Proof that the police aren't all bad

[Konini]

So, Mr K took the bike to be washed last week and they blasted away most of the rego sticker. He wasn't so bothered because it was due for renewal. He went to Hang Dong yesterday and got it, took the old one ripped one off then before putting the new one on he thought he'd get a sticker cover in case it happened again. We were planning on going to Homepro on the superhighway this morning anyway, quick call into Big C to get the plastic cover. On the way out he mentioned that he hadn't seen a road block for ages, and wondered why.

Boing! Turned the corner at the Central Festival intersection, road block. Picked us out. No rego sticker. He got his licence out, apologised, told the policeman that he paid yesterday at Hang Dong and we were on the way to get a cover for the sticker at Big C. OK, on your way.

He was perfectly within his rights to give us a ticket and it would have been a fair cop. Such a co-incidence is just our luck. Not all of the traffic police are bad. There are at least as many good ones as bad ones, I like to think more.

Not a 2nd hand story, this happened this morning. Repeat, not all police are bad.

[richard_smith237]

But the fact that you were so surprised that you felt you had to write about it suggests that you might think most are.....

[Merylhighground]

Many times I wobbled my way home late at night 3-4 am past a traffic checkpoint where, had they have had the inclination, the cops could have pulled me to one side for being 'under the influence' and given me a hard time, yet they never did. Like in most countries, the cops will tend to use their discretion in dealing with cases.

[anto]

Many times I wobbled my way home late at night 3-4 am past a traffic checkpoint where, had they have had the inclination, the cops could have pulled me to one side for being 'under the influence' and given me a hard time, yet they never did. Like in most countries, the cops will tend to use their discretion in dealing with cases.

I would not chance that these days .They now have equipment to check your alcohol level .Usually no mercy shown ,

[Merylhighground]

Many times I wobbled my way home late at night 3-4 am past a traffic checkpoint where, had they have had the inclination, the cops could have pulled me to one side for being 'under the influence' and given me a hard time, yet they never did. Like in most countries, the cops will tend to use their discretion in dealing with cases.

I would not chance that these days .They now have equipment to check your alcohol level .Usually no mercy shown ,

I was always on foot Anto! Apologies! I should have specified that

....but still they could have seen this uncouth looking Westerner winding his way home at some ungodly hour and given me grief.....

[Konini]

But the fact that you were so surprised that you felt you had to write about it suggests that you might think most are.....

On the contrary, I get a bit tired of reading all about it on here.

Mr K has had 2 tickets and 1 parking ticket, all well deserved, none of the times was there any mention of money being paid directly to the policeman, ticket book pulled out and directions to the police station where it has to be paid on all 3 occasions, 1 ticket I was on the back, the parking ticket we got to the bike as the officer was pulling his ticket book out of his pocket. He's never offered to pay directly, I always wonder if that's the difference between him and the people who say they pay the officer their 200 baht or whatever. None of the people we know, a very wide group, have been asked to pay directly either. We discuss this subject regularly. One of our friends complains that one of his tickets was unfair, perhaps it was perhaps not, but it was a ticket, not a request for money.

The only time I've heard about anyone paying a bribe to a policeman is on this board. Internet strangers. None of the people I know who tell first hand stories of being copped for doing something wrong have ever - or would ever - pay a bribe. And none of us have ever been asked to.

So, what is the difference between my group of friends and those who say they pay? Serious question. What is the difference? Why have none of us ever been asked to pay directly?

[anto]

I dont agree with trying to bribe a police officer.Recently though i was stopped on a motorcycle i had just bought at Auction ,and was taking home .It had no tax or insurance ,and my Thai driving licence had recently expired .The police man himself said everything could be sorted by giving him B500 ,and thats what i did .

[lust]

Who's Mr. K?

[Konini]

I can understand why you did it, but I can't agree with you doing it.

In my opinion, you contributed to the problem. If people make a stand and don't pay bribes, they will stop being an issue. It probably wouldn't have cost much more to pay the ticket legally, just the inconvenience of having to go to the station to pay it. As I said, I understand why you did it but I don't agree with it.

[anto]

Who's Mr. K?

Her husband i presume .

[Konini]

Who's Mr. K?

My husband. 33 years or so. You don't get that for murder

[anto]

I can understand why you did it, but I can't agree with you doing it.

In my opinion, you contributed to the problem. If people make a stand and don't pay bribes, they will stop being an issue. It probably wouldn't have cost much more to pay the ticket legally, just the inconvenience of having to go to the station to pay it. As I said, I understand why you did it but I don't agree with it.

I dont like what i did but i was facing 3 offences ,so about B1,200 or more and i also had an important appointment .He was the one who suggested it so it was at his instigation .First time i done so in 10 years and probably the last .

Edited May 11, 2016 by anto

[evenstevens]

very minor traffic offences, sure u can get the rub of the green

but move into the higher spectrum across the board, look out!!!!

would, nt give them a whiff of my best f#rt

best for E/S to leave it, at that

its a maerim burning (fires)good evening to all

[uptheos]

I can understand why you did it, but I can't agree with you doing it.

In my opinion, you contributed to the problem. If people make a stand and don't pay bribes, they will stop being an issue. It probably wouldn't have cost much more to pay the ticket legally, just the inconvenience of having to go to the station to pay it. As I said, I understand why you did it but I don't agree with it.

I dont like what i did but i was facing 3 offences ,so about B1,200 or more and i also had an important appointment .He was the one who suggested it so it was at his instigation .First time i done so in 10 years and probably the last .

I'd carry on doing it if were me and do pleeease lose the guilt complex, Anto. My morals are not so high that I wouldn't give a cop 100 baht because I forgot my licence or inadvertently made a wrong turn. I've done it once at the bottom of Loi Kroh where you supposed to turn right, I went straight across on a motor bike and Mr. Plod was there. I said sorry and asked if I could pay an on the spot fine? (No harm in asking) He said 100 baht and I was on my merry way. I don't know Thai law, he said I could so I assumed it was OK. That was many years ago and nothing has happened since, but I'd still ask very politely. "is it possible to pay the fine now?" Up2Him.

[mamborobert]

Who's Mr. K?

My husband. 33 years or so. You don't get that for murder

In the early days if murder was option......at least you would have been paroled by now.

[TheSiemReaper]

I see bribery as part of the South East Asia experience and a sensible way to avoid paperwork and hassle. Who would you rather support; a policeman's family or a faceless system? It's an easy choice to make.

[Bantex]

Some time ago I was asked to do a friend a favour by transporting some furniture as I had a pickup and I obliged. My drop off point was close to a temple and when finished off loading I started for home. I had only travelled a short distance when I spotted a monk from our village walking back and I gave him a lift. I was stopped by a motorcycle cop who immediately held out his hand saying "beer money" whilst smiling, the cop's expression was priceless when he looked inside the vehicle and saw the monk. The cop tried to make out that he was only joking but it was obvious to all that the monk didn't believe him. That cop had a reputation for stopping foreigners for a handout. To this day he has never stopped me again.

[daveAustin]

I can understand why you did it, but I can't agree with you doing it.

In my opinion, you contributed to the problem. If people make a stand and don't pay bribes, they will stop being an issue. It probably wouldn't have cost much more to pay the ticket legally, just the inconvenience of having to go to the station to pay it. As I said, I understand why you did it but I don't agree with it.

When in Rome.

[MyFrenU]

Ask the two Burmese boys in jail on death row,Koh Samui for the Koh Tao murders...

[taotoo]

I can understand why you did it, but I can't agree with you doing it.

The same could be said about riding an unlicensed motorbike - careful with the moral high ground

[sharktooth]

Where is this "proof" of which you speak???

[Konini]

Ye

I can understand why you did it, but I can't agree with you doing it.

The same could be said about riding an unlicensed motorbike - careful with the moral high ground

Yep, and as i said it would have been a fair cop, but fortunately for us the policeman used his discretion and sent us on our way. I was sure he would give us a ticket, and it was deserved, but he didn't, hence my post that they're not all money grabbing crocks.

[northernjohn]

Many times I wobbled my way home late at night 3-4 am past a traffic checkpoint where, had they have had the inclination, the cops could have pulled me to one side for being 'under the influence' and given me a hard time, yet they never did. Like in most countries, the cops will tend to use their discretion in dealing with cases.

I would not chance that these days .They now have equipment to check your alcohol level .Usually no mercy shown ,

Should never be mercy for drinking drivers. As far as honest police go only an Idiot would think there was none. For some reason many of the Thai posters feel the need to post like they were all bad.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

No, no no.

I'm sure even Heinrich Himmler had his nice days.

It doesn't make up for all the $* they pull, every single day.

[northernjohn]

But the fact that you were so surprised that you felt you had to write about it suggests that you might think most are.....

On the contrary, I get a bit tired of reading all about it on here.

Mr K has had 2 tickets and 1 parking ticket, all well deserved, none of the times was there any mention of money being paid directly to the policeman, ticket book pulled out and directions to the police station where it has to be paid on all 3 occasions, 1 ticket I was on the back, the parking ticket we got to the bike as the officer was pulling his ticket book out of his pocket. He's never offered to pay directly, I always wonder if that's the difference between him and the people who say they pay the officer their 200 baht or whatever. None of the people we know, a very wide group, have been asked to pay directly either. We discuss this subject regularly. One of our friends complains that one of his tickets was unfair, perhaps it was perhaps not, but it was a ticket, not a request for money.

The only time I've heard about anyone paying a bribe to a policeman is on this board. Internet strangers. None of the people I know who tell first hand stories of being copped for doing something wrong have ever - or would ever - pay a bribe. And none of us have ever been asked to.

So, what is the difference between my group of friends and those who say they pay? Serious question. What is the difference? Why have none of us ever been asked to pay directly?

I was riding in a vehicle with a friend of mine. He got pulled over for no seat belt. The officer did not ask for any money just took the two hundred baht my friend had in his hand low enough in the car so no one else could see it.

[northernjohn]

I see bribery as part of the South East Asia experience and a sensible way to avoid paperwork and hassle. Who would you rather support; a policeman's family or a faceless system? It's an easy choice to make.

Can't say as I am rite but isn't the policemen out doing the traffic work fairly low on a wage scale plus they have to buy their guns and uniforms. If they would raise the tax a bit they could probably pay them a decent salary and pay their clothes and guns. Not sure on that. I know at the higher levels they make good money.

Not sure about that either. I have heard it said that they have to pay to get the promotions. Not saying it is wrong it is just different than what they do back home.

[thairay]

Funny that the policeman who failed to give you a ticket is a good cop,or not bad as you say, and all the reports here of payments made are only lies from internet strangers.Surely a good cop would have written you a ticket ,as his job demands.Personally, i love them all for keeping me safe as i sleep

[Konini]

Oh, please, I didn't say that.

I'm saying that the police are not all money grabbers as is so often said on here. Yes, if he were going by the law 100% he would have ticketed us, he didn't, we had helmets on, used indicator as we were turning (before we had chance to see them) and my husband had the correct licence. He explained very politely why the sticker wasn't on - easily provable of course - and we were fortunate that he let us go without penalising us. We've had police in UK and Aus do pretty much the same thing, when they could have had us for no seatbelt or taking a wrong turn, and if we'd been all smarty pants with them or not had proper paperwork or were doing something else wrong, I'm sure we would have been pinged there too.

My point was made because reading the posts here sometimes a stranger to this forum would think that ALL of the police here would demand a bribe and take every opportunity to hammer us for an infraction of any kind. My experience proves that they don't.

[uptheos]

Funny that the policeman who failed to give you a ticket is a good cop,or not bad as you say, and all the reports here of payments made are only lies from internet strangers.Surely a good cop would have written you a ticket ,as his job demands.Personally, i love them all for keeping me safe as i sleep

Yeah right, try calling them at 3am because you think someone's trying to get in your house!

[HLover]

I tried once, heard hysterical laughing and the line went dead.

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