Seeing as many tourists rent motorbikes without holding a motorbike licence, anything that can be done to prevent this is good in my book.

I have been stopped 2 times at the Suhkumvit road check point, they look at License and on my way.

The answer is "Thainess".

Same when they urine-test foreigners in bars.

All random acts, whether it be you riding a motor bike, or just drinking in a bar.

The police are hopeful to catch a foreigner for an offence.

"The police are hopeful to catch a foreigner for an offence."

And sometimes do.

And usually the vast majority of people checked are Thai ... despite some farang's misconception that the world revolves solely around them.

"Thainess" in action in Farangland.

When you speak of the checkpoint outside Mike shopping! sure as someone noted they are doing their jobs looking for drugs and guns! This is not the case. Just stand or have a seat inside Kiss and a quick bite to eat and take your onw survey! This check point is to do one thing ;get Falangs majority like the MidEasterns rent their bikes without ever being told they need a IDP, and the fly down Soi 2, it is a cash cow for the BIB HQ on Soi 9, at night they move to the corner of Pattaya Tai and Soi 2,

As for cars they are too scare to step in front! As in the west many of these guys are cowards with a badge! I never stop I just speed up!

No one person actually tells you that you have to have a valid licence, just as no one person tells you many things that you are supposed to know or can easily check into before traveling, renting a bike or riding one. You only have to consider the rules in your own country and apply some logic in this country. It's not rocket science.

As has been said by many posters, if your documents and vehicle are in order, then a few minutes of your life spent showing just that is not so much to bear when you consider that if you were hit by a vehicle with no insurance or a rider with no licence then you would get no compensation.

Finally, do you suggest that it's also a "cash cow" for traffic police everywhere in the world ?

A troll post removed also a post with just quotes and no comment or perhaps comments within a quote which should be avoided.

Look at it this way. They are the Police and they are doing their job. Period, end of story.

No one person actually tells you that you have to have a valid licence, just as no one person tells you many things that you are supposed to know or can easily check into before traveling, renting a bike or riding one. You only have to consider the rules in your own country and apply some logic in this country. It's not rocket science.

As has been said by many posters, if your documents and vehicle are in order, then a few minutes of your life spent showing just that is not so much to bear when you consider that if you were hit by a vehicle with no insurance or a rider with no licence then you would get no compensation.

Finally, do you suggest that it's also a "cash cow" for traffic police everywhere in the world ?

Great comment petercool. You make the point. Many of us coming from a nanny-state. Sometimes it looks like, we had forgotten to think about waht and how we do and what are possible consequences. Here in Thailand were our nanny is far away, we should start to use what we did learn. In our and in others favor.

But some of us, leave the brain at home and acting like a stubborn child.

Edited December 13, 201411 yr by alocacoc

In the country cops are very friendly. In 8 years with lots of km in car and on motocy not once stopped. Oh, sorry one time at checkpoint some cop demanded 2000 baht. Told him to go to hell with a smile and he let me go.

I wouldn't call that harassment. So in your perspective, only those who's face is painted "I'm a criminal" should be stopped?

Even though you didn't commit any crime, it's good once in a while for these random checks to get a chance to catch a criminal disguise as a nice guy.

For gods sake man, stop complaining. It's not harassment, it's a routine check.

They probably thought you were Thai, they don't usually stop foreigners who wear helmets.. but they often stop and question/search Thai's.

Oh no, that's discrimination !!

I was stopped the other day on sai song and soi 16 by 2 volunteer police and 1 thai police I was wearing a helmet ,showed them my Thaai lic.they said thankyou and I was off.They were stopping every farang that came by it took me a min. to get on my way because there so many bikes stopped.

From my experance having beers on BR next to the police station I see the police only target farangs helmets or not and they write tickets all day long.

I was talking to one off the volunteers as they were stopping a lot of bikes but not stopping the young Thais with no helmets and I said whats up with that,he said there too young they don't stop the young ones. ???

Just one more comment to add here and that is to say that I doubt very much that it is an excuse in law anywhere in the world to say someone else got away with a particular offence therefore I should be allowed to get away with it too.....

For gods sake man, stop complaining. It's not harassment, it's a routine check.

This is the attitude that allows the errorsion of a societies freedoms. Stop and search without probable cause is a violation of your personal freedom and should not be tolerated anywhere.

No one person actually tells you that you have to have a valid licence, just as no one person tells you many things that you are supposed to know or can easily check into before traveling, renting a bike or riding one. You only have to consider the rules in your own country and apply some logic in this country. It's not rocket science.

As has been said by many posters, if your documents and vehicle are in order, then a few minutes of your life spent showing just that is not so much to bear when you consider that if you were hit by a vehicle with no insurance or a rider with no licence then you would get no compensation.

Finally, do you suggest that it's also a "cash cow" for traffic police everywhere in the world ?

I'd say a slight conflict of interest when the police also own the bike rentals, don't ask to see a valid license, then set up a trap around the corner.

If the police really cared about the law or tourist safety, the rental outfits should be investigated.

Edited December 13, 201411 yr by CarlTyson

^^^^

And you know that for a fact ?

^^^^

And you know that for a fact ?

Are you saying these bike rentals, illegally set up on public property, Beach Road do not have a relationship with the police?

Are you saying these bike rental places ask for a valid license?

Wouldn't it be easier to order the rental places to ask for a license VS all those hard hours at work collecting cash?

I got stopped today too 700 baht fine for no insurance.

It wasn't even a checkpoint the cop took one look did a u turn and pulled me over for no reason.

Edited December 13, 201411 yr by OnMyWay2

@CarlTyson

Firstly, it is City Hall and not the police that issue any licences for sidewalk businesses and regulate those.

Secondly, it is not a police issue if bike rentals are lax in document request from renters.

Thirdly, it was you and not I that was speculating on anything.

@CarlTyson

Firstly, it is City Hall and not the police that issue any licences for sidewalk businesses and regulate those.

Secondly, it is not a police issue if bike rentals are lax in document request from renters.

Thirdly, it was you and not I that was speculating on anything.

So its legal to rent bikes to people without a license eh?

^^^

I do not know but I doubt it is part of the Criminal Code.

It would be covered - if at all - in licensing law and regulations.

You can always ask City Hall.

For gods sake man, stop complaining. It's not harassment, it's a routine check.

This is the attitude that allows the errorsion of a societies freedoms. Stop and search without probable cause is a violation of your personal freedom and should not be tolerated anywhere.

Yes. But it is more important to reduce the number of motorbike accidents, and checking that tourists are properly licensed to ride them is a good reason to stop them.

This is not police harassment, tbey were just doing their job. I have been stopped in car several times

Anyone who thinks that is a checkpoint intended to catch evil types carrying guns and knives or traffic offenders is kidding themselves. But whether they are targetting foreigners is a moot point (maybe at that spot, but not elsewhere that I have seen).

Agree with the OP about cars. In 26 years, only once been stopped for a breath test, and only a couple of times for general check. On the m/b? Untold dozens.

sounds like uou dont drive much in Bangkok

I was stopped a couple of months back in my car. The police officer asked for my license then had me blow in a breathalyzer. Came back 0 of course. Handed me back my

license and said have a nice evening

This is not harassment Its doing a good job

Not sure why there are several threads about this subject ?

IMHO there is no police harassment in¨Pattaya

My full answer is in the Pattaya police harassment ? thread

10 years ago when asked for my 'diving licence' i used to pull out my padi open water licence. It has my photo and dob and a pretty dolphin on the front. 1 year they got wise to that so i got the proper licence......which is a good thing cos they drag all bikes in just before the kawasaki shop on sukhumvit about 3 times a week at the moment......it can be quite tedious as theres some real wannabes dressed in orange down there

It is for yours and everyone elses safety, it's a checkpoint not harassment, if you are lae abiding you will have no problem.

How many times have these checkpoints got drugs and guns off the streets.

Harassment....pfffffft!

IMO it has nothing to do with safety, it is merely an opportunity for a corrupt gang of government empowered extortionist to try and find a way to separate individuals from their money. Do you really think they give a sh!#t about your safety?

It is for yours and everyone elses safety, it's a checkpoint not harassment, if you are lae abiding you will have no problem.

How many times have these checkpoints got drugs and guns off the streets.

Harassment....pfffffft!

IMO it has nothing to do with safety, it is merely an opportunity for a corrupt gang of government empowered extortionist to try and find a way to separate individuals from their money. Do you really think they give a sh!#t about your safety?

The fines, if levied, are paid at the police station on soi 9 and a receipt is issued.

It is for yours and everyone elses safety, it's a checkpoint not harassment, if you are lae abiding you will have no problem.

How many times have these checkpoints got drugs and guns off the streets.

Harassment....pfffffft!

IMO it has nothing to do with safety, it is merely an opportunity for a corrupt gang of government empowered extortionist to try and find a way to separate individuals from their money. Do you really think they give a sh!#t about your safety?

The fines, if levied, are paid at the police station on soi 9 and a receipt is issued.

You are not familiar with exactly how it works, the fines for most traffic offenses are 200 Baht (for Thai’s) but they double charge all farang at 400 Baht. The extra 200 Baht is pooled and at the end of each shift the money is split between the higher up members and the cops that write the tickets. That is why there is an obsession with Thai police in Pattaya trying to find any way they can to ticket farang, it has nothing to do with safety, its like receiving a tip for them to write a ticket on a farang. Sadly they really are nothing more than extortion ring authorized by government power.

I have seen several examples of police stopping falangs on bikes (for no reason) in the last two weeks and can only deduce that orders have been issued from above. Make of that what you will.