Police called today - Please help me work out if its geniune

[Roel]

Donating to temples and monks is not charity it is merit making.
On a side note: I noticed on a few occasions people explaining to others that the monks in the street early morning are 'begging' for food. They are not. They offer an opportunity to the people to make merit. Not just semantics, but an essential difference.

Helping and donating to the poor in the streets is in principle merit making but is not so popular for two main reasons: firstly the numerous beggar scams and secondly the concept of karma resulting in a belief that these poor people one way or the other has brought it upon themselves. Been bad in a previous life, so look at you now.

Back to the OP. I have seen police come to collect for charity at all the places where I worked. Quite common. I think it is not so intimidating to the Thais as it might be for a farang. But you could say it is kind of abuse of authority. And sending young girls around as FarangFarmer suggested will surely have a negative impact on the amount of donations collected. It is easy for a 40 year old Thai woman to say no to a 20 year old Thai girl but not so easy to say it to a 45 year old Thai male police officer.

[Pleng]

And sending young girls around as FarangFarmer suggested will surely have a negative impact on the amount of donations collected. It is easy for a 40 year old Thai woman to say no to a 20 year old Thai girl but not so easy to say it to a 45 year old Thai male police officer.

True, but a 40 year old farrang man would probably find it more difficult to say no to the 20 year old Thai girl

[FarangFarmer]

True, but a 40 year old farrang man would probably find it more difficult to say no to the 20 year old Thai girl

Pleng, I agree. If they had two types of collectors they might do a bit better. A sweet 20 year girl collecting from the Farang Community with the neccessary proof of collection etc and a 45 year Thai policeman collecting from the Thai Community.

Somebody also said that the Thais dont find the police as intimidating, and its no big deal. I think this is true as well. Even though we are (most of us) are all here legally etc, there is still a fear of being either scammed or by been cheated by a corrupt policeman. So whoever said that the Police collecting door to door from the Foreign community in this way, is an abuse of power, is spot on. I think that is what has bugged me since they called. It is an abuse of power for them to be collecting, possibly knowing that because we are intimated or are unsure of their intentions, that we are relieved to give when we realise there not trying to slap a fine on us for having a car parked the wrong way in our drive, or a motorbike helmet not been worn whilst sitting at my laptop with a towel round my waist. (sorry got a bit cynical there for a moment).

Anyway to bring story to a close, the two policeman called to my house again today. Again probably all legit. My phone was out of battery and so they had tried to phone me 3 times, so they called when they couldnt reach me. I heard the shout from the gate this time, and again wearing only a towel I went outside kept them the other side of the gate, and before they had time to ask me anything, I said "I go bank today - I didnt leave house yesterday". The chief guy was cool with this. I said I would phone once I had done it, and they left.

I went to the bank, transferred the donation and got the bank teller to phone the police guy to tell them I was in the bank and making the transfer.

Over and out.

For the record, they drive around in a grey car (not that new). It has that bar thing on the top of boot but sorry I didnt get the make. Its registration is ?? 1510. The first ? (thai letter) was either Dor ChaDa, or Tor Padtak, and the second thai letter was a chicken looking one, but it wasnt Kor Gai. It might have been Phor Sampau. Sorry I dont know how to type thai consonants. And sorry, I was a bit slow and blind getting out of the gate to get a look at the car. The senior of the two policeman said his name was Melipash.

Oh yeah, I never got round to asking my thai friend to phone them to suss them out a bit more, but between my experience and your general consensus, this one is legit, and not a scam. The earlier link that one of the Moderators highlighted at the start of this topic has a reply from someone saying it is a scam, but it was a one-liner reply, and I think in this case is wrong.

I got my wife to help me transfer the money and told her she could have the merit. Not sure if that counts, but she was delighted.

[Roel]

If you suggest to the police that they better send a 20 year old girl next time, you might easily be misunderstood!

[GLCQuantum]

and the second thai letter was a chicken looking one, but it wasnt Kor Gai

A few possiblities with that...Chor Cherr,Yor Ying, Dor Cha Da (like you said) Dtor Bpadtak, Nor Nayn, Tor Tung, Por Sampao...
I actually sound like I know what I'm talking about - aint google great. I used to have about a Kinder 3 level of reading and writing but that's long gone now. Before I edited this I suggested you might be thinking of Kor Kai... on looking at it I realised I'd got it all wrong.

Fair play donating something to a good cause but I can't help but think, with what you have written, that they were somewhat aggressive (some may call it persistance) with their asking of a donation. I certainly wouldn't be comfortable with the manner in which they went about things but credit to yourself nonetheless.

[FarangFarmer]

If you suggest to the police that they better send a 20 year old girl next time, you might easily be misunderstood

its not often I laugh at a computer screen, but cheers Roel, that made me laugh out loud. I think LOL is not overused. I actually laughed out loud, not just LOL'd.

Cheers GLC, Im not meaning to sound like a saint at all. Your right, their collection style was way too aggressive and Im only trying to calm myself by thinking we have given to a good cause, but the manner of the collection did annoy me. Hopefully I have helped the next culprit, and they give or refuse depending how they like the guys.

[FarangFarmer]

sorry I meant LOL is now overused. I didnt mean not.

[MisterClean]

Hi

I have just had a visit from two police. White t police t-shirts, ID cards, Brown trousers, Unmarked grey car. I live very near Soi 114 at the south end of town.

They are collecting from local houses for the Solider Police and Civil Association in Bangkok.

They were not slow in walking into my house.

First they asked me how long I lived in Hua Hin. Then we sat down and they showed me a magazine with photos of bombs from down south. Then they showed me a photo of an injured soldier in a wheelchair, and said that neighbouring houses had donated money for pay for wheelchairs. They had a receipt book and flicked through the dockets showing me the names and the donation amounts from 2,000 baht to 5,000 baht. I said Kon Farang mak, but he then showed me a Thai name that had given 3,500 baht. They asked would I give money. They were definitely selling, but I think they may have said no problem if you cannot. I was a bit intimidated with two police in my house, and me only wearing a towel wrapped around my waist.

I'm thinking if its geniune, I have no problem donating to injured army soliders but I dont like people calling to my house to collect like this. I'm thinking if its fake, how much trouble can these guys make for me. I'm thinking even if its geniune and I give easily are they sussing me out for a later call by two other police mates for something more sinister (i.e - easy farang lives there - call on him). All this is going through my head as they sit there showing me photos, talking about big police chief from Bangkok, showing me a photo of themselves in the magazine. I want to say to them, if you guys are geniune then I am happy to give, but I am sceptical because I have read about your fake calls and extortion for money. But I dont say this.

I tell them I would like to help but I would like to check with my friends that what you say is all true. A bit of a hurt and surprised look on their face. I say can you come back next week and if I have talked to my friends, then I can give. They say something about going to BKK at 4pm. I say can you call later today. They say Hua Hin big, wont have time to call back. (Now Ive never known a charity back home where if you pledge money they wont call back to you, so Im sceptical, but then things happen so differently here).

I tell them I am happy to give, but I say that even back home I never give money to anyone who just calls at my door. I am happy to post a donation if they give me the details. I am really just buying time or trying to see what other information they have. If they agree to this, Im thinking, then it must be geniune, as they will have to give me an address. They say I can put in Bank. I say ok I will do. He writes out a lodgement slip with the account number. He asks me how much I will give. I say 2,000 baht. He asks me to write my name and address on the receipt part of his book and on the slip they keep. He writes his own telephone number on my receipt and asks me to phone him when I have lodged the money. They bring me from their unmarked police car a large framed photo of the Kings of Thailand. I thank them very much.

They leave politely.

My question to the forum is has anyone else had these two guys calling today collecting for this charity. What opinion did you form - is it all above board. Or am I now known as one of the easy farangs we can call on anytime to get money from. When they walked into the house I was working on the laptop. Im a sort of sceptical guy, so Im not even that happy they now know there is a laptop just inside the main door. My thai wife sort of went all quiet during their visit and wasnt a great help but now she says she is nervous that they know we have valuables in the house. She doesnt trust the DamRuat that much either. However my wife says she will check the bank account number when we make the lodgement, so if its a fund account, then these two guys are geniune.

For the early part of this topic, can we try to keep the replies to the matter of this fund - "Collecting for The Soldier Police and Civil Assiociaton in Bangkok". If it develops too quickly about other less organised scams perhaps, I wont get the answers Im looking for.

Thanks


My own feeling is that all is above board. The framed photo is quite big. I have a deposit slip with bank account number and an official looking receipt. They showed ID cards and smiled a lot. The problem I have is , dont they know they have a bad name amongst farangs for calling to houses. Would they not be better getting volunteer young girls with ID to call and collect on behalf of the charity perhaps. The police thing with pictures of guns on their white t-shirts was just not appropriate. I spent the first 3 minutes thinking - oh sh*t, Ive read stories about extortion but it always happens to someone else - now its my turn.

Its happend to me down south, but it was when I opened up a business/bar. Gave me a lovley piece too. Its definatley not on the up and up, but they will leave you alone if you pay, nothing wrong to donating to the police, we do it in America, they dont come door knocking though.