Bribing Thai traffic cops can get you in trouble

[Aldebaran1981]

This "new" govt is slowly degenerating into something much worse than the last

Alas... Corruption has now rocketed to a new and legit level...

[wilcopops]

Absolutely astounding.....scores of police obtain payment of motorists in dubious circumstances and they turn round and say it's the public who are at fault.

In the light of recent bad publicity for the police surely this can only contribute to their diminishing respect by the world at large.

Edited October 9, 2014 by wilcopops

[Laughing Gravy]

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-

Come on that is clearly a Cambodian or Burmese dressed up.

[taony]

What about bribing cops on tropical islands to cover up murders? Can that get you in trouble?

[wilcopops]

So I get stopped on some imagined offence.....it is suggested I pay 200 baht....if I do, the officer gets a 10000 reward....if I don't, I have to spend several hours in the nick to get the matter sorted?

Sounds like the man in the street is on a hiding to nothing!

[luk AJ]

What about bribing cops on tropical islands to cover up murders? Can that get you in trouble?

no, just make sure you have an illegal Burmese in your car, put him in the back but let him confess he was driving...

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[matman]

If the 'offences' weren't falisfied in the first place there would be no reason to offer a bribe to forget them

[soalbundy]

Absolutely astounding.....scores of police obtain payment of motorists in dubious circumstances and they turn round and say it's the public who are at fault.

In the light of recent bad publicity for the police surely this can only contribute to their diminishing respect by the world at large.

Respect ???

[smedly]

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..

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

yeh - so an already corrupt cop claims he was offered a bribe to be corrupt in order to claim 10k baht for not being corrupt when in fact he wasn't offered a bribe at all - which means he's corrupt times two

Only in Thailand

[soalbundy]

What about bribing cops on tropical islands to cover up murders? Can that get you in trouble?

No

[falangjim]

Thai police congratulating each other with money. Who would have thought?

[Yann55]

Quote : The campaign, which started on Monday, aims to promote and encourage honesty and dignity among traffic officers.

Yep, that's how you encourage honesty and dignity around here : you replace a 100 baht bribe by a 10 000 baht bribe reward.

[empireboy]

I'm gob-smacked! This strategy is fraught with so very many dangers it beggars belief! I can't see it doing anything but harm!

[tingtong]

what was the fine/punishment of the briber?

like good thai laws often offer prison or cash fine...and cash fine as per book often laughable low...

like illegal prostitution, fine 500thb...

police might just find a new incentive to round u scapegoats. not that they know even with the obvious they can get away.

I fully expect to see long line of police officers daily with bribery suspects...too easy 10k to pass the temptation.

[jaywalker]

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.

That happened to me once, as in "you pay my friend (the other cop) he take care for you".......I was dead wrong, as I was late for a meeting at the RTAF base near Don Muang & was doing 150 kph on the elevated tollway.

Of course the cop thought I was late for a flight, as I was in a rental car from Budget near the airport.

He wanted to clip me for 2,000 baht, which is probably what I deserved, if not more.

I kept telling him, in my best Thai & lots of English, "No Problem! I go pay at police station! No Problem!", all the while fiddling with a 500 baht note in my lap & smiling a lot.

He finally said, "OK, ha roy baht". He handed me my international license back & had me stick it inside & handed it back to me 500 baht lighter. I KNEW I was WRONG.

I TRIED to own up to it, but the BIB just wanted some Mekong money.

Somebody mentioned earlier about keeping his money in his sock instead of his wallet. GOOD IDEA!!!

These days I just sit in the back seat with my daughter & let her beat me at games of tic-tac-toe while I let my wife drive, as I have completely given up on trying to either work with Thai's or drive in Thailand.

Somebody should get them some loose fitting light colored khaki uniforms too. Those skin tight brown solar panel uniforms they wear are enough to put anybody in a foul mood in a tropical country.

[wantan]

So when do they stop the practice to take your driving license? I have no problem paying a fine. But i need my license as driving without is illegal!

This country is getting worser every day.

Edited October 9, 2014 by wantan

[Smurkster]

Was it a Thai or a foreigner on the bike ?

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

must of have been a foreigner, a Thai would never do such a thing as bribe a police officer

[maximillian]

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.

LOL...

[jaywalker]

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-

Come on that is clearly a Cambodian or Burmese dressed up.

Where are all the folks that say they've been here 30 some-odd years and "Never had a problem"? Please reference the video above.

You either have never driven here, or you are lying, or you have diplomatic immunity.

An old friend of mine that passed on some years back had spent 40+ years in Thailand. He was a regular old Col. Kurtz.....actually was a retire US Army full Colonel & had a diplomatic ID card.

I was with him a few times when he got waved over. He never paid a single baht.

I was with him one day in his US Embassy car & a BIB tried to give him a parking ticket. The guy spoke great Thai. He just ripped it up in front of the cop & threw it on the ground & pointed at the Embassy tag on his car. It was great!

Edited October 9, 2014 by jaywalker

[Gandtee]

So now we have sunk so low that we have to pay the police for being honest.

[SymS]

If a policeman has enough friends, he could get a really nice pay check at the end of the month...

[Torrens54]

Radio Station I worked for in Perth, Western Australia conducted a promotion entitled, "The Official Police Bribe." All done with the co-operation of the Police Commissioner and his department.

One of our people would go on patrol with cops, looking for Motorists who were "doing the right thing." We'd hit the flashing lights and siren, pull them over and (going live to air) congratulate them on behalf of the Commissioner and the Radio Station....and Pay them a Cash Reward (Official Police Bribe.)

Worked very well and was repeated around Christmas/ New Year for many years.

[soalbundy]

So now we have sunk so low that we have to pay the police for being honest.

No finer sight in the world than a Thai policeman on the mend, however watching a Thai policeman doing an honest days work is like watching a dog dancing on his back legs, it isn't done well but one is surprised to see it being done at all.

[Soiyamoto]

You couldnt make it up, its like something from Enid blytons toy town

[Time Traveller]

Clearly this is not sustainable.

Either, motorists stop paying bribes and traffic police get frustrated.

Or, police department pays 10,000 bt every time and the money comes from where?

Money is not created from nothing.

[soalbundy]

You couldnt make it up, its like something from Enid blytons toy town

Enid Blytons boy town

[soalbundy]

Clearly this is not sustainable.

Either, motorists stop paying bribes and traffic police get frustrated.

Or, police department pays 10,000 bt every time and the money comes from where?

Money is not created from nothing.

It is in the west, it's call Fiat banking, QE anyone ?

[Kru Baa]

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These guys are unbelievable. So they target the civilians by making them pay a larger fine. Why not target the corrupt cops? This country is so back asswards it is amazing. Now the policeman doesn't need to get a 200bt bribe when he can get 10000bt. Speechless

Right so unless your bribe is more than the 10,000 baht reward you are not getting off. What about all the cops that extort the bribes?

[Yann55]

ANYONE who's been stopped and racketed at least once (and that means EVERYONE) by dirty cops here will feel really angry reading this piece of news.

The kind of anger that girls who've been raped feel when they hear someone suggesting that they provoked the rapist with their itsy-bitsy bikini and thus brought disaster on themselves ...

[pilotp]

DO I get this correct

Bribe - a sum of money or other inducement offered, rewarded or given in this way

The Police department is going to reward (bribe) Traffic Police for not accepting a bribe (reward) for doing their job correctly ???