Foreigners targeted at Najomtien immigration checkpoint

[roadrunner32]

7 minutes ago, JustAnotherHun said:

OK, my misunterstanding. Sorry for that.

No problem

[Rimmer]

A baiting/troll post has been removed also a couple of replies

[Just Weird]

On ‎3‎/‎10‎/‎2019 at 3:43 PM, BritManToo said:

If it's an immigration checkpoint, why are they checking driving licences, and why are two Thai police in the photo?

Immigration checkpoints are manned with guys in black uniforms or army outfits.

Why? Because they are entitled to do that as well as checking passports/visas.  Immigration checkpoints can be operated by IOs regardless of which uniform they wear.

[Just Weird]

On ‎3‎/‎10‎/‎2019 at 6:57 PM, Henrik Andersen said:

Not long time ago police catch a Thai man on fb selling fake license he had selling about 10000 license that was on news and in here too and about Thai people driving without helmets and high speed I said almost all 

But if you not see that you are not on roads alot 

 

"...and about Thai people driving without helmets and high speed I said almost all"

No, you did not; here is what you said, quoted from your post...

"and always no helmet". 

[Huckenfell]

On 3/8/2019 at 6:19 PM, bkk6060 said:

You certainly do not understand the police directives here.

I get asked for my DL on an average once per year and don't mind although i am not happy when being stopped for my DL and 4 kids on a m/c go zooming past completely ignored.

[tlandtday]

On 3/11/2019 at 12:34 PM, Kim J said:

Yes indeed I dare say you are correct, but as I said if tourists complied with the law, that particular gravy train would stop.

It has always been a mystery to me why so many find it acceptable to come to Thailand and drive around without the correct documents. My question to people when I hear them complaining about receiving a fine is always to ask if they do the same in their own countries? Also what would they think if some unqualified driver came from overseas to their own country and killed or injured a member of their family?

The easy way to stop most of it would be to clamp down on the renters, making them ensure licences are held by customers before renting them a vehicle, but as we all know that will never happen.

justanotherhun liking kim j that about sums up the post lol

[tlandtday]

On 3/11/2019 at 12:49 PM, jacko45k said:

I would be intrigued to know what the offences mostly are. I would guess no helmet and failing to have an IDP. 

Sticking with tourists... they shouldn't be permitted to rent if they do not have a licence, but mostly they get fined because they do not have an IDP. Not long ago Thai police did not ask for an IDP, simply home licences, and shifted the emphasis to IDPs to make more money. You also said, no insurance (vehicle).... that should come with the rented vehicle and is nothing whatsoever to do with the tourist. The vehicle being taxed is also nothing whatsoever to do with the tourist.

 

I don't think Expats are the major law breakers here, quite a law abiding lot in fear of being chucked out! I wear my helmet, tax and insure my vehicles have an up to date licence. I get the odd ticket for illegal (maybe) left on red or turn, locals can do it, I cannot!

 

If you sit at any of the traffic lights in the morning on Sukhumvit, before the Police are up and hassling tourists at the Klang/2nd junction, The Dolphin R/B or infront of Soi 9 on Beach Rd, they could catch many without helmet. Then when the lights turn red another 50 still going through them. 

It is more about intimidation and making money off foreigners, which is acceptable in their xenophobic bubble.

 

 

this is pattaya blame the corrupt enforcement... i was recently in patong and saw countless renters not allowed to get motorbikes for not having a valid licenses....

Edited March 14, 2019 by tlandtday

[happy chappie]

On 3/8/2019 at 3:42 PM, Henrik Andersen said:

It racist not to stop all 

thai people driving more bad and meny with no licence or fake license and always no helmet and high speed 

 

I thought you might of caught on by now that Thais do not understand what racism is.

[dcnx]

On 3/8/2019 at 5:06 PM, NCC1701A said:

who else would you target at a immigration checkpoint?

Cambodians, Burmese, Lao, other Asians, white people, black people... you know, all non Thais. 

 

Of course you’d then have to then stop everyone to check their ID and you wouldn’t be able to harass the white people.

 

[ravip]

On 3/8/2019 at 10:02 AM, Walinton said:

land of smiles not in miles 

Is it wrong for the Police to check?

[sotonowl]

On 3/8/2019 at 10:30 AM, BestB said:

Considering 30 million visitors, 1000 or even 3000 or even 10000 makes it less than 1%

 

hardly a reason to go throw a hissy fit or start a hunting season. 

Your maths is wrong, just saying like.

[Tomtomtom69]

On 3/8/2019 at 6:01 PM, Kim J said:

As far as I am aware it has always been a requirement but never enforced, and rather than the original a copy has generally sufficed. Personally I have never in 20 odd years been asked to show my passport in the Pattaya area. But have been asked a number of times at checkpoints around the country. We were stopped on Rd No 3 near Chantaburi at New Year. Firstly asked for driving licence, when everything was in order was then asked for my passport. Not immigration officials, just regular police. 

I've been asked once, just once, in all my years of driving around the country including to the most off the beaten track places that can be reached by car. I haven't been on the track connecting Sangkhlaburi and Umphang because only a bicycle or motorcycle will make it through, but other than that I've been pretty much everywhere in Thailand (except the 3 southernmost Malay border provinces).

 

The place I was asked for my passport was in Saiyok district of Kanchanaburi, returning from Sangkhlaburi to Bangkok late in the evening. The official was friendly and all, but the whole thing was unexpected with some weird questions asked (like why don't I get a marriage extension as opposed to the non-O multi entry). At the checkpoints in Tak province leading to Mae Sot, never been asked, but my friends and colleagues accompanying me (Sri Lankan, Vietnamese, Chinese etc.) have all been checked on various occasions, to make sure they aren't illegal Burmese. Westerners and Thai looking people are usually just waived through.

[Tomtomtom69]

On 3/15/2019 at 9:24 AM, happy chappie said:

I thought you might of caught on by now that Thais do not understand what racism is.

Well, in my experience Thai cops tend to ask questions of non-Thai Asians and request their passports, whereas they leave me alone. Has happened many times to friends and colleagues from Sri Lanka, China and Vietnam accompanying me on my business trips (and also personal trips).

[UASCB500BIKER]

 past port Copies Are Fine, OK, and cost 2 B....

[CanadaSam]

On 3/8/2019 at 2:49 PM, HLover said:

I rarely wear my helmet when behind the wheel.

Hopefully our bearded brothers passed the checkpoint unscathed.

I had the nightmare of a lifetime a few months back when stopped on Sukhumvit w/o helmet on (I know, stupid) and the bribe/charges went from a few hundred baht to thousands in seconds, and on to tens of thousands when taken to the police station on beach road with threats of moving me "upstairs" to the cells, and it seems nobody, not even the foreign volunteers were willing to help out in the slightest, and finally I paid in disgust and left, and contemplated this miserable police force over some wonderfully cool beers just down the road, and then went to God knows where to recover my (rented) bike and promised myself to NEVER ride without a helmet in Pattaya again.

 

Please don't find yourself in my position.  Wear the dam thing.

[Bdn6768]

On 3/8/2019 at 8:19 PM, BestB said:

Traffic road blocks is one thing, immigration hunts is what i do not agree with.

 

With traffic stop shake downs, to be honest i do not have a problem at all.

 

In all honesty and fairness, how many times per day do you break traffic rules one way or another?

 

I know i do a dozen times per day, ranging from illegal uturns, to illegal parking, speeding and few other things.

 

If and when i get pulled over and shaken down for 500-1000 baht, i do not mind paying at all even more so when i was caught doing something illegal.

 

Back in the West, you park 2 cm more than allowed away from the curb and you get a huge fine, you park too close to the corner and you get a fine, you park 1 min later than the meter and you get a fine, you speed and camera gets you, you run yellow light and you pay the fine.

 

So, its really not a bad deal to be able to get away with most traffic infringements but get caught on occasion ????

I dont mind either for the aboved mentioned...but I do mind getting fined for not being thai and not for breaking the driving laws. 

[stanleycoin]

6 hours ago, CanadaSam said:

I had the nightmare of a lifetime a few months back when stopped on Sukhumvit w/o helmet on (I know, stupid) and the bribe/charges went from a few hundred baht to thousands in seconds, and on to tens of thousands when taken to the police station on beach road with threats of moving me "upstairs" to the cells, and it seems nobody, not even the foreign volunteers were willing to help out in the slightest, and finally I paid in disgust and left, and contemplated this miserable police force over some wonderfully cool beers just down the road, and then went to God knows where to recover my (rented) bike and promised myself to NEVER ride without a helmet in Pattaya again.

 

Please don't find yourself in my position.  Wear the dam thing.

Now would you like to tell us the rest of the story. 

 

[jacko45k]

11 hours ago, CanadaSam said:

Please don't find yourself in my position.  Wear the dam thing.

You must have seriously wound them up.

Usually just pay the fine, 400 baht maybe, and go pick up the bike. 

[grollies]

On 3/14/2019 at 9:24 PM, Huckenfell said:

I get asked for my DL on an average once per year and don't mind although i am not happy when being stopped for my DL and 4 kids on a m/c go zooming past completely ignored.

Why? TIT.

[grollies]

If the cops in the UK had done this I might have stayed there.

[Pilotman]

On 3/8/2019 at 4:41 PM, Thaidream said:

Pure harassment= targeting foreigners while  locals  speed by; drive on the wrong side of the street etc.  Nine cops and 3 Immigration- to what end.  What a complete waste of manpower. It's no wonder  foreigners are contemplating leaving in hordes.

On most road blocks that I come across, it's the Thais that are being stopped. The only foreigners I see stopped are those not wearing a helmet if on a motorbike. I don't see anything racist about it.  

[Pilotman]

20 hours ago, CanadaSam said:

I had the nightmare of a lifetime a few months back when stopped on Sukhumvit w/o helmet on (I know, stupid) and the bribe/charges went from a few hundred baht to thousands in seconds, and on to tens of thousands when taken to the police station on beach road with threats of moving me "upstairs" to the cells, and it seems nobody, not even the foreign volunteers were willing to help out in the slightest, and finally I paid in disgust and left, and contemplated this miserable police force over some wonderfully cool beers just down the road, and then went to God knows where to recover my (rented) bike and promised myself to NEVER ride without a helmet in Pattaya again.

 

Please don't find yourself in my position.  Wear the dam thing.

so it worked then? sounds like effective law enforcement. 

Edited May 23, 2019 by Pilotman

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎3‎/‎8‎/‎2019 at 10:35 PM, 300sd said:

That unwanted feeling keeps getting stronger!

Actually, the lunatic foreign youths that have never ridden a m'bike before, but think they can in LOS need stopping before they can injure themselves, as they seem to do a lot. If random checks for licences does prevent tourists riding m'bikes, when they don't know how, don't have a licence, and can't get travel insurance because they don't have a licence, it will be a good thing.

Unfortunately, it's more likely a money making exercise, and they will be allowed to carry on regardless, albeit less a few baht.

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎5‎/‎23‎/‎2019 at 5:46 AM, CanadaSam said:

I had the nightmare of a lifetime a few months back when stopped on Sukhumvit w/o helmet on (I know, stupid) and the bribe/charges went from a few hundred baht to thousands in seconds, and on to tens of thousands when taken to the police station on beach road with threats of moving me "upstairs" to the cells, and it seems nobody, not even the foreign volunteers were willing to help out in the slightest, and finally I paid in disgust and left, and contemplated this miserable police force over some wonderfully cool beers just down the road, and then went to God knows where to recover my (rented) bike and promised myself to NEVER ride without a helmet in Pattaya again.

 

Please don't find yourself in my position.  Wear the dam thing.

You seem to be saying to wear a helmet not to get a fine, rather than because they can save lives.

Speaking as one that never rode without one, that seems rather a strange attitude. My helmet did actually save my life when someone drove into my scooter and I went flying.

[balo]

On 5/24/2019 at 6:26 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

You seem to be saying to wear a helmet not to get a fine, rather than because they can save lives.

Strange attitude indeed. He was probably riding around with a cheap Big C plastic helmet, won't help much anyway. 

[jacko45k]

20 hours ago, balo said:

Strange attitude indeed. He was probably riding around with a cheap Big C plastic helmet, won't help much anyway. 

It will help substantially in fine avoidance!

[ivor bigun]

Just drive a car ,never get stopped

Sent from my SM-A720F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[KhunFred]

On 3/8/2019 at 3:42 PM, Henrik Andersen said:

It racist not to stop all 

thai people driving more bad and meny with no licence or fake license and always no helmet and high speed 

 

Hilarious to complain about "racism" in Thailand. It's part of the culture. Xenophobia and "fear of the other" has always been entrenched here. Nothing you say or do will change that.

[Uptooyoo]

On 3/8/2019 at 4:18 PM, JustAnotherHun said:

I was stopped twice in the last couple of weeks. They accepted my passport copies showing front page, visa and entry stamp along with my thai driving license.

I have pictures on my mobile phone of my passport photo-page, visa page and TM30. I haven't been checked yet, but hope they will accept it. Have any forum members out there shown immigration checkpoints cellphone pictures of your passport?

Edited June 21, 2019 by Uptooyoo

[Uptooyoo]

On 5/23/2019 at 9:27 PM, Pilotman said:

On most road blocks that I come across, it's the Thais that are being stopped. The only foreigners I see stopped are those not wearing a helmet if on a motorbike. I don't see anything racist about it.  

Yes, Thais are stopped too, but there is dual-pricing when fines are levied for riding helmetless. In my area it's 1000 baht for foreigners, 200 baht for Thais. Of course no receipt is given.....

Edited June 21, 2019 by Uptooyoo