Dash Cam Can Really Save You Cash Cam

Driving and riding in Hua Hin and Thailand, all topics on cars, pickups, bikes, boats, licenses, roads, and motoring in general.
GLCQuantum
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Re: Dash Cam Can Really Save You Cash Cam

Post by GLCQuantum »

I've been in cars, pick-ups, bikes, mini-vans, bicycles, helicopter, hovercraft - all around BKK for 6 years and never as much been pulled over...

What the hell do you guys do when you enter BKK? Drive hell for leather? Pull a moonie out the windows? Sneak the family's buffalo in the back?

You bloody HuaHinians and your driving downright pisses us Bangkokians off.
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Dash Cam Can Really Save You Cash Cam

Post by Felipesed »

As does bangkokians making stupid comments on every possible thread on a forum about Huahin, piss off those of us that live here!
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Re: Dash Cam Can Really Save You Cash Cam

Post by HHTel »

Just to add. I've been in Thailand for over 13 years. Been pulled up many a time in Hua Hin. Completely legal so no consequences and sent on my way.
Over those years, I've driven in BKK many many times. I lived there for a while and I've NEVER been pulled over in BKK whilst on a bike or in a a car.

Outside of BKK and and Hua Hin in particular in Cha-am I've been stopped and after checking my licence etc., the policeman have asked 'Would you buy a coffee for me and my men?'' Coffee = 200 bt. I've never agreed.
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Ginjaninja
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Re: Dash Cam Can Really Save You Cash Cam

Post by Ginjaninja »

I was pulled over in Bangkok on the bike on my return trip from Pattaya last month. Reason - driving in the right lane at a police check-point. I could well have been in the wrong there, I really don't know...
Anyway... the police politely explained I would have to pay a 500thb fine at the police station. I said ok, where's the police station, pointing at my G.P.S. meanwhile trying to switch-on my GoPro. I felt like the old bill was deliberately staying out of the camera view whilst he smiled in anticipation of the wallet. He asked for my driving licence and I pulled out my 4-year expired international (clearly in the wrong I know)... Fortunately I don't even think he looked at it.
I kept getting the "500thb-police station" and I kept nodding and politely asking/pointing where the police station is on my G.P.S. Five minutes of patience expired and I was told "Hua-Hin-you-go".
Thank you very much kind policeman.
Wallet and expired licence safe in my pocket, off I went.
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STEVE G
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Re: Dash Cam Can Really Save You Cash Cam

Post by STEVE G »

I've been stopped by corrupt police several times over the years in Thailand, mainly on the elevated expressways in Bangkok.They would usually claim to have speed camera footage but if challenged, couldn't produce it. I've been accused of speeding by a cop at a toll booth after having been in a traffic jam for an hour!
I would definitely consider getting a dashcam, it seems to me to be an effective weapon against corruption. Apparently, along with insurance fraud, it's why drivers in Russia have them as their highway police are no better.
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Re: Dash Cam Can Really Save You Cash Cam

Post by pharvey »

Regardless where you are driving in the world, a Dash-cam really is a no-brainer. Great for recording those scenic views/places of interest and a necessity for safety/insurance.

Can't say we have any "bent cops" here in Wales, although there are rumours of fluffy handcuffs and overly tight trousers in the Tonapandy area.. :oops: However :offtopic: , the UK has a very bad reputation when it comes to people deliberately causing accidents in order to claim over injuries such as whiplash etc. In the majority of cases, simply overtaking, pulling in front of you and then sharply braking.... We also have our fair share of @rseholes on the road - camera a must have (also beneficial with regards to insurance policies/prices).

With regards to "cheap cameras", beware - you get what you pay for. Initially I bought a "cheapie", around the 50-60 pound mark and it was absolutely useless - very limited recording and virtually no extras. I have however recently purchased a MiVue 5 series camera for a little over £100 which is superb. Continuous recording, GPS location, speed indication (ideal for Thailand), Parking Mode (thieving barstewards), "Shock Mode" (accident).. etc., etc. a truly decent bit of kit - also comes with a useful bit of software for the PC where you can edit, download and upload (to YouTube etc.) videos.

:cheers: :cheers:
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kendo
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Re: Dash Cam Can Really Save You Cash Cam

Post by kendo »

GLCQuantum wrote:I've been in cars, pick-ups, bikes, mini-vans, bicycles, helicopter, hovercraft - all around BKK for 6 years and never as much been pulled over...

What the hell do you guys do when you enter BKK? Drive hell for leather? Pull a moonie out the windows? Sneak the family's buffalo in the back?

You bloody HuaHinians and your driving downright pisses us Bangkokians off.


GLC you're not going to get stopped on your skate board. :D
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pharvey
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Re: Dash Cam Can Really Save You Cash Cam

Post by pharvey »

kendo wrote:GLC you're not going to get stopped on your skate board. :D
You never know - don't they stop you for "Drug Driving" these days? :wink:
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Re: Dash Cam Can Really Save You Cash Cam

Post by dundrillin »

Pharvey . You have convinced me off to buy one today.
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kendo
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Re: Dash Cam Can Really Save You Cash Cam

Post by kendo »

We have just done a 780km road trip from Kap Choeng Prasat to Ban Dung Udon Thani province. We got stopped twice and they checked my brother in laws driving licence and insurance papers that he has laminated and kept on top of the dash, happy to say no fines.The third check point we were waved on through. I think its fare to say if you are going on a road trip of considerable distance expect to get stopped two or three times.
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kendo
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Re: Dash Cam Can Really Save You Cash Cam

Post by kendo »

Our jaunt around Issan covered some serious amount of Kilometers. Stopped a total of seven times. My brother in law had his insurance and driving licence checked and we never got one fine.
So I would say the more south away from Issan you are the likely hood of getting milked greatly increases as they know a poor rice farmer with a twelve year old Dmax has sod all cash.
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Re: Dash Cam Can Really Save You Cash Cam

Post by Nereus »

pharvey wrote:With regards to "cheap cameras", beware - you get what you pay for. Initially I bought a "cheapie", around the 50-60 pound mark and it was absolutely useless - very limited recording and virtually no extras. I have however recently purchased a MiVue 5 series camera for a little over £100 which is superb. Continuous recording, GPS location, speed indication (ideal for Thailand), Parking Mode (thieving barstewards), "Shock Mode" (accident).. etc., etc. a truly decent bit of kit - also comes with a useful bit of software for the PC where you can edit, download and upload (to YouTube etc.) videos.
Yes, I agree. A cheapie may look like it is good, but let you down in an accident. I have a Garmin GDR45 which has all those features and a few more not mentioned. The only thing with it in Thailand is with all the idiots cutting in front of you, and / or overtaking down the left side, the bloody thing just about has a fit issuing warnings sometimes! It also has a feature that cuts in at 40 Km / hr that gives a warning if you are to close behind the traffic in front of you.
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Re: Dash Cam Can Really Save You Cash Cam

Post by Big Boy »

I've just been watching a major rant/movie clip on Thai Channel 3 where the police confiscated a lorry driver's driving licence. The entire incident is on film. So, it happens to Thais as well.

The BIB went into major panic mode when he realised he was being filmed. However, he like many traffic police and Dick Turpin before him, he wore a mask - you cannot see anything other than the BIB's eyes. However, the lorry driver did have the good sense to gather other identification evidence such as the the BIB's licence plate on film.

This highway robbery has affected me more than I realised. I had to travel to Bangkok several times last week, and was considering avoiding the toll roads. In the end, I used the bus. I will try to avoid the tollways wherever I can in future.

It's one thing extorting a few bob through blatant lies, which is annoying, but not the end of the world. It is something completely different when they confiscate your licence. It's as if they want you to report to the police station, admit you've been a naughty boy (when you haven't), and buy your licence back.
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buksida
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Re: Dash Cam Can Really Save You Cash Cam

Post by buksida »

If it is the same clip I saw the cop pulled the siplor for hogging the outside lane which is dangerous to other drivers and the cop was right to do so IMO.

If these asshole truck drivers were pulled more often for sitting in the outside lane there would be fewer accidents.
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Big Boy
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Re: Dash Cam Can Really Save You Cash Cam

Post by Big Boy »

Maybe it was dangerous - I couldn't understand the words, but why confiscate the licence? If I'm wrong, truly or imaginary, I will pay the penalty - I know resistance is futile, and the penalty is laughable compared to the UK. If the crime is that bad, stop people driving.

How many motorcyclists do we see stopped for driving without a helmet? They pay their tea money, and suddenly driving without a helmet is OK.

Why do they want my licence? I can only see it as another scam - phone their mates up the road, and its another fine for driving without a licence. No hint of how to get the licence back either.......... well, that's not true - I was told to report to the same spot on the way home - how the hell would I find that? How would they know when I was coming? We were on a tollway, so not exactly a lot of parking etc., etc. Just a way to make people to offer money to sort the problem, rather than them getting caught asking for tea money.
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