Highway Police To File Lawsuit Against Thai Land Transport Federation

[veryruay]

This place is famous for this. Click the link!

[avalonmick]

Same here - must be a standard price.

And another 200 baht for doing a u-turn that the cop said was illegal.

Yeh right I have had to pay off one guy only 100baht for driving in the right hand lane.

[apalink_thailand]

The 23 no votes (as of 12:56pm on 16/9) must either be cops themselves, people who do not drive or people that do not live here.

[whitfield]

If you really haven't done anything wrong and you have all your papers in order just refuse to pay. Say that you dispute the charge and use your mobile phone to take a video and record the scene. Demand to see evidence of your offence etc. They will eventually let you go (or shoot you!).

I no longer pay the "Farang" charge. They know when they are having it on and an argumentative farang is just a nuisance.

Interestingly on our by pass they occasionally have a speed camera and about a kilo up, just after a major intersection they pull cars over. Everyone turns left or right and they never chase them.

Edited September 16, 2011 by whitfield

[martingorilla]

Maybe the motorists of Thailand should launch a class action against the police for decades of roadside shakedowns?

I'm 35, British, been here 4 years or so. An older (65) British friend was telling me about his youth in Manchester, where the police would regularly be bribable, and one would go out driving illegally for some reason (license, lights, whatever) knowing that if you were caught, you could hand over a fiver or something and be on your way.

Then the police wages were raised. Suddenly it wasn't worth the coppers' risking their jobs over such a payment, and the regime changed. The youth were pretty pissed off that their easy life was changed and they suddenly found themselves having to obey the law more, or of course hiding their violations better. My friend was pretty emphatic about it changing the way things worked forever.

Now traffic cameras automate the whole process in England, the police corruption in England is just at a higher level. It is a systematic corruption that goes hand in hand with other government agencies. It is to generate money for the state for the high level public workers' pensions and expenses. The UK police get their cut.

The low level officers are generally clean especially outside London, but there is a systematic corruption especially the "overtime and sick payments". Growing numbers of UK police have second jobs. Police are enforcers for the state, the police will deny all this of course, they are master liars, well UNTIL the newspapers use the freedom of information act to get the real behaviour out in the open.

in Australia, the epitome of the nanny state, your car can be taken by the police if you are caught speeding and of course they will sell them on to their mates .

But in Thailand the low level cops are "bribable" (good word) , they always seem to live in good houses in Thailand on new estates.

Edited September 16, 2011 by martingorilla

[astral]

Once I had to pay out 3 times in one day, each for speeding,

well it was a long journey.........

The first was an organised radar trap and there was a senior officer writing out receipts for the fines. (200baht)

The second was cop car stopped at the side of the road.

Only having one 100baht note I offered a 500.

The officer peered into my wallet and took the 100baht, returning the 500.

The third time I was told the fine was 200baht, well at least they were consistent.

I replied, "100baht and no receipt?"

"OK", was the answer.

This was about 20 years ago, the rates are higher.

After these events I invested in a radar detector.

I always keep my old international licences, and hand these over when requested.

What do I care if they keep it.

The systen of logging unpaid fines with the Land Transport office makes life mmore

difficult, as you have to pay up before you can pay the annual vehicle tax.

[robertson468]

bribes what bribes... just a few over the years.. in fact i would call it extorsion not a bribe as if you don't pay waht recourse do you have ? its nto as if you get an option to go to court and argue that you were not speeding , or that the fact you were in the outside lane was that you were overtaking the lorry doing 30kmh !

200bt .. driving with no shirt !!

400bt .. (3 times) outside lane on motorway

400bt at least 5 times.. over speedlimit when not over limit

400bt over speed limit (twice) , when really over ... the amazing part is when you sometimes see the policeman up a tree calling ahead !

1 Ciggerete . the one time a argued and told them i was not speeding, was not in the outside lane, it still cost a ciggy

400bt.. illegal u-turn

300bt - overtaking while on a dual carriageway while traveling over a bridge . not even a real bridge !

in at least 10 back handers... only once a ticket and that was still 400bt lol

despite all this its still a better system than a fine with court and points on your licence.. its just annoying that the times you really did nothing that they extort the money regardless

on saying that .. is there a system where you can disagree with there acusation ?

If I were you I would stand up for your rights and refuse to pay!! Maybe it's a good job I'm not you :cheesy:

[skorchio]

It's not the first time I hear about these stickers.

But I don't understand what the Land Transport Federation is complaining about.

They want the police to be more strict in giving fines to drivers who don't respect the weight limit ?

Or they want the right to break the law without consequences ?

Yes, something has gone wrong here. What they are really complaining about is that they already paid to be allowed grossly overload their trucks, and the sticker did not work. Trucks are being fined for overloading. The system usually works but someone got greedy, or else someone is trying to put a stop to the corruption.

[TempleTiger]

I can honestly say that I have never bribed the Thai Police. I have on occassion given them a tip for thier dedication to road safety and upholding the rights of the people and the laws of the land.

Nice 1 chooka. made me smile and I'll remember it for use later.

[gemini81]

Insulting to all that they think we'd even believe such a clear-as-day lie.

[ianf]

If I say 'no, give me a ticket and I'll pay at the police station' to the clear request for unrecorded cash at road blocks my Thai wife gets annoyed at my cultural terrorism, beckons them around to her side and pays them off. Result!

My partner was taking a taxi from Bangkok to Rayong, when the Taxi was pulled over just outside Rayong. The police tried to say that the Taxi had no right to ply his trade in that district, even though he tried to explain that he was on a journey FROM Bangkok. OK, said the cop "500 baht". The Taxi driver tried to get my pa rtner to pay. My partner (all 40ks of her) went ballistic, demanded an ID from the policeman and then took his picture on her phone. He left, empty handed, very sheepishly.

[Lingba]

Thailand....Land of Smiles and Denials

[rich54321]

Maybe the motorists of Thailand should launch a class action against the police for decades of roadside shakedowns?

I'm 35, British, been here 4 years or so. An older (65) British friend was telling me about his youth in Manchester, where the police would regularly be bribable, and one would go out driving illegally for some reason (license, lights, whatever) knowing that if you were caught, you could hand over a fiver or something and be on your way.

Then the police wages were raised. Suddenly it wasn't worth the coppers' risking their jobs over such a payment, and the regime changed. The youth were pretty pissed off that their easy life was changed and they suddenly found themselves having to obey the law more, or of course hiding their violations better. My friend was pretty emphatic about it changing the way things worked forever.

Times can change. Given time. And an incentive to change.

Wow! that was way back in the 1970's - 80's - 30 years ago - how things change eh!

[VictorOne]

Don't take bribes!

What a load of horseshyte.

[ralphlsasser]

He said the CIB has given his agency 7 days to forward their findings, but say they may be unable to meet the deadline, so he is asking that the investigation be extended.

An extention in the range of " forever " springs to mind.

My thoughts exactly.

[jeanelie]

Never had a problem of that kind. I drive regularly in Rayong Chantaburi and in the Northern provincies. I got stopped about 15 times during the years. Until now I never got asked a bribe and only once my papers (Mae Sai area). I always had the impression once they saw I am a farang driver that the policeman faces turned friendlier and they told me OK to drive. Good karma.

[SteveH]

I assume that the Thai Land Transport Federation are complaining because those drivers that aren't overloading their trucks are still having to pay for the sticker. Worrying thing is if this source of income is stopped how will they replace it ? Higher 'speeding' fines ?

[thaimite]

Once (many years ago) when my wife was driving she was sytopped for driving in the right hand lane.

When asked for her license she said she did not have one, and gave the cop 20 baht instead.

When I questioned her as to why she did not show her license, she said that "if she had given the guy the license , then it would have cost her 100 baht to get it back!!"

We used to have several trucks and always mde sure our drivers had a wad of 20 Baht notes to give as "Tea Money" if stopped.

[eddie61]

That is a truly miraculous statement, and I would love to know how many judges who will try the case have paid fines without receipts.

They even give change if you can't break a 1000 baht note, and I used to get credit from a local policeman for future offences (right turns where not allowed ; 50 baht a pop in those days) but saved 30 mins in traffic

[ralphlsasser]

I can honestly say that I have never bribed the Thai Police. I have on occassion given them a tip for thier dedication to road safety and upholding the rights of the people and the laws of the land.

Nice 1 chooka. made me smile and I'll remember it for use later.

It seems like I have done that a time or to chooka.

[bangkokrick]

Not so much bribing a Policeman, more of case of being relieved of your cash. It's happened to me many times when I lived in Bangkok. Not in Pattaya as yet.

[thaimite]

I assume that the Thai Land Transport Federation are complaining because those drivers that aren't overloading their trucks are still having to pay for the sticker. Worrying thing is if this source of income is stopped how will they replace it ? Higher 'speeding' fines ?

We have had a truck stopped for being 10K over the weigh limit of 20 Tonnes. (it was not overweight as it had been checked beofre setting off)

The driver was not allowed out of the cab or to switch off the engine to see the scales.

It was either pay the 500Baht fine or lose the truck for months until we could fight it in court.

[tigermonkey]

Most of you are clearly not understanding the semantics here -- the police say that they have never accepted bribes -- I believe them.

A bribe is an offering, promise or payment to someone to influence their behaviour on your behalf. Now how many of you, have been told that you will be fined 400/500 baht and must go to the police station -- and then you voluntarily offer 100/200 baht to get them to forget the fine -- that is the procedure for a bribe !

The BIB procedure is extortion -- they demand the exchange of money -- it is not a voluntary offering -- there is no bribery happening here -- the police are telling the truth !

Edited September 16, 2011 by tigermonkey

[paulrobertlane]

While correct to complain about "corruption" don't we forget the "benefits"??

Take an extreme case - spped the wrong way down a one way street, maybe over the alcohol, with no helmet and no motorbike licence (and therefore no insurance) in the UK and see if you can get away with a 4 quid fine!? Seems to me a lot of people happily reap the benefits of the laxity of law enforcement but tear their hair out about it later. To all the long term residents who say i am talking only about tourists, how many can put their hands up and truthfully claim never to have taken advantage of Thailand's lax motoring law enforcement?

On a personal note I get stopped occasionally, show Thai drivers licence and in most, not all, cases just get waved on.

[pogal]

55555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555

Great start to my weekend thanks guys 55555555555555555555555555

No brides 5555555555555555555555555

and thats why "some" trucks can drive down Sukumvit at certain times and some can't....

I paid a cop traffic cop just days ago, he asked for 500 baht and I laughed and said in Thai... "pi,.... I am Thai already" and he said ok 200! 5555

I would really like to see the Highway Police keep a straight face when they say they do not accept Bribes! 55555

Thais are incredible sometimes in their denial of of the obvious. 5555555555

Gotta laugh aye:)

[Tawai]

Drove on the fast lane of highway from Isarn towards Saraburi, where

there are many curves. There been quite a lot of 12 wheelers, so I had

to stay on fast lane.

Copper stops my pick up and charges 200 Baht for driving in "wrong"

lane. I did not follow his logic, that overtaking lane is wrong lane.

But you must pay!! Why, I say, what do you need my money for? I need to

buy lao, he says!!

MIL was in the outside back of the pickup, takes out a 20 baht note and

shrugges him off with - you better get a Lippo! The officer takes the

20, I get into the car and finish problem.

Wow, that have been the good old days (25 years ago), nowadays this

wouls be at least 200 Baht, no??

[vahack]

i love the poll results. haha, who are they trying to fool?

and who is claiming the bribes are a bad thing? getting points off your license like they do in the US costs a hell of a lot more than a $6 bribe.

[blabla1]

This is Miracle Thailand after all, and if you think about it, it is a bloody miracle...

[Arkady]

Maybe I should sue to get back the B10,000 a group of armed thugs in brown extorted from me in Bangkok claiming I was drunk driving after two small beers finished over two hours earlier. The lead gangster had removed his name badge and covered his face with a cloth. They refused to tell me their exact alcohol reading or show me on the screen of the toy breathalyzer and forced me to go to an ATM machine or be dragged off to spend the night in jail on a trumped up charge. As far as I know there are no proper rules of evidence on this including minimal technical standards of testing equipment, as in developed countries, and the court will accept the police evidence without question. Now I keep my own breathalyzer bought in the UK in the car and have confirmed on several occasions that the reading two hours after the same intake is always zero.

[onnut]

40 persons have never given a bribe more like 40 persons don't drive then. Lol