A number of reported posts removed and the responses.

On ‎4‎/‎25‎/‎2019 at 11:33 PM, NightSky said:

No I asked how much the fine was for doing nothing wrong and they replied 500baht, interpret that how you may, but what would you have done?

"...he took my licence back to the police box to write out a ticket and left us in the car. I thought I didn’t want official points or whatever on my licence so after about a minute I took 500 baht into the police box and after a final futile attempt at stating my inocence I asked how much..."

 

He went away to issue a legal ticket.  You then approached him with B500 cash.  Why?  You bribed him. 

On ‎4‎/‎25‎/‎2019 at 11:52 PM, NightSky said:

Haha there were no lines visible and from memory it’s normal for traffic to change lanes at the junction all the time.

It's also a well-publicised offence.

On ‎4‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 12:14 AM, NightSky said:

I know I didn’t break the law. I’ve been driving here 20 years almost.

 

also please donot twist my story around, I asked the policeman how much the fine was and he said 500 which was the amount I took with me knowing that would be the most I would want to pay and he didn’t hand me a receipt. 

 

My question again was, what would you have done if asked to pay a bribe by armed police for doing nothing wrong.

No, your approaching him with cash was an after-thought, according to your OP, when you decided you didn't want the possibility of points on your licence.

 

You did break the law (changing lanes in the position you described is an offence)and if you're so clued-up after 20 years driving here you'd know that traffic fines are paid after you've been issued a ticket and left and you will get a receipt, they are not paid in the police box! 

3 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

after 20 years driving here you'd know that traffic fines are paid after you've been issued a ticket and left and you will get a receipt, they are not paid in the police box! 

I always pay mine through the car window. What's a ticket?

 

 

On ‎4‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 12:55 AM, NightSky said:

I can say that In the uk I have never been framed by police. 

Based on what you wrote in the OP alone, you have not been "framed" here either.  You committed a traffic offence, then committed the further offence of bribery .  Seems to me that the police were doing it right until you appeared in their box with cash to avoid points!

1 minute ago, Just Weird said:

Based on what you wrote in the OP alone, you have not been "framed" here either.  You committed a traffic offence, then committed the further offence of bribery .  Seems to me that the police were doing it right until you appeared in their box with cash to avoid points!

I was framed by the police in the UK and they attempted to frame me a second time (saved by CCTV).

 

Never been framed in Thailand. Just a wave of my wallet and all my problems disappear. RTP = top cops.

On ‎4‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 9:05 AM, NightSky said:

 

I’m not lying, thanks for your input though.

 

if you’re  adamant that the police were in their right please elaborate when you think I will receive the receipt for my fine payment and the official reason for the fine being issued, which you know will never arrive because it was a robbery.

Since when do you get a receipt for offering and paying a bribe to avoid points? 

 

If you'd stayed in your car and accepted the ticket he'd gone to write, you'd have had the reason and when you paid at the police station, or wherever, you'd have been given a receipt.

3 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

Since when do you get a receipt for offering and paying a bribe to avoid points? 

 

If you'd stayed in your car and accepted the ticket he'd gone to write, you'd have had the reason and when you paid at the police station, or wherever, you'd have been given a receipt.

All seems a bit of a hassle to me. Easier to bung the guy a few sovs, smiles all round and drive on.

 

Cheaper too.

 

 

On ‎4‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 9:13 AM, NightSky said:

Onnut road runs for tens of km from past suvarnabhumi airport to Sukhumvit road with police boxes dotted at many intersections so I’m unsure how you can recognise the same intersection. 

You described driving down Onnut towards Sukhumvit and stopping at the lights at the T-junction to turn right where there is a police box.  If it wasn't the Onnut/Suk junction which one was it?

1 minute ago, Just Weird said:

You described driving down Onnut towards Sukhumvit and stopping at the lights at the T-junction to turn right where there is a police box.  If it wasn't the Onnut/Suk junction which one was it?

He was probably too pissed to remember. TiT.

On ‎4‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 4:06 PM, NightSky said:

 I drove before I came to Thailand. Jeez your really looking to poke holes in my story aren’t you.

There's enough holes in it already, he doesn't need to gratuitously add any more.

Just now, Just Weird said:

There's enough holes in it already, he doesn't need to gratuitously add any more.

Don't worry I wont be sharing any other life experiences with you thats for sure.

2 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

There's enough holes in it already, he doesn't need to gratuitously add any more.

We need more holes. Holes are what I came to Thailand for. And cheap motoring fines, of course.

On 4/27/2019 at 9:07 AM, asiaexpat said:

On 4/26/2019 at 9:13 AM, NightSky said:

 

If there was a solid white line on the road which my wife just also agreed there wasn’t and I’ve never noticed one in the decade I’ve been driving down that road then it wasn’t visible, although I am 100% sure there isn’t a line there.

 

Onnut road runs for tens of km from past suvarnabhumi airport to Sukhumvit road with police boxes dotted at many intersections so I’m unsure how you can recognise the same intersection. 

Well, on the inbound to Suk side of Onnut there is only one Police box between Lat Krabang and Suk, so it was easy to figure out. Your statement is incorrect but I do understand the frustration of paying at the Police Box, should have gone to the Police Station. Also, every intersection with a traffic light except Srinakarin and Onnut has this same solid white line. Better luck next time.

 

@ NightSky.... you still haven't posted the exact location (i.e. screen print of google maps?)... Why is this?...   You've obviously had time to come back on ThaiVisa.com and continue this interesting debate, yet you have not presented the one single piece of evidence which would back up your claims... (i.e. A screen print of the junctions from google Maps, where the Police Box is also present)....  

 

Could it be that the you changed lanes across a line and Google Maps shows this?

 

 

 

 

 

 

On ‎4‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 4:08 PM, NightSky said:

Ahem please read the op again, I’m not complaining I was asking a question and I confirm no money was ever waved in front of anyone’s face as you suggest.

"id actually broken no laws and done nothing wrong at all and I was basically robbed by the police in broad daylight. I thought these are the very people who are meant to protect us from thieves and it reminded me just how little protection we have here at all".

 

From your OP, that sounds just like a complaint.

5 minutes ago, NightSky said:

Don't worry I wont be sharing any other life experiences with you thats for sure.

So you won't be sharing the story about the ladyboy and the bottle of coconut oil? Pity, would have made a much more interesting thread.

 

 

On ‎4‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 5:02 PM, NightSky said:

I was simply asking what others would have done in this situation. 

I'm nearly ashamed to say that I'd have bribed him the same as you did but wouldn't have paid that much.

On ‎4‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 5:08 PM, NightSky said:

Although those images are not the junctions in question and do not have the bumper to bumper traffic obscuring all road markings either.

Bumper to bumper traffic obscuring all road markings does not mean that they can be ignored!

1 minute ago, Just Weird said:

Bumper to bumper traffic obscuring all road markings does not mean that they can be ignored!

Can someone picking holes in someone else's story, ad nauseum, for no apparent reason, be ignored?

On ‎4‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 7:15 PM, NightSky said:

hmm...

 

no need this isn't your courtroom

...but it's ok for it to be yours?

Who are you to decide what the law is or isnt ? This is Thailand and the laws are NOT the same as they are back in Gunther land . Get over it 500 b now and again is far better than the crap we have to put up with driving in the UK . Those MOTs are literally THEFT . 

On ‎4‎/‎27‎/‎2019 at 1:21 AM, NightSky said:

Thank you for sharing the tip, your wisdom and logical reasoning behind it is astonishing

So much for your "I'm leaving for another thread"!

8 minutes ago, Spidey said:

Can someone picking holes in someone else's story, ad nauseum, for no apparent reason, be ignored?

Sure, fill yer boots, no one cares whether you ignore me or not.

20 minutes ago, NightSky said:

Don't worry I wont be sharing any other life experiences with you thats for sure.

You weren't sharing anything with me but shame, anyway.

Its been an interesting thread... 

 

But to put this one to bed properly the Op needs to show a Google Maps photo of the specific junction to prove he did not make a traffic infraction. 

 

The Op says he wasn't paying full attention (hence he ended up in the wrong lane) - No biggie

The Op Says he definitely didn't break any traffic laws and didn't cross an unbroken white line

The Op has also said it was bumper to bumper traffic and didn't see the lines on the road

 

There is a lack of consistency... Op - Just post a picture of the junction... Its not that hard.

 

This has been a good thread, lots of opinions, plenty to learn from that we can all get caught out so easily by poor markings etc and the Police like to pounce on people etc.. 

5 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

Sure, fill yer boots, no one cares whether you ignore me or not.

Sorry, just following the crowd. Everyone ignores you.

On 4/25/2019 at 7:07 PM, KhaoYai said:

If you know you've done nothing wrong, stand your ground and call their bluff - always works for me.  I've 'paid' once and on that occasion I was in the wrong - my Mrs didn't have her seat belt on.  The usual one when you resist is "Oh, we go see big boss then" - I say fine and lock up the car - not failed yet.

 

I had this changing lanes crap years ago up in Ubon - changing lanes?? The cop had to be joking, the bloody traffic was chaos and all over the place. In any case, I was in the right hand lane which had a straight on arrow painted on the tarmac. As I approached the next set of lights, the arrow changed to a right turn one so I indicated and moved over to the left.  I told him he should get a job on TV as a joker - he waved me on.

Ah the good old farang logic argument in the face of Thai bureaucratic corruption -mai pben rai jai yen jai yen.......

Pay them like I pay all the bar girls...Big brown envelopes for everyone fixed all my problems like they never happened. PERFECT solution. Everyone leaves with a happy ending.  YOU win- I win

To put this into perspective - I've knowingly broken 6 traffic laws today:

 

1) I went through a traffic light on Amber when I could have stopped

2) Changed lanes on the Expressway (across a fixed white line)

3) Changed lanes a second time on the Expressway (across a fixed white line)

4) Broke the 120kmh speed limit on the Expressway

5) Broke the 120kmh speed limit on the Expressway a second time (return journey)

6) After exiting an expressway, instead of staying left, I stayed right and cut across a fixed white line so I could enter the right hand lane and go over a fly over

 

I'm sure some snowflakes will tell me how despicable this is (thats ok, I'm thick skinned)... BUT, if I were caught and charged for anyone of those I wouldn't get upset about it. 

 

That said, I could understanding someone who followed every traffic regulation in every situation and then gets caught the one time they make a minor mistake, such as the Op. It would feel harsh, but it remains a broken minor traffic regulation - thats all it is, its not dangerous or antisocial driving etc...  its just a minor infraction. 

 

The only issue I see with this post is that the Op is insistent that he did not break such a rule, he did not cross a fixed white line. 

 

The only way the Op can prove this is to show a photo (google maps of the Junction he is referring to) - the Op has not yet done this. Face-saving instead of admitting a minor error?