Entering Expressway At Ploenchit, Headed North

[NanLaew]

I was headed west on Ploenchit and made the left turn across oncoming traffic to enter the expressway ramp northbound. After I paid the toll, I noticed a motorcycle cop peeling off beside me and sure enough he pulled me over while still coming up the ramp. He waited for another cop who spoke better English (?) and I was informed that it was illegal for pickups to make that turn and to enter the expressway like I just did and waving his hands said I had to "go around the other way". I have made that turn several times and this was the first shakedown for that bs. Anyone else been had that way? I was following a minibus and there was a break in the traffic when I made the turn.

[jcon]

Am a bit confused. You say you were headed west, so toward Paragon, correct? That means you were coming from Lower Sukhumvit? If that's the case, if you turned left onto the expressway, wouldn't you be headed southbound on the expressway (toward Rama4, Port, etc.)?

[Crossy]

Hmmm, I too am confused, LEFT across oncoming traffic???

[NanLaew]

Spot the deliberate error!

Yes indeed, I mean turned RIGHT across oncoming traffic to enter the expressway.

So, was the nice officer right (or correct) in penalising me for doing this in a pickup truck?

[worldfun]

yes i find it hard to believe there's a sign or rule esspecially for picup trucks (majority type of vehicle even in bkk!) regarding entering expressways LOL.

so how much did you pay the copper?

[Crossy]

I don't know the exact junction that you are referring to, but if you crossed an unbroken white line you were indeed in the wrong The minibus you followed could have been a BMTC vehicle which seem to have their own set of rules.

Turning right can be a real bind anywhere in BKK, I've not come across anywhere on Petchaburi (except at lights) where this is permissable, particularly where plods are lurking in wait

[singa-traz]

Maybe he meant you were on the incorrect lane (the one which is supposed to go straight), and then decided to turn right ...

[jcon]

Maybe he meant you were on the incorrect lane (the one which is supposed to go straight), and then decided to turn right ...

possibly, but I think you actually cannot make that right across traffic there, because it's not exactly just a right turn into the expressway queue, IIRC you have to kind of go forward and right, which could cause problems with oncoming traffic. I've seen people pulled over all of the time at that intersection (usually when I'm waiting to come onto North Ploenchit) and I often don't know why, but every time now that you mention it, it has been a pick-up. One time I was genuinely confused at that intersection and I think I was going east-bound and you're not allowed to go straight or something, can't recall, but I pulled over and asked the cop and he said 'no you can't but go ahead this once.'

Regardless, there isn't any law I'm aware of that separates pick-ups from other cars when it comes to entering/exiting the expressway.

By "go around the other way" maybe he meant to keep going and u-turn to get in the northern (east-bound) lane, or to take the other route by Chitlom that leads to the expressway.

[NanLaew]

It's the ONLY entrance to the expressway between Soi 1 and Wittayu; where you cross over to to the right-side of the median at the Nana traffic lights so that you can legally enter Soi 1 and the expressway coming from Sukhumvit. I was turning right from the correct lane designated for vehicles wishing to enter the expressway from the top-end of Suk/Ploenchit and it was a bog standard tourist minibus I was following. No question about 'wrong lanes' here; he specifically said 'no pickup allowed'.

That stop could be a real cash cow if they rigidly enforced it as I have entered the expressway dozens of times from that lane in a pickup and they never batted an eyelid. As worldfun points out, there appears to be a regulation regards pickups but I bet it's to prevent those trucks with commercial plates (green numbers) and not the black-numbered pickup which is essentially the same as a regular car for road tax purposes. Live and learn but where in earth would a pickup be expected to enter the expressway if not allowed at the Ploenchit ramp? He just ranted about 'go around other way' while awaiting lucky dip in my wallet.

The cowboy (note the subtle career change here) said I he would take my license and I would need to pay the fine at the substation somewhere within 15 days. I asked how much for the 'usual' since I was leaving town and he went OTT and asked for FIFTEEN HUNDRED BAHT!!! So I rooted around and gave him my expired Texas licence. Bloody highwayman!

Funnily enough, this afternoon at another expressway tollway inbound from the airport, another MiB decided to pull me over while I was in the bloody toll lane! He was a lazy, fat bugger working the nearside toll booths. Showed him my license and he happily waived me on. I noted that there's been heavy license/driver checks of just about every 2nd car at that toll point so I won't get on my 'stick it to the farang' high horse quite yet but 2 stops and 1 shakedown in 24 hours means I am looking forward to heading back to the boonies next weekend!

[singa-traz]

The cowboy (note the subtle career change here) said I he would take my license and I would need to pay the fine at the substation somewhere within 15 days. I asked how much for the 'usual' since I was leaving town and he went OTT and asked for FIFTEEN HUNDRED BAHT!!! So I rooted around and gave him my expired Texas licence. Bloody highwayman!

I keep hearing that the cops are not authorized to keep your licence, even if it is the usual practice.

They can have a look, but not confiscate it.

Anyone can translate this in Thai: "My lawyer told me that ... "

[NanLaew]

^ What would be the point of writing a traffic ticket if they didn't keep the bloody license? That means they would be relying on the traffic violators 'honesty' rather than the more honest 'slip me sahmloy and be in your way' system that's tried and tested and covers lunchtime noodles and permits a few cold beers at the end of the day. Why is it called 'tea money' when they eat kwetyao and drink Singha? Is that the Thai version of 'donuts' ?

[richard_smith237]

Did you have anything in the bed of the pickup?

Although we see it all the time, I thought that pick-ups with items in the bed without a cover cannot enter any express way (the bed has to be empty or covered).

You handed in your expired Texas licence, correct? That might be useful in similar circumstance in the future. If / when you retrieve it and pay the fine it would be worth asking exactly what the exact offence was, and have the ticket translated before you head to the station.

I have a suspicion that pickups get stopped more commonly than cars for similar reasons that motorbikes also get stopped commonly. Those vehicles cost less than the normal sedans and the person inside is less likely to have connections and considered an easier target…

[NanLaew]

^ Nope, open and empty truck bed.

I will be in the US next month and get a new license. Screw playing games with these guys and trying for an 'official' explanation.

Good point on the 'poor mans wheels'. I will borrow the wifes 7-series Beemer next time.

[NanLaew]

However, back to the OP. How does a pickup truck legally access the Si Rat Expressway on to Hwy 7 and on to the airport when coming from the Soi Nana end of Sukhumvit?

[Nana]

I have been living in Sukhumvit soi 6 for more than 12 years, and used this entrance to the tollway since it was built. I have picked up a couple of fines over the years. Every time I have been stopped for crossing over and using the left hand tollbooth. Only the two tollbooths on the right hand side is supposed to be used if you are coming from Sukhumvit. Happened to me both in my sedan and my pickup. I have to admit that everytime I have been stopped by the coppers in Thailand I have done something wrong. The last time it happened he asked for 2000, but ended up paying 300.

[worldfun]

how did you come to know of the 'rule' of only supposed to use 2 right most (toll) lanes if coming from sukhumvit?

If allowed to do the right turn I don't know how one could be prevented from making a change of lanes say from middle to left lane e.g. if left lane was empty?

Maybe you were had by the bib although it sounds unlikely seeing you must be daily user of that very entrance...

anyway interesting answer & thus it would answer the OPs question ;-)

cheers!

[richard_smith237]

how did you come to know of the 'rule' of only supposed to use 2 right most (toll) lanes if coming from sukhumvit?

If allowed to do the right turn I don't know how one could be prevented from making a change of lanes say from middle to left lane e.g. if left lane was empty?

Maybe you were had by the bib although it sounds unlikely seeing you must be daily user of that very entrance...

anyway interesting answer & thus it would answer the OPs question ;-)

cheers!

If the lanes are separated by an unbroken white line you are not permitted to change lanes crossing over that line....

Sometimes the police being highly aware of these more intricate rules (that are often specific to a certain junction only) wait specifically in these area's as a money spinner....

[ALFREDO]

However, back to the OP. How does a pickup truck legally access the Si Rat Expressway on to Hwy 7 and on to the airport when coming from the Soi Nana end of Sukhumvit?

I was guest at the IBIS Nana in Soi Nana and had to go to the Airport-Don Muang with my Pickup truck to pick up my GF and bring her back to the Hotel.

The right, legal, way how to come to the North bound Highway-toll booths from Soi Nana is, to drive threw a small Soi to the right after the IBIS Hotel, follow that road than to the Soi 4? which turns left and comes out at Sukhumvit above Soi Nana.

Than follow the Sukhumvit down until you can legally change to the right side of Sukhumvit at Soi Nana

and keeping right you can access the Highway and the toll booths.