News Forum - Phuket traffic police deny Facebook accusal of targeting tourists

[Thaiger]

After a Facebook post showing a motorbike checkpoint accused police of destroying tourism, the Phuket Provincial Police fired back. The post was made in Thai in the Phuket Sandbox – SHA Plus Facebook group on Sunday and went viral as it blamed traffic police for robbing foreigners now that tourists are returning. The post was accompanied by photos of a traffic checkpoint right by the tourist hotspot of Bangla Road, at The Kitchen restaurant next to the TaiPan nightclub on Rath-U-Thit 200 Pi Road. It said that police there were robbing tourists by stopping them and checking that they were […]

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[Malc-Thai]

I've said about this many times.. they just target tourists or felang.  each roadblock they don't yes "Don't"  stop thais.. I've seen  3 on a bike no helmets or masks but police walk past you and them to stop a tourist wearing a baseball cap.. 

I'm sure their figures must be on the tat  calculator ! 

16 Oct to 23rd November is 39 days 129 ÷39 days is 3.3 tourist a day !

They have checkpoints in many areas and I've witnessed at least 5 people stopped and fined just in 10 minutes while I was eating some food! 

[Dedinbed]

25 minutes ago, Thaiger said:

blamed traffic police for robbing foreigners now that tourists are returning

Who'd have thought that .. 

[NCC1701A]

"“Some tourists are not familiar with the roads and do not know the traffic laws, and because of different laws, traditions and cultures..."

[Bluesofa]

5 minutes ago, Dedinbed said:

Who'd have thought that .. 

Obviously not TAT or they would have mentioned it in their publicity - beware of the RTP.

[Paco]

Of course they deny It because otherwise they admit to CORRUPTION...

they do  that everywhere  pattaya they always targeted the tourists.. it calls C O R R U P T I O N 

[Bluesofa]

8 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

"“Some tourists are not familiar with the roads and do not know the traffic laws, and because of different laws, traditions and cultures..."

Absolutely.
When cyclists come to stay with me, in order to make them aware of the Thai driving attitude, I always say "in Thailand we drive on the left - most of the time"

edit:
In fact only today I was cycling in the motorcycle/bicycle lane, only to be confronted by a pick-up in the same lane coming from the wrong direction.

[palooka]

Didn't realise the RTP in Phuket were so well educated in spoken English to be able to discuss traffic laws, traditions and culture.  Well done RTP.

[Malc-Thai]

2 minutes ago, palooka said:

Didn't realise the RTP in Phuket were so well educated in spoken English to be able to discuss traffic laws, traditions and culture.  Well done RTP.

Oh they speak English very well! 

[Bob20]

I posted before that you used to see them targeting foreigners every day in CM with 10-15 officers. Then, with Covid, you hardly ever saw any police anywhere for months on end.

About 2 weeks ago, along my road, they had a checkpoint and stopped Thai bike-riders. I think it was training for the real targets as the foreigners were expected again

[Graham]

Well there's egg on your face RTP, everyone knows that only farang get stopped because Thai's don't have the money to pay fines, it's the same all over Thailand. Best thing to do if it's a legitimate breaking of the law is to demand a receipt for the offense, that way you make sure the money doesn't just go into the back pocket of said RTP officer. 555

[Dedinbed]

16 minutes ago, Bluesofa said:

In fact only today I was cycling in the motorcycle/bicycle lane, only to be confronted by a pick-up in the same lane coming from the wrong direction.

Driven by a doctor .? 

[AussieBob]

4 minutes ago, Graham said:

Well there's egg on your face RTP, everyone knows that only farang get stopped because Thai's don't have the money to pay fines, it's the same all over Thailand. Best thing to do if it's a legitimate breaking of the law is to demand a receipt for the offense, that way you make sure the money doesn't just go into the back pocket of said RTP officer. 555

Mate - how could you say it goes the RTP Officer - that is terrible. It goes into a pool of money that is then divided up by the 'boss' later - he of course gets more than the others.  Terrible. 

[SweAnd]

I’ve been stopped multiple times on Phuket and in those occasions never seen them stop anyone looking like a Thai national. I don’t mind being stopped as I always carry an international drivers license and actually have a license for motorcycles. However! Same laws should apply to locals, but they clearly don’t. Thai people can go by the checkpoints with the whole family and neighbors clinging on to the bike no problem.

[Bluesofa]

19 minutes ago, palooka said:

Didn't realise the RTP in Phuket were so well educated in spoken English to be able to discuss traffic laws, traditions and culture.  Well done RTP.

They must talk about the price of yoghurt.

[Bluesofa]

5 minutes ago, Dedinbed said:

Driven by a doctor .? 

Driven by a dog turd in this case.

[Malc-Thai]

5 minutes ago, AussieBob said:

Mate - how could you say it goes the RTP Officer - that is terrible. It goes into a pool of money that is then divided up by the 'boss' later - he of course gets more than the others.  Terrible. 

When we leave the condo, we go past the police station. You can see tourists walking around the car park looking where to go to pay the fine holding the white fine ticket..

soon as you see that you know they are out with a roadblock somewhere in patong and then yes you see it..

funny they set up different places depending on where the sun is to avoid it like vampire's !  And pretty rare you see them in the rain..

[Dedinbed]

5 minutes ago, Bluesofa said:

Driven by a dog turd in this case.

That's what you call sh*t driving then ..

[Stonker]

16 minutes ago, Graham said:

Well there's egg on your face RTP

Umm ... where? 

From farang posters on a farang forum ?

[Stonker]

11 minutes ago, SweAnd said:

I’ve been stopped multiple times on Phuket and in those occasions never seen them stop anyone looking like a Thai national. I don’t mind being stopped as I always carry an international drivers license and actually have a license for motorcycles. However! Same laws should apply to locals, but they clearly don’t. Thai people can go by the checkpoints with the whole family and neighbors clinging on to the bike no problem.

Have a look at the photo accompanying the article, apparently from the Facebook site - do those look like Thais or farangs being stopped ?

[Stonker]

5 minutes ago, Malc-Thai said:

When we leave the condo, we go past the police station. You can see tourists walking around the car park looking where to go to pay the fine holding the white fine ticket..

soon as you see that you know they are out with a roadblock somewhere in patong and then yes you see it..

funny they set up different places depending on where the sun is to avoid it like vampire's !  And pretty rare you see them in the rain..

Yes ... the Thais just slip the police 100 baht and avoid the hassle!

[Bluesofa]

23 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

I posted before that you used to see them targeting foreigners every day in CM with 10-15 officers. Then, with Covid, you hardly ever saw any police anywhere for months on end.

About 2 weeks ago, along my road, they had a checkpoint and stopped Thai bike-riders. I think it was training for the real targets as the foreigners were expected again

Just breathe on them, perhaps they'll run a mile (or 1.6 kilometres)

[Malc-Thai]

4 minutes ago, Stonker said:

Yes ... the Thais just slip the police 100 baht and avoid the hassle!

Here they don't even do that,  they just don't get stopped to hand over cash ..  I don't mind law enforcement but not selective just due to who has money to pay the fine..

[Bob20]

Just now, Bluesofa said:

Just breathe on them, perhaps they'll run a mile (or 1.6 kilometres)

Don't have a bike, but I think feigning a coughing fit might work. Or telling them you're on the way to a test center because you're not feeling well

[Malc-Thai]

20 minutes ago, Stonker said:

Have a look at the photo accompanying the article, apparently from the Facebook site - do those look like Thais or farangs being stopped ?

They are Arabs.  many here with the typical rented helmet.. over the back are thais on a taxi bike.. the taxi bikes don't get stopped