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10 June 2011
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bars hit for thousands of baht again by ‘music police’
HUA HIN THAILAND It was only a matter of time before this subject hit the AWOL front page again, and as disappointed as we are at having to report it once more, we will continue to highlight what most bar owners are calling a scam until this perennial persecution ends. Over the last few weeks, and most notably last weekend, bars in Soi 102 and Khao Takiab have been visited by a group of about five or six Thais, mostly male but with one female also reported; they have been entering bars claiming to be police and attempt to seize equipment such as laptop computers which they say are playing music illegally in the premises. AWOL has had reports from three bars of this, and in two of them large amounts of money were demanded, and paid, for the items to be returned and for the bar, and it’s staff (who feel intimidated by the manner of these raids and the frequent threats that they will go to jail) to be left alone. No warrants or identification are presented, and if they are asked for, as in one case, the scene turns ugly, and one bar owner was assaulted; however he then used reasonable force to eject these unidentified ‘officers’, as was his legal right. This particular raid was also apparently filmed by a security camera. The entry and search of a premises, and the seizure of items from that premises are illegal unless the people carrying out such actions are in possession of a warrant signed by a judge and present it and identification when asked. The way these raids occur have the hallmarks of organised crime, but no one in this community knows who these people are, or what they can do when faced with this situation. While most agree that they should be challenged, when confronted by this mob it is not so easy. AWOL hopes this is the last time we hear of it, but fear it is not. Be warned.
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