Phuket police play down ‘blank cheque’ traffic tickets

[LivinginKata]

If the driver had caused an accident and caused serious injury or even a death...with no insurance who pays the costs to families....and 500 Baht is fair enough?

Motorbikes aren't insured anyway. A woman smashed into my car with a motorbike causing 85,000 Bahts worth of damage, she had hardly got up before she started shouting,''I'm poor, i haven't any money.'' She didn't have a driving licence either. The police wrote out a report and tried to get some money from her relatives,without success, after which they wrote out an agreement for her to sign that she would pay me 1,000 Baht a month, you guessed it, no money was paid.

I've had the same experience. Thai guy crashed into my bike, police deemed him guilty, he had no money, police told me I could have hime jailed but he could not work to pay me back for the damage caused to my bike, so we worked a deal that he paid month by month. He did pay the first 2 months and then left Phuket ... end of getting my money back ...

[tajtom]

The laws the LAW,,, I have a current Thai Licenece and went to great trouble to put bike in my name pay reg and tax and obtain licence

1 - PATTAYA

2 ' PHUKET

PISS OFF

[tajtom]

Yes

In this instanse POLICe did the right thing and were good natured

Lucky he was Thai a falang would have been RAPED

[lavender19]

I don't see the problem here, presuming he paid 500 baht and got a receipt for 500 baht.

You want a receipt ? that will be 1,300 Baht then.

Bs, unless you can show us differently. And there is nothing in this story to indicate what you're claiming.

It was a tongue-in cheek comment, based on historically valid allusion. Or do you think the system is linear? (In which case you need sedatives.)

I think you mean laxatives.

[stevenl]

If the driver had caused an accident and caused serious injury or even a death...with no insurance who pays the costs to families....and 500 Baht is fair enough?

Motorbikes aren't insured anyway. A woman smashed into my car with a motorbike causing 85,000 Bahts worth of damage, she had hardly got up before she started shouting,''I'm poor, i haven't any money.'' She didn't have a driving licence either. The police wrote out a report and tried to get some money from her relatives,without success, after which they wrote out an agreement for her to sign that she would pay me 1,000 Baht a month, you guessed it, no money was paid.

I've had the same experience. Thai guy crashed into my bike, police deemed him guilty, he had no money, police told me I could have hime jailed but he could not work to pay me back for the damage caused to my bike, so we worked a deal that he paid month by month. He did pay the first 2 months and then left Phuket ... end of getting my money back ...

It is not always possible (older cars, motorbikes), but this is where first class insurance comes in handy.

The insurance will pay you and will go after the money from the rider, but that is their issue, not yours.

[schlog]

I have Never seen any car stopped at any checkpoint.

Here on Phuket they also check cars every day at the check points.

[zaZa9]

Here's a couple local police and fine stories.

1) A member here told me the story of about a year ago he was fined and the ticket was left blank. He asked the issuing copper what is the fine and was told between 200-1000 baht. When he got to the station, again he was told the same and the member said, OK 200 baht. The cop said negative 1000 baht, so he ended up paying 500 baht.

2) Yesterday going through the circle in the morning, my daughter told me they were pulling over all tourists, and allowing all non helmet wearing, law breaking Thais to go through without being stopped.

This is an extremely common occurance in Phuket.

I too have arrived at the Police Station with a ticket to pay without knowing the amount or having it written anywhere.

When I received it for having no license , I was told , "300 or 500 " was the fine.

Years ago I was stopped for no helmet and the same occurred , "Up to boss" was the policemans words about the cost of the fine.

It was really annoying to watch local Thais , young and old , male and female , ride through without helmets while awaiting my ticket for doing the same.

But it did teach me to always wear a helmet...

[schlog]

I don't see the problem here, presuming he paid 500 baht and got a receipt for 500 baht.

+1

Thanks God we are not in a Nanny State here and sometimes we have BIBs by perception.

[Ulic]

did the guy arrive again with his non registered no licence bike & drove off afterwards?

Yes once you have paid the fine you are good for the day. If driving with no helmet, pay fine and

you can drive the rest of the day without a helmet. If stopped again just show the ticket and you

will be on your way. I had a buddy who when being flagged down (riding without a helmet) would

just hold up his ticket and they would wave him through without him even stopping. This was

on Phuket. I don't know if it applies elsewhere. I, following on my scooter, wearing my helmet

saw this happening numerous times.

[masuk]

I don't see the problem here, presuming he paid 500 baht and got a receipt for 500 baht.

I don't suppose there is a law regarding use of mobile phones while driving/riding a motor bike?

The photo shows at least two breaches of the law.

It's a very common practice in his country.

[soalbundy]

I have Never seen any car stopped at any checkpoint.

They stop cars if it's close to a public holiday, they need the cash for a family outing.

[Ulic]

I have Never seen any car stopped at any checkpoint.

I have seen both, check points where they pull over just scooters (and all scooters, wearing

helmets or not) and just pulling over cars and waving bikes through, (West coast of Phuket)

Checking for helmets, drivers license. You always know when the checking was going on

because there was a group of Thais on there scooters waiting on the side of the road

at the corner before the checkpoint.

[northernphil]

as said by masuk above. How many laws is the girl on the scooter breaking. No helmet , using a mobile while riding . Then she is quite likely a school girl so no licence. Never mind she don't care.

[stevenl]

I don't see the problem here, presuming he paid 500 baht and got a receipt for 500 baht.

I don't suppose there is a law regarding use of mobile phones while driving/riding a motor bike?

The photo shows at least two breaches of the law.

It's a very common practice in his country.

Ok, any connection to the OP? Or do you think this photo has any connection to the story?

[masuk]

I don't see the problem here, presuming he paid 500 baht and got a receipt for 500 baht.

I don't suppose there is a law regarding use of mobile phones while driving/riding a motor bike?

The photo shows at least two breaches of the law.

It's a very common practice in his country.

Ok, any connection to the OP? Or do you think this photo has any connection to the story?

presumably it does, as a) she is texting while riding. and she has no helmet.

so yes, there seems to be some connection.

[MiKT]

I don't see the problem here, presuming he paid 500 baht and got a receipt for 500 baht.

You want a receipt ? that will be 1,300 Baht then.

Bs, unless you can show us differently. And there is nothing in this story to indicate what you're claiming.

That's the normal way of doing it. '' It should be 400 Baht sir, he said, slipping his clip board through the window with his twitching hand underneath, but i can make it quick for you for 200 Baht, OK''

Maybe where you live, not here. Always mobile posts at the checkpoints, and in this case he had to pay at the police station.

Pay at the police station! You don't understand the system at all. Your "not here" must be a unique location in Thailand. What's it called Shangrilaville? The mobile posts are to ensure equitable distribution of the largesse as they don't trust each other.

[stevenl]

Pay at the police station! You don't understand the system at all. Your "not here" must be a unique location in Thailand. What's it called Shangrilaville? The mobile posts are to ensure equitable distribution of the largesse as they don't trust each other.

So how many fines have you had here on Phuket?

Edited September 29, 2015 by stevenl

[NCC1701A]

i got an idea... wear a helmet, have insurance and registration. smile. be polite. no problems at all.

then as you drive off say this in English with a big smile on your face:

"can't catch me in the bottom of the sea."

Edited September 29, 2015 by CharlieH

[ajarnmarc]

Why do I never read anything good about Phuket?

Because there's rarely; if ever,

anything good to say about the place.

I lived there for two years,

and luckily I moved on...

as Thailand offers so much more than Phuket has to offer.

[Lokie]

I went to pay a fine for somthing a few years ago at Khatu Cop shop (cant remember exactly now but lets say was 4/500bhat) was a good day for the Tea Fund as the que was near out the door when I got there, with a wry smile I joined the line... came my turn and i get to the fine desk, the Sgt looks at the chit, scribbles somthing on it and says 'ok Mr, you pay no licence' I was about to blow a gasket thinking he was adding a no licence fee on top of the fine?? But I have Licenece!!! He said 'No Mr u no understand, pay fine no licence 200bhat cheaper' with a big smile on his face, Well F* c k Me! I payed and went on my merry way... This is God honest truth and I still have never got my head around why he did that? You just gotta love this mad loony tune place... lol

[fiddlehead]

Why do I never read anything good about Phuket?

Because there's rarely; if ever,

anything good to say about the place.

I lived there for two years,

and luckily I moved on...

as Thailand offers so much more than Phuket has to offer.

Possibly it's the threads that you click on.

There's one called "What's On Phuket" that lists a lot of events going on in the next week or two.

Good stuff.

The govt. has taken away the illegal beach restaurants and chair that (to some of us) were littering the beaches.

They are much more natural now.

The lifeguards are back working and doing a good job (at Nai Harn where I see them anyway)

So, there are threads about this stuff.

You might only be clicking on the ones that are about the bad things here like: kratom leaves, underpasses, no-helmet checks, etc.

Up to you what you look at of course.

Seems the average poster is

[soalbundy]

I went to pay a fine for somthing a few years ago at Khatu Cop shop (cant remember exactly now but lets say was 4/500bhat) was a good day for the Tea Fund as the que was near out the door when I got there, with a wry smile I joined the line... came my turn and i get to the fine desk, the Sgt looks at the chit, scribbles somthing on it and says 'ok Mr, you pay no licence' I was about to blow a gasket thinking he was adding a no licence fee on top of the fine?? But I have Licenece!!! He said 'No Mr u no understand, pay fine no licence 200bhat cheaper' with a big smile on his face, Well F* c k Me! I payed and went on my merry way... This is God honest truth and I still have never got my head around why he did that? You just gotta love this mad loony tune place... lol

I was stopped once on my birthday because my wife wasn't wearing her seat belt, it was a road check point. The officer got out his ticket book and said it would cost 400 Baht. Oh come on, please, have a heart, i said, it's my birthday today. He smiled,stood up and shook my hand saying happy birthday and then wrote out the ticket saying, it's still 400 Baht. I had to laugh with him as i had just started to think i had got away with it.