We all have to abide by the many laws that society creates to maintain social order and the police are the law enforcers and we sometimes step into that world through no fault of our own. Some people are afraid of the police, yet they are only doing their job and should you ever be stopped by the police for any reason, you do have legal rights.
Right To Remain Silent
We all have the legal right to remain silent when being questioned by the police, which doesn’t mean you should resist or be abusive; if it looks like you are being arrested, contact your attorney as soon as possible. There are multilingual law firms for foreigners in the country, including a top Chinese law firm in Thailand that also has a team of English-speaking criminal lawyers. You should always be respectful to police officers, as they are also humans and have a difficult job to do; they appreciate it when people are polite and compliant.
Illegal Searches
The police do not have the right to search you or your property without first obtaining a search warrant from a judge. If a police officer indicates they would like to search you, ask them if they have a search warrant, which they should produce when asking to carry out the search. If you pre-source a criminal lawyer’s number, you can call them in the event you are ever stopped and arrested by the police; the legal expert would advise you to say nothing and they would make their way to your location. Don’t worry about the time of day, in such a situation, there are lawyers on call 24/7 and if you don’t find a lawyer, the police must provide you with one.
Viewing Your Mobile Device
If a police officer asks to see your smartphone, politely refuse, as he or she has not the authority to do that. Remain calm and point out to the officers that they do not have the right to view your phone, or any other item you might be carrying on your person. If you are going to be taken to a police station, call a lawyer and inform them of the location and the legal professional can go directly to the police station.
Listening To A Phone Call
If you are going to call your lawyer, the police have no right to listen in, but if you are calling someone else, they do have the right to be within listening distance. You have the right to make one phone call should you be detained by the police and we recommend calling a criminal lawyer, who would advise you to say nothing until he or she arrives.
You should never be belligerent with police officers, as this never works in your favour, rather be polite, firm and know your rights. Ask to use your phone to speak with your lawyer and the only interaction you should have is to confirm your identity. Pre-sourcing a lawyer is a smart way to prepare for such a scenario and if the need for legal advice ever arises, you can make a call.
