Pattaya checkpoints are back! Police report widespread law breaking on the roads

[webfact]

Picture: Sophon Cable TV

 

Sophon Cable TV reported that the Pattaya police were setting up checkpoints on the roads after stopping this activity for more than a year because of the pandemic.

 

They didn't want there to be gatherings of people potentially spreading the virus. But now they are back after the moratorium was lifted on April 1st.

 

These are the new "transparent" checkpoints ordered by RTP chief Gen Suwat Chaengyodsuk, notes Thaivisa.

 

Officers must have CCTV bodycams and there must be CCTV in the area of the checkpoints recording everything. These will apply at traffic stops for minor infringements, alcohol checkpoints, vehicle emission checks and crime stops.

 

Sophon went to one yesterday in Chalermprakiat Soi 18, Pattaya Sai 3, where Pol Captain Dusadee Janphitak was in charge of ten officers. 

 

Picture: Sophon Cable TV

 

The captain reported widespread lawbreaking on the roads with many people having no licences, no helmets, no third party insurance extension and also no face masks - he noted that was very bad too. 

 

He said that checkpoints will be set up in the late morning looking out for ten misdemeanours and then late at night for DUI violations. 

 

He called for people to start following the traffic laws. Just because there is a clear road it was no excuse to go speeding, and not wear helmets and seatbelts.

 

And not having the tax and "phor ror bor" (insurance) updated would cause problems if you had an accident.

 

The ten things they are looking out for are:

 

1. Speeding

2. Going the wrong way

3. Not obeying traffic signals

4. Not wearing seatbelts

5. Not having a licence

6. Illegal overtaking in narrow areas

7. DUI

8. Not wearing helmets

9. Riding unsafe motorcycles and

10. Using phones while driving.

 

People can call 1599 if they have any questions. 

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-04-03

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[YetAnother]

4 minutes ago, webfact said:

The ten things they are looking out for are:

only 10 ?

[PatOngo]

4 minutes ago, webfact said:

These are the new "transparent" checkpoints ordered by RTP chief Gen Suwat Chaengyodsuk

Yeah right! You can fool some of the people some of the time, but...............................................!

[scubascuba3]

Good they are finally trying to crack down, how long will it last for. Also going through red lights needs to be stopped

[J Town]

Speeding? Really?

[Kerryd]

I'm guessing most of y'all would rather they just didn't bother at all, instead of trying to make some effort (where before they weren't making any).
I remember before they started enforcing the helmet rule. Nobody wore one anywhere.

But after a couple years of cracking down, people were wearing them - at least on the main roads and in the city. Far more people wearing them now than there used to be.
If they were to seriously start enforcing the 10 points noted in the OP, it would go a long way to making things better as well. Back home, if you are caught driving without a license, or without proper registration and insurance, your vehicle is impounded on the spot. They don't give you a small fine and then let you drive away (in the hopes you don't get caught again too soon). 

They start doing that here and people will start smartening up in a hurry. Hitting them in the pocketbook is the surest way to get them to start complying.

It was noted somewhere else that the public was supposed to report any officer that asked for (or took) a bribe in exchange for letting someone off the hook. 

The new checkpoints have to be set up in accordance with a list of rules the Police Chief laid down before the covid crisis and include things like the number of officers needed, where tables, lights and signs were to be placed, wifi cameras for the officers and watching the officers (so that their supervisors back at the station can keep an eye on things). If I recall, they needed at least 10 officers to man a single checkpoint (at least for a DUI checkpoint).

Part of the reason for that was all the talk about how people could get away with stuff by bribing the cop (or the cops asking for bribes). That is the main reason the Police Chief put a halt to roadside checkpoints awhile ago. Then he came out with the new rules, but right after that came the covid crisis so checkpoints were halted again.
(Probably more about not wanting to cause more financial hardship than concern about covid. They have no problem doing other police things during the crisis.)

I'm never bothered by the checkpoints as I never have anything to worry about. Some people here though seem to have a big problem with them (judging from previous threads about them).
I wonder if some of them are the same people that seemed to want to really, really avoid the checkpoints set up awhile back (last year) when they tried to lock down Pattaya. You know, the checkpoints where foreigners might be asked to show their passport. Some people seemed to be very concerned about that for some reason.....

[trainman34014]

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

Good they are finally trying to crack down, how long will it last for. Also going through red lights needs to be stopped

'Crackdowns' normally last 3 to 5 days; after that the Cops need to rest up !

[jacko45k]

2 hours ago, YetAnother said:

only 10 ?

Yes, but all of them!

[scubascuba3]

I just went through a big one on 2nd road before Central festival, pulling cars and motorbikes over, surprisingly let me sail through on my bike

[MasterBaker]

law breaking in Pattaya? not possible!

[colinneil]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

. Not having a licence

Surely they cannot be serious? Not having a license, if they pulled everybody off the road for no license, they would be pulling thousands everyday.

[Burl Ives]

Maybe 10 things on the list, but they only do 1 at a time, today will be helmets, tomorrow licences etc. The BIB cannot multi task!

 

[petermik]

7 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

I just went through a big one on 2nd road before Central festival, pulling cars and motorbikes over, surprisingly let me sail through on my bike

Your notoriety around Pattaya and TVF is proving useful then.....????

[RichardColeman]

That picture of Mr. Farang sums a lot of it up for me

[petermik]

7 hours ago, Burl Ives said:

Maybe 10 things on the list, but they only do 1 at a time, today will be helmets, tomorrow licences etc. The BIB cannot multi task!

 

Your wrong Burl....they can hold a licence in one hand and slip a 500 baht note in their back pocket without being seen.....

[bkk6060]

Wow great. All those who constantly accuse that there is no enforcement here, I hope are applauding this.  And the fact it is all being monitored now even saw a drone over one spot.  So, when you all are stopped don't complain, cooperate and say " khob khun khrub" for their hard work and law enforcement.

Edited April 3, 2021 by bkk6060

[samtab]

Money flowing soon thanks to THC tests and all the new weed coffees....

 

[easydoor]

A study showed 80% of the Thai motorbike drivers have NO LICENSE ..... so what is new? They know it very well as they know how many motorbikes has been sold and how many driving licenses has been issued.

[wensiensheng]

5 minutes ago, easydoor said:

A study showed 80% of the Thai motorbike drivers have NO LICENSE ..... so what is new? They know it very well as they know how many motorbikes has been sold and how many driving licenses has been issued.

That is a pointless correlation. I have several motorbikes, one licence. A lot of thai families have one motorbike licence and many people who ride it.

[Jai Dee]

A troll post has been removed.

[yeahbutif]

Well near me I see a policeMan riding a bike most day's with just his uniform on with a peak captains police hat...  No helmet... so the way I see it if the law can't or won't do it . how are the general public going to do it..

[Guderian]

If they enforced all ten of those things strictly, there would hardly be a driver left on the roads here, lol!

[sandyf]

51 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Wow great. All those who constantly accuse that there is no enforcement here, I hope are applauding this.  And the fact it is all being monitored now even saw a drone over one spot.  So, when you all are stopped don't complain, cooperate and say " khob khun khrub" for their hard work and law enforcement.

Quite, nothing is ever done that is not started.

[ikke1959]

if they do a really good check, they have to put a screening point 500 meter before the place where they hold you and 1km after. You will see a lot drivers speeding. Besides I always wonder why there are so many trucks parked at roadside a few hundred metres before there is a check point. Why is no body checking them, because the truck drivers have something to hide, at least so it seems.

[dlclark97]

4 hours ago, YetAnother said:

only 10 ?

It's a good start.  The speed cameras that generate fines are also a good start although the fines levied do little to prevent future speeding.  What is really needed to stop the carnage on Thailand's roads is an 'on the road' police force to catch and stop drivers committing any number of traffic law violation.  There drivers need to be stopped BEFORE they are in or cause an accident.  Drivers education in the schools beginning in the years before anyone should be starting to drive any type of vehicle.   

[Boedog]

Ì write you ticket because have camera hear sorry, normally you give me lunch money enough,  yes l know you not happy but l not happy same

[mikeymike100]

2 hours ago, Kerryd said:

I'm guessing most of y'all would rather they just didn't bother at all, instead of trying to make some effort (where before they weren't making any).
I remember before they started enforcing the helmet rule. Nobody wore one anywhere.

But after a couple years of cracking down, people were wearing them - at least on the main roads and in the city. Far more people wearing them now than there used to be.
If they were to seriously start enforcing the 10 points noted in the OP, it would go a long way to making things better as well. Back home, if you are caught driving without a license, or without proper registration and insurance, your vehicle is impounded on the spot. They don't give you a small fine and then let you drive away (in the hopes you don't get caught again too soon). 

They start doing that here and people will start smartening up in a hurry. Hitting them in the pocketbook is the surest way to get them to start complying.

It was noted somewhere else that the public was supposed to report any officer that asked for (or took) a bribe in exchange for letting someone off the hook. 

The new checkpoints have to be set up in accordance with a list of rules the Police Chief laid down before the covid crisis and include things like the number of officers needed, where tables, lights and signs were to be placed, wifi cameras for the officers and watching the officers (so that their supervisors back at the station can keep an eye on things). If I recall, they needed at least 10 officers to man a single checkpoint (at least for a DUI checkpoint).

Part of the reason for that was all the talk about how people could get away with stuff by bribing the cop (or the cops asking for bribes). That is the main reason the Police Chief put a halt to roadside checkpoints awhile ago. Then he came out with the new rules, but right after that came the covid crisis so checkpoints were halted again.
(Probably more about not wanting to cause more financial hardship than concern about covid. They have no problem doing other police things during the crisis.)

I'm never bothered by the checkpoints as I never have anything to worry about. Some people here though seem to have a big problem with them (judging from previous threads about them).
I wonder if some of them are the same people that seemed to want to really, really avoid the checkpoints set up awhile back (last year) when they tried to lock down Pattaya. You know, the checkpoints where foreigners might be asked to show their passport. Some people seemed to be very concerned about that for some reason.....

The problem with checkpoints in Thailand is that because the majority of cops are corrupt it is open to bribery. Not at every checkpoint do they obey the rules. Like wearing body cams etc, they can be turned off. Just because there is a list of rules doesn't mean squat as you should  know.

If all the government officials and cops were not corrupt it would work, alas that is not the case.

Maybe if the police were paid more it may be a start.

As for carrying your original passport, which I believe you are supposed to, but I could be wrong, there seems to be some confusion over what you should carry as ID. But carrying you original passport around, unless you are going to immigration or the airport, is not a good idea, in fact a stupid idea. You should carry a copy of your passport, maybe laminated,  or a driving licenses, the reason is if you lose your passport it is a really big and expensive deal to get a new one and it takes time. There is a huge market for buying and selling stolen/lost passports in Thailand

[Millcx]

4 hours ago, PatOngo said:

Yeah right! You can fool some of the people some of the time, but...............................................!

Can’t believe there is unlawful stuff happening on roads .. Never

[pops1]

No <deleted>????????????????

[TKDfella]

Yes, it's a good thing that the police set up check points...the only problem is, where I live they always set it up at the same place at the same time everyday for the same duration. Many m/c avoid them by taking an alternative routes.