Bribing Thai traffic cops can get you in trouble

[thetitan99]

What's the fine for attempted bribery? 10,000 THB?

[NongKhaiKid]

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

The last time I had a look like that on my face was because the piles were playing up.

Nothing in the bank but piles up my a..e.

[thatswhatuthought]

Usually it gets me out of trouble.

[Mark T]

Yeah, how about policeman who demands bribes? I was pull aside many a times for traffic offence that the same policeman would wave a Thai registered plate through.

[Bluespunk]

Let's look at this differently - the way I look at it. Thbere are many farangs in Thailand. We get stopped by the police and we are pretty much confused since there could be a language difference, etc. Ok, so we deserve to get the ticket but I am heading home from BKK to Chaing Mai. How do I pay the ticket? Even if I get a ticket in Chiang Mai how do I pay the ticket. This can be quite confusing to people. It is a good system to accept the ticket on the spot and then pay for it at that time. That is good. How the police will handle the cash mught be an issue but the alternative can be quite horrible.

It's not a spot fine. It's a bribe. It's illegal.

[Laughing Gravy]

I think it's a very good idea. No one will risk paying a bribe anymore and will have to be fined in the correct manner. This will cut down or maybe even eradicate the practice of collecting bribes by many police officers.

So what happens when the policeman says, as they often do, ""you can pay 200 baht here or go to the police station and pay 800 baht'". Isn't that a bribe? You just can't win. If you feel that this is a good idea and will eradicate the practice of collecting bribes, then I pity you. Are a Thai policeman by any chance?

As mentioned already paying those who are asked for a bribe should receive the 10,000 Baht. Maybe that will eradicate bribing although I doubt it.

[rethaier]

Unfortunately, I can only see this as possibly being used to obtain larger bribes.

And I see the cops getting better quality tea for a while. However I also see that after people learn to not bribe and the rewards dry up bribing will be encouraged again.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

How to pay a bribe,

Stop, lift your seat up, leave 100bht in the seat well.

They choose to take it or not, nobody can take photos.

A policeman who stopped me in CM explained this was the way he liked to be passed money.

[Bluespunk]

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"The campaign, which started on Monday, aims to promote and encourage honesty and dignity among traffic officers, who have earned a bad reputation for accepting bribes."

I thought the reputation was for demanding, rather than accepting.

Still if a demand is pocketed I guess that does, on some levels, count as accepting.

I've bribed countless times and they have NEVER demanded. You can play by the rules and they'll write you a ticket and take your license. You then have to go to the station in a week and pick it up and pay the fine. I've done it both ways.

Fair enough if that's been your experience.

Others may have the experience of if you don't offer first then the demand will come.

It happens.

A lot.

Allegedly.

Edited October 9, 2014 by Bluespunk

[djhotsox]

So from what I understand, the Police are now being bribed by the department for 10,000 baht to not take bribes from the public?

Well this tells me a few things:

1) That for 5,000 baht they likely wouldn't have found too many recipients of the reward which in turn shows me how much these guys pocket when actually "at work"! Had to make it 10,000 baht to make it worth their while!

2) Officers now can supplement their income further as in addition to the money they receive from bribes every day as long as they can find ONE poor sucker to pin the "attempting to bribe an officer" ticket on as well! Might net them another 10,000 baht!

I would be willing to bet my left testicle that if you look back into the number of arrests made by Thai police officers in the past 1, 2, 5, 10 or more years, arrests for "trying to bribe an official" and see how many of those arrests there were? I am willing to bet you won't find a single one! Did they even know it was a law?

So you have to pay your officers to not be corrupt do you? Do these guys take any kind of oath when given their uniforms and badge or what? This is quite absurd, really.

[Fairynuff]

Will the 10,000 reward have to be paid by the "offender"?

[Alan653]

I love it!!! A reward to a BIB from their bribe money account to give as a reward!

"Okay guy's, now lets get out there and replenish the account so we can try to

make it look like were saving our reputation! Now go get a lot of bribes today".

What a bunch of moron's!!!

[fritzzz25]

The way for them to stop corruption, is to have an anti-corruption investigative unit that does undercover stings on these cops taking the bribes. However, that would actually take some thought and organizing to do. As we have seen the Koh Tao murder investigation take many twists and turns, we all know that these guys could organize a piss up in a brewery with the taps wide open.

Here is an example for the police to start with and show everyone that they mean business-

[thatswhatuthought]

Now that they (police) have all the Thais accustomed to paying bribes because of their corruption they are going to reward them for doing their job.

[AGareth2]

this is win win!'

bigger fine

and

more dosh for the cop

[AGareth2]

this might work

[KevWaters]

Great, so that's a 10,200 bonus

[mancub]

As if this is anything other than a clumsy spin/photo op effort, in an attempt to counter the current bad press being exposed on Social Media re :corruption.

[A1Str8]

So he said that he warned the motorist not to give him bribes otherwise he would have to arrest him. Obviously after that the motorist didn't give him any bribes coz he didn't want to get arrested for one hundred baht. But he got arrested anyway. How come?

And he said he immediately took a photo of the bribery attempt. Yeah but he just told him not to bribe him or he would arrest him and i bet he didn't try to bribe him just for the sake of argument, see if he really gets arrested.

They are confused again.

Edited October 9, 2014 by A1Str8

[bapoboy]

i understand why the police are corrupt, if you probably earn only 15.000bath a month, that 300pound =nothing.... it`s not the police fault, it`s the cheap charlie goverment.

The way for them to stop corruption, is to have an anti-corruption investigative unit that does undercover stings on these cops taking the bribes. However, that would actually take some thought and organizing to do. As we have seen the Koh Tao murder investigation take many twists and turns, we all know that these guys could organize a piss up in a brewery with the taps wide open.

Here is an example for the police to start with and show everyone that they mean business-

[crickets]

This is so funny i have reminded myself to read it again before i go to sleep

[IAMSOBAD]

Is the big Police General saying that there are corrupt RTP? If he is then the other Police General will file charges against him for talking bad about the police?

IRONY AT THE RTP!

[soalbundy]

As if this is anything other than a clumsy spin/photo op effort, in an attempt to counter the current bad press being exposed on Social Media re :corruption.

Well it's either ''clean up your act'' or a public relations stunt. Let us be realistic, cleaning up their act is just not a viable alternative.

[givenall]

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Unfortunately, I can only see this as possibly being used to obtain larger bribes.

I guess is time to reinstall my web cam in the car, to avoid any misunderstanding.................

[soalbundy]

Is the big Police General saying that there are corrupt RTP? If he is then the other Police General will file charges against him for talking bad about the police?

IRONY AT THE RTP!

I doubt that, some years ago the chief of police admitted publicly that the police force was the most corrupt department.

[luk AJ]

i understand why the police are corrupt, if you probably earn only 15.000bath a month, that 300pound =nothing.... it`s not the police fault, it`s the cheap charlie goverment.

The way for them to stop corruption, is to have an anti-corruption investigative unit that does undercover stings on these cops taking the bribes. However, that would actually take some thought and organizing to do. As we have seen the Koh Tao murder investigation take many twists and turns, we all know that these guys could organize a piss up in a brewery with the taps wide open.

Here is an example for the police to start with and show everyone that they mean business-

forget it, they never have enough. Do you believe if they get an official salary of 50k they will stop bribing?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[IAMSOBAD]

This new CRACKDOWN IS INTENDED FOR FARANG and will be abused more than a red headed stepchild.

[IAMSOBAD]

Is the big Police General saying that there are corrupt RTP? If he is then the other Police General will file charges against him for talking bad about the police?

IRONY AT THE RTP!

I doubt that, some years ago the chief of police admitted publicly that the police force was the most corrupt department.

You missed the headlines a few days ago. If you talk about bad police you will face charges... according to one of the 1000000000000000 police generals.

[KevWaters]

Hang on a minute, 100baht? I thought the unwritten rule was 200 baht?

[Suffinator]

So the RTP bribe their own officers not to take a bribe from traffic violators. Sure 10K is much better than 300 baht but this is little more than a farce.