Speeding Fines (yes That Old Potato)

[Thaiboxer]

As demonstrated by the policeman yesterday who drew his weapon out and pointed it directly at me.

That would be scary! Just like in the "War On Drugs", many of these policemen have a "take no prisoners" attitude. If the guy trying to speed past the roadblock were a wanted terrorist or serial killer, drawing the weapon would be justifiable. If the cop had it pointed at YOU, then his judgement was bad. Suppose you panicked, slammed on the brakes, and caused an accident. Perhaps he should have waited till you were clearly not in the line of fire before pointing his weapon at the bad guy behind you.

There was (still is?) a similar problem in Washington DC...the cops there were well-known for being "trigger happy" when it came to confronting suspects.

[Ajarn]

There was (still is?) a similar problem in Washington DC...the cops there were well-known for being "trigger happy" when it came to confronting suspects

Frankly, if I was a DC cop, for my own safety, I might also consider a 'better safe than sorry' kind of thinking, too

[Diggerbasher]

I must say i would not want to upset some of the local police here,especially the guys with the big shiny pick ups.

[Thaiboxer]

Most of the cops here are ill-equiped which makes their job even more dangerous. Better safe than sorry? I agree with that thinking. Unfortunately for the cops, it's one more element that can get ugly and make the job even more difficult. Of course, there is probably less chance here that a cop who shoots the wrong person will face any serious penalties if he knows somebody higher up the law enforcement ladder. Speaking of that, whatever happened to that dirtbag cop who killed those two tourists in Kanchanaburi? Did the string him up or did he buy his way out?

[Neeranam]

I must say i would not want to upset some of the local police here,especially the guys with the big shiny pick ups.

Why has their big pick-up got any relevance?

It's the one's in the black mercs that have the power.

[sriracha john]

As demonstrated by the policeman yesterday who drew his weapon out and pointed it directly at me.

That would be scary! Just like in the "War On Drugs", many of these policemen have a "take no prisoners" attitude. If the guy trying to speed past the roadblock were a wanted terrorist or serial killer, drawing the weapon would be justifiable. If the cop had it pointed at YOU, then his judgement was bad. Suppose you panicked, slammed on the brakes, and caused an accident. Perhaps he should have waited till you were clearly not in the line of fire before pointing his weapon at the bad guy behind you.

There was (still is?) a similar problem in Washington DC...the cops there were well-known for being "trigger happy" when it came to confronting suspects.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yes, it was extremely unsettling to say the least.

If the guy behind me HAD made a run for it... I'm dunking under as low as I can go as I would have been directly in the line of fire had the policeman decided to use the "war on drugs" tactics. I would have been the infamous 9 year old boy from that time.

and for what?... because the guy behind me made an illegal, but inconsequential, lane change at an intersection while waiting on a red light??

Edited March 14, 2005 by sriracha john

[Diggerbasher]

Why has their big pick-up got any relevance?

The cops that ride the motorcycles are very poorly paid.How due you think they can buy brand new pickups?

[Thaiboxer]

Most cops in Thailand are very poorly paid...even the ones who drive the pickups. Civil servants are paid low wages no matter what their occupation is and that factor combined with the lack of law enforcement only makes them more likely to ask for/accept bribes. If you want an application to be processed in a timely manner, often a "gift" will help move things along. As other posters have said, corruption can work both for and against you. Then again, it seems to work against the country as a whole in the long run which affects everybody.

[Neeranam]

The cops that ride the motorcycles are very poorly paid.How due you think they can buy brand new pickups?

Married into money?

New pick-ups are only 600,000 baht. payable monthly. I know a few govt officials, earning less than 10,000 baht a month with a new pick-up and they are not bent. Inferiority complex, maybe.

[Thaiboxer]

It's always funny to see folks driving around in expensive vehicles, yet you get the feeling that they really can't afford them. Should you see where they live, you will be convinced they can't afford them.

Somebody on 10K month shouldn't even dream of owing a 600K truck let alone finance one. Spread out over a four year period, I think a 600K Toyota Tiger would run you about 10K a month...that's after a downpayment of at least 200K (when you factor in interest).

[Ajarn]

The cops that ride the motorcycles are very poorly paid.How due you think they can buy brand new pickups?

Married into money?

New pick-ups are only 600,000 baht. payable monthly. I know a few govt officials, earning less than 10,000 baht a month with a new pick-up and they are not bent. Inferiority complex, maybe.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Maybe they're not really earning less than 10,000 baht per month?

[astral]

Why the obnoxious tone, Ajarn?

I have never seen a cop with a RECEIPT book.  Ticket book, yes -- of course.  They ALL have those.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

At a serious road block there WILL be a senior officer with the receipt book,

especially on the highways.

I usually start in English. They may loose interest.

You can also try giving an old IDP and then not bother to pay the ticket,

however computerisation now means that you may have problems next time

you need to tax the vehicle.

Otherwise I will offer 100 baht and say I do not want a receipt.

That is the lunch money!! 200 baht tops!!

That will usually do the trick.

If you do get the ticket then you need to go to the local police station to pay the

fine and get you licence back, which can be a real pain.

[sriracha john]

Most cops in Thailand are very poorly paid...even the ones who drive the pickups. Civil servants are paid low wages no matter what their occupation is and that factor combined with the lack of law enforcement only makes them more likely to ask for/accept bribes. If you want an application to be processed in a timely manner, often a "gift" will help move things along. As other posters have said, corruption can work both for and against you. Then again, it seems to work against the country as a whole in the long run which affects everybody.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Never fear, Mr. T is on it (corruption) and has promised to eliminate it at all levels. It's a top priority from his re-election speech.

[sriracha john]

The cops that ride the motorcycles are very poorly paid.How due you think they can buy brand new pickups?

Married into money?

New pick-ups are only 600,000 baht. payable monthly. I know a few govt officials, earning less than 10,000 baht a month with a new pick-up and they are not bent. Inferiority complex, maybe.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

that's a prime example of why the average Thai household debt is over 700,000 baht... and with the corresponding average income shows just how badly the average Thai is in hock up to their eyeballs... It spells economic disaster when someone making 8,000 baht a month owes 700,000 baht.

Multiply that individual disaster by millions and the horizon certainly looks hazy....

[sriracha john]

It's always funny to see folks driving around in expensive vehicles, yet you get the feeling that they really can't afford them. Should you see where they live, you will be convinced they can't afford them.

Somebody on 10K month shouldn't even dream of owing a 600K truck let alone finance one. Spread out over a four year period, I think a 600K Toyota Tiger would run you about 10K a month...that's after a downpayment of at least 200K (when you factor in interest).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

PRECISELY!.... refer to post #74 above.

[Thaiboxer]

Never fear, Mr. T is on it (corruption) and has promised to eliminate it at all levels. It's a top priority from his re-election speech.

From the looks of things now and his past record, I don't think Mr. T wants to eliminate corruption....just those politicians who are opposed to it.

I once saw a bumper sticker in the US that said "Don't Steal: The Government Hates Competition". That certainly applies here.

[Neeranam]

that's a prime example of why the average Thai household debt is over 700,000 baht... and with the corresponding average income shows just how badly the average Thai is in hock up to their eyeballs... It spells economic disaster when someone making 8,000 baht a month owes 700,000 baht.

All for being able to be "king of the road". SAD

[aletta]

The policemen at my local station live in awful police barracks and they all ride battered motorbikes.No flash motors so must be honest chaps.

[skycop51]

Had that happen to my Thai son and I, and we just slipped a few baht into his cupped hand as he was looking around. Thats the way it is...welcome to Thailand.

skycop

Being a reasonably careful driver I've got through nearly two years of driving in Thailand without incident. Until last week that is. Last week I got stopped for speeding twice in one day.....

I wasn't going particularly fast, and they didn't know I was a Farang when they stopped me, but the misleading information they gave got me wondering.....

They told me that if I didn't 'pay for their lunch' I must go to the police station some miles away and probably pay a thousand Baht fine.

I was doing 98 on a highway which I understand to be 90 KMH?

I thought that if they issue me with a ticket I pay there and then - is it true they can insist I go to the police station?

Does anyone know what the official fines are?

Of course I ended up paying in both cases without receiving a ticket.

Can anyone tell me what the legal situation is?

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