Tea Money To Bib?

[CWMcMurray]

Frankly, I'm a bit taken aback to see that at least 30% of our responders (at this point) have been stopped over 10 times. Makes where I live sound like Utopia (never been stopped and asked for tea money in seven years).

If you look at the fact that over 30% of the responders have also been living in Thailand for more than 10 years then it may not be as bad as it sounds.... it could end up meaning "less than once per yr"

[Boksida]

After over 500 000 Km all around Thailand ( mainly central, east and northeast ) I got stoped by the police more than 100 times.

When it is justified I'm happy to pay on the spot, usually 100 ฿, dl+ 100 ฿ readily prepared for a fast transaction - no silly talk, no excessive demand, no haggle, no quarrel - he likes it, we like it.

If I am not in the wrong, no money.

That's about my experience too and I have driven well over a million km. Sometimes I don't even have to bother with the licence and just give them the 100 baht, but a lot of them recognize me now anyway. I would say over 95% of the times have been a "fair cop". Even with a radar detector it is sometimes too late. Some of the more unusual experience have been:

i) A cop at the Tha Phra intersection south of Khon Kaen who used to set the digital frequency display of his walkie-talkie to 140.0 and try to convince people his "radar" machine had caught them going 140.

ii) At one time I was commuting between Udon and Khon Kaen once or twice daily. I was quite bored with getting stopped but the police told me if I bought them a bottle of whisky, I could get a season ticket to go as fast I liked. When I went to the liquor store at the gas station near Nam Pong, the girl showed me to the section selling "police whisky" which was pretty much down market. I lashed out though and got them a bottle of 100 Pipers. They were waiting for me to come back and were good to their word.

I love it.

[toptuan]

ii) At one time I was commuting between Udon and Khon Kaen once or twice daily. I was quite bored with getting stopped but the police told me if I bought them a bottle of whisky, I could get a season ticket to go as fast I liked. When I went to the liquor store at the gas station near Nam Pong, the girl showed me to the section selling "police whisky" which was pretty much down market. I lashed out though and got them a bottle of 100 Pipers. They were waiting for me to come back and were good to their word.

I think this pretty much explains why the last group of 4-5 policemen I saw eating breakfast at a Thai cafe were dead drunk by 10 a.m.

"Protect and serve."

Heavy on the serve.

[Garry9999]

Poll is a little biased, because it doesn't take into account how much driving one does, and one's driving style eg. slow and conservative, or flatout getting from A to B in the fastest possible time.

My approx. driving stats in Thailand:

8 years - over 400,000 kms.

been stopped by BiB somewhere between 40 - 60 times for various driving infractions, most real, some imagined, one or two faked.

almost always pay the 'on the spot' cash fine, as the alternative is;

i) more expensive

ii) a waste of my time waiting

iii) more often than not outside my jungwat which sometimes means you have to go back the next day to pick up your license from the main highway police station after they have processed the bill payment - in some instances this has cost me 1000k's driving for a staff member to go and retrieve his license, and the police will not post it back to you.

one of the "mastercard moments" for tea money with me was;

Had a really trying day with a few business problems & I was driving on a secondary country road on a Friday evening, around 5.00pm. Get pulled over by a lone police officer standing next to his highway pursuit car. I knew I hadn't broken any rules in the last few kilometers, so instead of getting into negotiation mode, I asked the police officer why the hel_l he pulled me over, and what road rule I had broken???

Answer:

"None! Just want a bottle of whisky!"

I hope you gave him one, he probably had a worse day than you.

[stander]

It is kind of weird, I have lived here since 1987 and I drive a car/pick-up, big bike and a scooter and I have only been stopped a handful of times and never been asked for tea money. I used to keep a couple of hundred in the sun visor, but I don’t bother now.

[chickenslegs]

... I asked the police officer why the hel_l he pulled me over, and what road rule I had broken???

Answer:

"None! Just want a bottle of whisky!"

That officer should be commended for his honesty!

[MB1]

I've been living and working here for the past seven years, never once been asked for tea money by the BIB.

Been stoped a few times for traffic violations but when I showed them my foreign driver's license they just smiled and waved me on my way.

Hmmm, a disadvantage to having a Thai driver's license, no?

I've been stopped twice in 8 years of driving in Thailand at a check point in Kho Chang after coming off the ferry October last year, officer wanted my driving licence and I have no Thai or international driving licence, just had my UK photo card one with me, took it out and gave it to him and he thanked me and allowed me to carry on with my journey.

I was expecting to pay because I had no Thai or international licence so I was pretty happy with the outcome.

Second time I was stopped was whilst driving back from Kho Chang to Pattaya also October last year, officer looked in car, saw that passengers were 2 Thai's, and a freind from the UK, again no problem, just waved me on.

So for me up to now, I have never paid a baht in tea money but I expect my day will come and l'll probably just pay up if it isn't too expensive.

[soundman]

... I asked the police officer why the hel_l he pulled me over, and what road rule I had broken???

Answer:

"None! Just want a bottle of whisky!"

That officer should be commended for his honesty!

I was too stunned to argue, left the scene 290B (???) poorer in fits of laughter.

[saorsa]

i break laws, I am happy to pay a bit of tea money when i get caught...beats what i would get back in UK for same offences!

[witold]

I have about 15,000km under my belt on motorcycling all over Thailand. I passed many a checkpoint, but only pulled over one time.

This was in Bangkok - I was in the "fast" lane of a 4 lane road. 100 baht did the trick. I'm a complete tourist, btw...

[andyww]

The few times I have been stopped when my wife has been with me, she shows the Police her ID card and many of them recognise her Thai family name and let us off. If that doesnt work she brings out a letter from one of her family which states that we are to be let off all traffic offences.

Thailand is such a wonderful place....

A few times I have been driven in a car with a government driver and a Thai crest on the side. This is not an experience I particularly enjoyed. If I am going to be allowed to break the rules I want to do it myself in a responsible way. The government drivers just take the opportunity to drive like lunatics, including by-passing traffic jams by driving on the pavements. Not nice at all.

[yabaaaa]

Myself or the wife have been stopped 4 times in 4-5 years and not stopped but had a camera photo of us in the car speeding once.

The 4 times we were stopped there was money paid once by my wife she was on her own 1-200 baht the other times no money was asked, the camera photo time she paid at the police station I think 3-500 baht cant remember.

[MrRichard2009]

I try my best to drive around them and it usually works ..... once I was stopped for driving in the right lane, 100 bht, stopped 1K later for driving in the left lane, 100 bht ! The second guy stopped me because the first guy most likely told him I didn't have a drivers license. So 200 bht for no license was a good deal not really tea money. So in 10 years they got me once I guess. But the prices here for driving infractions are so low who really cares ?

[Travel2003]

Almost 10 years, stopped by Police once.

I dont drive here, and I was stopped for throwing a cig on the street.

Fair enough I guess.

From numbers given, seems like one can expect to be stopped (while driving) once per 5-6000 Km.

[saorsa]

they are really sneaky with bikes near On Nut. You are only supposed to drive in the left lane, but the left lane gets blocked by buses and taxis, so when you pull out into middle lane to get passed, they pull you in and get another 200b off you.