Visited Pattaya about 3 weeks ago and noticed something a little odd. A couple of police officers installed themselves at a street corner in front of the bar where I was drinking. For over an hour they systematically stopped one scooter driver after another (only scooters, no cars) and asked to see their drivers license. While I thought it was a little odd that they would stop so many people who hadn't committed any traffic offense, what really got me was that they didn't stop a single Thai person. Every single driver they stopped was a farang. <deleted>?!

Many times they stop Thai people also, looks like they decided to stop farangs this time. Many drive without proper licence. Its 500 Baht if you do not have one. Get over it or change your drinking location.

Fairly typical of the stops setup to extract money rather than enforce any laws. Why would they stop Thais that will be less likely to have the money they so desire. I've seen this setup even outside the cop shop on soi 9 where only foreigners were being stopped, even I'd they had helmets on where as Thais riding 3 to a bike with no helmets were not even stopped.

Welcome to Thailand.

This is normal for Thai standards.

ive actually found the police quite fair in pattaya.

ive actually found the police quite fair in pattaya.

Indeed! When I was banged up for some drunken ruckus from the previous night, some Thai bar owner was demanding 25000 baht from me for 'damages'. The Soi 9 MiB quickly told him to pull his head in and try for 15000 instead. I eventually got out for 12000. Bargain!

ive actually found the police quite fair in pattaya.

Indeed! When I was banged up for some drunken ruckus from the previous night, some Thai bar owner was demanding 25000 baht from me for 'damages'. The Soi 9 MiB quickly told him to pull his head in and try for 15000 instead. I eventually got out for 12000. Bargain!

Naughty boy-consider your arse slapped and promise to behave in future LOL

To the OP. The right to stop does not need an offence per se but the chances are high that many foreigners will ride motorcycles with no valid licence which is an offence. As is no helmet. Two policemen could hardly keep up if they stopped Thais as well on such a small scale road check. The larger road blocks do indeed stop Thais and all of them.

Edited December 26, 201213 yr by petercool

To the OP. The right to stop does not need an offence per se but the chances are high that many foreigners will ride motorcycles with no valid licence which is an offence. As is no helmet. Two policemen could hardly keep up if they stopped Thais as well on such a small scale road check. The larger road blocks do indeed stop Thais and all of them.

I know you work for the police so you have your own bias in this but lets get real, I have seen them stop only foreigners who are wearing helmets when they clearly turn a blind eye to the multiple thais riding on 1 bike wearing no helmets. The Thais are clearly breaking more than 1 law and the foreigner "might" be breaking a law but that is not visible until they are stopped and checked. So rather than the BIB stopping the visible law breakers they are targeting the foreigners. You can make excuses but the fact is they do this for the money.

That said, NOT all traffic stops are this way. In fact, some traffic stops (boys in blue) will ONLY stop Thais and even if a foreigner is clearly breaking a law they will not stop them. These stops are setup for a completely different purpose than traffic violations and are for stopping the movement of drugs and drug users which are most commonly found among the Thai populace.

Also, the DUI checks that are setup are also setup with a clear purpose in mind and in my experience thais are NOT exempt from these stops nor are foreigners.

The fact remains that more than one agenda is being carried out in Thailand at any one time and to try and lump them all into one neat package is a bit naive.

Edited December 26, 201213 yr by Jayman

Fairly typical of the stops setup to extract money rather than enforce any laws. Why would they stop Thais that will be less likely to have the money they so desire. I've seen this setup even outside the cop shop on soi 9 where only foreigners were being stopped, even I'd they had helmets on where as Thais riding 3 to a bike with no helmets were not even stopped.

Welcome to Thailand.

Give it a rest, there's no money to extract if no offense has been committed. And has been already pointed out, Thais are also usually stopped too...see it everyday.

Fairly typical of the stops setup to extract money rather than enforce any laws. Why would they stop Thais that will be less likely to have the money they so desire. I've seen this setup even outside the cop shop on soi 9 where only foreigners were being stopped, even I'd they had helmets on where as Thais riding 3 to a bike with no helmets were not even stopped.

Welcome to Thailand.

Give it a rest, there's no money to extract if no offense has been committed. And has been already pointed out, Thais are also usually stopped too...see it everyday.

If a Thai is not wearing a helmet or is traveling more than 2 ppl to a bike then an obvious offense is being committed and I have seen many times where they are not stopped. I'm sure many others have seen the same. To say that it NEVER occurs is just ignorant.

To the OP. The right to stop does not need an offence per se but the chances are high that many foreigners will ride motorcycles with no valid licence which is an offence. As is no helmet. Two policemen could hardly keep up if they stopped Thais as well on such a small scale road check. The larger road blocks do indeed stop Thais and all of them.

If we're talking about breaking the law and endangering other people's lives what about the huge number of people that decide to cross the yellow line and drive down third Road on the wrong side to turn right onto Pattaya Klang ? Today I had to pull over onto the left to allow a guy to do this in an SUV as he was tearing down the road and didn't give a dam_n about people driving in the correct lane. Where is it all going to end? We have the fruit barrows and motorbikes in the wrong direction and now we have these complete freaking lunatics. But no it's easier to extract the money from farangs

No-one is saying it never happens but only that the blanket view that only foreigners are ever targeted is incorrect.

You only have to view the fine queues at various police stations to see just how many Thais are booked.

No-one is saying it never happens but only that the blanket view that only foreigners are ever targeted is incorrect.

You only have to view the fine queues at various police stations to see just how many Thais are booked.

As I have stated on numerous occasions now, there is not a "blanket view" that only foreigners are being targeted. It all depends on what the agenda is at that particular stop.

Fairly typical of the stops setup to extract money rather than enforce any laws. Why would they stop Thais that will be less likely to have the money they so desire. I've seen this setup even outside the cop shop on soi 9 where only foreigners were being stopped, even I'd they had helmets on where as Thais riding 3 to a bike with no helmets were not even stopped.

Welcome to Thailand.

Give it a rest, there's no money to extract if no offense has been committed. And has been already pointed out, Thais are also usually stopped too...see it everyday.

If a Thai is not wearing a helmet or is traveling more than 2 ppl to a bike then an obvious offense is being committed and I have seen many times where they are not stopped. I'm sure many others have seen the same. To say that it NEVER occurs is just ignorant.

Who said that?

Fairly typical of the stops setup to extract money rather than enforce any laws. Why would they stop Thais that will be less likely to have the money they so desire. I've seen this setup even outside the cop shop on soi 9 where only foreigners were being stopped, even I'd they had helmets on where as Thais riding 3 to a bike with no helmets were not even stopped.

Welcome to Thailand.

Give it a rest, there's no money to extract if no offense has been committed. And has been already pointed out, Thais are also usually stopped too...see it everyday.

What exactly are we giving a rest? The fact that police setup check points to extract money from foreigners and let the Thais go by with no stops? Cause that is what the OP states and what this thread is about. Are you missing the fact that thais that have committed visually confirmed offenses are not being stopped? Are you unsure that this is going on?

What exactly needs to be given a rest?

When in Pattaya or anywhere else put up with the prevailing conditions .

We are all governed by the rules (not necessary law) applied by the enforcers.

IMO

Farangs on motorbikes= ATM machines on wheels

fact! especially in pattaya if you think otherwise

you are a fool

when i moved from pattaya to chumpon in the south,it was completely opposite,they would wave over a farang by mistake sometimes and then quickly wave them on,i asked my ex why,she said" police know farangs have licenses down here,no point.

As it's been said multiple times it's all a matter of what the agenda of the police at that stop is. Keep in mind that the BIB pay big money to be posted in Pattaya and it's not because of all the lady boy's they get to frisk on a daily basis.

As they said during Watergate.......follow the money

As it's been said multiple times it's all a matter of what the agenda of the police at that stop is. Keep in mind that the BIB pay big money to be posted in Pattaya and it's not because of all the lady boy's they get to frisk on a daily basis.

Oh that would be fun...do the foreign police volunteers get to do this too? If so, I may just sign-up

Fairly typical of the stops setup to extract money rather than enforce any laws. Why would they stop Thais that will be less likely to have the money they so desire. I've seen this setup even outside the cop shop on soi 9 where only foreigners were being stopped, even I'd they had helmets on where as Thais riding 3 to a bike with no helmets were not even stopped.

Welcome to Thailand.

Give it a rest, there's no money to extract if no offense has been committed. And has been already pointed out, Thais are also usually stopped too...see it everyday.

What exactly are we giving a rest? The fact that police setup check points to extract money from foreigners and let the Thais go by with no stops? Cause that is what the OP states and what this thread is about. Are you missing the fact that thais that have committed visually confirmed offenses are not being stopped? Are you unsure that this is going on?

What exactly needs to be given a rest?

Please give a rest to the twin tropes that the police checkpoints are only to extract money from people and that only foreigners are subject to these stops. Both of these statements are untrue. The checkpoints are to check that the laws relating to owning and driving a motorbike are being observed and as anyone with a functioning pair of eyes (or maybe even only one good eye) can see both Thais and foreigners are stopped at said checkpoints.

If someone is driving their moto in contravention of one or more laws relating to their ownership and use, and one is caught by the police doing this, there is a fine to be paid to the state. I believe this is the case the world over. So in a sense money is "extracted"from people but it is entirely justified. You seem to imply that there is something wrong with such cash extractions.

(The fact remains that more than one agenda is being carried out in Thailand at any one time and to try and lump them all into one neat package is a bit naive.)

This Thailand Dude...

suck it up or move ......!!

First trip to Pattaya.

Enough said

(The fact remains that more than one agenda is being carried out in Thailand at any one time and to try and lump them all into one neat package is a bit naive.)

This Thailand Dude...

suck it up or move ......!!

Yeah.. go home already!

Fairly typical of the stops setup to extract money rather than enforce any laws. Why would they stop Thais that will be less likely to have the money they so desire. I've seen this setup even outside the cop shop on soi 9 where only foreigners were being stopped, even I'd they had helmets on where as Thais riding 3 to a bike with no helmets were not even stopped.

Welcome to Thailand.

Give it a rest, there's no money to extract if no offense has been committed. And has been already pointed out, Thais are also usually stopped too...see it everyday.

What exactly are we giving a rest? The fact that police setup check points to extract money from foreigners and let the Thais go by with no stops? Cause that is what the OP states and what this thread is about. Are you missing the fact that thais that have committed visually confirmed offenses are not being stopped? Are you unsure that this is going on?

What exactly needs to be given a rest?

Please give a rest to the twin tropes that the police checkpoints are only to extract money from people and that only foreigners are subject to these stops. Both of these statements are untrue. The checkpoints are to check that the laws relating to owning and driving a motorbike are being observed and as anyone with a functioning pair of eyes (or maybe even only one good eye) can see both Thais and foreigners are stopped at said checkpoints.

If someone is driving their moto in contravention of one or more laws relating to their ownership and use, and one is caught by the police doing this, there is a fine to be paid to the state. I believe this is the case the world over. So in a sense money is "extracted"from people but it is entirely justified. You seem to imply that there is something wrong with such cash extractions.

Sometimes they do helmet and seatbelt checks

Sometimes they do driving license and tax checks

Sometimes they do drinking and drugs tests

Loads of foreigners in Pattaya, driving m/cs with out a m/c license.

Thais usually can talk their way out when arrested for minor offencse, farang always ends up paying