Illegal Police Stop

[wgdanson]

1 minute ago, PST said:

I was on the phone, and he shot off

You really turned him on then !    LOL

[Blue Muton]

9 minutes ago, PST said:

License wasn't mentioned, as I keep saying. And my IDP is valid if he did ask for it. So why fine me for it?

You can keep saying your IDP is valid until the cows come home, it isn't, despite what date may be printed or written on it.

[PST]

2 minutes ago, Blue Muton said:

If you've lived here for 17 years you surely must know that your IDP is invalid. Your fault entirely, get a Thai licence, wear a helmet and stop whining when you've been caught out behaving stupidly.

I Renewed by IDP in the UK in April this year, so it's valid, I don't 'LIVE' here full time. Thanks for your input though.

[Vacuum]

39 minutes ago, PST said:

My question is, is the procedure he used correct?

As you didn't wear a helmut, I think so.

[DavisH]

22 minutes ago, PST said:

License wasn't even mentioned, just written as a fine, and an IDP is fine, used one for the last 12 years.

An IDP can be used for 12 years? Mine was 1 year then  needed to get a Thai licence. You should also show your foreign licence with the IDP. If your firengn licence has expired, so has the IDP on which it is based.

 

edit...just saw your posting. But make sure you carry your foreign licence with the IDP.  

[PST]

2 minutes ago, Blue Muton said:

You can keep saying your IDP is valid until the cows come home, it isn't, despite what date may be printed or written on it.

License never entered my conversation with him, so an irrelevant answer, but if I show my IDP when I pay the fine, and they say I only have to pay the fine for no helmet, then they must think an IDP is valid, or they wouldn't let me off with the 'no license' fine...? 

[PST]

1 minute ago, DavisH said:

An IDP can be used for 12 years? Mine was 1 year then  needed to get a Thai licence. You should also show your foreign licence with the IDP. If your firengn licence has expired, so has the IDP on which it is based.

 

edit...just saw your posting. But make sure you carry your foreign licence with the IDP.  

Yep, carry both together

[faraday]

How much was the fine, & is it really necessary to escalate this with his superiors?

 

As you see him around a lot, if you upset him, he may well want to get back at you.

 

Pay the damn fine & move on!

 

Straight answer required:

 

Are you in fact a Tourist?

 

 

[PST]

3 minutes ago, Vacuum said:

As you didn't wear a helmut, I think so.

Happy to pay helmet fine, but not license.

 

[tlandtday]

I really don't understand people, and farangs in particular, running around without a helmet then wondering why they are stopped or fined.  In a country where you are a relatively easy target for fines and in a country where the road kill count is ridiculous why is anyone so stupid to run around without a helmet?  Baffles me.

[PST]

1 minute ago, faraday said:

How much was the fine, & is it really necessary to escalate this with his superiors?

 

As you see him around a lot, if you upset him, he may well want to get back at you.

 

Pay the damn fine & move on!

 

Straight answer required:

 

Are you in fact a Tourist?

 

 

Nope, as I don't have a tourist visa.

[Blue Muton]

3 minutes ago, PST said:

I Renewed by IDP in the UK in April this year, so it's valid, I don't 'LIVE' here full time. Thanks for your input though.

Silly me for getting that impression from your statement that you've lived here for 17 years. Part time or not there's no excuse for failing to get a Thai licence in that time. Are you now claiming you've not stayed here for more than 90 days at a time?

 

The maximum period that you can drive a hire car or bike legally on an IDP is 60 days on a Tourist Visa, 90 days on a Non-Immigrant O visa. For rentals in excess of that a Thai Driver's Licence is required.

[mercman24]

idp, been here 17 years, ?? run that by me, oh i just read to you dont LIVE here then ok,get a licence its easy,

[Vacuum]

11 minutes ago, Blue Muton said:

You can keep saying your IDP is valid until the cows come home, it isn't, despite what date may be printed or written on it.

The paper/translation (IDP) is valid for one year, but you can only use it for 3 months.

[PST]

1 minute ago, Blue Muton said:

Silly me for getting that impression from your statement that you've lived here for 17 years. Part time or not there's no excuse for failing to get a Thai licence in that time. Are you now claiming you've not stayed here for more than 90 days at a time?

 

The maximum period that you can drive a hire car or bike legally on an IDP is 60 days on a Tourist Visa, 90 days on a Non-Immigrant O visa. For rentals in excess of that a Thai Driver's Licence is required.

Average 55-65 days per time. As ive said, if they do let me off with the 'no license' part of the fine when I show my IDP, then they must think its valid. Lets see when I go to pay. 

[PST]

1 minute ago, Vacuum said:

The paper/translation (IDP) is valid for one year, but you can only use it for 3 months.

 

2 minutes ago, mercman24 said:

idp, been here 17 years, ?? run that by me, oh i just read to you dont LIVE here then ok,get a licence its easy,

actually, off and on for 20 years, but not 'full time'

[Blue Muton]

11 minutes ago, DavisH said:

An IDP can be used for 12 years? Mine was 1 year then  needed to get a Thai licence. You should also show your foreign licence with the IDP. If your firengn licence has expired, so has the IDP on which it is based.

 

edit...just saw your posting. But make sure you carry your foreign licence with the IDP.  

An IDP can only legally be used for a maximum of 90 days at a time in Thailand. Of course if you are involved in a collision and are found to have been relying on an IDP for more than the 90 days you may have a problem with insurance becoming invalidated.

[PST]

Thanks for everyones input, going to pay fine this afternoon, been told to bring IDP, and wont have to pay 'no license' part of the fine.

 

Thanks again.

 

PST.

[tlandtday]

1 minute ago, PST said:

Thanks for everyones input, going to pay fine this afternoon, been told to bring IDP, and wont have to pay 'no license' part of the fine.

 

Thanks again.

 

PST.

okay good luck and it might be wise to wear your helmet when you go

[Briggsy]

Another one of these back and forth threads where Westerners rant about legal technicalities. It doesn't matter what the law is here. It is the law of the jungle. If you go into the police station with a couple of army officers in uniform and threaten the ticketing cop then that is demonstrating strength. This might lead to success or could provoke a worse outcome. If you acquiesce, apologise and show submissiveness, then the officer may reduce the fine or maybe not.

 

Just think of those wildebeest or wild dog nature documentaries about how pack animals respond to each other. That's Thailand.

[NanLaew]

1 minute ago, PST said:

Average 55-65 days per time. As ive said, if they do let me off with the 'no license' part of the fine when I show my IDP, then they must think its valid. Lets see when I go to pay. 

What exactly do they have on you apart from a traffic ticket saying you were caught without a helmet? You say that the motorbike cop didn't ask to see any form of license or ID, just handed you a hand-written ticket and 'shot off.' In my experience and at a regular traffic stop, they seize your license or if you don't have that on you, they seize the bike. Then you take the ticket to the police station, pay the fine(s) and get your license and/or bike back.

 

If the cop hasn't taken anything as a security on your paying the fine, why would you bother? If you go to the police station 'happy' to pay the helmet fine, they will ask to see your DL and IDP because the ticket says you haven't got one. Depending on their height and haircut, they may waive that latter fine but chances are they will see you are a bike owner with a Thai wife and around 17 years of visiting Thailand and may decide it's half-past time you got a Thai DL.

[PST]

5 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

What exactly do they have on you apart from a traffic ticket saying you were caught without a helmet? You say that the motorbike cop didn't ask to see any form of license or ID, just handed you a hand-written ticket and 'shot off.' In my experience and at a regular traffic stop, they seize your license or if you don't have that on you, they seize the bike. Then you take the ticket to the police station, pay the fine(s) and get your license and/or bike back.

 

If the cop hasn't taken anything as a security on your paying the fine, why would you bother? If you go to the police station 'happy' to pay the helmet fine, they will ask to see your DL and IDP because the ticket says you haven't got one. Depending on their height and haircut, they may waive that latter fine but chances are they will see you are a bike owner with a Thai wife and around 17 years of visiting Thailand and may decide it's half-past time you got a Thai DL.

it wasn't a 'regular' traffic stop, I passed him on my bike, and went through a set of lights that were turned off,,,he thought I was a tourist, and said id ran a red light, when I explained in Thai I hadn't he then said he was fining me for no helmet. When he gave me the fine, it also had a fine for no license, but I was never asked to produce one.

[Vacuum]

Quote

Illegal Police Stop

I think it's illegal. When they have a 'checkpoint' there should be at least one senior officer present. That's why one normally never get fined by a lonely cop, even if you're driving without head protection.

 

[tlandtday]

1 minute ago, Vacuum said:

I think it's illegal. When they have a 'checkpoint' there should be at least one senior officer present. That's why one normally never get fined by a lonely cop, even if you're driving without head protection.

 

that's a checkpoint I predict lone officers patrolling in the future in the hopes of hitting a dui payday...

[PST]

Just now, Vacuum said:

I think it's illegal. When they have a 'checkpoint' there should be at least one senior officer present. That's why one normally never get fined by a lonely cop, even if you're driving without head protection.

 

Yes, as ive been told by every Thai ive spoken too since it happened. Glad to see im not the only one who rolls over like a dog here.

 

[wgdanson]

Shall we close this post, it's getting nowhere.

[PST]

1 minute ago, wgdanson said:

Shall we close this post, it's getting nowhere.

 

1 minute ago, wgdanson said:

Shall we close this post, it's getting nowhere.

I agree, and i'm the OP!!!

[Vacuum]

1 minute ago, tlandtday said:

that's a checkpoint I predict lone officers patrolling in the future in the hopes of hitting a dui payday...

Yes, that's the whole point. Big boss doesn't wan't them to collect 'fines' by themselves without sharing the money.

[tlandtday]

Just now, Vacuum said:

Yes, that's the whole point. Big boss doesn't wan't them to collect 'fines' by themselves without sharing the money.

yeah for now but it'll change and you might just see the big officers out on lone patrol lol

[4MyEgo]

1 hour ago, PST said:

Thanks, lived here for 17 years, never been stopped apart from at Checkpoints. Procedure needs to be adhered too in my opinion, and I know plenty of Thais who would argue the toss if it had been them

Your missing the point, regardless if you have lived here for 17 years.

 

A) You were not wearing a helmet, sure some cops don't give a rat$, and allow Thai's to get off free, however as you know around finishing school times they are out there and everybody usually gets a fine, Thai's included, have seen it myself.

 

Forge the red light, I got pulled over once for speeding, and as I knew the cops were always at that point, I took a picture of my speedometer on cruise control a minute before, it read 88 in a 90km speed zone. Cop pulled me over and said speeding, pay 400 baht, I said no, look, oh, oh, very good job, pay fine you travel wrong lane.....lol, he was correct I was travelling in the right lane of a two way (same direction) overtaking lane with no cars around for miles, couldn't argue with him, he was looking to make the monthly target as they all do, because you never see them around outside these normal times, because they are either looking after their Karaoke bars or other interests.  

 

You say you have an IDP, well got news for you, unless your on a tourist visa it ain't good because after 60-90 days of your new extension (visa) as some call it, you need a Thai drivers/riders licence, fact, and insurance companies won't cover you if your in a prang.

 

Suggest you pay the fine and learn from your experience as rattled as you are, it's their country, their laws, and the fines are cheaper than the local young ladies, and please don't go down the path of principal, been where your coming from, now I just yawn and cough up the spare change when comparing the fines in the land of Oz, not to mention the no pint system they have here, so I can keep getting booked as much as I don't like...lol 

 

Maybe you should do what I do whenever I get fined, whatever the amount is, I make sure I get it back from the Thai's, i.e. when buying something new, I bargain the price down, whether its a new TV and they won't budge on the 400 baht I want off to cover the fine, I smile and start walking, they usually follow and say ok, ok, with me saying under my breath, works every time, and thank you for paying my fine ????

 

Don't let a cop upset you, come on mate, you should know better than that.