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

[PETERTHEEATER]

I think its a modification to the vehicle that should be added to the blue book. I think I remember it effecting the annual road tax due, though I may be mistaken.

So any modification to a vehicle needs to be recorded in the blue book, such as aftermarket wheels, tires, bumper guards, roll bars, bed-covers, etc? Serious question...

Yes, and to your insurance company. The vehicle, when first insured is done on the basis that it is a standard production version of the stated model. Any changes to the vehicle such as fuel type, suspension, brakes etc would need to be assessed and recorded by the insurers. If not, then a future claim might be rejected due to the vehicle not meeting the recorded configuration.I still don't understand why people pay good money to put parasitic drag devices on the front. Those 'A' Frame contraptions and permanently installed roof racks were all the rage a few years ago until fuel prices hiked.

[Dante99]

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.

I sure feel lucky that I am not in the UK. <deleted>

[starky]

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.

Hear Hear and I know we live in Thailand I don't wish to be a wet blanket and of course everything is negotiable. Like the UK, in Australia anything that it is not original on a car is subject to an engineers certificate and a new compliance plate. You may not get pinched for it and it is always up to the LEO in question some a re happy to let shit slide some are not. I had a monster Skyline and I had more police pull me over to have a look than pinch me for the multiple defects, compliance wise. Point being is that includes everything, bigger wheels, low profile tyres, roll cages, larger exhaust or headers and im not even talking about proper performance mods here. I guess what most would have done is paid the freight and moved on. You want to live in Thailand and have laws but no-laws as suits yourself. Just pay the copper give him his graft and bail. To those that say that the corruption from the BIB should be stamped out like some preacher at a Sunday sermon, well its a fact of life and if it is not to your liking move back to countries where LEO's follow the letter of the law and you get banged up for illegal mods, or not producing a valid license an ID or having 10 of the relatives sitting in the back of your truck, or countless other infringements, spare me the righteousness... Please

[Grateful farang]

I stayed in a hotel that over looks that stretch of highway that was in 2010

I saw a motorbike cop shut down 2 lanes of the highway.

I didnt know what the cop and the motorists stopped were talking about but I got the strongest

Feeling the cop was taking money from them for any old silly reason.

If the cop cared about the safety of the motorists

Why would he reduce a 4 lane highway down to a 2 lane highway?

[kjhbigv]

What type of hilux do you drive? Those "carryboy" covers are illegal on 2 door 4x4s....

Most trucks you have to have it noted in the blue book. 2 door 4x4, not allowed. 4 door 4x4s are ok.

What on earth can be the thinking behind that one?

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[kjhbigv]

I wonder how difficult it will be for OP to get driver's license, car plates, etc. renewed in the future after this "mistake?"

Exactly the same as before I would say!

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[F4UCorsair]

I partly agree with the OP, but I think I'd have done it a little differently.

I'd prefer to go down to the station and pay the fine if it was established as a valid infringement, even if it cost me more. Not in this case, but on arriving at the station there may be no offence, just a little tea money for the cop.

The point I make is that the corrupt cops don't get cash in their pockets, but Iif an offence has been committed, at least the money goes into the systen.

I've never been picked up in Thailand, but on a recent trip to Bali, three times in one day!!!

[Oscar2]

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?

rubbish. takes 5 minutes.

[JingerBen]

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.

There are laws, and there are "laws".

The distinction has to be made between the laws that are for the good of the public, and the ridiculous, pettifogging "laws" that are meant to extract money or keep people in their place.

The Americans wouldn't be celebrating Independence Day if the revolutionary generation of the 1770s had followed due process and obeyed the law.

What is a revolutionary generation anyway? Isn't it one that simply has brains and balls? ...The brains to understand that they are being exploited, and the balls to do something about it.

[DaamNaam]

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?

rubbish. takes 5 minutes.

Or up to an hour or so, 5 minutes a bit of an exaggeration.

Edited July 5, 2014 by DaamNaam

[Mudcrab]

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.

You might be old son, but I'm not. You should be fined many tens of thousands of baht, have your license taken away and possibly be locked up. 48k/hr over the limit is bordering on reckless behaviour.

[Thailand]

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.

There are laws, and there are "laws".

The distinction has to be made between the laws that are for the good of the public, and the ridiculous, pettifogging "laws" that are meant to extract money or keep people in their place.

The Americans wouldn't be celebrating Independence Day if the revolutionary generation of the 1770s had followed due process and obeyed the law.

What is a revolutionary generation anyway? Isn't it one that simply has brains and balls? ...The brains to understand that they are being exploited, and the balls to do something about it.

"- - and the ridiculous, pettifogging "laws" that are meant to extract money or keep people in their place."

Which ones are those?

Edited July 5, 2014 by Thailand

[PiPiFFS]

Its common practice all over Thailand. Would you rather pay the cop officially there and then and have done with it or would you rather the cop take your license so you have to go to the main police station at a later date and then try to pay the fine and get back your license ?

I used to like to go and sit with a beer opposite where they had the helmet checks. Farang or Thai the fine was the same and at 500 baht that is a lot of money for a Thai yet I never once heard a Thai shouting off yet saw many a farang giving it the big "I rich farang you Thai " crap trying to get out of paying

As far as I know ignorance of the law is no defence anywhere in the world.

I would far rather deal with the traffic police here in Thailand than back home in the UK where the slightest infringement means there is zero wriggle room and you get a large fine and points on your license which makes your insurance even more expensive than it is already.

Give me Somchai any day.

[BusyB]

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?

I don't spend much time on Thai roads in cars and trucks, usually busses. But last year I was on a road trip with Thai friends heading to BKK north of Petchburi. It was a pick up taxi, I was in the front passenger seat, 2 Thais in the rear passenger seats, and 3 Thais out on the (covered) truck platform. We approach a traffic cop road block. One of the (masked!) Terminator 2 clones pulls the driver over (onto the central reservation where it's safest of course!), and starts muttering in the window in a pleading tone, without lowering his mask. The word farang is dropped a couple of times, the driver also pleads for a short while before surreptitiously sliding a THB50 note out of a plastic holder and passing it to the filth hidden in the palm of his hand.

It's the first time I've ever come across anything like it. It was as if the pig had tossed off into the cab and spattered everybody. An utter shame and disgrace to the profession and uniform. My friends were deeply embarrased by it all. And the fact that I'm rarely on the road in cars etc, suggests that it's fairly commonplace if I actually get caught up in it.

I used to wonder why cops get called "the filth".

Needless to say I tipped the driver well.

[junglechef]

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

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.

You might be old son, but I'm not. You should be fined many tens of thousands of baht, have your license taken away and possibly be locked up. 48k/hr over the limit is bordering on reckless behaviour.

I might be old but then again I might not be or in other words I have no idea what your saying.

Doing 79 mph on a super hiway is speeding but not reckless driving on a nice dry weekend afternoon with little traffic and not around any densely inhabited area in my opinion. I broke the law and payed the price. As I said that's why I like living here and if I was back home where it could have cost a lot due to adding points to my driving record etc and I might have not taken the risk. Tens of thousands of baht and loose my license and maybe go to jail??? Where are you from that you are in such a nanny state of mind. Only responding to what I consider a rather ridiculous post is to see if you are just taking a mickey and if not give you a chance to explain as to not make yourself look so over the top.

[Oscar2]

Its common practice all over Thailand. Would you rather pay the cop officially there and then and have done with it or would you rather the cop take your license so you have to go to the main police station at a later date and then try to pay the fine and get back your license ?

I used to like to go and sit with a beer opposite where they had the helmet checks. Farang or Thai the fine was the same and at 500 baht that is a lot of money for a Thai yet I never once heard a Thai shouting off yet saw many a farang giving it the big "I rich farang you Thai " crap trying to get out of paying

As far as I know ignorance of the law is no defence anywhere in the world.

I would far rather deal with the traffic police here in Thailand than back home in the UK where the slightest infringement means there is zero wriggle room and you get a large fine and points on your license which makes your insurance even more expensive than it is already.

Give me Somchai any day.

it may be common practice in your circles but not in mine. i've spoken with Thai friends about this in the past and none of them have ever handed a policeman cash. i just asked the wife if she was ever asked to pay a bribe in the 20+ years she has been driving and her answer was "no never" and she said none of her relatives have been asked to pay a bribe either. they would never contribute to the corruption, and none of you should either. pay at the police station and get a receipt. they will negotiate also. many 400 Baht tickets can be reduced to 200. better yet, just don't break the law. simple.

BTW, handing a policeman cash on the road is not "officially" as you say. it's a bribe. the whole idea behind the current cleansing of government is to put an end to this crap once and for all.

[willfreeman]

Its common practice all over Thailand. Would you rather pay the cop officially there and then and have done with it or would you rather the cop take your license so you have to go to the main police station at a later date and then try to pay the fine and get back your license ?

I used to like to go and sit with a beer opposite where they had the helmet checks. Farang or Thai the fine was the same and at 500 baht that is a lot of money for a Thai yet I never once heard a Thai shouting off yet saw many a farang giving it the big "I rich farang you Thai " crap trying to get out of paying

As far as I know ignorance of the law is no defence anywhere in the world.

I would far rather deal with the traffic police here in Thailand than back home in the UK where the slightest infringement means there is zero wriggle room and you get a large fine and points on your license which makes your insurance even more expensive than it is already.

Give me Somchai any day.

never heard a thai shouting off about a fine?

ive seen plenty accelerate away after an officer indicates for them to stop at a checkpoint, some even feint slowing down and then ride away

[mesquite]

Its common practice all over Thailand. Would you rather pay the cop officially there and then and have done with it or would you rather the cop take your license so you have to go to the main police station at a later date and then try to pay the fine and get back your license ?

I used to like to go and sit with a beer opposite where they had the helmet checks. Farang or Thai the fine was the same and at 500 baht that is a lot of money for a Thai yet I never once heard a Thai shouting off yet saw many a farang giving it the big "I rich farang you Thai " crap trying to get out of paying

As far as I know ignorance of the law is no defence anywhere in the world.

I would far rather deal with the traffic police here in Thailand than back home in the UK where the slightest infringement means there is zero wriggle room and you get a large fine and points on your license which makes your insurance even more expensive than it is already.

Give me Somchai any day.

it may be common practice in your circles but not in mine. i've spoken with Thai friends about this in the past and none of them have ever handed a policeman cash. i just asked the wife if she was ever asked to pay a bribe in the 20+ years she has been driving and her answer was "no never" and she said none of her relatives have been asked to pay a bribe either. they would never contribute to the corruption, and none of you should either. pay at the police station and get a receipt. they will negotiate also. many 400 Baht tickets can be reduced to 200. better yet, just don't break the law. simple.

BTW, handing a policeman cash on the road is not "officially" as you say. it's a bribe. the whole idea behind the current cleansing of government is to put an end to this crap once and for all.

Agree. It's strange that some posters are saying do not break one law (traffic/automotive), but go ahead and break another (bribery).

[MESmith]

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

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.

You might be old son, but I'm not. You should be fined many tens of thousands of baht, have your license taken away and possibly be locked up. 48k/hr over the limit is bordering on reckless behaviour.

I might be old but then again I might not be or in other words I have no idea what your saying.

Doing 79 mph on a super hiway is speeding but not reckless driving on a nice dry weekend afternoon with little traffic and not around any densely inhabited area in my opinion. I broke the law and payed the price. As I said that's why I like living here and if I was back home where it could have cost a lot due to adding points to my driving record etc and I might have not taken the risk. Tens of thousands of baht and loose my license and maybe go to jail??? Where are you from that you are in such a nanny state of mind. Only responding to what I consider a rather ridiculous post is to see if you are just taking a mickey and if not give you a chance to explain as to not make yourself look so over the top.

Where was this crazy 80kph limit? 48kph over an 80kph limit does sound really bad, but sometimes the law is a complete a$$. There are signs for 90kph on hwy11 south of Makro, CM, and there's often a speed camera under the flyover by the traffic police hq (lazy buggers). I often wonder why they rarely post speed limit signs on Thai roads, especially as no one knows the rules

a$ and another $ gets "deleted" &lt;deleted&gt; and so does wt*

Edited July 5, 2014 by MESmith

[northernjohn]

............. 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.

I doubt he is obsessed with obeying the law. He is more concerned with avoiding unnecessary trouble and probably is obsessed with people who break the law and keep complaining about it and saying it is a stupid law or I didn't know it was against the laws so I will straighten the whole thing out by going on Thai Visa and complaining. Never admit it is wrong just say I choose to do it.

I thought coolies were Chinese.

[junglechef]

Hey ME I just pulled out the ticket and it was in a 90 km/hr zone (opps sorry) on Superhiway somewhere on the drive from Koh Samui to CM (I think once we got back to dry land on the mainland ). I think it was Lamphun but this old guy sometimes confuses Lamphun with Lampang and even forgets what numbers I read on a speeding ticket.

[MESmith]

Hey ME I just pulled out the ticket and it was in a 90 km/hr zone (opps sorry) on Superhiway somewhere on the drive from Koh Samui to CM (I think once we got back to dry land on the mainland ). I think it was Lamphun but this old guy sometimes confuses Lamphun with Lampang and even forgets what numbers I read on a speeding ticket.

I wonder what the threshold is for getting busted? 90kph is still too low, and everyone would get a fine. 128kph is quite high - the max on the BKK ringroad is 120...

btw, you ain't old......

[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 our 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.

Unfortunately, your reading skills are not nearly as advanced as your revolutionary drive would require...

I this thread (right in the post you have quoted,) as well as in the last thread about Thai laws, I repeatedly said that we have choices.

I have NEVER said anyone MUST OBEY THE LAW. Even in this post I state this quite clearly, so I have to believe that either you don't bother to read what is written, just look for a forum to spout off, or can't understand what is written.

At the risk of being pedantic, I'll repeat: you have choices you can make;

1. follow the law,

2. change the law through legal court proceedings,

3. or break the law and risk getting penalized.

In fact, in this thread I even added a forth choice; move to a local where you are in agreement with the rules of the society.

It is with great but forlorn hope that this time you managed to realize that I never said anyone must obey the law.

I'm sorry to say that I believe that you probably cut a LOT of classes in your schooling. And it shows.

[ukguyinthai]

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

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

If the Military crackdown on the police, that would mean the police would have to enforce the law 100% all the time. There would be no arguing with policemen at the side of the road. You would have to go to the police station every time. They may even up the fines, put automatic speed cameras every 100 meters, and crush your vehicles at the slightest opportunity to teach you a lesson. All the increased income would pay for all the other plans the Military have in mind.

Maybe they could employ some UK road patrol Police officers to show them how it’s done in a sarcastic school prefect style manner. Corruption has to be stopped but generally speaking it’s really slack here for driving enforcement's and the fines are nothing compared to Europe.I cannot complain about none corrupt fines.

I was stopped at a road block last night (Bangkok). I took my helmet off, smiled at the officer and held out my hand to shake his hand. Like I was very pleased to meet him. He asked “where you from”…I said Manchester United (another big smile).He asked” you have papers” Yes I said I have everything passport license everything…In my room (another big smile). He said OK you can go.

[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.'

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.

I doubt he is obsessed with obeying the law. He is more concerned with avoiding unnecessary trouble and probably is obsessed with people who break the law and keep complaining about it and saying it is a stupid law or I didn't know it was against the laws so I will straighten the whole thing out by going on Thai Visa and complaining. Never admit it is wrong just say I choose to do it.

NorthernJohn, you really hit the nail right on the head! Adults whose behavior is no different than a teenage tantrum amaze me! If they choose to break the law, fine. Just don't bitch and moan about it when they get penalized for it. If they don't like the law, work to change it, don't just complain about it. Doing something to change the laws is positive. Complaining about it isn't.

[junglechef]

I never said I was old that was Mudcrab (who might revoke my death sentence now that new evidence has come up - ooh how CSI). Yeah it was moving along at a quite a clip, higher than my usual, the last hour of a 5052 km drive, and I got caught in a camera sped trap. In America it was 10 mph over the limit when I lived there last.

Not to add gas to the fire but with all the legal talk and of course I am not going to agree with the corruption, yes I'd rather the money went into crime prevention or better pay for the police, instead of bribes, but I realize that the system here is much different then home. I drive a rather expensive new vehicle I never get pulled over and get treated very well by the police (but I do usually here anyway). Not corruption but just a sign that this is a different place with different rules and norms, take it or leave it it's still a fact.

Edited July 5, 2014 by junglechef

[wilcopops]

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

Whilst I agree with the comments about "law" and perception of "rip-off" - just handing over cash to a BiB by the side of the road is unacceptable if not always unavoidable.

[northernjohn]

Hey ME I just pulled out the ticket and it was in a 90 km/hr zone (opps sorry) on Superhiway somewhere on the drive from Koh Samui to CM (I think once we got back to dry land on the mainland ). I think it was Lamphun but this old guy sometimes confuses Lamphun with Lampang and even forgets what numbers I read on a speeding ticket.

You are not old enough to use the senor moment excuse.

It is my age that enjoys that privilege.

Edit

Saw your later reply. 10 MPH =16 KPH

In the part of Canada I come from it was 8KPH before they got serious.

Not sure if they did all the time at that low a speed.

Edited July 5, 2014 by northernjohn

[naboo]

The choice in reality is, pay the traffic cop who hasn't much, or pay at the station and the ones with lots higher up take it.

Your call... - I've paid once at the station and I asked another if I could pay now because I didn't have time to go to the station.

[tingtongfarang]

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?

The problem with the people who think its ok to just hand over a couple of hundred baht to make the problem go away are only adding to the problems for the rest of the road users, As many of us have seen this acceptance soon deteriorates into situations where gangs of police hang out at ramps and toll gates where all over loaded trucks or vehicles with dodgy docs just toss money out of the window as they pass, so where do you draw the line?

One time i had my day ruined by having to whiteness a traffic cop in bkk come an end in his attempt to run across 2 lanes of traffic to stop a motocyc for the left lane , the sound of the impact as a pickup hit him right beside me stayed for a long time, i feel sure this was one of his daily activities but his luck ran out,

I hate to think how the guys in the pickup were affected by this,

It was,nt long ago when police were caught in the act of kidnapping and extorting 3 italian guys, the list goes on,

In my view the rtp or whatever they were renamed after the coup are way past possible reform.

Edited July 5, 2014 by tingtongfarang