A cautionary tale. Thanks for taking the time to post. I am a very light drinker. I have been stopped and asked to blow four times in the past 6 months and I rarely go out. So chances of being stopped are quite high between Pattaya and Jomtien. After blowing the officers are left scratching their head. I guess the reading is zero and I am asked "you not drink anything tonight" which I confirm "Yes, no drinking" I have traveled to many countries and the advice is always the same. The first policeman is the cheapest to pay and get out of whatever situation you find yourself in. It only gets more expensive from there. It seems in Thailand the rate is the full finable amount. Whether a helmet violation or DUI. No cut rate. No receipt, straight into the pocket. Your discount is the time-saving convenience. Taking care of business on the spot not having to endure the inconvenience of paying the fine at the police station and in this case two days of misery in jail. Our experiences make us wiser. Thanks for sharing your wisdom.

Not challenging the sentence or the felony....but man...the corruption in Thailand is plainly disgusting....

 

OP should share his experience with the international media and the Top Level anti corruption authorities just to have a smile on all the legal Muppet show, beind a screen of plagued corruption all over. But do it only once/if you leave the corrupt LOS...

1 minute ago, Ulic said:

A cautionary tale. Thanks for taking the time to post. I am a very light drinker. I have been stopped and asked to blow four times in the past 6 months and I rarely go out. So chances of being stopped are quite high between Pattaya and Jomtien. After blowing the officers are left scratching their head. I guess the reading is zero and I am asked "you not drink anything tonight" which I confirm "Yes, no drinking" I have traveled to many countries and the advice is always the same. The first policeman is the cheapest to pay and get out of whatever situation you find yourself in. It only gets more expensive from there. It seems in Thailand the rate is the full finable amount. Whether a helmet violation or DUI. No cut rate. No receipt, straight into the pocket. Your discount is the time-saving convenience. Taking care of business on the spot not having to endure the inconvenience of paying the fine at the police station and in this case two days of misery in jail. Our experiences make us wiser. Thanks for sharing your wisdom.

IME always a cut rate. Have had a 400 baht fine reduced to 100 baht, 400 reduced to 300 and 400 reduced to 250. All with no ticket.

 

Never been stopped for drink driving but know 2 friends who have. Both 10k at the roadside, no ticket. I believe the standard fine, if it goes to court is 20k plus all the hassle and add ons that the OP has described. 

 

Also, I don't think that the OP's journey is over yet. If the court still has possession of his passport, that too can take weeks of hassle and more add ons to have it returned. I know of one person who had to engage a lawyer to get his passport returned.

 

My advice; If you are stopped for any reason, admit your guilt, whether guilty or not, prostrate yourself, apologising profusely, then start friendly, sensible negotiations.

 

 

2 hours ago, from the home of CC said:

And sorry, I don't buy that this is 'good information to know while here in Thailand' bullshit,  for by driving drunk as far as I'm concerned, should earn deportation and blacklisting

Maybe you will be deported someday for a trifle...

I was in a similar situation and without cash in my pocket
I called my girlfriend who convinced them in two minutes

that I needed to be at home for the night... and sleeping

outside home even if it is a police station is not an option.

...nice bow and on my way to the girl with the gift of persuasion ????

 

After that I stopped drinking because what is the point of drinking

if you can not drive ????

4 hours ago, dennis123 said:

ps: Usually we also drop some diazepam or clonazepam and a few tramadol for extra side effect, that wasn't even the case this time. Sober as one can be, definitely not drunk, so yeah alive & well!

Sounds like you are either suicidal or have a substance abuse problem. Perhaps some treatment might be in order?

18 minutes ago, Spidey said:

IME always a cut rate. Have had a 400 baht fine reduced to 100 baht, 400 reduced to 300 and 400 reduced to 250. All with no ticket.

 

Never been stopped for drink driving but know 2 friends who have. Both 10k at the roadside, no ticket. I believe the standard fine, if it goes to court is 20k plus all the hassle and add ons that the OP has described. 

 

Also, I don't think that the OP's journey is over yet. If the court still has possession of his passport, that too can take weeks of hassle and more add ons to have it returned. I know of one person who had to engage a lawyer to get his passport returned.

 

My advice; If you are stopped for any reason, admit your guilt, whether guilty or not, prostrate yourself, apologising profusely, then start friendly, sensible negotiations.

 

 

My passport was already returned at the police station before going to court.

19 minutes ago, observer90210 said:

Not challenging the sentence or the felony....but man...the corruption in Thailand is plainly disgusting....

 

OP should share his experience with the international media and the Top Level anti corruption authorities just to have a smile on all the legal Muppet show, beind a screen of plagued corruption all over. But do it only once/if you leave the corrupt LOS...

Who knows but no intention to leave now or in the future.

5 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

Sounds like you are either suicidal or have a substance abuse problem. Perhaps some treatment might be in order?

I only go out once every 2-3 weeks, and hardly ever drink at home. But when I go out I always take some valium for my general anxiety, and sometimes add some tramadol for a nice smooth drunk ???? and when I go out I do it good, till the late hours most of the time.

6 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

Sounds like you are either suicidal or have a substance abuse problem. Perhaps some treatment might be in order?

Some of us are still desperately trying to recapture our misspent youth. 555

1 minute ago, Spidey said:

Some of us are still desperately trying to recapture our misspent youth. 555

Oh my, lots of drugs and alcohol in my youth, no shortage, but definitely catching on for the lack of sex in my youth ????

13 minutes ago, dennis123 said:

Oh my, lots of drugs and alcohol in my youth, no shortage,

Well I guess that explains your behavior in Pattaya. 

 

I never did drugs and I've never been arrested. And never drink driving. Maybe sounds boring to you but I feel just fine.  

 

 

 

 

The OP was a bit too long to read the whole post ...but the section I did read seemed to be lacking awareness in just what you were doing. Surly no penalty is too severe for a person who gets behind the controls of a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol 

  I once heard a man say that he gets down on his knees every night for the remainder of his life in gratitude to his God...for not having killed someone while he was drinking and driving ...before he eventually had to give up the booze...I myself identified with the sentiments  and understood only too well, ..the feeling.

Oh gosh, now we get all the moral knights, well I said what I wanted to say, have a good one everyone!

8 minutes ago, balo said:

Well I guess that explains your behavior in Pattaya. 

 

I never did drugs and I've never been arrested. And never drink driving. Maybe sounds boring to you but I feel just fine.  

 

 

 

 

I can't see how you can comment on that, if you've never done sex and drugs and alcohol, how do you know that you wouldn't feel even more fine?

 

Don't knock it until you've tried it. 555

5 minutes ago, dennis123 said:

Oh gosh, now we get all the moral knights, well I said what I wanted to say, have a good one everyone!

You gave us all a lesson, now you've had a lesson. Never post your personal experiences on TV, you're guaranteed to get slaughtered by the keyboard warriors!

3 minutes ago, Spidey said:

if you've never done sex and drugs and alcohol

Why don't you read my post ?  I said I never did drugs and never was drunk while driving .

 

 I do drink and I enjoy sex. After all this is Pattaya. 

 

3 minutes ago, Spidey said:

You gave us all a lesson, now you've had a lesson. Never post your personal experiences on TV, you're guaranteed to get slaughtered by the keyboard warriors!

I don't really mind, I'll just ignore them all, been long enough on forums to know what to expect ???? Normally I like it when it gets a little heated but it's a little hard defending driving under influence ????

4 minutes ago, balo said:

Why don't you read my post ?  I said I never did drugs and never was drunk while driving .

 

 I do drink and I enjoy sex. After all this is Pattaya. 

 

Just admit you can't afford a car or motorbike.

1 minute ago, balo said:

Why don't you read my post ?  I said I never did drugs and never was drunk while driving .

 

 I do drink and I enjoy sex. After all this is Pattaya. 

 

For the true life experience, the three come as a set.

 

Here, listen to a man who gets it:

 

 

1 hour ago, Ulic said:

A cautionary tale. Thanks for taking the time to post. I am a very light drinker. I have been stopped and asked to blow four times in the past 6 months and I rarely go out. So chances of being stopped are quite high between Pattaya and Jomtien. After blowing the officers are left scratching their head. I guess the reading is zero and I am asked "you not drink anything tonight" which I confirm "Yes, no drinking" I have traveled to many countries and the advice is always the same. The first policeman is the cheapest to pay and get out of whatever situation you find yourself in. It only gets more expensive from there. It seems in Thailand the rate is the full finable amount. Whether a helmet violation or DUI. No cut rate. No receipt, straight into the pocket. Your discount is the time-saving convenience. Taking care of business on the spot not having to endure the inconvenience of paying the fine at the police station and in this case two days of misery in jail. Our experiences make us wiser. Thanks for sharing your wisdom.

So true, I bailed a client out on the night I got the deal with him after he drove back on his motorbike. Send some money via Kasikorn as he was at his foreign ATM limits. They refused settlement at the checkpoint but the police guy driving his bike, with him on the back cuffed, towards the police station, didn't mind stopping by an ATM and for 10k it was settled (Lumpini station 2016). My best guess is because then he didn't need to share and it wasn't officially documented yet, he was lucky too that it wasn't too far from the station as he else would been taken by police truck. He even dropped the police guy off at the station and continued home drunk LOL.

25 minutes ago, dennis123 said:

Just admit you can't afford a car or motorbike.

Been driving my car in Thailand for 8 years , since I arrived in 2010. 

 

Stopped by the police only twice during the years , one time in CM when I forgot my seat belt. 200 baht fine, the other in Pattaya , just a normal license check , no fines. 

 

And I only drink casual , never when I drive myself. 

 

If you are trying to make it sound like "everyone" here have been driving under the influence of alcohol you have failed. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't really mind, I'll just ignore them all, been long enough on forums to know what to expect [emoji846] Normally I like it when it gets a little heated but it's a little hard defending driving under influence [emoji6]

So Dennis, you never got raped? I say this because many posters on TV think if you are kept behind bars this is the norm.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

1 hour ago, dennis123 said:

Oh gosh, now we get all the moral knights, well I said what I wanted to say, have a good one everyone!

Dude I am the least moral human being you ever met. I have fogotten more about loathesome gutter crawling that you will ever know if you live to be 110. Satan wouldnt even let me in his crib. Booze and drugs are fun.

 

Just saying that bragging about getting wasted for DUI and you would have been more f*cke* up ifin ya had some pills is a bit much, considering the risk you take not only to yourself, but innocent folks. You want to kill yourself (and thats what drinking and drugs is, slow suicide) and dont recognize that you should either quit, cut back or get help is your business. No skin off my d*ck if you want to sit behind the dumpster hitting a crack pipe with an bottle of Mekhong spiked with Fentanyl next to you and a needle in your arm. Have at it.

 

But getting behind the wheel. A bit much

11 hours ago, dennis123 said:

It's a requirement to enter Laos, if you travel to Cambodia you don't need it.

Cool, thanks for the explanation.

You gave us all a lesson, now you've had a lesson. Never post your personal experiences on TV, you're guaranteed to get slaughtered by the keyboard warriors!

the story would have gone down a storm over at pattaya addicts@dennis123

 

Thank you very much for this detailed report. I never intend to put myself in a situation like that - but now I will be even more careful and try harder to be prepared. One never knows what will happen when you stop being watchful for a minute or even when you think you got it all covered.

Funny how people here in Farangland think the courts are so lenient in LOS and that you can get away with a lot of sh1t and can act like you are entitled and bribe your way out of anything.

When I go back to Thailand in January I hope I will be more ... paranoid.

 

22 minutes ago, MuuKondiao said:

Funny how people here in Farangland think the courts are so lenient in LOS and that you can get away with a lot of sh1t and can act like you are entitled and bribe your way out of anything.

That actually is the case. The OP, had he done the same in the UK, would have been fined a far greater sum of money and lost his licence for at least 12 months. Had the OP had better negotiating skills, he probably would have been able to pay 10k baht at the roadside and be allowed to drive home. Not saying that it's right, it certainly isn't, but for offenders, being in Thailand definitely has it's advantages. 

 

It's a well known fact that you can literally get away with murder here.....for a price.

11 hours ago, roo860 said:

So Dennis, you never got raped? I say this because many posters on TV think if you are kept behind bars this is the norm.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Soi 9 cells have plenty of willing participants , no need to rape anyone.

 

not only plenty of ladyboys locked up on daily basis but females are also in the same room. Only at night females get locked in their room but noting and no one to stop a female from sleeping in a male cell????

 Been here for the last 15 years and have never been breathalyzed before, but this month I have been out down town twice and got tested twice. Passed both times only 4 small glasses of draft once with a free shot at the gogo's with a mate who is here on holiday luckily he likes to talk and catch up more than drink.  Out again tonight a motorbike Taxi will be the order of the day probably only cost the same as I pay for parking 150Bt. Things are defiantly changing.

I NEVER use my car/bike at night when i go drinking. Crazy to take risks like this when the public transport is so good.