Motorbike Checks

[SDH]

I keep noticing the boys in brown stopping all the motorbikes.  They stop people with helmets and with out helmets.  Anybody know what they check for?

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Here's a new one..I'm riding down Mae Jo road and of course not wearing a helmet and don't have a plate or for that matter license, passport nor any other form of identification. However when they pulled me over I did have something they were very very interested in...A large bag of KFC that I was taking home to satisfy the hunger of all the left over drunks at my place. So because I'm not that bright at the best of times the one that stopped me sent me and the chicken over to the Sgt. who was licking his chops with a fat little Corp.....We had a deal one box of chicken which is I think about 10 hunks or 400 baht or so! I was happy and they were feeding their greedy little faces before I turned the corner to my place.

[Zemran]

Here's a new one..I'm riding down Mae Jo road and of course not wearing a helmet and don't have a plate or for that matter license, passport nor any other form of identification. However when they pulled me over I did have something they were very very interested in...A large bag of KFC that I was taking home to satisfy the hunger of all the left over drunks at my place. So because I'm not that bright at the best of times the one that stopped me sent me and the chicken over to the Sgt. who was licking his chops with a fat little Corp.....We had a deal one box of chicken which is I think about 10 hunks or 400 baht or so! I was happy and they were feeding their greedy little faces before I turned the corner to my place.

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My wife would burn my ears if I gave them more than 100 Baht. On one occation I was late for my flight to BKK and got stopped. I did not have anything smaller than 500 so I told him it was Christmas. My wife hit the roof. She seemed to think that I should have expected 400 change. They closed check in as I checked my baggage in and I knew it would have cost me far more to get held up.

On another note always wear your helmet, seat belt etc. near the end of the month when the boys in brown have thinner wallets.

[p1p]

On another note always wear your helmet, seat belt etc. near the end of the month when the boys in brown have thinner wallets.

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I have always loved this logic. They look for "contributions" on 28, 29 & 30, when everybody is skint.

1, 2 & 3, when their "clientelle" are presumably flush, they are nowhere to be seen.

This is, as ever, Thailand.

[Jai Dee]

On another note always wear your helmet, seat belt etc. near the end of the month when the boys in brown have thinner wallets.

I have always loved this logic. They look for "contributions" on 28, 29 & 30, when everybody is skint.

1, 2 & 3, when their "clientelle" are presumably flush, they are nowhere to be seen.

This is, as ever, Thailand.

And always at Songkran... before - roadside license checks and the rare "fine"... after - multiple checks/stops and the compulsory "fine".

I guess they've spent all their "tea money" over the holiday period and need to top up...

[davidgtr]

There's a couple of guys (police) lurking in Moon Muang Soi 7 yet again, picking up pocket money just before lunch.

They made another failed attempt to get me for a few baht at 11.45 am today. I was correctly nabbed for cutting across into soi 7 from Chaiyaphum, but I was only following another couple of bikes - at least that was my excuse.

Anyway after a good 15 minutes during which time we discussed my kids, not wearing a helmet, how fat Thai police were getting from eating too much kanom & what a constant headache they had become for the general population, this was going to be a lengthy (time consuming) conversation, I was asked for my passport. It’s at home & you welcome to go there with me if you want to see it.

It was at this stage I asked what he & his slimy little mate were hiding in soi 7 for - who had stationed them there? Was this a regular scheduled "beat" & did his boss know they were here?

The situation immediately changed & I was told to go with a warning to obey the law next time. Yes sir, see you later.

The object of the motorbike checks is to hit you up for some baht – any excuse for whatever they can get.

[ray23]

I'm going to never complain about the Udon cops, never been hazzled here.

There's a couple of guys (police) lurking in Moon Muang Soi 7 yet again, picking up pocket money just before lunch.

They made another failed attempt to get me for a few baht at 11.45 am today. I was correctly nabbed for cutting across into soi 7 from Chaiyaphum, but I was only following another couple of bikes - at least that was my excuse.

Anyway after a good 15 minutes during which time we discussed my kids, not wearing a helmet, how fat Thai police were getting from eating too much kanom & what a constant headache they had become for the general population, this was going to be a lengthy (time consuming) conversation, I was asked for my passport. It’s at home & you welcome to go  there with me if you want to see it.

It was at this stage I asked what he & his slimy little mate were hiding in soi 7 for - who had stationed them there? Was this a regular scheduled "beat" & did his boss know they were here?

The situation immediately changed & I was told to go with a warning to obey the law next time. Yes sir, see you later.

The object of the motorbike checks is to hit you up for some baht – any excuse for whatever they can get.

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[peterxyz]

We can argue this forever, and you’ll still ride without a helmet.  It’s no skin off my nose but please don’t encourage others to do it, which was my real point.

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Sierra01

What are "we" arguing about?

I personally don’t like to wear a helmet in Chiang Mai city (=going down to the shop for the newspaper) pottering around at 30-40 kph. Out on the highway & Bangkok is different. Now if you go “outside of town” (Chiang Mai) wear a helmet, and if you're really out there riding wear all the right protective gear - just like I do & recommend.

The title of this thread was “Motorbike Checks, Why do the police stop motorbikes” & the general agreed answer was "looking for money, any excuse to make a baht.”

Keep the skin on your nose mate.......

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David, how's the situation with the tax/plates for motorbike rentals? Are all the rentals licensed and if not what are the consequenses on the road when stopped by the police?

And what would be a good place in Chiang Mai to buy helmets?

Thanks

Peter

[Thaipwriter]

went out on motorci in Khon Kaen tonight, no helmet as usual (everyone here wears one during the day, and never at night...is this normal in Thailand?) i got waved in by MIB close to my destination. as usual i played the stupid farang who cannot speak thai and chanted kor toht cap etc etc. i was waved on past...no ticket!

I parked up about 10 meters away to wait for my date and spent the next hour watching the MIB pull over every biker with or without helmet.

Nice little operation they had going... they were taking food and cash as sweeteners and some of the pretty girls got let off. all the guys got some kind of ticket.

[paulnuek]

Back on topic... just north of Karon beach..

Back on topic - isn't this a Chiangmai forum..?...

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I didn't mention Phuket first - someone else did...

... Phuket on the other hand,completely different...

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Sorry

[davidgtr]

David, how's the situation with the tax/plates for motorbike rentals? Are all the rentals licensed and if not what are the consequenses on the road when stopped by the police?

And what would be a good place in Chiang Mai to buy helmets?

Thanks

Peter

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Regarding motorbike rentals the situation is normal. Small local manufactured bikes are registered & bigger bikes aren't.

Up country touring you’re seldom stopped by the police. I once heard that it was 5,000 baht fine for riding an unregistered bike, but don’t know anyone who's actually experienced this. Should this happen just call the rental shop & let them deal with the police / fix it. I don’t consider it a problem to stop your from hiring a bike.

OK if you get stopped for it, it could be a problem, but 99.9% sure it “probably” won’t happen.

For a helmet go to Prida on Chang Moi Rd. He has good local made ones. But if you’ve already got a good one at home bring that with you.