Stopped by Traffic Cop ....... for what?

[impulse]

So the law is you have to have a license for the carryboy. And if you don't have that license the law is you have to pay extortion of 400 THB?

If we're going by the law, it would seem the OP was correct in asking the cop to contact the OP's lawyers and also refusing to pay the extortion.

It is the law to have a license for the added canopy. Which part of this are you having trouble understanding ? If you have no license then you can be FINED. No money is extorted from anyone. Money is only extorted when there is no law.

farangs moan about the police not doing their job and yet when they actually do they moan about that as well

Thailand where everything is a rip off or scam even when it isn't

The cop demanding 400 THB at the scene is extortion. What part of this are you having trouble understanding?

May be corruption, but not extortion.

In this case, the Thai people are the victim, not the OP. He owes the fine. If it doesn't go to the right pocket, he's not the one being ripped off. Frankly, I'd rather pay 400 at the scene and drive off than have to collect my DL later at the cop shop.

Regardless, most of us have a lot more sympathy for the guys who haven't actually broken any laws- accidentally or deliberately.

[movsrus]

Looks like he really got you on an infringement......but didn't want to have the extra effort of taking you to the station.

Ignorance is no excuse, and in my mind would deserve a heavier fine for being difficult.

This is just the type of attitude that allows the graft and corruption so endemic in Thai society to continue. Don't pay cash to the BIB. If they want to write a ticket and take my license that is fine. I will go to the station, pay the fine and get the license back. If you pay on the spot the money just goes into their pockets and contributes to the continuation of the cycle of corruption.

I was pulled over once near Warwarot market and the cop tried to shake me down for 100 baht. I said no way. I had papers for the motorcycle and an IDL and told him he could take the IDL if he wanted but I was not going to give him cash. He continued to persist so I told my girlfriend to get off the bike and take a picture of me handling the cop the money. Then I told the cop I would put his picture taking the money on Facebook as well as going to the police station and filing a complaint against him. About this time another cop who must have been some kind of supervisor came over and they had a discussion in Thai. The chief cops smiled and said "no problem" and we were on our way.

Don't contribute to this nonsense by agreeing to a shake down by the BIB. Too many people on this forum are mamby pamby about rolling over for a shake down. Man up and grow a set of balls!

[Tatsujin]

it does seem silly but as others said there appears to be something on the books about it...

i always find it odd when people post that a policeman demanded money from them. i've driven here many years and never has a policeman asked for a bribe. i did get a ticket twice that i can think of (once for an illegal u-turn and once for something else) but both times i was given a ticket. i paid at the police station. i think one was 200 and another 400. why would anyone give cash to a policeman and contribute to the corruption?

There's a simple answer as to why people pay on the spot fines rather than go to the Police station.

If you were stopped in Silom for example, they won't use the nearest Police station there to report to, they'll often write it down as having to report to one very far away which makes it very difficult and inconvenient. On purpose of course.

Edited July 5, 2014 by Tatsujin

[alanrchase]

As in many parts of the world, trucks are classed as commercial vehicles and are usually sold with a lower purchase tax and subject to a lower annual road tax so as to be affordable by farmers and working people (so the theory goes). Convert it to what is in effect an estate car or an SUV by fitting a CarryBoy type hard cover/aircon/seats in the back and you have to note it in the Blue Book pay a higher annual road tax. So no scam, and no mystery. It's not a whole lot more per year and it avoids the hassle of a stop by the BIB.

Some countries proposed removing some or all of the commercial vehicle benefits for pick-ups with 4 full seats and 4 doors as they (rightly) concluded that many were bought by drivers simply looking for a cheap car.

I recall reading that Thailand does not offer the same tax advantages for 4 door pickups, just the 2 door models. But I have been wrong before.

4 door pickup is classed and taxed as a passenger car. Colour of licence plate lets you know what the standard vehicle is classed as.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[robblok]

it does seem silly but as others said there appears to be something on the books about it...

i always find it odd when people post that a policeman demanded money from them. i've driven here many years and never has a policeman asked for a bribe. i did get a ticket twice that i can think of (once for an illegal u-turn and once for something else) but both times i was given a ticket. i paid at the police station. i think one was 200 and another 400. why would anyone give cash to a policeman and contribute to the corruption?

There's a simple answer as to why people pay on the spot fines rather than go to the Police station.

If you were stopped in Silom for example, they won't use the nearest Police station there to report to, they'll often write it down as having to report to one very far away which makes it very difficult and inconvenient. On purpose of course.

Indeed.. the only reason i pay on the spot is because its hard to find a police station.

[cnx355]

A friend in Udon installed stainless steel gards around the pick-up bed and was told by the shop he had to go at the Land Transport Office to have that inspected and noted in the Blue book. He was told he has 30 days to go after installation.

Later, he was stopped on a traffic check going to Khon Kaen and the cop did check the book and it was not done and the cop said it is a 400 B fine because he was a few days over the 15 days period. The cop said it was not 30 days but 15 days after installation. Maybe another TV member can let us know what the traffic laws really say!

Myself , I bought a second hand pick-up with a fibeglass cover 2 years ago and there is a notification in the Blue Book.Now that I know about that, I will keep a complete photocopy of the blue book in the truck including the notification page.

The cop must be checking the foreigners with Fiberglass cover installed as it seems many foreigners do not know about that.

[junglechef]

I recently got a ticket in the mail from Lamphun for doing 128 km/hr in a 80 km/hr zone (Hwy 11) with a photo of my license plate. Instructions to either pay at Lamphun Police station or at any Post Office which incl. giving self address envelope for receipt. Got the receipt back in just days. So efficient and modern I was impressed.

As for the topic at hand I have an old motorbike with sidecar that my kids ride around our farm and occasionally we will use in our village for fun but every year I take sidecar off to get tax stamp at local station. They said I can take it to the dept of motor vehicles and change book but since it would take 1 1/2 hr each way I find it easier just to take off sidecar. It's one of the nice things about living here, one can make his own choices in the little things in life, and yes if the police ticketed me I'd pay without any fuss.

Edited July 5, 2014 by junglechef

[PiPiFFS]

So the law is you have to have a license for the carryboy. And if you don't have that license the law is you have to pay extortion of 400 THB?

If we're going by the law, it would seem the OP was correct in asking the cop to contact the OP's lawyers and also refusing to pay the extortion.

It is the law to have a license for the added canopy. Which part of this are you having trouble understanding ? If you have no license then you can be FINED. No money is extorted from anyone. Money is only extorted when there is no law.

farangs moan about the police not doing their job and yet when they actually do they moan about that as well

Thailand where everything is a rip off or scam even when it isn't

The cop demanding 400 THB at the scene is extortion. Which part of this are you having trouble understanding?

A cop standing at a checkpoint and asking that you pay a fine for breaking the law and giving you an official receipt isn't extortion and happens every day. On a daily basis they set up a road check on Samui. Everyone that isn't wearing a helmet as the law says they must gets pulled over, given a ticket which they go across the road and pay before they can leave.

No extortion just the LAW

I understand the law very well unlike a lot of others it seems

[lucjoker]

They must be desperate and hungry by now ,all those 400bht suckers?

Wait until the military "cracks down" on them ,5555

[mesquite]

So the law is you have to have a license for the carryboy. And if you don't have that license the law is you have to pay extortion of 400 THB?

If we're going by the law, it would seem the OP was correct in asking the cop to contact the OP's lawyers and also refusing to pay the extortion.

It is the law to have a license for the added canopy. Which part of this are you having trouble understanding ? If you have no license then you can be FINED. No money is extorted from anyone. Money is only extorted when there is no law.

farangs moan about the police not doing their job and yet when they actually do they moan about that as well

Thailand where everything is a rip off or scam even when it isn't

The cop demanding 400 THB at the scene is extortion. Which part of this are you having trouble understanding?

A cop standing at a checkpoint and asking that you pay a fine for breaking the law and giving you an official receipt isn't extortion and happens every day. On a daily basis they set up a road check on Samui. Everyone that isn't wearing a helmet as the law says they must gets pulled over, given a ticket which they go across the road and pay before they can leave.

No extortion just the LAW

I understand the law very well unlike a lot of others it seems

I've never even heard of a cop giving a receipt for being paid on the spot.

[Dante99]

As in many parts of the world, trucks are classed as commercial vehicles and are usually sold with a lower purchase tax and subject to a lower annual road tax so as to be affordable by farmers and working people (so the theory goes). Convert it to what is in effect an estate car or an SUV by fitting a CarryBoy type hard cover/aircon/seats in the back and you have to note it in the Blue Book pay a higher annual road tax. So no scam, and no mystery. It's not a whole lot more per year and it avoids the hassle of a stop by the BIB.

Some countries proposed removing some or all of the commercial vehicle benefits for pick-ups with 4 full seats and 4 doors as they (rightly) concluded that many were bought by drivers simply looking for a cheap car.

I recall reading that Thailand does not offer the same tax advantages for 4 door pickups, just the 2 door models. But I have been wrong before.

correct, 4 door pickups are taxed much higher than 2 door models here but as always there is an exception

if you put a carry boy type deal on a 4 door pickup that changes it into a commercial vehicle at a lower tax, at least in the past that was the case

[FolkGuitar]

............. can make his own choices in the little things in life, and yes if the police ticketed me I'd pay without any fuss.

...and this IS one of the major differences in the replies. Bravo!

The law is the law. Period. We have three choices; either follow the law, change the law through legal court proceedings, or break the law and risk getting penalized. But if we choose to break the law, we do NOT have a valid leg to stand on if we bitch about getting penalized! It was out choice to break the law, and not knowing the law is simply no excuse in any country. It we don't want to pay the cop on the street, then pay at the station. But if we get caught breaking the law we are going to pay. That's why they call them 'laws,' and not 'suggestions.'

[sfokevin]

If the officer offers you the "you pay now" option politely decline and say you want a written ticket - also firmly say you want his name (phom aw naam sakum khun dui) on the ticket for future reference....

Edited July 5, 2014 by sfokevin

[mesquite]

............. can make his own choices in the little things in life, and yes if the police ticketed me I'd pay without any fuss.

...and this IS one of the major differences in the replies. Bravo!

The law is the law. Period. We have three choices; either follow the law, change the law through legal court proceedings, or break the law and risk getting penalized. But if we choose to break the law, we do NOT have a valid leg to stand on if we bitch about getting penalized! It was out choice to break the law, and not knowing the law is simply no excuse in any country. It we don't want to pay the cop on the street, then pay at the station. But if we get caught breaking the law we are going to pay. That's why they call them 'laws,' and not 'suggestions.'

Yes, indeed, the law is the law, and we must pay when we violate it, no matter how unreasonable the law or the punishment is. Whether it's the 400 THB with no record directly into the cops pocket here in Thailand for not filling out the right paperwork and paying the tax, or the fatal stoning of a woman for infidelity in the middle east, it's the law!

Edited July 5, 2014 by mesquite

[SOTIRIOS]

...you'd think that the issue would have been brought up at 'point of purchase'........

[Sirbergan]

If you think it's all for "extracting money from farangs" think again my friend. They rip off their own at every given chance too. We are too few to make any decent side profits.

Actually, that was a lot worse before than what it is now. The last 3-4 years I haven't been stopped at their "road blocks", not even once, and believe me when I say I've passed a hell of a lot of them (both here in Isaan and on 600 km trips each way when driving to Bangkok). Before that, I was stopped at every single one, without fail. It seems to me they've been given strict instructions not to pull over foreigners unless it's absolutely necessary.

[PlanetX]

You can't drive around the city without driving through one of these. They are everywhere. It is absurd.

For those that say the law is the law - ask your fellow countrymen how it is going through an airport in the UK or America now? Everyone is being basically molested because of terrorist concerns by groups that were TRAINED and FUNDED by our own tax payer money.

Follow the rules, follow the rules - while your leaders do not

[Tchooptip]

Your blue book must be amended for a carryboy thingy. You must show your blue book with the amendment to the BiB..

What is this carryboy thingy you all are familiar with?

Does it translate to American?

Yes, at least for Americans not too lazy to Google it

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=carryboy&FORM=HDRSC2...

[FolkGuitar]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

............. can make his own choices in the little things in life, and yes if the police ticketed me I'd pay without any fuss.

...and this IS one of the major differences in the replies. Bravo!

The law is the law. Period. We have three choices; either follow the law, change the law through legal court proceedings, or break the law and risk getting penalized. But if we choose to break the law, we do NOT have a valid leg to stand on if we bitch about getting penalized! It was out choice to break the law, and not knowing the law is simply no excuse in any country. It we don't want to pay the cop on the street, then pay at the station. But if we get caught breaking the law we are going to pay. That's why they call them 'laws,' and not 'suggestions.'

Yes, indeed, the law is the law, and we must pay when we violate it, no matter how unreasonable the law or the punishment is. Whether it's the 400 THB with no record directly into the cops pocket here in Thailand for not filling out the right paperwork and paying the tax, or the fatal stoning of a woman for infidelity in the middle east, it's the law!

You can't drive around the city without driving through one of these. They are everywhere. It is absurd.

For those that say the law is the law - ask your fellow countrymen how it is going through an airport in the UK or America now? Everyone is being basically molested because of terrorist concerns by groups that were TRAINED and FUNDED by our own tax payer money.

Follow the rules, follow the rules - while your leaders do not

If you feel that you must follow the rules, that is your choice.

I haven't seen a single thread where anyone demanded that anyone follow the rules.

Personally, I believe we have three choices... well, actually four;

1. Follow the rules

2. Change the rules through legal court proceedings

3. Break the rules and risk penalty.

4. Move to an area where you are more comfortable with the requirements of that society.

Choices... We always have choices.

Breaking the rules then bitching about the penalty aftwards really doesn't make much sense... even less so when the penalty amounts to a few dollars as it does here. In most Western countries, a parking ticket costs 10x more than a fine for a local moving violation!

Edited July 5, 2014 by FolkGuitar

[Globeman]

it does seem silly but as others said there appears to be something on the books about it...

i always find it odd when people post that a policeman demanded money from them. i've driven here many years and never has a policeman asked for a bribe. i did get a ticket twice that i can think of (once for an illegal u-turn and once for something else) but both times i was given a ticket. i paid at the police station. i think one was 200 and another 400. why would anyone give cash to a policeman and contribute to the corruption?

Ummm... because if you don't they will force you to spend the rest of the day at the police station?

[DaamNaam]

If you think it's all for "extracting money from farangs" think again my friend. They rip off their own at every given chance too. We are too few to make any decent side profits.

Actually, that was a lot worse before than what it is now. The last 3-4 years I haven't been stopped at their "road blocks", not even once, and believe me when I say I've passed a hell of a lot of them (both here in Isaan and on 600 km trips each way when driving to Bangkok). Before that, I was stopped at every single one, without fail. It seems to me they've been given strict instructions not to pull over foreigners unless it's absolutely necessary.

As long as you believe it then it must be true.

[willfreeman]

If you think it's all for "extracting money from farangs" think again my friend. They rip off their own at every given chance too. We are too few to make any decent side profits.

Actually, that was a lot worse before than what it is now. The last 3-4 years I haven't been stopped at their "road blocks", not even once, and believe me when I say I've passed a hell of a lot of them (both here in Isaan and on 600 km trips each way when driving to Bangkok). Before that, I was stopped at every single one, without fail. It seems to me they've been given strict instructions not to pull over foreigners unless it's absolutely necessary.

As long as you believe it then it must be true.

i always wear a full face helmet, have a thai dl and tax/insurance paid

last year in my six months here i rode through checkpoints regularly and was never stopped

this year i get stopped at at least 50% of the checkpoints i go through, i was under the opposite impression that they where cracking down on foreigners without the proper licenses

[northernjohn]

it does seem silly but as others said there appears to be something on the books about it...

i always find it odd when people post that a policeman demanded money from them. i've driven here many years and never has a policeman asked for a bribe. i did get a ticket twice that i can think of (once for an illegal u-turn and once for something else) but both times i was given a ticket. i paid at the police station. i think one was 200 and another 400. why would anyone give cash to a policeman and contribute to the corruption?

Ummm... because if you don't they will force you to spend the rest of the day at the police station?

I believe it is cheaper also to pay the cop. My wife had to go to the police station to pay 400 baht for no helmit where as it was 200 baht to the policeman if he would except it. This one would not.

[FolkGuitar]

I too feel we foreigners are stopped more now than ever before. But I suppose it makes sense. So many foreign tourists are driving without the required licenses (plural-if one uses an IDl, we are required to have a valid license from our home country with it,) or in violation of the helmet law just because we see the Thais doing it. I get stopped often, but I carry my license in my shirt pocket. 20 seconds for the cop to look t it, check the year on my tax sticker, and I'm on my way again. Less time than a stop light!

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[JingerBen]

............. can make his own choices in the little things in life, and yes if the police ticketed me I'd pay without any fuss.

...and this IS one of the major differences in the replies. Bravo!

The law is the law. Period. We have three choices; either follow the law, change the law through legal court proceedings, or break the law and risk getting penalized. But if we choose to break the law, we do NOT have a valid leg to stand on if we bitch about getting penalized! It was out choice to break the law, and not knowing the law is simply no excuse in any country. It we don't want to pay the cop on the street, then pay at the station. But if we get caught breaking the law we are going to pay. That's why they call them 'laws,' and not 'suggestions.'

You're obsessed with obeying the "law".

If Gandhi, King, and Mandela had followed your advice, Indians would still be coolies, and blacks would still be sitting in the back of the bus.

OK professor, I'm prepared for the lecture... but I think I'll cut class this afternoon.

[montereyjp]

Ok.. Really? To be legal you need the carryboy to be noted in the Blue Book? Lke officially noted by the DLT? Or just written in by hand? I never carry my blue book in the vehicle as it would be availble to the person who stolle my truck if it ever happened... I have been stopped on numerous occasions and never ask to see the blue book.. The old truck I had was modified with wheels, push bar, and roll bar in the bed... And although I did get a ticket once for the push bar partially obscuring the front license plate when looking at it from a certain angle (the officer even took a photo as proof) I was never questioned about the modifications...

Yes the BIB's can be rediculous at times I usually just pay as the fines are so cheap compared to the US why waste time or more trouble by arguing.... And I rather pay on the spot then have to go to the station to pay.. I once had to insist to pay the officer on the spot as he kept insisting on writing me a proper ticket but I was traveling and did not want to come back later... It was kind of comical as the officer was older guy and he chased me down on an old little two cycle yamaha that had he had to get to full speed on to catch up to me after I ran a red light on Hwy 1 as I was heading to Nakwon Sawan... One of those obscure middle of the freeway ones that are hard to notice... I saw it after it was to late to stop, thank God the intersection was clear...I was doing about 100kmh then I look in the rear view mirror and I see him... There was so much smoke coming out of the Yamaha I first thought if ea mosquito abatement...lol.. Once I notice it was a BIB I started laughing so hard I had to pull over... Again I have no problem giving them money... They are pretty nice most of the time and their monthly salary pretty low, the amount very reasonable so I just smile and pay up... And then move on down the road...

[ChrisKC]

I was stopped around Chiang Mai on three separate occasions for the same thing. I was fined on two of those B1000 each time and I had an official receipt, so I assumed there was something genuinely out of line. Then I fixed it. That was about 4 years ago.

[Globeman]

If you think it's all for "extracting money from farangs" think again my friend. They rip off their own at every given chance too. We are too few to make any decent side profits.

Actually, that was a lot worse before than what it is now. The last 3-4 years I haven't been stopped at their "road blocks", not even once, and believe me when I say I've passed a hell of a lot of them (both here in Isaan and on 600 km trips each way when driving to Bangkok). Before that, I was stopped at every single one, without fail. It seems to me they've been given strict instructions not to pull over foreigners unless it's absolutely necessary.

As long as you believe it then it must be true.

Based on a conversation with a municipal police commander a couple of years ago, the police have at times been instructed to 'lay off' foreigners - possibly for diplomatic or "image" reasons. There was also a time when a government-issued press card was like a free pass to drive like a maniac, but when Thaksin took power, the police became far more aggressive against the press creds - I think seeing them more as a sworn enemy than an ally to be cultivated. More recently, showing any sort of connection to power (at least when a farang does it), just seems to annoy them. The police and some other criminals don't appear to fear the consequences of taking on a foreigner as much as they once did. (For example, muggings of foreigners used to be very rare). I suppose that before development really took off, there was a high likelihood that the foreigner might be a diplomat and some other powerful person - there were fewer of us around back then. Now we are far more ubiquitous and probably nobody to be scared of.

[Thailand]

............. can make his own choices in the little things in life, and yes if the police ticketed me I'd pay without any fuss.

...and this IS one of the major differences in the replies. Bravo!

The law is the law. Period. We have three choices; either follow the law, change the law through legal court proceedings, or break the law and risk getting penalized. But if we choose to break the law, we do NOT have a valid leg to stand on if we bitch about getting penalized! It was out choice to break the law, and not knowing the law is simply no excuse in any country. It we don't want to pay the cop on the street, then pay at the station. But if we get caught breaking the law we are going to pay. That's why they call them 'laws,' and not 'suggestions.'

You're obsessed with obeying the "law".

If Gandhi, King, and Mandela had followed your advice, Indians would still be coolies, and blacks would still be sitting in the back of the bus.

OK professor, I'm prepared for the lecture... but I think I'll cut class this afternoon.

Yes, those nasty laws should only be for the locals. We foreigners should be considered to be well above them.

[Estrada]

you definitely need a license for the carboy if you want to be legal and avoid further issues

If you were stopped in the UK you would be in trouble. Under the UK Traffic Act any modifications have to be subject to a Ministry of Transport Test. The Carryboy is a non original Manufacturer's modification that could be dangerous if not fitted correctly. I have never known them to enforce this law before. It is about time due to the number of deaths caused by modifications to vehicles, insecure Carryboys and 20/40ft shipping containers on lorries without twist locks.