Walking along Sanphawut Road at around 4.30pm on Thursday, my son and I were stopped by a group of three men, one in uniform, standing opposite the Chinese temple.

They nodded at each other then stopped us and asked whether we were Indians. Assuming they were policemen, I answered yes and showed them my driving licence and ID card for The Nation, where I work. One of the group then snapped: “You don’t talk anymore. We are from Immigration. We want your passport.” Another man emerged from the rear seat of a Toyota Vigo pickup and pushed us into it, taking away my wallet with ID card, driving licence, credit card, debit card and money, while two of the original group got in the front.

We told them our passports were at home, and they said they’d take us there. Instead, they sped past our building, telling us to “shut up” and that they were taking us to Immigration. After demanding my wallet, I succeeded in snatching it back. Instead of taking a right-turn for Suan Plu and the Immigration Department, the pickup went left to Thanon Thangrot Fai Sai Kao and towards Samrong. I said I needed to call my office and inform them I was being taken to Immigration, but they would have none of it. In the commotion I realised that the man next to me was trying to prise the wedding ring off my finger. It was obvious that all of them were drunk and looking to make a quick buck from innocent foreigners.

The Nation