Police at Grace Coffeeshop 5am

[Hidy Ho]

[color:"blue"] Ummmm.....

 

Just came from posting 1000 baht fine for a BG friend of mine who did not have a sense to carry an id with her (she's 22 - I've seen her passport before).

 

Anyway, the coppers came in around 5am and herded the crowd from the *dark* room (new room) to the old room. And during the process, both police and Grace security folks started checking IDs .. both from farangs and ladies.

 

My friend was taken to the Lumpini Police Station as she had no ID ... and according to my other BG friend, 2 farangs were taken as well. They even asked for my ID (Ippun-lookalike Man and a very frequent customer) :: but were OK with my passport copy I carry in my wallet. ::

 

Anyway, after tracking down my Police Station BG friend's passport, 2 BGs and I went to Lumpini Police Station where her passport was presented, 1000 baht fine was paid and she was released (few cuties there ... perhaps Thais without IDs or non-Thai ladies). Apparently, everyone taken had to pay 1K baht fine.

 

After the initial police presence at Grace ... the place cleared out real fast and only the desperates stayed including me. Unfortunately, my BG friend was able to locate and acquire my jailed friend's passport before I could finish my beer. Then we went to the police station in the midst of Monday morning traffic. I stayed as far away from the police as possible as I didn't want to chance any Ippun-lookalike or just plain farang surcharge Few other farangs there present ::

 

According to my friend, apparently the coppers were around Patpong few days ago checking IDs of ladies.

 

Folks, carry an ID, passport or copies.

 

[personal edit: removed "Apparently, everyone taken had to pay 1K baht fine." line]

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[Guest]

Well said. We should all carry a copy of our passports. This will frustrate those coppers who could probably do something else during their work time. Maybe try to control that traffic jam ::

[Sarisin]

Good post Jazz, with some excellent advice for the troops.

 

I always carry a photocopy of my passport with me (wish the toner wouldn't rub off in my wallet ) or sometimes the real deal. I think this is the main form of ID the police are looking for when it comes to farangs.

 

I wonder what is up with the Grace. A few weeks back they also had a raid when I was there, and, just as you said, it cleared the place out a bit while they stopped serving alcohol.

 

Wonder what/who they are looking for... ::

[Guest]

I was talking to a 'freelancer' friend of mine this afternoon, and she volunteered that we can expect to see more raids on discos, urine tests, etc. for the next few months. She claims its promotion time for the police and, according to her, this is one way to climb up the ladder.

 

If you have been reading any of the local newspapers recently you will notice an increase in stories about raids on discos and drug testing. I also saw a clip on Thai TV about some famous singer testing positive. Maybe its just that time of the year...

[bibblies]

I never carry my passport or a copy of it around nitespots. Are you serious? Farangs got sent to the police station and fined 1000B for not carrying ID?

[Guest]

Hi all

 

I don't think it's a good idea to carry your passport, because if you lose it, you could have BIG trouble to get back home, specially if it happens the day before your departure. I don't know how other embassies handle those matters, but I don't trust the spaniard ambassador to solve such a problem quickly enough.

 

Carrying a passport copy is the best solution, I guess, but do always the cops accept it?

 

Do you know if it's possible to take both your passport and the copy to a police station and have the cops to put a stamp on the copy to certify that's OK?.

 

Anyways, I plan to take along an international driver's license along with my passport copy, to help make sure the copy is authentic. Do you think that it may help?.

 

Thanks for your answers

[liquidflux]

I always carry my passport with me. I wouldnt want to run up against the cop who will only take the real deal, and given the changing times I doubt a copy will suffice much longer. I'd suggest carrying it in a money belt or something similar if you're concerned with losing it.

[Hidy Ho]

[color:"red"] HOT OFF THE PRESS: One Day After[/color] [color:"blue"]

Due to continued cojones shrinkage and paranoia increase (clarification further down the post), I did carry the *real* thing and not a cheap copy. Here's the much anticipated sequel to the incredibly successful "Are you serious?" post.

 

No ID checks at Grace Coffeeshop, to my knowledge, between 2:30am to 7:30am on November 19th, 2002. My observation is qualified with a disclaimer that I was present primarily in the *old* and brighter room with booth and was situated in one particular booth (made two quick trips to the restroom). I did not enter and thus do not have any knowledge of events of the the other *new*, dark and more crowded room.

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"Are you serious?"

[color:"blue"]

Alright ... you got me ::

I often like to come up such a brilliant BS and rush to post the information on both NanaP.. boards in the early morning around 7-8am ::

 

I "get off" on doing this type of activity as evidenced by this followup post

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"I never carry my passport or a copy of it around nitespots."

[color:"blue"]

Please forgive my lack of Thai language in advance but I think "Arai Go Dai" is an appropriate term and sincerely wish "Somnamna" will not be needed.

 

[/color]

"Farangs got sent to the police station and fined 1000B for not carrying ID?"

[color:"blue"]

not me And if Police came last night, there were plenty of farangs I knew without any form of IDs for me to verify this myself.

[/color]

 

 

MY OWN THING

 

I will admit to masculinity insecurity (due to small cojones) and paranoia that led to carrying a copy of my passport identication page in my wallet. The wallet load may increase as I am thinking of keeping a copy of my entry stamp page as well. Do I need to post the what is happending to my cojones and paranoia?

 

I will analyze and plan for the additional wallet load ... may consider strength training (focusing on the front slack pocket areas of the thigh and hip - while not forgeting all important lower back!). The process will also include load/stress analysis (is this the proper lingo - I'm just trying to look intellegent) on the wallet to determine potential upgrade vs. complete replacement with a larger and stronger storage (purse?).

 

Possible negative emotional health impact (brought on by additional load carriage) will be prevented/limted by continued awareness of current world/Asia/Thailand political climates.

 

 

OPEN ISSUES [/color]

• 
  [color:"green"] GREEN [/color] [color:"blue"] - evaluate the positive/negative impact to the emotional health by continuing to note and read numerous and sometimes redundent "beware" "warning" threads. ::[/color]
  [color:"red"]
  RED [/color] [color:"blue"] - effective and efficient communcation plan on how Ippun lookalike face is on a genuine American passport ::
  [/color]
  [color:"brown"]

ENHANCEMENT REQUEST/FUTURE UPGRADE

 

I recall reading somewhere about someone making a cool laminated reduced color copy of the passport identification page and may consider this as well after (hopefully soon) passport replacement. I didn't feel that cool presenting myself in cheap black and white copy. I hope to gain additional self-esteem and maybe even respectability to be taken more seriously with more colorful presentation.

Vanity, thy board name is Jazz. [note: I am not genetically qualified to sing "I am woman, hear me roar" believe it or not]

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[color:"blue"]

Disclaimer - I have absolutely no cojones or, more importantly, legal knowledge/expertise to advice others on the legal requirements. [/color]

 

[color:"green"]

Personal Choice

 

I made an individual choice to do what I do based on:

• 
  
• information gathering from the boards and other sources
• my hangout locations
  
• people I hangout with and am surrounded by (drunks is enough description, IMHO )
  
• access to appropriate influential/helpful/right people to call in times of need (personal note: calling mom may not help in LOS )
  
• accurate and timely access to above people (contact information and fully charged mobile phone battery, sufficient fund or access to baht coins as a backup plan)
  
• availability/possibility of favors by these folks (motto is "by any means necessary"); analysis and ranking of call order,
  
• timely access to sufficient amount of baht [/color]
  

[/color]

 

 

[USVirgin]

I recall reading somewhere about someone making a cool laminated reduced color copy of the passport identification page and may consider this as well after (hopefully soon) passport replacement.

---

 

Hi Jazz,

 

That was a very colorful post. I read the above suggestion too, but I just don't comprehend how a nifty, color, reduced, laminated presentation would serve the purpose better than a good old, original sized photocopy. Or is this a case of TIT?

 

But I can see that you're all into color and presentation now, so let us know how it all works out next time.

[Guest]

Howdy.... I know your posts look very beautiful and all but all those different colours are a bit disconcerting when it comes to reading it..

 

Anyway, I also find it hard to believe that 1000 baht fines were issued to girls and farangs alike. I would want to know exactly on what grounds the fines were issued. There would be recourse for this as there is no legislation stating that foreign nationals need to carry ID on their person. As for Thais, I'm not sure exactly what the penalties are... but I'm sure that 1000 baht is not a normal thing..unless perhaps if indeed the girls were under the age-limit (stand to be corrected though). Thai police will allow themselves to bully you if you let them.

 

FF