Trucker Demand Police To Stop Collecting Tea Money : Bangkok

[webfact]

Truck drivers protest on Bangna-Trat road to demand police to stop collecting tea money

BANGKOK: -- Dozens of ten-wheeled trucks block two lanes on Bangna-Trat road on Monday, demanding highway police to stop collecting "tea money" from them.

The blocking of the six-lane road, starting from KM 4.5, started at about 9.30am.

Speaking through a megaphone, Thongyu Kongkan, advisor to land transportation federation, said that the protest is aimed at criticising highway police whom he said charged the truck drivers unfairly as well as demand for high volume of tea money.

The protest slightly caused the traffic congestion on the road.

-- The Nation 2010-02-22

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[bkkjames]

Speaking of shakedowns on the highway by these, headed down to Pattaya in a Taxi from Bangkok and we got pulled over.

Apparently it is against the law for a Taxi to be in the right hand lane unless taking over someone. For the record, we weren't going slow and holding up traffic.

But if you are in a Merc or BMW it's ok to drive 80km in the right hand lane.

[johnh101]

No one is supposed to drive in the right hand lane, it is for overtaking only.

Its my most regular fine !

[bkkjames]

No one is supposed to drive in the right hand lane, it is for overtaking only.

Its my most regular fine !

agreed but it's never applied here to regular cars. The driver even said that taxis cannot use the lane and that is why he was fined.

[junglist]

more power. i see this every day. nasty pigs.

[gotlost]

No one is supposed to drive in the right hand lane, it is for overtaking only.

Its my most regular fine !

Agree I have been busted numerous times my self. As for the whiners learn the law.

[wimster]

Yep, they are at KM 2.5 nearly every day pulling in trucks. Don't know if it's tea money only, but some of these trucks should not be on the road anyway... Old, loaded dangerous, fumes etc

[jonclark]

And no reply from the police via a spokesperson - Surely they are not admitting their guilt and keeping quiet