Police

[dcnx]

They got me today near the park at the most.

Went to run in the park and took nothing but my keys. Bad idea. Nailed me for not having my licence.

I was in the wrong but they were total as**oles about it. Not the typical friendly Chiang Mai attitude they usually have.

[MadMac]

They nailed you for not having a license for running?

[FolkGuitar]

BiB's a corrupt system. If you pay for your ticket in full at the police station where do you think it ends up? A fund to improve Thai law enforcement and make the streets safer or a fund for the Bib to reward themselves when they've done a 'good job'? .

Please post a citation to back this up. I'd be interested to see it.

2 Citations:

1. Koh Tao, check the other thread

2.http://time.com/3674200/thailand-tourism-police-corruption-shakedown-extortion/

1, Right... a ThaiVisa thread. Now there's the last word in accuracy! Can't say as I've ever seen paranoid ravings on ThaiVisa... (This is sarcasm.)

2. Did you read who these 'claims' were made by? It's says it right in the article...

..........."Being a former brothel owner, Chuwit’s word isn’t exactly gospel in Thailand. ..... newspaper articles, blogs and social-media postings.

Clue: ThaiVisa is a 'social-media' source. And it's in dispute.

It makes me wonder why it's people who repeatedly break the law expect to be believed when they complain about the police picking on them! And at the same time, those who don't break the law, or accidentally do slip up now and then never seem to have these problems or even know anyone who does! Very strange...

NOTE: When people ask for a 'citation' they usually want factual information, not newspaper or magazine articles.

[Rob13]

OTOH, Prove me wrong.

[MadMac]

I think there was this official statement 2 years ago +- saying that the land offices were the second most corrupt places, only after No.1, IIRC was the police. But have to Google for this. Call it gospel

Edited January 18, 2016 by MadMac

[FolkGuitar]

OTOH, Prove me wrong.

No need. I live here, drive here, and interact with the police at check points often.

In 15 years of doing so, I've never encountered any police corruption, nor have I ever met anyone who has.

I guess the folks who 'say' they repeatedly fall victim to it just have bad karma.

[MadMac]

I had a couple of times, be it charged 1000B at the end of the expressway for supposedly being too fast without proof, or with the bike at Phra Khanong, where the officer pointed me to open the seat and put the 100B in there, so he could make a show with something in there and pocket the money. Or the other day the 200B out of the window for the same thing (130 they always say) in the pampas.

So conclusion, you are lucky if it never happened to you but probably you have not seen much from Thailand.

Second conclusion, you can always drive 130 as they will charge you anyway.

Edited January 18, 2016 by MadMac

[Rob13]

In 15 years of doing so, I've never encountered any police corruption, nor have I ever met anyone who has.

This says more about you than the BiB. What's going on in Koh Tao right now is real, with real people's lives being ruined, all those suicides you read about in the paper, guess what; some of them aren''t suicides. Closing your eyes to it doesn't mean it's not real or not happening.

[MadMac]

Koh Tao is not the police but local mafia.

[FolkGuitar]

I had a couple of times, be it charged 1000B at the end of the expressway for supposedly being too fast without proof, or with the bike at Phra Khanong, where the officer pointed me to open the seat and put the 100B in there, so he could make a show with something in there and pocket the money. Or the other day the 200B out of the window for the same thing (130 they always say) in the pampas.

So conclusion, you are lucky if it never happened to you but probably you have not seen much from Thailand.

Second conclusion, you can always drive 130 as they will charge you anyway.

As I said in post #153:

It makes me wonder why it's people who repeatedly break the law expect to be believed when they complain about the police picking on them! And at the same time, those who don't break the law, or accidentally do slip up now and then never seem to have these problems or even know anyone who does! Very strange...

As for your comment; "you have not seen much from Thailand." .... I guess you didn't bother to read the thread before posting. 15 years driving every day in Thailand's north, south, and everything in between. In fact, just got back from a 4-day motorcycle ride through Isaan. Stopped many times by police at check points. Never once experienced ANY form of dishonesty or corruption, nor even had a nasty word from the police in 15 years. At times, they didn't say anything. I'd just show my Thai license and smile and they'd wave me through. Most other times they were polite and even friendly. I guess you are just unlucky. Repeatedly.

[MadMac]

Well, so you were lucky, it happened to me several times in BKK, one time in Isaan. And no, I was not breaking any law. That was in 15 years as well. I don't count 400B for driving over a double line or supposedly wrong turning into the expressway where they hand out an official receipt. I talk about teamoney.

Edited January 18, 2016 by MadMac

[FolkGuitar]

In 15 years of doing so, I've never encountered any police corruption, nor have I ever met anyone who has.

This says more about you than the BiB. What's going on in Koh Tao right now is real, with real people's lives being ruined, all those suicides you read about in the paper, guess what; some of them aren''t suicides. Closing your eyes to it doesn't mean it's not real or not happening.

Paranoia is a cheap high, isn't it.

[FolkGuitar]

Well, so you were lucky, it happened to me several times in BKK, one time in Isaan. And no, I was not breaking any law.

Bad karma?

[MadMac]

They call it pink sunglasses . You wear those.

[Rob13]

Paranoia is a cheap high, isn't it.

I wouldn't know.

[FolkGuitar]

They call it pink sunglasses . You wear those.

..... And go to sleep with a smile on my lips every night. Don't you find it odd that so many of us have never encountered what you say is so prevalent? Could we all be wearing rose-colored glasses? Or are there just a few paranoid people out there who need to feel that they live in the Wild, Wild West... regardless of the facts?

[MadMac]

Well, I know some missionaries next door, they also believe all kind of BS . It's better to walk or drive with open eyes and mind through this country though.

[villagefarang]

My rose colored glasses have served me well over the last 40 years here in Thailand and I have no plans to exchange them for the dark distorted things others seem to wear. I don't think you can write-off 40 years of experience as mere luck. Life in Thailand just isn't all that difficult. If it is for you, then you are doing something wrong in my opinion.

[MadMac]

You should write to El Presidente, and the UN, that there is no corruption in this country, and particularly the police force. Don't forget the EU

[villagefarang]

If you choose to live in a crackhouse or a slum then you are going to have a particular view of the world you live in. I find it easy enough to avoid the ugliness and surround myself with beauty and nice people. The ugly stuff which goes on around the world doesn’t have to be a part of my daily life.

[MadMac]

That's ok mates, just keep your colorful glasses on and ignore the rest around you.

[Rob13]

I guess ignorance really is bliss.

[FolkGuitar]

Delusions of peace, tranquility, and day-to-day comfort, with no problems about dealings with the police.

or

Delusions of paranoia, corruption, and unhappiness with current conditions, and always running into problems that are someone else's fault.

One of us is incorrect. Obviously.

If we are incorrect in our viewpoint, at least we are quite comfortable with what we have.

If you are incorrect in your viewpoint.....

[MadMac]

You make the mistake to generalise. I can be happy with knowing there are corrupt police checkpoints and they catch some idiot drivers, make some pocket money and the same time make the streets safer for the rest of us. Without funky pink glasses.

[FolkGuitar]

You make the mistake to generalise. I can be happy with knowing there are corrupt police checkpoints and they catch some idiot drivers, make some pocket money and the same time make the streets safer for the rest of us. Without funky pink glasses.

Excuse me? You're happy with corruption? What sort of person ARE you? Please tell my you won't bring up your children with these ethics!

[MadMac]

Ahh....that's a nice swing now. First you say there is no corruption, then you find a fellow pinkglassed ignorant and suddenly you blame people for acknowledging that there is corruption :-)

Sorry, play with your guitar.

[FolkGuitar]

Ahh....that's a nice swing now. First you say there is no corruption, then you find a fellow pinkglassed ignorant and suddenly you blame people for acknowledging that there is corruption :-)

Sorry, play with your guitar.

Reading comprehension not your strong point, huh?

No one is blaming you for saying there IS corruption. You can say it all you want. We don't see it, we don't experience it. But you say you are happy with it.

I'm saying there is something wrong with anyone who is HAPPY with corruption... which is what YOU SAID!

Did you forget already? Your post #174... where you said, and I'll quote; "I can be happy with knowing there are corrupt police checkpoints"

Edited January 18, 2016 by FolkGuitar

[JaseTheBass]

BiB's a corrupt system. If you pay for your ticket in full at the police station where do you think it ends up? A fund to improve Thai law enforcement and make the streets safer or a fund for the Bib to reward themselves when they've done a 'good job'? .

Please post a citation to back this up. I'd be interested to see it.

I was told directly by a retired policeman (who now waffles at people for a couple of hours when they try to get a driving license) that 90% of collected fines get divvied up amongst the police at the station.

Sorry. No link to that particular moment in my life.

[MadMac]

@folkguitar

I wrote I'm happy if they take out idiots and make the roads safer. And I don't mind how they do it as long as they do it.

If you quote me, quote the full sentence. Thanks.

Edited January 18, 2016 by MadMac

[FolkGuitar]

@folkguitar

I wrote I'm happy if they take out idiots and make the roads safer. And I don't mind how they do it as long as they do it.

If you quote me, quote the full sentence. Thanks.

Glad to. Your full sentence was; "I can be happy with knowing there are corrupt police checkpoints and they catch some idiot drivers, make some pocket money and the same time make the streets safer for the rest of us."

Me? I couldn't be 'happy' with corrupt police checkpoints. No ethical person could, no matter how effective they may be.

However, we can be happy with with knowing there are police checkpoints and they catch some idiot drivers and make the streets safer for the rest of us.

And fortunately, all I've ever encountered in 15 years of driving in Thailand have been fair and honest police checkpoints.