Have you ever been stopped by the police and asked to pay a ticket for driving without a license?

[cyril sneer]

Last time I spent a week in Phuket I was caught 4 times for having a car licence and not a motorcycle one.

500 baht each time.

Now whenever I see them I just U-turn and find another route.

I've seen Thai people just speed up and drive straight through them and Police do nothing, might not work if farang though...

[InterestedSugoya]

On 4/29/2018 at 7:11 AM, dpcjsr said:

Yes, riding a rental bike and had no idea I needed a Thai license. The rental stores do not ask nor tell you about this.

 

I paid a small fine and soon afterwards got a Thai license, which was not easy as someone else stated. It is an all day affair watching videos and includes a written test that requires a 90% score.

 

Part of live and learn in Thailand.

The test is in English though, right?

[Rally123]

On 4/28/2018 at 4:59 PM, Just Weird said:

Nonsense.

Anyone find any information disproving the fact that the police receive 95% of the issued fine ticket?  Nah, I didn't think so. Plenty shouting their mouths off I was wrong. A couple said they'd ask a policeman if it was true. Well?

[Peterw42]

26 minutes ago, Rally123 said:

Anyone find any information disproving the fact that the police receive 95% of the issued fine ticket?  Nah, I didn't think so. Plenty shouting their mouths off I was wrong. A couple said they'd ask a policeman if it was true. Well?

Yes, asked my brother inlaw who is a policeman and he assured me they dont get the fine money.

 

You reference a story about the DLT collecting outstanding fines (they dont usually collect fines) before a car can be registered, getting a commission then passing the remainder to the traffic police, the people who collect fines.

That is a one off deal because its extra work for the DLT, 

Edited May 18, 2018 by Peterw42

[Rally123]

21 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

Yes, asked my brother inlaw who is a policeman and he assured me they dont get the fine money.

 

Your BiL is a liar. 

 

Quote

Under the Article 44 order, the Department of Land Transport will get 5 per cent of each traffic fine and pass on the rest of the fine money to traffic police.

 

Edited May 19, 2018 by Rally123

[stevenl]

18 hours ago, Rally123 said:

Your BiL is a liar. 

 

 

Quoting a quote from somebody else is not proof.

[Ks45672]

On 28/04/2018 at 10:09 AM, Rally123 said:

Thai police make up their salary (legally) in receiving 95% of the fine of the ticket issued. The money is pooled with other officers, from their station, who are likely to have office bound jobs. So really no need for the police to request tea money if they were to do their job and issue fines. I suppose by obtaining tea money they get to keep the lot instead of sharing. 

It's a 50/50 split between the guy who writes the ticket and his boss

 

That's why they don't mind if you pay half the official price without bothering to waste time writing  a ticket

 

He gets the same amount anyway

 

 

[jackdd]

Here a chart from Google:

 

So according to this chart the police man who stops you would get 28.5% of the fine

Edited May 20, 2018 by jackdd

[Rally123]

On 5/20/2018 at 7:15 AM, stevenl said:

Quoting a quote from somebody else is not proof.

This has been discussed on other forums and others have verified as to it being true. I was a disbeliever, as some on here, so I went and asked a policeman friend and he confirmed it. In some ways I still have trouble understanding it as I see it as a licence to make money and fail to understand why policemen don't take advantage of this. But they do.

15 hours ago, Ks45672 said:

It's a 50/50 split between the guy who writes the ticket and his boss

 

 That's why they don't mind if you pay half the official price without bothering to waste time writing  a ticket

 

He gets the same amount anyway

 

The above quote is completely wrong.

 

14 hours ago, jackdd said:

So according to this chart the police man who stops you would get 28.5% of the fine

All I can say is that that is wrong. I think that to be the old system used before the present leader changed it in March 2017. Which is linked to the article below.

 

 

Quote

 

Mixed reaction as Prayut uses Article 44 to bar registration of vehicles involved in violations until penalties paid

 

PRIME MINISTER Prayut Chan-o-cha’s latest Article 44 order barring traffic-fine dodgers from renewing their annual vehicle registration has become another contentious issue for both critics and supporters.

With as many as 86 per cent of the 680,000 traffic tickets unpaid over the past seven months, authorities believed it is necessary for the premier to exercise his sweeping power to enforce the law on fine dodgers.

Supporters said the unique measure was required as vehicle owners would be forced to pay all fines for violation of traffic regulations before they could renew their annual vehicle registration.

 

In addition, the latest Article 44 order requires all vehicle passengers to fasten their seat belts while the vehicle is in motion.

Critics, however, said the premier’s sweeping power under Article 44 of the interim charter should not be used frequently and randomly as in this case where existing laws are adequate to achieve results.

According to the latest Article 44 order, traffic police officers will notify law-violating motorists that they have to pay a fine within 15 days of the tickets being issued. Such notices will be sent by post if violators are not present at the time of violations.

Police will then pass on the names of the violators who fail to pay fines on time to the local land transport office, which is responsible for renewing vehicle registrations annually.

By then, violators have another 30 days to pay the fines.

During this 30-day period, a document indicating a pending car-registration tax payment will be issued for motorists to carry. Unless the fines are settled, owners will not be able to renew their vehicle registration, effectively being barred from public roads.

Under the Article 44 order, the Department of Land Transport will get 5 per cent of each traffic fine and pass on the rest of the fine money to traffic police. The order also authorises traffic police to tow away or lock the wheels of vehicles parked in prohibited spots and vehicle owners must pay the cost of such actions as well as the vehicle parking cost if applicable.

Pol Lt-General Wittaya Prayongphun, the assistant national police chief, said only a few motorists paid their fines after receiving tickets for violation of traffic laws as evidenced by the latest statistics showing only 11 per cent of of the 680,000 fine tickets issued from September 2016 to the present were paid.

As a result, the country’s traffic laws and enforcement are not effective, prompting the government to turn to the new measure, which would be enforced in cooperation with land transport officials responsible for renewing vehicle registration.

 

 

 

 

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30309980

Edited May 21, 2018 by Rally123

[Ks45672]

3 hours ago, Rally123 said:

This has been discussed on other forums and others have verified as to it being true. I was a disbeliever, as some on here, so I went and asked a policeman friend and he confirmed it. In some ways I still have trouble understanding it as I see it as a licence to make money and fail to understand why policemen don't take advantage of this. But they do.

The above quote is completely wrong.

 

All I can say is that that is wrong. I think that to be the old system used before the present leader changed it in March 2017. Which is linked to the article below.

 

 

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30309980

In bkk there is a monthly quota of official tickets that must be issued, after that  they get half and kick half upstairs to their superior and then the highest achievers can afford to buy the next promotion and rise up the ladder faster

 

Why would fines be negotiable if that wasn't the case?? 

 

(obviously all stations are not going to be consistently identical nationwide, as with everything else in thailand) 

[Rally123]

3 hours ago, Ks45672 said:

In bkk there is a monthly quota of official tickets that must be issued

And you can provide a link to prove that?

 

3 hours ago, Ks45672 said:

Why would fines be negotiable if that wasn't the case?? 

Who said fines are negotiable? As far as I'm aware all traffic violations have fixed penalties.

[stevenl]

47 minutes ago, Rally123 said:

And you can provide a link to prove that?

 

Who said fines are negotiable? As far as I'm aware all traffic violations have fixed penalties.

Says the one who still hasn't provided a link to his own claim.

[Rally123]

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

Says the one who still hasn't provided a link to his own claim.

What are you talking about? I provided a couple of links to my claim. For one, 'The Nation' newspaper article.

[Ks45672]

6 hours ago, Rally123 said:

And you can provide a link to prove that?

 

Who said fines are negotiable? As far as I'm aware all traffic violations have fixed penalties.

They are always negotiable for me the last two decades

Maybe you need to work on your negotiation skills or speak to them in Thai

[Rally123]

7 hours ago, Ks45672 said:

They are always negotiable for me the last two decades

Maybe you need to work on your negotiation skills or speak to them in Thai

You are funny. You are the only person in Thailand that is allowed to negotiate on how much fine to pay. Amazing.    ?

 

 

Quote

 

The traffic law is the same throughout the country, so all fines should be the same amount no matter where you are in the Kingdom.

 

The penalties for the most common violations are:

• No license plate – B400
• Running a red light – B300
• Reckless driving – B400
• Illegal U-turn – B400
• Blocking traffic – B200
• Operating an illegal vehicle – B1,000
• Parking in a non-parking area – B200
• No vehicle insurance – B600
• Driving against the flow of traffic – B200
• No helmet (Passenger & Driver) – B200
• No driver’s license – B400
• No owner’s registration – B400
• Overdue vehicle tax – B400
• Using a vehicle which makes noise louder than the prescribed limit – B1,000

Read more at https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-traffic-fines-in-clear-view-60064.php#y5bwyIfSY7IomyuI.99

 

Quote

 

 

Edited May 21, 2018 by Rally123

[Ks45672]

56 minutes ago, Rally123 said:

You are funny. You are the only person in Thailand that is allowed to negotiate on how much fine to pay. Amazing.    ?

 

 

 

You must live in a different thailand than I do.... ?

 

No point posting up fixed prices, they vary from station to station even around bkk

 

 

 

[Ks45672]

56 minutes ago, Rally123 said:

You are funny. You are the only person in Thailand that is allowed to negotiate on how much fine to pay. Amazing.    ?

 

 

 

You must live in a different thailand than I do.... ?

 

No point posting up fixed prices, they vary from station to station even around bkk

 

 

 

[Ks45672]

56 minutes ago, Rally123 said:

You are funny. You are the only person in Thailand that is allowed to negotiate on how much fine to pay. Amazing.    ?

 

 

 

You must live in a different thailand than I do.... ?

 

No point posting up fixed prices, they vary from station to station even around bkk

 

 

 

[Rally123]

2 hours ago, Ks45672 said:

No point posting up fixed prices, they vary from station to station even around bkk

 

Quite obvious that you have trouble understanding and reading a quote from a link.

 

Quote

The traffic law is the same throughout the country, so all fines should be the same amount no matter where you are in the Kingdom.

 

[Ks45672]

15 minutes ago, Rally123 said:

Quite obvious that you have trouble understanding and reading a quote from a link.

 

 

Everyone will tell you fines are not the same nationwide for various offences 

If you want to stay thicker than mud then that's up to you

And if you don't negotiate the fines and pay the first price they ask  for they will have a good laugh at your expense, god bless America lol

[Rally123]

2 minutes ago, Ks45672 said:

Everyone will tell you fines are not the same nationwide for various offences 

'Everyone? You're the only one so far.

3 minutes ago, Ks45672 said:

 

And if you don't negotiate the fines and pay the first price they ask  for they will have a good laugh at your expense, god bless America lol

'Negotiate fines'? You're having a laugh. If it's negotiable then it's 'tea money' and the chances are, being as you're so ignorant, you'll end up paying more than what the legal penalty is. On top of that, by offering 'tea money' to a policeman you're offering him a bribe. Hope you get caught in a sting one day as it's people like you who make the police what they are. By the way how much do save by 'negotiating' on a 200 Baht parking fine. Farang Kee Nok.   

[poanoi]

i dont think any expat drive without license, we already know we are being targeted

[Ks45672]

1 hour ago, Rally123 said:

'Everyone? You're the only one so far.

'Negotiate fines'? You're having a laugh. If it's negotiable then it's 'tea money' and the chances are, being as you're so ignorant, you'll end up paying more than what the legal penalty is. On top of that, by offering 'tea money' to a policeman you're offering him a bribe. Hope you get caught in a sting one day as it's people like you who make the police what they are. By the way how much do save by 'negotiating' on a 200 Baht parking fine. Farang Kee Nok.   

It's fools like yourself that make them think all Farang are dumber than dogs*** and can be hit up for any price they pull out of their ass..... 

[Rally123]

1 hour ago, Ks45672 said:

It's fools like yourself that make them think all Farang are dumber than dogs*** and can be hit up for any price they pull out of their ass..... 

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, Ks45672 said:

It's fools like yourself that make them think all Farang are dumber than dogs*** and can be hit up for any price they pull out of their ass..... 

 

No, that's not what he's saying. 

 

He's saying the the fines are the same nationwide. When there are differences it's not in paying the fine, it's in paying a bribe, which of course  is negotiable and varies throughout the region.

 

He's also saying that those who pay bribes support corruption. No one can deny or dress thus up regardless of the 'grey area'....

 

In contrast you are suggesting that the 'honest' expats who refuse to pay bribes and insist on paying the 'genuine fine' will contribute to some idea that the police think these characters are dumb... 

 

Your logic escapes me!

[jimster]

On 4/30/2018 at 8:45 AM, cyril sneer said:

Last time I spent a week in Phuket I was caught 4 times for having a car licence and not a motorcycle one.

500 baht each time.

Now whenever I see them I just U-turn and find another route.

I've seen Thai people just speed up and drive straight through them and Police do nothing, might not work if farang though...

Would possibly work for farang too but isn't a good idea either way. Police do generally attempt to stop those riding or driving through their checkpoints and sometimes get injured or killed in the process - one time I was stopped for doing a u-turn (in a car mind you) before a checkpoint because there was a long queue of cars. License checked and my Chinese passengers all had their passports checked too (weird) but not me, as I speak Thai and as the driver the police officer was more interested in my license and explanation for why I didn't want to go through his checkpoint.

[jimmyyy]

Yeah i had to run to the ATM across from the check point and pay at the table.  My home country license did not flatter them.  As a plus he gave me full instruction in english on how to get a Thai license and I complied. Also got a warning for not having a copy of the car "book" in the car.  Was the first i have heard of that so we put a copy of it in the glove box.