Tourist condemns Thai police injustice

[Takiap]

I did a U-turn on Poolsuk Rd after someone flagged me down..hence for a full 15m I was driving the 'wrong way' as I slowly came back to see a mate.
A MIB was just coming out of the temple onto Plsuk Rd & instantly booked me for going the 'wrong way'...
My wife was on the back of my m/cycle & she'd seen the MIB coming out of the temple, & she also knew that he'd seen we merely did a U-turn.
Anyway..we both had helmets on (mine's a UK item), I showed him my Thai licence & insurance..the MIB was being well 'stroppy' & curt..??
So then, it's off to the police station with my newly administered ticket.
Once there the desk MIB says that will be 400B..WHAT?
At that moment a plain clothes MIB rolls in..who we know, & after polite hellos he asks what we'd been doing..?? Wife explains, then he asks the desk serge for the ticket.
It turned out (according to what the MIB had written) that I was being fined for driving in a wild & dangerous manner down the middle of Petkasem Road causing many oncoming cars to swerve out of my way..yes, THAT is what the MIB had written on my ticket..!!
The plain-clothes MIB we know instantly got the desk-serge to ring the 'traffic MIB' and ask him if this offence he'd written was really true...he then asked him a second time, on the third time of asking he admitted writing a false offence on the ticket..TWAT!
'Our' plain-clothes explained I'd have to pay a fine 'cos it was an official ticket, & the sum was 100B, he then advised me to keep this ticket in a safe place in case the 'bent' MIB tried to do anything later..
What I've just explained here will be happening every damn day both here & all over the L.O.S.
to Farangs..not just on Samui.

Well, such things are easily avoided simply by obeying the law. If you weren't breaking the law, that MIB would not have stopped you. Besides, even if you had ended up having to pay 400 baht, just think what would have happened to you in the UK if you were caught doing the same thing. I break the law almost daily. I nip down to the shop with a helmet; I ride my bike on the wrong side of the road; etc; etc;etc, but I also know that if a MIB sees me, the chances are I'm going to get fined.


Don't fret about US. You've been here long enough to know the score here.

[Big Boy]

Well, such things are easily avoided simply by obeying the law. If you weren't breaking the law, that MIB would not have stopped you.

I had a new experience 2 days ago - not sure if it's common. Driving back from Petchaburi, I was chosen as I drove through one of their check points. I put the window down, we stared at each other (no words spoken) and he simply indicated that I should drive on .

[PeteC]

^ Yeah, but the wave on happens more often than not when you have a big smile on your face. With a pick up BB you're going to experience getting picked on. Pete

[Big Boy]

I've been stopped quite a few times already. Normally it's just show my licence, and I'm on my way. I have no problem with this at all - it's what they do in Thailand, so just a part of living here. Certainly no demands for tea money as I seem to read on a regular basis.

[Frank Hovis]

The look and drive-on (usually indicated by a tiny movement of the clipboard or torch if it is at night) is the most common when roads are busy. If you'd had a motorbike on the back of your truck they would probably have pulled you over for a chat and to see your license.
It's been my experience that as long as everything is in order, licence, road tax and very rarely insurance then you will be let on your way without any need to pay any money, even if they search the car or give you a road-side drugs test.

I think there a difference between people saying 'I got stopped and was asked for 200 baht for nothing' when what they really mean is 'I was breaking the law in some minor way and was asked for 200 baht to avoid going to the station with a ticket, but I'll moan about it anyway'.

[Khundon1975]

How sad for those involved, another life cut short but I have to agree with other posters, maybe she would not have died if she was wearing a helmet.