In addition to the 3-way junction checkpoint at the end of Sai Yuan Rd. There has been an occasional lesser checkpoint set up half way beteen Icon corner and Sinbi Muay Thai camp.

I've been stopped regularly and it's never a problem. I always wear a helmet and all my documents are in order.

Today, I was heading towards Kata and as I came round the Icon corner there was a pickup truck stopped at the checkpoint and the Thai policeman was talking to the driver.

I got my wallet out ready to show my licence but the Thai policeman waved me through after letting the pickup go. (apologies for rambling on but it gets better)

After passing through I still had my wallet in my hand so I stopped to put it back in my pocket.

The farang Police volunteer was across the road looking at me so I waved my wallet to show him why I'd stopped, at which point he ran across the road to me and the conversation then went like this;

PV: Turn your bike off!

Me: What?

PV: Turn your <deleted> bike off!

Me: Why?

PV: Turn your <deleted> bike off you t**t!

Me: Don't you swear at me.

PV: Where's your tax?

Me: Under the seat

PV: Get it out

Me: No, you don't have the authority to demand it as you're a police volunteer not a real policeman. I'll be happy to show it to the Thai policeman'

PV: Get your tax out.

Me: Tell you what, you show me your work permit and I'll show you my tax........ He then proceeds to show me his Police Volunteer card saying 'this is my work permit'

Me: That's not a work permit

PV: Show me your tax

Me: No, your not a real policeman

PV: I am a real policeman

Me: No you're not!

. .....at this point the real Thai Policeman came over, I showed him my licence and he politely waved me on my way.

Now, call me old fashioned but I thought that the farang Police Volunteers were there to assist the BIB. In my opinion, this guy is a liability!

I noted his name tag so if anyone wants to know it, pm me.

He is referred to as a police assistant and not a part of either the tourist police or region 8 police volunteers.

Police volunteers in Thailand, whether Thai or foreign, posses the same authority as the officers directly supervising them. You're right, he's not a real policeman, but he is also right that you are required to show him your tax disc, DL etc. if he was instructed by the police to do so, and sounds like he was, although sounds as though he may have been a dick about it which certainly doesn't help the image of the foreign volunteers.

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He is referred to as a police assistant and not a part of either the tourist police or region 8 police volunteers.

Police volunteers in Thailand, whether Thai or foreign, posses the same authority as the officers directly supervising them. You're right, he's not a real policeman, but he is also right that you are required to show him your tax disc, DL etc. if he was instructed by the police to do so, and sounds like he was, although sounds as though he may have been a dick about it which certainly doesn't help the image of the foreign volunteers.

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Your explanation of the distinctions amongst different enforcement agencies is enlightening.

Thanks.

Did he try to sell you any drugs.I hear that is what they are good at now.

Probably a security guard back in his own country.Another wanabee.

Did he try to sell you any drugs.I hear that is what they are good at now.

Probably a security guard back in his own country.Another wanabee.

They try to entrap people?

How do you join this volunteer force? Do they have a lot of training and any power? They must have a working knowledge of Thai.

A lot of these guys are cop buffs who love the power the badge gives them even if it's not a real badge!

Surely it's better to sit in a bar and pretend you are ex-SAS than wave a fake card around pretending to be a pretend Thai cop.

Did he try to sell you any drugs.I hear that is what they are good at now.

Probably a security guard back in his own country.Another wanabee.

They try to entrap people?

How do you join this volunteer force? Do they have a lot of training and any power? They must have a working knowledge of Thai.

A lot of these guys are cop buffs who love the power the badge gives them even if it's not a real badge!

A lot of people do it for perks, you don't need to know any Thai language and just have to do a few volunteer sessions.

Can come in handy if you own a bar or whatever. plenty of TP do not care what is going on around them that is illegal unless it is directly affecting them, at which point they only need to do a hand signal or make a phone call.

if i find i am in a town where these exist, i leave that town usually next day at the latest, and find a town where there arent enough farang to warrant them. they are bad news. put a whole bad attitude on the locality. sometimes i think they are sent by their respective govt to discourage tourists in thailand and hence save their own country money.

allowing these characters here was one of the worst decisions ever made by the thais.

Did he try to sell you any drugs.I hear that is what they are good at now.

Probably a security guard back in his own country.Another wanabee.

They try to entrap people?

How do you join this volunteer force? Do they have a lot of training and any power? They must have a working knowledge of Thai.

A lot of these guys are cop buffs who love the power the badge gives them even if it's not a real badge!

No, they don't try to entrap you. He is making a reference to a TPV who was caught dealing. And using that to try to further tarnish the image of police volunteers and Phuket in general.

@ the OP: report the guy and the conversation you had.

at which point they only need to do a hand signal or make a phone call.

Total <deleted>.........

In Pattaya, they set up a major roadblock on Suk between Pattaya Klang and Pattaya Tai, reducing the south-bound road to one lane (and targeting, sigh, only m/cycles). The foreign assistants wear smart yellow uniforms and most of them appear to be eastern Euro types. The ones I dealt with have a definite attitude problem. A couple of the older guys were snapping out orders and all but goose-stepping, while one younger guy stood uncomfortably close to me with a shit-eating grin on his face as if he was dying to say "go ahead, make my day?"

BTW, I wonder if the NCPO will end this persistent, almost criminal, harrassment of motorcyclists.

This story sounds very familiar. Had the exact same conversation with a PV in Pattaya. I filed a complaint with the fine clerk (a real policeman).

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Did he try to sell you any drugs.I hear that is what they are good at now.

Probably a security guard back in his own country.Another wanabee.

They try to entrap people?

No, they do not.

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In Pattaya, they set up a major roadblock on Suk between Pattaya Klang and Pattaya Tai, reducing the south-bound road to one lane (and targeting, sigh, only m/cycles). The foreign assistants wear smart yellow uniforms and most of them appear to be eastern Euro types. The ones I dealt with have a definite attitude problem. A couple of the older guys were snapping out orders and all but goose-stepping, while one younger guy stood uncomfortably close to me with a shit-eating grin on his face as if he was dying to say "go ahead, make my day?"

BTW, I wonder if the NCPO will end this persistent, almost criminal, harrassment of motorcyclists.

So they're checking for licenses and tax, and you call that 'persistent, almost criminal harassment?

Over the years only interaction I have had with the volunteers while they are in duty has been in the immigration office. Never had an issue with them. Overall I think it's great that there are people who are investing their time to help others.

All of us have bad days every now and then, which might lead to communication which sounds hostile like OP. Then again. Real bullying attitude and overuse of power is one thing I would likely to fight back.

What are my rights in these kind of situations, when the volunteer/police have their uniforms on?

- Can I ask the volunteer and or police officer to show their ID card and take a photo of the card?

- Can I take photo of these people?

- Where to report in case of misconduct?

Have never been stopped at a check-point that had a TPV.

If I did happen, I'd show my license and tax, even if it was a TPV doing the asking.

If he showed a crappy attitude, I'd show him my crappy attitude.

Regardless of whether the PV has the authority to do what he did, he should not be resorting to using language like the OP has quoted.

Regardless of whether the PV has the authority to do what he did, he should not be resorting to using language like the OP has quoted.

Exactly!

Could some of our volunteers help to fill out the caps, correct the errors and add additional information.

1) Tourist police volunteers. Reporting to the Tourist police head office in Bangkok.

2) Police volunteers. Reporting to Region 8 provisional division headquarters in Surat Thani.

3) Immigration volunteers. Reporting to Office of immigration bureau in Bangkok

4) Highway police volunteers - ???

Perhaps if you would have showed the guy what he wanted to see you could have been on your way in a minute. Was he a di-khead? Yes ... Perhaps... But I think you can not change this guy, he will be an as-hole all his life. He wasted your time but also his....

He is referred to as a police assistant and not a part of either the tourist police or region 8 police volunteers.

Police volunteers in Thailand, whether Thai or foreign, posses the same authority as the officers directly supervising them. You're right, he's not a real policeman, but he is also right that you are required to show him your tax disc, DL etc. if he was instructed by the police to do so, and sounds like he was, although sounds as though he may have been a dick about it which certainly doesn't help the image of the foreign volunteers.

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The royal Thai police officer waved him thru, them the DH farang volunteer stopped the OP and gave him a hard time

I sent 3 months as a volunteer thinking it would be good to assist tourists as i had plenty of spare time and no work

permit was required

Resigned in disgust at the majority of the VTPs attitude, they have no power just think they do and cannot arrest you

or do anything else if a royal Thai police officer does not authorize it and why would they want to

I think one poster is still in the VTP who was a member when i was

Helping tourists if you can is one thing, going to parades to practise standing at attention and saluting and giving

farangs a hard time is another, The volunteer immigration officers are a much better group of people

In Pattaya, they set up a major roadblock on Suk between Pattaya Klang and Pattaya Tai, reducing the south-bound road to one lane (and targeting, sigh, only m/cycles). The foreign assistants wear smart yellow uniforms and most of them appear to be eastern Euro types. The ones I dealt with have a definite attitude problem. A couple of the older guys were snapping out orders and all but goose-stepping, while one younger guy stood uncomfortably close to me with a shit-eating grin on his face as if he was dying to say "go ahead, make my day?"

BTW, I wonder if the NCPO will end this persistent, almost criminal, harrassment of motorcyclists.

So they're checking for licenses and tax, and you call that 'persistent, almost criminal harassment?

Don't be naive. Every rider knows what I'm talking about. In 21 years I've been stopped once in the car but 200 times on the bike - and booked a dozen times for non-existent offences. A two-week-on, two-week-off checkpoint was established near my office for six months and periodically after that. I had no choice but to go through it. Was never stopped in the car, but everytime on the bike.

PS: Just to clarify, I have no objection to checks and willingly comply.

In Pattaya, they set up a major roadblock on Suk between Pattaya Klang and Pattaya Tai, reducing the south-bound road to one lane (and targeting, sigh, only m/cycles). The foreign assistants wear smart yellow uniforms and most of them appear to be eastern Euro types. The ones I dealt with have a definite attitude problem. A couple of the older guys were snapping out orders and all but goose-stepping, while one younger guy stood uncomfortably close to me with a shit-eating grin on his face as if he was dying to say "go ahead, make my day?"

BTW, I wonder if the NCPO will end this persistent, almost criminal, harrassment of motorcyclists.

So they're checking for licenses and tax, and you call that 'persistent, almost criminal harassment?

Don't be naive. Every rider knows what I'm talking about. In 21 years I've been stopped once in the car but 200 times on the bike - and booked a dozen times for non-existent offences. A two-week-on, two-week-off checkpoint was established near my office for six months and periodically after that. I had no choice but to go through it. Was never stopped in the car, but everytime on the bike.

PS: Just to clarify, I have no objection to checks and willingly comply.

I ride a bike, and sometimes get stopped at a checkpoint, but never fined for non-existing offenses. So what that motorbikes get pulled over more than cars, does not make it harassment, let alone almost criminal behaviour. So you have no objections but complain anyway.

Please explain 'every rider knows what I'm talking about'.

Stevenl you must be living on the moon.

Next you will be telling us that there is no corruption here.

I will go as far as to say that check points are even set up at certain times of the month(paydays)to get tea money,and it is aimed 90% of the time at motorcye riders.

Are you a volunteer btw?

Some of these guys are OK, sincere in wanting to help out. Others are on power trips, they live their lives to lord it over others...

Stevenl you must be living on the moon.

Next you will be telling us that there is no corruption here.

I will go as far as to say that check points are even set up at certain times of the month(paydays)to get tea money,and it is aimed 90% of the time at motorcye riders.

Are you a volunteer btw?

Your sentence 'I will go ...riders' is in my experience true, but also in my experience has no connection to unjustified fines, let alone 'persistent, almost criminal harassment'.

Stevenl you must be living on the moon.

Next you will be telling us that there is no corruption here.

I will go as far as to say that check points are even set up at certain times of the month(paydays)to get tea money,and it is aimed 90% of the time at motorcye riders.

Are you a volunteer btw?

Your sentence 'I will go ...riders' is in my experience true, but also in my experience has no connection to unjustified fines, let alone 'persistent, almost criminal harassment'.

So you agree that check points are set up at certain times of the month when people..... mostly low paid workers have money from there employment! that alone is unjustified isn't it or would you just put a smarmy name on to it like criminal profiling due to having the end of the month pay check in the bank? It is persistent and it is harassment to a lot of normal folk.

Sorry about the quip about the moon btw i know you don't live on the moon really

Much of the fines collected at the end of the month goes towards actually running the police station.

The police are not given enough money to pay for things like petrol, stationary etc. etc.

I would call it smart to fine people when they actually have money.