Pulled Over At Police Check Point And Told To....

[rixalex]

What a headline; "Fat (most likely) white guy driving a car in a foreign country without a license is told by cops he should wear a shirt"

You are lucky you are in Thailand, in most places you would be looking at the walls of a jail cell while you sorted out your driving w/out a licence problem; a somewhat serious offense in most countries.

In most places you get put in jail for not having your driving license on you whilst driving?! Really? Care to name a few of these "most places"?

Well, it is certainly an offense in the United States. You are always supposed to have your license and registration. You might not be going to jail, but is certainly worth a high fine. If it was discovered you did not have your license because you did something else that was an offense you just might end up in jail while you explained it.

All that sounds reasonable. The argument that Trout was making did not. Yes, if you don't have your license on you and there are other complications, i can believe you could find yourself locked up. But for the simple act of leaving your license at home? Put in jail for that? And in "most" places? Nah. Give me a break.

[tim armstrong]

I agree with the shirt on vote. I'm surprised that you have been here 7 years and don't understand the clothes on/off custom. It doesn't matter what the Thai kids down the road do, farlang are expected to show respect. It's not our country.

I saw a Russian girl in Pattaya Big C some time ago wearing a G string and a way too small bikini top, casually doing her shopping. Lovely body, but if the stares could talk, no-one was impressed with her disregard for custom.

[Semper]

I think the op is doing some trolling here. entertaining though

[simon43]

In Patong, Phuket, although you may not believe me, the rule is that you must put on your shirt if you are more than 100 meters away from the beach. In Bangla Road, the Thai police will enforce this rule with a fine. When I worked as a police volunteer (maybe 2 years ago), I often had to politely ask tourists to put a shirt on. Usually they were Ozzies! I was never told to <deleted> off and everyone was happy to comply. Even the beer bars usually kept some shirts behind the bar for customers to wear.

I'm not sure what the situation is now in Patong. Perhaps dress standards are slipping...

Simon

[mca]

I often had to politely ask tourists to put a shirt on. Usually they were Ozzies!

Did you also inform them that sporting a mullet without a license was a felony?

[Semper]

In Patong, Phuket, although you may not believe me, the rule is that you must put on your shirt if you are more than 100 meters away from the beach. In Bangla Road, the Thai police will enforce this rule with a fine. When I worked as a police volunteer (maybe 2 years ago), I often had to politely ask tourists to put a shirt on. Usually they were Ozzies! I was never told to <deleted> off and everyone was happy to comply. Even the beer bars usually kept some shirts behind the bar for customers to wear.

I'm not sure what the situation is now in Patong. Perhaps dress standards are slipping...

Simon

There is also a rule that you must put your helmet on your head, when driving a mc .

[Wellington]

I agree with the shirt on vote. I'm surprised that you have been here 7 years and don't understand the clothes on/off custom. It doesn't matter what the Thai kids down the road do, farlang are expected to show respect. It's not our country.

I saw a Russian girl in Pattaya Big C some time ago wearing a G string and a way too small bikini top, casually doing her shopping. Lovely body, but if the stares could talk, no-one was impressed with her disregard for custom.

Made your day?

[tim armstrong]

I agree with the shirt on vote. I'm surprised that you have been here 7 years and don't understand the clothes on/off custom. It doesn't matter what the Thai kids down the road do, farlang are expected to show respect. It's not our country.

I saw a Russian girl in Pattaya Big C some time ago wearing a G string and a way too small bikini top, casually doing her shopping. Lovely body, but if the stares could talk, no-one was impressed with her disregard for custom.

Made your day?

Curiously no, it didn't. Surprisingly it was almost offensive, and was definitely not a turn on. On a beach - maybe a different story. Maybe I'm too conventional ?

[tim armstrong]

I agree with the shirt on vote. I'm surprised that you have been here 7 years and don't understand the clothes on/off custom. It doesn't matter what the Thai kids down the road do, farlang are expected to show respect. It's not our country.

I saw a Russian girl in Pattaya Big C some time ago wearing a G string and a way too small bikini top, casually doing her shopping. Lovely body, but if the stares could talk, no-one was impressed with her disregard for custom.

Made your day?

Curiously no, it didn't. Surprisingly it was almost offensive, and was definitely not a turn on. On a beach - maybe a different story. Maybe I'm too conventional ?

[dantilley]

man boobies

I believe the correct phrase is "moobs".

[Dakhar]

Thais DO expect farangs to be better than them so being respectable in dress is expected. So if confronted by a cop, especially an officer, which can happen any day, then one should be dressed to show respect and get respect otherwise it will upset. The beach is different.

My mrs won't let me out to town in shorts , says not respectable for farang.

I agree they probably do expect more from us, but they don't just pick on foreigners. My old girlfriend got sent home when she showed up in a pair of jeans and a T shirt to apply for her passport.

Wow, that is a bit strong.

But l have noticed that when the mrs and l go to government place they always give you the visual once over. Must admit l sometimes wear a pink shirt with the Kings crest on it and always get first class treatment. What's the saying, every little helps.

..... and do u put ur balls in wife's purse

[Payboy]

Thais DO expect farangs to be better than them so being respectable in dress is expected. So if confronted by a cop, especially an officer, which can happen any day, then one should be dressed to show respect and get respect otherwise it will upset. The beach is different.

My mrs won't let me out to town in shorts , says not respectable for farang.

I agree they probably do expect more from us, but they don't just pick on foreigners. My old girlfriend got sent home when she showed up in a pair of jeans and a T shirt to apply for her passport.

Wow, that is a bit strong.

But l have noticed that when the mrs and l go to government place they always give you the visual once over. Must admit l sometimes wear a pink shirt with the Kings crest on it and always get first class treatment. What's the saying, every little helps.

..... and do u put ur balls in wife's purse

[transam]

Thais DO expect farangs to be better than them so being respectable in dress is expected. So if confronted by a cop, especially an officer, which can happen any day, then one should be dressed to show respect and get respect otherwise it will upset. The beach is different.

My mrs won't let me out to town in shorts , says not respectable for farang.

I agree they probably do expect more from us, but they don't just pick on foreigners. My old girlfriend got sent home when she showed up in a pair of jeans and a T shirt to apply for her passport.

Wow, that is a bit strong.

But l have noticed that when the mrs and l go to government place they always give you the visual once over. Must admit l sometimes wear a pink shirt with the Kings crest on it and always get first class treatment. What's the saying, every little helps.

..... and do u put ur balls in wife's purse

Absolutely, and have got a stick on smile that goes from ear to ear and she kicks me if l don't bow every 15 seconds, especially when walking backwards on leaving, seems to always work.

[WarpSpeed]

Oh crap I knew someone would inspire me to tell this story...

I was driving on a local street here not too long ago with my boys going to get some dinner. We had good travel during rush hour which was quite an unexpected pleasure until we got to a notoriously slow intersection that crosses some rail road tracks into a main road.

There is a police booth next to us and we were fortunate to be first in line for when the light changed the next day (seemed that long)..

As we sit initially patiently, the on coming traffic comes across into our lane head on as usual when the light changed (one reason it's so notorious besides it's length) to form 2 lanes of traffic turning into one lane and slows everything down even more because of the mad rush to go nowhere..

Suddenly after a few minutes another Toyota comes from 3 cars behind me and runs the red light into the intersection further blocking things off for several minutes as the left lane can't turn left with him there because of other drivers going around him nor can the right lane that is now 2 lanes wide, turn either so no one is going anywhere until it gets sorted an additional minute or so.. Mind at least the cars crossing the center line to form the second lane have a green light unlike this maniac who has a RED light..

To make matters worse the lights cycle at least twice without letting our lane go at all so myself and the cars behind me are getting rather impatient.. The third time they cycle I think "surely it's our turn" so get to ready to bolt and roll forward in excited anticipation and darn! No joy ...

So now I'm 2 feet across the line and a minute or 2 goes by while I swear under my breath and curse the road system for the 1,000........ never mind, you get the idea, when my boy in the back tells me we are being flashed with a flashlight (torch for our British members) by a cop in the booth. I ignored my boy as he's young and you know how kids are and surely I've done nothing wrong sitting now for at least 10 minutes after all the carnage and illegalities going on in front of me.

Finally after my boy's insisting he's flashing us, I look over and see he is insisting we back up the 2 feet I rolled forward over the line???? <deleted>????????????????? Are you serious?? I gesture to him about the car that came from 3 cars behind me and the oncoming traffic across in our lane which is still there in front of him and he comes out to my car and tells me in very broken English "across the line must back up, have red light can not!" Not to mention the 10 or so motcycs all in front of me and not a single mention to any of them???? Jai yen yen........NOT !!!

I'd like to explain it that he saw I was farang so harassed me which might account for the shear twilight zone moment but honestly I doubt he could know until I rolled down my window as it was dusk and I have lightly tinted windows so not likely he could see me from his position in the booth and the booth was back a bit from the intersection..

I wish I had enough imagination to make this up I'd be a Pulitzer prize winner for literature ...

[luckyluke]

" My old girlfriend got sent home when she showed up in a pair of jeans and a T shirt to apply for her passport.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Maybe they thought she was to old to wear jeans and a T shirt.

[petertucker48]

The policeman was perfectly correct.It's not an excuse to say rural Thais ride around shirtless on motorbikes (I have never seen a shirtless Thai ride around in a car).

It's symptomatic of a large number of generally lower class foreigners who ,while mainly failures by the standards of their original countries ,have more money than the average rural Thai.They talk about their Thai "families" but have not the remotest understanding of Thai culture except the bar world where in general they met their partners.I have met countless rural school teachers, policeman and civil servants who while having little money make an enormous effort to look presentable, clean and tidy.Of course a fat vulgar half naked foreigner driving a car with his "family" is going to offend and upset.It's mainly a question of good manners , a point I would have thought even these knuckle dragging proles might understand - apparently not.

Perfect Reply,a fat sweaty Farang is one of the worst sights in Thailand,although Hanging is a little over the top 5 days in the slammer seems fine.

Or a Fine of ฿10,000 for messing up my perfect day !!!!!!!!

[KoratFarang]

Wearing a shirt have nothing to do with respect. Where i am from we do as we please and feel like. With all the crazy things going on in Thailand, like the te money, driving on the wrong side of the road, driving drunk, that police do not take any farang serius when they are rob. That is disrespect......,.,... Thai dont know about real respect

The cop was right; don't be a slob, put something on! Even the lowest of the low in Muang Thai at least wear a vest when driving. If you're hot, turn down the aircon or just stay at home if you don't like covering yourself up. Although you were at least in your car, it pisses me off when farang amble around shirtless away from the beach - even if you have no self respect, at least have some respect for the natives and your family. Aren't you at least embarrassed for them?

[KoratFarang]

It is a little bit like the hookers in a go go bar, first they dance in front of you with nothing on, if you pay they to go with you home they are shy after the shower a have to wear towel around them self. That is F........

I always wear a t-shirt when i go out. There are times i do walk around without one in my home and chase my dogs. But i see plenty of Thais T shirt less here in the village so i don't think its a big problem. Especially my neighbor.

Anyway in Holland it was also quite normal to be shirt less around the house but not inside cars. I inmagine some surely did it but i doubt they got pulled over. Here i heard its not good to do plus i dont know why i would and if i would id be freezing my ass off because of the aircon.

Just be sensible in this country dont go against local things.

[MaxYakov]

You might be farang riff-raff if .... (adding this one to the list)

[alstaxi]

I wouldn't dream of walking around shirtless or even wander around with a football top, and only occasionally a vest. I do however sometimes drive short distances shirtless if I am a little hot and don't want to put my clean shirt on top of a sweaty body. I put the shirt on once I've cooled down via the car AC, after ten or fifteen minutes. Also I am in no way fat. I work out three times a week and run 30-50km per week. And I'm probably younger than most of you. However I don't see that my physic really matters. Even if fat the absence of a T-shirt is unlikely to effect my driving. Anyway I guess we can now confirm there are two laws actually upheld in Thailand, driving while shirtless and Les Majeste. Has anyone been stopped for anything more ridiculous?

Having the rear foot pegs on my harley in the down position, while my wife was not sitting behind me,it was a very slow day for the bib.

[AsiaCheese]

The cop was right; don't be a slob, put something on! Even the lowest of the low in Muang Thai at least wear a vest when driving. If you're hot, turn down the aircon or just stay at home if you don't like covering yourself up. Although you were at least in your car, it pisses me off when farang amble around shirtless away from the beach - even if you have no self respect, at least have some respect for the natives and your family. Aren't you at least embarrassed for them?

I don't like this practice of not being clothed very much either, but if it's in the privacy of your own car, why should it be anybody else's business? Step out the car and it's a different matter.

Plus, do you think the policeman would have reacted the same way to a Thai committing the same "offence"? You are right, it is not common for Thais to do so, but i have certainly seen it before, and i've yet to see a Thai being apprehended for it.

The "privacy of your own car" has windows too, and it's simply considered inpolite to "show skin" in this part of the world. Now on the subject of drilling for bogeys, that's an different subject altogether

[anterian]

Even wearing shorts I find it uncomfortable unsticking my thighs from a car seat. The thought of having to unstick my back as well is too much. To drive well, one needs to be comfortable, driving topless is akin to "driving without due care and attention", an offence in my country.

[featography]

Thais DO expect farangs to be better than them so being respectable in dress is expected. So if confronted by a cop, especially an officer, which can happen any day, then one should be dressed to show respect and get respect otherwise it will upset. The beach is different.

My mrs won't let me out to town in shorts , says not respectable for farang.

My wife agrees with your wife. Farang are guests in this country, and should follow all the customs out of respect, and we should be honoring our wives by looking good. We are a reflection on our wives, so dudes!!!! make your wife proud to be married to you. Wear a shirt in public, wear collared shirt and long pants in govt. buildings. When we look good, do good, our wives have pride, not embarrassment around the natives.

[featography]

Thais DO expect farangs to be better than them so being respectable in dress is expected. So if confronted by a cop, especially an officer, which can happen any day, then one should be dressed to show respect and get respect otherwise it will upset. The beach is different.

My mrs won't let me out to town in shorts , says not respectable for farang.

I agree they probably do expect more from us, but they don't just pick on foreigners. My old girlfriend got sent home when she showed up in a pair of jeans and a T shirt to apply for her passport.

Wow, that is a bit strong.

But l have noticed that when the mrs and l go to government place they always give you the visual once over. Must admit l sometimes wear a pink shirt with the Kings crest on it and always get first class treatment. What's the saying, every little helps.

..... and do u put ur balls in wife's purse

Only the smart men do. Ever notice how vigilant and diligent a Thai woman guards, defends, and kills to protect her purse??? No safer place for a man's balls. that concludes todays lesson in;

Thai 101

[featography]

Yes he should wear a shirt whilst driving the car and the older you get the more reasons to do so (even if you are slim and dont have a pair of man boobs) for me its part of growing up and maturity.

Once when walking up Shukumvit I fell in line behind a shirtless wide vehicle the smell was overpowering. When I looked down on his calf he had a football tatoo from my home town, I felt ashamed to be from the same town as him. He was also drinking a can of Singha this was 10:30 in the morning! takes all.

Thank you for not posting a picture.

[featography]

I agree with the shirt on vote. I'm surprised that you have been here 7 years and don't understand the clothes on/off custom. It doesn't matter what the Thai kids down the road do, farlang are expected to show respect. It's not our country.

I saw a Russian girl in Pattaya Big C some time ago wearing a G string and a way too small bikini top, casually doing her shopping. Lovely body, but if the stares could talk, no-one was impressed with her disregard for custom.

Made your day?

Pictures d@#%^%# it We want proof.

[rmacdon61]

OK I'll say it, why "FAT" white guy? Maybe a "not so fat" white guy???? Again "Policeman having a bad day?". Maybe he was struggling to some how communicate his disbelief at this behavior? Why is there this need to "profile" certain behavior? The policeman probably thought "just when you think you have seen it all", because he was thinking he might retire when he has seen it all and we all know he is years from retirement if that is his plan in Thailand as it is with police all over the world HaHaHa.

Thanks for a great laugh and "yes" shirt on outside of my property!!!!!!

[Soutpeel]

wear collared shirt and long pants in govt. buildings. When we look good, do good, our wives have pride, not embarrassment around the natives.

A dog collar may be more appropriate based on your post...

[SanSaiExPat]

The cop was right; don't be a slob, put something on! Even the lowest of the low in Muang Thai at least wear a vest when driving. If you're hot, turn down the aircon or just stay at home if you don't like covering yourself up. Although you were at least in your car, it pisses me off when farang amble around shirtless away from the beach - even if you have no self respect, at least have some respect for the natives and your family. Aren't you at least embarrassed for them?

Yes a bit of common courtesy to the locals

I agree. Put a freaking shirt on mate. Men that don't wear shirts in public are usually narcissistic, insecure, immature and alcoholics. Your lucky you weren't deported on site. No one wants to see your man boobs. Have pity on your poor wife and children.

[JimsKnight]

The cops probably took a look at your avatar and thought it was bad enough seeing your pasty skin

Thais often consider bare-chestedness something unseemly when driving and not doing ardous work, on the beach etc.

Put a shirt on and quit your whining man, TV is going down the tubes with lame threads like this