Bribing Thai traffic cops can get you in trouble

[Somtamnication]

The trouble you get into is on the amount you want to bribe.

[Patje]

Bribing traffic cops can get you in trouble !!!

Damn, it was supposed to keep you out of trouble !!

[ramrod711]

I have never offered or paid a bribe, not because I'm any more moral than the next guy, but because I was afraid of encountering an honest cop. I admit that it seemed unlikely, but it was a deterrent for me. With this new reward system for police, I can't see how anyone would take the risk of offering a bribe.

[rijb]

Offering rewards for making arrests. how could this possibly go wrong?

The logic behind this is the people are corrupt and need to be taught to stop bribing the police.

I agree. What proof will an officer use for a bribery charge? It's easy to plant drugs. It's even easier to plant 'cash'...

[WitawatWatawit]

The one on the right looks to be struggling not to laugh out loud.

Broom handle.

[JacknDanny]

Whats the definition of a bribe?

Anything less than 1000 baht.

[lildragon]

Shouldn't it be that the bent cops are punished for taking bribes. Not rewarded for NOT taking them?

I'll be getting my thai drivers license soon as I fear too many cops will use this for entrapment. Especially against foreigners

[draftvader]

Shouldn't it be that the bent cops are punished for taking bribes. Not rewarded for NOT taking them?

I'll be getting my thai drivers license soon as I fear too many cops will use this for entrapment. Especially against foreigners

As I said. Simply request a ticket. Yes, this is going to hit us in the pocket but it will also cause them to lose interest in the scheme as it won't make them as much money as the cops on the street want it to.

[WitawatWatawit]

The next legal catchphrase is "... he offered a bribe ..."

This lunacy will create a mass outbreak of rampant honesty in the police ranks and end up costing the taxpayer more than the rice pledging scheme. It could get so out of control that they will have to create a special department, the Police Citation Office, and to get enough staff they will have to reactivate all those inactive officials. Now an investment tip: buy mint shares - a new 10,000 baht note is going to be needed.

[Songhua]

How much is the bribe to get the officer to say you didn't offer the bribe you weren't offering?

[bigjules007]

Peter and the wolf syndrome unfortunately

[BalasubramanianPalaniapan]

A bigger bribe to catch a smaller bribe.

[dotpoom]

I woukd think the motorist would have to have the money in hand trying to give it to the policeman in the photo for it to be proof.

This is going to open a very big can of worms. Offering corrupt cops money for not taking a bribe.

They can easily set you up asking yoi to pay the bribe and then claim you offered it. A picture will not be able to show the difference.

What a joke to offer this when they should be arresting the officer for taking the bribe.

But then their would not be any more police on the street if they did that..

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Would have to be a "re-enactment"....even "Quick draw McGraw" wouldn't be that quick with a camera.

[samuibruno]

that means no more helmet checks on samui any more

or the price for the offence must be 500 [not 300 in pocket]

how is the police department going to fund themselves to now pay all the honest police [sorry officers refusing bribes for a larger bribe][sorry incentive]

[andygunther]

Was it a Thai or a foreigner on the bike ?

Somehow I just can't imagine a Thai.....

I'm sure it was a Thai, Farangs normally has to pay more...

[culicine]

Can a motorist also get a 10000 baht reward when a policeman tries to extort money (rather than paying the fine formally at the police station)? They make it sound like its always the motorist trying to soil the credibility of the police officer by trying to bribe them. Nice bit of media for the international press, in light of that current farce on Koh Tao !

[irishsmile]

I remember driving from Khon kaen to pattaya once and I can't even remember how many times I was pulled over by traffic cops during that journey! And for no reason accept that they seen a white ATM driving! These corrupt scumbags could only say one line in English and that was 100 baht please! They are the most corrupted and no matter if I challenged them as to why they were giving me a fine they couldn't answer as they didn't understand English which was very convenient for them.

I give up trying to ask for a receipt of proof of payment and asking for a reason, it's tot tall sticking to give in to these low life twisted scumbags but what can you do???

[andygunther]

I can see the sales of Go-Pro cameras or similar devices soaring.

Yes, I should buy one !! To be on the safe side

[Holdfast72]

A week ago I was pulled over by a policeman in lower Sukhumvit for no apparent reason, asked to see my license, checked the papers, helmets being worn etc after finding no legitimate infringement he claimed I can't ride a bike here (despite the 1000 other bikes riding past at the time).

Consequently, I was escorted to a little shack just off the road where he DEMANDED 200 baht or I'd receive a ticket.

I'll give him one thing he wouldn't actually take the money directly from us, I had to just leave it on the table after he walked out...

So in his eyes (and the other 80million Thais) he hadn't accepted/received anything... it would be viewed as a stupid farang leaving his money on a table (for some unknown reason).

That said... I got my 200 baht worth of entertainment watching the wife absolutely going off at him for being corrupt and a disgrace etc... his reaction, was one of 'tell me something I don't know'

[culicine]

So now its going to be like. .......... ok so you were speeding, would you like to pay me some coffee money to be on your way sir? ? Yes of course officer , how much? Officer,your nicked.

You just can't make this stuff up, but I suppose its a step in the right direction in regards to stamping out corruption. I think

Use your dash cam - just rotate it to face the officer at your side window, and record the whole thing. Or just stick your phone camera in his face and recod the conversation. Seems fair enough if here is a risk of being baited and having it cost you 10K.

[harrycallahan]

Why would citizens think bribes work?

[inzman]

The 10000 should be paid to the unsuspecting driver for being extorted by thailands finest! This is all backwards.

[shawndoc]

Don't worry, the person arrested will be let go with no charges filed once he paid the booking officer a 1,000 baht 'fine'.

[Toknarok]

It would seem that at present this only applies to the Bangkok Metropolitan Traffic Police. What would happen if they extended this scheme to all the police forces. The possibilities of further corruption would be enormous. This would mean that every time a citizen had dealings with the police they could be at risk. Your word against the coppers. It's madness, soon we'll all have to carry camera phones, recorders, dashcams etc. to prove we didn't offer a bribe.

[luk AJ]

Can a motorist also get a 10000 baht reward when a policeman tries to extort money (rather than paying the fine formally at the police station)? They make it sound like its always the motorist trying to soil the credibility of the police officer by trying to bribe them. Nice bit of media for the international press, in light of that current farce on Koh Tao !

this would indeed make sense. It should be a two way approach. In principle I have no problem to pay the fine officially. The problem is the police confiscates your drivers license and next day you have to go to the police station of that particular area. For example, if you are living in Bangkok and you are fined in Phitsanulok, you need to go back to Phitsanulok police station the next day to pay the fine.

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[GAZZPA]

You really couldn't make this up could you.. The police have created the environment of "tea money" and now they get rewarded 10,000 baht for "punishing" the drivers who are seen to be bribing the police. so, get rewarded for doing their jobs,, utter disgrace.

So, can I get 10,000 baht for providing evidence of a policeman asking me for money to let me go?

[SCARLETIBIS1]

I swore to stop posting on TV but this is the joke of the year post, right?

Well, this will probably bankrupt the Thai treasury in about a week.

Could someone check to see if I can get 10K baht if I turn over a video of a cop receiving a 100 baht bribe? Or is it a one way ticket? LOL

[bigjules007]

Think its going to work like this. You get caught bribing a police officer. Fine is 10000 baht. Cop is rewarded your fine money less a little commission for his superiors. Everyones a winner, apart from you that is.

[Tatsujin]

This is all ass about face . . . currently we're expected to accept the honesty of the most corrupt group of people in Thailand when they tell us someone offered them a bribe . . . it should be the other way around . . . give the "public" 10,000 baht each time we catch a Policeman ASKING for a bribe . . . makes much more sense . . . however it will cost them a LOT more if they do it my way.

[bigjules007]

Think its going to work like this. You get caught bribing a police officer. Fine is 10000 baht. Cop is rewarded your fine money less a little commission for his superiors. Everyones a winner, apart from you that is.

So its basically what they are doing now but they've made it legal. Geniuses!