petercool

While I agree with much you say, there are too many pedestrians who assume that international road etiquette apples here and just walk out expecting cars or bikes to stop for them. Also I see many who are too lazy to walk five yards to a pedestrian crossing further up and cross wherever they feel like it.

The Tourist Police or their foreign assistants ? Both have have powers of intervention but need to take anyone to Soi 9 station for any actual report or arrest.

I am uncertain about Foreign Tourist Police Assistants (FTPA) rules but Foreign Police Volunteers (FPV) are expressly forbidden to act in any undercover operations of any type. The "volunteers" in these situations are the very few foreigners who act very independently from any established organisation for profit or favours. They have no official standing nor police ID's that I am aware of.

It was the Consumer Protection unit not regular police from Soi 9. Whatever any police do, there is always another crime happening somewhere else. Petition more funding rather than expect them to be everywhere at once. My understanding is that on any given shift, Pattaya has less than 100 policemen throughout the city.

My favourite .... "When you Happy Birthday ?"

Why wait 'till April ? I had 5 separate power outages today in Mapbprachan ....

I understand that a new government incentive to assist financing a "first car" has dramatically increased demand and was told that some 80,000 new vehicles could hit Bangkok streets alone. That, and set quotas for regional dealers, could all affect supply with sales people in no position to promise much. Then any hiccup such as supply of any key component would compound things. Toyota as a leading brand would be affected more by things like this. Frustrating, I am sure, but loss on a good temporary second hand car would not be that great I would think.

I was, of course, thinking of any family.

His misfortune may continue because if he only had that non-valid-in-Thailand driving licence, his insurance may not cover anything.

I guess I live a charmed life. In 46 years in Thailand I have been fined (with a real ticket) once for speeding and once for out of date tax sticker (paid cash on the spot) while passing through a toll booth. I have been driving all that time, by car, travelled almost everywhere in the country, am out everyday in the last 5 years here in Pattaya and while being checked at road blocks, have never been hassled after my documents are seen to be valid. On another occasion, when I missed a left turning due to road repairs and found myself driving up a one way street the wrong way, a policeman stopped me and suggested I put on my warning lights and drive up to next turning to resolve the issue. No aggro, no fine, just smiles and advice. But I do understand some posters points and sympathise.

Maybe the come to enjoy the recent rain that may be lacking where they originally come from. But Bangkok was once a haven for them in the rag trade. They shipped tonnes of cheap fabric to Africa. Unfortunately, many then moved to more illicit trade and scams. There are probably a dozen picked up weekly on overstay charges from a variety of African countries but they have a long way to go to get to the numbers seen here from Russia.

If the fakes are what were once called Russian Zirkons a while back then there is some irony in this story. But just how many real diamonds could one expect to get for 20k ?

I read this story this way .... a 13 girl is seen loitering on the beach and suspicions arose so she was watched and the caught in the act of prostitution once real proof in the room was found. Prior to that, there was no proof that anyone could act upon. The guy may have known her real age or may not but that is no excuse in the eyes of the law. It might have been handled differently in other countries but that is the way it is handled here. Without real evidence here, no case can be made against the girl or her customer.

There is a police complaints authority that SHE and her FAMILY can go to if they desire. Her family DOES NOT include you

Yes. This is the right answer.There is unlikely any monetary compensation but an official apology might be forthcoming. Disciplinary action against the undercover drug squad cops is also unlikely. They act upon tip offs and were doing what they are supposed to do. Mistakes happen though. Just what the alleged planting of money was all about is unclear, however.

I agree with the poster who infers that too many here feel that where they came from is so far better in every way than where they now chose to live. It was a misjudgment for two opposite police to fire at once but not at all unique in police response terms. Having been on these road checks, you get some alarming incidents with dangerous idiot drivers and trying to run down police who are there to check your car is not recommended in any country. I saw the crowd of police at both sides of the Pratamnak hill last night and wondered what had happened. Now I know.

You could get up to Bangkok in a 2 hours and have someone look at it there quickly. That's all one can do with a Mac in Pattaya I think.

My understanding is that these are holding (custody) cells at which no long term prisoners would be kept.

Not sure that giving advice on how to break laws - here or abroad - is allowed on this forum.

One of the reasons it is done is to prevent budget tour operators - who might get a deal at other times - from trying to book over the highest season or days.

No-one is saying it never happens but only that the blanket view that only foreigners are ever targeted is incorrect.

You only have to view the fine queues at various police stations to see just how many Thais are booked.

OK, NYE festivities varying from THB 899 up to THB 35,000.

For G*d's sake, what do you get for THB 35,000?

Is it just the price that makes it special?

What makes it special is the occasion - NYE - and the fact that almost whatever they charge will will still see people wanting that night out at a fancier place with perhaps entertainment that will also charge highly that night and special menus.

To the OP. The right to stop does not need an offence per se but the chances are high that many foreigners will ride motorcycles with no valid licence which is an offence. As is no helmet. Two policemen could hardly keep up if they stopped Thais as well on such a small scale road check. The larger road blocks do indeed stop Thais and all of them.

Very possible.