The smartest thing for you to do would just be to hire a car with a driver.  Why set yourself up to be shaken down by renting a car with red plates?

13 minutes ago, CM Dad said:

The smartest thing for you to do would just be to hire a car with a driver.  Why set yourself up to be shaken down by renting a car with red plates?

Because hiring a driver is not the best option - you’re relying on someone else with less driver training than a most westerners have had and in many cases the ’Thai driver’ you hire, has less driving experience in Thailand too. 

 

Examples: A farmer who comes down to Bangkok to start driving taxis

A foreigner who’s been here 20 years driving has  a lot more experience than many Thai drivers. 

 

 

Finally: there is no room for a shakedown if the Brown-book is pencilled in.

IF stopped by the police and they want to make life difficult, just tell them to write a ticket... they’re not interested they just want cash there and then. As soon as they know you won’t pay up, thats it, they lose interest (in most cases). 

 

The probability of getting stopped in the first place is so minimal its not worth worrying about. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Polar Bear said:

What's the advantage of changing the date in the book instead of just writing a new journey in? It sounds like it's only a few bits of information. Am I underestimating it?

 

 

Its all about the plates and book roll on to the next new vehicle that the dealership attaches them to.

Fill up the book and they have an issue.

 

Withholding the book saves them the bother, or the pencil/eraser routine runs a close second.

 

Anecdotally though from my experience its all a bit over hyped only Brownshirt interface I had was one that stepped out from the roadside stop (milking wages from helmetless motorcy folk) to salute me and my shiny new pickup ????

Chances are you'll be fine.  But TiT.  Our neighbor drove their Chonburi red tagged car to Bangkok a few years ago.  Got stopped at night and forced to spend the night at a nearby hotel.  TiT.

Out of interest what type of car will you be renting ? why is is so important to have a particular type of car to transport boxes and a dog. Anyhow just drive it and pay the fines if caught (i'm guessing less than 500b) . Solly me falang me no understand, No i not speak Thai, here is the phone number of the hire company. 

17 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

They saw you coming, you were ripped off by a chancer....  a 5000 baht fine for red plates !!! - no chance. 

Police station across the city !!!...  he sold you on that one too !!!!

You should have just told him to write you a ticket - thats it. Don’t play their game.

 

Correct - thats what we used to do too - Fill in the Brown Book in pencil (we were never stopped though). 

 

That they did - like 99% of the announcements made by politicians in Thailand, they believe they can impact change and improvement with a mere announcements, nothing actually changes or happens. 

 

Thailand - the Hub of announcements.

Thailand - the Hub of scamming policemen.

 

I completely agree he was shafting me, but this was about 18 years ago, and I know that then you could not, (as know), pay at any station, you had to go to the issuing office. I do like your Thailand Hubs........sums it up in one......

As everyone predicted, it was entirely uneventful. Thanks for all the info anyway.

 

 

On 11/8/2021 at 7:51 AM, brianthainess said:

Out of interest what type of car will you be renting ? why is is so important to have a particular type of car to transport boxes and a dog. 

Nothing that special, just a hatchback or small SUV with sufficient clearance for a 1m sq crate. Most hatchbacks have sufficient height internally, but if the lip to the trunk/boot is high, it's no good. Unfortunately, a lot of rental place will offer a hatchback and then swap it out for a saloon, which doesn't work, and I don't like driving massive SUVs or monster trucks.

 

 

From my experience my daughter has purchased 2 new cars in recent years and drove from Bangkok to Chon Buri daily with red plates. She had the book but never wrote in it ever. During the COVID checks the police just asked for drivers license and ignored the red plates and books. She drives the Expressway daily. I see little risk for the OP.