Police Targeting Foreigners In Chiang Mai

[elektrified]

I have just been stopped on my bike (at a road block in town)....the reason being I turned left on a red light!? Anyone had that excuse before? Given a ticket and he kept my licence, so no way out of the fine.

Got a ticket for not having my turn signal on while turning left (on a red light) the other day. Cop didn't say anything about turning on the red light; only not having the lights on. Happend while turning left on to Thapae from Chang Klan. The cop said there was a sign posted. I've never seen it before. Yup, took my license too. Doesn't say how much the ticket is but I never pay more than 100 THB for any ticket.

Turning left onto Thapae from Changklan Rd you say. It would seem that prior to your turn, you were also braving the wrong direction on a one way street... Are you sure you have your streets sorted out?

Ah...sorry my mistake. Coming from the street behind the Night Bazaar where Pornping Hotel is. At the intersection, Thapae to the left, Sapaan Narawat to the right.

[cm das]

I have just been stopped on my bike (at a road block in town)....the reason being I turned left on a red light!? Anyone had that excuse before? Given a ticket and he kept my licence, so no way out of the fine.

Got a ticket for not having my turn signal on while turning left (on a red light) the other day. Cop didn't say anything about turning on the red light; only not having the lights on. Happend while turning left on to Thapae from Chang Klan. The cop said there was a sign posted. I've never seen it before. Yup, took my license too. Doesn't say how much the ticket is but I never pay more than 100 THB for any ticket.

Turning left onto Thapae from Changklan Rd you say. It would seem that prior to your turn, you were also braving the wrong direction on a one way street... Are you sure you have your streets sorted out?

Ah...sorry my mistake. Coming from the street behind the Night Bazaar where Pornping Hotel is. At the intersection, Thapae to the left, Sapaan Narawat to the right.

Sometime last year they put up a sign at that corner saying, in Thai, that you have to wait for the green light to turn left.

[TheVicar]

I think you will find there is some sort of "crackdown" through Thailand happening.I was stopped at a check point just outside Hua Hin last week, asked very pleasantly for my licence which I had ,(obtained in Chiang mai) and my passport (it was clearly a rental car). I asked the officer what was this all about and he replied "too many falangs on long term visas not having a Thai licence" He indicated I might get stopped in CM too when he saw my address. He chatted away mainly about CM women beautiful etc etc... and I forget to ask him what was the punishment if you continued driving here,long term, without a Thai licence.I'm sure we all know people who havent bothered to get one.If true,I think their expectations are quite reasonable. First time for me in 12 years to be stopped at a check point they just usually wave me through.

I was also stopped while driving a nice new car from CM to Bangkok at a checkpoint. The policeman obviously wanted money. First he asked me for my driving license. When I gave him my Thai driving license he looked surprised and disappointed. He THEN asked me for my passport which I also gave him. He looked very disappointed then and reluctantly let me go on my way.

[TheVicar]

I have just been stopped on my bike (at a road block in town)....the reason being I turned left on a red light!? Anyone had that excuse before? Given a ticket and he kept my licence, so no way out of the fine.

Got a ticket for not having my turn signal on while turning left (on a red light) the other day. Cop didn't say anything about turning on the red light; only not having the lights on. Happend while turning left on to Thapae from Chang Klan. The cop said there was a sign posted. I've never seen it before. Yup, took my license too. Doesn't say how much the ticket is but I never pay more than 100 THB for any ticket.

Well it is illegal to turn left on a red light unless there's one of those blue signs saying it's OK. And illegal to make any turn without signalling. But whether the bib is only enforcing these laws on foreigners is an open question...they certainly don't hesitate to nick the locals for no helmets or seat belts. In the States the cops are looking to do anyone for the slightest infraction...

I'm sorry but don't agree with you at all about the police not hesitating "to nick the locals for no helmets".

Just drive by Chiang Mai university and if 5% of the students are wearing helmets, that's a good day for helmet use. A week or so ago I saw near the Suthep intersection on the Canal Road, where there is a police box, a young motorcycle policeman walk by at least 6 motorcyclists who had no helmets on and he did NOTHING! CM is really horrible about helmet law use.

[elektrified]

Sometime last year they put up a sign at that corner saying, in Thai, that you have to wait for the green light to turn left.

Ah...so there is a recently posted sign. Had a couple of Thais in the car with me when I was pulled over who told the cop they hadn't seen the sign either. (No surprise there).

[cm das]

Sometime last year they put up a sign at that corner saying, in Thai, that you have to wait for the green light to turn left.

Ah...so there is a recently posted sign. Had a couple of Thais in the car with me when I was pulled over who told the cop they hadn't seen the sign either. (No surprise there).

Yep, its a pretty small sign but it's there. I still sometimes forget about it. Last time I was there it was only the sight of the police roadblock around the corner that made me remember.

[Boksida]

I would bet there is no foreigner who drives more than me in Chiang Mai, and maybe all of thailand.

That's a big call, might make an interesting poll. How many total kms do you estimate you have up in Thailand?

[limegreenpatato]

I got caught off gaurd today cause they usually aren't out on the weekend....didn't have my license or anything. All they gave me was a 400 ticket for no helmet. Still deciding if i should actually go pay it or not.

[elektrified]

I got caught off gaurd today cause they usually aren't out on the weekend....didn't have my license or anything. All they gave me was a 400 ticket for no helmet. Still deciding if i should actually go pay it or not.

Interesting post. Similar to the Thai mentality of "no cops, no helmet". Safety? What safety? Still deciding if you will pay it or not?

[fcgprg]

I got caught off gaurd today cause they usually aren't out on the weekend....didn't have my license or anything. All they gave me was a 400 ticket for no helmet. Still deciding if i should actually go pay it or not.

Eventually you will pay it and maybe more ,you were in the wrong so just pay now it will save you a lot of hassle in the future.

[Thailand]

I got caught off gaurd today cause they usually aren't out on the weekend....didn't have my license or anything. All they gave me was a 400 ticket for no helmet. Still deciding if i should actually go pay it or not.

Try driving at night ,wrong side of the road and no helmet,may as well go completely native.

Don"t pay the fine, it's only for locals who are expected to break the law.

[fcgprg]

I got caught off gaurd today cause they usually aren't out on the weekend....didn't have my license or anything. All they gave me was a 400 ticket for no helmet. Still deciding if i should actually go pay it or not.

Try driving at night ,wrong side of the road and no helmet,may as well go completely native.

Don"t pay the fine, it's only for locals who are expected to break the law.

You think so wait until the next time he renews the road tax.he will find out then .I know i have been down that path and it does not work.

[bobl]

I zigged instead of zagging coming off a bridge on the way to Duke's last night, and ended up driving through riverside looking for somewhere to hang a U.

Other side of riverside, there was a roadblock set up (which I passed through). Filled up at an LPG station shortly after (where I did my U) and headed back through the roadblock.

A couple in front of me (farang, both wearing helmets) were pulled off to the side for no apparent reason, while a few locals sailed through with no helmets...

Don't know whether that lends any weight to the "targeting farang" argument or not - just my observation...

[chiang mai]

I'm a farang who lives very near to the Riverside and I drive twice daily through the road blocks on the otherside of Narwat Bridge and in the evning, the one near the Iron Bridge - I've haven't been stopped once in eight years.

[limegreenpatato]

I got caught off gaurd today cause they usually aren't out on the weekend....didn't have my license or anything. All they gave me was a 400 ticket for no helmet. Still deciding if i should actually go pay it or not.

Try driving at night ,wrong side of the road and no helmet,may as well go completely native.

Don"t pay the fine, it's only for locals who are expected to break the law.

You think so wait until the next time he renews the road tax.he will find out then .I know i have been down that path and it does not work.

it does if you don't pay the road tax....i think my sticker used to say 2552...but it ripped off along time ago

[limegreenpatato]

I got caught off gaurd today cause they usually aren't out on the weekend....didn't have my license or anything. All they gave me was a 400 ticket for no helmet. Still deciding if i should actually go pay it or not.

Interesting post. Similar to the Thai mentality of "no cops, no helmet". Safety? What safety? Still deciding if you will pay it or not?

well i don't wear it normally, i just mean if it was a weekday before 12pm i would have waited down the street until the light turned green and then went through, instead of just pulling up to the light where they hang out around the corner.

obviously i should wear a helmet....but there's lots of stuff people know they shouldn't do but do anyway. No seatbelt, text and drive, smoke, eat mcdonalds, etc etc etc.

[uptheos]

I think you will find there is some sort of "crackdown" through Thailand happening.I was stopped at a check point just outside Hua Hin last week, asked very pleasantly for my licence which I had ,(obtained in Chiang mai) and my passport (it was clearly a rental car). I asked the officer what was this all about and he replied "too many falangs on long term visas not having a Thai licence" He indicated I might get stopped in CM too when he saw my address. He chatted away mainly about CM women beautiful etc etc... and I forget to ask him what was the punishment if you continued driving here,long term, without a Thai licence.I'm sure we all know people who havent bothered to get one.If true,I think their expectations are quite reasonable. First time for me in 12 years to be stopped at a check point they just usually wave me through.

I was also stopped while driving a nice new car from CM to Bangkok at a checkpoint. The policeman obviously wanted money. First he asked me for my driving license. When I gave him my Thai driving license he looked surprised and disappointed. He THEN asked me for my passport which I also gave him. He looked very disappointed then and reluctantly let me go on my way.

You were stopped at a checkpoint.

That's what happens at checkpoints, people get stopped to be checked.

Part of the basic checking I presume is ID and valid driving licence, all sounds routine to me.

Seems the rest of the world has copied this system some countries even want registration.

I didn't realise that they had to have a certain look on their face at the time of checking.

How exactly did he demonstrate his reluctance to let you go, stand in front of the car, hold your arm, not return your documents, take your keys.......or were you simply reading his body language?

Edited January 28, 2013 by uptheos

[kjhbigv]

I zigged instead of zagging coming off a bridge on the way to Duke's last night, and ended up driving through riverside looking for somewhere to hang a U.

Other side of riverside, there was a roadblock set up (which I passed through). Filled up at an LPG station shortly after (where I did my U) and headed back through the roadblock.

A couple in front of me (farang, both wearing helmets) were pulled off to the side for no apparent reason, while a few locals sailed through with no helmets...

Don't know whether that lends any weight to the "targeting farang" argument or not - just my observation...

To be honest, I went to pay my fine and there were all sorts of people in there paying, a few falang, loads of Thai's and some Japanese tourists! I don't think they are specifically targeting falang......anyone and everyone! To be fair, I went back and looked at the junction I did a left on a red.....coming up past Riverside restaurant to where it joins Nawarat Bridge and there is actually a small sign...never even noticed it before!

http://goo.gl/maps/Fxb5W

200 baht lighter! They said it should have been 400 but discounted it! Whatever! Only 2nd fine in 5 years, can live with that...along as it doesn't happen again!!!

They also have a list outside with fines for each offence...here http://goo.gl/maps/5YEUZ

Edited January 28, 2013 by kjhbigv

[qdinthailand]

I zigged instead of zagging coming off a bridge on the way to Duke's last night, and ended up driving through riverside looking for somewhere to hang a U.

Other side of riverside, there was a roadblock set up (which I passed through). Filled up at an LPG station shortly after (where I did my U) and headed back through the roadblock.

A couple in front of me (farang, both wearing helmets) were pulled off to the side for no apparent reason, while a few locals sailed through with no helmets...

Don't know whether that lends any weight to the "targeting farang" argument or not - just my observation...

To be honest, I went to pay my fine and there were all sorts of people in there paying, a few falang, loads of Thai's and some Japanese tourists! I don't think they are specifically targeting falang......anyone and everyone! To be fair, I went back and looked at the junction I did a left on a red.....coming up past Riverside restaurant to where it joins Nawarat Bridge and there is actually a small sign...never even noticed it before!

http://goo.gl/maps/Fxb5W

200 baht lighter! They said it should have been 400 but discounted it! Whatever! Only 2nd fine in 5 years, can live with that...along as it doesn't happen again!!!

They also have a list outside with fines for each offence...here http://goo.gl/maps/5YEUZ

Yep, got me for this too. I didn't get the discount though - 400 baht lighter in order to get my D.L. back. I went back, told him I had to stop watching, learning from the Thais how to drive. He laughed.

I still wonder if he understood what I said that made him laugh. Probably just laughing at dumb stuff farang say to cops.

[KoenStrider]

Yesterday a police roadcheck on the moat in Chiang Mai

==> Wanted to charge me 400THB initially because I wasn't wearing my seat belt and I only had a copy of my Thai drivers license on me.

I protested for the fining of not having a driver's license so they dropped 200THB.

==> paid 200THB cash in hand and was on my way again

Would annoy me much more if I got fined for this in my homecountry Belgium!

[nikster]

Yeah time to get that Thai DL again... that's 200 baht why should they say no to that

BTW I don't think they target foreigners specifically; good police work is to go for quantity: Everybody pays.

[Jose]

To be honest, I went to pay my fine and there were all sorts of people in there paying, a few falang, loads of Thai's and some Japanese tourists! I don't think they are specifically targeting falang......anyone and everyone! To be fair, I went back and looked at the junction I did a left on a red.....coming up past Riverside restaurant to where it joins Nawarat Bridge and there is actually a small sign...never even noticed it before!

http://goo.gl/maps/Fxb5W

Meanwhile, 30m East of that intersection...

[dave2]

re

Yesterday a police roadcheck on the moat

hes right : (

dave2

[fcgprg]

Paranoid springs to mind here why do farangs think they are so special that they are being picked on. Far more Thais are fined at these check points than farangs. Sorry to say it but we are not special obey the law and you will not be fined .

Have the correct documentation and wear your seat belt or have your crash helmet on and you will pass through ok every time .

[true blue]

I would bet there is no foreigner who drives more than me in Chiang Mai, and maybe all of thailand.

That's a big call, might make an interesting poll. How many total kms do you estimate you have up in Thailand?

54000 in 6 years,for me.

[tornado24]

Finned me because a lady at the back didnt wear helmet, I live near kad suan kaew and see them almost everyday... Never fine me.

When I went to pay the fine of that lady I saw how the policeman of the desk let a few thais went out without paying.

[uptheos]

Yesterday a police roadcheck on the moat in Chiang Mai

==> Wanted to charge me 400THB initially because I wasn't wearing my seat belt and I only had a copy of my Thai drivers license on me.

I protested for the fining of not having a driver's license so they dropped 200THB.

==> paid 200THB cash in hand and was on my way again

Would annoy me much more if I got fined for this in my homecountry Belgium!

Belgium

Not using a seat belt

Fine: € 50

Edited April 8, 2013 by uptheos

[scd]

Yup they're ramping up for a Songkran fundraiser. Best to wear that helmet for the next few weeks.

[ARISTIDE]

Yeah time to get that Thai DL again... that's 200 baht why should they say no to that

You can run, Thai police can't chase you like in the west and you don't even have to pay them nothing.

[Thakkar]

I would bet there is no foreigner who drives more than me in Chiang Mai, and maybe all of thailand.

That's a big call, might make an interesting poll. How many total kms do you estimate you have up in Thailand?

54000 in 6 years,for me.

115,000 km in nine years.

T