for a call to help. Standing around the police car or walking on the street cannot prevent or solve crime. The Thai police should do the patrolling instead. The presence of foreign assistants is not unnecessary.However, I agree that sometimes foreigners who have problems will be happier to talk to people who can speak their language. But they don't have to be so visible, like they want to show off their power.

[azza33]

Nice post Stogie... a good mix of replies  


Interesting tho - Thais seems to like the option

Tourists don't seems to like it

Pretty much what a lot of BM feel.

[Stogie]

Tourists don't seems to like it...

I imagine that tourists who take the trouble and expense of traveling all the way to a sex hot spot like Pattaya are for at least a few days trying to avoid heavy handed 'bomb squad lookalikes' interfering with their time away from work.

It's pretty obvious to me that this team of volunteers is there to distract attention from what real Thai cops get up to every day and that is fleecing local businesses and lining their pockets.

With the growth of tourism over the last 30 years a special unit has been set up by the Royal Thai Police force to deal with the safety and well-being of tourists. The officers of the Tourist Police wear a distinctive badge on the their arm and speak English and some other European languages. They can be called upon in all kinds of situations, such as road traffic accidents, theft, disputes with hotels or shop keepers where a foreign tourist is involved. They will act as arbitrators on disputes, and in our experience they do so in an unbiased fashion...

Now that's a nice idea in the 'town hall planning' stages but it hasn't really always worked out like that given the lax criteria for enrollment and the dubious motives for having them parade so spectacularly amongst the fun seekers.

But this is Thailand and they seem to lurch from one stupefying disaster to the next with ever increasing enthusiasm!

Personally, I can't stand walking street anyway so the Russians and Eurotrash can have it.

[azza33]

Perhaps its time to move the operation into one of those shitty GG bars near the top of walking street that never seem to have any customers.

At least then - they are out of sight and perhaps a little more out of mind.  

[azza33]

Personally, I can't stand walking street anyway so the Russians and Eurotrash can have it.

I actually agree with you on that one Stogie... can't stand the place either - another reason why the presence of the black menace doesn't bother me one iota.

[Socrates999]

(azza33 @ Feb. 28 2009,14:23)
... Just want some concrete evidence about whats really going on down there....

A few more concrete facts wouldn't go astray...

Let's see, Azza. You've got Snicks fact, you've got the facts in this article. Not enough? Howzabout this ...

I was standing on Walking St. just outside the minimart across from Blue Ice one night, waiting for Bem (LB) to come out. As soon as her foot hits Walking St, one of these clown-suited pricks grabs her arm. I gently removed his hand, said "She's with me", to which he responds "Where's your hotel?" I tell him "None of your business" and walk off.

If they are to remain, they need to be unarmed (really, when was the last time that a tourist was assisted by somebody else's Mace?), out of their SWAT Team/my-dick-might-be-small-but-look-at-the-size-of-my-tool-belt uniforms, start walking their beat (a fucking golf cart, are you kidding me?) Keep the golf cart outside Tony's with 2 guys manning it.

Put one at the bus station to deal with the sanctioned thieves there. Put one by the taxis at The Avenue to help the tourists who think 150 baht to soi 9 Central sounds like a good deal. Put them on the first couple of side sois off Walking St where the bars try to charge non-existent entry fees. How about sois 7 & 8?

And relative to the video: this guy had enough time to go all the way home, change into his uniform, come back and, when he returns to the station and is talking to his doofus buddy about what the girls did to him, he still sound like a sputtering, lying fool. A white monkey thug, for sure.

Last point: on what basis are their visas issued? I'll betcha dollars to doughnuts that they don't have the work permits that are MANDATORY for volunteer work in Thailand.