Pre-Covid, say around 2017-2018, Bangkok city center was basically one big police checkpoint after dark. Thonglor, Ekamai, Wireless, Phayathai, they practically rolled out the red carpet for breathalyzers once the bars shut. I lost count of how many times I got pulled over on my bike for the usual routine: license, paperwork, breath test, repeat.

 

One time they gave me the full VIP treatment. I’d just left the supermarket with a backpack full of groceries, receipt and everything. Didn’t matter. The officer practically unpacked my dinner for me while giving me the kind of pat-down you’d expect at airport security. I was half convinced they were about to slip something into my bag instead of out of it.

 

Fast forward to now, nothing. I haven’t seen a single roadblock in years. Maybe one or two in broad daylight if you’re lucky. And remember all those motorcycle kid gangs tearing it up around Din Daeng and Huay Kwang at 3 AM? Vanished. Like someone flipped a switch on Bangkok’s late-night chaos.

 

What gives? Did the police get bored or are we living in a simulation glitch?

They all at dunkin donuts.

 

Mark.

The police have to 'generate revenue'. Each month money has to be passed up the chain at every level. 

 

Checkpoints are a relatively inefficient way to generate revenue. More reliable, steady and lucrative revenue streams exist. It is best for the station commander to allocate his resources effectively. However, unforeseen events happen and other revenue can stop overnight. So, checkpoints may reappear. 

 

Everything is on the whim of the minister in a top-down decision-making process.

 

Just to share, I stopped at the traffic lights in the centre of Sri Racha one time on my motorbike and a cop jumped out and stuck his hand in my trouser pocket without any preamble. It was the middle of the day!

They stopped.

Well haven't you heard?

Cannabis is legal now!

 

1 hour ago, FriscoKid said:

Pre-Covid, say around 2017-2018, Bangkok city center was basically one big police checkpoint after dark. Thonglor, Ekamai, Wireless, Phayathai, they practically rolled out the red carpet for breathalyzers once the bars shut. I lost count of how many times I got pulled over on my bike for the usual routine: license, paperwork, breath test, repeat.

 

One time they gave me the full VIP treatment. I’d just left the supermarket with a backpack full of groceries, receipt and everything. Didn’t matter. The officer practically unpacked my dinner for me while giving me the kind of pat-down you’d expect at airport security. I was half convinced they were about to slip something into my bag instead of out of it.

 

Fast forward to now, nothing. I haven’t seen a single roadblock in years. Maybe one or two in broad daylight if you’re lucky. And remember all those motorcycle kid gangs tearing it up around Din Daeng and Huay Kwang at 3 AM? Vanished. Like someone flipped a switch on Bangkok’s late-night chaos.

 

What gives? Did the police get bored or are we living in a simulation glitch?

They still have them, although not as prevalent. I have been stopped and breathylised three times in last year maybe. My friend lives on Onnut and say he gets stopped at the same checkpoint nearly every afternoon (on his motorbike) and is breathylised. He is known to them now and every day it is "oh, really, again?", but all smiles. 

So they are still out there for sure.