Revenue Raising

[SeaVisionBurma]

Great.

72 hours in Phuket, and the local fuzz get me for not having my driver's licence on me. Fined 300 baht, which is not a big drama, but the inconvenience of having to sit around while the missus goes and pays the fine at the cop shop at 11pm at night is a pain.

So friendly warning, the morph are doing major road blocks and fining everyone without a licence, and its not restricted to Patong as we ran the gauntlet in Karon and Chalong as well.

cheers

SVB (300 baht poorer)

[Jimbo]

I have seem them check driving licences in Kathu near the petrol station as well as some side streats nearby incase people want to drive around the police stop and also one trafic light before lotus if you are driving from Patong. I have also see them check driving licenses just down the hill near Karon as well as on the traffic cirle in Chalong. I have also seen them on various location in Phuket Town. And offcourse in Patong there are a couple of spots where they check but I have only seen them check for helmets there.

I have seem them stop locals aswell and fine them. The only ones that seem to complain are foreigners. They are even writing to the Gazette. To be fair, I think that it will definitely help Phuket as you sure see less of those French Arabs driving like mad men around Phuket on their speed bikes. I definitely think that everyone driving motorbikes (even the small ones as they can easily reach 100 km per hour) should have a driving licence. The police only doesnt realize that although you might have a drinving licence which allows you to drive a car back home, you are not allowed or qualified to drive a motorbike.

[neenthewiser]

I keep my driving licence under the bike seat so it's always there.

This revenue raising exercise is yet another thing that will put tourists off ever coming back here.

[Basher]

Get a licence

make sure your road tax is up to date

make sure your insurance is up to date

These are the common rules, what do you expect if you don't abide by them?

I don't understand what there is to complain about, if you are legal then you don't get nicked... doh!

Bash

PS if you are a backpacker, who cares bust them anyway!

[neenthewiser]

Get a licence

make sure your road tax is up to date

make sure your insurance is up to date

These are the common rules, what do you expect if you don't abide by them?

I don't understand what there is to complain about, if you are legal then you don't get nicked..

Basher.

All very nice and easy for you to say. I assume you live here. For people who come on holiday here it's not so easy. When they rent a bike does anyone tell them that they should carry a licence? Do you honestly expect people having a 2 week vacation to totally familiarize themselves with all the laws of the country they're going to? Would you if you were spending 2 weeks in Spain? Or Greece? The simple fact is this law hasn't been applied for years but is now being exploited as a revenue raising exercise with no safety benefit and it is disappointing that someone like you should support it.

[Jimbo]

If I was to drive a bike with 125 CC in europe which can reach speeds of over 100 km per hour then I would actually imagine that I would need a driving licence to operate that bike. Come on. Think logically. In most places in the world you will need a license. its kind of silly to say that you didnt know

[Basher]

You knew you were going to rent a vehicle, then didn't you do any research?

If you were going to the states would you check then?

Children think of this as a lesson then...YOU NEED THE RIGHT PAPERS, ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD... RULES IS RULES

then the baby awoke

Bash

[SeaVisionBurma]

I might take the time to bring my original post back in to perspective - I am fully aware that I should have had my licence with me, I'm not a complete <deleted> and agree rules are rules. I am not a backpacker, I spend a fair amount of time in Phuket when not working in Myanmar. And up until now the local fuzz have never taken this much interest in revenue raising.

I am posting simply as a warning to those who may have become a bit complacent of late (as some of us tend to do from time to time while travelling or living here) - to carry your licence with you each time you go out for a drive/ride in future. Take my 300 baht inconvenience as a warning for the rest of the readers of the forum.

If I had my licence with me on Friday night, I would not have been fined. And yes, both Thais and Foreigners were getting fined when I got pulled up. And it is no longer enough to show a local driver's licence from your home state - they want an international licence as well. So whereas before you could get away with only your normal licence, now it would pay to have an international licence on your person as well.

the baby is awake already thanks, bash - and it doesnt need the finger pointing cheers.

[Jimbo]

I dont have an international driving license. The cops cant read it as its in a foreign language. They ask me where the license if from and then they let me leave. But the Thai's have an advantage with these traffic stops. There are always small roads that will get you around the police check points.

I had a laugh do the other day. Thai's normally do a U Turn just before the police check point in Kathu incase they dont have an helmet or driving license. I allways thought to myself why doesnt the policy put a guy at the U Turn place. Yesterday they did! All those Thai guys were being busted!!

[Basher]

I might take the time to bring my original post back in to perspective - I am fully aware that I should have had my licence with me, I'm not a complete <deleted> and agree rules are rules. I am not a backpacker, I spend a fair amount of time in Phuket when not working in Myanmar. And up until now the local fuzz have never taken this much interest in revenue raising.

I am posting simply as a warning to those who may have become a bit complacent of late (as some of us tend to do from time to time while travelling or living here) - to carry your licence with you each time you go out for a drive/ride in future. Take my 300 baht inconvenience as a warning for the rest of the readers of the forum.

If I had my licence with me on Friday night, I would not have been fined. And yes, both Thais and Foreigners were getting fined when I got pulled up. And it is no longer enough to show a local driver's licence from your home state - they want an international licence as well. So whereas before you could get away with only your normal licence, now it would pay to have an international licence on your person as well.

the baby is awake already thanks, bash - and it doesnt need the finger pointing cheers.

Wot you do need to do mate is chill out a bit,

Newbys, put your euro/uk/us/licence under the seat with 100 baht and even with a UK/us/euro original licence you will pass these checks, this of course is only for f*cking tourists, local expats deserve all they get if caught, you know the rules...

What you really need is an international licence for your hols, but be warned they are only legally valid for 30 days in country per visa stamp

Bash

PS I don't like tourists

[SeaVisionBurma]

Newbys, put your euro/uk/us/licence under the seat with 100 baht and even with a UK/us/euro original licence you will pass these checks, this of course is only for f*cking tourists, local expats deserve all they get if caught, you know the rules...

PS I don't like tourists

Try telling that to the Dutch fellow who didnt have an international licence with him the other night, his plea and offer of some tea money fell on deaf ears, the plod told him his normal licence wasnt enough. He had to leave his bike where it was, and take the taxi off to the station to pay his fine like everyone else.

Bash I'm more than chilled out thanks for your concern, I take it you don't like tourists then?

[Jimbo]

I am not sure but I believe when you get issued a driving licence in Holland it is already an international driving license.

And anyway, if you go abroad, most people know that they will need an international license. Why blame the local police for enforcing a law that is pretty standard world wide.

One thing about the police stop in Kathu. They have build walls and windows around and putting in an A/C. Ok, I can imagine that it might get a bit hot. But why do they have a TV inthere. I drive by rather often and many times they are all watching television. To protect and serve is what they call it. They are a bloody joke!!

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Newbys, put your euro/uk/us/licence under the seat with 100 baht and even with a UK/us/euro original licence you will pass these checks, this of course is only for f*cking tourists, local expats deserve all they get if caught, you know the rules...

PS I don't like tourists

Try telling that to the Dutch fellow who didnt have an international licence with him the other night, his plea and offer of some tea money fell on deaf ears, the plod told him his normal licence wasnt enough. He had to leave his bike where it was, and take the taxi off to the station to pay his fine like everyone else.

Bash I'm more than chilled out thanks for your concern, I take it you don't like tourists then?

Bash is somewhat down on the world I think SVB.

[Wolfie]

Get an international driving license, then this problem simply goes away...

Costs roughly a fiver sterling, RAC or something, its only valid for 30days. My mate did it a few months back when he came over on holiday to visit me... all he had to do was fill out some forms, send a copy of his license etc, i'm sure its not going to be much different in other countries (he applied in the UK)

Umm a fiver... thats just over 300baht, so get stopped once and its paid for itself already.

If 30 days isnt going to be long enough, or you travel here often, why dont you do yourself a huge favour and get your bum down the transport office and sit the test for a thai driving license? Costs 70baht, just takes most of the day waiting around.

It allows you so many other privledges as well, like discounts at certain attractions, can be used as an offical form of identification and presenting one to a copper at a check point means you get dismissed without a thought.

But its like someone else said above, its a common law all over the world, if you went to the US, UK, Europe, Middle east, Far east where ever and intended to hire a car/motorbike then you would have thought youd be sensible enough to get your license in order (many western hire companies ask for a copy of your license when you hire the vehicle anyway)

Just because they never did it before, doesnt mean they are wrong to start doing it now... either pay up or get your license in order, tourists, expats, knowitall's alike.

[SeaVisionBurma]

why dont you do yourself a huge favour and get your bum down the transport office and sit the test for a thai driving license? Costs 70baht, just takes most of the day waiting around.

It allows you so many other privledges as well, like discounts at certain attractions, can be used as an offical form of identification and presenting one to a copper at a check point means you get dismissed without a thought.

Thanks Wolfie,

Not a bad idea - what form of ID do you need to show before sitting the Thai drivers test?

[Wolfie]

I took the following... i'm not 100% what is actually _required_ par se.

1x completed copy of the application form

2x Driving license sized photos (the really small ones, not passport size)

1x Photocopy of all relevant pages of my Passport

1x Photocopy of all relevant pages of my Work Permit

1x Docters cert stateing i'm in good health

My original passport for verification

My original work permit for verification.

Fee - 55baht, extra 15baht to laminate it onsite.

Additional expenses 200 baht for cold drinks, plate of rice etc (its a long day, beleive me!)

I do know that the work permit thing can be replaced with trebian ban (or how ever its spelt) but i do know you can get some paperwork from the immigration office if you dont have a work permit/trebian ban etc, i'm not sure what the "paper work" is as i didnt need to go get it, sorry i cant be more helpful there.

The day progressed like this.

8:00am

Turned up early hoping to get sorted quicker, joined the queue of the other 100 people who turned up early.

9:00am

Got all my paperwork checked by the offical, found i had everything in order

10:00am

Got given a road regulations book to read

10:30am

Took the written test, scored 20/20

10:35am

Took the colour test, had to take a second colour test as im partially colour blind

10:45am

Told to come back at 1pm.

13:00pm

Arrived, floated around the office until i realised i was supposed to go round the back for the practicle test.

13:10pm

Handed in all my paperwork to a nice looking lady who was the examiner.

13:15pm

Waited around for my turn to do the praticle.

14:30pm

Did my praticle, passed.

14:35pm

Paid my fees, queued up for half an hour, got given a card with loads of thai writing on it (had a number and told me it was a minimum 1hr to process the license)

15:45pm

Picked up my license, took it round the side to get laminated

16:00pm

Drove around phuket town/chalong looking for police checks, i wanted to show them my shiney new license! Buggers stopped everyone except me, reckon the transport office must have faxed through that days applicants or something!

Long old day, but ultimately worth it in the end.

[neenthewiser]

either pay up or get your license in order, tourists, expats, knowitall's alike.

Yes, yes. Achtung achtung! Zese are ze orders and orders must be obeyed! Fascists unite! Just the other day I saw a Thai policeman riding his motorbike without a helmet. What does that say to tourists? I obey ze rules; I keep my international driving licence (which is valid for a year, by the way) under my bike seat. It is just disappointing to see policemen here fining tourists on such an insignificant breach of the law. I would be equally disappointed if they did this in America or Spain or Greece...but they don't! They have speed cameras in stupid places in the UK which are an equally legal yet annoying pursuit of revenue. No doubt there are some in the UK that think that zis is ze law and ze law must be obeyed at all times but luckily humanity and common sense also applies.

[Wolfie]

Thank you for that post neenthewiser, it was quite possibly the most enlightening, well thought out, well structured and informative peice of virtual literature i've ever had the (mis)fortune to read. I can see all the constructive and useful nuggets of information you chose to impart to us, you truely are a blessed individual.

Now put your straight jacket back on and go back to your padded cell, i think its time for you to take your medication again.

[cutethaigirl]

For people who come on holiday here it's not so easy. When they rent a bike does anyone tell them that they should carry a licence? Do you honestly expect people having a 2 week vacation to totally familiarize themselves with all the laws of the country they're going to? Would you if you were spending 2 weeks in Spain? Or Greece? The simple fact is this law hasn't been applied for years but is now being exploited as a revenue raising exercise with no safety benefit

Ignorance of the law as a defence???

What country are you from?

Thought driving licences were pretty common throught the Western World too?

In the US i believe people drive on the right as it is the law? Trying doing that here and see how far you get! The LAW says drive on the left and is quite easy to spot

CT

[cutethaigirl]

This revenue raising exercise is yet another thing that will put tourists off ever coming back here.

You think so?? Why do you think people can come to Thailand , break the law, complain about it then say ..I am not going back there as they apply the law!!

Can i go visit your country with no regard for the law and then complain.

What is the fine for no drivers licence in Western countries these days??????

CT

[neenthewiser]

I have never been fined for not having a licence. As soon as I became aware of the legal requirement I started carrying it. No problem. But that doesn't prevent me from sympathising with tourists who come here fully intending to obey the law: they are licenced, the wear a helmet, the obey the speed limits, they don't drink and drive but get fined for a minor offence they were not made aware of.

I appreciate that when cutethaigirl goes on holiday and wishes to rent a moped for a day she will find her way to the Traffic Office, obtain a copy of the laws, get them translated into her own language and study them thoroughly. Good for her. But most of us live in the real world. If it's so important that a driving licence is carried then it should be signposted (as wearing of helmets, driving on the left and speed limits are). It should also be in those free tourist magazines in hotels and it would be nice if those renting out the bikes advised the tourists too.

Thailand is a poor country and tourism one of its biggest industries. Many factors affecting tourism are out of their control (terrorism, SARS, bird flu), but many are in their control: bar closing times for one, heavy handed enforcement of trivial traffic offences another. Where is the "I'll let you off this time, but be aware it is the law to carry a licence while driving"? I could see that getting fined in a blatant revenue raising exercise could leave a bitter taste in the mouth and may just be the final straw, with the other factors above, to persuade some to try somewhere else for a holiday. It's possible.

I think that jumping up and down barking "these are the rules and they must be obeyed" is unsympathetic, unhelpful and arrogant.

To try and move this along, it is also the law in Phuket that a bike passenger must wear a helmet. Does anyone know why this law is not enforced?

[Jimbo]

Come on! Its common sense that you need to have a licence on you. It is practically the same everywhere around the world! There is no excuse not to carry it with you. Its your own fault if you get busted.

I do agree though about the passenger helmet. It would suck if they were to start giving fines withour giving a heads up. That would surely increase their revenue

[Wolfie]

i know of at least ONE sign post that clearly states...

Carry your license at all times,

Wear a helmet if your on a motorbike, wear a seatbelt if your in a car

Dont drive drunk

and thats in a tourist area.

I am of the opinion that "Oh, im sorry officer, i didnt realise i was supposed to carry a license" is not a valid excuse, in fact its exactly that, an EXCUSE.

I agree that maybe the police could be a little bit more sympathetic, the old "i'll let you off this time, but make sure you..." but i can see that getting abused...

Maybe they should impliment a "producer" system like the UK does, if your asked to produce your documents and you cannot, for whatever reason, your given a ticket and 7 days to get down to the police station to produce your documents. I can see holes in that idea already, with tourists who are going home etc, but at least its a start.

Bottom line is... use your brain, if youve got a license, carry it with you, tourist, ex-pat, thai or farang... if you dont have a license, pay up and shut up. You wouldnt get away with it in the west, so why even contemplate it in LOS?

I dont make the rules, i just try to follow them.

[RDN]

I think your avatar is perfect.