I Paid My Narawat Bridge Police Tax Today.

[TommoPhysicist]

I should have taken a different route to the Worowat market.

Wrong way over the Iron bridge is fairly popular.

Or next bridge past Nawarat and over the special m/c lane, bumpy but fun.

Edited February 3, 2013 by TommoPhysicist

[TommoPhysicist]

It is a law for I think 14 years now that a motorider has to wear a helmet, yet the majority of Thais still ignore that law and get caught every day to pay a fine of almost a daily wage.

I think you will find, very few Thais actually pay the full amount, if anything.

(policeman in family, policeman friend, reduced fine because too poor, ladies have another option)

Edited February 3, 2013 by TommoPhysicist

[Mapguy]

There are actually two highly visible traffic advisory signs (going north) at this intersection. One is as described above very briefly by anselpixel. The other includes a wide bright red arrow curved left (west) around the corner pointing to "Police!" No kidding !!!

Edited February 3, 2013 by Mapguy

[kjhbigv]

just think you helped the police fund for they new pickup or flat screen telly

That is probably true, but I've come to understand how things are done here in Thailand and it doesn't bother me. In Canada we pay a large portion of our income in taxes of all kinds, both hidden and obvious. The efficient Canadian police system is paid for through taxes. The police get paid a good wage but that comes out of my income whether I like it or not. In Thailand, the police get paid a pittance in wages which they have to supplement through bribes and those road stops. If you learn and follow the rules, and pay the least amount of attention, you won't get stuck paying the bribes very often. When it eventually happens all you can do is laugh and pay up.

There was a whole string of farangs laughing about the situation. Everyone was guilty of something. Most were ticketed for not wearing helmets. The rental bikes all supply helmets, If people choose not to wear them then paying the occasional fine is the result.

In Canada we are over regulated, and the law makers keep adding more regulations to try and prevent stupidity. I'm sorry, but more laws won't prevent stupid people from doing dumb things. I kind of enjoy the freedom that Thailand offers. If you do something really stupid then it might cost you your life. If you learn to expect the unexpected then you can be reasonably safe in Thai traffic.

You broke the law and you got caught. From your original post, it seems the police were enforcing the law against everyone; including you. So why the complaining? It's a hoot to see someone do something stupid and then complain about "more laws won't prevent stupid people from doing dumb things." I bet that you will not make the same mistake you did which resulted in a fine. So the laws DO work.

You honestly believe they are enforcing the law for the sake of enforcing the law?

What about the other 95% of the time when riders are wearing no helmets driving past BIB, who are also wearing no helmets. Sitting at the lights surrounded by riders with no helmets including BIB etc etc etc? How is that enforcing the law? Surely, a law is a law and should be applied 24/7.

Personally, I do like the Thai system and I just view it as an irregular 'tax' as a previous poster mentioned.....beats the rigidity and 'nanny state' in the UK.....but trying to say they are enforcing the law to uphold the law for the right reasons!?

[vagabond48]

It shouldn't be too difficult to understand without having the language skills

A blue sign means : allowed / designated

A red sign means : forbidden

It's like that in most parts of the world.

and a sign with red and blue means? Wait ..........., let me think ........., oh, up to you.

I've never seen a sign like that, since you seem to have knowledge of them, maybe you can post a picture.

I have been having a problem loading the images. sorry.

http://www.siamtraff...atorySign21.jpg

http://t2.gstatic.co...7rEiUw1koi23Jbv

and my favorite

http://rlv.zcache.com/drunken_people_crossing_thai_sign_mousepad-p144126417363978697envq7_400.jpg

Edited February 4, 2013 by vagabond48

[jbrain]

You don't relly expect a comment on those images do you?

First image is a traffic sign which is worlwide used and should be known to any roaduser on this planet, some countries have the blue inner color while Thailand uses the white inner color anyway,so it's not a Thai traffic sign.Since the main is a red circle it is a forbidden sign.

Second sign is also not a Thai sign and actually a forbidden sign placed on a blue background for whatever reason.It would be the same if the hang a stop sign on a blue wall, it doesn't make the sign blue or give it another meaning.

Third sign isn't a traffic sign at all, it's a joke.

I would have thought you could do better

[vagabond48]

You don't relly expect a comment on those images do you?

First image is a traffic sign which is worlwide used and should be known to any roaduser on this planet, some countries have the blue inner color while Thailand uses the white inner color anyway,so it's not a Thai traffic sign.Since the main is a red circle it is a forbidden sign.

Second sign is also not a Thai sign and actually a forbidden sign placed on a blue background for whatever reason.It would be the same if the hang a stop sign on a blue wall, it doesn't make the sign blue or give it another meaning.

Third sign isn't a traffic sign at all, it's a joke.

I would have thought you could do better

You really have a desert sense of humor. I was only ribbing your comment about red versus blue and my comment ended with a WINK!

The 3rd sign isn't for real, in Thailand?

Edited February 4, 2013 by vagabond48

[eek]

Ahh rene, if only i had read your fore-warning before i had the same thing happen to me yesterday!

I didnt read all the replies on here, but seems many have lambasted you. But, honestly, rightly or wrongly, i am so used to left turns being ok, that i didnt even think twice either.

Stopped by the coppers and fined.

At first the bobby said he thinks the fine will be 500 baht!

I went to pay, and was 200 baht.
I have a suspicion that when you are a resident, that you pay less...? (Heard one of the officers mention to his colleague that im a resident. There was also a board in the office with the fine amounts, and they were much higher than people were being charged for offenses).

Anyway, lesson learned. Gahhhhhhhhhh..............!

Edited March 9, 2013 by eek

[rene123]

Sorry to hear that, eek, but everyone eventually gets caught for something. Like I said, just consider it a tax. On Thursday I was coming down from Doi Sutthep and there were several police road checks in the moat area. I'm sure the police could have fined me for something or other. Maybe for having my mop of red hair sticking out from under my helmet. Fortunately, they were very busy with other "customers" and I just sailed through behind a few cars.

[TommoPhysicist]

Sorry to hear that, eek, but everyone eventually gets caught for something. Like I said, just consider it a tax. On Thursday I was coming down from Doi Sutthep and there were several police road checks in the moat area. I'm sure the police could have fined me for something or other. Maybe for having my mop of red hair sticking out from under my helmet. Fortunately, they were very busy with other "customers" and I just sailed through behind a few cars.

Everyone gets caught, but not everyone has to pay.

[eek]

Sorry to hear that, eek, but everyone eventually gets caught for something. Like I said, just consider it a tax. On Thursday I was coming down from Doi Sutthep and there were several police road checks in the moat area. I'm sure the police could have fined me for something or other. Maybe for having my mop of red hair sticking out from under my helmet. Fortunately, they were very busy with other "customers" and I just sailed through behind a few cars.

There has been a recent big clamp down on fining unregistered big bikes (which so many are) at the bottom of Doi Suthep rene, so if you ride bigger or know anyone that does, just a heads up. Boyfriend just missed being caught but his mate was, but he pretended not to know Thai and was sent off. I think he was just lucky because there were so many other bikes to deal with (they congregate at the 2nd lookout in the evening for racing, checking modifications etc).

[Beetlejuice]

"I didn't think flashing my boobs would do me any good so I didn't bother. Besides, the police all had masks on"

Covering their eyes?

Maybe they wore masks because they didn`t want to see Rene123s boobs?

I agree, the police had done well, pulling up many law breakers means they are doing their job. They kept her waiting in a queue for half an hour. What did she expect? To be seated in an armchair, given a cup of coffee and perhaps a foot massage while the police were processing her traffic offense and fine?

Solution: don`t break the law, and avoid all the inconvenience and fines.

[rideswings]

Not to beat this topic to death, but I had to pay 400 this morning for the "no left on red" fine at the same place as Renee and Eek. I tried negotiating with the cop and with the admin person, but they wouldnt budge on the price. The cop told me I was lucky I had a license or it would have been 400 plus 200 more.

[akampa]

does this no left turn on red a red light actually a law! because sometimes when i stop at the red light i get some annoying sounds coming from behind me from other road users.

[nikster]

I always follow the rules of the road. And the rules of the road are: Know where the police stops are and watch out for them.

I've gotten stopped twice at that corner - the first time, I didn't know, so I just whizzed around the corner passing a lady who had stopped her motorbike there. Just as I was wondering why she had stopped it was ohhhhhh...... right. At that point I also didn't know that you can't make a left turn on red unless there is a sign saying you can.

200 baht and lesson learned. I read the official fees list - in English, probably to prevent more frequent occurrences of farang rage at the police station - and there this particular offense was 400 baht, same as hitting a red light. So they let me off lightly!

The second time, I followed the rules - I knew they were there, I could see them around the corner. However being the sporty rider that I am I took off way too fast as the light turned green and got stopped by a police officer for the same offense again. Not as calmly as I would have liked to be, I explained that the light was green already when I went (the truth). He remained unconvinced but let me go, probably thinking he could be here all day arguing with this farang or go for the lower hanging fruit of helmet-less riders just coming across the bridge... the police are pretty smart when it comes to maximizing the catch.

A friend got done for not having his drivers license with him...

Now we're in Hua Hin, rental helmet was too small so I didn't wear it; then did some highly illegal maneuvers - left turn and u turn to avoid a long light... all right in front of the police box crew. 400 baht and a few laughs later i was on my way again. I just thought first of all it's my own damn fault for not wearing the helmet, and for not even seeing the clearly visible police box; and secondly just think about what would happen if you pulled something like that in front of the police in the US...

[bristolgeoff]

a few weeks back i was caught without a helmet i paid the tea money instead of the police station.the trap near the computer shops,i was stupid and did not take care and look around.my friend the professional tourist also got caught again.we live and learn and i got over it quickly.i will be more careful next time

[jbrain]

a few weeks back i was caught without a helmet i paid the tea money instead of the police station.the trap near the computer shops,i was stupid and did not take care and look around.my friend the professional tourist also got caught again.we live and learn and i got over it quickly.i will be more careful next time

So what did you actually learn?

To look out for police checkpoints or that it's Thai traffic law for the past 14 years that you should wear a helmet ?

[bristolgeoff]

if it is law then how many u see everyday not wearing a helmet thais and farang.it is a regular trap and i was not taking care.so pay up and move on.i do wear a helmet,but not all the time

[jbrain]

if it is law then how many u see everyday not wearing a helmet thais and farang.it is a regular trap and i was not taking care.so pay up and move on.i do wear a helmet,but not all the time

You can't be serious if you gonna claim that there is no helmet law in Thailand.

[anselpixel]

Anybody notice the brand-new, impossible-to-misunderstand signage at that intersection now?

[qdinthailand]

Anybody notice the brand-new, impossible-to-misunderstand signage at that intersection now?

That's what I like about living in Thailand; I can't read Thai, so I can easily ignore any and all signs (even if they have a bit of English in them). Therefore, I'm not subjected to unwanted, unsolicited marketing.

I don't have a television so I'm not subjected to their ads.

I get SMS all the time - but in Thai - so I just delete and don't have to regret all the great deals I pass up, all the money I could have saved if I just followed up on their offers.

And even using the internet, since them darn internet marketers know my location is Thailand, I get lots of ads that are in Thai, which are easy to ignore.

So no - I haven't noticed those signs.

As they say - "ignorance is bliss!"

[tfc]

Yeah yeah I got my helmet, license, green book etc etc but can those cops just get out there and stop all the burning instead?

[eyecatcher]

There is definately a "wising up" to the fact that a 400bt helmet fine can become quite expensive, and more and more bikers are wearing the helmets. I guess not because of the safety aspect.

At those Huay Kaew lights in the morning last week I counted 28 helmets, and only 1 without, so its having an effect.

But this is at the expense it seems to car/truck drivers as the BIB are pulling them over for the seat belt check (and fine of course) and i fear also the bikers will be scrutinised for licences now, or God forbid low tyre pressure, using mobile handsets to keep the BIBs pockets topped up.

Everytime i drive through one of those checkpoints now, always have a snigger at those pulled up beside the road, and a "twos up" to the BIB "nothing from me today guys"

[anselpixel]

The signs are in English and Thai.

What's the problem?

I'm beginning to think the primary requirement for active membership on this this forum is complete incuriosity.

It's obvious the authorities heard the complaints (by whatever means), and made the appropriate adjustments for even the most obstinately inattentive driver.

[rideswings]

I took some pictures this morning of the place I got nabbed by the police.

This was an innocent enough looking intersection. Turn right and theres the bridge, turn left towards Thae Pai Gate. I turned left on red last week and then saw a militia of police right around the corner. They kindly informed me that they were the bridge trolls and there was a 400 baht fine for left turn on red in Thailand. That fact is still debatable. Im not sure what the signs say but I dont see any clear sign saying no left on red light. But I dont read Thai. This is facing north with the bridge on the right.

This is where the cops hang out.

If youre guilty you will spend some time here which is 500 meters from the intersection. I spent 30 minutes there.

This is on the other side of the bridge facing north. There is a left turn arrow but again I dont see any signs saying no left turn on red light.

Just over the bridge and past the traffic light is where the police bridge trolls hang out. My blood runds cold here at the end of every month after I cross the bridge.

Edited April 3, 2013 by rideswings

[Mapguy]

Funny, all those pictures of signs and you missed one that is actually in English telling you WHERE to stop on a red light (when you are heading north) at the intersection on the west side of the bridge!

My favorites, however, are the scores of directional signs telling you where to go to pay your fine!

[rideswings]

Funny, all those pictures of signs and you missed one that is actually in English telling you WHERE to stop on a red light (when you are heading north) at the intersection on the west side of the bridge!

My favorites, however, are the scores of directional signs telling you where to go to pay your fine!

Haha thats funny, as in anticipation that they are going to stop you and give you a fine. So theres no sign saying no turn on red? (Thanks for the translation btw.)

[mania]

Does suck but to be fair

Ignorantia juris non excusat or ignorantia legis neminem excusat

(Latin for "ignorance of the law does not excuse" or "ignorance of the law excuses no one")

is a legal principle holding that a person who is unaware of a law may not escape liability for

violating that law merely because he or she was unaware of its content.

I know in the USA where I am from
all traffic signs & rules are not posted in multiple languages.
Yes I know English is the world reserve language but still...TIT

I think if complaints get large enough one of two things will happen.
1- Signage in English or,

2- They no longer allow foreigners with previous
drivers licenses from other countries to just skip the written test.

Instead they may want to be sure we know "their" laws & how they differ
from "ours" back home. Same as foreigners are made to take written tests

in the US to obtain a US drivers license. That way they are made to learn the US rules

& how they differ.

Edited April 3, 2013 by mania

[dickyknee]

I took some pictures this morning of the place I got nabbed by the police.

This was an innocent enough looking intersection. Turn right and theres the bridge, turn left towards Thae Pai Gate. I turned left on red last week and then saw a militia of police right around the corner. They kindly informed me that they were the bridge trolls and there was a 400 baht fine for left turn on red in Thailand. That fact is still debatable. Im not sure what the signs say but I dont see any clear sign saying no left on red light. But I dont read Thai. This is facing north with the bridge on the right.

There is an illuminated sign telling you to stop, it's called a stop light, and when it is red you must stop. The only exception is when there is a blue sign with a left-turn arrow indicating you can turn left on red with caution. if this blue sign does not exist, you must stop.

[nikster]

@rideswings - there is NO turn on left on a red light anywhere in Thailand. Unless there is a sign explicitly allowing it. If you can't read Thai and don't know what that sign looks like (it's one of those small white ones with black text on it) - better stop.

I am not sure what you did there for 30 minutes. I was there about 1 minute before I was on my way to the police station to pay my fine, along with a large group of other people who had to pay their dues. At the station, there's a large list, in English, with fines for different offenses. Running a red light - which is basically what you did - is 400 baht. Most other offenses are 200.

But, when I was there, they let me off with 200 baht, not sure why, maybe they didn't inspect that ticket all that closely. Or because of my nice smile?

Edited April 3, 2013 by nikster