Thread: How many different vehicle offenses do Thai police stop for?

I live in Chiang Mai and have been stopped (not recently) for not hearing a motorcycle helmet. There are also roadblocks weekly (lately daily) on highway 121, with the police looking for Burmese. Last nite, on highway 121, between the superhighway and 1006, the police were stopping older vechiles and checking the exhausts. It looked like a rinkyding operation, with them gunning the engine while a contraption was attached to the muffler. If your vechile did more than a 45 level (I have no idea if this means carbon particle or what), you got a ticket, which was payable immediately. Driving a 1998 truck (in good condition), it registered 53.5 and I had to pay 500 bath (the Thai sitting next to me along side the road was fined 200 baht). I will have my truck looked at and fixed, if necessary. I will probably also avoid driving on 121, especially from 4-6 P.M. Its the closest way to pick up kids at school but I can take superhighway around the other direction to 1006 (it will probably add 2 miles to my trip). Has anyone else been stopped for this offense? And what other things do the police stop for?

General money collection.
I was stopped by the police just in case I might think of speeding at a later date!

Was stopped twice in one day for a red tag violation for not have the little book filled out and approved for travel to a different province. The option was a 100 baht on the spot fine or go with the police to the nearest station to resolve. Paid and continued my trip. Just another money makers for the BIB.

I've never been checked for insurance. Do they ever ? By the way I do have it.

just 1
having an idiot of a wife driving at the time

Had a few odd ones over the years.
Driving in a bus lane - this happened just after I arrived here
Changing lanes too close to the exit - money spinner
Driving in the right hand lane of a two lane highway (Laem Chabang) - apparently it is forbidden unless overtaking
Speeding when I had witnesses to the contrary - Kabin Buri nearly every time I pass thru there
Not wearing a top - in a car on the Chonburi freeway entrance - it's against the law to drive on the King's freeways without a singlet or shirt? even in a car with tinted windows
Most ime I just slow down then piss off like most Thais do, bit harder in the city unless you know the side streets

Originally Posted by Ban Saray

Speeding when I had witnesses to the contrary - Kabin Buri nearly every time I pass thru there

That is where I got pulled over and warned about speeding in Thailand. I was told the speed limit was 90KPH, replying I was only doing 85 KPH the Officer told me he was just warning me!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by Dean

How many different vehicle offenses do Thai police stop for?

Only one. Driving a vehicle!

huh you think driving a car is bad enough. Try riding a big motorcycle. Expect to get stopped numerous times

Originally Posted by Travelmate

Try riding a big motorcycle.

I can imagine. Big motorcycle = big payoff!

A friend of mine had an Audi TT. He was stopped so many times damned near wore out the brakes. Oddly enough he seldom got tagged as the cops only wanted to take a good look at the car!

Thai law enforcement is non existent. They don't give a shit what you do as long as they can make some money at it. Thai police corruption is alive and well.

In the west, there used to be an offence of DWB, in Thailand it is Driving while white

Originally Posted by Ban Saray

Driving in the right hand lane of a two lane highway (Laem Chabang) - apparently it is forbidden unless overtaking

Makes sense and I am used to that rule anyway.

Speeding when I had witnesses to the contrary - Kabin Buri nearly every time I pass thru there

Drove a few times through that area but only got stopped once. The ex was warned to wear the seatbelt, no fine.

Not wearing a top - in a car on the Chonburi freeway entrance - it's against the law to drive on the King's freeways without a singlet or shirt? even in a car with tinted windows

That's a rule I wonder about though I could imagine they have such a law.

Originally Posted by Travelmate

Expect to get stopped numerous times

Not in Isaan, only time I've been flagged down by the police is for them to gawp at the bikes. Never a problem here, the police are great.

I find as a white man in Bangkok I rarely get pulled unless I am in the wrong.

Originally Posted by Ban Saray

Driving in a bus lane - this happened just after I arrived here Changing lanes too close to the exit - money spinner Driving in the right hand lane of a two lane highway (Laem Chabang) - apparently it is forbidden unless overtaking Speeding when I had witnesses to the contrary - Kabin Buri nearly every time I pass thru there Not wearing a top - in a car on the Chonburi freeway entrance - it's against the law to drive on the King's freeways without a singlet or shirt? even in a car with tinted windows

All of those are offences but I don't know about not wearing a shirt.

I find as a white man in Bangkok I rarely get pulled unless I am in the wrong.

Same, I have never come across these policemen that pull you over and make something up as soon they see you are white.

In fact the contrary is more true, I feel like they give me an easy time because they think you don't know the rules and don't expect you to have a Thai license.

Originally Posted by Spin

Not in Isaan, only time I've been flagged down by the police is for them to gawp at the bikes. Never a problem here, the police are great.

Have you drove along route 24 west of Nang Rong ? They're shits

My experience is that cops leave big bikes alone, in the countryside at least. Many times have gone through the local robber stop at 150kph.
Some 5 yrs ago got stopped on 350 to Sa keao, cops waved us down and after an assurance of "no ploblem for you" asked how fast? I pointed to the GPS which was showing a top speed of 285kph, cops laughed and after making some comment on the lunacy of geriatric farangs waved us on.

2006
1. Speeding - fair cop - up country in 2006 for Songkran, 200 baht, got some advice from the sergeant there when sharing a smoke that menthols not good for the todger.
2. Speeding - having slowed down when approaching tolls in bkk expressway, 200 baht or 1,000 if they write a ticket.
3. Red plate - stopped at bkk tolls, not filling in the journey on the temporary document, 300 baht.
2007
4. No Crash Hat - fair cop - 200 baht - unusual for me not to wear a hat, but it's a long story - no one gives a f*ck outside the morning rush hour here.
2008 (2 weeks ago)
5. Bus Lane - fair cop - near Bayoke, I wondered why the traffic had disappeared, 500 baht, the cop stopped the opposing traffic for me to do a U-turn.
6. Imaginery Red Light/Driving License - stopped at a bkk toll, 'Fai daeng mai ow!' I said. I then showed him my license (it expired 2 months ago). 'Finish' he said (gotcha!). Writes ticket, 1,000 baht. Have since got new 'smart' 5 year licenses (1 for car, 1 for motorbike). My Thai partner (who unfortunately wasn't with me) said that driving without license is serious offence but you're usually given 3 months grace.

My Thai partners been ticketed several times for speeding and parking offences - ALL tickets subsequently cancelled by 'friendly seniors'.

Originally Posted by Ivor Biggun

Originally Posted by Spin

Not in Isaan, only time I've been flagged down by the police is for them to gawp at the bikes. Never a problem here, the police are great.

Have you drove along route 24 west of Nang Rong ? They're shits

I dont think so, sometimes if if riding along pretty quick, and a theres a checkpoint ahead a cop will do that half gay wave where they hold there hand of pretty high and flap thier hand like their 'patting a kid on his head"

When they do that, i ride past them and wave back with a big grin doing the same gay wave back to them

1 Coughing without due care and attention.
2 Driving around with an offensive wife.

Most the times I've been pulled over by the police in Thailand it's been for 'Driving in possession of a white face and under the influence of a wallet full of money'.

Originally Posted by Papadave

4. No Crash Hat - fair cop - 200 baht - unusual for me not to wear a hat, but it's a long story - no one gives a f*ck outside the morning rush hour here. 2008 (2 weeks ago)

I cannot see that the fine varies region to region. I live in villiage in Buriram Province and we get 50 Baht fine for no helmet, official ticket inclued.

Usually you are not stopped for an offense, you are stopped for the purpose of soliciting a bribe, and if you want a reason why one should be, then you will be given a multi tude of them.