There might be a thread about this already, but couldn't find it, so I started this one.

I have been lucky enough to avoid two requests for 200 baht tea-money for the police.

1. Near Nonghan, road block, pulled aside, officer says something wrong, come out of the car and have a look. I went out and he showed me, standing behind the car, that the license plate was not visible, because the back of my pick-up with roof is down and fixed (I bring kids from my village to school and they step on it to get in). I smiled a big smile, said to the officer: come with me, I took him by the arm and we walked 3m back off the car, turned around and I said: See? License plate is visible. Officer could not suppress a big smile, then said: You are a good man, initiated a "high-five" which I answered and I said You are a good police officer. Off I went... :-"

2. Yesterday I came from the airport road and after the lights to the ring there was a road block. Got pulled out, the officer said with a triumph smile: Oh, something wrong with the roof, come out and get to the Lieutenant. So I did, he checked my DL and then said: 200 baht. I said: What for? Everything is ok! He then started to draw a car with a roof, like I have, and said that is wrong. I said: You mean I have to pay extra tax for it? He said yes, so it's 200 baht now. I said: Officer, I have paid for the roof, it's registered at the Nonghan Techno Station, so all is ok, I will show you the papers, they are in my car. He frowned as it looked like he would not get his 200 baht. He said ok, show me. I did and the only thing he could do was to say it's all ok. He shook my hand, smiled and I smiled too, walking back to my car I called the officer that stopped me and waved: All ok, no fine.... I like that.

Next time I might be not lucky, but these past recent experiences makes one smile....

The presumption is that you are guilty and have not registered any modification, and the burden of proof (and knowledge of the modification law) is left to the motorist.

I'm surprised they don't pull over every car and demand each driver pay 200 baht immediately for having no driver's license. Whether you have one or not is immaterial if they might get your cash -- put the burden on the citizens who are being shaken down.

It's called graft.

Have seen on 2 occasions at motorcycle road blocks Thai lads simply open the throttle and drive round the cop in the road without stopping - had a laugh both times.

and I've seen instances (in Bangkok) where when the offender tried to dodge the stopping police officer and drive through, another policeman ran out and literally kicked the motorcycle over causing damage and injury to the offender..

A month ago on Porsi Rd the police tried to stop a motorbike
he drove on the wrong side of the road
policeman chased and hit him across the head but bikie escaped

Saw something similar at the intersection of Soi Nong Bua and Nittayo Road. The phaaw noom on the maw-tuhr-sai tried to go around the check point and the policeman quickly stepped in front, straddled the front wheel, grabbed the handle bars, twisted them hard and threw the young man completely off the bike. The policeman then let go of the handle bars and the bike went down on it's side. The whole episode happened in just a couple of seconds.

I'm reliably informed there were about 40 BIB completing stop checks on the ring road at 10pm on Monday evening at the first U-turn heading from the old Big C anti-clockwise towards Global DIY - stopping everything. Just a head's up.

the last few days I've seen a number of police checkpoints that have changed location from their usual areas.. Some just a few hundred meters but I'm sure it gets the drop on unsuspecting drivers.. Today I was down by Little Italian Pizza and noted an extended checkpoint from the 7-11 on both sides for a couple of hundred meters.. If they dodged the first one, the 2nd one had the cop out in the middle of the road to stop them.. Tables with officers at both points sitting in the shade with their ticket books on the desk..

Christmas IS Coming........................

747 yes Christmas is nearly upon us , what about your Christmas tips on the taxi in the Pool or don't you bother

747Just remembered those taxies we used to get when I lived up in the Northern Corridor (Bootle)they were a nice lot,never forget the logo on the side of their cars etc ,crimebusters the firm were called, most of them had blue lights on the roof always take you to a place of safety when blathered, next morning always a hearty brekky awaited ,ring any bells with you mate

If your worried about getting stopped have a nominated driver or don't drink. This should ring bells with many, as it happened in the UK a lot.
Here unlike the UK there is no friendly copper to deal with you and once your in their system it is damn hard toget out unless you want to part with some serious money, which to my mind is not acceptable ( paying tea money that is ) .

well, got snagged by the BiB's at their Ring Road/Nong Sai intersection checkpoint today.. I got caught on the 2 second yellow and was half-way through the intersection when it turned red.. They waved me over, and I quickly put the window down and told them, "yes, I understand, it was a Red Light but that 2 second yellow oi!" He laughed and said, "well, you didn't do it on purpose, go to the desk now." I went to the desk and the patrolman who'd stopped me told the Lieutenant at the desk, "the Farang didn't do it on purpose." and walked away.. The officer examined my license, said "400 baht..." I pulled out 2 hundred baht, asked the wife for 2 hundred more when a Thai man standing behind me started a ruckus.. He'd been in a pickup truck behind me so most definitely ran the Red "on purpose." The man yelled at the officer, "I was right behind this Farang, what do I have to pay?" The Lieutenant looked at him and said, "500 Baht!" The fellow then went nuclear, dancing around protesting.. The Lieutenant then told, him, "OK, we've got you on photo running the red light (I didn't see any cameras) and if you want to argue, you can wait and I'll get the photo and you'll pay a thousand baht!" He then looked at me, the old white haired cooperative Farang, took the two hundred baht in my hand, and said, "that's enough" as he stuffed it in the cash swag bag on the table... Corruption?? Yeah I supposed, but technically I did run the Red and probably could have stopped on the yellow (I was going about 40kph) but I had a new appliance in the back of the pickup and slamming on the brakes would have flipped it and possibly broken it.. We did get a "receipt" from the cop but he never filled out the name or much of the ticket.. Valid? So, all-in-all not a bad interaction with the BiB..

I was a bit amazed at a folder the lieutenant had in front of him.. It was full of dirving licenses and ID cards. I can only surmise that they constituted the IOU's of folks who didn't have the money to pay the "fine" on the spot who would have to go "visit" the station to recover their documents later..

dezzer wrote:747 yes Christmas is nearly upon us , what about your Christmas tips on the taxi in the Pool or don't you bother

Never used to work Christmas mate, It was Crap...

dezzer wrote:747Just remembered those taxies we used to get when I lived up in the Northern Corridor (Bootle)they were a nice lot,never forget the logo on the side of their cars etc ,crimebusters the firm were called, most of them had blue lights on the roof always take you to a place of safety when blathered, next morning always a hearty brekky awaited ,ring any bells with you mate

Nah ! Mate I Was a GOOD Boy....

I believe you mate but i bet there are thousands wouldn't

Watch this video - he failed to stop at one check point and this happened. Read the story as well. A lesson to be learned if you consider failing to stop.

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.ph ... section=12

I witness exactly same beside the fly over at Big C

Good shot

seen it as well in udon, so just driving through lets them know your carrying something illegal ? and risking killing the guy is ok then ? don't think so myself. also kicking a bike going at speed risks injuring yourself. face it he just reacted endangering lives