- Joined
- Jan 29, 2004
- Messages
- 197
The following happened to me in Banglumphu, Bangkok, about 3 months ago. I'd be interested to hear any thoughts, as this was one of the most scary and inexplicable things I've experienced.
I was walking up Rambuttri Road early one evening, on my way to a music venue in a backpacker ghetto part of Bangkok, very near the Khao San road, when a tourist police officer pulled up next to me on his motorbike and asked to see my passport. He then proceeded to search me on the street.
This isn't that unusual in this part of Bangkok; there is a low tolerance of drug use, and searches of foreigners are common. I've been stopped and searched before, and, since I never use any drugs in Bangkok, let alone carry them around, I wasn't too worried, and I let him search me.
Seemingly satisfied, he told me I was free to go, and drove off on his motorbike. Not more than twenty metres up the road, he stopped, changed his mind, turned round, and drove up beside me again, telling me to get on the bike.
I was a bit taken aback, and asked him 'Why?', at which point he got off the bike, pulled out his gun, put it in my back and told me again to get on.
I got on the bike, and he drove me to the police station up the road. At this point I was really freaking out. I had nothing incriminating on me, but I did have $500 in my wallet, and, as lovely as the Bangkok Tourist Police are, they are notorious for set-ups, plants and corruption. I quickly realised that I could be in a load of trouble.
He took me into an interrogation room, which was pretty much as you'd imagine: anonymous and unfurnished except for a table and two chairs. He gave me a thorough search, going through everything in my possession, and asking me about things he didn't recognise. I was only allowed to answer his questions. He counted the money in my wallet.
Here comes the weird bit. He then took a small metal sphere out of his breast pocket. It was about 10mm in diameter, highly reflective, like chrome, and it had a hole in it, like a lens or a pupil. He pointed the sphere at my face, deliberately making sure the hole was pointing at my face. The sphere was about a metre away from my face. He held it there for about 15 seconds..it seemed like forever; at this point I was convinced I'd have to bribe my way out of the situation and I was intensely scared.
Then, he told me I was a good man and was free to leave. I asked what the sphere was, and why he'd chosen me. I was, at this point experiencing relief approaching euphoria and nearly kissed the guy.
He shouted 'GO! GO! You are a good man! Go!', and so, I went. Quickly.
I have no idea what the silver sphere was. Any ideas?
I was walking up Rambuttri Road early one evening, on my way to a music venue in a backpacker ghetto part of Bangkok, very near the Khao San road, when a tourist police officer pulled up next to me on his motorbike and asked to see my passport. He then proceeded to search me on the street.
This isn't that unusual in this part of Bangkok; there is a low tolerance of drug use, and searches of foreigners are common. I've been stopped and searched before, and, since I never use any drugs in Bangkok, let alone carry them around, I wasn't too worried, and I let him search me.
Seemingly satisfied, he told me I was free to go, and drove off on his motorbike. Not more than twenty metres up the road, he stopped, changed his mind, turned round, and drove up beside me again, telling me to get on the bike.
I was a bit taken aback, and asked him 'Why?', at which point he got off the bike, pulled out his gun, put it in my back and told me again to get on.
I got on the bike, and he drove me to the police station up the road. At this point I was really freaking out. I had nothing incriminating on me, but I did have $500 in my wallet, and, as lovely as the Bangkok Tourist Police are, they are notorious for set-ups, plants and corruption. I quickly realised that I could be in a load of trouble.
He took me into an interrogation room, which was pretty much as you'd imagine: anonymous and unfurnished except for a table and two chairs. He gave me a thorough search, going through everything in my possession, and asking me about things he didn't recognise. I was only allowed to answer his questions. He counted the money in my wallet.
Here comes the weird bit. He then took a small metal sphere out of his breast pocket. It was about 10mm in diameter, highly reflective, like chrome, and it had a hole in it, like a lens or a pupil. He pointed the sphere at my face, deliberately making sure the hole was pointing at my face. The sphere was about a metre away from my face. He held it there for about 15 seconds..it seemed like forever; at this point I was convinced I'd have to bribe my way out of the situation and I was intensely scared.
Then, he told me I was a good man and was free to leave. I asked what the sphere was, and why he'd chosen me. I was, at this point experiencing relief approaching euphoria and nearly kissed the guy.
He shouted 'GO! GO! You are a good man! Go!', and so, I went. Quickly.
I have no idea what the silver sphere was. Any ideas?
