tropo Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 At the old Dolphin roundabout corner, on the left, just before turning left into Beach Road, at the police box. At 11 pm, signalled by a policeman to stop. Asked how long I've been here. Asked if I had an International Driver's Permit (Licence). He wasn't interested in anything else. I only had my Australian Drivers Licence with me as my last International Driver's Permit has expired. I know the fine at the police station for this offense is 400 baht. I expected to be ticketed and that's the end of it. What happened next surprised me. He brought out an A4 sized laminated card with a big photo of an International Driver's Permit and the fine for not having one in bold letters - 1000 baht. He asked me to pay them 1000 baht - right there. Sensing my hesitation over the 1000 baht he dropped it to 500 baht. I said it should be 400 baht. He said that's OK and immediately led me into the police box to pay. It is actually quite a big room. This guy spoke English surprisingly well for a cop here. Maybe he was the team leader. I normally don't pay corrupt cops money on the spot, but considering it would have been 400 baht at the police station, and that it was late at night, decided I would. If I had refused it's possible that they may have taken my keys and caused me some inconvenience. I was on my way in under 5 minutes, 400 baht lighter. While I was in the police box the officer used his pen to draw a logo on my hand above my thumb... the same place they put stamps when you pay to enter discos. This was to be used if I was stopped somewhere else again. It's their code that I've already been fleeced and to leave me alone. That was very nice of them. As I had been given no receipt, this logo may have proven to be useful, but I didn't get a chance to try it out. On their A4 laminated card fines were indicated for other offences too. No helmet was also 1000 baht, which is meant to be 400 baht at the station. Between no helmet and no international driver's permit offences, they were making a killing. They had a virtual ATM going there. It's a perfect spot for them because you can't turn back or take a side road to avoid them. The way they operated out in the open, totally unconcerned about consequences, one must wonder if this is army sanctioned. I thought they were supposed to be cleaning up corruption. They were discussing on-the-spot payments right at the curb. I've seen them do this before, but never so brazenly. They looked to be really enjoying it too. I'd say most tourists would be forking out 1000 baht there. 2 offences - no helmet and no permit for 2000 baht would be common too. Maybe 2 on a bike with no helmets and no licence - 3000 baht. Let me make it clear before someone suggests they are not targeting foreigners - they are not stopping Thai people. They are only interested in foreigners with cash to spare. They are not even trying to make it look legit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mstevens Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 Not so long ago the fine for a number of traffic infringements increased from 400 baht to 1,000 baht. No idea if not being in possession of an international driver's licence is one of them. International driver licences are only valid for 12 months. Any foreigner resident in Thailand should have a local licence. At the end of the day, in Thailand you either need a local Thailand driver's licence or your foreign licence plus an international driver's licence (the international licence effectively "verifies" the licence from your homeland. Note: you need to be in possession of both. If you were not in possession of a current international licence then it sounds like, I am sorry to say, you were in the wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropo Posted December 4, 2017 Author Share Posted December 4, 2017 LOL> Here we go. A lecture on what I should have. This story was wasted on you (surely you didn't read it all). It's not about being fined and what licence you need carry - I'm well aware of that. It's not even about whether I am in the right or the wrong - I'm aware of my position. I wouldn't have paid if I had the correct licence. It's about the way they are collecting money on the street. That's why I made this report. PS. I'm not aware of the fine increasing from 400 baht to 1000 baht. We'll find out about that shortly when someone who knows chimes in here. The last time I paid, this year, it was still 400 baht. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swissie Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 Not a new level. Just more expensive. These days the Police and the Military will have to share the "loot". (Dividing the loot by 2). Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropo Posted December 4, 2017 Author Share Posted December 4, 2017 1 minute ago, swissie said: Not a new level. Just more expensive. These days the Police and the Military will have to share the "loot". (Dividing the loot by 2). Cheers. I've been riding around these streets for 12 years. It's new to me, and I've been stopped many times over those years and paid quite a number of fines too. I don't know when this started, but they used to be subtle about collecting "revenue" on the street. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaitero Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 There were news that many fines are about to increase some time ago.. Of cource, if one can negotiate fine lower sounds fishy.... Maby there is some transition period, corruption or whatever.. Just life in Thailand,,:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezzra Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 Now days, police everywhere, are just issuing big fines for just about every thing they can pick on you, while thousand die everyday on the country's roads, they pick on a trivial issue and are eager to show to their bosses that they 'enforce the law' all in the wrong places... having said that, it would behoove anyone to have a Thai issues driving licence, saves a lot of inconveniences.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LennyW Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
champers Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 The location is known as Dolphin Circus. You always find clowns at a circus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred110 Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 That's why I have Thai license. It's not hard to get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yengec Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 u take picture of the logo they draw on your hand? maybe next time , you should draw it by yourself before riding the bike and you will be fine when police stops you :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilotman Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 6 hours ago, mstevens said: Not so long ago the fine for a number of traffic infringements increased from 400 baht to 1,000 baht. No idea if not being in possession of an international driver's licence is one of them. International driver licences are only valid for 12 months. Any foreigner resident in Thailand should have a local licence. At the end of the day, in Thailand you either need a local Thailand driver's licence or your foreign licence plus an international driver's licence (the international licence effectively "verifies" the licence from your homeland. Note: you need to be in possession of both. If you were not in possession of a current international licence then it sounds like, I am sorry to say, you were in the wrong. Just to be clear, the International Driving License is not valid in Thailand, the International Driving Permit is They are separate documents so don't get them mixed up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torrzent Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 24 minutes ago, Pilotman said: Just to be clear, the International Driving License is not valid in Thailand, the International Driving Permit is They are separate documents so don't get them mixed up. Actually, according to this website, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Driving_Permit#The_1968_convention_(original) Thailand ratified the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic. But not that of 1968. Many people are carrying the 1968 document, and heard of one girl who's driver's license was refused because she had the wrong one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilotman Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 4 minutes ago, torrzent said: Actually, according to this website, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Driving_Permit#The_1968_convention_(original) Thailand ratified the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic. But not that of 1968. Many people are carrying the 1968 document, and heard of one girl who's driver's license was refused because she had the wrong one! Yes, that doesn't rapper to be the case. Mine is from the UK AA, and they were quite insistent that the permit is what is required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petermik Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 8 hours ago, fred110 said: That's why I have Thai license. It's not hard to get. tropo has been here some time by the amount of previous "fines" he reports to have paid......pity he has not learnt any lessons........as you say (and I have) Thai licence....not hard to get.....quite easy really Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropo Posted December 5, 2017 Author Share Posted December 5, 2017 8 hours ago, ezzra said: Now days, police everywhere, are just issuing big fines for just about every thing they can pick on you, while thousand die everyday on the country's roads, they pick on a trivial issue and are eager to show to their bosses that they 'enforce the law' all in the wrong places... having said that, it would behoove anyone to have a Thai issues driving licence, saves a lot of inconveniences.... The thing is, these aren't fines they are collecting. These are on-the-spot cash payments with no ticket, no receipt - there is no trace of the money that exchanged hands... and they are negotiating with me as though I were at the markets trying to get the best deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropo Posted December 5, 2017 Author Share Posted December 5, 2017 5 hours ago, fred110 said: That's why I have Thai license. It's not hard to get. What licenses you need to carry is not the point of this post. It's just as easy to get an International Driver's Permit if you go back to your home country at least once a year. They are collecting money for ALL offenses they can find or make up. It's their word against yours. Most of the fines at that location and time would be fines collected from tourists, not locals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropo Posted December 5, 2017 Author Share Posted December 5, 2017 5 hours ago, yengec said: u take picture of the logo they draw on your hand? maybe next time , you should draw it by yourself before riding the bike and you will be fine when police stops you :) LOL. It's gone - I washed it off. 8 hours ago, LennyW said: Thank you! It hasn't gone up since my last ticket, about 6 months ago. It's still 400 baht. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred110 Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 6 minutes ago, tropo said: What licenses you need to carry is not the point of this post. It's just as easy to get an International Driver's Permit if you go back to your home country at least once a year. They are collecting money for ALL offenses they can find or make up. It's their word against yours. Most of the fines at that location and time would be fines collected from tourists, not locals. Most of us have no problems. I've been here 16 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropo Posted December 5, 2017 Author Share Posted December 5, 2017 4 hours ago, petermik said: tropo has been here some time by the amount of previous "fines" he reports to have paid......pity he has not learnt any lessons........as you say (and I have) Thai licence....not hard to get.....quite easy really You're always going to get some smarta** in these threads trying to sidetrack the issue. This is NOT about Tropo's license or previous fines. It's about the way police are more bold about collecting money on the street than they ever have been... and also how they are scamming for fines that don't exist. There is no 1000 baht fine for not having an International Driver's Permit. It's 400 baht. Of course, you didn't get that. You only saw "Tropo" and "fines" and didn't bother to read the rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropo Posted December 5, 2017 Author Share Posted December 5, 2017 2 minutes ago, fred110 said: Most of us have no problems. I've been here 16 years. So you're speaking for all the tourists and expats in town then? It's not about me or you. MANY are being scammed at this stop. They are making a killing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MINIMIGLIA Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 5 hours ago, Pilotman said: Just to be clear, the International Driving License is not valid in Thailand, the International Driving Permit is They are separate documents so don't get them mixed up. yes and only for 90 days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropo Posted December 5, 2017 Author Share Posted December 5, 2017 16 minutes ago, MINIMIGLIA said: yes and only for 90 days Maybe, but cops don't check things like that. I've used International Driver's Permits for many years here. Once they see it they just wave you on - they don't check your passport, which most people don't carry, to find out how long you've been here. What many people don't realise is that these crooked cops (with guns) don't need to do anything by the book. If a person backchatted too much they can just make up an offense. There were 2 occasions over the years where a cop tried to book me for an illegal turn I didn't do. He wasn't paying attention to anything other than I was a foreigner on a motorcycle and he was looking for cash. I talked my way out of it on these occasions, but if he booked me it's his word against mine - without any video evidence, I'm the loser. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
champers Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 52 minutes ago, tropo said: What licenses you need to carry is not the point of this post. It's just as easy to get an International Driver's Permit if you go back to your home country at least once a year. They are collecting money for ALL offenses they can find or make up. It's their word against yours. Most of the fines at that location and time would be fines collected from tourists, not locals. Some locals get caught but many make a detour; I have seen some just ride on when waved down. My girlfriend never wears a crash helmet and just avoids this spot by using various side sois. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropo Posted December 5, 2017 Author Share Posted December 5, 2017 Just now, champers said: Some locals get caught but many make a detour; I have seen some just ride on when waved down. My girlfriend never wears a crash helmet and just avoids this spot by using various side sois. One of the things which really annoyed me about this is that I usually avoid this corner entirely, but took a chance. Once again, this is not about avoiding checkpoints and how one can, but about how they are opening scamming for cash payments. I would never take the risk of driving on when being signaled to stop. They have motorcycles - they could easily catch me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rimmer Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 Some posts and replies have been removed and the topic as per OP request is //CLOSED// Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.