Hua Hin Police Traffic Stops

[Bristolian]

After reading the 'horror extortion' stories of the BIB in Thailand, I was horrified the first time I was stopped. However, I soon learnt that as long as I was within the law there was nothing to fear. Certainly no illegal requests for tea money.

As far as I'm concerned they can stop me every day - I'm retired, and in no hurry. These roadblocks might eventually deter some of the idiots from the roads in Thailand. A recent example, I had just bought my egg poacher from Index a couple of days ago. I was about to leave when we watched somebody drive their pick-up out of the car park and turn right .

I agree. I am fully insured, my car in good roadworthy condition etc. I have no problem in being stopped or delayed by the police. If they can discourage the idiots, the illegal and those up to no good, I am more than ready to be stopped and questioned if necessary

[Big Boy]

You're spot-on BB. Yesterday I was in the wrong as I didn't have the valid licences as per the law. I had the option of going to the police station and wasting a day or paying up for the tea-fund and enjoying the rest of the day on the road with the bike still in breach of the law. Wouldn't happen back home....
Index story is a cracker.

GN.

Have you never seen them turning right at the end of Soi 94? Mrs BB and I have seen cars do that several times.

[Ginjaninja]

Have you never seen them turning right at the end of Soi 94? Mrs BB and I have seen cars do that several times.

Never seen it but I'm sure it's a common enough mistake. I've been up the wrong direction in one-way streets before.. no ones perfect.... us motorcyclist come close but we have our moments too

Edit: I'm sure these roads are sign-posted to indicate one-way traffic however there are so many bl**dy signs everywhere and most not road-traffic, it's very tiring trying to discern road-rules.

[Big Boy]

Petchkasem is a pretty obvious dual carriageway though.

Having said that, travelling from Ayutthaya to bang Pa-In my satnav told me to turn right, and then immediately left, whereas it meant turn right, travel 100 yards and then turn left. I found myself travelling the wrong way up a slip road, I stopped, assessed the situation, and decided the best course of action was to continue to the end of the slip road, and get back onto the main road (in the correct direction). Then I could do the manouvre again - properly.

I didn't enjoy that experience.

[Takiap]

BB from your posts, you drive a pick-up and expensive as they may be, they are a police target vehicle. I drive a Toyota Camry and they do not attract the same police attention. I am sure that the Honda Accord etc fall into the same “ignore group”. I certainly get the same attention as anyone else for speeding but at police road blocks simply get waved on – so far!

Without wanting to offend any fine gentlemen , I must say that I am given the same level of respect when I'm on my Wave/Saleng. As long as I have a helmet on, I get waved through. Got stopped a few times before, but since the side hack was fitted, I've never been stopped.


BB, if you live North of Index, you have to turn right because there's a U-Turn place just a few meters away which gets you onto the side of the road you want to be. As long as your hazard lights work, you'll be just fine.

[Frank Hovis]

I drive a pickup and normally get waved through, if I have a load of stuff in the back there's usually a cursory glance in it and then waved through, occasionally I'll get asked for my license. I don't think there is a great deal of 'profiling' goes on at these stops.
There was a stop just outside Petchaburi (both sides of the road and the frontage road) about a month ago with a lot of normal police and some 'swat' type police with M16's, presumably not just looking for the drunk and unlicensed.

On the matter of driving the wrong way, I'd rather have them drive the wrong way, in the right way, than have them reverse for 200 yards to get to where they are going. That would be ten times more dangerous.

[buksida]

There are a LOT of police traffic stops in HH at the moment, most of which are pulling motorbikes. Make sure you have your lid on and license handy.

[sandemb]

TIT! If you are farang, you are a source of "tea money"! I've seen it in Phucket and Patts where the tourists are. Thai passes no helmet on bikes, Farang pulled over. The ones that argue over a quick pay to move on, find life difficult for rest of stay - TIT, obey the laws even though it seems different for Farang and local, and you have got to love the small idiosyncrasies!

[Dannie Boy]

I have to say that they seem to be pulling a lot more Thais over these days for not wearing helmets, so not just farangs.

[bsdk1960]

happy for my new thai driving licens,been stopped 2 times yesterday and 1 times so far today only for checking driver licens

[phartley58]

I drive legally with licence, tax and insurance (and wear a helmet on the bike) and have had no probs whatsoever. Just drive legal.. Simples.

[easyas]

Odd one yesterday. I was a passenger in a Toyota saloon driven by a pommie when we were stopped by a queue in front of a police block about 200 yards or so after leaving the highway for Hua Hin (Pala U road). First odd thing, there were probably 6 or 7 police there, all military. Second, no one was interested in motorbike riders with no helmets. Third, every car was photographed on its way through the police block, having previously been stopped and questions asked of the driver. When it came to our turn my friend wound his window down and was asked by a very courteous military police man, in excellent English "where are you from?".
My friend replied "England" and we were waved through. I asked my friend, a long term Hua Hin resident, "why were we stopped for such a trivial question and answer?". He replied "it gave them time to focus the camera".
Any idea why?

[Big Boy]

Could have been something to do with yesterday's ASEAN summit or meeting.

[hidinginhin]

I think that now the military have taken over they have clamped down a bit on the cops doing stops just to coin it in. The turn off by soi 102 is busy though. I have an international licence. When I get stopped I dutifully hand over my pink laminated actual UK licence. Cop replies "No International Licence" I dutifully hand over grey International licence. Cop looks crestfallen and says "Go" I go thinking " Thank god he can't read it's a 1yr licence that ran out 3yrs ago. LOL

[HHTel]

Technically, you don't need an IDL. You are quite legal using your Brit licence but the average cop wouldn't know that.