Robbed in Bangkok in Broad Daylight

[NightSky]

Ok I had to share this and ask if you would have done anything differently? 

 

Today I was driving the car with my wife in the passenger seat on our way down soi onnut towards Sukhumvit road direction and we were discussing something whilst the traffic was busy ahead. We arrived at the traffic lights at a t junction and I was in the right hand lane behind cars stopped at the red light.

 

i realised we needed to be going straight on so I indicated, signalled and manovered into the left hand lane of moving traffic which took us through the traffic lights where i was pulled over by a small framed policeman who insisted I had broken a law by switching lanes to go straight on which was total BS

 

he took my licence back to the police box to write out a ticket and left us in the car. I thought I didn’t want official points or whatever on my licence so after about a minute I took 500 baht into the police box and after a final futile attempt at stating my inocence I asked how much and I was asked to surrender 500baht. the three mafia thieving policemen suddenly changed tone and waved me out of the police box and I was on my way without any ticket or receipt. I saw they wrote one but I just left ASAP.

 

id actually broken no laws and done nothing wrong at all and I was basically robbed by the police in broad daylight. I thought these are the very people who are meant to protect us from thieves and it reminded me just how little protection we have here at all. I mean they could have accused me of anything and I hadn’t a leg to stand on.

 

i thought 500baht is a small price to pay but when you are fined after doing nothing wrong at all it makes me wonder why following the rules is worthwhile for anyone at all.

 

What would you have done keeping in mind I was in a police box with three armed police who could have accused me of anything they wanted to. 

 

Would you have done the same?

[madmen]

you bribed them? 

[NightSky]

12 minutes ago, madmen said:

you bribed them? 

No I asked how much the fine was for doing nothing wrong and they replied 500baht, interpret that how you may, but what would you have done?

[Happy Grumpy]

You went over a non-broken line.

 

Illegal.

 

 

Learn the rules of the road, and learn to apply them when driving!!! 

[NightSky]

1 minute ago, Happy Grumpy said:

You went over a non-broken line.

 

Illegal.

 

 

Learn the rules of the road, and learn to apply them when driving!!! 

Haha there were no lines visible and from memory it’s normal for traffic to change lanes at the junction all the time.

 

I wasn’t asking for a driving lesson I’ve been driving almost 30 years and I have 4 driving licence types, I was asking what you would do when attempted to be intimidated by armed police and asked to pay a bribe for commiting no offence.

[AlexRich]

You did the right thing. Don't give it a second thought ... the key is to enjoy the good things about Thailand and actively avoid the bad ... but when the bad raises it's ugly head get rid of it as quickly as possible. I'd have done the same.

[madmen]

Im intrigued  how farang are ALWAYS in the right about these things, simply not capable of breaking any traffic laws.  So according to your story you pulled out 500 and they conveniently said 500 ..lets face it you bribed ( no receipt) and the sooner farang stop doing this the sooner there will be accountability. Your a part of the problem not the solution

[NightSky]

18 minutes ago, madmen said:

Im intrigued  how farang are ALWAYS in the right about these things, simply not capable of breaking any traffic laws.  So according to your story you pulled out 500 and they conveniently said 500 ..lets face it you bribed ( no receipt) and the sooner farang stop doing this the sooner there will be accountability. Your a part of the problem not the solution

I know I didn’t break the law. I’ve been driving here 20 years almost.

 

also please donot twist my story around, I asked the policeman how much the fine was and he said 500 which was the amount I took with me knowing that would be the most I would want to pay and he didn’t hand me a receipt. 

 

My question again was, what would you have done if asked to pay a bribe by armed police for doing nothing wrong.

[BestB]

I would have paid 500 baht and not only forgotten about it but thanked god for only having to pay 500 and be able to get away with another 20-30 traffic infringements I did on the same day. 

[Stevey]

On balance, I recently was stopped at a road check point on the road to NongKhai and the police noticed I had no road tax attached to my hired bike. He told me to go to the hire shop immediately to avoid a 200 Baht fine and waved me off, not all bad. 

[utalkin2me]

The best part about these stories is people for some reason deduce it is different in their home countries.

 

People get pulled over for doing nothing all the time in the US. The problem is, the ticket then goes on your record. You can go to court, which is a complete nightmare. You can pay it, then do traffic school. A virtual endless string of nightmares in the US... and here you are complaining about a 15 dollar, no strings attached stop. 

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

Once i stopped my motorbike on red light and just waited behind the white line

for the traffic light to change to green.

right besides me there was a policeman but i was not worried about him

because what could go wrong.

after few minutes i pulled the gas handle a bit; you know , a bit of vrrrooom vrrroooom (just

a small bike).

the policeman ordered me to pull aside and gave me a 500 baht fine for doing this sound.

i insisted i did nothing wrong and refused to pay. he took my papers and told me i can

get them only in the police station.

in the police station an officer told me: "now you pay 1000 baht or go to jail".

what can you do?

there is no way to despute, no way to communicate, no judge, no arguments.

since than i stopped riding bikes, public transport is the way to go.

[ThomasThBKK]

7 minutes ago, utalkin2me said:

The best part about these stories is people for some reason deduce it is different in their home countries.

 

People get pulled over for doing nothing all the time in the US. The problem is, the ticket then goes on your record. You can go to court, which is a complete nightmare. You can pay it, then do traffic school. A virtual endless string of nightmares in the US... and here you are complaining about a 15 dollar, no strings attached stop. 

 

Can't remember a single time i had to pay if i did nothing wrong in germany and the rest of europe....

 

 

Just because it's a US problem too doesn't mean it's everywhere...

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

4 minutes ago, utalkin2me said:

The best part about these stories is people for some reason deduce it is different in their home countries.

 

People get pulled over for doing nothing all the time in the US. The problem is, the ticket then goes on your record. You can go to court, which is a complete nightmare. You can pay it, then do traffic school. A virtual endless string of nightmares in the US... and here you are complaining about a 15 dollar, no strings attached stop. 

in the US there is justice and logic. you can take the police to court. you might lose, but

at least you know you are not alone.

but in thailand the police are the boss. if you argue too much they might take you

to a higher officer who tell you pay or get arrested waiting for your trial

if you choose to get arrested - than go to "court" - you lose , because

unlike in the US, in thailand you can get locked up for weeks, just waiting to trial.

they take their time.

[NightSky]

14 minutes ago, utalkin2me said:

The best part about these stories is people for some reason deduce it is different in their home countries.

 

People get pulled over for doing nothing all the time in the US. The problem is, the ticket then goes on your record. You can go to court, which is a complete nightmare. You can pay it, then do traffic school. A virtual endless string of nightmares in the US... and here you are complaining about a 15 dollar, no strings attached stop. 

I can say that In the uk I have never been framed by police. 

[Nyezhov]

Yeah like $300 rolling stop tickets, $200 no signal tickets, then pay a lawyer in Podunk Tennesee $300 to knock a 3 pointer down to an equipment Oh and the fine for that is $250, so I really dont sympathize with 500 baht fines.

[KhaoYai]

1 hour ago, NightSky said:

Haha there were no lines visible and from memory it’s normal for traffic to change lanes at the junction all the time.

 

I wasn’t asking for a driving lesson I’ve been driving almost 30 years and I have 4 driving licence types, I was asking what you would do when attempted to be intimidated by armed police and asked to pay a bribe for commiting no offence.

If you know you've done nothing wrong, stand your ground and call their bluff - always works for me.  I've 'paid' once and on that occasion I was in the wrong - my Mrs didn't have her seat belt on.  The usual one when you resist is "Oh, we go see big boss then" - I say fine and lock up the car - not failed yet.

 

I had this changing lanes crap years ago up in Ubon - changing lanes?? The cop had to be joking, the bloody traffic was chaos and all over the place. In any case, I was in the right hand lane which had a straight on arrow painted on the tarmac. As I approached the next set of lights, the arrow changed to a right turn one so I indicated and moved over to the left.  I told him he should get a job on TV as a joker - he waved me on.

[Puchaiyank]

I would have offered 100 baht...settled for 200...this type of police shakedown has gone on for decades...nothing new here...

[RobMuir]

38 minutes ago, NightSky said:

 

My question again was, what would you have done if asked to pay a bribe by armed police for doing nothing wrong.

No, you shouldn’t have paid. 

 

You should have demanded his name, rank and station and ID.

 

Then told him you want to see his superior immediately. Always raise your voice and swear a lot and threaten the embassy, lawyers and the media when dealing with corrupt police.

 

If they didn’t give you a receipt for your 500 baht bribe then you have them on toast. This is a clear case of corruption which is punishable with a long prison sentence.

 

Go to make reports at the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission; the National Anti Corruption Commision (NACC); the Department of Special Investigation; and to the Office of the Attorney-General. 

 

Dont forget to contact the embassy and get a good lawyer.

 

All the best, I hope you get your money back. 

Let us know how you get on.

 

 

 

 

[KhaoYai]

Best one I ever had was on Rama 4 - going under the flyover and up on to the expressway.  There's a sign on the wall denoting which of the 3 lanes goes where.  I was flagged down and told I was in the wrong lane.  At the time I didn't speak any Thai at all but I asked my passenger to point out to the kind officer that he hadn't asked us where we were going - how could we be in the wrong lane? A rather disappointed cop walked around the car looking for faults then waved me on ????.

[Kinnock]

Your error was in the first paragraph - if your wife had been driving (assuming she's Thai) you probably would not get pulled over, and if you were, she'd argue it down to 100 THB.

 

I was pulled over after entering the expressway and told I turned into the toll booth on a red light - there aren't even any lights at this turn. 

 

[utalkin2me]

1 hour ago, ThomasThBKK said:

 

Can't remember a single time i had to pay if i did nothing wrong in germany and the rest of europe....

 

 

Just because it's a US problem too doesn't mean it's everywhere...

I am glad there is no police corruption in Europe. I suppose that is a fact now since you have stated it on the internet. 

[utalkin2me]

1 hour ago, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

in the US there is justice and logic. you can take the police to court. you might lose, but

at least you know you are not alone.

but in thailand the police are the boss. if you argue too much they might take you

to a higher officer who tell you pay or get arrested waiting for your trial

if you choose to get arrested - than go to "court" - you lose , because

unlike in the US, in thailand you can get locked up for weeks, just waiting to trial.

they take their time.

You guys can say and feel what you would like, but to me the facts are (for a more or less equal offense let's stipulate):

 

USA: get a huge fine in the mail, go into court taking a half day off work to state you are "not guilty". Go into court again to fight and it is essentially cop's word against yours, so much for innocent until PROVEN guilty. Pay HUGE fine. Have points show up on your record. Insurance now goes up for the next three years I believe it is. Or sign up for, pay for and go through traffic school... another revenue generating venture for the state.

 

Thailand: $15 dollars. Done. 

 

You guys are seriously kidding me, right?

 

I think people do not even know what they want, and when they get it, they still do not like it apparently. This entire topic is more about egos and being told you were wrong when allegedly you weren't. Get over it, the system here lacks the bureaucratic sludge that is present everywhere else. You may think you do not like it on the surface, but deep down you love it and just have not realized it yet ???? 

[BritManToo]

5 hours ago, NightSky said:

I can say that In the uk I have never been framed by police. 

In the UK I have been framed by the police, and they ended up paying me 7,000 pounds not to go to court about it.

[PatOngo]

6 hours ago, BestB said:

I would have paid 500 baht and not only forgotten about it but thanked god for only having to pay 500 and be able to get away with another 20-30 traffic infringements I did on the same day. 

It's called corruption, your played the game correctly, move on and forget it!

[gunderhill]

I  have a similar  sotry from 3  days ago.

On my way from Hua  Hin to BKK using Phetkasem road, got to where  the toll road  starts and at the toll  booths was  mr plod who  stopped me, he showed me my  number written by him on a piece of  paper and intimated I had crossed some  line in the road.

Ive had them try this crap before here and once paid 500 baht and lost my licence for a week or so but after that got wise to this  SCAM.

Since the first time they screwed me for 500  baht I always stay in the left hand lane and NEVER  change lanes near the toll  booths in fact I find staying in with the large trucks  faster.

Anyway back to the story, so I  pulled  over and  wound  down the window, PLOD  says in surprise "oh Falang" and he;s  not sure what to do but i knew what was  coming, he cant speak Engrish and I refuse to use any Thai as acting dumb is much  better, he trys to tell me I did something wrong and I shrug and look confused, he's  not sure what to do and walks round to my side of the car with a piece of  paper which in English said " crossed  line". Now I knew I had  not and I also knew there are  no  lines on the road as they have been completely worn away, I  point to the camera in my car and say "no way" he then looks  shocked  after me showing him the camera and goes  off  saying " go go go"

This is  just  a scam for  money at this toll booth as they have tried it  before and I often see them there.

This is where they always try this  crap, I always now stay in the same lane and never  change so I know they are trying it  on.

 

[Happy Grumpy]

8 hours ago, NightSky said:

there were no lines visible

Huh????

 

You were paying so little attention that you didn't even know which direction you were going!!!

 

Now you're trying to tell us that you knew what road markings were there!

 

8 hours ago, NightSky said:

we were discussing something whilst the traffic was busy ahead. We arrived at the traffic lights at a t junction and I was in the right hand lane behind cars stopped at the red light.

 

i realised we needed to be going straight

 

Stop lying to the forum.

 

You broke the law. You got caught.

 

Your license should have been disqualified and you be sent back to driving school (if you even ever went to one). You're a danger to us proper road users. 

[NightSky]

1 hour ago, Happy Grumpy said:

 

Stop lying to the forum.

 

I’m not lying, thanks for your input though.

 

if you’re  adamant that the police were in their right please elaborate when you think I will receive the receipt for my fine payment and the official reason for the fine being issued, which you know will never arrive because it was a robbery.

 

wake up

[asiaexpat]

As one who travels Onnut daily I recognize the intersection the OP mentions. Prior to that intersection there is a solid white line meaning no lane change. I have made the same mistake and paid a fine in the past and assure the OP that he committed a violation and should have been fined. That intersection is well know as a money maker for the BIB. 

[NightSky]

20 minutes ago, asiaexpat said:

As one who travels Onnut daily I recognize the intersection the OP mentions. Prior to that intersection there is a solid white line meaning no lane change. I have made the same mistake and paid a fine in the past and assure the OP that he committed a violation and should have been fined. That intersection is well know as a money maker for the BIB. 

 

If there was a solid white line on the road which my wife just also agreed there wasn’t and I’ve never noticed one in the decade I’ve been driving down that road then it wasn’t visible, although I am 100% sure there isn’t a line there.

 

Onnut road runs for tens of km from past suvarnabhumi airport to Sukhumvit road with police boxes dotted at many intersections so I’m unsure how you can recognise the same intersection.