Fined 15,000 Baht for "smuggling"

[CO-CO]

I hesitate to post this personal experience as I am sure it will attract some smart arse comments. I guess I finally decided to post to enable
my experience to serve as a warning to others.



Anyway, went to the border market yesterday in the jungle near Ban Kruat. For those who don't know  it, it is about 10 km through Ban Kruat and a market is held on Friday and Saturday mornings. It is actually in Cambodia and one of your group has to leave ID at the border point in exchange for a number. You then drive into the woods for almost 1km before parking up and walking into Cambodia.



The market is well used by local Falangs who can buy a carton of ciggies for 110 Baht, wine for 200 to 500 Baht and 3 cans of Angkor or Leo for50 Baht. Copy dvds are 20 Baht and bargains can be had on charcoal,chicken feed, straw roof panels and wooden handles for tools etc etc



They are VERY strict on what you can take out and each individual has their bags checked to ensure that the carton of fags, 4 cans of beer, 1
bottle of liiquor etc is not exceeded.



I took the missus, 2 sisters, a friend and two kids. Five adults.



I did what I have done before - bought 20 cans of Angkor (packed 4 per bag) and 5 cartons of Marlborough lights - also packed in individual bags. When we left each adult took out their allotted allowance.



Headed back home and dropped off the passengers. The missus and I decided to go and eat at Deiters restaurant in Prakhonchai. From there I called my friend and said I would drop round some ciggies for him - I don't smoke!



As I pulled up outside his house two grey 'customs' vehicles sped up the drive and ordered us out of the car. They took out the 5 cartons ofciggies and accused us of smuggling. They were not interested in my story about the cigarettes being brought in legally to Thailand and one smart-arsed twat just kept shrugging his shoulders and saying "I no see 5 people - I see only 2 people and 5 cartons of cigarettes".



Obviously some discussion and debate took place. We established that the going rate for a 'smuggling' fine was 35,000 Baht. It seemed that 28,000 might be acceptable. My suggestion to the missus to give them 2,000 Baht and tell them to f£$% off was not well received.



We also established that we could go to court (some time next week) but in the meantime te car could be impounded and I was concerned about the possibility of one, or both of us, being incarcerated.



To cut a long story a bit shorter, the missus finished up paying 14,355 Baht - which I discovered from talking to a friend (who had a friend go through this) was something of a result.



Here we go then - what did I do wrong?

[rufusredtail]

Good that you share your experience , I was at this market about 3 weeks ago , with my wife and 6 others , I don't smoke , but as I went out the gate my 3 bags were squessed to check for cigs , I wonder with that money you paid did it end up in his pocket, I don't suppose you can pay by chq, not on your nelly , goes show you how corrupt the police are, in Australia all police have a number , may be you should have got his number if they do have one , and reported it higher up in the police , many will say USELESS but you have to start somewhere, do they give you a receipt for your money , be surprised if they do . If so you can start.     

[pablo]

That sure sounds like a steep fine, alright!

I've seen arriving tourists hassled and having excess ciggies (beyond the duty free limit) confiscated, at Swampy before.  But, never heard of any fines being levied.

I guess the law states that duty free items are allowed for the purpose of personal use though.

Tough lesson to learn, but thanks for sharing.

[CO-CO]

That sure sounds like a steep fine, alright!

I've seen arriving tourists hassled and having excess ciggies (beyond the duty free limit) confiscated, at Swampy before.  But, never heard of any fines being levied.

I guess the law states that duty free items are allowed for the purpose of personal use though.

Tough lesson to learn, but thanks for sharing.

A funny moment..

I thought as it was a scam I would start taking photos on my phone. I was sure thar would scare them off.

One of the customs guys took out GIS phone and took pictures of ME!

Cheeky bastard even said "yim" (smile).

At that point I knew I was done for.

[h2o]

few years ago me and a friend brought 200 each in Cambodia the another 200 in Thailand, went to leave boarder area and got stopped, fine was 10,600 and all fags. funny thing was all the customs men where smoking Cambodian fags!

[nookiebear]

That was bloody hard luck Ray..........WHY would they have followed you all the way back?? They are only alerted by the 'sleepers' in the market
Did they think you still had Coffee Corner??......Something doesn't add up as they would normally stop people not long after getting back on the main road.

[nookiebear]

That sure sounds like a steep fine, alright!

I've seen arriving tourists hassled and having excess ciggies (beyond the duty free limit) confiscated, at Swampy before.  But, never heard of any fines being levied.

I guess the law states that duty free items are allowed for the purpose of personal use though.

Tough lesson to learn, but thanks for sharing.

A funny moment..

I thought as it was a scam I would start taking photos on my phone. I was sure thar would scare them off.

One of the customs guys took out GIS phone and took pictures of ME!

Cheeky bastard even said "yim" (smile).

At that point I knew I was done for.

Must have had a wide angled lens!!

[BillH52]

That was bloody hard luck Ray..........WHY would they have followed you all the way back?? They are only alerted by the 'sleepers' in the market
Did they think you still had Coffee Corner??......Something doesn't add up as they would normally stop people not long after getting back on the main road.

Sorry for the bad experience, Ray.  But, I have to agree with Nookie - something doesn't add up.
For 'Customs' to close in on you that far from the market - seems a a bit more than - overboard.   

[DeputyDavid]

That sure sounds like a steep fine, alright!

I've seen arriving tourists hassled and having excess ciggies (beyond the duty free limit) confiscated, at Swampy before.  But, never heard of any fines being levied.

I guess the law states that duty free items are allowed for the purpose of personal use though.

Tough lesson to learn, but thanks for sharing.

A funny moment..

I thought as it was a scam I would start taking photos on my phone. I was sure thar would scare them off.

One of the customs guys took out GIS phone and took pictures of ME!

Cheeky bastard even said "yim" (smile).

At that point I knew I was done for.

I would probably be apt to give him the one finger salute for his photo.  But seriously, when something like this happens, is there any recourse like calling a supervisor to the field to discuss the issue, or any other options to get these guys to operate "legally?"

[Starman]

That sure sounds like a steep fine, alright!

I've seen arriving tourists hassled and having excess ciggies (beyond the duty free limit) confiscated, at Swampy before.  But, never heard of any fines being levied.

I guess the law states that duty free items are allowed for the purpose of personal use though.

Tough lesson to learn, but thanks for sharing.

A funny moment..

I thought as it was a scam I would start taking photos on my phone. I was sure thar would scare them off.

One of the customs guys took out GIS phone and took pictures of ME!

Cheeky bastard even said "yim" (smile).

At that point I knew I was done for.

I would probably be apt to give him the one finger salute for his photo.  But seriously, when something like this happens, is there any recourse like calling a supervisor to the field to discuss the issue, or any other options to get these guys to operate "legally?"

Were they operating illegally? CoCo got a receipt.

[Murtle_71]

As I pulled up outside his house two grey 'customs' vehicles sped up the drive and ordered us out of the car. They took out the 5 cartons of ciggies and accused us of smuggling. They were not interested in my story about the cigarettes being brought in legally to Thailand and one smart-arsed twat just kept shrugging his shoulders and saying "I no see 5 people - I see only 2 people and 5 cartons of cigarettes".

Here we go then - what did I do wrong?

Caught fair and square all the smokes were for you and then you sold them on....
I'd be asking who dobbed you in. i cant imagine that they followed you all the way from the border just in case you kept an extra case. i'm going they knew where you were going and just weighted for you there. sounds like an inside job to me someone in the family just got a kick back from the border boys or just got a favour done for them.....

[CO-CO]

As I pulled up outside his house two grey 'customs' vehicles sped up the drive and ordered us out of the car. They took out the 5 cartons of ciggies and accused us of smuggling. They were not interested in my story about the cigarettes being brought in legally to Thailand and one smart-arsed twat just kept shrugging his shoulders and saying "I no see 5 people - I see only 2 people and 5 cartons of cigarettes".

Here we go then - what did I do wrong?

Caught fair and square all the smokes were for you and then you sold them on....
I'd be asking who dobbed you in. i cant imagine that they followed you all the way from the border just in case you kept an extra case. i'm going they knew where you were going and just weighted for you there. sounds like an inside job to me someone in the family just got a kick back from the border boys or just got a favour done for them.....

Looks like you know x all Myrtle.

1. I didn't sell any cigarettes, they were a gift for a friend.
2. You have no imagination then - I am 99% certain that the best known 'snitch' at the border (who we now are sure is Thai and works for Excise) followed me to Prakhonchai and was outside Deiter's restaurant when we left. He would have radioed the local Customs guys.
3. Your family must be a bag of shite if you can so easily think that family would be involved in a situation like this. Very fcuking clever of them as they have never been to the border market before. Oh wait, maybe my missus grassed me up - is that how your seedy world operates Myrtle ?

now try reading the thread again and see if you can get a grasp on reality.

[CO-CO]

That sure sounds like a steep fine, alright!

I've seen arriving tourists hassled and having excess ciggies (beyond the duty free limit) confiscated, at Swampy before.  But, never heard of any fines being levied.

I guess the law states that duty free items are allowed for the purpose of personal use though.

Tough lesson to learn, but thanks for sharing.

A funny moment..

I thought as it was a scam I would start taking photos on my phone. I was sure thar would scare them off.

One of the customs guys took out GIS phone and took pictures of ME!

Cheeky bastard even said "yim" (smile).

At that point I knew I was done for.

I would probably be apt to give him the one finger salute for his photo.  But seriously, when something like this happens, is there any recourse like calling a supervisor to the field to discuss the issue, or any other options to get these guys to operate "legally?"

Were they operating illegally? CoCo got a receipt.

as i said on Thai Visa forum, if they were fake then they must have nicked the keys to the amphur office. When we went to PKC police station that must have been made out of plastic and taken from the set of Trumpton - oh, and the police that gave the receipt were obviously cardboard cut outs.

These boys had ID, the works - 100% kosha.

[DeputyDavid]

That sure sounds like a steep fine, alright!

I've seen arriving tourists hassled and having excess ciggies (beyond the duty free limit) confiscated, at Swampy before.  But, never heard of any fines being levied.

I guess the law states that duty free items are allowed for the purpose of personal use though.

Tough lesson to learn, but thanks for sharing.

A funny moment..

I thought as it was a scam I would start taking photos on my phone. I was sure thar would scare them off.

One of the customs guys took out GIS phone and took pictures of ME!

Cheeky bastard even said "yim" (smile).

At that point I knew I was done for.

I would probably be apt to give him the one finger salute for his photo.  But seriously, when something like this happens, is there any recourse like calling a supervisor to the field to discuss the issue, or any other options to get these guys to operate "legally?"

Were they operating illegally? CoCo got a receipt.

Unless I am blind (let me readjust the glasses here) I dont see any mention of reciept until AFTER your post.  Maybe internet slow and the post didnt make it to america that quickly.

[DeputyDavid]

co-co....  So they took you to the police station and they (the customs agents) were given money, and you got a reciept.  What happens next, is there a court date?  Do you get to argue the case at all?  Or is it just pay and be done.  I ask only because if happens to me at least Ill understand the rules of the game.  Thanks for the heads up regarding this.