Police shake-down. Advice?

[thaibeachlovers]

Not much sympathy on this thread and none deserved. What would you have got back home if drunk driving?

Count yourself lucky you were not in an accident, and not even talking about alcohol caused accident. You'd have been lucky to get away with 20,000 baht.

[Henryford]

This is why i never drive at night (sober or not). You are just asking for a shakedown.

[IAMHERE]

On 10/23/2019 at 1:05 AM, bigrobtheactor said:

Yes, I had two or three drinks,

YOU lost me at that; two or three ?  You'd remember 2 or 3; espcially if you can remember 15 baht for the 2nd helping of rice.  You are the problem, quit searching for answers.

[mikeymike100]

19 hours ago, Matzzon said:

Simple thing. You will not get your money back from the nice policemen that let you go on your merry way afetr paying. Can´t even understand that you ask this after so many years you say you´ve been in Thailand.

From your question it seems to me like you want advice if this would happen again. the only thing oyu can do for it not to happen again is to not drink and drive. Can´t be so hard to accomplish for a longstayer like you. Took you enough years and a new topic on Thai Visa, though. That says it all.

And by the way. How you dare to post this is a shake down? You are the one driving drunk, and was let off easy. Show some dignity and be happy as well as stop complaining.

Whilst I agree you should not drink an drive, also obviously he will not be getting his money back. I find your comment "How you dare to post this is a shake down? You are the one driving drunk, " somewhat absurd. The point the OP was making was he had, had 3 wine coolers, if we take what he said at face value. Now others have said 2 beers is OK, but 3 and your over the limit. But it depends on various factors, how big you are, your blood volume, what you had to eat, etc. The other issue here is it was a shake down because if it wasn't he would have been arrested and landed in jail, the police took a bribe which is illegal and let a 'drunk' guy go! We all know the Thai police are 80% corrupt and are looking for a quick buck. We don't know if the 'breathalyzer' was rigged, or calibrated, we don't know if drunk Thai's were getting the same treatment, ie. being told lies for money. We know there are indeed double standards applied everywhere in Thailand including the police

[Matzzon]

4 minutes ago, mikeymike100 said:

Whilst I agree you should not drink an drive, also obviously he will not be getting his money back. I find your comment "How you dare to post this is a shake down? You are the one driving drunk, " somewhat absurd. The point the OP was making was he had, had 3 wine coolers, if we take what he said at face value. Now others have said 2 beers is OK, but 3 and your over the limit. But it depends on various factors, how big you are, your blood volume, what you had to eat, etc. The other issue here is it was a shake down because if it wasn't he would have been arrested and landed in jail, the police took a bribe which is illegal and let a 'drunk' guy go! We all know the Thai police are 80% corrupt and are looking for a quick buck. We don't know if the 'breathalyzer' was rigged, or calibrated, we don't know if drunk Thai's were getting the same treatment, ie. being told lies for money. We know there are indeed double standards applied everywhere in Thailand including the police

Surely, we know that. That´s exactly why it not falls under shake downs in Thailand. It falls under general procedures. Welcome to Thailand, and big time to loose your western values, standards and interpretations of what is going on.

Result: Still the irresponsible OP that are driving after drinking. That´s because even if you can drink 2 beers you should be responsible and clever enough to know that is wrong.

[jacko45k]

On 10/23/2019 at 9:41 AM, fhickson said:

for this sort of shakedown i would opt to pay any fines at the station, that makes things more on the up and up then curbside fines. not into paying on the spot fines at all esp for that amount.

Then you will be subject to at least an overnight lockup in the cell, a whole weekend if you get caught on a Friday night. It is supposed to be a much more arduous experience and you effectively end up paying yet more. You can refuse to pay up for the 'assistance' of course, not sure how that would work out. I doubt you could win with these guys, unless some lawyer helped, but that doesn't come cheap. The police also threaten you with a trip to immigration, to have your record incorporate the offence. They get one of those guys on their side and you might be going home!

Edited October 24, 2019 by jacko45k

[MadMuhammad]

On 10/23/2019 at 3:32 AM, BestB said:

Shake down was it not. Promise of jail was just an empty threat.

But you would have been locked up for a day or two then off to court, pay a fine of 5000-8000 and then the possibility of visa troubles.

 

Some claim to be able to pay 5000 and i do not believe them, 20 000 is about the going rate.

 

By law you allowed 2 beers to be under the limit, so 3 wine coolers would be put you over the limit

I paid 5000 down from 20000 not 3 months ago. 
 

I believe the law is 0.2 if on temporary licence or held it for less than 2 years and 0.5 (or equivalent Thai measurement) if 5 year license. Happy to be corrected 

[BestB]

14 minutes ago, mikeymike100 said:

Whilst I agree you should not drink an drive, also obviously he will not be getting his money back. I find your comment "How you dare to post this is a shake down? You are the one driving drunk, " somewhat absurd. The point the OP was making was he had, had 3 wine coolers, if we take what he said at face value. Now others have said 2 beers is OK, but 3 and your over the limit. But it depends on various factors, how big you are, your blood volume, what you had to eat, etc. The other issue here is it was a shake down because if it wasn't he would have been arrested and landed in jail, the police took a bribe which is illegal and let a 'drunk' guy go! We all know the Thai police are 80% corrupt and are looking for a quick buck. We don't know if the 'breathalyzer' was rigged, or calibrated, we don't know if drunk Thai's were getting the same treatment, ie. being told lies for money. We know there are indeed double standards applied everywhere in Thailand including the police

Let me put it this way.

 

pay on the spot 20000 and go home or get arrested , spend 2-3 nights in the cells, face judge, pay 5000-8000 fine plus 25000 for lawyer.

 

either way it cost money . So one needs to chose which option he prefers .

 

ok, if one speaks well enough Thai to face the judge then can save 25000 on the lawyer , but then use the saved 25000 to renew visa as it would be on the record ????

[BestB]

4 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Then you will be subject to at least an overnight lockup in the cell, a whole weekend if you get caught on a Friday night. It is supposed to be a much more arduous experience and you effectively end up paying yet more. You can refuse to pay up for the 'assistance' of course, not sure how that would work out. I doubt you could win with these guys, unless some lawyer helped, but that doesn't come cheap. The police also threaten you with a trip to immigration, to have your record incorporate the offence. They get one of those guys on their side and you might be going home!

Never overnight , always 2-3, roywen needs to prepare case for court so no way 1 night in cells , minimum 2.

 

the moment paperwork hits the courts, court automatically notify immigration , so you can be certain immigration will have a record of it .

 

20000 is not only for foreigners , my staff daughter in law , thai naturally was done yesterday morning . Police offered to clear for 20000. She does not have the money . Court fine will be 5000-8000 depending on recorded level of alcohol .

 

she was done yesterday morning, she could only face court on Monday , but with little donation her case was moved up to today . 

[jacko45k]

3 minutes ago, BestB said:

the moment paperwork hits the courts, court automatically notify immigration , so you can be certain immigration will have a record of it .

 

I was told of a guy who thought he had it all done and dusted, had already paid a lot of money. Then another officer said he had to go with him to immigration. It may have been a bluff, but a further 10,000 required!

[ChakaKhan]

On 10/22/2019 at 7:24 PM, BritManToo said:

My advice ....... learn to haggle.

Curious what your counter offer would be should this happen to you...asking for a friend.

[BestB]

3 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

I was told of a guy who thought he had it all done and dusted, had already paid a lot of money. Then another officer said he had to go with him to immigration. It may have been a bluff, but a further 10,000 required!

Not a fiction. Exactly how it works 
 

even though drink driving is not a criminal conviction but it will be recorded with immigration so when it’s time to renew. You would be required to make a donation as an incentive to overlook it. 
 

best to clear on the spot , less headache and cheaper in the long run 

[jacko45k]

Just now, ChakaKhan said:

Curious what your counter offer would be should this happen to you...asking for a friend.

If  you can show a wallet with 10k in it it might fly. I have heard of a few knocking down an initial 20,000 to 15,000.

[Rimmer]

Post all in caps removed

[evadgib]

A helmet or body worn camera might have helped had the OP been sober and stood his ground.

[BobbyL]

Always love opening posts like this where they feel hard done. You broke the law so pay the price. 

[Skallywag]

On 10/23/2019 at 1:05 AM, bigrobtheactor said:

I've been enjoying my life in the LOS since the eighties and have had many of my best times ever there so I hesitate to let it go - despite the dwindling good will of the Thai people I sense

Maybe time to actually "retire" and let someone else do the driving. I would assume coming here in the 80's you are of "retirement" age by now

 

[Caldera]

Any bloke drinking wine coolers is highly suspicious in my book. Didn't they have beer?

[NoshowJones]

On 10/23/2019 at 6:24 AM, BritManToo said:

My advice ....... learn to haggle.

My advice, just don't drink and drive, what's so hard about that?

[Mansell]

Drinking and riding a motorcycle, probably a scooter, is as dumb as it gets....your reaction times are not the best. If 20,000 baht doesn’t make you smarter, so be it.

Take a taxi if you drink...a lot cheaper than 20,000 baht....Duh!

[1FinickyOne]

Wow... just think how lucky you were... if this had happened in USA I doubt you would have gotten off so easy... 

 

Congratulations... 

[ThomasThBKK]

These shakedowns are normal on sukhumvit, they get worse recently tho....Same story happened to me before, just that i wasn't drunk....

 

Their alcohol readers are often tuned up and if u do a bloodtest u might be fine... however it's not worth the stress, pay and <deleted> off. better if u have cash on you then they often take less as they are too lazy to drive you to an atm.

 

If you didn't have alcohol in blood they would have ripped you off for not having your passport on you anyway.

Highseason for this <deleted> is SongKran, don't go out then, they have most of the streets blocked in sukhumvit and stop absolutely everyone, and everyone pays something...

 

PS: You already heard it often enough, but stop driving drunk, you are risking not only your own life and a grabtaxi at night costs nothing.

[jacko45k]

2 minutes ago, ThomasThBKK said:

If you didn't have alcohol in blood they would have ripped you off for not having your passport on you anyway.

Rubbish....never been asked for my passport at a road check around Pattaya, ever!

[nickcar]

 This seems to me to be just dumb.  I stopped drinking and driving years ago when they started stopping people. And in Bangkok it is so easy to take a taxi or BTS. 

[ThomasThBKK]

30 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Rubbish....never been asked for my passport at a road check around Pattaya, ever!

 

Great....

 

we are talking about Sukhumvit area in Bangkok here...

It's well known to everyone living here that is out at night and in the news regularly, it's mainly 2 police stations, thong lor and lumpini....

 

 

 

Barrow published this guide for a reason: https://www.richardbarrow.com/2014/12/know-your-rights-if-a-policeman-stops-you-in-bangkok/ ....

 

 

[sillyfool]

good thing it was just a 20k fine and you didn't actually kill someone with your recklessness. 

 

life is like a box of chocolates......

[Nanaplaza666]

On 10/23/2019 at 3:49 AM, brokenbone said:

the day they announced they would enforce against driving under influence

of alcohol was the day i started to take a taxi when ever i was going to drink beer.

theres absolutely no way i would ever get up on my feet again if i sleep

on a concrete floor for a night.

 

in revenge i stopped going out, so now the gogo bars

lose 2000 baht almost every evening of the year.

what goes around comes around

Wow , like they would be feeling that . And i beg to differ that you would be there and spend 2000 baht every day of the year . Hell of a revenge mate your a badass ????

[Lacessit]

22 hours ago, brokenbone said:

its right out of my comfort zone to have sex with a stranger, let alone a prostitute,

so yes, beer and a few lady drinks all the way

My admiration for your alcoholic capacity has increased, based on the amount you say you spend.

Perhaps it has not occurred to you everyone is a stranger until AFTER you have had sex with them.

[bkk6060]

17 hours ago, Guderian said:

Convenient that the going rate for a DUI offence is always 20K Baht, the exact amount that most ATM cards issued to farangs here are limited to withdrawing in one day. Let's hope that the banks never raise the limit to 50K Baht!

??

Mine with BKK bank is 50 k.

 

[EricTh]

1 year in jail? I heard that Thai jails are like in hell, it's unlike the pleasant jails in western countries.