Warning For Speeders

[onnut]

I was doing 130 kph and saw some coppers hiding behind the wall of the slip road on the tollway, so new I had been clocked. when I got to the tollway entrance I was told to pull over and told to go and see some coppers outside there office area.

they with held my Thai license and told me I would have to drive to the police station to collect it the next day. they would not take any money off me, I tried to give them 500 and they said no.

anyway, a couple of days later I collected my licences or tried to, I was told to come back in 15 days time to collect it. I had a 500 baht fine and 30 points on the license. we start with 60 points, so thats not good.

I wont be speeding anymore, at least trying not to.

mind yourselves, maybe they are getting strict now. or could it be because of the upcomming elections? Ive never heard of anyone getting points over here. bad luck for me.....

[v8tfcorty]

i got done 14 times in one month on the changwattana fly-over, had no issues at all with providing some tea money...

[MarcoH]

I was doing 130 kph and saw some coppers hiding behind the wall of the slip road on the tollway, so new I had been clocked. when I got to the tollway entrance I was told to pull over and told to go and see some coppers outside there office area.

they with held my Thai license and told me I would have to drive to the police station to collect it the next day. they would not take any money off me, I tried to give them 500 and they said no.

anyway, a couple of days later I collected my licences or tried to, I was told to come back in 15 days time to collect it. I had a 500 baht fine and 30 points on the license. we start with 60 points, so thats not good.

I wont be speeding anymore, at least trying not to.

mind yourselves, maybe they are getting strict now. or could it be because of the upcomming elections? Ive never heard of anyone getting points over here. bad luck for me.....

That is the good part to live outside BKKas our licenses dont have points system,, heard also that few friends living in bkk but got license from some remote area outside bkk, so no points where deducted....

But again,, THANX for our swedish police force who are giving those new radars to BKK and Pattaya police,,so we cant use Express way as AUTOBAHN

[thaipete]

I have been stopped many times for speeding but tea money always worked

[initiala4]

I have been stopped many times for speeding but tea money always worked

I wonder what kind of radar do these cops use?

[wca01]

NEVER hand over your licence to the cop. Tell them, you forget it at home. They don't will arrest you, but they will give you a fine. (500 Baht). This fine you can pay at the spot.

Didier

[Digitalbanana]

NEVER hand over your licence to the cop. Tell them, you forget it at home. They don't will arrest you, but they will give you a fine. (500 Baht). This fine you can pay at the spot.

Didier

Or, as they should do, keep your vehicle and keys until you come back with a driving license and paid fine at the police station?

[wca01]

Or, as they should do, keep your vehicle and keys until you come back with a driving license and paid fine at the police station?

But I can assure you they won't! Worst scene senario: They really want keep your keys - then you simply "just find your licence" in your pocket. Again, never hand over your licence - at least until they want keep your vehicle. (Remember: Many, many Thai drivers don't have any licence)

Didier

[raybkk]

NEVER hand over your licence to the cop. Tell them, you forget it at home. They don't will arrest you, but they will give you a fine. (500 Baht). This fine you can pay at the spot.

Didier

Or, as they should do, keep your vehicle and keys until you come back with a driving license and paid fine at the police station?

You dont need to show up yourself at the police station to pay your fine. You can sent anybody to pay it for you... just sign on the back of the ticket.

[qualtrough]

Anybody reading this thread find it ironic that most of us find the driving standards here crazy and the cops corrupt, but now when the cops do something about it and won't take a bribe all we hear are complaints!! Can't win for losing I think...

[culicine]

Still it could be worse...like driving around desolate streets in an outback country town in Australia at 50km/h, with a radar gun on every corner. It's more nervewracking driving there than it is in loS with all the traffic and congestion! And yet you can buy a 300kw ford/holden and can't use it for what it was designed. What a waste!

[VocalNeal]

I was doing 130 kph

Speed limit on Urban Tollways is 80kph I beleive same as surface streets. It could be 90 kph on elevated but the book doesn't differenciate. Once one has paid the toll going to Pattaya the limit is higher and all the 80 signs disapear.

[Thaiboxer]

I think 130kph is the most I could ever get my car to do and that was coming down a hill if I recall At present, I can't get the thing to consistently do more than about 95kph. Was on a trip to Ko Samed with my family and the thing started losing power/sputtering around 100kph. My dad figured it was the wiring/plugs. I had the plug wires, spark plugs, cap and rotor replace here in BKK as those parts are cheap tend to wear out every now and then. The car still has the same symptom so perhaps it's the carburator. Gotta love these old tubs though, built like tanks and can be serviced anywhere. With the cheap labor here, no wonder so many folks are putting around in cars from the 70's/early 80's.

[chinthee]

I've been stopped about 5 times in 7 years, and all over the country. Tea money always worked. However, doing 130 on the urban expressway is probably pushing your luck. Generally, I do around 100-110 and no problems.

[v8tfcorty]

of the 14 times i got done last month, atleast 8 were over 170km/h(expressway/fly over to changwattana) always got done at a tollway, no issues at all with providing some tea money, one just needs to be a tad discrete in how one goes about it.

having said that ive also been done for no seat belt 3 times between laem chabang (work) and pattaya (home) tea-money was frowned upon immensely( trip to police station next day 200baht licence returned).

Edited November 19, 2007 by v8tfcorty

[PeaceBlondie]

Maybe I live and drive in another country, the Lanna Kingdom. I've gone over 50K kilometers so far, much of it over 120 kph, never been stopped for nuttin' other than the time I forgot my helmet in my own neighborhood. And, I was stopped at the same intersection for driver license, and I showed them my exaggerator's license from Texas Total cost for 50,000 km, 200 baht. We don't have points here; it seems more like a quaint Western custom we left behind.

[Moonfruit]

The BOB have been lurking on the BangNa-Chonburi expressway for months now with their radars. I got dont in the same scenario about 6 months ago, doing 140Kph.

500THB, paid on the spot after telling them my license was at home. They told me the limit on that highway is 120Kph. Its not an urban expressway, its inter-urban (does that word really exist?).

[torrenova]

I've been pulled up a few times and sometimes asked and sometimes when carrying baby and wife in tow not asked for a contribution.

[Dissolution]

Dang, it's going to take so much longer getting to Bang Na now that I'll have to watch for these guys.

No idea what the speed limit is on the tollway/highway... just going along with everyone else at ~170-200 on the right lane.

[onnut]

Thats the thing, what is the limit, they have a sign saying 80KPH which I think is very slow for a large highway like that. I think in future I will just take it easy until I have past the toll gates then let rip..... oh yeah, and next time I get stopped which will happen soon I will say I have left my licence at home. I dont mind paying tea money, but points................

[jaiyenyen]

Changing the topic slightly (sorry).

My first traffic fine in Thailand was for trying to push into a queue of traffic. I had made a genuine mistake (G/F was late in giving directions) I was not driving agressivly and I was indicating my intention, but still had my licence taken away and a baht 400 fine.

Like no-one ever pushes into a line of traffic in Thailand

[Plus]

Speed limit on highways is 120 km/h and sometimes they are pretty strict about that, they won't allow even 123. On important occasions they'd set a real roadblock with mobile ticket office and ask for licenses and give out receipts, but most of the time they just want 100-200 baht and if you can successfully pick up a hooker at Nana, you should be able to negotiate your way out just as easily.

If you know the road well enough you'll learn where and when they set the traps.

[cobalto]

I was doing 130 kph and saw some coppers hiding behind the wall of the slip road on the tollway, so new I had been clocked. when I got to the tollway entrance I was told to pull over and told to go and see some coppers outside there office area.

they with held my Thai license and told me I would have to drive to the police station to collect it the next day. they would not take any money off me, I tried to give them 500 and they said no.

anyway, a couple of days later I collected my licences or tried to, I was told to come back in 15 days time to collect it. I had a 500 baht fine and 30 points on the license. we start with 60 points, so thats not good.

I wont be speeding anymore, at least trying not to.

mind yourselves, maybe they are getting strict now. or could it be because of the upcomming elections? Ive never heard of anyone getting points over here. bad luck for me.....

Same as myself, the only differences were:

1) It happened in April (i think);

2) I did not have my wallet with me (forgot at home);

3) No fine, no bribe, no nothing!

What was the "trick"?

My wife was also in the car and she was pregnant (6-7 months). I told her to pretend to be in pain and I told the high officer (the one that speaks English): "Sorry, I know I was speeding, I don't have my license with me, forgot at home. But if you are going to fine me, please do it fast, I need to get in the hospital, my wife is pregnant and she is in pain!". He went to see her and said ok, go!!!

[cobalto]

Changing the topic slightly (sorry).

My first traffic fine in Thailand was for trying to push into a queue of traffic. I had made a genuine mistake (G/F was late in giving directions) I was not driving agressivly and I was indicating my intention, but still had my licence taken away and a baht 400 fine.

Like no-one ever pushes into a line of traffic in Thailand

I got a similar one to you in Sukhumvit... There is a traffic light where people on the left can drive through the red light. I was on the left lane (for quite a while) the officer was telling people to pass the red light (about 5 or 6 cars passed through the red light) and when was my time the cop stopped me, took my license and said that I had to get it in Thonglor police station.

I was so pissed that I went straight there and did a complain. I explained (with drawings) what happened, told them that I live here for 3 years already, know all the rules etc... I also told them that he only stopped me because I am Farang and he probably wanted some bribe, which it's against my integrity (only when I am right)... After talking with some officers (1 hour lost with it) they radioed the cop to bring my license back. No fees paid...

[PeaceBlondie]

My wife was also in the car and she was pregnant (6-7 months). I told her to pretend to be in pain and I told the high officer (the one that speaks English): "Sorry, I know I was speeding, I don't have my license with me, forgot at home. But if you are going to fine me, please do it fast, I need to get in the hospital, my wife is pregnant and she is in pain!". He went to see her and said ok, go!!!

I haven't been able to use that excuse for decades. The next time I want to speed on my motorcycle, is there a place I can rent a very pregnant Thai woman to ride on the back seat?

[Mosha]

I can see a business chance here. "Pregnant ladies for hire". ör "Preggies'R'US'

[Firefan]

Hmmm.... losing points does not sound good. Maybe I will just hand them my international licence in the future instead. That way they hopefully will not connect it with my Thai license and deduct points. Cheers!

[michael233]

TRY BUYING A RADAR DETECTER

[djinn]

Haaah I am happy to live in the far east (I mean Pattaya area...) Never any problem for speeding here.Even overtook very fast one or 2 highway police cars without reaction

Went this month to Sisaket.Camry 2.4 is a dream to overtake trucks and pick ups.Speed between 100 and 160 depending of conditions (sure not these speeds in villages or when babies went out of schools).Some road blocks near Sisaket but much more for illegal immigrants I think.And I have a nice trick:

I fixed on the front of the car a nice golden emblem with a crown on it...from the royal belgian yacht club ...written in flemish.(And I have dark tainted glasses too)

Since then I have never been stopped anymore at a road block

[onnut]

Haaah I am happy to live in the far east (I mean Pattaya area...) Never any problem for speeding here.Even overtook very fast one or 2 highway police cars without reaction

Went this month to Sisaket.Camry 2.4 is a dream to overtake trucks and pick ups.Speed between 100 and 160 depending of conditions (sure not these speeds in villages or when babies went out of schools).Some road blocks near Sisaket but much more for illegal immigrants I think.And I have a nice trick:

I fixed on the front of the car a nice golden emblem with a crown on it...from the royal belgian yacht club ...written in flemish.(And I have dark tainted glasses too)

Since then I have never been stopped anymore at a road block

I want one of them, thats a great idea, I will try it myself.