Police Check Points On The Railway Road

[kevkev1888]

Just to let you all know the Police where out in force yesterday afternoon.

I myself was stopped and breathalyzed on the the railway road.

Myself and about 5 Thais where over while I was there.

Who knows what the actual official fine or punishment is?

I was told for Farang big problem, have to stay Monkey house 2/3 days wait to go court pay 20K, Deportation and mark Passport cannot come back Thailand.

The Thais where carted off on the back of a pickup, while I had to wait for my Thai wife to turn up.

When she did her best contacts where called, many phone calls between many different police and 1 hour later told have to go police station but not inside big boss would meet us outside.

Paid 11K.

Edited April 16, 2011 by kevkev1888

[FarangBuddha]

So you are bragging about bribing your way out of a drunk-driving charge...another quality fareng in Pattaya.

[BIGJIMMY]

So you had obviously had a drink - how many, were you drunk??

What is the legal limit here?

Thanks

[Pdaz]

Does this mean you failed the test ? Had you been drinking. Not flaming as I often drive after a couple of beers and never considered it an issue here.. Driving while pissed out of my face is a very different thing and is something I'd never do. I was stopped ( on a big bike ) and breathalised in Soi Siam Country Club by the railway crossing about 2 Months back.. They checked my bike licence, asked if I had been drinking ( I hadn't ) and then asked me to blow into their machine. They didn't have any of the disposable mouth pieces so they said just blow into the maching while holding it a short distance from my mouth. The result was a 0.0 so they said thanks and let me continue home.

I've seen quite a few more of these check points since.. Suprised it has taken so long as it could be a great revenue earner.. Think how many guys are over the limit here most nights and would gladly pay 20-30k for it to all go away if caught.. By most Western standards many would still be over the limit when driving 'the morning after' off out to get a breakfast after a nights boozing.. Oh dear

[Mobi]

So you are bragging about bribing your way out of a drunk-driving charge...another quality fareng in Pattaya.

Yes, along with thousands of other farangs and probably an even larger number of Thai who drink drive in Pattaya every day.

If the police fined every farang in Pattaya 10k for drink driving, the force would be millionaires by now.

I do not for one moment condone drink driving, but neither do I condone the extortion that is increasingly going on between the BIB and farangs in Pattaya. Just recently I have heard first hand accounts of many horror stories which includes the police beating up farangs who had the temerity to query their trumped up offences.

I have no problem with any farang or Thai driver being locked up for a few days if they drink/drive;it would be a good wake up call and might make them see sense. But this financial extortion towards farangs for any perceived infraction of the law, be it true or invented seems to be reaching plague proportions.

[kevkev1888]

So you are bragging about bribing your way out of a drunk-driving charge...another quality fareng in Pattaya.

I knew I would be opening myself up to judgment by posting this.

I am NOT in anyway bragging, just telling what happened is all.

No idea if or how much my wifes contacts changed the outcome.

I got the impression that the police where overstating the consequences and looking for an unofficial payment.

That's the way things work here rightly or wrongly. I was definitely treated differently to the Thais.

What where the consequences for them? No idea.

But perhaps a warning to others.

[kevkev1888]

So you had obviously had a drink - how many, were you drunk??

What is the legal limit here?

Thanks

Yes I had had 4 small Leo over about 3 hours.

I was not drunk but I knew I would be over the limit.

The limit I was told was 50 I blew 75 one of the Thais had apparently blown over 300!!

I have no complaints over the way I was treated but it was clear from the off that I was a different case to the Thais and That there would certainly be a negotiated under the table settlement available to me.

What would of happend if I had turned this down and said take me in? Again I dont know. But I doubt I could be deported? or could I?

Edited April 16, 2011 by kevkev1888

[Pdaz]

That was the crux of my post.. Thais are fined whatever the BiB figure they can get. But targeting farangs is a very worrying thing.. Almost any farang who lives here has money invested here and posibly a family too. They are the perfect target for extortion for either a genuine charge or a trumped up one.. Okay if it was just a case of 3-5k baht most guys would be glad to pay and leave lesson learnt.. But the BiB are getting very greedy now.. I could see them really turning the screws if they believe a farang had money.. Yes I know DUI is against the law but if it is only selectively enforced and used as an excuse for extortion it is very very troubling.. Especially when being sober is no garantee that the cops won't try it on anyhow. Really believe the only reason I didn't have a prob was cos my spoken Thai is good and I had all my documentation. I was wearing decent bike gear and was riding an expensive bike. They don't know if I have any connections so prolly best to let me go.

However less confident or more intoxicated farangs may be a different matter.

[FarangBuddha]

So you are bragging about bribing your way out of a drunk-driving charge...another quality fareng in Pattaya.

Yes, along with thousands of other farangs and probably an even larger number of Thai who drink drive in Pattaya every day.

If the police fined every farang in Pattaya 10k for drink driving, the force would be millionaires by now.

I do not for one moment condone drink driving, but neither do I condone the extortion that is increasingly going on between the BIB and farangs in Pattaya. Just recently I have heard first hand accounts of many horror stories which includes the police beating up farangs who had the temerity to query their trumped up offences.

I have no problem with any farang or Thai driver being locked up for a few days if they drink/drive;it would be a good wake up call and might make them see sense. But this financial extortion towards farangs for any perceived infraction of the law, be it true or invented seems to be reaching plague proportions.

Not really sure what your point is...if the op was not legally drunk, he would have passed the breath test and be allowed on his way. The fact his reaction was to call in his chips and pay a fine/bribe outside the police station suggests he was in fact drunk-driving.

The op and you seem to condone this behavior. Just saying this kind of attitude will never make our roads safer.

[mallyrd]

So you are bragging about bribing your way out of a drunk-driving charge...another quality fareng in Pattaya.

Yes, along with thousands of other farangs and probably an even larger number of Thai who drink drive in Pattaya every day.

If the police fined every farang in Pattaya 10k for drink driving, the force would be millionaires by now.

I do not for one moment condone drink driving, but neither do I condone the extortion that is increasingly going on between the BIB and farangs in Pattaya. Just recently I have heard first hand accounts of many horror stories which includes the police beating up farangs who had the temerity to query their trumped up offences.

I have no problem with any farang or Thai driver being locked up for a few days if they drink/drive;it would be a good wake up call and might make them see sense. But this financial extortion towards farangs for any perceived infraction of the law, be it true or invented seems to be reaching plague proportions.

Not really sure what your point is...if the op was not legally drunk, he would have passed the breath test and be allowed on his way. The fact his reaction was to call in his chips and pay a fine/bribe outside the police station suggests he was in fact drunk-driving.

The op and you seem to condone this behavior. Just saying this kind of attitude will never make our roads safer.

He admits that he and five Thais were over the limite. quote "Myself and about 5 Thais where [sic] over while I was there".

[Beardog]

So you are bragging about bribing your way out of a drunk-driving charge...another quality fareng in Pattaya.

Yes, along with thousands of other farangs and probably an even larger number of Thai who drink drive in Pattaya every day.

If the police fined every farang in Pattaya 10k for drink driving, the force would be millionaires by now.

I do not for one moment condone drink driving, but neither do I condone the extortion that is increasingly going on between the BIB and farangs in Pattaya. Just recently I have heard first hand accounts of many horror stories which includes the police beating up farangs who had the temerity to query their trumped up offences.

I have no problem with any farang or Thai driver being locked up for a few days if they drink/drive;it would be a good wake up call and might make them see sense. But this financial extortion towards farangs for any perceived infraction of the law, be it true or invented seems to be reaching plague proportions.

Not really sure what your point is...if the op was not legally drunk, he would have passed the breath test and be allowed on his way. The fact his reaction was to call in his chips and pay a fine/bribe outside the police station suggests he was in fact drunk-driving.

The op and you seem to condone this behavior. Just saying this kind of attitude will never make our roads safer.

I am pretty sure Mobi is a non drinker & is not advocating that it is cool to drive drunk or even drink for that matter, He is posting more towards not condoning the milking the farangs for fundage to support their (BIB)pocket books.

Edited April 16, 2011 by Beardog

[FarangBuddha]

So you are bragging about bribing your way out of a drunk-driving charge...another quality fareng in Pattaya.

Yes, along with thousands of other farangs and probably an even larger number of Thai who drink drive in Pattaya every day.

If the police fined every farang in Pattaya 10k for drink driving, the force would be millionaires by now.

I do not for one moment condone drink driving, but neither do I condone the extortion that is increasingly going on between the BIB and farangs in Pattaya. Just recently I have heard first hand accounts of many horror stories which includes the police beating up farangs who had the temerity to query their trumped up offences.

I have no problem with any farang or Thai driver being locked up for a few days if they drink/drive;it would be a good wake up call and might make them see sense. But this financial extortion towards farangs for any perceived infraction of the law, be it true or invented seems to be reaching plague proportions.

Not really sure what your point is...if the op was not legally drunk, he would have passed the breath test and be allowed on his way. The fact his reaction was to call in his chips and pay a fine/bribe outside the police station suggests he was in fact drunk-driving.

The op and you seem to condone this behavior. Just saying this kind of attitude will never make our roads safer.

I am pretty sure Mobi is a non drinker & is not advocating that it is cool to drive drunk or even drink for that matter, He is posting more towards not condoning the milking the farangs for fundage to support their (BIB)pocket books.

I understand...the point I guess I'm trying to make is that no "milking" would take place if people didn't put themselves in a position to be "milked" in the first place (e.g., driving drunk, or without a helmet, or without a license, etc.).

[NALAK]

yesterday they had a road block across the whole of the new 7 motorway, i got waved through but lots were pulled over, my favourite was the two cloomey looking farangs sat at the side of there atv who thought it was ok to drive up a 3 lane motorway on atv. hate those bloody things.

i doubt they recalibrate the breatherlisers after every session like they are supposed to, or as in the Uk wait 20 minutes after you last beer. still its not a disquilfycation.

Edited April 16, 2011 by NALAK

[Mobi]

Yes, along with thousands of other farangs and probably an even larger number of Thai who drink drive in Pattaya every day.

If the police fined every farang in Pattaya 10k for drink driving, the force would be millionaires by now.

I do not for one moment condone drink driving, but neither do I condone the extortion that is increasingly going on between the BIB and farangs in Pattaya. Just recently I have heard first hand accounts of many horror stories which includes the police beating up farangs who had the temerity to query their trumped up offences.

I have no problem with any farang or Thai driver being locked up for a few days if they drink/drive;it would be a good wake up call and might make them see sense. But this financial extortion towards farangs for any perceived infraction of the law, be it true or invented seems to be reaching plague proportions.

Not really sure what your point is...if the op was not legally drunk, he would have passed the breath test and be allowed on his way. The fact his reaction was to call in his chips and pay a fine/bribe outside the police station suggests he was in fact drunk-driving.

The op and you seem to condone this behavior. Just saying this kind of attitude will never make our roads safer.

Oh really??

What is it in my words:

I do not for one moment condone drink driving,

and:

I have no problem with any farang or Thai driver being locked up for a few days if they drink/drive;it would be a good wake up call and might make them see sense.

that you have difficulty in understanding....

May I suggest that next time read more carefully before you jump in with unwarranted insinuations.....

[Mobi]

Further more,Mr FarangBuddha, as many can testify, there is no guarantee whatsoever that even if a farang passed the breath test he would be allowed to go on his way. This is 'DEADWOOD' and the cops are out to extort.

There are two issues here: Drunk driving - which is wrong! and police extortion - which is also wrong!

Got it?

[Mobi]

There is a lot of evidence that in recent months the cops are struggling to find farangs and Thais who are breaking the law. Nowadays they all wear helmets, they all have all the necessary documents.

So what to do? Invent charges, plant drugs and falsify drink driving charges and in the case of farangs - put the fear of God into them.

I neither drink, nor ride a bike and this problem does not affect me in any way. I am posting this as an interested observer who has heard and seen much.

[FarangBuddha]

There is a lot of evidence that in recent months the cops are struggling to find farangs and Thais who are breaking the law. Nowadays they all wear helmets, they all have all the necessary documents.

So what to do? Invent charges, plant drugs and falsify drink driving charges and in the case of farangs - put the fear of God into them.

I neither drink, nor ride a bike and this problem does not affect me in any way. I am posting this as an interested observer who has heard and seen much.

Hardly...there is no shortage of legit stops that can be made to fill up their coffers. Just stand by any roadside at any time of day (and especially nite) and in any given period of time, you will see dozens (or hundreds depending on how long you look) of driving infractions (e.g. no helmet, 3 or more on a bike, no lights on, talking on phone, etc.). There is little need to make up trumped-up charges to earn a little tea-money.

[Pdaz]

Yep.. Just cos you blow 0.0 doesn't mean they will let you go. Or if you blow 1.5 how do you know it is a true and accurate reading.. <deleted> when they had me blow it was without a mouthpiece and 30mm from the machine.. It took four attempts before the box even knew I was blowing.. Like many things here it is all smoke and mirrors.. They aren't worried about the millions of Thais driving intoxicated for 358 days of the year or the underage riders or helmetless riders.. They are only concerned with revenue.. And a farang on his way home in the evening after a tript o the pub whether he had 1 beer or 20 is just another meal ticket.. When will the bashers realise that this isn''t the West.. Just cos there are laws here doesn't mean there is justice or fairness. TBH when you think of how many people here have a couple of beers then drive home of you believed the '''hype from home'' there'd be a massacre on the roads every night in Pattaya... Many fo the accidents are down to poor training and ingnorance of the rules of the road.. booze is just another factor.. The average farang after a couple of beers is still a more skilled driver than a sober local..

[kevkev1888]

Just read this in another TV thread.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/460913-songkran-revellers-set-new-human-wave-record%3B-road-death-toll-down-30/

Quoted from a story about Songkran road safety in The Nation.

"And all drivers are not allowed to drink alcohol. Anyone violates the ban will be jailed for up to three months or face fines of Bt2,000-Bt10,000. Moreover, [bus] companies will be fined Bt40,000 as well, which will affect renewal of transport licences," Kamol added.

According to this then 10K is the maximum fine.

Problem is the Police don't want to tell you this as they want as much cash in their pockets as possible.

If you were to insist on going by the book then they would probably make things as difficult as possible for you.

[naidraw66]

If you drink & drive then you are an areshole who deserves to be locked up and the keys thrown away . . . . . .period!! There are no exceptions or excuses!!

Edited April 16, 2011 by ianwrd4

[monty]

For the curious:

* When a person gets caught drunk driving he will be arrested.

* If during a weekday (working hours), you'll have a big chance of being carted of straight to court, where following the law you'll be fined between 2,000 and 10,000 Baht (first offenses in Pattaya court gives you a 3,000 Baht fine). You'll also get between 3 and 6 months probation, meaning if caught again in that period, ticket straight to jail!

* If outside working hours, you'll be carted off to the local police holding cells, where you'll have the possibility of posting bail, usually between 10,000 and 20,000 Baht. Until your court appearance/fine, after which you will get your bail money back.

Now, all the above is all there is to it for Thai Nationals. For foreigners, it doesn't end with the above! Below applies only to foreigners:

* After your court appearance and payment of fine, you will not be released.

* Since you, as a foreigner, have just been convicted of a criminal offense (which drunk driving is in Thailand), you will be escorted back to the police station under which jurisdiction you had been arrested, which has the duty of handing you, along with your freshly acquired criminal conviction file, over to the local immigration office.

* Local immigration will then void your visa, as per the law which makes this mandatory for all foreign convicted criminals!

* Which then means you will remain in custody of immigration, until you can produce a flight ticket out of Thailand, when they will escort you onto the airplane (after coughing up transportation fees for the escort!).

* It is at the deporting immigration official's discretion to allow you to leave on any flight out, or only on a flight back to your home country!

So, no, the cops are actually not trying to put the fear of god in you for a relative small offense, it's just that if you get processed following the law, and you are a tad unlucky at immigration, it can end up a pretty expensive trip back home (long haul flights at short notice tend to be expensive)!

BTW, you will net get blacklisted unless you manage to make an utter idiot of yourself during the whole process...

[janverbeem]

If the police fined every farang in Pattaya 10k for drink driving, the force would be millionaires by now.

.

Rumour goes that few actually are already

[janverbeem]

For the curious:

* When a person gets caught drunk driving he will be arrested.

* If during a weekday (working hours), you'll have a big chance of being carted of straight to court, where following the law you'll be fined between 2,000 and 10,000 Baht (first offenses in Pattaya court gives you a 3,000 Baht fine). You'll also get between 3 and 6 months probation, meaning if caught again in that period, ticket straight to jail!

* If outside working hours, you'll be carted off to the local police holding cells, where you'll have the possibility of posting bail, usually between 10,000 and 20,000 Baht. Until your court appearance/fine, after which you will get your bail money back.

Now, all the above is all there is to it for Thai Nationals. For foreigners, it doesn't end with the above! Below applies only to foreigners:

* After your court appearance and payment of fine, you will not be released.

* Since you, as a foreigner, have just been convicted of a criminal offense (which drunk driving is in Thailand), you will be escorted back to the police station under which jurisdiction you had been arrested, which has the duty of handing you, along with your freshly acquired criminal conviction file, over to the local immigration office.

* Local immigration will then void your visa, as per the law which makes this mandatory for all foreign convicted criminals!

* Which then means you will remain in custody of immigration, until you can produce a flight ticket out of Thailand, when they will escort you onto the airplane (after coughing up transportation fees for the escort!).

* It is at the deporting immigration official's discretion to allow you to leave on any flight out, or only on a flight back to your home country!

So, no, the cops are actually not trying to put the fear of god in you for a relative small offense, it's just that if you get processed following the law, and you are a tad unlucky at immigration, it can end up a pretty expensive trip back home (long haul flights at short notice tend to be expensive)!

BTW, you will net get blacklisted unless you manage to make an utter idiot of yourself during the whole process...

The second new years day 2 guys I know were arrested for drunk driving when they left walking street in the morning.They appeared in court the next day together with 4 other farangs for the same offence.From the group 3 were blacklisted for 5 years.The lads I know got off with 30.000 each.

[BIGJIMMY]

I think i'm reading this forum to much, I just got stopped coming home and my first thought was this thread!!!

Me and Mrs Bigjimmy riding up Soi Siam Country on our way home, no drinkies only food and we get stopped 2 minutes from our house by what turned out to be a major police presence just by the (now demolished) driving range. I was thinking I should be okay as I haven't had a drink today etc and what do they stop us for - bloody stolen bikes, can I show the owners booklet etc - ha ha, bloody typical, the only think I haven't got a copy of in the bike, anyway the Mrs was on top form and they let us go with the advice of getting a copy of it for next time etc, no money asked for etc - faith (for now) restored as there were alot of Thai's there weighing the police in with notes!!

Ta ra

Bigjimmy

[mallyrd]

Perhaps a little bit off topic but I think worth mentioning.

Having made Thailand my home for almost 25 years now with around 65% of that time working in Thailand I have been unfortunate enough to have been stopped twice by the police. First time was for driving in the outside lane of a dual carriageway when there was no traffic on the inside lane; result was a warning. Second time was for overtaking on a double yellow line; result Baht 500 fine.

My driving has seen me do the North to South highway (Sadao to Kualu Lumpur) dozens of times and the South to North highway (Songkhla to Bangkok) dozens of times. I have worked in Bangkok for several years and worked down at Laem Chabang for several years and in all this time must have been through hundreds of checkpoints without ever being pulled over. I wonder why this is?

[janverbeem]

I think i'm reading this forum to much, I just got stopped coming home and my first thought was this thread!!!

Me and Mrs Bigjimmy riding up Soi Siam Country on our way home, no drinkies only food and we get stopped 2 minutes from our house by what turned out to be a major police presence just by the (now demolished) driving range. I was thinking I should be okay as I haven't had a drink today etc and what do they stop us for - bloody stolen bikes, can I show the owners booklet etc - ha ha, bloody typical, the only think I haven't got a copy of in the bike, anyway the Mrs was on top form and they let us go with the advice of getting a copy of it for next time etc, no money asked for etc - faith (for now) restored as there were alot of Thai's there weighing the police in with notes!!

Ta ra

Bigjimmy

The copy of the owners book is the biggest scam as of lately.Let's see.Your driver license shows your picture and home address,Your insurance slip again shows your name and address and the license plate of your bike.The tax idea which you can't get without insurance and green book in your name shows again you name ,address and the license plate number of your bike.So what more does the copy of the green book offers.

Next they will ask for a copy of a copy of the green book.

[Pdaz]

Perhaps a little bit off topic but I think worth mentioning.

Having made Thailand my home for almost 25 years now with around 65% of that time working in Thailand I have been unfortunate enough to have been stopped twice by the police. First time was for driving in the outside lane of a dual carriageway when there was no traffic on the inside lane; result was a warning. Second time was for overtaking on a double yellow line; result Baht 500 fine.

My driving has seen me do the North to South highway (Sadao to Kualu Lumpur) dozens of times and the South to North highway (Songkhla to Bangkok) dozens of times. I have worked in Bangkok for several years and worked down at Laem Chabang for several years and in all this time must have been through hundreds of checkpoints without ever being pulled over. I wonder why this is?

I've just travelled down to Nakhon Sri from Pattaya via Phuket.. Almost 1500k... Went thru a dozen or more check points and never even asked a question... However the last time I rode my bike upto BKK I was stopped four times in a morning.. 200baht/200baht/nothing/500baht... The 200baht 'fines' were trumped up BS but the alternative was a detour to a distant station and a larger donation. The 500baht was also a bullshit changing lane charge and I decided to go to the station rather than paying.. but it cost me more and took an hour of my time.. In the dozen of so years I've lived her the one thing I can say is 'expect the unexpected' I can be waved past when the cops have stopped dozens of Thais or singled out to be stopped while dozens of Thais ride by..

Ten days ago I got stopped in Pattaya Klang on my girls scooter.. No paperwork and I only had my car licence with me... No problem said the cop, off you go ! I was certain it was gonna cost me or waste an hour in Soi 9.. Very hard to predict..

[janverbeem]

Perhaps a little bit off topic but I think worth mentioning.

Having made Thailand my home for almost 25 years now with around 65% of that time working in Thailand I have been unfortunate enough to have been stopped twice by the police. First time was for driving in the outside lane of a dual carriageway when there was no traffic on the inside lane; result was a warning. Second time was for overtaking on a double yellow line; result Baht 500 fine.

My driving has seen me do the North to South highway (Sadao to Kualu Lumpur) dozens of times and the South to North highway (Songkhla to Bangkok) dozens of times. I have worked in Bangkok for several years and worked down at Laem Chabang for several years and in all this time must have been through hundreds of checkpoints without ever being pulled over. I wonder why this is?

And I wonder what the point of your post is?

[mallyrd]

Perhaps a little bit off topic but I think worth mentioning.

Having made Thailand my home for almost 25 years now with around 65% of that time working in Thailand I have been unfortunate enough to have been stopped twice by the police. First time was for driving in the outside lane of a dual carriageway when there was no traffic on the inside lane; result was a warning. Second time was for overtaking on a double yellow line; result Baht 500 fine.

My driving has seen me do the North to South highway (Sadao to Kualu Lumpur) dozens of times and the South to North highway (Songkhla to Bangkok) dozens of times. I have worked in Bangkok for several years and worked down at Laem Chabang for several years and in all this time must have been through hundreds of checkpoints without ever being pulled over. I wonder why this is?

And I wonder what the point of your post is?

Same as yours: no point, just passing the time away!

[Schooner]

We've been clammering for years to clean up the driving and now their doing it. I think their going to keep on doing it because the big investers that are building these new condos are putting pressure on. In 5 years things will now doubt look a lot different. Heck it looks a lot different from 5 years ago. Pattaya will still be fun but some of the stuff that goes on is really over the top. Drunk driving is one of them. The solution is just don't drink and drive. I commend them for this effort. If the 30% reduction in deaths holds it will be a stellar accomplishment.

In 5 years I've been stopped twice, once for driving in the passing lane (200 baht tea money)and once for trying to get on the motorway with stuff in the back of a pickup uncovered (who knew?) and three parking tickets. I've been stopped 3 times to check my license and then waved through. Each encounter was professional enough. I have been adjusting my driving to try to obay the law insted of doing what the Thai's do. All and all we all benefit.

My question is where are they putting all these people who are arrested? Is the driving limit really zero? I thought that was just for commercial drivers.

Edited April 16, 2011 by Schooner