So I Was Cruising Along On My 'Cycle Today In Jomtien, And.........

[NomadJoe]

He had a license, just not the correct one. But I agree, the punishment should be more severe if you don't have one. Pointless really though with the corruption issue.

So if you stopped me in California driving on a Uzbeki licence you would say 'no problemo, it's a license, just not a legal one in this country but that Ok I'll let you go'?

I can't answer that because you have made a false assumption in your supposition. Foriegn licenses used by visitors/tourists are legal in California full stop. IDP's are not accepted. So as long as you are a visitor and not a resident, yes, "no poblemo." as it is perfectly legal.

Drive safe. Have a nice day.

.

But how do you know I've shown you my driving licence and not my library card?

I can read.

.

[NomadJoe]

He had a license, just not the correct one. But I agree, the punishment should be more severe if you don't have one. Pointless really though with the corruption issue.

So if you stopped me in California driving on a Uzbeki licence you would say 'no problemo, it's a license, just not a legal one in this country but that Ok I'll let you go'?

That's what I don't get about the guy above who said he got stopped in NY state with a Thai license and it was no problem. I have been pulled over many times in my 49 years and couldn't even imagine what would happen if I handed him a license from Yemen or Brazil or something. I think they would have a chuckle and throw it back at me and say "nice try, now where is a valid license issued in the USA"?

My sister got stopped for speeding in England and she thought she'd be smart and give the cops her Dubai driving licence.

Cop took a look at it and said "this licence has expired ma;am" she was gobsmacked to find he was an ex Royal Omani Police Force training cop and could read the Arabic licence,and let her off with a warning not to try it on again.

lol Good story. Yeah people try this on to avoid points on their license. It amazes me how dumb some people think cops are. It doesn't work because even if you give them a foreign license, they will still run you to see what your current driving status is locally. If they find you in the system, your local license will be cited as if it was there with you, but you may also be sited for driving without your license because having a foreign license does not absolve you from carrying your local valid license if you have one. It also does not allow you to drive on a suspended or revoked license, despite what some of those bogus websites selling IDL's will tell you. (No such thing as an IDL in that respect)

[NomadJoe]

A couple things I forgot to mention.

OP you said you spoke Thai the officer: "Song roy" or whatever. This was the wrong thing to do when handing him a license from home. It indicates you may be a resident. Hand him the DL, if he tries to do you, ask why. Point out it's still valid (as in dates) and has a motorcycle endorsement, and that you are a tourist.

Also, may have been mentioned, but you can use your rental contract as evidence of residence.

OK, understood. I tried to give him song loi, 200 baht, based on what I had paid in Pattaya last month. I totally expected him to take the 200 and that would be that, either bribe or legal [in Pattaya it was legal]. Then he took me into his office and showed me his book with the 500 baht line in there.

so basically, act like a tourist, don't use any Thai, do everything legal, no bribes offered.....good stuff to know for the last 2 weeks of my visit.

If at any time you hand money direct to a police officer that has stopped you it is illegal (yet of course very common) The money changes hands after you are written a ticket and go to the station of a local booth. Interestingly, all the checkpoints around here, southern Phuket, the bribe option is not often used. I am usually 100% legal anyway (which is another issue, as the BIB here also seem not to make up fines as often as their Bangkok brethren). The one and only time I was cited in Thailand was 10 years ago in Patong when I first arrived. It was for no helmet. I did try to bribe him, and he declined.

[PattayaParent]

So if you stopped me in California driving on a Uzbeki licence you would say 'no problemo, it's a license, just not a legal one in this country but that Ok I'll let you go'?

I can't answer that because you have made a false assumption in your supposition. Foriegn licenses used by visitors/tourists are legal in California full stop. IDP's are not accepted. So as long as you are a visitor and not a resident, yes, "no poblemo." as it is perfectly legal.

Drive safe. Have a nice day.

.

But how do you know I've shown you my driving licence and not my library card?

I can read.

.

You can read Uzbeki? Vietnamese? Swedish, Arabic, Welsh, Korean, Japanese AND Icelandic?

(which is why the IDP was invented so that people that cannot read those languages know that the licence is real and not just somebody's library card.

[NomadJoe]

One question, in case this happens again and you are right on and all the haters above are wrong; if the copper who pulls me over doesn't speak any english [or pretends not to] how do I get my point across that my license IS indeed valid?

BTW, I go home on 7/29 for 3 months so this won't be an issue for a while, but when I return it's good to know these facts; thanks a lot for coming into this thread with your biker knowledge.

This isn't a guarantee. At the end of the day the guy might just stick to his guns, or worse start to get demanding and threatening. If that happens then just cooperate.

Every cop will know the word "why" especially with the universal shoulder shrug palm up gesture. Say "good" and "motorcycle" as you point to the license...I don't know.

Many people claim the Mexican standoff works well as they get tired of dealing with you and are loosing bribes, kinda like you mentioned in your post. If they take the DL, hand you a ticket and walk away, not much you can do at that point. You can argue with the guy at the payment window, but the fact that the first copper has your DL will make that a difficult point to prove. Me, I would probably fight it all the way through, and after, win or lose, tell the guy off in not rudely but firmly in Thai in front of his mates. Pissing against the wind but at least a little satisfying.

[PattayaParent]

My sister got stopped for speeding in England and she thought she'd be smart and give the cops her Dubai driving licence.

Cop took a look at it and said "this licence has expired ma;am" she was gobsmacked to find he was an ex Royal Omani Police Force training cop and could read the Arabic licence,and let her off with a warning not to try it on again.

lol Good story. Yeah people try this on to avoid points on their license. It amazes me how dumb some people think cops are. It doesn't work because even if you give them a foreign license, they will still run you to see what your current driving status is locally. If they find you in the system, your local license will be cited as if it was there with you, but you may also be sited for driving without your license because having a foreign license does not absolve you from carrying your local valid license if you have one. It also does not allow you to drive on a suspended or revoked license, despite what some of those bogus websites selling IDL's will tell you. (No such thing as an IDL in that respect)

Yeah she was lucky she got a cop with a sense of humour, especially in England!

But I've had cops the same here in Thailand too. One stopped me in Cha Am and didn't want to know about my Thai or English licences but was happy with my expired International IDP.

And another that stopped me for speeding and told me to drive faster?

[NomadJoe]

I can't answer that because you have made a false assumption in your supposition. Foriegn licenses used by visitors/tourists are legal in California full stop. IDP's are not accepted. So as long as you are a visitor and not a resident, yes, "no poblemo." as it is perfectly legal.

Drive safe. Have a nice day.

.

But how do you know I've shown you my driving licence and not my library card?

I can read.

.

You can read Uzbeki? Vietnamese? Swedish, Arabic, Welsh, Korean, Japanese AND Icelandic?

(which is why the IDP was invented so that people that cannot read those languages know that the licence is real and not just somebody's library card.

The Uzbecki license is in English, just like most others.

The EU countries licenses you listed above all look the same now and are in English. Even for the very few counties licenses that aren't in English, the only thing a cop really needs to discern is whether the driver is the one issued the license (looking at the picture does that), whether or not it is a drivers license (if nothing else, most at least say "Drivers License" on them in English) and an expiration date, which is pretty much always in the Christian form and easily discernible from the DOB.

It's not a perfect system. but remember, unless your beat is around the UN in New York, coming across a foreign license in the states is very, very rare.

[NomadJoe]

And another that stopped me for speeding and told me to drive faster?

Most jurisdictions have minimum speed laws. In Thailand the sign is the same as the UK. a blue circular sign with white letters. There are often other laws that generally state you can't be driving so slow as to cause a hazard to other drivers.

.

[Jayman]

He had a license, just not the correct one. But I agree, the punishment should be more severe if you don't have one. Pointless really though with the corruption issue.

So if you stopped me in California driving on a Uzbeki licence you would say 'no problemo, it's a license, just not a legal one in this country but that Ok I'll let you go'?

That's what I don't get about the guy above who said he got stopped in NY state with a Thai license and it was no problem. I have been pulled over many times in my 49 years and couldn't even imagine what would happen if I handed him a license from Yemen or Brazil or something. I think they would have a chuckle and throw it back at me and say "nice try, now where is a valid license issued in the USA"?

Of course this is determined by the state so all might be different but on the west coast I can say in both Nv and Ca a Thai can drive on a thai license provided it's in english. All an international driving permit really is a booklet that goes WITH you existing license that has your license translated into a whole bunch of languages

You are expected to get a local license in the US if you reside in that state and you are not just visiting. This is a bit hard for the cop that pulls you over to prove unless he pulls you over several times over a long period.

If you are visiting Nevada but already possess a drivers license issued by another country, you may drive until your license expires or you acquire Nevada resident status.

I don't think your stupid as some have put it since you do have a license but is it a valid for motorbikes?

here is some helpful info on getting a thai dl

http://www.thaivisa.com/320.0.html

[CarlBkk]

Deaw, that 30 minutes out of your day was certainly not wasted. You just did your little bit to make corrupt idiot cops have a harder time, and also taught quite a few TV readers what to do if in the same situation.

If many more did as you did, scammers wouldn't be quite so blasen about what they try. Sometimes we make it too easy to be a target.

[GuestHouse]

It's so easy to live here just obey the rules. I can just imagine what would happen if a foreigner is stopped in NY without the the correct permit.....and it would cost a dam_n site more as well.

Yes, very valid point....some NY state trooper would look at the Thai license, have a good laugh and throw the guy in the back of his squad car! So by comparison I got off very lightly.

I'm quite certain you wouldn't get into an argument with a NY State Trooper either.

[NomadJoe]

It's so easy to live here just obey the rules. I can just imagine what would happen if a foreigner is stopped in NY without the the correct permit.....and it would cost a dam_n site more as well.

Yes, very valid point....some NY state trooper would look at the Thai license, have a good laugh and throw the guy in the back of his squad car! So by comparison I got off very lightly.

I'm quite certain you wouldn't get into an argument with a NY State Trooper either.

Except that as I said he wouldn't be having a laugh because a Thai license is legal there, as long as you are visiting and not a resident.

[negreanu]

Seems a lot of work and shouting/complaining - agitating cops for 200THB. Not to mention time consuming.

Think I will continue to pay the "On spot" fines and get on with my day and more important things that need to be done or worry about.

[NomadJoe]

Seems a lot of work and shouting/complaining - agitating cops for 200THB. Not to mention time consuming.

Think I will continue to pay the "On spot" fines and get on with my day and more important things that need to be done or worry about.

More of the principle of it. If it is important to you then it is not a waste of time. To each his own.

[Sharp]

One of the boys in brown pulls me over, at the police box just before the southern Beach Road ends, in front of the Sigma Hotel.

Not my bike, it was rented, but I had the paperwork and also had a helmet on; when he asked for my license I handed him my New York one as I don't have an international drivers license. I live on Phangan and they never ask for that, they rarely even stop people for helmet violations, so I have never gotten one.

The guy starts telling me 500 baht for not having a license. I tell him "song loi" to make him go away but he says no and shows me some half-ass list in his small police box office which has the rates for various offenses. OK, it does say 500, so I hand him the 500B; which he promptly stuffs in his pocket and hands me my license back.

Now I say "receipt?" and he looks all flustered and points to my license and waves his hand - as if, you've gotten that back, now go - and I say again; "receipt"? Once again - "receipt", now making the sign of a pen across paper. Nope, he can't produce one.

Now he's pissed off.....and his equally-shady partner, who has pulled over another falang and is worried they might lose another bribe with me bitching and moaning about receipts, wants me out of there asap; he has stopped talking to his pullover by now and both of them are motioning for me to get lost, but I'm going nowhere without my receipt.

Now he takes out a ticket book, fills it out and essentially throws it at me, grabs back my license and gives me my 500 baht back. Now his english, which was a total of NONE before that, suddenly gets a little better; "You go police station, pay fine, come back you get this back" and he gives me some convoluted half-ass directions to the station. Figuring I would now just surely pay the 500 and let it all drop, he figured wrong; I went to the police station, which was not easy to find and took me about 20 minutes.

Nice people there, and they have a sign right out front which says "We take complaints 24 hours a day". Cool. So I get my ticket processed and pay the 300, not 500, baht fine, and I get what I wanted in the first place; a signed RECEIPT. And, at least some minor satisfaction knowing the money is now going to the town of Jomtien and not to some little creep robbing people on Beach road.

I ask for their Boss, telling them I have a complaint. Some detective-looking guy now comes around, and 2 other cops, all of whom speak decent English. I describe exactly what happened, motioning again and again that the corrupt little nobody on beach road took my 500B and put in in his pocket and I got no receipt for it - that, basically, he was robbing tourists on Beach road and the money was going to him and not to the town. The detective guy and his 2 buddies seemed to take me at least a little bit seriously and he took out his phone and made a couple calls, and I thanked them all and left. Went back to the police box, retrieved my license, and showed that guy the receipt; I pointed right at the 300, said "Sam loi" and drove off. Man, was he ever agitated. Good.

Now, I figure 3 possible outcomes can come from this waste of 30 minutes of my life;

1} Nothing. But at the very least that little man lost some massive face to me, and we all know how important that is to Thai people.

2} The 3 coppers all chatting about my complaint; at least one told the corrupt midget, maybe even all 3, and he has now lost face with them as well, and maybe word even got around the station and some people had a laugh at his expense. Awesome!

3} Most unlikely, of course, since surely someone up the line is getting part of these thefts from the beach road police box; his superiors let him know someone complained, and that he had better watch his arse in the future when stealing from tourists because some may complain. And he then lost face with someone up the food chain; which would make the 10 dollar/30 minute loss totally worth it.

Just another day in the Kingdom!

Well done man I've done this before although it took more than and hour but I went away with a smile so for me it was all worth it ..

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

[saengsureeya]

Has any parnoid person told you he is gonna get you yet ?

not sure what parnoid means, has anyone ever told you to learn English?

Either that or you're just some wise guy wrongly thinking you are making a witty comment which actually makes no sense in relation to this post.

Short version; a corrupt cop tried to steal from me today and I complained to his superiors - does that make it easier for your brain to process?

Deaw, if your English is that good, you may know from the context that he meant "paranoid or paranoia". Is it really necessary to point people on their possible lack of proper English or is this a native English speaker forum?

[Deaw]

Deaw, that 30 minutes out of your day was certainly not wasted. You just did your little bit to make corrupt idiot cops have a harder time, and also taught quite a few TV readers what to do if in the same situation.

If many more did as you did, scammers wouldn't be quite so blasen about what they try. Sometimes we make it too easy to be a target.

I agree of course, which is why I held my ground!

My faith in humanity is restored the longer I read my own thread, thanks......guys like you and Nomad understand my point; by the time I realized I was being scammed by that clown I stood my ground and he caved; and lost 500 baht from his pocket, which I assure you he did NOT deserve. The earlier posters were all ripping on ME, as if I did something wrong by trying to expose a crooked cop....I especially had a good laugh at the guy who said I am naive and would never last in Thailand; funny, I've been coming here for 14 years and have lived here off and on the past 10 and seem to be doing just fine, and if the same thing happened today I would do the exact same thing.

It's those keyboard heroes and know-it-alls who make this place unappealing and it's the main reason most of my friends don't even bother reading here, but most of the people in this thread seem to "get it" and make me realize I did the proper thing indeed. Thanks again.

[farang000999]

4. You end up in a klong.

[Deaw]

Has any parnoid person told you he is gonna get you yet ?

not sure what parnoid means, has anyone ever told you to learn English?

Either that or you're just some wise guy wrongly thinking you are making a witty comment which actually makes no sense in relation to this post.

Short version; a corrupt cop tried to steal from me today and I complained to his superiors - does that make it easier for your brain to process?

Deaw, if your English is that good, you may know from the context that he meant "paranoid or paranoia". Is it really necessary to point people on their possible lack of proper English or is this a native English speaker forum?

I apologized to that poster, and agree I misread his post - 100% my fault.

For some reason I read it as him calling ME paranoid, I didn't quite get what he was saying.

Been reading here for well over a year, but as you can see less than 100 posts; I've seen people jump down other posters throats for no good reason at all and thought that was happening to me but I was wrong, the poster in question was just saying someone here may tell me the cop would come and find me for making a fuss.

[Deaw]

Today the guy asked for 500.....sounded a bit high, but OK, here you go.....now where the heck is my receipt? Was I really so out of line to ask the guy for proof that I paid him? What if I got stopped down the road a mile or 2 and someone else asked me for 500 more?

for anyone waking up and seeing this thread and not seeing every post, this was one of my main points; if I had just gotten a simple "paid" receipt from the cop I would have been on my way, over and done with.

He couldn't produce one.....so whose to say I pay him, get pulled over again a mile later, and have to pay the next guy too because I have no receipt [which is good for the full day of your offense]. Where does it all end?

[nocturn]

I like this story. I am glad you complained. The only issue I have with this is that you handed the cop 500B which you knew was a bribe, not an official fine, and then asked for a receipt knowing full well you weren't going to get one. You initiated the wrong doing by trying to bribe him, which would be jail time in your home country. Of course that doesn't make what he did acceptable. Not in the least. But sadly still the norm here.

BTW, for people that don't know, NY is one of the few places in the US that you can actually bribe a cop out of a traffic ticket. Back when I was a cop in California, some cop friends of mine were visiting NY and got pulled over. They didn't immediately tell the NY cop they were California cops and the cop actually asked for cash to let them go. We were all kinda shaking our heads at this. This was so foreign to us in California where we get it drilled into us that if we are caught accepting a free cup of coffee it's instant termination, apart from maybe LAPD.

You broke the law and are making a mountain out of a molehill.

If he is a tourist (sounds like he can't really make that claim) and the license is also a motorcycle license, then he is not breaking the law.

You are stupid if you think you can change things.

Thinking like a Thai that. People in Thailand usually initiate the bribe hoping they don't have to waste time. If they didn't the cops wouldn't be trying this all the time. Both parties are at fault, and breaking the law. Whether you think you can change things or not, the OP did the right thing. Good on him.

Driving without a license is stupid - you deserve a lot more sever punishment.

He had a license, just not the correct one. But I agree, the punishment should be more severe if you don't have one. Pointless really though with the corruption issue.

BTW, part of each fine goes into a pool and is (legally) disseminated to the officers at the station as a work incentive.

Quality bit of hearsay that.

[robblok]

Driving without a license is stupid - you deserve a lot more sever punishment.

OK, i get it.....although I disagree that no one else loss face today - you weren't there and you didn't see how angry that cop was that he lost out on the 500 baht.

But let me ask you something; for the people who don't live here and come over on just a 2 week holiday from Yemen or Russia or the UK; each and every one of them should be getting an international drivers permit?

I would guess that based on the tourists I see around Pattaya renting 'cycles, and on the lineup of 30 guilty farangs at the Pattaya road block I hit last month- just a guess here of course, but I would say maybe 10% actually have one. So I am thinking I am far from the only one and as I say no one I know has one.

If your not a tourist (and you live here) you need a license its that simple. If other people jump in a shark infested sea will you do it too ? (clarification that other people do it does not make it right).

[guzzi850m2]

Deaw, that 30 minutes out of your day was certainly not wasted. You just did your little bit to make corrupt idiot cops have a harder time, and also taught quite a few TV readers what to do if in the same situation.

If many more did as you did, scammers wouldn't be quite so blasen about what they try. Sometimes we make it too easy to be a target.

I agree of course, which is why I held my ground!

My faith in humanity is restored the longer I read my own thread, thanks......guys like you and Nomad understand my point; by the time I realized I was being scammed by that clown I stood my ground and he caved; and lost 500 baht from his pocket, which I assure you he did NOT deserve. The earlier posters were all ripping on ME, as if I did something wrong by trying to expose a crooked cop....I especially had a good laugh at the guy who said I am naive and would never last in Thailand; funny, I've been coming here for 14 years and have lived here off and on the past 10 and seem to be doing just fine, and if the same thing happened today I would do the exact same thing.

It's those keyboard heroes and know-it-alls who make this place unappealing and it's the main reason most of my friends don't even bother reading here, but most of the people in this thread seem to "get it" and make me realize I did the proper thing indeed. Thanks again.

OP good that you stand your ground and save yourself some money in the process.

What I don't understand is why on earth don't you have a Thai licence? I have the 5 years ones for both car/bike and they saved me a lot of money getting in many places for Thai price. No later than last Saturday they saved me 250 bath for going in UnderWater World Pattaya (Tourists=500 bath, Thais/expats= 250 bath).

Furthermore if you have a bike/car accident and you show them a US licence you are fuxxxx big time and you will be blamed.

I actually got stopped on my bike exately same place as you and also on a Sunday but when I showed him Thai licence/copy green book, he told me OK you can go(he didn't smile). Maybe this cop uses this place as his little extra money earner, many Russians coming on bike with no bike licences whatsoever and likely just pay up to avoid trouble.

[geriatrickid]

I agree of course, which is why I held my ground!

My faith in humanity is restored the longer I read my own thread, thanks......guys like you and Nomad understand my point; by the time I realized I was being scammed by that clown I stood my ground and he caved; and lost 500 baht from his pocket, which I assure you he did NOT deserve. The earlier posters were all ripping on ME, as if I did something wrong by trying to expose a crooked cop....I especially had a good laugh at the guy who said I am naive and would never last in Thailand; funny, I've been coming here for 14 years and have lived here off and on the past 10 and seem to be doing just fine, and if the same thing happened today I would do the exact same thing.

It's those keyboard heroes and know-it-alls who make this place unappealing and it's the main reason most of my friends don't even bother reading here, but most of the people in this thread seem to "get it" and make me realize I did the proper thing indeed. Thanks again.

You think that you actually made a point? Really? Let's recap; You have been coming to Thailand for years and see no need to comply with the drivers license regulations and then you get upset because of the 500 baht incident. Well, first off, you are a criminal. That's right a criminal. You didn't inadvertently break the law, but you intentionally broke the law, because you don't think the law applies to you with your very important NY drivers license. What's the difference between you, a law breaker and the copper that you allege broke the law? You are lucky you are in Thailand, because if you were driving without a legal license in NY State, your vehcile can be impounded on the spot. The fines and penalties in NY for your illegal behaviour are much more harsh than in Thailand.

I still don't understand why you think you do not have to comply with the lcoial licensing laws? What makes you so special? Why are you any different than the copper? You must be a very wealthy man to have no concern as to the ramifications of illegally operating a motor vehicle. Your insurance is invalidated.

[Semper]

I didn't realize you couldn't ride a rented motorbike with a NY license.

I think you can't but normally no one ever cares

...until there's an accident.

[Deaw]

Well, first off, you are a criminal. That's right a criminal. You didn't inadvertently break the law, but you intentionally broke the law, because you don't think the law applies to you with your very important NY drivers license.

I still don't understand why you think you do not have to comply with the lcoial licensing laws? What makes you so special?

If you read NomadJoe's posts......and he seems to be very knowledgeable about motorcycling laws in Thailand.....I didn't break any law at all; my NY license works fine in Thailand because I don't live here, I am a tourist.

[overherebc]

True or False ?

The police are not authorised to actually keep your licence.

I don't know myself.

BTW the true or false means that I don't really expect --they take it anyway--- how can you stop them doing it, answers.

It's a straight forward yes or no question.

[Semper]

Well, first off, you are a criminal. That's right a criminal. You didn't inadvertently break the law, but you intentionally broke the law, because you don't think the law applies to you with your very important NY drivers license.

I still don't understand why you think you do not have to comply with the lcoial licensing laws? What makes you so special?

If you read NomadJoe's posts......and he seems to be very knowledgeable about motorcycling laws in Thailand.....I didn't break any law at all; my NY license works fine in Thailand because I don't live here, I am a tourist.

NomadJoe was talking about tourists in California.

Foriegn licenses used by visitors/tourists are legal in California

[Deaw]

What I don't understand is why on earth don't you have a Thai licence?

2 reasons; 1, being perfectly honest here, I never assumed for a minute I could even get one! I don't speak Thai and I don't live here, I spend about 6 months in 2 three-month stretches every year; who would ever guess someone could get a license in a country where you don't speak the language and don't even live? I would never think for a second I could go to Mexico for 6 months a year, walk into a DMV with no spanish skills, and get a license; it sounds absurd to me but when I come back next year I will surely look into it. I go home for 3 months at the end of July.

Second.....again, in high season my home base is Koh Phangan. If you have never been there, it's absolutely nothing like Phuket or Pattaya or Bangkok; it's pretty much lawless and the police presence outside of the full moon party week is very minimal. Not once in 6 years of staying there has anyone asked me for a license, and not once have any of my Expat friends or myself even brought up the subject, it's just not something we need there.

In Pattaya now for a month getting some medical stuff done at BPH and rented a 'cycle.....apparently the rules here are more strict and I get that now and will look into getting a license next time I return.

[Deaw]

NomadJoe was talking about tourists in California.

No, here.....and many people agreed with him; seems like a US license [or whatever country you come from] works fine in Thailand as long as you remain a tourist and don't become a resident. Seems implausible to me as well, but he seems to know his stuff and others backed him up.