New law that forbids you from paying the traffic police under the table

[thairookie]

My recent trip to Bangkok, one Pooyai @ my condo was giving me an update on the changes since the new government took over. One of which is strict law that prohibits traffic police from accepting bribes and penalty for motorists giving money to the traffic police in lieu of traffic summons.

I'm told if you're a motorist and you give money to the traffic police, it's an offence that will land you in jail for 30 days.

[Soutpeel]

I think bribing a police officer is an offence irrespective where you are in the world, there are no new laws, only possible enforcement of the existing laws

[Farma]

I think he was talking about the 10,000 Baht bonus to cops arresting motorists who tried to bribe them.

The latest I've read is in this news thread.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/768146-thai-cops-may-still-get-rewards-for-charging-people-offering-bribes/

[balo]

I think 30% of the salary that traffic cops put in their pockets are bribes. Take that away and cops will not to their job anymore.

[petercool]

One baiting post and one using crude term removed

[WarpSpeed]

Wondering if this is really about fostering honesty and integrity in the police force or more about making sure the money gets to the right pockets instead? At any rate it is actual legal by Thai law to pay the "fine" to the officer especially in remote areas, it is in the law and has been for years it's just that the police have had their own definition of who gets the fine. So in that case are you offering a bribe or just following the law as written and where the fine ends up is of no concern or responsibility once you've paid it? How does that backlash on the driver?

[benalibina]

I think 30% of the salary that traffic cops put in their pockets are bribes. Take that away and cops will not to their job anymore.

30% !! Typing error i must guess.

[kurnell]

Money to a Thai cop is like a banana to a monkey. They 100% can't resist.

[thairookie]

I asked the same Pooyai the possible penalties that the receiving Cop might face.

He told me removal from the police force plus jail term.

I wonder if any one has come across any traffic Cop seeking bribe after the new regulations have taken effect.

Sent from my GT-N7105 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Sviss Geez]

Wondering if this is really about fostering honesty and integrity in the police force or more about making sure the money gets to the right pockets instead? At any rate it is actual legal by Thai law to pay the "fine" to the officer especially in remote areas, it is in the law and has been for years it's just that the police have had their own definition of who gets the fine. So in that case are you offering a bribe or just following the law as written and where the fine ends up is of no concern or responsibility once you've paid it? How does that backlash on the driver?

It you're paying a fine officially you will get a ticket indicating the offence and an official receipt. In this case it should be no worry to the fine-payer where the fine ends up, it is not his concern.

If you are paying a bribe there will obviously be no ticket or receipt and in that case you know exactly where the bribe is going.

[harrry]

They did a couple of years ago introduce a system where the police station gets a fair percentage of the official fine so that their salaries are still made up if they do not take bribes. I think they just felt that it was fairer to accept the half of the official fine rather than have all the paperwork so that the mororist pays less too.

[Farma]

I remember a news article about that from up ChiangMai area a couple of years ago. The article stated something along the lines of money collected by cops on the beat was split 50/50 between the local police fund and govt.

It was part of a news story about a cop trusted to deposit the monthly split into the local cops fund did a runner with the funds.

[Bangkokhatter]

Well this information has yet to reach Bang Na, paid 200 Baht to a copper last week for allegedly being in the wrong lane, still waiting for my receipt

[TheFishman1]

Last week in Chuang Mai the Police said I made a wrong turn said 500 bht and you go he settled for 200bht Go Figure

[WarpSpeed]

Wondering if this is really about fostering honesty and integrity in the police force or more about making sure the money gets to the right pockets instead? At any rate it is actual legal by Thai law to pay the "fine" to the officer especially in remote areas, it is in the law and has been for years it's just that the police have had their own definition of who gets the fine. So in that case are you offering a bribe or just following the law as written and where the fine ends up is of no concern or responsibility once you've paid it? How does that backlash on the driver?

It you're paying a fine officially you will get a ticket indicating the offence and an official receipt. In this case it should be no worry to the fine-payer where the fine ends up, it is not his concern.

If you are paying a bribe there will obviously be no ticket or receipt and in that case you know exactly where the bribe is going.

Yeah well if you know of the monthly salary of a police officer there I don't have any guilt about helping them buy a lunch or 2. As I mentioned it's my feeling that it's more about redirecting to the higher pockets who, IMO have more then they need already, then it is about curbing corruption.. I'm on the fence on this one, besides the minimal selfish benefits. If they really want to curb corruption in the police force, begin by providing earned advances and promotions based on merit (I.E. honesty & integrity as one example) and not requiring lower ranking officers to buy their promotions. That's not likely to happen anytime soon though because too many high ranking officers live too well off of that policy, but less lower ranking officers would then have to make side money to buy their future from those over them who control it, besides the obvious effect of making the police department better with the best & most qualified officers running the force instead of the most crooked ones like it is now.

[Gonsalviz]

Yeah, like that will work.