Hua Hin Police Traffic Stops

[HHTel]

Takiap, the laws regarding pillion passengers and helmets have been in place for many years. Around 4 or 5 years ago the police had speaker vans touring around Hua Hin pointing out that a motorcycle can only have two people and that they must both wear helmets. For the next few days they enforced that law at several checkpoints around Hua Hin but was then forgotten. A year or so earlier, they were enforcing the law requiring motorcycles to have lights on during the day but once again it died a death. I think you'll find that on the major roads in Bangkok, two people to a bike both with helmets is pretty much the norm. However that's only on major roads.

[Coldmike]

Bangkok does indeed have a much higher compliance with drivers wearing helmets than anywhere else in Thailand that I've seen, but NOT at all with passengers. Very often I see 4,5, 6 or more on a bike with only the driver wearing a helmet. Not the greatest Dads in the world with the family on the back ready for hard knocks. Also all motocy taxis don't provide us passengers with helmets as they weave in and out of heavy BK traffic.

[Pleng]

Be careful - do stop if they wave you over. I ignored a cop once who blew his whistle on me when I made a U-turn on Petchkasem near the post office.

There is a subtle different between trying to peg it when you've been caught red-handed doing a naughty, and simply avoiding being pulled for a spot-check, though!

I've never once been chased for 'not seeing' a hand waved out at me.

[Pleng]

Also all motocy taxis don't provide us passengers with helmets as they weave in and out of heavy BK traffic.

Many years ago I was given a "helmet" by a motorcyle taxi in Cha-Am. I remember looking at it for a while and trying to work out just what kind of situations it would possibly save my life in!

[Big Boy]

I'd probably be more concerned about who had been wearing the helmet before me.

[Coldmike]

Yea, I wouldn't wear a strange helmet either. I've never been on back of a bike thats been waved over anyway. While driving, I avoid eye contact too and it works for me. In cars or pickups, I've been waved over a few times when I wasn't paying attention and one look inside the car seeing a farang has always been a wave to move along.

[Green Nomad]

Hi, Does anyone know if the international driving permit also covers for motor bikes?

Since I've had my IDP, I have not been stopped, but even when I had my Spanish licence with me, and the 'officer' said it should be in Thai or English, he just waved me to go. GN.

[Big Boy]

Your IDP should allow you to drive whatever you were permitted to drive on your full licence in your home country. My IDP specifically had the motorcycle part excluded. Whether or not the BIB would recognise that I don't know. Don't take the chance, get a Thai licence.

[jumusman]

I think its difficult to keep travelling down these back roads that people mention. Traffic stops are on either Petchkasem or the road by the train tracks, other than that I think I have to REALLY go out of my way to get around. Guess I will just have to accept that Hua Hin has way more traffic stops than I would have imagined.

In regards to the corruption comment, sorry but its exactly what it is, corruption. If it was not corruption you would have to go back to the police station and pay 300 baht fine instead of giving the police 200 baht. Does anyone think he collects all of those 200 baht fines and gives them back to the station at then end of the day... hmm... I wonder.. My gut feeling tells me hell no!! I would love to try bribing a police officer in the U.S or U.K after they have stopped you for speeding and see what the response is. Probably a night in jail. (And yes I know its all relative, 200 baht is nothing compared to fines back home but I am talking about the principle)

[richard]

Jumusman

I think you need to stop making comparisons between east and west.

The mindset is different
The logic is different

If you don't like it or can't hack it then move on

[Pedro C]

Unlike my last two seat-belt fines, which were 120 Euros each. Now that's what I call a real extortion racket.

Ka-Ching!

In an increasing number of European countries traffic police has transformed into collection agencies for government financing, regardless of traffic safety.
The most common sources of traffic fines are speeding controls where they know people unavoidingly are speeding because road conditions allow (rather than increasing the speed limits), - parking restrictions where none are required, road blocks at which they meticulously search cars and passengers for petty offences such as incorrect tire pressure.
Fines collected by traffic cops are important fiscal contributions to government budgets. Wonder when the day will come when European countries' traffic police will be autonomous self-financed institutions.
I guess we can all agree that drunks and dope addicts should be removed from our roads - but things seem to be getting out of hand!:shock:

[Pedro C]

It just struck my mind that there seems to be a comparison between the Holiday Magic "pyramid company" and the Thai Traffic Police. They seem to be organized the same way; The man at the bottom pays the man above, who pays the man above, who etc. etc etc. This seems to be an ongoing pattern all over the globe, especially in countries near and south of the Equator (sorry Aussies, no offense ment). Once in Kenya I was stopped by a uniformed customs officer who demanded money. No offense committed on my part but the "officer" just bought his uniform and was now starting the process of paying back the loan he took to get it. I guess you just have to accept the way things work in different parts of the world.

[jumusman]

Jumusman

I think you need to stop making comparisons between east and west.

Ha ha, good luck with that! If someone removed all the posts related to making comparisons between east and west then there would probably not be much of a forum left...

I do understand the difference and can certainly can hack it, love it here and don't plan on moving back anytime soon. Much better than where I came from.

If I can't come to this forum to let off a little steam with some fellow falangs who have had the same experiences as I have in LOS then I don't know where to go!

[Dannie Boy]

I think its difficult to keep travelling down these back roads that people mention. Traffic stops are on either Petchkasem or the road by the train tracks, other than that I think I have to REALLY go out of my way to get around. Guess I will just have to accept that Hua Hin has way more traffic stops than I would have imagined.

In regards to the corruption comment, sorry but its exactly what it is, corruption. If it was not corruption you would have to go back to the police station and pay 300 baht fine instead of giving the police 200 baht. Does anyone think he collects all of those 200 baht fines and gives them back to the station at then end of the day... hmm... I wonder.. My gut feeling tells me hell no!! I would love to try bribing a police officer in the U.S or U.K after they have stopped you for speeding and see what the response is. Probably a night in jail. (And yes I know its all relative, 200 baht is nothing compared to fines back home but I am talking about the principle)

I have only been stopped once and that was a legit for not wearing a helmet on a motorcycle. This was nearly 10 years ago when I was a 2-3 times a year visitor and not very street wise. I was given a ticket by the BIB and when I offered to try to pay him in cash, he refused and told me I had to take the ticket to the police station, of which I had no idea where it was. He duly summoned a Thai woman who had also been stopped to take me to the police station. On the way she stopped to pick up one of her mates (she probably very wisely didn't trust this farang), but eventually we get to the station, I join a queue and eventually see an officer who processed my fine and gave me a receipt. In the process, he sees that I came from the UK and shouts out "ah David Beckham" who had apparently been to Hua Hin (or maybe just Bangkok) a couple of weeks before!! Process duly over, I took my receipt to go to find the traffic cop who had relieved me of my UK driving licence, only to find he was no longer at the place I had been stopped. I managed to find somebody who directed me to the police box in Chomsin road where said police officer was there with my licence - I handed him the official receipt and I got my licence back. The whole process took over 2 hours and all for the princely sum of 200 baht (then less than £3). Although at the time it had been a bit of an ordeal, it was a lesson learned though, because I now always wear the helmet.

[Nereus]

Jumusman
I think you need to stop making comparisons between east and west.

Ha ha, good luck with that! If someone removed all the posts related to making comparisons between east and west then there would probably not be much of a forum left...
I do understand the difference and can certainly can hack it, love it here and don't plan on moving back anytime soon. Much better than where I came from.
If I can't come to this forum to let off a little steam with some fellow falangs who have had the same experiences as I have in LOS then I don't know where to go!

Absolutely correct, jumusman! But do not overlook the fact that you will run up against those "grateful guest of Thailand" types, whom seem to think that everyone else should put up with being treated like the village idiot, just because they accept it!