Kuwaiti tourists have alleged that uniformed police officers in Pattaya repeatedly demanded cash traffic fines of 2,500 to 5,000 baht away from police stations, issuing receipts they were later told were fake.
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The group made their complaint to local reporters on the evening of 14 July, after spending the past month holidaying in Pattaya. They supplied video said to have been secretly recorded during negotiations, along with cash-receipt slips they said were handed to them.
Tourists accept offences but question the process
Speaking through an interpreter, the visitors said they understood Thailand's laws, including rules for riding motorcycles, and accepted that they should face lawful action for genuine traffic offences. Thailandreal estate
However, they said the enforcement process was unclear. They alleged that they were stopped between two and five times on some nights, usually after midnight, and were each asked to pay fines ranging from 3,500 to 5,000 baht.
According to the tourists, officers took them to secluded locations rather than allowing them to pay at a police station. They claimed an unidentified man collected the money while officers stood nearby, and that cash was the only payment method accepted.
They said they were warned that their motorcycles could be seized if they did not pay.
Receipts said to resemble shop slips
The group said they asked to settle fines at a police station but were firmly refused. They were also allegedly not permitted to pay at an impound area somewhere in Pattaya, although they said they could not remember its location.
They claimed they were told they would have to pay towing and storage charges in cash. If they wanted a receipt, they said, an additional 500 baht was demanded.
The receipts they received allegedly resembled those issued by small shops, although they listed the alleged offence and fine amount. When the visitors later showed the slips to other officers, they said they were told the documents were fake.
They further alleged that, after a minor collision in which some fell from their motorcycles, two or three members of the same group of officers again took them away and imposed fines in a similar manner, despite the tourists saying they did not know what offence they had committed.
Call for police inquiry
The visitors said they had travelled to Pattaya many times and had previously considered the city safe because of its policing against crime. This year, they said they had become more afraid of police than criminals.
For foreign visitors and expatriates, the complaint is a reminder to ask for clear details of any alleged offence and official payment procedure. Anyone facing a traffic fine should seek to pay through recognised official channels and retain all documentation, particularly if a cash-only demand or an unofficial-looking receipt raises concerns.
The tourists said they wanted senior local and national police commanders to investigate the allegations, establish the facts and take firm action if wrongdoing is found. They said they did not want Pattaya's image as a tourist destination damaged.
Pictures courtesy of SiamChon
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15 July 2026
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