plachon Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 Found a parking ticket on my window yesterday. Apparently I was parked in one of those areas of odd and even day bans (wan kii / wan koo) and a keen BIB ticketed me whilst I was in the Internet cafe. No sign around but that doesn't surprise me. OK, fair dos.........400 Baht was the stated fine......not a fortune and first time been done, so can't complain, unlike the monster traffic wardens of Little Britain. Went round the copshop in town and found the grandly named "Command Centre" where they collect fines. Raised a few eyebrows that they'd caught a farang and that this one could speak Thai "better than Southerners" (cop's words). So I handed over the ticket and 400 Baht with a smile and was gobsmacked when they handed back a 100 baht note with a smile. Whether this reduction was for prompt payment or for me joking with them that they should put some prominent signs up warning the motorist which days were off days for parking, I'm not sure, but I know it wouldn't happen in UK. One BIB was extremely chatty and friendly (maybe because he sensed a potential future customer for his minibus side-business) and we got on great. So much so that when I left, he said "If we can be for service for anything, just let me know". Was tempted to see if he could rustle up a kilo of weed, but thought best not to push my luck to far......am pretty sure he could have obliged on reflection though. What a great country! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ping Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 Well they say there's an exception to every rule... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry57 Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 Found a parking ticket on my window yesterday. Apparently I was parked in one of those areas of odd and even day bans (wan kii / wan koo) and a keen BIB ticketed me whilst I was in the Internet cafe. No sign around but that doesn't surprise me.OK, fair dos.........400 Baht was the stated fine......not a fortune and first time been done, so can't complain, unlike the monster traffic wardens of Little Britain. Went round the copshop in town and found the grandly named "Command Centre" where they collect fines. Raised a few eyebrows that they'd caught a farang and that this one could speak Thai "better than Southerners" (cop's words). So I handed over the ticket and 400 Baht with a smile and was gobsmacked when they handed back a 100 baht note with a smile. Whether this reduction was for prompt payment or for me joking with them that they should put some prominent signs up warning the motorist which days were off days for parking, I'm not sure, but I know it wouldn't happen in UK. One BIB was extremely chatty and friendly (maybe because he sensed a potential future customer for his minibus side-business) and we got on great. So much so that when I left, he said "If we can be for service for anything, just let me know". Was tempted to see if he could rustle up a kilo of weed, but thought best not to push my luck to far......am pretty sure he could have obliged on reflection though. What a great country! some people complain about the corrupt police but sometimes the system works extremely well, especially if you are a cool customer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazeeboy Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 Found a parking ticket on my window yesterday. Apparently I was parked in one of those areas of odd and even day bans (wan kii / wan koo) and a keen BIB ticketed me whilst I was in the Internet cafe. No sign around but that doesn't surprise me.OK, fair dos.........400 Baht was the stated fine......not a fortune and first time been done, so can't complain, unlike the monster traffic wardens of Little Britain. Went round the copshop in town and found the grandly named "Command Centre" where they collect fines. Raised a few eyebrows that they'd caught a farang and that this one could speak Thai "better than Southerners" (cop's words). So I handed over the ticket and 400 Baht with a smile and was gobsmacked when they handed back a 100 baht note with a smile. Whether this reduction was for prompt payment or for me joking with them that they should put some prominent signs up warning the motorist which days were off days for parking, I'm not sure, but I know it wouldn't happen in UK. One BIB was extremely chatty and friendly (maybe because he sensed a potential future customer for his minibus side-business) and we got on great. So much so that when I left, he said "If we can be for service for anything, just let me know". Was tempted to see if he could rustle up a kilo of weed, but thought best not to push my luck to far......am pretty sure he could have obliged on reflection though. What a great country! some people complain about the corrupt police but sometimes the system works extremely well, especially if you are a cool customer. be calm and polite and most police any where including thailand are mostly nice and understanding Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry57 Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 Found a parking ticket on my window yesterday. Apparently I was parked in one of those areas of odd and even day bans (wan kii / wan koo) and a keen BIB ticketed me whilst I was in the Internet cafe. No sign around but that doesn't surprise me.OK, fair dos.........400 Baht was the stated fine......not a fortune and first time been done, so can't complain, unlike the monster traffic wardens of Little Britain. Went round the copshop in town and found the grandly named "Command Centre" where they collect fines. Raised a few eyebrows that they'd caught a farang and that this one could speak Thai "better than Southerners" (cop's words). So I handed over the ticket and 400 Baht with a smile and was gobsmacked when they handed back a 100 baht note with a smile. Whether this reduction was for prompt payment or for me joking with them that they should put some prominent signs up warning the motorist which days were off days for parking, I'm not sure, but I know it wouldn't happen in UK. One BIB was extremely chatty and friendly (maybe because he sensed a potential future customer for his minibus side-business) and we got on great. So much so that when I left, he said "If we can be for service for anything, just let me know". Was tempted to see if he could rustle up a kilo of weed, but thought best not to push my luck to far......am pretty sure he could have obliged on reflection though. What a great country! some people complain about the corrupt police but sometimes the system works extremely well, especially if you are a cool customer. be calm and polite and most police any where including thailand are mostly nice and understanding fair comment, but you cant pay them off in australia and its cost you 50$ for a bloody parking ticket. also theres no way on earth that you will be getting any money back. actually our parking inspectors are throw backs to the gestapo as they are way more hard core than the cops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiamSquare123 Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 (edited) everyone here talks bad about them, but if they are ever on the wrong side of the tracks they will be thinking how great the thai police are compared to the police back home. Edited July 6, 2007 by SiamSquare123 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blizzard Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 now heres a guy who knows business. cops good to him , so maybe he can deal drug with em. APPROVED...........GO FOR IT GUY! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eek Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 Was set to read another negative comment, glad to see it wasnt. How refreshing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chinthee Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 I agree. Be cool and all your problems are solved in LOS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafval Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 thats strange because I had a friend who found a very helpful policeman, and he too had a minibus side business Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwertz Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 I once had a problem getting my 2K Baht motosy deposit back from a street stand travel bureau in Pattaya. On the third fruitless visit the stand was gone, leaving me and several other farangs without our deposits. I dropped in to the tourist police, they brought out a car and we toured Pattaya for 2 hours asking questions until we found the miscreants. All arguments were dismissed by the cops and the operators were told to cough up or be jailed. They paid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinkPopularity Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 true, I also heard all the corruption stories, but personal I have nothing but good experiences with the police here ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chemist Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 Yes, isn't it refreshing to see some positive comments about the Thai police ! I have never had any problems with them. In fact, I have found them to be very helpful, polite and understanding. An example: In Phuket a few years ago I was stopped at one of those police checkpoints while driving a rented motosai. The policeman that pulled me over discovered that the label (the one with the current year according to the Thai calendar printed on it) attached to "my" bike was two days overdue. I explained that I had rented the bike, and that I knew nothing about this issue. I showed him the rental contract with the hiring company's phone number, and the policeman then used his mobile to call the hiring company to explain the situation to them. After the phone conversation he explained to me that I had to pay a fee of 500 baht, but that I would get my money back from the hiring company (and I did get the money back). That incident made my day at the time . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garro Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 I have never had any problem with the Thai cops and have found them to be a very friendly bunch indeed. We live across from the police box and so know the local cops fairly well. They have gone out of their way to be helpful over the years and have made me feel welcome in the village. They get on very well with the rest of the village as well and the cop shop is more like a social centre than anything else. The only trouble I have ever seen them deal with is regularly a drunk villager will decide to clear the air and tell everyone exactly how he feels about them and I sometimes get them to remove snakes from my garden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mellow1 Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 It is only reasonable that there be friendly cops here,and I have met many of them too.Of course being unfriendly to everyone in a small village,would leave you with no one to speak with,and it would get lonely. Maybe this police corruption is just a myth.Maybe the rest of the world just doesn't understand the mysterious Asian mind,and cannot see, this is just a different cultures way, of dedicated community service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundman Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 fair comment, but you cant pay them off in australia and its cost you 50$ for a bloody parking ticket. also theres no way on earth that you will be getting any money back. actually our parking inspectors are throw backs to the gestapo as they are way more hard core than the cops. Try Melbourne Terry, Up to $200 for parking in a no standing zone & the same for a clearway with the addition of the towing fees as well. Parking Inspectors are like sea lice in Melborne. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sing_Sling Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 I agree. Be cool and all your problems are solved in LOS. Hahaha . . . yes. Be cool and you'll be screwed left, right and centre every time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sakeopete Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 I have found the secret to avoiding tea money payments. As soon as I get stopped and the cop is at my window I politely ask him how he is if his wife and family are fine. If he says he is not married I joke with him that he must have many girl friends then. Since doing this they have all smiled and gave me the wave to continue on. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ping Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 Don't get me wrong, I am not about to bag the local police, but out of the two incidents in which I have had involvement with them (other than the checkpoints - never a problem with them at those) - they let me down both times. The first was a few years ago in Bangkok. No ashtrays anywhere, so I dropped the dog on the ground and stamped it out. B500 tea money straight in the pocket with a promise to send a receipt to my hotel in a few days (a hotel they did not know). Fair enough, but it is clear that this was their regular earner - they had the whole scheme down pat. Second incident was when I was cheated of some money in a shop and could prove it. When the BIBs finally arrived, it turned out they were pals with the shop owner. End of story. Granted, both are extremely minor incidents, but we need to understand and accept that the element of corruption in Thailand is a subset within the culture and the police are part of it and we are all aware of it and usually have the common sense to know that there are risks in not playing the game. That does not mean that the police are not very good, perhaps even efficient & effective, in some of the tasks they undertake. Let us just not put them up there on pedestals. For those of you who cannot get to the keyboard quickly enough to start casting literary stones, please make sure you have understood what I have written. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpdkorat Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 I have always found the Thai police to be very helpful and accomadating. A thai police friend of mine is now living with the ex wife and looking after my ex resort. You go to luv em. I did get to return the favour though, when I met his ex wife a year later in Pattaya. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ping Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 MPD - perfect! ...but it sounds like he got the better deal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpdkorat Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 MPD - perfect! ...but it sounds like he got the better deal To be honest I think I got the better deal. You have never met the ex wife Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwertz Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 All this reminds me of a comment on a toilet wall. "Make a friend in Thailand - bribe a cop today" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 Found a parking ticket on my window yesterday. Apparently I was parked in one of those areas of odd and even day bans (wan kii / wan koo) and a keen BIB ticketed me whilst I was in the Internet cafe. No sign around but that doesn't surprise me.OK, fair dos.........400 Baht was the stated fine......not a fortune and first time been done, so can't complain, unlike the monster traffic wardens of Little Britain. Went round the copshop in town and found the grandly named "Command Centre" where they collect fines. Raised a few eyebrows that they'd caught a farang and that this one could speak Thai "better than Southerners" (cop's words). So I handed over the ticket and 400 Baht with a smile and was gobsmacked when they handed back a 100 baht note with a smile. Whether this reduction was for prompt payment or for me joking with them that they should put some prominent signs up warning the motorist which days were off days for parking, I'm not sure, but I know it wouldn't happen in UK. One BIB was extremely chatty and friendly (maybe because he sensed a potential future customer for his minibus side-business) and we got on great. So much so that when I left, he said "If we can be for service for anything, just let me know". Was tempted to see if he could rustle up a kilo of weed, but thought best not to push my luck to far......am pretty sure he could have obliged on reflection though. What a great country! some people complain about the corrupt police but sometimes the system works extremely well, especially if you are a cool customer. be calm and polite and most police any where including thailand are mostly nice and understanding fair comment, but you cant pay them off in australia and its cost you 50$ for a bloody parking ticket. also theres no way on earth that you will be getting any money back. actually our parking inspectors are throw backs to the gestapo as they are way more hard core than the cops. yes but sometimes one gets surprised by them. The other week I got done on a suburban street of Sydney. I turned left on a side street (for some unphantomable reason there is a stop sign on a main road of a T junction, forcing cars to give way from traffic coming from that side street .... but hey this is assie-land so nothing surprise me anymore), and nobody ever cares to stop, we all just slow down. As soon as I turned into the side street 2 police cars were waiting to catch unsuspecting drivers (they had already stopped 2 cars), the coppers craftily positioned themselves in the blind spot, drivers couldn't see them until it was too late. To compound the matter I was on the phone with a customer. Geee, you should have seen the righteous look on the copper's face and heard his imperious voice ordering him to stop there and then. A discussion ensued because I stopped a few yards ahead as there were no gaps between parked cars. The copper threatened me with 6 points and 460 bucks fine, for not stopping at the stop sign and for driving whilst on the phone. Wot! are you for real? (I intentionally used this toe curling aussie expression), lo and behold he softened up and come up with this gem: "I know you're a good man .... I'm only giving you 3 points and $230 fine. Have a g'day" To**er! What pi**ed me off more than anything else was his obnoxious attitude and rudeness (after 2 years I still can't get used to that), in the UK one doesn't get discounts from the Old Bill but at least they conduct themselves in a more civilised manner. The only brush with the law I had in Thailand, was the time I was riding pillion on my ex teerak's scooter in Jomtien. Both of us weren't wearing the compulsory helmet (we were returning from a restaurant to her office, a 300 yards ride), a cop stopped us and handed over the fine. He handled the whole thing with a smile, almost apologetic for doing his duty. My ex just laughed it off saying she had no intention to go to police station to pay the fine. I think she never did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plachon Posted July 7, 2007 Author Share Posted July 7, 2007 I have found the secret to avoiding tea money payments. As soon as I get stopped and the cop is at my window I politely ask him how he is if his wife and family are fine. If he says he is not married I joke with him that he must have many girl friends then. Since doing this they have all smiled and gave me the wave to continue on. :-) Sounds like a good idea........... unless he's gay. I was once flagged down by a traffic cop, and expecting to be rumbled for speeding was hoping I had a couple of spare red ones my wallet (nothing worse than being caught with only small change and grand notes). Instead, he asked me where I was going and when I said Sakhon Nakhon, he smiled and asked for a lift. Times must be hard in the tamruad jalajon, when they have to cadge lifts of passers by, so don't begrudge them their little bonuses all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qualtrough Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 A couple years back I was driving back on Phaholyothin about 2 AM. Road was almost empty, and I blew through a red light rather than stop somewhat abruptly. Only one side road and no cars in sight. OK, not a good thing to do, but I did it. Well, there was a cluster of cops just past the intersection and a copy waved me over. Asked me where I was going and I said, "home, right over there," to which he replied with the Thai equivalent of "On your way then." Another time I got bagged for driving in a bus lane downtown. Gave that cop 200 and moved on. I couldn't find my way out of the bus lane and at the Pratunam intersection I got stopped by another cop. I told him I had just been stopped for the same thing and asked for a discount, which I got with a smile. He then stopped traffic and helped me back up and move out of the bus lane. I think that on the whole farangs who don't have an attitude or get involved in something really sleazy get treated better by the cops than Thais do. YMMV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jersey_UK Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 Ok not exactly a Thai cop story.............. On my last exit from Thailand I was due to pay yet another overstay fine (at the new airport they have a desk for this purpose located directly behind immigration in open view (unlike the Don Muang desk which was in a glass office)..........I patiently waited my turn to be processed by the uniformed female clerk (I presumed she was an immigration officer). When it was my time to be processed I was invited to sit down and I smiled politely and presented my passport. Whilst the officer was completing the paperwork a couple in their early 20's (who had a backpacker type appearance), approached the desk and whilst the male shouted loudly at his partner in a foreign language she demanded in loud and broken English from the Female Thai Immigration officer to know where to pay the departure tax. The body language of both foreigners was exceedingly aggressive, coupled with the lack of any common courtesy let alone politeness the effect was quite breathtaking..........if the person they were speaking to had just shat in their backpack then their behaviour and attitide would perhaps have been merited, but as far as I could tell the Immigration officer had not in fact done so I looked away from the situation in sheer embarrassment and shock. Once they had departed I exchanged looks with the Female Thai immigration officer that each said "absolutely unbeleivable" and I felt that I should also really say something, but all I could manage to do was open my mouth a couple of times because words really failed me - but we both smiled.......and she processed me. She knocked me down a day on the overstay fine (deliberately or not I know not). What's the point of the story? Just that I truly despair sometimes at not only the sheer impoliteness of some people, but the complete stupidity of folk who in a foriegn land would treat a uniformed immigration officer so rudely (especially at an Airport in 2007).........if I had been that uniformed officer, I would have given them a b#llocking and probably have had them detained for at least a little while. Of course if I ever reach the Promised Land I will probably find that rude, obnoxious and aggresive behaviour is the norm......... BTW if my take on the situation may seem biased, it's because I do have a "thing" about Thai women in Uniforms! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baboon Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 I have never had a single problem with the Police here. Best money can buy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Clifton Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 I've had more encounters with crooked Thai cops than good. Was once pulled over along with 4 other cars, he wanted tea money from all 4 at once, no one had done anything wrong , I argued a bit (waste their tea money collecting time ), he got greedy and went to the next car. I took off quietly but fast. Checking my mirrors all along, he never saw a thing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philliphn Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 (edited) I have never had a single problem with the Police here. Best money can buy! I have never had a single problem with a Thai Policeman. In fact we have never even had an occassion to speak. Granted I have only visited Thailand three times for about 3 months duration collectively. I have heard many stories about the Thai police especially in TV over the years. Most of these stories have been in a negative mode. However, I have developed an understanding about how the Thai police work by reading this site. Edited July 7, 2007 by philliphn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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