Traffic Police Scams: How To Talk Ur Way Out!?

[oz457]

I drive very often between Bangkok and Isarn area with the car. The number of traffic checks are increasing the closer we get to the songkran festival. These boys in brown seem to need money to invite all there friends and family members to pay beers and drinks during this period.

It is one of these few annoyances I cannot live with in Thailand: traffic police stops you, pretends you have been speeding, or comes up with a story you have been driving continously the right lane. Any kind of story is good enought to get the bribe or to fine.

I'm now in defense mode regarding these BIB's. I try to talk out my way, but now I use technology.

Last monday, I was pulled over. The BIB told me: you have been speeding 135km/h. I know that's not true and I told him with a smile. Oh, that's not possible. Pointed the BIB to my GPS. I told him, I'm very willing to pay the fine, if the tracklog of my GPS tells me I've been speeding.

To make the story short, I pulled out my computer, connected my laptop (takes about 5 to 10 minutes, and opened an excell file I made the day before with all kinds of numbers. One column displays the time when I opened the file with on the first line the current time minus 6 minutes, the second line date and time minus 7, minus 8 (simple programming in excell), etc. Next column sais, top speed and a random number between 70 and 89,99. After showing the police guy, he started to get nervous and told me, just go! Because the BIB was loosing money, because it takes just too much time to fine me. Got out with it just piece of cake.

If they tell me about the fact I have been driving on the right lane, I'll just do the same and pull out my computer. Copy the tracklog to mapsource software to proof that's not true. But I haven't been into this kind of situation yet.

I already considered installing dummy camera's inside the car. So if the BIB pulls me over, I'll just tell him: smile, you are on camera. I think those who are cheating to get the bribe money, will think twice. Of course, always be nice and friendly.

What is your experince? How do you talk you way out of paying any fine?

Any experience exchange would be wonderful.

Edited February 6, 2009 by oz457

[Who, me ?]

So, you are right, it is easy....A GPS, a computer, dummy camera, etc.......Cost ? Time spent to recover data from computer, after you turn it on ?

For me, I'll stick on the occasional 200 b once in a while....Not as easy as your method, but still efficient....

[neverdie]

I knew a fellow that made his own little in car video system for his vehicle. The little camera inside the vehicle was hooked up to a recording unit & it use to just record over itself all the time (every 20 hrs of driving or so). It would be great in the case of an accident.

.

I don't get engaged by the BIB the way you described, it must be the look on my face or something

[bdenner]

I just make a show of pulling out the small notebook I keep in the centre console, grab my phone and start dialing the number I made a sure he has seen. It's 1193 - the highway police, within seconds I'm on my way. Worked on the 4 occasions I have been stopped without reason. Sure, if guilty I pay the tea money.

[TJAN]

I knew a fellow that made his own little in car video system for his vehicle. The little camera inside the vehicle was hooked up to a recording unit & it use to just record over itself all the time (every 20 hrs of driving or so). It would be great in the case of an accident.

.

I don't get engaged by the BIB the way you described, it must be the look on my face or something

I can not stand the look to,I think you have a nervous twist.

[regedit]

Best way I've found is to get a real fine and a few points on your license. Next time bingbong stops you and you show your license, they see the points and know you ain't willing to pay the tea money and can't be bothered to write you a ticket (loss of valuable time trying to catch other wallets) so let you on your way. Nothing to lose here - the points expire after 1 year and even if you get close to a full scorecard you can just get a international license for a year, by which time you're clean again on your Thai license. Getting the points on your license is easy enough - just surrender your license next time they stop you, get them to write you a ticket (assuming it's only a minor 400 baht fine offense), then send a willing Thai to go pay the fine and collect your license (with the valuable points) on your behalf. An added bonus for me was that they stopped me while my license was having the points added on, so I showed them a copy of the fine and told them they already had my license - and they magically waived me on. If they can see you don't play the game, they know that unfortunately there's plenty of others that will, and for them time is tea-money.

[noahvail]

What is your experince? How do you talk you way out of paying any fine?

Any experience exchange would be wonderful.

one of the real advantages of speaking virtually no Thai yet is that I can give the cop a wei, a sawatdee kop (love the irony), and say i speak nit noy Thai. anything he says i truly cannot understand, so it's easy. but i've got my Thai driver's license, and that seems to go a long way. got stopped today at a well-know tea stop. pulled out the license, did my thing... and since my name was in English, the BiB sounded it out phonetically and actually did a passable job - my response was an 'aloy aloy' and he just chuckled, gave me my license and a salute, and waved me on.

the other advantage i have is being married to a knowledgeable Thai lady. got stopped last month and told i was doing 90 in a 70 zone. she went up one side of him and down the other since i was doing less than 50 at the time, and pulled out the cell phone and put in the desk sargeant's private number (being a social worker has its advantages in terms of contacts around here). i never saw a BiB literally back away from a car so fast, and i kept a straight face till we were out of sight.

she's taught me a lot about how to get around such things... one is agreeing to the fine and then insisting that you go to the police station to have it written up there. i dunno if that's your right, but every time she's insisted on it they have just waved us on. the other thing is, oddly enough, not to stop if it's a single cop on the side of the road, cuz that means it's strictly a tea-money stop. just keep going. i tried it and it worked...no pursuit, no letter in the mail, nada.

[JimsKnight]

The only times I've paid fines to the police were when it was my fault. The rest of the times I just make small talk and asking him daft questions in Thai and generally pretend to be an annoying farang-in-thailand and lovin' it kind of deal.

They just shout 'go go go!' at which point I oblige whole-heartedly

Or just do what a biker buddy of mine does...don't bother stopping

[samran]

been driving here since 1996.

Never paid off a copper.

Been fined twice, both times my fault.

The other times I've been pulled over, I simply smile, say hello, ask what I've done, and then reply nicely in Thai "well then, if I've really done it then please write me a ticket" and just smile dumbly until he inevitably tells me to move along.

In summary: despite the cops getting a % of the legit fine, they seem never to want to officially book you if you have done nothing wrong. Add a 30 second silent smile as a delaying tactic and you are in the clear (note: this assumes you REALLY have done nothing wrong....).

[madjbs]

Tell them that you just paid a fine down the road and they will normally let you go.

[neverdie]

A few years ago (when I use to drink), we took a short break and went down to Phuket for a few days. Anyway we decided to hit the night life & naturally after one drink turned to another then another I became rather intoxicated & happy. Finally, when I had enough of the madness, my gf & I decided to head back to the hotel at which time I announced that Id had too much to drink & wasnt going to ride the hire motorcycle back to the hotel. We jumped in a tuk tuk & went to the hotel.

The next morning I caught a motorcycle taxi back to where I had left the hire bike only to find that it had been chained by the BIB, because I didnt realised I had parked in a clearway zone for the morning traffic. (AT the time of parking it there was about a zillion motorcycles there....but I was the only fool who had decided not to drink and drive).

Anyway, so i removed the fine from the bike & went down to the COP SHOP to pay it, however when doing this the officer asked me why I had left my motorcycle parked there. I explained to him that I had too much to drink & didnt want to ride home, so I left the bike there. In english he told me to not be so stupid in future . Anyway, I simply paid the fine and left the COP SHOP laughing at the irony of it all.

[junki3korean]

I`m scared riding big sport bikes in pattaya now......Of course i give abit of throttle here and there but never around the city roads only highways...

i got pulled over 3 times in one day.....one for breakfast on south pattaya tai, had lunch on Phratamnak and dinner was on beach road....just unlucky i guess.......

Stick to the scooter now

[soundman]

Taking VDO of a policeman doing something wrong and then showing him wouldn't be the smartest thing to do.

At a minimum, the recording unit will probably be confiscated or smashed.

[JimsKnight]

I`m scared riding big sport bikes in pattaya now......Of course i give abit of throttle here and there but never around the city roads only highways...

i got pulled over 3 times in one day.....one for breakfast on south pattaya tai, had lunch on Phratamnak and dinner was on beach road....just unlucky i guess.......

Stick to the scooter now

What were they pulling you over for? Speeding? Or 'big-bike tax'?

I know farang who don't have the ownership papers might be suspect but if you're legit then they've nowt on you.

I ride a big (ish) sportsbike and have yet to be fined for the privilege of ownership.

[ThaiPauly]

A few years ago (when I use to drink), we took a short break and went down to Phuket for a few days. Anyway we decided to hit the night life & naturally after one drink turned to another then another I became rather intoxicated & happy. Finally, when I had enough of the madness, my gf & I decided to head back to the hotel at which time I announced that Id had too much to drink & wasnt going to ride the hire motorcycle back to the hotel. We jumped in a tuk tuk & went to the hotel.

The next morning I caught a motorcycle taxi back to where I had left the hire bike only to find that it had been chained by the BIB, because I didnt realised I had parked in a clearway zone for the morning traffic. (AT the time of parking it there was about a zillion motorcycles there....but I was the only fool who had decided not to drink and drive).

Anyway, so i removed the fine from the bike & went down to the COP SHOP to pay it, however when doing this the officer asked me why I had left my motorcycle parked there. I explained to him that I had too much to drink & didnt want to ride home, so I left the bike there. In english he told me to not be so stupid in future . Anyway, I simply paid the fine and left the COP SHOP laughing at the irony of it all.

Nice story...and as you say so ironic

When I get stopped I know I am in the wrong and pay up. The only time I got away without paying was on a day when my Wife had her handbag stolen at a service station and we had to spend 4 hours at a cop shop filing reports.

I showed the cop that stopped me for speeding the copy of the report and he agreed I had had a bad day and let me go...that would not happen in the UK...when you're are nicked you're nicked and thats it

[rethaired]

If only more people thought like you!

BTW, don't they need to prove that you are actually speeding (ie: picture and speed)? Or can they make that up too?

BTW, you might be interested in this (even though the whole idea of your strategy is to make them think that you have data that show them that you were not speeding):

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[0Mix1up]

^-^ spam alert?

recently whilst on a small bike traveling upcountry

i was stopped twice one day and once more the next

i had a dark visor and the cop would approach, start talking

i would lift my visor, smile and the cop would react with surprise seeing a westerner

and shout to his mates something then wave me on.

[Jareddiving]

On highway 24 to Ubon you can still get away with a 50 baht fine.. different story in Pattaya and Bangkok.

[esbkk]

I drive very often between Bangkok and Isarn area with the car. The number of traffic checks are increasing the closer we get to the songkran festival. These boys in brown seem to need money to invite all there friends and family members to pay beers and drinks during this period.

It is one of these few annoyances I cannot live with in Thailand: traffic police stops you, pretends you have been speeding, or comes up with a story you have been driving continously the right lane. Any kind of story is good enought to get the bribe or to fine.

I'm now in defense mode regarding these BIB's. I try to talk out my way, but now I use technology.

Last monday, I was pulled over. The BIB told me: you have been speeding 135km/h. I know that's not true and I told him with a smile. Oh, that's not possible. Pointed the BIB to my GPS. I told him, I'm very willing to pay the fine, if the tracklog of my GPS tells me I've been speeding.

To make the story short, I pulled out my computer, connected my laptop (takes about 5 to 10 minutes, and opened an excell file I made the day before with all kinds of numbers. One column displays the time when I opened the file with on the first line the current time minus 6 minutes, the second line date and time minus 7, minus 8 (simple programming in excell), etc. Next column sais, top speed and a random number between 70 and 89,99. After showing the police guy, he started to get nervous and told me, just go! Because the BIB was loosing money, because it takes just too much time to fine me. Got out with it just piece of cake.

If they tell me about the fact I have been driving on the right lane, I'll just do the same and pull out my computer. Copy the tracklog to mapsource software to proof that's not true. But I haven't been into this kind of situation yet.

I already considered installing dummy camera's inside the car. So if the BIB pulls me over, I'll just tell him: smile, you are on camera. I think those who are cheating to get the bribe money, will think twice. Of course, always be nice and friendly.

What is your experince? How do you talk you way out of paying any fine?

Any experience exchange would be wonderful.

I often drive to Udon Thani from Bangkok, the best time “ever,” just under five hours and now I know where the police usually hang out. Then, I sometimes drive somewhat slower, but I have learned that it makes no difference really. If they want to stop you, they stop you whether you are speeding or not. Paying a 200, Baht fine for any offence, whether committed or not, is now part of my daily, monthly or yearly motoring expense.

Having been driving in Thailand for nearly 20 years, I initially also argued with the police. I showed off my Institute of Advanced Motorist License – equivalent to a British Police Driving License and calling it my police-driving license – often with success. But then, a high-ranking police officer once told me that “if I tell you, you are speeding … then you are speeding” … or have you never heard or read in the newspaper that the police officer found one or two YABA pills under the drivers seat… the price of getting out of this one is more than the baht 200 he initially wanted …

Save driving – whatever you decide!

[Soutpeel]

But then, a high-ranking police officer once told me that "if I tell you, you are speeding … then you are speeding" … or have you never heard or read in the newspaper that the police officer found one or two YABA pills under the drivers seat… the price of getting out of this one is more than the baht 200 he initially wanted …

....so basically the advice is....dont get smart ar*e with them and pay the tea money....

[tomartoh]

About 3 weeks ago going the gf and i are driving through Chi Nat with me driving my 'new' old Volvo and her the Dmax right behind me. The Bib had the carriage way down to a single lane and were stopping every vehicle. Looks like license checking i reckoned, so started to get my UK driving license out of pocket and my Man Utd cap on my head. Cop looked at me as i am slowly passing him with big smile on my face and.....just waves me on. The gf is behind and gets stopped, then sent over to the side of the road. She was 10 minutes before they let her carry on. It was license checking and she couldnt find hers, somewhere in her bag with the rest of the junk she carries with her. Anyhow she got fined, with a receipt, 400baht. So not just the farang they go for.

Although a few months ago in Bkk we were pulled in the brother in laws 14 year old civic for incorrect number plate on front. It was a legal Krabi plate complete with the embossed stamping. They fined us 200bahts for an oversized plate, despite the fact that is what Krabi issues, because as they said, 'we could have done it [the plate] ourselves'. If i had been on my own it might have been too difficult for the cops to pass that over to me, in my 'nid noi' thai speaking, bowing and scraping and weing, big smiling , Man Utd cap wearing mode.

Getting stopped is a nuisance at times, but we got to grin and bear it, as a lot of the time we can get out of the scams if we play the game right with them.

[mdechgan]

Best way I've found is to get a real fine and a few points on your license. Next time bingbong stops you and you show your license, they see the points and know you ain't willing to pay the tea money and can't be bothered to write you a ticket (loss of valuable time trying to catch other wallets) so let you on your way. Nothing to lose here - the points expire after 1 year and even if you get close to a full scorecard you can just get a international license for a year, by which time you're clean again on your Thai license. Getting the points on your license is easy enough - just surrender your license next time they stop you, get them to write you a ticket (assuming it's only a minor 400 baht fine offense), then send a willing Thai to go pay the fine and collect your license (with the valuable points) on your behalf. An added bonus for me was that they stopped me while my license was having the points added on, so I showed them a copy of the fine and told them they already had my license - and they magically waived me on. If they can see you don't play the game, they know that unfortunately there's plenty of others that will, and for them time is tea-money.

How are points on the license? Is there a sticker on it?

Or do you just keep the copy of the ticket?

[mdechgan]

I just make a show of pulling out the small notebook I keep in the centre console, grab my phone and start dialing the number I made a sure he has seen. It's 1193 - the highway police, within seconds I'm on my way. Worked on the 4 occasions I have been stopped without reason. Sure, if guilty I pay the tea money.

I think the highway patrol and local police have different jurisdictions.

Depends on where you are driving.

[mdechgan]

I heard that ony group of pigs can collect upwards of about 2 million baht per month.

This was from the chanasongkram station. Various fines, kickbacks, etc.

[Bpraim1]

I used to get stopped all the time for speeding betwwen Bkk and Srisaket. I found not speaking Thai worked best.

Always the same story from them, help me with some whiskey money.

So I went to the local Farang hangout, Bic C and bought a couple small bottles of Lao khaow. Which I placed under the seat. Next time they asked my for whiskey money I handed them a bottle of Lao and said , "here you go". Now you should have seen the shock on his face.

Then I bought a radar detector and have never got pulled for speeding again. I did learn the radar is at least 1km from the copper pulling people.

K band & x Band are mstly used and easiest to pickup as they don't shout them down. I see them and have lots of time to brake to 90km.

Saved tea money has almost payed for unit in less them 6 months. at 200baht each.

Now what to do with the other bottle of Lao khaow????????

[dave_boo]

Speaking any language but English works really well. Just make sure that you have some pictures of kids (doesn't necessarily have to be your own) in your wallet that you can go on and on and on about in your native tongue. Talk about the weather, your local football team, or the meal that you just ate or that the copper is making you late for.

Did that once down in Nong Chang. Unfortuantely had the wife and M.I.L along. Luckily the wife didn't spoil it (said something in Thai about only speaking english) and the M.I.L stated that the cop shouldn't be stupid, she only speaks Thai. It helps to keep any type of military ID visible in your wallet along with the pictures. BTW, I keep my wallet empty and make a show of handing it to the copper......

[torrenova]

I've paid a few Bt100 a time fines for speeding. Only once had some bogus bullshit about Bt500 fine in Bangkok for driving on Korat plates (<deleted> ?). Just told him no no no. Off I go.

[meteorainc]

I've been driving here for around 10 years, I've been through checkpoints but never got into trouble with any police. Except this one time in Pattaya, my brother was driving on the right lane with red plates. Police stopped saying we couldn't drive on the right lane with red plates, started to drag the conversation and gave us a lecture etc etc. My brother yelled at the police for giving us some bogus reason to pull us over, and told the police if he wants to give us a ticket hurry up we don't have time to waste. The police quickly gave his license back and we were on our way the next second.

I think the majority of times, checkpoint police are only after people who break the law. Never met a corrupt police at checkpoints, its only the ones standing by the side of the road that have a higher chance to try to get some tea money.

[torrenova]

One of the most famous ones is at the bottom of the slip road coming off the expressway into Bangkok at the exit for Sukhumvit around Soi 1. They have a box under the bridge and are always on the look out. That was where they gave me the bogus "cannot drive in Bangkok on Korat plates" garbage.

Driving up to Buriram there are often a few after you go through the mountains as people are often frustrated at the low speeds they can do there and thus speed up. Fair enough really if speeding but it is not really for public safety or checking for documents or insurance, just a collection point.

To be honest, if I get caught and it is Bt100 then I am not really too upset. If for something like driving in the right lane but within the limit then no, it upsets me. I'd rather have them nick people who have no insurance nd thus cause the most problems when there is an accident.

[ThaiPauly]

A few years ago (when I use to drink), we took a short break and went down to Phuket for a few days. Anyway we decided to hit the night life & naturally after one drink turned to another then another I became rather intoxicated & happy. Finally, when I had enough of the madness, my gf & I decided to head back to the hotel at which time I announced that Id had too much to drink & wasnt going to ride the hire motorcycle back to the hotel. We jumped in a tuk tuk & went to the hotel.

The next morning I caught a motorcycle taxi back to where I had left the hire bike only to find that it had been chained by the BIB, because I didnt realised I had parked in a clearway zone for the morning traffic. (AT the time of parking it there was about a zillion motorcycles there....but I was the only fool who had decided not to drink and drive).

Anyway, so i removed the fine from the bike & went down to the COP SHOP to pay it, however when doing this the officer asked me why I had left my motorcycle parked there. I explained to him that I had too much to drink & didnt want to ride home, so I left the bike there. In english he told me to not be so stupid in future . Anyway, I simply paid the fine and left the COP SHOP laughing at the irony of it all.

Nice story...and as you say so ironic

When I get stopped I know I am in the wrong and pay up. The only time I got away without paying was on a day when my Wife had her handbag stolen at a service station and we had to spend 4 hours at a cop shop filing reports.

I showed the cop that stopped me for speeding the copy of the report and he agreed I had had a bad day and let me go...that would not happen in the UK...when you're are nicked you're nicked and thats it

Yesterday I got flagged down whilst driving my D-Max.(the car I usually get stopped and fairly fined in is a BMW 325i and I know full well I am capable of easily driving that over the speed limit) The Cop took my hand and would not let go of it...he said I was doing 128kph, we politley told him that my car is incappable of going over 120kph without me having to put the pedal to the metal and if this was true we wanted evidence. I knew full well I was doing no more than 115kph.

He soon let go of my hand,and without another word walked away and waved us on...searching for his next victim

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