Karon Roadblock Today

[Jimi007]

500 baht fine if you were not carrying your passport.

Is this finally my chance to get hold of a copy of a receipt for a fine for not being able to show the passport on the spot when requested by a police officer? Please, somebody, do not pay "tea money" but insist on paying the official fine against an official receipt that cites the name and section of the law that you have violated. You see, nobody has ever been able to find such law, and getting a proper fine receipt seems the only way to determine what this legal clause is, if it exists at all. (My bet is that the fine receipt will show anything but a reference to a legal requirement to be able to show the passport on the spot)

I am serious about this. Whoever can get such a fine receipt will be writing history and will be celebrated on ThaiVisa for years to come.

I must agree with you. The only times I have been asked for my passport is from immigration, the bank when opening an account or withdrawing money, getting on a flight or at the Land Transportation Office. Oh and of course my Embassy or Consulate. Come to think of it, hotels do sometimes ask to see it or car or motorbike rental place. I've never had the police ask me for my passport that I can think of. Maybe when I filed a police report. But never have I been stopped and asked to produce it on the road or anywhere else!

[stevenl]

So can anybody confirm first hand they were asking for passports?

I was waiting for this one! There's always a doubter. I remember posting a story earlier in the year that no one believed until it made the Phuket Gazette a few days later.

It was not first hand - for a start I don't ride a bike - but for three people to tell me the same story within 15 minutes, two together and one completely independently, I think it's pretty reliable.

Unlike some, I try not to post BS (maybe unsuccessfully at times!).

'I've just been told' simply is not very convincing.

[BillR]

I had the pleasure of running out of gas once at these checkpoints during the night time, So I stood around with the cops for about 30 minutes while I waited for someone to bring me fuel. 90% of people did not stop. I was laughing. Cops were laughing. Its just a matter of time before someone does stop and they get their money.

"Oh look, hes blowing a whistle and waving, I better pull over so he can relieve me of my money. And to be double sure he does, Ill roll down my window so he can get a good look at my white face before deciding what to do"

Also laughable is the people who actually queue up to lose their money.

Edited November 16, 2010 by BillR

[kenny999]

I had the pleasure of running out of gas once at these checkpoints during the night time, So I stood around with the cops for about 30 minutes while I waited for someone to bring me fuel. 90% of people did not stop. I was laughing. Cops were laughing. Its just a matter of time before someone does stop and they get their money.

"Oh look, hes blowing a whistle and waving, I better pull over so he can relieve me of my money. And to be double sure he does, Ill roll down my window so he can get a good look at my white face before deciding what to do"

Also laughable is the people who actually queue up to lose their money.

Are you actually saying people should not stop at a police check? if so what a person you must be, if you are not saying that then I appoligize, if you have nothing to hide and you have all the right paper work with you then there is no problem stopping is there.. I actually dont mind stopping because I do what I am supposed to do here, Thai driving licence, I carry my passport etc..

[kenny999]

I was waved over about two weeks ago right on the Karon roundabout. The first thing that went through my mind was bloody hel_l, I only have 1000 bht notes in my wallet, do they give change when extorting you?

I looked in the mirror and saw the guy was walking back away from me waving a bike over (a farang couple, no helmets). I just kept going around the circle and shot off to Patong expecting pursuit at any time.

Been wary everytime I've been back through there since.

So you were doing something wrong in order to think you were going to get fined?? and please tell us how it is extortion if you are not wearing a crash hemet etc?

Edited November 16, 2010 by kenny999

[BillR]

that's exactly what Im saying. Plus, sometimes im in a hurry

[kenny999]

that's exactly what Im saying. Plus, sometimes im in a hurry

Well what can you say to that other than irresponsible and maybe you should slow down, lets hope 99% of other people ignore your advice!!!

[xylophone]

It's often not a bad idea to carry a photo copy of your passport with you. can just leave it in your wallet. Not sure if they would accept it or not in this case. Probably not.

I've been quite lucky. The only time I've handed money over to the cops it was all above board. They clamped me outside Central. I was stupid enough to park on a red curb, and pop somewhere for ten minutes.

I had to take a bike taxi to the cop shop to pay up, which makes you feel slightly less like you're being rogered than when you hand it over to the cop at the seen. Only slightly mind.

I seem to recall an article in the Phuket Gazette a couple of years ago where the then police chief stated it was ok to have a copy of your passport to present with your driving licence??

[steelepulse]

>>So you were doing something wrong in order to think you were going to get fined??

If they really want to they can find something wrong whether it's mechanical, or your polo ball or registration is not where it should be or out of date etc. They usually just go for the obvious, but once in a while they can be sticklers if they are determined to get some baht from you.

[Old Croc]

I was waved over about two weeks ago right on the Karon roundabout. The first thing that went through my mind was bloody hel_l, I only have 1000 bht notes in my wallet, do they give change when extorting you?

I looked in the mirror and saw the guy was walking back away from me waving a bike over (a farang couple, no helmets). I just kept going around the circle and shot off to Patong expecting pursuit at any time.

Been wary everytime I've been back through there since.

So you were doing something wrong in order to think you were going to get fined?? and please tell us how it is extortion if you are not wearing a crash hemet etc?

I was in a car with my seatbelt on, carrying a genuine IDL and a copy of my PP. I was not breaking any road rules, unless it was excessive use of a blinker to indicate my left turn onto the circle.

The cop initially started to wave me through, then looked me in the face, saw I was farang and decided to wave me over.

I assumed, from reading so many threads on the subject here, that the purpose of the roadblock was to extract "tea money". I didn't have any small notes with me to pay said "fine", was in a hurry as I was moving house at the time and others were expecting me, so when I saw the oportunity I kept going.

It was wrong, I wouldn't do the same thing in my own country, but I wouldn't expect to be pulled over there purely to help pay the coppers wages.

Edited November 16, 2010 by Old Croc

[hkt83100]

..., but I wouldn't expect to be pulled over there purely to help pay the coppers wages.

In 15 years I have been stopped endless times with car or motorbike, but only once I was fined and had to pay. That was when the road tax on my motorbike was overdue for about two months. I got a ticket, next day I payed the taxes in town, then I paid 200 Baht fine at Chalong Police Station and that's it. Never I had to top-up 'coppers wages'.

[Wavefloater]

no, im not suggesting you run them over. When they do these license checks in the middle of the day, it is very easy not to stop especially if you are in a car. Put the visor down, fiddle with the radio or whatever and just ignore them. Ive done this several times in a truck, with company logos all over it and never once have they radioed ahead or shown up later at my business. They simply get the next guy.

Now, If they were looking for an escaped murderer or something, Im pretty sure they wouldn't be standing around with confused tourists and their ticket book out. Its pretty easy to tell what's going on, and best, when possible, to ignore it.

I was stopped at a red light at Sukhumvit and Chaiyapruk near Pattaya a few weeks ago. There's a police box on the southeast side of the intersection and 2 of Thailand's finest were out doing their usual begging routine (disguised as police work) when I saw one of them raise his hands in an effort to stop somebody. A few seconds later, a Thai teen came speeding through the intersection and went between the two cops at what seemed like well over 100 Km per hour, ingnoring both them and the red light. The cops didn't show any concern or lift a finger to do anything about it.

However, I don't know if I can agree with your comment regarding an escaped killer. First of all, that type of work would be far too dangerous for a Thai police officer, and since there's no tea money to be had from such a dangerous activity, a Thai cop would never do anything like that anyway.

[BangTaoBoy]

..., but I wouldn't expect to be pulled over there purely to help pay the coppers wages.

In 15 years I have been stopped endless times with car or motorbike, but only once I was fined and had to pay. That was when the road tax on my motorbike was overdue for about two months. I got a ticket, next day I payed the taxes in town, then I paid 200 Baht fine at Chalong Police Station and that's it. Never I had to top-up 'coppers wages'.

The fact of the matter is that prety much every ticket given out by the BIB is legit. The whole tea money thing is yet another aspect of living in Thailand, that yes, does exist, but gets blown way out of proportion. People here so many stories that they start to repeat them as if they were their own, when the truth of the matter is they probably never happened in the first place.

So now, a cop giving a ticket for having no license, or not wearing a helmet, is automaticaly thought of as extortion, when quite obviously it's not.

Be 100% legal when driving/riding. Have all the correct paper work with you, then if you still get a ticket, you can play the extortion card, but not before.

Edited November 16, 2010 by BangTaoBoy

[BangTaoBoy]

I was stopped at a red light at Sukhumvit and Chaiyapruk near Pattaya a few weeks ago. There's a police box on the southeast side of the intersection and 2 of Thailand's finest were out doing their usual begging routine (disguised as police work) when I saw one of them raise his hands in an effort to stop somebody. A few seconds later, a Thai teen came speeding through the intersection and went between the two cops at what seemed like well over 100 Km per hour, ingnoring both them and the red light. The cops didn't show any concern or lift a finger to do anything about it.

However, I don't know if I can agree with your comment regarding an escaped killer. First of all, that type of work would be far too dangerous for a Thai police officer, and since there's no tea money to be had from such a dangerous activity, a Thai cop would never do anything like that anyway.

Just as I finish my post, someone backs up my argument for me. The fact that you call it a 'begging routine' just goes to show how brain washed you've become.

Those cops that day. How many tickets did they give out for fabricated offenses?? And how many were for doing things that were against the law.

Of course giving out tickets is a form of revenue. That's the same the world over, the same as speeding cameras aren't realy there to save lives are they!

But here, because of all the brain washing, people will automaticaly blurt out words like extortion, and tea money.

[Lancelot]

If you are dumb enough to leave your passport with a motorbike rental shop you deserve to be stopped.

Some really sweet, empathetic people on this forum

[stevenl]

I was in a car with my seatbelt on, carrying a genuine IDL and a copy of my PP. I was not breaking any road rules, unless it was excessive use of a blinker to indicate my left turn onto the circle.

The cop initially started to wave me through, then looked me in the face, saw I was farang and decided to wave me over.

I assumed, from reading so many threads on the subject here, that the purpose of the roadblock was to extract "tea money". I didn't have any small notes with me to pay said "fine", was in a hurry as I was moving house at the time and others were expecting me, so when I saw the oportunity I kept going.

It was wrong, I wouldn't do the same thing in my own country, but I wouldn't expect to be pulled over there purely to help pay the coppers wages.

On Phuket you never pay directly to the cops, always at the (sometimes temporary) station. So nothing to do with tea money. Edited November 16, 2010 by stevenl

[steelepulse]

>>Of course giving out tickets is a form of revenue. That's the same the world over, the same as speeding cameras aren't realy there to save lives are they!

The only difference is that the law is selectively applied here. If the BIB's aren't specifically out to generate some income, they'll gladly look the other way when an illegal samlor is going the wrong way with no helmet on and 6 people in the samlor are being driven by a 12 year old. That's the difference between Thai BIB's and western world coppers in that here the law is selectively applied, while in the west it's (almost) always applied at all time.

Cops here would make more money by simply riding around and fining anyone and everyone when they commit a traffic offense, which would apply to 99% of the drivers/riders on the road at any given time. But they don't do this as it's much easier to set up a collection station at the side of the road.

[BangTaoBoy]

I was in a car with my seatbelt on, carrying a genuine IDL and a copy of my PP. I was not breaking any road rules, unless it was excessive use of a blinker to indicate my left turn onto the circle.

The cop initially started to wave me through, then looked me in the face, saw I was farang and decided to wave me over.

I assumed, from reading so many threads on the subject here, that the purpose of the roadblock was to extract "tea money". I didn't have any small notes with me to pay said "fine", was in a hurry as I was moving house at the time and others were expecting me, so when I saw the oportunity I kept going.

It was wrong, I wouldn't do the same thing in my own country, but I wouldn't expect to be pulled over there purely to help pay the coppers wages.

On Phuket you never pay directly to the cops, always at the (sometimes temporary) station. So nothing to do with tea money.

That was my point exactly. 'Old Croc' is a long termer on Phuket with lots of experience of living here. Yet as a result of reading so many threads on here, most of which will have been written by far less experienced people than himself, he has convinced himself he is going to be extorted, and relieved of money, when he is actually completely legal.

Now I'm not stupid enough to say it never happens, but it's not common. And even when it does happen, it will just be a cop trying his luck and the farang not standing his ground.

[BangTaoBoy]

>>Of course giving out tickets is a form of revenue. That's the same the world over, the same as speeding cameras aren't realy there to save lives are they!

The only difference is that the law is selectively applied here. If the BIB's aren't specifically out to generate some income, they'll gladly look the other way when an illegal samlor is going the wrong way with no helmet on and 6 people in the samlor are being driven by a 12 year old. That's the difference between Thai BIB's and western world coppers in that here the law is selectively applied, while in the west it's (almost) always applied at all time.

Nonsence. That again is an example of your brain seeing things in a way that fits your miss conceptions.

The police in the UK randomly set up mobile speed traps to generate income. People know where fixed cameras are so they become less effective. The mobile units always set up on roads where the traffic normally flows above the speed limit, and often hide around corners to give you no chance of slowing down.

The DVLA and police also set up road blocks exactly the same as the Thai ones, checking tax, tyres, license, red diesel etc etc. This is all about revenue.

Things aren't so different in reality. Just peoples perceptions have been warped over the years by too many people talking nonsence.

[stevenl]

>>Of course giving out tickets is a form of revenue. That's the same the world over, the same as speeding cameras aren't realy there to save lives are they!

The only difference is that the law is selectively applied here. If the BIB's aren't specifically out to generate some income, they'll gladly look the other way when an illegal samlor is going the wrong way with no helmet on and 6 people in the samlor are being driven by a 12 year old. That's the difference between Thai BIB's and western world coppers in that here the law is selectively applied, while in the west it's (almost) always applied at all time.

Cops here would make more money by simply riding around and fining anyone and everyone when they commit a traffic offense, which would apply to 99% of the drivers/riders on the road at any given time. But they don't do this as it's much easier to set up a collection station at the side of the road.

Completely agree with that. But at the same time I like it this way.

[Wavefloater]

Just as I finish my post, someone backs up my argument for me. The fact that you call it a 'begging routine' just goes to show how brain washed you've become.

Those cops that day. How many tickets did they give out for fabricated offenses?? And how many were for doing things that were against the law.

Of course giving out tickets is a form of revenue. That's the same the world over, the same as speeding cameras aren't realy there to save lives are they!

But here, because of all the brain washing, people will automaticaly blurt out words like extortion, and tea money.

LOL

I have been stopped for doing absolutely nothing wrong here while driving and presented with a bogus charge (driving in the outside lane, speeding...etc) so if you're actually saying that Thai cops play by the book, you're delusional. Underage motorcycle drivers are speeding, going the wrong way, and not wearing helmets consistently, yet I have never (in the 10 or so years I've lived here off and on) seen even one of them stopped by a cop (and that is no exaggeration). We all (but perhaps not you) know why. It's because they don't have money. If Thai cops really had the best interest of its citizens in mind, they'd start getting these underage hot-doggers off the road for their and other people's sake.

However, I do find these posts from the "Thailand is Perfect" brigade amusing.

[Old Croc]

That was my point exactly. 'Old Croc' is a long termer on Phuket with lots of experience of living here. Yet as a result of reading so many threads on here, most of which will have been written by far less experienced people than himself, he has convinced himself he is going to be extorted, and relieved of money, when he is actually completely legal.

Now I'm not stupid enough to say it never happens, but it's not common. And even when it does happen, it will just be a cop trying his luck and the farang not standing his ground.

Actually I have only been living here for a little over four months. I had previously visited Phuket many times over a lot of years and I am a long term member of Thaivisa, where I had read many threads on the subject. This is where I gained my expectations of the system.

While I have driven past a couple of m/c roadblocks at the bottom of the hill from Patong to Karon, this was, or would have been, my first interaction with the cops.

[stevenl]

LOL

I have been stopped for doing absolutely nothing wrong here while driving and presented with a bogus charge (driving in the outside lane, speeding...etc) so if you're actually saying that Thai cops play by the book, you're delusional. Underage motorcycle drivers are speeding, going the wrong way, and not wearing helmets consistently, yet I have never (in the 10 or so years I've lived here off and on) seen even one of them stopped by a cop (and that is no exaggeration). We all (but perhaps not you) know why. It's because they don't have money. If Thai cops really had the best interest of its citizens in mind, they'd start getting these underage hot-doggers off the road for their and other people's sake.

However, I do find these posts from the "Thailand is Perfect" brigade amusing.

Maybe news for you, but this is the Phuket forum. No fines for driving in the outside lane or speeding here (at least not to my knowledge).

[naiharn]

Yes I carry my passport with me at all times, I feel it is safer with me than leaving it at home.

Never had a problem with carrying my passport, I am very carefull where I am and who is around me, my passport is in a bag with my wallet which is attached to me,

What happens when, for example, you go for a swim? Where do you leave your passport then? Bury it in an inconspicuous hole in the sand? Or ask a highly reputable and dependable beach boy to mind it for you?

[LivinLOS]

The fact of the matter is that prety much every ticket given out by the BIB is legit. The whole tea money thing is yet another aspect of living in Thailand, that yes, does exist, but gets blown way out of proportion. People here so many stories that they start to repeat them as if they were their own, when the truth of the matter is they probably never happened in the first place.

So now, a cop giving a ticket for having no license, or not wearing a helmet, is automaticaly thought of as extortion, when quite obviously it's not.

Be 100% legal when driving/riding. Have all the correct paper work with you, then if you still get a ticket, you can play the extortion card, but not before.

Rubbish.. Theres a constant stream of different 'fees' and licenses claimed and collected from businesses thats simply a form of tax on the tourist environment.. Fake music license collectors.. Tea money to police.. monthly 'per TV' payments.. And whatever else they can drum up.

The news article lately where the manager of a Thai establishment openly stated that they were ok with the 18 different under the table payment they had to make monthly, but couldnt pay any more.. Of course they then got raided the next week !!

[LivinLOS]

Nonsence. That again is an example of your brain seeing things in a way that fits your miss conceptions.

The police in the UK randomly set up mobile speed traps to generate income. People know where fixed cameras are so they become less effective. The mobile units always set up on roads where the traffic normally flows above the speed limit, and often hide around corners to give you no chance of slowing down.

The DVLA and police also set up road blocks exactly the same as the Thai ones, checking tax, tyres, license, red diesel etc etc. This is all about revenue.

Things aren't so different in reality. Just peoples perceptions have been warped over the years by too many people talking nonsence.

Its not rubbish.. A mobile speed cam is either there working or not.. Thai police only enforce the law when they are in 'fine mode' otherwise they simply watch the crime being committed and do nothing about it.

Try riding past a euro copper with no helmet on and see if they are working the same. No they enforce the law 24/7 not only selectively.

[LivinLOS]

LOL

I have been stopped for doing absolutely nothing wrong here while driving and presented with a bogus charge (driving in the outside lane, speeding...etc) so if you're actually saying that Thai cops play by the book, you're delusional. Underage motorcycle drivers are speeding, going the wrong way, and not wearing helmets consistently, yet I have never (in the 10 or so years I've lived here off and on) seen even one of them stopped by a cop (and that is no exaggeration). We all (but perhaps not you) know why. It's because they don't have money. If Thai cops really had the best interest of its citizens in mind, they'd start getting these underage hot-doggers off the road for their and other people's sake.

However, I do find these posts from the "Thailand is Perfect" brigade amusing.

Maybe news for you, but this is the Phuket forum. No fines for driving in the outside lane or speeding here (at least not to my knowledge).

So exactly that selective enforcement that BTB claims doesnt happen.

[LivinLOS]

I have been stopped for doing absolutely nothing wrong here while driving and presented with a bogus charge (driving in the outside lane, speeding...etc) so if you're actually saying that Thai cops play by the book, you're delusional.

Dont worry.. Hes delusional (and not here anyway)..

Thai cops make up any marginal claim they can.. Big bikes being in the second lane (which they legally can do to overtake) being a favorite.

[BangTaoBoy]

Dont worry.. Hes delusional (and not here anyway)..

You are more than welcome to ask a moderator for the location of my IP address, you strange little man. Although you seem to get a lot of pleasure from thinking I'm not in Phuket, so perhaps you shouldn't.

[BangTaoBoy]

Its not rubbish.. A mobile speed cam is either there working or not.. Thai police only enforce the law when they are in 'fine mode' otherwise they simply watch the crime being committed and do nothing about it.

We are talking about two different things, which is my fault, because I miss interpreted 'steelpulses' post.

I was still referring to the people, who were claiming Thai police issuing tickets were extorting money from people under false pretenses, and that it was nothing but a money making scam.

My point was that tickets are not issused (or very, very rarely) without a justified reason, i.e a law being broken. If that is the case then you have no real cause for complaint.

I was also pointing out that people naivly seem to think tickets are being given out back home for a different reason, to save lives perhaps, which we all know is tripe. They are to generate revenue exactly the same as here.

As for crimes being ignored as when the police can't be bothered, that's true, but a huge amount of that goes down to the wealth of the country. If Thai police took all non road worthy vehicles off the road, the country would come to a grinding halt over night. There will always be laws that can't possibly be inforced in this country.

It's no wonder I got confused anyway. You have people complaining they are being given tickets and at the same time arguing that not enough tickets are being given out, I would love it turn in to a UK style of policing over night and see how many of the professional moaners on here get on. Seems to me like too many people want there cake and eat it too. One day they want Thai ways, and then when that doesn't suit they want EU ways. Not likely to be happy any time soon are you.