Speed trap on Way to Bangkok

[Wandr]

This one was new to me which is why I am highlighting it.

I was stopped 34 km before Nakhon Sawan, according to the highway signs. Not just me but a whole bunch of people.

They flag you down,  show a photo on the phone, and you get charged with speeding.  The fine, 500 baht, is collected at a post 200 m down the road.

Apparently they have a camera stationed somewhere before that spot which sends them information on speeding vehicles.  I tried to find where the camera is but communication was an issue. It has to be several kilometers distance.

I did find out that they will not stop cars for speeds up to  110 km, so a speed of between 100 and 110 is prudent.  That is not a bad speed on these roads anyway.

As to the virus, it was not an issue all the way to Chonburi.  There were 3 or 4 staffed checkposts but they just waved me through.

Some people are concerned about what happens going back to Chiang Mai.  I  will post if there is anything untoward.

[steven100]

I don't know why you are posting this.

stop speeding and you won't be pulled over. 

[Henryford]

Everyone knows if you speed you are likely to be fined.

[prism]

I've driven many times through those parts over the years. There's always been speed traps before and after Nakhon Sawan. The wife is pretty good on talking the police out of writing me up for a few hundred baht. 

 

Speed cameras are becoming more common, those tickets go on your record. Best to keep it around 100 and 110.  

Edited June 6, 2020 by prism

[bkk6060]

There are speed traps all over the world even in advanced western countries.

It is of course, all amount collecting funds.

Like others mentioned, in reality if you are not speeding then you will not be "trapped".  So, all a person can do after they pay the fine and drive away is look in the mirror and say: stupid me.

[Wandr]

I guess all of you live your lives at 80 km an hour.  I feel  sorry for you...you are the rear view mirror people.

Some of us prefer a faster pace and pay the occasional 500 baht. And look back at people plodding along and say stupid you.

The important takeaway is that they allow latitude until 110 km, and that there is an active trap at that spot now.

Bye bye, rear view people!

[owl sees all]

I've not driven at more than 70km an hour since Mildred was born.

 

Got a few fines for other stuff though:

 

Driving without a shirt on (guilty).

Going through red light (debatable).

Driving in bus lane (guilty).

Having 'halogen' lights fitted to the bull-bars (guilty)

No seat belt (wife; guilty).

Not having the appropriate driving licence (debatable).

Not stopping when a BinB ordered me to (guilty).

Brake light not working (guilty)

Speeding (12 years ago, guilty).

 

I've put plenty of dosh into the police fund. Only once did I get a receipt.

Edited June 6, 2020 by owl sees all

[Wandr]

Driving without a shirt? That is really an offense? Whereabouts? That is funny.

I wonder what they think about driving without pants! Not that I would!

[taotoo]

4 hours ago, Wandr said:

I guess all of you live your lives at 80 km an hour.  I feel  sorry for you...you are the rear view mirror people.

Some of us prefer a faster pace and pay the occasional 500 baht. And look back at people plodding along and say stupid you.

The important takeaway is that they allow latitude until 110 km, and that there is an active trap at that spot now.

Bye bye, rear view people!

We'll cruise past your wrecked vehicle at 80km/h and laugh at how you never expected that tractor to pull out on you.

[drbeach]

That's news to me. The presence of several cameras on the stretch between Bang Pa-in and Nakorn Sawan has been well known for many years. Up until a few years ago, it was mainly limited to one or two mobile cameras but now there are at least 3-4 fixed ones in place. Also one mobile one in Ang Thong province; easy to avoid, you can bypass it by using local roads for 2-3km and then go back to the highway after the checkpoint.

 

However, north of Nakorn Sawan I've never encountered issues. That's when I would ironically go faster despite being down to just 2 lanes in each direction (it's 3-4 before Nakorn Sawan). Sounds like they're putting in more speed cameras all over the place. Welcome to the nanny state.

[drbeach]

5 hours ago, Wandr said:

I guess all of you live your lives at 80 km an hour.  I feel  sorry for you...you are the rear view mirror people.

Some of us prefer a faster pace and pay the occasional 500 baht. And look back at people plodding along and say stupid you.

The important takeaway is that they allow latitude until 110 km, and that there is an active trap at that spot now.

Bye bye, rear view people!

I'm often able to talk my way out of a fine at those roadside checkpoints, but they're being replaced by those annoying fixed speed cameras that are actually pretty rare over in the USA. Sounds like Thailand is turning itself into Australia, with the way they're putting up speed cameras everywhere, but they fail to do anything about the real dangers on the roads, like people driving far too slow on an expressway, motorcyclists driving against the flow of traffic and drivers zig zagging in and out of traffic even if they're not exceeding the posted speed limit.

This myopic insistence on cracking down on speedsters does very little to make roads safer. It's just revenue raising.

[blackcab]

Is there a google map or an app that lists known speed cameras in Thailand?

[gazza4]

there's a camera on the highway to Lampang. Not too far short of the city. I have also had the pleasure of giving the cops 500 baht at this spot, without a receipt.

[MJKT2014]

5 hours ago, Wandr said:

Some of us prefer a faster pace and pay the occasional 500 baht. And look back at people plodding along and say stupid you.

Whilst cracking one out at the wrist perchance?

[owl sees all]

5 hours ago, Wandr said:

Driving without a shirt? That is really an offense? Whereabouts? That is funny.

I wonder what they think about driving without pants! Not that I would!

Absolutely true:

 

Mildred was about 6 months old and I was carrying her in the Ban Dung market. Mildred was sick on my shirt. Mrs Owl said not to worry as I could get a new one at Non Mek (about 30km away). We were going to Non Han vehicle MOT center.

 

On the way we were stopped by a BinB who insisted that I was breaking the law. The Mrs explained about the shirt which was in the back.

 

He wanted 200 Bhat. I offered 40 Bhat. The officer agreed. And we were on our way. 

 

However the strangest fine was in BKK. We had been fishing at Bang Kapi and wanted to get to Hua Hin. Mrs Owl was map reading (dear, dear dear). She said we have to go left soon. At the next main road I threw a left. 100 yards later a BinB stopped us. "Busses only. Go in Bus road; cannot!" Mrs Owl explained that we wanted to go to Hua Hin. They chatted away in Thai. "Give 500 Bhat, or we have to go to police station." "Offer him 100 Bhat." He settled for 200. Slipped effortlessly into his top pocket.

 

"While we are here Mrs Owl. Ask him how to get to the Hua Hin road." He did a bit a explaining and pointing. Then we were on our way.

 

"What did he say dear?"

 

"He say; stay on Bus road for 7km. Then will see Hua Hin sign."

 

Great directions! Hua Hin; no problem.

Edited June 6, 2020 by owl sees all

[Moonlover]

6 hours ago, Wandr said:

I guess all of you live your lives at 80 km an hour.  I feel  sorry for you...you are the rear view mirror people.

Some of us prefer a faster pace and pay the occasional 500 baht. And look back at people plodding along and say stupid you.

The important takeaway is that they allow latitude until 110 km, and that there is an active trap at that spot now.

Bye bye, rear view people!

I shall watch out for you making a comment about 'stupid Thai drivers' when the next speed related accident is reported on TVF.

[dingdongrb]

7 hours ago, prism said:

I've driven many times through those parts over the years. There's always been speed traps before and after Nakhon Sawan. The wife is pretty good on talking the police out of writing me up for a few hundred baht. 

Yepper, they typically have a guy with the camera/radar hidden down among the trees in the median. Been caught regularly there numerous times and paid the 500 THB without batting an eye.

 

As another poster says, there are starting to be fixed cameras installed in many places. (Below is a pic of a place that used to have an officer hiding behind the pillar now they put up a permanent camera.) 

 

I drove to Surin over Christmas and New Years. (Left Surin Jan 8th.) I received 2 tickets in the mail during that return trip. One ticket was received in the first week of March and the other a week later for an infraction on the same day (Jan 8th).

 

Talk about a slow system for mailing you the ticket, I received 3 in the same week from trips between Lamphun and CM. They all occurred during the first week of April but didn't come in the mail until various days in May. If the system was more timely then I could had possibly avoided the last 2 two as now I know where the camera is located and tend to slow down when in that area, otherwise it's 120+.....  varoom...varoom...

 

Just a reminder, there is now a point system so speeding will get you one point against the allotted 12.

[asiasurfer]

In my opinion there should be many more "speeding traps" on the highways here. Stop driving like an a**hole, have less accidents, save lives.

[dingdongrb]

6 hours ago, owl sees all said:

Not having the appropriate driving licence (debatable).

How is that debatable, you either have a valid Thai DL or you don't.

[Pattaya46]

6 hours ago, Wandr said:

I guess all of you live your lives at 80 km an hour.  I feel  sorry for you...you are the rear view mirror people.

Some of us prefer a faster pace and pay the occasional 500 baht. And look back at people plodding along and say stupid you. //

One day you way lost a friend or family member because another driver decided - as you do - that speed limitations don't apply to him...

Then maybe you will understand who of us is stupid ! 

[dingdongrb]

7 hours ago, Wandr said:

I feel  sorry for you...you are the rear view mirror people.

It's pretty much known that Thais don't look ahead past their noses when driving. And as far as mirrors, they are only used to look at themselves. They definitely can't use them to look out their back window due to all the pillows and stuffed animals blocking the view.

Edited June 6, 2020 by dingdongrb

[Yorkshire Tea]

90 kph speed limit on a multi-lane highway is a joke.  110kph is not super fast.  

[holy cow cm]

8 hours ago, prism said:

I've driven many times through those parts over the years. There's always been speed traps before and after Nakhon Sawan. The wife is pretty good on talking the police out of writing me up for a few hundred baht. 

 

Speed cameras are becoming more common, those tickets go on your record. Best to keep it around 100 and 110.  

Is it proven that tickets go on your record? And if infact yes are points given?

[Andrew Dwyer]

3 hours ago, drbeach said:

That's news to me. The presence of several cameras on the stretch between Bang Pa-in and Nakorn Sawan has been well known for many years. Up until a few years ago, it was mainly limited to one or two mobile cameras but now there are at least 3-4 fixed ones in place. Also one mobile one in Ang Thong province; easy to avoid, you can bypass it by using local roads for 2-3km and then go back to the highway after the checkpoint.

 

However, north of Nakorn Sawan I've never encountered issues. That's when I would ironically go faster despite being down to just 2 lanes in each direction (it's 3-4 before Nakorn Sawan). Sounds like they're putting in more speed cameras all over the place. Welcome to the nanny state.

Just driven that stretch ( Bang pa-in to almost Nakhonsawan, came off on the Kampaeng Phet bypass ) strangely no check point at Ang Thong but maybe they were attending the 4 car shunt in the fast lane.

 The owner of the Porsche Cayenne looked far from pleased !!

[farang51]

1 hour ago, dingdongrb said:

How is that debatable, you either have a valid Thai DL or you don't.

You may have a valid licence; however, the officer may not consider it valid.

[Joinaman]

always carry a bag of small coins for when i get stopped for speeding. Tip them out on the table to pay the fine, Really pisses them off

Same as when stopped, .They say you speeding, i say no and close the window. Wait till he produces a photo, then take my time examining it before handing it back . If table for payment is across the road, always make him stand in the road, stop the traffic before i will cross, again, this seems to upset them a little

Points for speeding now ??? Since when and how ? Never had any, never seen any, never told by police about any.

All tickets through the post get filed under my desk, , "pending payment " 

[time2093]

OP must be a new driver in Thailand as speed traps have been in use all across Thailand for years now, every city even in Issan. There are signs of a camera with a speed limit on it at most highways these days. If you follow the rule and stop speeding you wont get fined.

[Joinaman]

1 hour ago, Moonlover said:

I shall watch out for you making a comment about 'stupid Thai drivers' when the next speed related accident is reported on TVF.

aren't all motor accidents "speed related", with many of them due to slow drivers too ?

Driving to suit the road conditions is the correct way, which can be at a fast speed, but perfectly safe if roads quiet, not crawling along hogging the road, forming a rolling roadblock, which so many Thais seem to do 

 

[Moonlover]

35 minutes ago, Joinaman said:

aren't all motor accidents "speed related", with many of them due to slow drivers too ?

Driving to suit the road conditions is the correct way, which can be at a fast speed, but perfectly safe if roads quiet, not crawling along hogging the road, forming a rolling roadblock, which so many Thais seem to do 

 

I'm 74 and been driving and riding all my adult life. Please don't lecture me on what is and is not safe on the roads.

[Yorkshire Tea]

4 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

I'm 74 and been driving and riding all my adult life. Please don't lecture me on what is and is not safe on the roads.

Keep left ????