23. With the cops 2
Telling the taxi driver to go to the local police station didn’t work. The driver wanted to know which police station. Taxies are mobile, thought Bjorn. They drive all over Bangkok so they don’t always know which police district they are in.
Bjorn told the driver to drive forward a little to where the motorbike taxi guys with the orange vests were. They were stationary and returned to their stand in front of the shopping mall after each trip with a customer. Rolling down the window Bjorn used his basic Thai to ask them where the police station was. The taxi driver joined the conversation and the Thais spoke rapidly. Bjorn didn’t understand what they said. But the Thais seemed to agree on something and the taxi driver took Bjorn to a building that was only two streets away. A sign outside said District Police.
As Bjorn entered the building the Thai moneyboy was leaving. The two looked at each other as they passed, the boy smiling as usual but now with obvious relief.
Bjorn saw the back head of Larson, who was sitting in an office. Bjorn became uncertain of what to do. He didn’t want to burst in if Larson was speaking to an officer. Best not to do anything to upset them, thought Bjorn, knowing how important politeness and a soft approach was with the power people in Thailand.
Larson’s officer came back.
- Your Thai friend go home, said the officer.
- He has left already? asked Bjorn.
- Yes. No problem.
- When can I leave?
- Sorry. Can not. Big boss say no.
The officer saw Bjorn standing outside the office, looking at them from a respectful distance.
- Farang is your friend? asked the officer.
Larson turned to look.
- Yes.
- Him come hel you? Good good, said the officer.
The officer opened the door and nodded to Bjorn to come in.
The small office didn’t have any more chairs and Bjorn was left to stand by the wall. There was no handshake or introduction.
- This easy, said the officer. You wan go home? You can. You only pay money ten thousand baht.
Larson twisted in his chair when he heard this. Bjorn didn’t blink.
- Five thousand is normal, said Bjorn.
The officer was surprised.
- Big boss say ten, said the officer. But no worry. I take care this. I go speak boss.
The officer left and walked over to a larger office where the glass door had a curtain. He knocked and went inside.
- Did you hear that, said Larson. The nerve of these people!
- They try to get as much as they can, said Bjorn.
- The Thai boy is out already. After I gave the officer the five hundred baht fee!
- I saw him leave, said Bjorn. He is Thai. Thais pay less.
- This is a scam, said Larson angrily. These cops are corrupt. I refuse to go along with it. They are not getting any money from me. Hell no! I want to speak to the Swedish embassy.
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