Cops, Drivers At Odds On Rush-Hour Checkpoints: Bangkok

[webfact]

Cops, drivers at odds on rush-hour checkpoints

Crime Desk

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Metropolitan Police's plan to prohibit officers from setting up checkpoints during the daytime has been met with mixed reactions.

Of course, commuters welcome the policy, while policemen cry foul that it will make it more difficult for them to carry out their duty to prevent crime.

Following complaints by a lot of city residents and commuters that checkpoints set up by police during rush hour have caused traffic snarls, the chiefs of the traffic and the metropolitan police came up with a policy prohibiting the setting up of checkpoints before 9pm. Many commuters allege that traffic police set up checkpoints for their own financial gain.

The traffic police were ordered under the new policy to make arrests only for 12 serious traffic offences, including drunk driving, road racing and violating the speed limit.

Pol Sen Sgt-Major Jiradej Panyana of Hua Mark police station said he disagreed with the abolition of daytime checkpoints, as it would provide loopholes for criminals to commit crimes in the long run.

He said police only randomly set up road checkpoints two times a week.

Another Hua Mark police officer, Sen Maj-General Samrerng Srikaew, said road checkpoints were necessary for reducing crimes.

He said police only manned road checkpoints for one or two hours a day and most checkpoints were not set up during rush hour. He said traffic congestion occurred with or without road checkpoints.

Pol Captain Apichanayan Kramsungnern, deputy traffic inspector of Huay Kwang police station, said road checkpoints would make it safer for police officers working on roads as they would be accompanied by other officers. He said officers at the checkpoints would help make arrests when needed to.

The policy was welcomed by Ekkasit Ngadin, 46, a passenger van driver.

"I believe the abolition of road checkpoints would reduce traffic congestion and stop wasting motorists' time," Ekkasit said.

He said he had found that traffic snarls were usually due to police checkpoints.

Ratanasan Danprom, 29, a private firm employee, said he agreed with setting up checkpoints after 9pm because crimes often happened at night, not the daytime. He said road checkpoints during the daytime always caused traffic congestion.

Somsask Muhammad, 36, an official of the Airport Rail Link, said he preferred to have road checkpoints set up during the night because crimes were more common at night.

-- The Nation 2012-08-17

[trogers]

All checkpoints should be under constant surveillance cams sent directly into a public police website. A check on the checkers may bring about some logical solutions.

[Pseudolus]

Silly Nation misquoted the guy;

"Of course, commuters welcome the policy, while policemen cry foul that it will make it more difficult for them to extort money from motorists and they had no idea how to kill the time now and make money as well."

They rush hour sting. All looking forward to getting people's lunch money first thing in the morning, and in the afternoon catching them when they have taken out their supper money as well. Only time you see the cops make policing suggestions here is when some common sense is about to reign and they realise it might impact upon their extortion and profiteering.

[Siripon]

Bangkok drug dealers will be happy with this policy-'Make sure you get the goods across town before 9pm!'

[Scott]

Checkpoints are not the only method to enforcing traffic violations.

[Greer]

Actually we dont want to enforce traffic violations - we want to curb traffic violations by making sure of a professional and just policing of the laws.

I am being pedantic of course - sorry - but it is definitely a serious problem.

I don't have a major concern with daytime check-points as long as they are located sensibly, and at reasonable times - a check point on a busy major road close to, or during, peak hours is insane, but it does happen.

They would have been better off limiting the times and controlling the locations of checkpoints during the day, as well as maintaining an ongoing police presence at night, say after the 2100 hrs they have mentioned.

[lovetotravel]

I was in Bangkok a few weeks ago. When crossing over Suk, I happened to see one of these check points in operation. I stood for about 20 minutes to see what was going on. Had a birds eye view.

There were 6-8 cops and they had a long line of vehicles stopped. Cars and scooters. Pretty much every scooter, while waiting in line, pulled out a 100 Baht bill and folded it up. When their turn came, they handed it over along with their license. The bill behind the license. After about 60 seconds, they were free to go. I didn't really notice any infractions, just a collection of money.

[Thai at Heart]

Checkpoints catch crime not prevent

[phosphorescent]

"policemen cry foul that it will make it more difficult for them to carry out their duty to prevent crime."

[mpetersen]

I was in Bangkok a few weeks ago. When crossing over Suk, I happened to see one of these check points in operation. I stood for about 20 minutes to see what was going on. Had a birds eye view.

There were 6-8 cops and they had a long line of vehicles stopped. Cars and scooters. Pretty much every scooter, while waiting in line, pulled out a 100 Baht bill and folded it up. When their turn came, they handed it over along with their license. The bill behind the license. After about 60 seconds, they were free to go. I didn't really notice any infractions, just a collection of money.

Simple way. Pretend to stop. Then keep going. The boys are dumbfounded and just go for the next bike or car.

[cup-O-coffee]

I, and I am sure most others, don't have a problem with anything the government or others do; as long as... if they only... were they simply to...but only when...

Ain't gonna happen. Ever!

[yourauntbob]

Checkpoints are not the only method to enforcing traffic violations.

EXACTLY what i was thinking.

How about chasing criminals instead of waiting for them to come to you.

[KarstenBoAndersen]

No where else in the world is the whole police work based on roadblocks !

They act like idiots, they work like idiots and they are leaded by idiots !!!

Video film all their abusing talk and corruption and send it to Chuwit !

[bkkjames]

Instead of blocking traffic with their rush hour checkpoints I wish they would TOW those in designated no stopping lanes during rush hour who seem to think that it's ok to just run in for a minute to get noodles...

[colinneil]

Police not happy , ohh!! how will i pay for my fancy car/pickup if i cannot extort money from drivers!

[fareastguy]

Witnessed the very same thing here in my district yesterday & today, motorcycle cop's setting up a road block for "crime prevention" purposes.

Every motor bike that came along got pulled in, the officer started the bike, revved it up & then had a little chat.. the owner handed over their papers with a little "extra something" added in the back. The officer handed back the papers without even reading the contents & put the bonus in his pocket.

After about 30 minutes the officers 5 in total gathered around in a huddle & had a share out of the money.

I'll say no more !!!

[dominique355]

My method to prevent the Thai police from extorting money from me at these checkpoints is to point my smart phone to them and tell them that I am filming them. "Now tell me your name and what is the problem."

Some try to stop me and take away my phone, but no success, I am prepared for that.

Then they simply tell me to go.

[GeorgeO]

Checkpoints are not the only method to enforcing traffic violations.

Absolutely correct, and indeed, there is no logic to the setting up of checkpoints.

At least twice a week, there are stoppages on King Kaew Road (linking Lat Krabang to Bang Na Trad). The traffic slows to a crawl, and the traffic cops pounce on every motorcyclist as well as the drivers of the large container trucks. Their motive is obvious, and whilst crawling through this ridiculous tailback, you can actually see them collecting their "bonuses", despite their pathetic attempts to hide them under their clipboard.

There is no evidence of any criminals being rounded up as a result of these checkpoints; indeed, it is obvious that some drivers simply pull over when they see a checkpoint ahead and leave their car there until later (possibly early morning drinkers or no licence). However, I have never seen any of the traffic cops go over to investigate why anyone suddenly pulls their vehicle over and parks up.

Apart from the obvious boost to the BiB's personal finances, there is no point to these checkpoints, and they would of course cry "foul" at any policy which was likely to reduce their monthly take!

[Unkomoncents]

Rush-hour checkpoints are one of the most obvious, everyday signals that Thailand is not prepared to enter into the modern, developed world and forego corruption for improved efficacy and business friendliness. They [the checkpoints] immediately mark the country as a developing country, as I know of no developed country on earth that stages police checkpoints on the major thoroughfares of it's important cities during peak travel periods. Every time I see a checkpoint at rush hour (and the discreet transfer of small bills along with license and registration information), I'm reminded that Thailand exists in third-world status. If the police would spend time actually enforcing laws rather than concocting traffic offenses for drivers to allegedly perpetrate, then perhaps we would actually see some improvements to public safety in Bangkok.

[lovetotravel]

No where else in the world is the whole police work based on roadblocks !

They act like idiots, they work like idiots and they are leaded by idiots !!!

Video film all their abusing talk and corruption and send it to Chuwit !

Actually, it's very common in most developing countries. Sadly. I did a run the entire width of Kenya a few years ago. I quit counting the roadblocks after about 25. All were setup just to collect money. No other reason.

[samran]

here's a novel one:

Follow the road rules so the coppers can't touch you.

[Sateev]

here's a novel one:

Follow the road rules so the coppers can't touch you.

You obviously don't drive a motorbike. The cops at checkpoints pull over nearly EVERY bike they can fit in a queue near the curb, regardless of whether or not they have violated the 'road rules', such as they are. And the 'road rules' are subject to interpretation by the cop, so you can't possibly follow them and avoid being killed by a bus.

That has to be the most out of touch comment I have seen on Thaivisa.

[Sateev]

Here's a thought: there is currently an equalibrium in place: the cops make their random fishing stops, steal whatever they consider to be sufficient, and go home happy. What happens when someone breaks their rice bowls? Merely preventing them from stealing a little from a lot of people will make them more aggressive whenever they see a REAL opportunity to extract some cash, like when there's an accident, or when they are called on to enforce laws that protect individuals.

The bandaid approach will never get at the root cause: the culture of corruption that pervades the police and the government. The only way to prevent this corruption is to pay police a fair wage, and try to instill some professionalism in them, which we know is unlikely in the near future.

Corruption has to be killed at the head, NOT at the far end, where its tentacles can just replace themselves indefinitely.

It's going to take a LOT more than the current crop of trough-jostlers to lead Thailand out of the hole of corruption it is sinking ever deeper into.

[moe666]

here's a novel one:

Follow the road rules so the coppers can't touch you.

You obviously don't drive a motorbike. The cops at checkpoints pull over nearly EVERY bike they can fit in a queue near the curb, regardless of whether or not they have violated the 'road rules', such as they are. And the 'road rules' are subject to interpretation by the cop, so you can't possibly follow them and avoid being killed by a bus.

That has to be the most out of touch comment I have seen on Thaivisa.

I ride a motorbike and wear a helmet haven't been pulled over in Chiang mai as they are looking for the helmentless who are breaking the law.

[tragickingdom]

Since when do traffic police prevent crimes? They commit crimes by extorting drivers that is something really different.

[ebonykap]

Australia is a developed country, but in Adelaide where i come from they regularly have police roadblocks at peak times on major roads for the prime reason of collecting government revenue. Corruption in disguise?

[moggie]

i had to make a 200 bahts contribution to the thai police entertainment fund in chiang mai recently! what would they do without the spotchecks? play pool? also it is a well known fact that u never see the police out after 6 pm. am i really bothered! lol nope!

[Thaddeus]

here's a novel one:

Follow the road rules so the coppers can't touch you.

I had 500 Baht relieved of me once because I had stopped my car where I shouldn't.

The reason I stopped the car was because if I hadn't I would have had a brown uniformed body stuck under the wheels.

The traffic police here are not about enforcing laws, they are purely about extortion.

[Curt1591]

Bangkok drug dealers will be happy with this policy-'Make sure you get the goods across town before 9pm!'

Are you serious?!

All one needs to do now is refrain from driving a truck or motorcycle!

[samran]

here's a novel one:

Follow the road rules so the coppers can't touch you.

You obviously don't drive a motorbike. The cops at checkpoints pull over nearly EVERY bike they can fit in a queue near the curb, regardless of whether or not they have violated the 'road rules', such as they are. And the 'road rules' are subject to interpretation by the cop, so you can't possibly follow them and avoid being killed by a bus.

That has to be the most out of touch comment I have seen on Thaivisa.

Aplogies that my driving on Thai roads since 1996 isn't good enough for you.