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

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

29 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

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

Not only that but over the last week in CM there has been a greater presence of RTP active in and around Nimman. Don’t tell me that they don’t target tourists, when they, and their checkpoints have been invisible for the last 9 months in the numbers pre-covid.

[Shark]

3 minutes ago, Malc-Thai said:

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 

you know whom are taxi right... starts with M ends with afia. Just different form of family then the RTP.

[Bluesofa]

4 minutes ago, Malc-Thai said:

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..

Wasn't there an Abba song about that?

 

[Jason]

Yep...definately a divisive issue this one. 

[Jason]

Yes...I was pulled up at a roadblock by police in Phuket. The officer wanted to check I had a copy of my passport with me. I didn't, because I didn't know that was required. I went back to the hotel and asked them to photocopy my passport. All ok..ready for next time. No fine. Then I was stopped at another checkpoint for another license check. I showed my driver's license and he looked at the back of the license and saw the picture of an Australian map. He then exclaimed "ok Australia"....he let me pass. 

[Bluesofa]

17 minutes ago, Jason said:

Yes...I was pulled up at a roadblock by police in Phuket. The officer wanted to check I had a copy of my passport with me. I didn't, because I didn't know that was required. I went back to the hotel and asked them to photocopy my passport. All ok..ready for next time. No fine. Then I was stopped at another checkpoint for another license check. I showed my driver's license and he looked at the back of the license and saw the picture of an Australian map. He then exclaimed "ok Australia"....he let me pass. 

That baffles me. He recognise a map of Australia?
Or any country? He's wasted in the RTP. With that advanced knowledge he should be teaching geography.

 

[Cathat]

A prominently mounted camera working or not tends to have a very desirable effect.they are not expensive.

[Wackamole]

Better carefully avoid these checkpoints.

It makes sense that theyd stop foreigners more, most of the time an easy 300thb for lack of license.

[js89]

It's egregious and an outright lie. As a taxi passenger, I've been searched at a police checkpoint numerous times when they're left the Thai person accompanying me in the taxi. They didn't talk to the Thai person, question them or search them.

[Disenfranchised]

Y'all must have dishonest faces!

[palooka]

4 hours ago, js89 said:

It's egregious and an outright lie. As a taxi passenger, I've been searched at a police checkpoint numerous times when they're left the Thai person accompanying me in the taxi. They didn't talk to the Thai person, question them or search them.

Physically searched? 

Never had that happen to me or seen it happen to anyone else in the years I've been here.

Have had a military check point demand my passport and not speak to the Thais in the vehicle but that was after the separatist explosion in Bangkok a while back.

[TheDirtyDurian]

If you don't want to pay a fine, have a valid license + IDP, and wear a helmet if on a bike, and buckle up if in a car. 

And don't drink and drive. 

What happens to Thais is neither here nor there. Break the law and expect punishment. 

PS been done for drink driving twice in Thailand so I do have some experience....., and paid multiple fines over the years. 

Never had to pay when I didn't do anything wrong though. 

[HiuMak]

Welcome to Thailand. Tourist beware

 

[Lowseasonlover]

7 hours ago, Wackamole said:

Better carefully avoid these checkpoints.

It makes sense that theyd stop foreigners more, most of the time an easy 300thb for lack of license.

500 baht in Phuket and thats the minimum

[Lowseasonlover]

1 hour ago, palooka said:

Physically searched? 

Never had that happen to me or seen it happen to anyone else in the years I've been here.

Have had a military check point demand my passport and not speak to the Thais in the vehicle but that was after the separatist explosion in Bangkok a while back.

I got stopped by one of them military checkpoints once, while driving from Ranong to Chumpon over the mountains I could see them in the distance, not to happy with a bunch of conscripts walking around my car with M-16's I dont think a one of them spoke English, it was ok I spoke some Thai at that time, 

They wanted to look in the boot then that was it, I was on my way

[AussieBob]

12 hours 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..

Mate - it is rampant everywhere.  There is a vid on youtube I saw a while back (pre-Covid) where a Farang is filming while riding on the back of a 'taxi' bike without a helmet.  They come up to the BiB boys who have pulled over foreign riders, but are letting the Thais go past. As soon as one of the RTP guys sees that it is a farang on the back of the bike, he walks in front and tries to stop the taxi bike.  The taxi rider just ignores him and scoots around them all and rides away. He later tells the guy that they always ignore any RTP who tries to pull them over - the 'unspoken rule' is that the BiB let the taxis riders go - bad for business to fine them.

[AussieBob]

7 minutes ago, Lowseasonlover said:

I got stopped by one of them military checkpoints once, while driving from Ranong to Chumpon over the mountains I could see them in the distance, not to happy with a bunch of conscripts walking around my car with M-16's I dont think a one of them spoke English, it was ok I spoke some Thai at that time, 

They wanted to look in the boot then that was it, I was on my way

Same thing happened to a mate of mine - plus he and his wife were made to get out and show IDs and the car was fully searched (under seats etc).  But that was in China !!

What happened to you has happened to us too in Thailand - going from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai.  Now that is a stretch of road I do not want to ever travel again. Not the Army boys - they were polite etc. - but the trucks/utes were unbelievably dangerous - worst we ever experienced and we drove all over Thailand. 

[Stardust]

34 minutes ago, HiuMak said:

Welcome to Thailand. Tourist beware

Handsome man 500 baht checkpoint

[ThailandBob]

13 hours ago, Bluesofa said:

In fact only today I was cycling in the motorcycle/bicycle lane,

Oh! There is a motorcycle/bicycle lane?

[Malc-Thai]

1 hour ago, AussieBob said:

Mate - it is rampant everywhere.  There is a vid on youtube I saw a while back (pre-Covid) where a Farang is filming while riding on the back of a 'taxi' bike without a helmet.  They come up to the BiB boys who have pulled over foreign riders, but are letting the Thais go past. As soon as one of the RTP guys sees that it is a farang on the back of the bike, he walks in front and tries to stop the taxi bike.  The taxi rider just ignores him and scoots around them all and rides away. He later tells the guy that they always ignore any RTP who tries to pull them over - the 'unspoken rule' is that the BiB let the taxis riders go - bad for business to fine them.

Before covid you could see roadblocks in the same places every day of the week . They didn't need to move or hide it because there will always be new tourists arriving.and I did see thais getting stopped but just because no helmet. But those never got a white fine ticket. You can guess why from the passing money handshake and on thier way..

I personally don't mind fines for not wearing hats or incorrect driving license or documents..These should all be checked by the rental shop.. but since covid the police had not really been about.. but now the tourists are back its just so blatant, and to say only 3 a day fined! Well phukets a big place and only 3 a day!..

only a few days ago I got stopped 3 times I 2 hours and the 3rd time I told him. Then asked what am I doing wrong to keep getting stopped and they let thais go through exactly as thais were driving straight through .. they said sorry and told me to go on my way! 

Oh and you get stopped and fined driving with no mask, but you can walk past the roadblock with no mask and even stop and ask them for directions! 

[Bluesofa]

8 minutes ago, Malc-Thai said:

Oh and you get stopped and fined driving with no mask, but you can walk past the roadblock with no mask and even stop and ask them for directions! 

Aren't the RTP missing a money-making opportunity there by not fining you for no mask?

[Malc-Thai]

6 minutes ago, Bluesofa said:

Aren't the RTP missing a money-making opportunity there by not fining you for no mask?

Yes pretty much my point..

see mainly Russian and Arabs no mask. even being turned away from big c because they not have a mask on.

But my point is why motorbikes you get fined no mask but people walking past the same police at road blocks don't..

[Alavan]

16 hours ago, Thaiger said:

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 […]

The story Phuket traffic police deny Facebook accusal of targeting tourists as seen on Thaiger News.

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There are lies, big lies, and statistics.

of course the statistics show more Thais fined than farangs. The farang money ends straight in the policeman’s pocket, without being recorded.

Always the same: you pay directly (no paper) to the officer, or your bike is immobilised, you get a paper and you have to pay at a station (never nearby) and then come back to your bike.

 

[Bluesofa]

36 minutes ago, Malc-Thai said:

Yes pretty much my point..

see mainly Russian and Arabs no mask. even being turned away from big c because they not have a mask on.

But my point is why motorbikes you get fined no mask but people walking past the same police at road blocks don't..

A bit of a side-track: I'm assuming these are tourists right now who aren't wearing masks?
Why aren't the police - or other authorities - telling these people directly, or keep fining them? Or is the fine peanuts to them?

We don't see any tourists in Udon, so this is news to me.

[Scribble]

16 hours ago, Malc-Thai said:

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..

Surely the biggest idiot in your scenario is the tourist who thinks they are immune to getting fines and wears a baseball cap instead of a helmet?