Police Road Block in North Pattaya - Just Wanted To See Drivers License - Why?

[Thomas J]

I over two years in Thailand I have only been stopped for ID once and that was when there was a quarantine/lock down in effect.  This afternoon at about 17:00 I was traveling south on Sukhumvit and there was a large contingent of police.  They had set up a covering large long enough that about 5 vehicles could be under it and it was 4 lanes wide.  The police just asked for your drivers license, looked at it and then let you go. 

Anyone's guess on this?  Maybe looking to see if the drivers license showed a local address? 

[internationalism]

just soft preparation for curfew and lock down measures.

Police get premiums for working during covid 

[Chivas]

Well how about that just maybe they were just checking drivers were actually licensed to drive the vehicle in the first place !

[Doctor Tom]

3 minutes ago, Chivas said:

Well how about that just maybe they were just checking drivers were actually licensed to drive the vehicle in the first place !

That's outrageous, how dare they. 

[richard_smith237]

Take your pick: 

 

1) To check people with ID from outside of the province (covid protocol)

2) To enforce ‘driving with a driving licence’ - BiB short of money !

3) To extort foreigners scared of their own shadow !

4) To check families living in the same household are wearing their masks in the car !

[jacko45k]

9 hours ago, Thomas J said:

Anyone's guess on this?  Maybe looking to see if the drivers license showed a local address? 

I would suspect so, checking you are local and not out from Bangkok. 

[brewsterbudgen]

44 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

I would suspect so, checking you are local and not out from Bangkok. 

I what would they have done if it had?  There's no law about driving in Pattaya with a Bangkok address on your licence!  Plenty of Bangkokians have two homes anyway.

[jacko45k]

15 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

I what would they have done if it had?  There's no law about driving in Pattaya with a Bangkok address on your licence!  Plenty of Bangkokians have two homes anyway.

How the hell would I know?

They presumably would have asked for  further information like why was he out of Bangkok and did he have supporting paperwork. There is a pandemic you know. 

Edited July 14, 2021 by jacko45k

[brewsterbudgen]

16 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

How the hell would I know?

They presumably would have asked for  further information like why was he out of Bangkok and did he have supporting paperwork. There is a pandemic you know. 

I know there's a pandemic, but unless it was during the "curfew" hours, there's no law banning people from driving just because they live in a particular place!  It would suggest that what the OP experienced was just a police licence check that happens regularly.

[hotandsticky]

2 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

I know there's a pandemic, but unless it was during the "curfew" hours, there's no law banning people from driving just because they live in a particular place!  It would suggest that what the OP experienced was just a police licence check that happens regularly.

 

 

Not very regularly in recent months..............

[hotandsticky]

25 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

How the hell would I know?

They presumably would have asked for  further information like why was he out of Bangkok and did he have supporting paperwork. There is a pandemic you know. 

 

 

Think that one through....

 

 

What you suggest would require multi-tasking and you know that BiB can only do one thing at a time........... If they are checking for helmets they will not check for tax. oO one occasion I was stopped for U-turning (over double yellows) near Big C on Pattaya Klang.  We agreed the appropriate penalty for that, but no mention was made of the fact that I had no helmet on.

[jacko45k]

1 minute ago, brewsterbudgen said:

I know there's a pandemic, but unless it was during the "curfew" hours, there's no law banning people from driving just because they live in a particular place!  It would suggest that what the OP experienced was just a police licence check that happens regularly.

There are regulations about residents being out of Greater Bangkok and a few other Provinces down there if that is your home. I have no idea if it was a simple licence check, but considering the location, it sounded like where the Chonburi officials had set up Covid checkpoints. 

Who on earth said anything about banning driving?

[brewsterbudgen]

11 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

There are regulations about residents being out of Greater Bangkok and a few other Provinces down there if that is your home. I have no idea if it was a simple licence check, but considering the location, it sounded like where the Chonburi officials had set up Covid checkpoints. 

Who on earth said anything about banning driving?

The topic is about driving.  You suggested that the licence check could be to see if the driver was driving outside the place of residence shown on their licence.  I questioned this as (as far as I know) there are no restrictions on where you can drive, based on your place of residence.  There are no regulations about people being in places that are not their home! Where did you hear that? 

[jacko45k]

Just now, brewsterbudgen said:

The topic is about driving.  You suggested that the licence check could be to see if the driver was driving outside the place of residence shown on their licence.  I questioned this as (as far as I know) there are no restrictions on where you can drive, based on your place of residence.  There are no regulations about people being in places that are not their home! Where did you hear that? 

The topic is about  a road block.... and it's purpose. Not driving, you made that up. The location sounds like the Covid one set up, and was one of six  listed  as by the Chonburi governor. 

 

The checkpoints will reportedly be checking identification to ensure people are not illegal migrant workers, selecting random travelers to determine if their trip is necessary or essential.

 

 

[brewsterbudgen]

40 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

The topic is about  a road block.... and it's purpose. Not driving, you made that up. The location sounds like the Covid one set up, and was one of six  listed  as by the Chonburi governor. 

 

The checkpoints will reportedly be checking identification to ensure people are not illegal migrant workers, selecting random travelers to determine if their trip is necessary or essential.

 

 

OK, that makes more sense.  What you originally posted about checking the licence to see if the driver (the topic is about driving) is "local" and "not from Bangkok" didn't!  Thanks for the clarification.

[NCC1701A]

-Inter-provincial travel is discouraged.

[Doctor Tom]

2 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

I what would they have done if it had?  There's no law about driving in Pattaya with a Bangkok address on your licence!  Plenty of Bangkokians have two homes anyway.

Since when has application of the law been an issue with the BiB?  What they say is the 'law', at that particular time and place,  is the 'law', until you pay to have that 'law'  over turned.  

[bbko]

Why not ask the police while handing over your license? Asking after the incident only leads to speculations, guessing and a chance for others to feed the rumor mill. 

[Guderian]

Maybe something to do with this?

 

https://thepattayanews.com/2021/07/13/banglamung-and-chonburi-officially-starts-operating-checkpoints-screening-to-prevent-the-spread-of-covid-19/

 

Edited July 14, 2021 by Guderian

[brewsterbudgen]

1 hour ago, Guderian said:

Maybe something to do with this?

 

https://thepattayanews.com/2021/07/13/banglamung-and-chonburi-officially-starts-operating-checkpoints-screening-to-prevent-the-spread-of-covid-19/

 

It would be great to find out what is deemed as necessary travel!  The passport/legal status check will be a worry for anyone overstaying!

[Thomas J]

2 hours ago, Guderian said:

https://thepattayanews.com/2021/07/13/banglamung-and-chonburi-officially-starts-operating-checkpoints-screening-to-prevent-the-spread-of-covid-19/

 

Yes I read this article this morning.  Well it was 17:00 and they were stopping everyone, not just select vehicles.  My license was viewed by not less than three police officers as I made my way through the line. 

I guess if they were stopping only the vehicles carrying what appeared to be migrant workers I could understand.  They certainly were not checking to see if your trip was essential.  One way or another, it created quite a traffic snarl and there were many Thai police and police vehicles off to the side of the barricades who were just standing and conversing with each other.  So perhaps the only reason was to screen for migrant workers.  

[pacovl46]

17 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Take your pick: 

 

1) To check people with ID from outside of the province (covid protocol)

2) To enforce ‘driving with a driving licence’ - BiB short of money !

3) To extort foreigners scared of their own shadow !

4) To check families living in the same household are wearing their masks in the car !

5) None of the above and they were actually just doing their job!

[LivinLOS]

9 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

I know there's a pandemic, but unless it was during the "curfew" hours, there's no law banning people from driving just because they live in a particular place!  It would suggest that what the OP experienced was just a police licence check that happens regularly.

in a lot of provinces there are.. And at the very least theres reporting to MoPH workers.. 

 

[Qman]

Were they stopping just cars or motorbikes as well?   Wonder if they are ticketing expired drivers licenses due to renewal issues during the pandemic?  

[Bangkok Barry]

We have a thread about a policeman wanting to check for a driving license? Astonishing.

[fredscats]

Use the railway road

[KhunBENQ]

Police checkpoint asking to see your drivers license?

Is that a story in your country?

Why not?

In my last country a routine police checkpoint always wants to see drivers license and car documents/registration.

I don't think that this is anything specific to Covid checkpoints.

On the very rare occasions that I was stopped at such a checkpoint I was always asked for the license.

And in Thailand foreigners are a valuable target for not having a valid license and being cashed in.

Edited July 14, 2021 by KhunBENQ

[MrJ2U]

I think since you weren't doing anything wrong all he could do to get some cash out of you is to fine you if didn't have a license.

 

Slow times for the men in brown.

[MrJ2U]

2 hours ago, Qman said:

Were they stopping just cars or motorbikes as well?   Wonder if they are ticketing expired drivers licenses due to renewal issues during the pandemic?  

That would be low.

 

 

[MrJ2U]

23 hours ago, internationalism said:

just soft preparation for curfew and lock down measures.

Police get premiums for working during covid 

400 baht a day extra in Bangkok.

Probably less in Pattaya.