Traffic fines

[SAFETY FIRST]

I got stopped by a cop riding his Honda pcx,sounding his horn, waving his arm. 

 

He booked me for riding on the wrong side of the road and non original exhaust pipe, he told me I needed to change to original (will this be noted on next year's roadworthy inspection) 

OK, 
when in Rome, 
I know I shouldn't have and won't break the law again but read on. 

 

I took my ticket to pay at the police station, I thought I'd be paying around 2000 baht.

I gave the officer behind the window my ticket, he entered the bar code number and asked for 200 baht. I paid, he gave me the receipt. 
I'm in shock. 

 

Anyone else with similar experience, I read fines had increased, I thought both infringements would be 1000 baht each 

 

BTW, the pcx cop gave my license back, things have changed, back in the day he would have kept it and I'd be picking it up at the police station. 

[bbko]

What city?

[SAFETY FIRST]

3 minutes ago, bbko said:

What city?

Pattaya 

[ezzra]

In Thailand you pay 2000 baht fine only if you have murdered somebody, otherwise it's only couple hundred baht...

Edited December 3, 2021 by ezzra

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Pattaya 

That explains it. ????

[Rimmer]

Baiting post removed

[Kwasaki]

7 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

non original exhaust pipe, he told me I needed to change to original (will this be noted on next year's roadworthy inspection)

I would of thought in a place like Pattaya you could get an after market exhaust mufflers with a TIS on,  can you not do that.??? 

[scubascuba3]

Maybe they didn't charge for wrong side of road, never heard of that one in Pattaya, exhaust 200 baht rings bells. Are you a kid? loud exhaust and all that

[SAFETY FIRST]

17 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Maybe they didn't charge for wrong side of road, never heard of that one in Pattaya, exhaust 200 baht rings bells. Are you a kid? loud exhaust and all that

The bike is my wife's, she used it at her shop for the staff to ride, no staff so I ride it occasionally, keep the battery charged. 

 

It's an older bike and the original pipe fell off, it needed replacing. Just had one of the local bike shops fit it. 

 

It's not loud just not original. 

He made me start it up. 

The cop said it had to be original 

 

He checked 2 boxes, so I was expecting 2 fines to pay. 

[SAFETY FIRST]

46 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

I would of thought in a place like Pattaya you could get an after market exhaust mufflers with a TIS on,  can you not do that.??? 

It's the wife's bike 

I'll check with her 

[Led Lolly Yellow Lolly]

I think the exhaust has to be loud enough to wake babies up in Rangoon for the top tier fine.

[transam]

Sounds like the cop was having a bad day, just forget the pipe, but drive on the correct side in future, you will live longer too...????

[scubascuba3]

Police in Pattaya have just started pulling over farang now tourists are coming back, mainly looking for helmets

[jackdd]

8 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Anyone else with similar experience, I read fines had increased, I thought both infringements would be 1000 baht each 

No, fines were lowered last year or so.

For example before it was 500 for no license, now it's only 200.

[richard_smith237]

This actually seems fair enough....  one of the most honest traffic stops I’ve read of or heard of... 

 

It's also the first time I’ve read of or heard of any member of the BiB proactively pulling someone over rather than simply manning a check point. 

 

 

[Kwasaki]

39 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

It's the wife's bike 

I'll check with her 

Thanks I just find hard to understand why someone selling all this aftermarket mufflers aren't getting a Thai manufacturer to produce good aesthetic mufflers with the TIS stamp to F these stupid regs off.

Many OEM mufflers are bloody ugly.

[VocalNeal]

1 hour ago, Kwasaki said:

I would of thought in a place like Pattaya you could get an after market exhaust mufflers with a TIS on,  can you not do that.??? 

I looked at some GPX bikes (with a friend). The TIS sticker on the muffler was exactly that a plastic sticker. Your guess as to ho long that will last when the bike is started is probably better than mine.

[Kwasaki]

49 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

He made me start it up. 

The cop said it had to be original

So in that case if it had been tested and enable you to get tax and CPTL insurance personally I would of questioned his decision at the police station with his higher ranking officer.

For e.g. my bike is old and Honda have discontinued spare replacement mufflers.

The DLT passed it surly they are the Thai govt authority so who's going to make the decision, a plod. ????

[Kwasaki]

15 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

I looked at some GPX bikes (with a friend). The TIS sticker on the muffler was exactly that a plastic sticker. Your guess as to ho long that will last when the bike is started is probably better than mine.

Well that said the thing is if the muffler on the GPX is the original one can you get me some TIS replacement stickers.

Again that said I've never had a problem with police with my bike they just want to know what it is. ????????????

[SAFETY FIRST]

1 hour ago, Kwasaki said:

So in that case if it had been tested and enable you to get tax and CPTL insurance personally I would of questioned his decision at the police station with his higher ranking officer.

For e.g. my bike is old and Honda have discontinued spare replacement mufflers.

The DLT passed it surly they are the Thai govt authority so who's going to make the decision, a plod. ????

It was around 8am, I reckon he travels that road everyday on his way from pattaya police station to jomtien location, he sees Thais breaking the law everyday and he does nothing, he sees me and gets lucky.

 

He was concerned that the muffler wasn't original. 

 

Anyway 200 baht fine, I was expecting 2000 baht 

[VocalNeal]

Regardless of country this stuff happens all over. Most people simply pay the "fine" and get on with their lives.

 

Anecdotal: On the way to work, we were stopped in Italy near Naples in the mid '70's and didn't have spare lamps in the car. So paid the fine. The next day we were stopped again. Showed yesterday's receipt and allowed the continue.

 

BTW 200B fine would be a lot if you only earn 500 B a day.

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

It was around 8am, I reckon he travels that road everyday on his way from pattaya police station to jomtien location, he sees Thais breaking the law everyday and he does nothing, he sees me and gets lucky.

 

He was concerned that the muffler wasn't original. 

 

Anyway 200 baht fine, I was expecting 2000 baht 

Yeah ok understand where your coming from but if he stopped me in Pattaya which I doubt because I would be on a big bike as they say.

I have had not had a problem with my bike going places in Thailand.

[stag4]

Fine in Pattaya for a non original muffler (doesn't have to be over 95 DB) without the TIS stamp was 1000 baht.

I am not sure if it has been reduced.

[andygrr]

Looks like the no original pipe statement was just a warning. As he said it will be on the roadworthy list next year. Ride on the right side of the road next time.

[Classic Ray]

Please remember that the fines are shared out among all the officers at each station according to rank, it’s part of the RTP funding model.

 

With the decrease in tourism, opportunities to impose fines have dropped and pro activity is now mandated.

[SAFETY FIRST]

42 minutes ago, andygrr said:

Ride on the right side of the road next time

That's what the cop said to me 

 

Are you working for the BiB

[Almer]

On 12/3/2021 at 9:02 AM, ezzra said:

In Thailand you pay 2000 baht fine only if you have murdered somebody, otherwise it's only couple hundred baht...

Now I know it is only 2000 baht the Mrs had better keep quiet a bit more

[Kwasaki]

51 minutes ago, andygrr said:

As he said it will be on the roadworthy list next year. 

What is meant by that does it mean just in Pattaya. ?

[stupidfarang]

You are shocked with the 200 baht fine? I am shocked that he was actually working and doing his job!

 

To be honest I would love it if the BIB all did their job and enforced the law on the roads, the amount of money the goverment would make would cover the cost of covid in a week (joke) and hopefully the roads would be safer. I also think they need to increase the fines, speeding is 500 baht (have had three speeding fines for doing around 100klm when the speed limit is 90) and the only way people take note of the law is if you hit them in the wallet

 

[scubascuba3]

The police stopping farang tourists and looking for back handers are looking for 500 baht in Pattaya, personally I'd rather go to Soi 9 but I'd pay 200 max for back handers