Pattaya City Police have ordered an internal fact-finding inquiry after a group of Kuwaiti tourists alleged they were given questionable receipts after paying cash traffic fines in the resort city.

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Three officers named in the complaint have been temporarily transferred to the Pattaya City Police operations centre while the investigation proceeds. The order took effect on 15 July 2026, and remains in place until changed.

The tourists, aged around 20 to 30, said they had travelled in Pattaya during the past month when uniformed police officers stopped them for traffic offences. They accepted that they had broken traffic rules and did not object to being prosecuted, according to the complaint.

Complaint centres on receipts

Their concern arose after officers allegedly collected fines in cash and issued receipts. When the tourists later checked the documents, they were reportedly told that they were not receipts issued by a police station.

The group also claimed they had been stopped several times and received receipts of a similar kind on each occasion.

The inquiry was ordered by Pol Lt Col Kosala Ngamphong, deputy superintendent for investigations at Pattaya City Police, who is acting superintendent of the station.

A three-member committee has been appointed to gather evidence and examine the allegations. It is chaired by Pol Lt Col Siriwat Katchamat, deputy superintendent for crime suppression at Pattaya City Police.

Pol Lt Col Amonthep Maima, traffic inspector at Pattaya City Police, is a committee member, alongside Pol Capt Ittiporn Tangchuthaveesap, deputy inspector for investigations, who will serve as member and secretary.

Officers moved during investigation

The three officers named in the allegations have been assigned temporarily to the Pattaya City Police operations centre, with Pol Lt Col Siriwat responsible for supervising their duties.

Police said the transfers were intended to ensure a transparent inquiry and prevent any effect on normal official work. If the investigation finds wrongdoing, those involved will face both disciplinary action and criminal proceedings, police said.

For foreigners driving or riding in Pattaya, the complaint does not change the requirement to comply with Thai traffic laws or pay valid penalties. However, visitors who are fined may wish to retain all paperwork and, if they have doubts about a receipt, seek clarification from the relevant police station rather than relying solely on a document handed over at the roadside.

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15 July 2026

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"Police said the transfers were intended to ensure a transparent inquiry and prevent any effect on normal official work. If the investigation finds wrongdoing, those involved will face both disciplinary action and criminal proceedings, police said."

So disciplinary action???

I wonder what that could entail....a fine, moved to a desk job, or a promotion?

15 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

visitors who are fined may wish to retain all paperwork and, if they have doubts about a receipt, seek clarification from the relevant police station

Is that possible visitors know where the station is, open and anyone there speaks visitor language?

"A spokesman for the foxes said that they take henhouse security very seriously, and are determined to get to the bottom of the accusations made by the hens."

System efficiency: investigator, prosecutor and a judge all in one person

Saw some Pattaya cops near Terminal 21 last week and they appeared to be fining people for no helmets.

They were dishing them out to Thais as well. They appeared to have some machine that was printing out the fines. Didn’t see any money exchanged.

20 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Is that possible visitors know where the station is, open and anyone there speaks visitor language?

Well, I suppose you have to read the receipt written in Thai language?

So, it would be advisable to have always a copy of a real receipt in your pockets to compare?

🤣😂🤣

The foxes guarding the hen house. The police investigating themselves? And the accused transferred to a police station within the city? Transparency means something different than what has been my understanding.

The probing is designed to ensure in case of a complaint nobody can be named. The training is about how to do it properly. Every officer from street cop to the commander is on the take. Every one of them has paid a bribe to be in this locations lucrative opportunity to make money.

During the years I have been in Pattaya and riding a motorcycle, I have been stopped numerous times….I call it driving while white! Only 1 time have I been required to go to the station and pay the fine, eveytime previously there was a motorcycle taxi willing to take my cash, (fine + taxi cost) go to the station, pay the fine and come back. Odd though, they must have a fast lane just for them since they were able to do in in a few minutes while it tool me 30-40 🤔😱

Edited July 16Jul 16 by ttk

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This would be like Trump probing claims of his own corruption. How would the RTP ever be able to maintain any objectivity with regard to the deeply rooted corruption within all of its ranks, from top to bottom? They are the nation's greatest pyramid scheme. They are all franchisees.

The RTP at it's inception seems to have been created with a status quo from the government. We will NOT pay you a living wage, but you have a franchise, and the limit of your income is based solely on your own creativity and initiative, and you will always be protected. Is that not the case? 

17 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Pattaya City Police have ordered an internal fact-finding inquiry

There are no facts to be found in Thailand, only smoke and mirrors. The facts are what they say are the facts, and very rarely are they the facts. 😂

2 hours ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

"Police said the transfers were intended to ensure a transparent inquiry and prevent any effect on normal official work. If the investigation finds wrongdoing, those involved will face both disciplinary action and criminal proceedings, police said."

So disciplinary action???

I wonder what that could entail....a fine, moved to a desk job, or a promotion?

It's just a case of the police running out of official reciept books and officers having to buy their own.

2 hours ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

"Police said the transfers were intended to ensure a transparent inquiry and prevent any effect on normal official work. If the investigation finds wrongdoing, those involved will face both disciplinary action and criminal proceedings, police said."

So disciplinary action???

I wonder what that could entail....a fine, moved to a desk job, or a promotion?

Or a specific 'payment' to a senior officer to approve their return?

You would think this is something new

Years back my wife and myself were travelling in a Tuk Tuk in Bangkok the driver was piulled over and a traffic police

Man fined him 100 baht saying he did not stop at a red light

The driver said to me what can you do that's my fare gone I paid him 200 baht helped him out

I’m sure the idiots have a phone, and could have easily google translated the receipts and if they had concerns then they should have gone to the police station on GPS after the first incident. We all know this will be brushed under the carpet soon enough. Just had to publicly announce that they were looking into it. 😉

We hear of police officers in Thailand being transferred to 'inactive posts'. That's kind of an ambition for me, what I aspire to! Where do I sign-up for one?😀

Edited July 16Jul 16 by Andrew65

Looking into it doesn't translate to doing anything about it.

Nothing to see here.

3 hours ago, Front Row said:

The foxes guarding the hen house. The police investigating themselves? And the accused transferred to a police station within the city? Transparency means something different than what has been my understanding.

The Police have fully investigated, and it's all a misunderstanding.😇

2 hours ago, shackleton said:

You would think this is something new

Years back my wife and myself were travelling in a Tuk Tuk in Bangkok the driver was piulled over and a traffic police

TravelGuides & Travelogues

Man fined him 100 baht saying he did not stop at a red light

The driver said to me what can you do that's my fare gone I paid him 200 baht helped him out

Oldest one in the book - they then met up later at a bar and had beers on you and everyone else from that day

3 hours ago, Front Row said:

The foxes guarding the hen house. The police investigating themselves? And the accused transferred to a police station within the city? Transparency means something different than what has been my understanding.

'Putting the mice in charge of the cheese.'😁

These officers could be in big trouble, if they're running a scam outside the normal system.

I'm sure the investigation will be as thorough as the one a couple of years ago, that found that there was no evidence of prostitution in Pattaya !

6 hours ago, BexMan said:

Saw some Pattaya cops near Terminal 21 last week and they appeared to be fining people for no helmets.

They were dishing them out to Thais as well. They appeared to have some machine that was printing out the fines. Didn’t see any money exchanged.

Terminal 21 is one of their favourite places. I wonder why?

"Their concern arose after officers allegedly collected fines in cash and issued receipts. When the tourists later checked the documents, they were reportedly told that they were not receipts issued by a police station".

This is a serious crime. Collecting fines and not sharing with the police colonel is completely and utterly unacceptable. The colonel paid good money for his postion and needs to see a return on his investment. I am horrified!

Nothing unusual it happens everyday

On 7/16/2026 at 8:11 AM, Smokey and the Bandit said:

"Police said the transfers were intended to ensure a transparent inquiry and prevent any effect on normal official work. If the investigation finds wrongdoing, those involved will face both disciplinary action and criminal proceedings, police said."

So disciplinary action???

I wonder what that could entail....a fine, moved to a desk job, or a promotion?

Maybe they will be issued proper reciept books instead of having to buy their own