Warning - Police Ripoff On Beach Road

[fox2night]

happend today in broad daylight, 15 Policemen stop every motorbike (also the small ones) on beach road in Pattaya and check for your security ... since most people get used to helmets they need a new source of income, so the ask you for Drivers License (international or thai) and Passport, both in original - for sure 95% are not caring these documents while enjoy a day on the beach

the result is lots, lots of angry tourists - every one (incl. me) got a THB 400.- fine (or more)

this is official ripoff in broad daylight - i guess they have to prop-up the city budget, since they lost already 25% of tourists ...

i'm a was a frequent visitor to thailand, like many others, i'm really pi**ed off

i know TIT ... but Lalaland has to wake up

[perousing]

i think it will never stop, we will just need to except this is the way it will be,

[pedro01]

Are you saying you would have preferred to be taken back to the station and processed formally for breaking the law ?

[loong]

So they won't accept a copy of your passport - has to be original?

Most of us prefer to have our passports locked in safety deposit box or safe.

[aussiechick]

Are you saying in your home country you don't carry your drivers licence?

Passport - we all know we have to carry at least a copy - are you sure they were asking for originals?

They have actually been doing this check all over Pattaya for the last couple of weeks.

[Pattaya46]

.. so they ask you for Drivers License (international or thai) and Passport, both in original

I never heard of someone to be fine

for having only copy of his Passport and Visa

if he also had its original Thai license...

What documents did you have with you ?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Are you saying you would have preferred to be taken back to the station and processed formally for breaking the law ?

The roadside option is more appealing to me.

[nonthaburial]

I dont see any rip off here at all. The law states what you must carry. Seems to me too many people like the OP get used to the laid back attitude here and bitch when the laws are enforced. If I had my way I wouldnt allow tourists to drive motor cycles here, licence or no licence !

[fox2night]

Are you saying you would have preferred to be taken back to the station and processed formally for breaking the law ?

yes i had to go back to the police-station and i was processed formally for breaking the law ! with all the papers.

(yes i broke the law, it was my mistake that i don't know i had to have a drivers license for these small 125cc motobikes)

i'm a real bad farang, bring brought lots of money into this country ... anyway, at least i was happy, they not jailed me, as i speak out very loud, something "really bad" when i was leaving the police fine counter

[pm1803]

hi, did you show your copy of your passport or not, also was it outside the police station or somewhere else, cheers

[gmac]

I dont see any rip off here at all. The law states what you must carry. Seems to me too many people like the OP get used to the laid back attitude here and bitch when the laws are enforced. If I had my way I wouldnt allow tourists to drive motor cycles here, licence or no licence !

One sometimes wonders if the laid back attitude to law enforcement is maintained for this very reason. To lull residents/visitors into believing they don't need to bother and then......CRACKDOWN!!

[LennyW]

It is important to abide by the laws in any country you visit, never assume anything.

And it is not too smart to say "out very loud, something "really bad" when you are leaving the police counter!

[PattayaBunLover]

Are you saying in your home country you don't carry your drivers license?

Passport - we all know we have to carry at least a copy - are you sure they were asking for originals?

Agreed...it is the law. However, at least with the original passport thing, we locals and frequent visitors do get kinda lazy on this point...and take the odds that we will not be stopped. If you do, it's time to pay-up

As to the DL, it sure would be nice if back in the USA, if you were caught driving without a license, the fine was only US$ 7.00

[malcolminthemiddle]

I dont see any rip off here at all. The law states what you must carry. Seems to me too many people like the OP get used to the laid back attitude here and bitch when the laws are enforced. If I had my way I wouldnt allow tourists to drive motor cycles here, licence or no licence !

One sometimes wonders if the laid back attitude to law enforcement is maintained for this very reason. To lull residents/visitors into believing they don't need to bother and then......CRACKDOWN!!

Exactly what happened in the real estate industry related to land purchase.

[jmac]

I always thought a Thai drivers license was good as long as you could produce a passport quickly. I believe that is what the law states.

I wonder if they are really stopping everyone or just falangs? I have heard there has been a shift in enforcement (causing lack of income) and this is to make up for it.

I believe the police are a national police not a local police so the money does not go to Pattaya, only to the police. While they might tend to cooperate with the local govt

They do not report to them but to Bangkok.

[fox2night]

And it is not too smart to say "out very loud, something "really bad" when you are leaving the police counter!

YES i agree, it was not very smart - i would say it was very stupid, but the emotions come over me - i'm only a human being and i saw at least 20 other tourist - with very, very angry faces too

finally one police officer "parked" his iced drink on my bike, and another one kicked it over (by accident) - so i have to clean this mess as well

[fox2night]

I always thought a Thai drivers license was good as long as you could produce a passport quickly. I believe that is what the law states.

I wonder if they are really stopping everyone or just falangs? I have heard there has been a shift in enforcement (causing lack of income) and this is to make up for it.

I believe the police are a national police not a local police so the money does not go to Pattaya, only to the police. While they might tend to cooperate with the local govt

They do not report to them but to Bangkok.

i think they where locals, i had to pay at the local police station on beach road, and yes they stopped thais as well, simply everybody on 2 wheels (exepct motobike taxis)

[bk279]

Just makes me wonder how farang complain about how the law is not enforce here...while at the same time complaining when the law is actually enforced. Make up your mind guys, 400 Baht is the bare minimum according to the law. Just my food for thought.

[aussiechick]

Sorry - I got pulled over last week and I was on the back of a motor cycle taxi!! No problems - all in order.

You are right they are pulling over everyone - Thais and foreigners. There is not a way to "spot" a tourist on a motorbike.

[madjbs]

(yes i broke the law, it was my mistake that i don't know i had to have a drivers license for these small 125cc motobikes)

i'm a real bad farang, bring brought lots of money into this country ... anyway, at least i was happy, they not jailed me, as i speak out very loud, something "really bad" when i was leaving the police fine counter

Yes, it was your fault. What would happen in your home country if a tourist got stopped and didn't have a license?

As for your second point.......do you think because you are have some money you are exempt from the law?

Stop complaining.....it's pathetic.

[fox2night]

(yes i broke the law, it was my mistake that i don't know i had to have a drivers license for these small 125cc motobikes)

i'm a real bad farang, bring brought lots of money into this country ... anyway, at least i was happy, they not jailed me, as i speak out very loud, something "really bad" when i was leaving the police fine counter

Yes, it was your fault. What would happen in your home country if a tourist got stopped and didn't have a license?

As for your second point.......do you think because you are have some money you are exempt from the law?

Stop complaining.....it's pathetic.

1.) in my country, you can drive these small motobikes without a license (yes my fault i don't know)

2.) in my country usually tourists get a warning when they do some minor things

3.) i complain, because everybody knows its not about law-enforcement, it is just easy and fast money, you can find a hair in every soup, and yes the police is doing the same in my country sometimes and there are the same emotions when they hit me with this ripoff

[dre1247]

happend today in broad daylight, 15 Policemen stop every motorbike (also the small ones) on beach road in Pattaya and check for your security ... since most people get used to helmets they need a new source of income, so the ask you for Drivers License (international or thai) and Passport, both in original - for sure 95% are not caring these documents while enjoy a day on the beach

the result is lots, lots of angry tourists - every one (incl. me) got a THB 400.- fine (or more)

this is official ripoff in broad daylight - i guess they have to prop-up the city budget, since they lost already 25% of tourists ...

i'm a was a frequent visitor to thailand, like many others, i'm really pi**ed off

i know TIT ... but Lalaland has to wake up

What arrogance, it the LAW to carry this papers on you at all times, period, no arguing. Paying Baht 400 means you were stopped in front of the police station and paid the official fine, no corruption involved. They are well within their rights to ask you to go home to bring the papers for scrutiny, obviously the didn't or else you would complain about that to. No young man its time the lalaboys wake up and follow the law.....

[dre1247]

Are you saying you would have preferred to be taken back to the station and processed formally for breaking the law ?

yes i had to go back to the police-station and i was processed formally for breaking the law ! with all the papers.

(yes i broke the law, it was my mistake that i don't know i had to have a drivers license for these small 125cc motobikes)

i'm a real bad farang, bring brought lots of money into this country ... anyway, at least i was happy, they not jailed me, as i speak out very loud, something "really bad" when i was leaving the police fine counter

Please stop posting about this, you start sounding really stupid and immature.

[Godolphin]

happend today in broad daylight, 15 Policemen stop every motorbike (also the small ones) on beach road in Pattaya and check for your security ... since most people get used to helmets they need a new source of income, so the ask you for Drivers License (international or thai) and Passport, both in original - for sure 95% are not caring these documents while enjoy a day on the beach

the result is lots, lots of angry tourists - every one (incl. me) got a THB 400.- fine (or more)

this is official ripoff in broad daylight - i guess they have to prop-up the city budget, since they lost already 25% of tourists ...

i'm a was a frequent visitor to thailand, like many others, i'm really pi**ed off

i know TIT ... but Lalaland has to wake up

What arrogance, it the LAW to carry this papers on you at all times, period, no arguing. Paying Baht 400 means you were stopped in front of the police station and paid the official fine, no corruption involved. They are well within their rights to ask you to go home to bring the papers for scrutiny, obviously the didn't or else you would complain about that to. No young man its time the lalaboys wake up and follow the law.....

How do you know that the money collected didn't go to the policemen's pockets? Just because it was in front of the Police Station doesn't mean anything.

I appreciate the comments about being smart and observing local laws but I strongly suspect that this particular random application of the law was a money-making operation. Whether or not it happens in other countries is not really relevant in my view.

[thaimate]

Always carry my drivers licence ,hospital cards and copy passport ,you are a guest here ,so should everyone,what happens if you were killed or badly injured in an accident,do you want to be thrown in the back of a pickup and taken to the local hospital .?

[madjbs]

How do you know that the money collected didn't go to the policemen's pockets?

Because he had to go into the station to pay, which means it was almost definitely an official fine.

[KevinBloodyWilson]

I dont see any rip off here at all. The law states what you must carry. Seems to me too many people like the OP get used to the laid back attitude here and bitch when the laws are enforced. If I had my way I wouldnt allow tourists to drive motor cycles here, licence or no licence !

I am generally not an apologist for Thais but in this case I have to agree. If this had been USA there would probably have been no complaint.

The problem is that we get so used to the incompetence and lackadaisical approach to law enforcement that we learn to expect it. Then when the law is (arbitrarily, or even accidentally) applied properly, we feel disgruntled.

But we can't really complain if the BiB does its job right for a change, even if we suspect the motive. We (I include me in this) whinge loud and long when they don't do the job right, can't really grumble when they do, though we probably could grumble about the inconsistency of it all.

Edited September 8, 2009 by KevinBloodyWilson

[Mobi]

The OP is quite correct in as much as this is a source of income.

No Thai policeman can survive without his salary being supplemented by illegal means; this is a fact of life.

In any event the police throughout Thailand are simply organised Mafia and any 'genuine' police matters that they happen to conduct are simply incidental to, and a cover for their main activities, of extortion, bribery and other nefarious activities.

If they can find 'legal' reasons to extract money from punters, then so much the better, and it is a fact that all foreigners are legally obliged to carry their original passports with them at all times, although in practice, in all normal circumstances, copy passports, including the page with a valid visa is perfectly acceptable. I am not sure about the law on the carrying of valid driving licenses, but IMHO it is not an onerous chore to carry this small laminated document with you, and in fact in most situations a valid, original Thai license will be accepted in lieu of a passport, so it makes even more sense to carry it with you at all times.

But of course, even if you had carried both documents with you, they would have found another reason to extract a bribe - unsafe driving, mechanical defects etc. (I was once stopped and fined in a car because the cop said the number plate was too small, which I later found out was absolute "balls" when I checked at the vehicle registration dept.)

So to the "holier than thou" brigade who say that the victims should have recognised their legal responsibilities, I will assure you that these farangs could have been the most law abiding people ever to grace the sunny roads of Pattaya, and the cops would have still been more than able to extract donations to their Mafia benevolent funds.

To illustrate my point. A couple of weeks ago I drove from Chiang Mai to Pattaya. I was driving at the legal speed along the main highway from Nakhon Sawan to Bangkok, when suddenly ahead I noticed a long traffic jam. I slowed down, joined the back of the line, and slowly the traffic inched it's way forward, along what was otherwise, an empty road. At first I thought I was approaching major road works, or an accident, but eventually I saw that it was a road block that went right across the road, and all vehicles were being obliged to turn left into a side road which led to large layby. Outside the layby were dozens of cops, stopping and directing the traffic into parking areas. I wound my window down, a cop saluted and asked for my license and car documents. I produced them, all in order. Then he I told me in Thai that I had been speeding and that I had to park up and go over to the table and pay a fine of 200 Baht.

He walked away, without another word to stop and direct another motorist.

I parked up and looked around me for a few minutes and saw very clearly that EVERY SINGLE VEHICLE on the road had been required to park up and pay a fine.

Remember, I was the only farang there.

I went to the table and joined the queue, and had to wait about 10 minutes for my turn to pay. I saw that other drivers (Thais) were required to pay varying amounts up to 1,500 Baht depending on the nature of their 'offence'.

I duly paid my 200 Baht, was given an official receipt, returned to my car and was waved on my way, after showing my receipt.

You couldn't even begin to count the cost of this road block and consequent traffic delays on the main North/South trunk road.

The point is, it doesn't matter how legal you are, if the police need to replenish their coffers, you will end up paying.

And this behavior is not just reserved for farangs in Pattaya; it is endemic throughout Thailand. The last time I was stopped and had to pay in the manner I described above, I was way up-country in a rural area of Loei province.

The fact is that these miserable criminals all too often target the poorest amongst us, the truck drivers, pick-up drivers, the motorcyclists , because they are less likely to complain or have "friends of influence". (99% of the time, they leave me alone because I drive a black shiny beamer with dark windows, and they are not sure who is behind the wheel).

So stay legal, pay up and be happy.

TIT

Edited September 8, 2009 by Mobi

[madjbs]

You completely contradict yourself there. At first you say you always get stopped and fined, even if you have done nothing wrong and then you say 99% of the time they leave you alone.

You put it down to driving a BMW, but, have you ever considered that they are leaving you alone because you were doing nothing wrong?

I have been stopped many times but have never been fined for something I didn't do.

Edited September 8, 2009 by madjbs

[CHdiver]

(yes i broke the law, it was my mistake that i don't know i had to have a drivers license for these small 125cc motobikes)

i'm a real bad farang, bring brought lots of money into this country ... anyway, at least i was happy, they not jailed me, as i speak out very loud, something "really bad" when i was leaving the police fine counter

Yes, it was your fault. What would happen in your home country if a tourist got stopped and didn't have a license?

As for your second point.......do you think because you are have some money you are exempt from the law?

Stop complaining.....it's pathetic.

1.) in my country, you can drive these small motobikes without a license (yes my fault i don't know)

2.) in my country usually tourists get a warning when they do some minor things

3.) i complain, because everybody knows its not about law-enforcement, it is just easy and fast money, you can find a hair in every soup, and yes the police is doing the same in my country sometimes and there are the same emotions when they hit me with this ripoff

You probably even dont know your local laws back in Austria. Are you talking about the "Mopedführerschein"? If my memory is not wrong you get that also together with other classes of the driving licence, but its limited to 50ccm and 4x km/h. I am sure you will need a driving licence for a 125ccm Scooter back home too. Best bet may be that you got that one for free together with your car driving licence, if you are an older guy.

Remember driving my (big) Motorbike in the Austrian Alps I got fined more then once and I was a Tourist too, anyway it was cheaper then back home (Switzerland) so I smiled and payd. Probably you should do the same over here.