Jump to content

Rollcall August 1st


khunsanuk

Recommended Posts

Tried to make it but got delayed by the BiB on the Bangna-Trat Highway.

 

I was "alledgedly" caught on a speed camera doing 125 KPH in a 120 Limit, I should have just paid the fine and moved on by I am getting pissed off with these trumped up charges and the constant taking the piss out of farang driver so I stood my ground.

 

I first questioned the accuracy of the alledged speed camera, I wanted to see a calibration certificate of their alledged speed camera, 125 in 120 is just over 4% over the limit and the required accuracy for the speedometer in an automobile is only +/- 10% and as a rule of thuumb traffic police dont hit motorist for speeding tickets unless they are more than 10% over the limit.

 

Once the BiB realised that they were on a losing argument based on a speeding ticket they then accused me of being drunk, this was at 5PM in the evening after a full day in work / 100 KM drive back to BKK, but in the opininion of Pol Seargent Singmokol I was drunk so I must have been drunk.

 

By now I realised it was time to call in back up, the situation was getting over and above my limited debating in Thai Language, so I called one of my wifes cousins who is a lawyer and he turned up 30 minutes later with his brother who is a doctor.

 

This did the BiB heads in, some easy mark farang had the audacity to not only bring in his own legal representation but also a registered medical professional who was prepared to take a certified blood sample for analysis to prove I was not drink driving as accused of by them, after 10 minutes of debate I was free to go but all in all it had wasted over 2 hours of my time and too late to make it to Downunder.

 

In retrospect it would have been easier to have paid the 500 Baht demanded in the first place but I am getting pissed off of being seen as "easy money" to the BiB and am glad I made a stand. The wife and I took the Lawyer and Doctor Cousins and there respective wifes out for dinner last night and it cost me a lot more than 500 Baht but was money better spent, I have now earned "face" with more of her relatives for standing up to corruption.

 

I did know that on Saturday I was getting my official plates for the car and off the red plates so my number is not marked too much.

 

Another typical day in the life of an expat in BKK, never a dull moment.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3In retrospect it would have been easier to have paid the 500 Baht demanded in the first place but I am getting pissed off of being seen as "easy money" to the BiB and am glad I made a stand. The wife and I took the Lawyer and Doctor Cousins and there respective wifes out for dinner last night and it cost me a lot more than 500 Baht but was money better spent, I have now earned "face" with more of her relatives for standing up to corruption.3

 

 

What a post :( In retrospect you should have resolved the situation in a single minute parting with 500baht !?! What a mild way to put it... it seems you missed a meeting, wasted your time plus the time of two professionnals in your wife's family for a very small issue... Not sure why you think that earned you any face, except a shameful one. I'd guess you should disturb qualified people for more important issues only.

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Actually trying to imagine myself calling the inlaws for help in a similar situation... I suspect they would be extremely embarrassed and offer me a few times the amount of the fine if I just want to stop dragging publicly such a trivial issue. Just don't pull them in such a mess, especially when they probably have other business to attend.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mekong,

 

Interesting - I noticed as well that 'wearing red plates' gets one way too much attention, but I found by sticking to only english & playing dumb always left me off the hook within 5min & no dirty money changing hands :)

 

However with the official plates & windscreen sticker I still managed to get pulled over a few times, but never for speeding - seems always for no reason & that's why I found it easy to play it cool & avoid nothing else than a bit of extra stress & 10m lost time say - until my most stupid move ever: doing a non allowed right turn right in front og the BiB shed under one of the overpass bridges - that one actually took me quite a bit of persuasion to get him to accept my 200bt as he insisted for a long time I join him inside to get the official ticket :rolleyes:

 

Another thing is about the license. I always show my national overseas (EU) license & never had a problem? Anyone else?

 

Anyway Mekong you must be correct - accused of doing 125 in 120kmh zone seems like poor imagination especially as I'm sure you did at least 140kmh traffic allowing - I know I would ;)

 

BTW I don't feel anymore as 'easy target' as farang actually I think it might be easier to get out of a sticky than a local given the same circumstances, but particularly the end of the month 'no reason bribes' I see constantly thais being 'stuck' & here I found it's all about being in the 'right' lane or going fast enough as not to see the BiB's trying hands LOL...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi,

 

I can fully see Mekong's point. 500 Baht isn't a lot of money, but it sounded like this was becoming an issue of principal.

 

Besides, by standing up to them now, he may very well have saved himself a couple of thousand Baht and several times being pulled over.

 

And maybe, just maybe, these wankers will finally start pulling people over for real infractions rather than just trying to swindle people they consider easy marks.

 

Sanuk!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It sounds like Mekong was guilty as charged and just wanted to turn it into an issue with double standards and foreigners and that led to further escalation. 5kph over the limit is tight and seems a bit ridiculous to the point of yes, hassling foreigners. But at least now you know what you can't get away with. The smart move is don't break the law in the first place.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...