End Of The Month, Tea Money Time

[rizla]

DICK TURPIN............Stand and deliver..............

Give them nothing if you are in the right....corrupt highway land locked f....cn pirates i say:annoyed:

[junglist]

Wouldn’t that be great if all the money they stole they were forced to buy Tea? Not drugs, booze and hookers. If they spent all this lot on Tea they would become quite the dapper chaps. 5555555

[JimShortz]

Another time I was accused of jumping a red light. It changed to just as I went though. I looked in my mirror and at least 5 other cars followed me though the junction. A cop chased after me on his motorcycle.

Very different to Chiang Mai. In seven years here I have NEVER seen a cop chase anybody, ever... I have seen people fly very very late through red lights when I'm sat at them with a policeman sat on his motorbike alongside me - action, nothing! I've seen people go through police roadblocks by slowing down as though they were going to stop and then speeding away weaving through the last couple of policeman - action, nothing... It was as if they were saying oh well, we'll get the next one; not worth the hassle of chasing...

I've seen too many other traffic violations to mention with police in the vicinity, but never any action at all. TIT!

I guess it has advantages and disadvantages overall. I just wish they would deal with the obviously very dangerous stuff such as jumping red lights. They do such a crap job that people do it blatantly (3 to 5 seconds after the lights have changed) even at major junctions manned by police during rush hour... Not exactly respectful!

[craigt3365]

Jumping...heck, here in Pattaya I see those tourist vans just go right through red lights. They use either the shoulder or the inside turn lane...slow down...then go right through.

Yesterday, at a major intersection with a major police station, a big bus went down the shoulder to get in front of the 6-8 cars in front of him, and then just cut right in. Jumped the red light and was off. Police were right there.

[Farma]

Don't know about the intersections in pattaya but where I stay it's allowed to cross the top of some T intersections in the shoulder lane with a red light. There's normally a small sign in Thai at the intersection.

I got pulled by the traffic cops 2 Saturdays ago. My first time in 25 years of part time driving in Thailand. I wasn't speeding and just politely played along with the cop. He never mentioned the reason he stopped me and his tea money requests were met with a polite retort but no money. He gave me up as a lost cause and a minute or so later I was on my way.

[Damacles]

My taxi was stopped on Saturday night / Sunday morning going into Sukhumvit Road; first time ever I've encountered the Police in 15 years coming here. After having a number of torches shone into the car at me, one Policeman asked me to step out and produce my passport, which I never carry. Very polite and smiling he asked how long I was here for and explained he was going to search me; I asked him why - just out of interest - and he said "drugs". He put his hands in my pockets pulling at money, which disconcerted me a little, but other than that it was very cursory. Again smiling, he advised I carry a copy of my passport and wished me a good night. Taking the need for the stop and searches at face value, it was carried out in a friendly manner, with no hint at tea money, and I came away with a favourable view of this policeman at least.

Stop and search is very common in many countries and despite your reasonable experience I would like the officer to show me the palms of his hands before he delved into my pockets. I accept I maybe paranoid and that such a request might inflame the situation - but if we both had nothing to hide?

The experience may have been reasonable and its simple caution rather than paranoia; I'd was watching his hands very carefully believe me. Luckily they came out open, and I suspect he was deliberately doing that as he made it so obvious. Totally accepted that it could have been a very different experience in another time and place on the basis of others' experience.

[bkkjames]

My taxi was stopped on Saturday night / Sunday morning going into Sukhumvit Road; first time ever I've encountered the Police in 15 years coming here. After having a number of torches shone into the car at me, one Policeman asked me to step out and produce my passport, which I never carry. Very polite and smiling he asked how long I was here for and explained he was going to search me; I asked him why - just out of interest - and he said "drugs". He put his hands in my pockets pulling at money, which disconcerted me a little, but other than that it was very cursory. Again smiling, he advised I carry a copy of my passport and wished me a good night. Taking the need for the stop and searches at face value, it was carried out in a friendly manner, with no hint at tea money, and I came away with a favourable view of this policeman at least.

Stop and search is very common in many countries and despite your reasonable experience I would like the officer to show me the palms of his hands before he delved into my pockets. I accept I maybe paranoid and that such a request might inflame the situation - but if we both had nothing to hide?

The experience may have been reasonable and its simple caution rather than paranoia; I'd was watching his hands very carefully believe me. Luckily they came out open, and I suspect he was deliberately doing that as he made it so obvious. Totally accepted that it could have been a very different experience in another time and place on the basis of others' experience.

Let me guess - Thonglor district by chance?

[Damacles]

My taxi was stopped on Saturday night / Sunday morning going into Sukhumvit Road; first time ever I've encountered the Police in 15 years coming here. After having a number of torches shone into the car at me, one Policeman asked me to step out and produce my passport, which I never carry. Very polite and smiling he asked how long I was here for and explained he was going to search me; I asked him why - just out of interest - and he said "drugs". He put his hands in my pockets pulling at money, which disconcerted me a little, but other than that it was very cursory. Again smiling, he advised I carry a copy of my passport and wished me a good night. Taking the need for the stop and searches at face value, it was carried out in a friendly manner, with no hint at tea money, and I came away with a favourable view of this policeman at least.

Stop and search is very common in many countries and despite your reasonable experience I would like the officer to show me the palms of his hands before he delved into my pockets. I accept I maybe paranoid and that such a request might inflame the situation - but if we both had nothing to hide?

The experience may have been reasonable and its simple caution rather than paranoia; I was watching his hands very carefully believe me. Luckily they came out open, and I suspect he was deliberately doing that as he made it so obvious. Totally accepted that it could have been a very different experience in another time and place on the basis of others' experience.

Let me guess - Thonglor district by chance?

Not sure of district boundaries, but close enough I think, so yes. I'm imagining that the rest of your post if you'd written it would imply that it's a standard experience in that district?

[bkkjames]

Only for the last 10 years. Not sure if that qualifies as standard.

[Damacles]

Only for the last 10 years. Not sure if that qualifies as standard.

If you're not sure that 10 years qualifies as standard then I can't help you much - it's pretty obvious to me that it does. There are other things that are pretty obvious to me also

[bkkjames]

Only for the last 10 years. Not sure if that qualifies as standard.

If you're not sure that 10 years qualifies as standard then I can't help you much - it's pretty obvious to me that it does.  There are other things that are pretty obvious to me also

Sorry  - i couldn't find the sarcastic emoticon.

[Damacles]

Only for the last 10 years. Not sure if that qualifies as standard.

If you're not sure that 10 years qualifies as standard then I can't help you much - it's pretty obvious to me that it does. There are other things that are pretty obvious to me also

Sorry - i couldn't find the sarcastic emoticon.

Im surprised, I felt sure the sarcastic emoticon qualified as standard for you. I'm sorry I can't find the 'Your Dad is Bigger Than My Dad' emoticon.

[bkkjames]

Only for the last 10 years. Not sure if that qualifies as standard.

If you're not sure that 10 years qualifies as standard then I can't help you much - it's pretty obvious to me that it does.  There are other things that are pretty obvious to me also

Sorry  - i couldn't find the sarcastic emoticon.

Im surprised, I felt sure the sarcastic emoticon qualified as standard for you. I'm sorry I can't find the 'Your Dad is Bigger Than My Dad' emoticon.

Well if it is as you say, why didn't catch it the first time around mate? We wouldn't need the rest of this discussion. 

[Damacles]

Sorry - i couldn't find the sarcastic emoticon.

Im surprised, I felt sure the sarcastic emoticon qualified as standard for you. I'm sorry I can't find the 'Your Dad is Bigger Than My Dad' emoticon.

Well if it is as you say, why didn't catch it the first time around mate? We wouldn't need the rest of this discussion.

I prefer to give people the benefit of the doubt and initially naturally assume that they are being friendly and helpful. Sometimes takes me a post or two to cotton on that they're not. Hope that clears it up and you can now move on to being as helpful and informative to others who need you in their lives (found it), but no doubt you'll feel the need to keep going....mate

[bkkjames]

I thought my post asking if it was in Thonglor district + that it's being going on forever was helpful. Not the answers you were looking for?  

Anyways, you are correct time to move on. 

[RudieTheFoodie]

My taxi was stopped on Saturday night / Sunday morning going into Sukhumvit Road; first time ever I've encountered the Police in 15 years coming here. After having a number of torches shone into the car at me, one Policeman asked me to step out and produce my passport, which I never carry. <div><br></div><div>Very polite and smiling he asked how long I was here for and explained he was going to search me; I asked him why - just out of interest - and he said "drugs". He put his hands in my pockets pulling at money, which disconcerted me a little, but other than that it was very cursory. </div><div><br></div><div>Again smiling, he advised I carry a copy of my passport and wished me a good night. Taking the need for the stop and searches at face value, it was carried out in a friendly manner, with no hint at tea money, and I came away with a favourable view of this policeman at least. </div>

Stop and search is very common in many countries and despite your reasonable experience I would like the officer to show me the palms of his hands before he delved into my pockets. I accept I maybe paranoid and that such a request might inflame the situation - but if we both had nothing to hide?

sage advice - especially in the ThongLo area

The more that people accept the paying of small amounts of money to a frankly corrupt police force the longer it will continue, the government really don't care.

Whist the handing over of small amounts of cash by foreigners might be the easiest option to get us on our way, for a Thai person, and the majority stopped are Thai, it might be a days pay.

motorbike courier in London. 2xtickets a month averaging 80quid each (Once all told) = 160 quid (Salary = 1200 quid) = 13% of salary

moto sai (central bangkok) 2x100bt bribes a month a month = 200bt (salary circa 15,000bt) = 1.3% of salary

sorry about the boring maths - but I reckon its about right:D

[CarlBkk]

Very disappointed Abhisit hasn't been able to stop or even slow down the police tea money scam. The ironic thing is that they always seem to stop the poorest - I've yet to see a nice car get pulled over. It's all co-ordinated from the top station officers who give the collecting officers a cut, but deny they ever told them do such a thing.

Apparently Abhisit will employ Britain-style speed cameras on all major roads, but I'm not sure if that means the tollboth will still be making up their own speeding fines as per the norm.

[Ulysses G.]

My guess is that Abhisit needs all of  his resources to suppress the red menace and prevent any more full scale riots. Other important improvements things will have to take a backseat for now. 

[theoldgit]

My guess is that Abhisit needs all of his resources to suppress the red menace and prevent any more full scale riots. Other important improvements things will have to take a backseat for now.

I agree, but I think the corruption within the police is one of his major problems and one his government really needs to address. The poorer Thai people are a prime target group for these people masquerading as a police force, and whilst a number of posters have indicated that it's easier to had over a small amount, even when they have done nothing wrong, so they can put the inconvenience behind them, to the majority of the people stopped this extortion actually hurts. It's these people that give the red shirt leaders their support - wasn't there a demo by some people just before the recent events complaining about police corruption?

All that said, I suspect you are correct in saying this will take a backseat for now.