Police Evening Checkpoints

[JoshMyPickle]

Been noticing intermittent police roadblocks at night around the moat as of late, and it seems like the inner corner near Chiang Mai Ram is a popular spot for the 30-odd <police officers> and their shiny-new big black paddy wagon... a few rumors are spreading that they may be piss testing on-the-spot? Has anyone been stopped by one of these setups and can you elaborate on the situation?

Edited March 15, 2008 by Crow Boy
removal of inappropriate term for police officers

[gpdjohn]

I was part of "the club" the other day..

but no paddy wagon, no UA's, just citations for us helmetless riders.

I have as noticed as of late and was informed, while paying my fine of 200 bhat, that the BIB were going to do ALOT of checkpoints everyday at different locals mainly for traffic violations.

( my contact w/ them was during daylight hours... )

[slapout]

^They were set up on Chang Klan at 0700 Thursday and Friday doing helmet checks.

[Cyberstar]

Surely, they actually are doing some sort of effort - and it even works (for the moment). There have been several occasions this week where the (inner moat area located) wife voluntarily took on her helmet because the jungle drums told her there were police on some spot she had to pass by to buy groceries.

[BigSnake]

Great get a few more drunks off the road, Thank you police for doing something right for a change.

[gpdjohn]

Great get a few more drunks off the road, Thank you police for doing something right for a change.

Here..hear!!

They are changing locations and times daily.

They were very polite and professional to me and all those around me.

But I'm sure if you're up to no good, then they'll break it off in ya.

( I was guilty and I admitted it and paid my fine with a smile.. even showed 'em my American flat badge, which they thought was cool, but unlike NYC or Philly or even LA and PHX..it didn't matter. Went out and bought a helmet within 20 minutes of leaving the station! )

If you're not ingesting any thing illegal, fear not the pee test...

[Paagai]

New government needs cash to pay for all their new policies, not to mention all the votes they bought, and you know who's retirement fund. I mean, he has retired from politics, right?

[Allyt]

Hey hey hey, next month is Songkran.

Our finest need their drinking money, it's the same every year.

Ally

[PeaceBlondie]

The helmet and license checks, during the day and especially near the moat corners, is old hat. I think the OP is asking about nighttime checkpoints where the road is narrowed to a single lane, such as southbound on the canal road, south of Suthep Road. They have never stopped me (surely they recognize me and the bike as being local), but I am never drunk.

So, are there locations after 10 p.m. where the drunks are getting stopped and arrested?

[gpdjohn]

Hey hey hey, next month is Songkran.

Our finest need their drinking money, it's the same every year.

Ally

Funny you mention that...while sitting in the police station, 2 officers brough in 4 cases of Chang Beer and carried them into the Commander's office..

[engineer]

I was politely gestered over to the side of the road a few evenings ago by a Brown Bandit. He proceeded to try and tell me that I hade no registration plate on the rear of my CB400.

This sudden and shocking news made me forget all my Thai except for the works " May Cow Jai " . As he realised that he was getting no where he let put his pen and fine book away and told me " go " .

Must agree that I have seen a dramatic increase of checkpoints over the last week.

Keep in mind the following :

The sun in Thailand sets in the West and at about 7:30PM. If you are cornering the moat on a bike in the late evening and you see a strange red glow ahead, it might not be the setting sun, its scooter breaklights and its time for you to hit yours and do a U-E.

[Flatouthruthefog]

The helmet and license checks, during the day and especially near the moat corners, is old hat. I think the OP is asking about nighttime checkpoints where the road is narrowed to a single lane, such as southbound on the canal road, south of Suthep Road. They have never stopped me (surely they recognize me and the bike as being local), but I am never drunk.

So, are there locations after 10 p.m. where the drunks are getting stopped and arrested?

Yes, I can report 1 new one which has not been around in the past 3 years.

South bound on the main Chiang Rai-Chiang Mai road (118), almost every night now the lanes are reduced to one and very brightly illuminated. There is a long canopy-covered-area on the hard shoulder all ready for interviews, cash donations or breath or p testing I suppose.

This is strategically located just north of the junction with the outer ring road (121). As it is ONLY south bound so far, they are maybe looking more for drug & people imports rather than booze abuse?!