What Is The Protocol For These Random Pattaya Police Road Blocks?

[sweetchariot]

If you drive a car, my best suggestion is to make sure that it does not have any tinting /reflective film on the windscreen to stop them seeing that it is a Farang driving. If they can see you and you were not speeding / cruising in the right lane then 99% of the time you are going to get waved on, especially if you slow down and smile (turn off headlights at night).

Sorry but that is the worst suggestion I have ever heard.

Since buying a car with blacked out windows I have never been pulled in nearly a year. Prior to that I was pulled about 8 times in the previous year with untinted windows.

Although not very scientific, my conclusion from this is that they want to pull farangs in cars, as that is where the money is. If they can't see you, they don't pull you.

I have been told that my windows are illegal in Thailand, but never had any problems, and they have probably saved me a few thousand baht.

[Jareddiving]

I never get stopped on highway 36.

Why because i dont drive on the right side all the time and i drive max 100 km/h.

They are allways standing at the same place.

Rayong to Pattaya = Under the bridge where the military is building the new road.

Pattaya to Rayong = Just before the turn to Bangkok 9close to the regents school)

If you know where they are standing why dont you go to the left lane and drive about 90km/h.

[Gary A]

Some of you guys are paranoid. I have been waved through checkpoints more often than stopped because I am a farang.

Once in Bangkok I was going the wrong way on a one way street. The cop stopped me and gave me a confused look, as to ask why are you so stupid. I pointed to my girlfriend and he grinned and nodded. He wanted to know where I was going and I told him. He got on his bike, turned on the red gum ball machines, stopped traffic so I could make a U turn and had me follow him. I was very grateful because I had no idea where I was at. No fine and no bribe. I was looking for the Krung Thon bridge and when we were close enough to see it he pointed and waved me ahead.

The last time I was stopped when heading up country, I got stopped for speeding. I WAS speeding. The cop handed me a Buddha envelope and asked if I had 100 baht to put in it. I did and he shook his finger at me and told me Jai yen yen and slow down.

Sure beats paying $500 in the US for a red light violation.

[fisherd3]

I was stopped on highway 3 past Rayong, and having just read on the board the day before what to do, I sat in my Suzy Jeep, held my passport open below window line with 100thb on top, (that all I had in small money), and looked straight ahead, the cop just reached in took the 100thb and off I went, no ticket nothing, it seems to me logistically, if you are being given 100thb easily, to try and bump it up to two with a person who does not speak your language is just too much grief.

[genobkk]

I thought the rate was 100, when did it go to 200?? I been in Thailand for 7 years and never had any issues but seen man friends white and thai give 100, sometimes thai couldjust pay 50 so now it is 200 for us white folds??

[Thedonald]

I've managed to avoid being stopped by the crimi ... er boys in brown when they setup road blocks on Sukhumvhit. They seem to be stopping cars and bikes -

• What's the protocol if you are stopped?
  
• What do they really want?
  
• Have you been stopped?
  
• Did they ask for money for a made up infraction?
  

Tell your stories - I see more and more of them lately.

000

[Thedonald]

I've managed to avoid being stopped by the crimi ... er boys in brown when they setup road blocks on Sukhumvhit. They seem to be stopping cars and bikes -

• What's the protocol if you are stopped?
  
• What do they really want?
  
• Have you been stopped?
  
• Did they ask for money for a made up infraction?
  

Tell your stories - I see more and more of them lately.

000

[Thedonald]

I've managed to avoid being stopped by the crimi ... er boys in brown when they setup road blocks on Sukhumvhit. They seem to be stopping cars and bikes -

• What's the protocol if you are stopped?
  
• What do they really want?
  
• Have you been stopped?
  
• Did they ask for money for a made up infraction?
  

Tell your stories - I see more and more of them lately.

000

[Thedonald]

I have lived here in Pattaya for quite awhile. I drive a motorbike, a nice one, not a car. I have been stopped at checkpoints about five times. I have never paid the coppers anything. I smile and give them what they ask for. My advice is do not offer money before it is asked for. Play dumb. I say I do not drive a car because it may change what I have just said but I don't think so. It's worked for me. I believe that we, expats, are own worst enemies when it comes to dealing with the police here. How many times have I heard other guys say, just give them money and it all goes away?

[Beardog]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Why not just have a yearly 1500 baht stamp to show you already gave at the office(over& over&over)But I reckon the lower paid grunts wouldn't get their share & feel slighted, & the Thai's they might be fortunate to squeeze only for a small bottle of Whiskey Only a problem for them if their are more than 6 on a Honda wave & no problem if the first & last people have a helmet. only good answer on the checkpoints drive in the opposite lane(against traffic & pretend not to see em!

Edited December 21, 2007 by Beardog

[Beardog]

Because we use highway 36 at least twice a day to get to Pattaya (drop the kids off a school and collect them) we do see the police almost every week on one side of the highway or the other. The way they leap out in front of vehicles I am surprised more of them are not killed or injured collecting their dubious fines.

They can cause a lot of problems for a driver so it really is better not to aggravate them and just nod and smile politely and give them the 200 baht they want. They have never asked for more than my driving license and are not really interested in anything except the bribe money to let you go. I have never had a ticket or a receipt for this money, just hand it over and smile, I don't even think about it anymore, there is no point in getting upset about it it is just part of living in Thailand.

Reading your posts Em, I think them highway 36 chaps have your number... literally! You don't claim to be speeding, staying in the overtaking lane too long or any other moving violation so I reckon you have been pegged as a meal ticket. Maybe time to get another set of wheels?

I think you are probably right NanLaew I do seem to get stopped regularly but I would rather not cause any trouble and I don't speak much Thai and they certainly don't speak much English, it does seem easier just to pay them (even though it does pi** me off). 200 baht every few weeks is cheaper than buying a new car especially since the one we have is newish anyway. But yes I admit it I am probably and easy target for them and I am sure they see me coming!

try having a few 20's and a 50 stuffed in the center console a stuff around looking for change when they ask and say i just have this as you hand them 100 in change, never pull out a loaded wallet

Thanks Baz I will give it a try next time!

Simple Gents,

If you are riding a bike then join the line for checking of drivers license, bike papers etc. This is as much to look out for the bikes that we have had stolen as anything else. If you have a helmet on and all the paperwork in place, then there will not even be a question about fines/money changing hands.

If you drive a car, my best suggestion is to make sure that it does not have any tinting /reflective film on the windscreen to stop them seeing that it is a Farang driving. If they can see you and you were not speeding / cruising in the right lane then 99% of the time you are going to get waved on, especially if you slow down and smile (turn off headlights at night).

If they want to pull you or you have come over the last hill in the right lane (doing 160 if like me), be nice and pay their lunch. It is a lot better than the corresponding fine in UK/US and the points (and insurance penalties) that go with them. If you can speak the lingo 50 to 100 is OK otherwise keep 200 handy in chonburi / rayong and 500 (greedy pigs) in Bkk.

Final word of warning - unless you really know what you are doing, never, never get angry or confrontational - you will not get anywhere and you will piss them off.

I love driving in Thailand!

OH

I have not relcate to Thailand as yet. However, I will be in Thailand including Baan Chang, Rayong for 4-5 months next year. We plan to buy or rent a car. I have a Thai (nurse) wife. She happened to have a classmate's husband, who is a Thai police general in Bangkok. She told me that driving in Pataya, Rayong or country side may require to carry her police friend's business card to show at any police check point. First I disagreed because I'd like to make myself as small as possible. And I do not like to bribe any officer. However, after I read this "Police check point forum," it became a dilemma of ---to do-- or-- not to do. I do not have any idea what would be happening in showing a police general's card at any police check point along with a driver license as being suggested. I am afraid; it could make them (check point police) mad and getting worse off. Because anyone can print any business card. (Confirmation is not easy because our experience is that our police general friend is always very difficult to reach by phone during a business day.) I need to ask for wisdom of fellows who have been living in Thailand for some times. Do you and anyone have any idea or suggestion?

cheers

Keep 100 baht note behind your policemans friends card they might not know him but that will jog their memory a little bit!

[Beardog]

I have not relcate to Thailand as yet. However, I will be in Thailand including Baan Chang, Rayong for 4-5 months next year. We plan to buy or rent a car. I have a Thai (nurse) wife. She happened to have a classmate's husband, who is a Thai police general in Bangkok. She told me that driving in Pataya, Rayong or country side may require to carry her police friend's business card to show at any police check point. First I disagreed because I'd like to make myself as small as possible. And I do not like to bribe any officer. However, after I read this "Police check point forum," it became a dilemma of ---to do-- or-- not to do. I do not have any idea what would be happening in showing a police general's card at any police check point along with a driver license as being suggested. I am afraid; it could make them (check point police) mad and getting worse off. Because anyone can print any business card. (Confirmation is not easy because our experience is that our police general friend is always very difficult to reach by phone during a business day.) I need to ask for wisdom of fellows who have been living in Thailand for some times. Do you and anyone have any idea or suggestion?

cheers

Keep 100 baht note behind your policemans friends card they might not know him but that will jog their memory a little bit!