Too Many Police Checkpoints in Pattaya

[darksidedog]

When the army took over and promised to clean up corruption, one of the first things they did was to stop all of the police tea money traffic stops. Now though, not only are they back, but they are absolutely everywhere, continuously. As I write there are six that I know of going on around town. I wouldn't mind if they were addressing bad driving, but they are not. As an example right now they are in front of Tesco Lotus on Sukhumvit northbound, just before the lights. Were they across on the southbound side catching red light runners I would applaud it. A day or two back they were on Sukhumvit at the junction of Nernplubwan, while 200 metres down the road the lights were being jumped continuously.

I have a licence, wear a helmet and am taxed and insured, yet have had to part with money more than once of late to be able to go on my way. I have been stopped, searched, breathalyzed and piss tested more in the last six months than in the previous five years. Am I alone in thinking that these stops are just way too numerous and not helping road safety in any real way?

I repeat that I would be in favour of a big police presence if they were reducing bad and dangerous driving, but all I see is the cops making a fortune, while ignoring everything that could improve safety.

[Swiss1960]

I am on the streets in and around Pattaya every day, with both bike and car. I have twice had to pay a fine in the last 4 years, both times justified.

When I get stopped - approximately 1 out of 3 checkpoints - I show my pink ID, my 5y drivers licence, I am friendly but not overly so and I am sent off after the briefest of checks and have never once been asked or threatened about giving tea money.

Which begs the question: what are YOU doing wrong, dear OP?



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[giddyup]

Why did you have to pay if you had done nothing wrong?

[darksidedog]

To the above two replies, my bike is now2 years old and I have put 42,000 Km on it, so I probably just clock up too many miles. I have not received a fine in years, and I am completely legal. I have though been stopped three times already so far today, hence my displeasure. On the couple of recent occasions when I was being delayed after showing my documents, a hint was given that a quick donation would send me on my way. I am not complaining about a couple of hundred baht, which I have given, to be able to go, even though to my mind, it wasn't due.

My post is not about whether or not giving a bung occasionally was right or wrong, or about my driving, which every poster so far seems to be focused on. The question was are there too many of these checkpoints around Pattaya? There are regularly well over a dozen every day. Especially since I can see very little that they are achieving in terms of improving road safety, only generating income. I am hoping that one post will actually address the question.

[Anythingleft?]

Don't mind checkpoints at all, and if like you say you are fully compliant and legal what are you actually paying for?
Most threads are about the lack of police presence.........

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[Ks45672]

On 1/8/2019 at 12:28 PM, darksidedog said:

To the above two replies, my bike is now2 years old and I have put 42,000 Km on it, so I probably just clock up too many miles. I have not received a fine in years, and I am completely legal. I have though been stopped three times already so far today, hence my displeasure. On the couple of recent occasions when I was being delayed after showing my documents, a hint was given that a quick donation would send me on my way. I am not complaining about a couple of hundred baht, which I have given, to be able to go, even though to my mind, it wasn't due.

My post is not about whether or not giving a bung occasionally was right or wrong, or about my driving, which every poster so far seems to be focused on. The question was are there too many of these checkpoints around Pattaya? There are regularly well over a dozen every day. Especially since I can see very little that they are achieving in terms of improving road safety, only generating income.

The answer you're looking for is in your post 

 

"Even though i did nothing wrong i just bung them a couple of hundred baht donation to accord delays" 

 

Why would they have any reason to stop having checkpoints when  people  like you are throwing money at them despite having done nothing wrong? 

[Pete1980]

1 hour ago, Swiss1960 said:

I am on the streets in and around Pattaya every day, with both bike and car. I have twice had to pay a fine in the last 4 years, both times justified.

When I get stopped - approximately 1 out of 3 checkpoints - I show my pink ID, my 5y drivers licence, I am friendly but not overly so and I am sent off after the briefest of checks and have never once been asked or threatened about giving tea money.

Which begs the question: what are YOU doing wrong, dear OP?



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That is my experience also. Only paid out once in the last 8 years. That was for drink driving, paid 6000 and on my way. I always use taxis when on the grog now, they are very cheap in pattaya, despite some people complaining.

Just buy two less girl drinks and it is covered.

If they were not everywhere, i would probably risk it again, so it certainly keeps me from breaking the law. the stops also find guns and drugs often which is also a good thing.

 

If you aint doing nothing wrong, you have nothing to worry about. i would never pay a fine if i wasnt doing something wrong.

[ThreeEyedRaven]

1 hour ago, darksidedog said:

The question was are there too many of these checkpoints around Pattaya? There are regularly well over a dozen every day. Especially since I can see very little that they are achieving in terms of improving road safety, only generating income. I am hoping that one post will actually address the question.

In answer to the question, yes, way too many. And, No, they are not helping to stop bad driving.

I understand your frustration that every poster so far has ignored your question and focused on lobbing out tea money occasionally, which is a fact of life here.

[simple1]

1 hour ago, darksidedog said:

To the above two replies, my bike is now2 years old and I have put 42,000 Km on it, so I probably just clock up too many miles. I have not received a fine in years, and I am completely legal. I have though been stopped three times already so far today, hence my displeasure. On the couple of recent occasions when I was being delayed after showing my documents, a hint was given that a quick donation would send me on my way. I am not complaining about a couple of hundred baht, which I have given, to be able to go, even though it wasn't due.

My post is not about whether or not giving a bung occasionally was right or wrong, or about my driving, which every poster so far seems to be focused on. The question was are there too many of these checkpoints around Pattaya? There are regularly well over a dozen every day. Especially since I can see very little that they are achieving in terms of improving road safety, only generating income. I am hoping that one post will actually address the question.

Members of my extended Thai family in Pattaya are motorbike and pickup passenger taxi drivers. When I was in Pattaya a month ago, they all complained about the constant and numerous police checks. They complained about both Thais and foreigners were being unduly harassed by police and concern for the impact on tourism. There again I did observe the aftermath of accidents on a daily basis, including two fatalities.

[balo]

2 hours ago, darksidedog said:

The question was are there too many of these checkpoints around Pattaya?

No , I welcome them , IF they are doing the job they are supposed to do and are not accepting bribes!  

 

The message from the new head of police is to stop drunk drivers and criminal activities. So they think that more check points will help. 

 

Yes it's tiring to be stopped all the time , but so far I have never paid a fine , I show my Thai DL and all smiles.  But I see tourists being stopped all the time not happy with the traffic cops. 

 

 

 

Edited January 8, 2019 by balo

[bbko]

There's several Line app groups from farangs in the Pattaya area posting if/when they see a police checkpoint around town. the one I'm in now is full at the moment, Maybe some Thai Visa BM should start another one. 

[trigpoint]

I agree with darkside dog, far to many police stops with the object of revenue raising. This has been getting worse in the last few years. It was nothing like this 4-5 years ago. A few weeks ago I went to friendship supermarket from pratamnak and there were 5 police stops on the way!
I got stopped at 3of them, 2 stops within sight of each other!
I'm fully legal so no problem for me and never been asked for T money.
There is always a couple of cops bottom of pratamnak in the morning stopping mainly tourists, good earner there!

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[HLover]

2 hours ago, simple1 said:

Members of my extended Thai family in Pattaya are motorbike and pickup passenger taxi drivers

LMFAO...???????????????? 

[ivor bigun]

In 13 years have gone through hundreds of checkpoints,never been stopped,and only once in BKK,and i was at fault.
This week have been through 2 checkpoints on Sukhumvit.

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[n210mp]

As I understand it the police are looking for many things. Drink drivers, drug users and carriers, no tax, no licences, no insurance etc etc etc .

 

On the railway bye pass near to Soi Khao Noi there is a regular checkpoint and the times I have witnessed many Thai people on Motorbikes and in cars and pickups many many times  being "pulled" and Myself  just waved through is countless.

 

In fact I have never been asked to pull over once since they started this check in that location and I use this road daily.

 

IMHO the BIB are judged  wrong whatever they do and simply cannot win!    

[balo]

5 hours ago, bbko said:

There's several Line app groups from farangs in the Pattaya area posting if/when they see a police checkpoint around town. the one I'm in now is full at the moment, Maybe some Thai Visa BM should start another one.

 

And why would you want to hide from them?  If you've got nothing to hide there's no point in running away from the checkpoints.

 

Some farangs want to ride without a helmet and license , which is a very stupid thing to do. 

 

 

  

 

  

 

 

[bbko]

23 minutes ago, balo said:

 

And why would you want to hide from them?  If you've got nothing to hide there's no point in running away from the checkpoints.

Some farangs want to ride without a helmet and license , which is a very stupid thing to do. 

 

Nothing wrong in knowing checkpoint locations right? 

[manarak]

9 hours ago, darksidedog said:

To the above two replies, my bike is now2 years old and I have put 42,000 Km on it, so I probably just clock up too many miles. I have not received a fine in years, and I am completely legal. I have though been stopped three times already so far today, hence my displeasure. On the couple of recent occasions when I was being delayed after showing my documents, a hint was given that a quick donation would send me on my way. I am not complaining about a couple of hundred baht, which I have given, to be able to go, even though it wasn't due.

My post is not about whether or not giving a bung occasionally was right or wrong, or about my driving, which every poster so far seems to be focused on. The question was are there too many of these checkpoints around Pattaya? There are regularly well over a dozen every day. Especially since I can see very little that they are achieving in terms of improving road safety, only generating income. I am hoping that one post will actually address the question.

I am in the same situation as you, insurance, tax, driver license, helmet...

when they stop me, they briefly check my documents and let me go.

 

only once, about 5 years ago, I got stopped on the railway road and the cop became visibly displeased that everything was in order. then he told me bluntly "you pay 200 baht".

 

I asked for the reason, but he just repeated "you pay 200 baht".

I made a bored face and reached for my wallet the cop briefly started to smile, but instead of money I pulled out my lawyer's business card and said "please explain to my lawyer what I did wrong".

"go go go go"

 

what type of bike are you driving?

 

[Spidey]

I've been driving around Pattaya for several years and never been pulled up. Always waved through checkpoints. I think it's because I never ride a bike, always in a car. The only time I experienced being stopped was when my wife was riding the bike and I was a passenger on our way to Wat Huay Yai on a Sunday morning.

 

I got off the bike, walked up the road, lit a fag and left my wife to it. I saw her handing the cop some money. When we got to the Wat I asked her what had happened. She told me that the cop had asked for her licence and she told him that she'd left it at home. He asked her for 100 baht and she pleaded poverty and gave him 40 baht,

 

When I pointed out that she always carries her driving licence and why didn't she show it to him, she confessed that her licence covered her for a car but not a bike and it was a lesser fine for not having your licence on you than not having a licence at all. Who says Thais aren't smart?

 

 

[darksidedog]

1 hour ago, manarak said:

I am in the same situation as you, insurance, tax, driver license, helmet...

when they stop me, they briefly check my documents and let me go.

 

only once, about 5 years ago, I got stopped on the railway road and the cop became visibly displeased that everything was in order. then he told me bluntly "you pay 200 baht".

 

I asked for the reason, but he just repeated "you pay 200 baht".

I made a bored face and reached for my wallet the cop briefly started to smile, but instead of money I pulled out my lawyer's business card and said "please explain to my lawyer what I did wrong".

"go go go go"

 

what type of bike are you driving?

 

As many posters know already, I am a prison visitor seeing people in multiple prisons. I don't carry my lawyers business card, I work for a lawyer and have done for many years.

I am well aware of my rights and once when I insisted on them, my boss had to bail me out because a copper didn't want to lose face for his illegal activities.

If you had read my post, you would know my bike is 2 years old, a Yamaha Nuovo FX to provide finer detail. Nothing flash and in perfect condition. I am not sure why you thought that relevant.

I will lob the cops 100 when the need arises, because it is easier than headbutting a wall, even though I am utterly clean and have all my paperwork in order. Occasionally, and I do mean occasionally, it saves drama.

And lastly, my thread simply questioned the number of stops around town and if people thought it excessive. Your input on the central part of the thread, which I stressed in my post which you quoted,  would have been appreciated.

 

 

[moreem]

I am surprise that you have the balls to have an opinion on this forum ! Congrats !

Can I know where you have been piss tested ? at night ?

I have never been stopped and never had to show any license or document, but at the same time I drive a brand new Benz, so I guess that it helps to be a safe criminal ????

 

thanks.

 

Edited January 8, 2019 by moreem

[simple1]

12 hours ago, HLover said:

LMFAO...???????????????? 

Exactly what are you insinuating regards my Thai family?

[manarak]

6 hours ago, darksidedog said:

As many posters know already, I am a prison visitor seeing people in multiple prisons. I don't carry my lawyers business card, I work for a lawyer and have done for many years.

I am well aware of my rights and once when I insisted on them, my boss had to bail me out because a copper didn't want to lose face for his illegal activities.

If you had read my post, you would know my bike is 2 years old, a Yamaha Nuovo FX to provide finer detail. Nothing flash and in perfect condition. I am not sure why you thought that relevant.

I will lob the cops 100 when the need arises, because it is easier than headbutting a wall, even though I am utterly clean and have all my paperwork in order. Occasionally, and I do mean occasionally, it saves drama.

And lastly, my thread simply questioned the number of stops around town and if people thought it excessive. Your input on the central part of the thread, which I stressed in my post which you quoted,  would have been appreciated.

 

I read all your posts in this thread with attention and while you wrote your bike is years old, you didn't write about what type of bike it is.

I asked about the type because it could have been some sort of customized bike, which always attracts attention.

 

The other reason why you get stopped I can think about is that you are "driving while farang".

 

Regarding the number of stops in town, yes there quite a number of them, but I only get stopped about once a month, so they don't bother me much.

I got breathalyzed once, but never piss tested.

 

As I know where the checkpoints are, they are also easy to avoid, although sometimes with significant detours. I wish the cops would setup mobile checkpoints occasionally to cut off the usual alternate routes.

 

 

Edited January 8, 2019 by manarak

[Anythingleft?]

Excessive check points, no. As long as they are as already mentioned not just bagging bribes
The more the better until the volume of drivers and riders without correct and required documents or safety gear is reduced

Reality is that unless they flood the roads in this way with checkpoints then very little will change, the problems faced here with road accidents and law breaking actually demands such a situation for an extended period until such time that the effect is felt by every road user..............

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[LomSak27]

18 hours ago, Ks45672 said:

Why would they have any reason to stop having checkpoints when  people  like you are throwing money at them despite having done nothing wrong? 

Blaming the Victim, Classic, and what fun!  I'm feeling like its a Thai Visa morning. 

[Guderian]

23 hours ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

In answer to the question, yes, way too many. And, No, they are not helping to stop bad driving.

I understand your frustration that every poster so far has ignored your question and focused on lobbing out tea money occasionally, which is a fact of life here.

Yes, I agree, it's just become silly now, there are way too many. Why on earth should a 5 minute drive from my house to Big C take 15 minutes because of navigating a dumb checkpoint blocking the entire northbound side of Suk? If there'd been a murder or something serious, maybe it's justified, but checking crash helmets and licences is not sufficient justification IMHO to cause so much inconvenience to innocent motorists. A week ago the same thing heading south to Makro, the whole of Suk blocked off as well as the u-turn by Makro, so once you navigated your way through the cops you had to go all the way down to Soi Wat Boon and do a u-turn there. Ridiculous.

 

Mind you, it's not just Pattaya. A mate who lives up near Ubon drove down to Jomtien yesterday and got stopped no less than eight times on the way. He thinks the heightened police activity is due to the impending election, though most of what I read seems to say that it's not necessarily pending at all.

[Pete1980]

20 hours ago, n210mp said:

As I understand it the police are looking for many things. Drink drivers, drug users and carriers, no tax, no licences, no insurance etc etc etc .

 

On the railway bye pass near to Soi Khao Noi there is a regular checkpoint and the times I have witnessed many Thai people on Motorbikes and in cars and pickups many many times  being "pulled" and Myself  just waved through is countless.

 

In fact I have never been asked to pull over once since they started this check in that location and I use this road daily.

 

IMHO the BIB are judged  wrong whatever they do and simply cannot win!    

An attempt a a bit of thai bashing as it as known. As usual, with little resemblance to any reality.

I call troll.

 

I thought it was far fetched when i read the op. Like me, no one else on this thread seems to be having the same experience as the op. Most are happy that the police are getting drunks, drugs and weapons off the streets and enforcing road rules saving lives.

 

No one else has paid for something they didnt do. As if you would. Come on.

 

The farang para legal on a motorbike seems a bit odd to me also. Lawyers drive cars, never seen one on a motorbike. I also know for a fact, that it is a profeesion only thais can do. I know because I looked into doing a law degree here. Was told no way, i couldnt even do the course.

[marqus12]

18 hours ago, balo said:

And why would you want to hide from them?  If you've got nothing to hide there's no point in running away from the checkpoints.

You should be more attentive... evidently someone adds something

unhealthy to your drinks!

[balo]

7 hours ago, Anythingleft? said:

Reality is that unless they flood the roads in this way with checkpoints then very little will change, the problems faced here with road accidents and law breaking actually demands such a situation for an extended period until such time that the effect is felt by every road user

 

Yes so more checkpoints are welcome.

 

If it can stop a drunk idiot from driving on the roads, I don't mind being "harassed" by the traffic cops. 

  

[from the home of CC]

With the huge numbers of dui drivers caught this past holiday season don't you think the heat came down on the cops? It's simple, more checkpoints are the result. What I find interesting is that some folks never have to pay a bribe (or infrequently) while others do constantly (or so it's stated). Do you guys have an expression on your faces of "I'm a payer" or "you won't get a satang off me" when you pull up. Do the cops here have an innate ability to pick out the 'payers'  The contrasting stories make you wonder. As far as the checkpoints, anything that keeps a selfish drunk from killing or maiming others is a good thing in my book - even if it's just the perception you might get caught. If they weren't out there people would be complaining they're sleeping somewhere.