Hua Hin police check: driving without licence and passport

[Gregjam]

And subsequent posts expanded on exactly what is required both in reality and what the legal requirements are. And then....

[Khundon1975]

As usual what started out as a useful thread informing us that the local MIB are doing what they usually do has descended into a points scoring "my country is better than yours" set of exchanges. Can we try to stick to the topic and if you want to argue over home country politics start another thread.

Gregjam I agree with you in some respects but this issue does not just apply to HH, does it?
As some have posted in this thread, being stopped at a police check is not limited to just Hua Hin, the laws apply all over Thailand.
To give the impression that the BIB only do this in HH is misleading. I posted as such in my first three posts on this issue. Then James suggested that rules were different in the US. Seems that they are not.
As to "point scoring" all I and others have done, is to enforce the fact that no matter where you are in Thailand or other countries, there are rules on driving with the necessary documents that are enforced.
What surprises me, is the amount of people who have different views on Thai laws and what documents are required to be legal, when driving anywhere in Thailand.

The rest is just a bit of fun.

STEVE G

I think the first post basically covered everything to say about what the local police are doing!

I agree Steve and if all those farangs had followed the law, then they would not be standing on the roadside waiting to be handed a fine.

[robcar]

I'm sure I read somewhere that this site was called HuaHin Forum and the title of this thread was Hua Hin police check etc.
Personally I'm only interested in what's happening here. Couldn't really give a stuff about what happens in UK or the US of A for that matter

[Big Boy]

STEVE G

I think the first post basically covered everything to say about what the local police are doing!

I agree Steve and if all those farangs had followed the law, then they would not be standing on the roadside waiting to be handed a fine.

That is precisely why I made the first flippant comment.

While I have been scammed 3 times by Thailand's finest, I find the police in Hua Hin to be 100% straight. I've said it several times on this forum already, they don't need to scam law abiding Farangs here because so many, both Thais and Farangs alike insist on breaking traffic laws and make it so easy for the police to get their quotas. They have no need to scam anybody.

Long may this situation last IMHO. While they're collecting revenue from the law breakers, they are giving us law abiding road users a rest.

No helmet, no licence, no passport, no seat belt, etc, etc - why do people complain when they are caught? With the exception of no passport, each of the above offences would attract a much more severe punishment in the UK, and I guess many other places.

[STEVE G]

I'm sure I read somewhere that this site was called HuaHin Forum and the title of this thread was Hua Hin police check etc.
Personally I'm only interested in what's happening here. Couldn't really give a stuff about what happens in UK or the US of A for that matter

I believe it was relevant in that the subject moved on to the effects on tourism and therefore to the perceptions of other nationalities to random police checks. A forum is surely for discussion and not just so that people can give away free tourist information.

[Khundon1975]

robcar Personally I'm only interested in what's happening here.

Of course you are and if you read the first few posts, you now know all you need to know. Why bother reading any more posts.

Despite what you believe, Hua Hin is not the center of the universe. As Big Boy has just pointed out in his post. I, like BB, have had very good experiences with the HH BIB and completely different experiences with the BIB in other towns. Some good, some bad.

Others on this forum have expanded this issue to cover their experiences, when dealing with the BIB at other locations in Thailand. Is that wrong? Or do you expect hundreds of new threads on the BIB police road checks in every town and city across the land?

Surely, any anecdotal evidence by forum members on the Police in Hua Hin and other places in Thailand can only help and inform the forum members.
Try being a little less insular in your thinking, maybe, you may learn something beneficial to your life in Hua Hin.

[buksida]

No helmet, no licence, no passport, no seat belt, etc, etc - why do people complain when they are caught? With the exception of no passport, each of the above offences would attract a much more severe punishment in the UK, and I guess many other places.

Can someone actually confirm then that it is illegal to drive without a passport?

Highly unlikely the police in other provinces are pulling foreigners over for this - seems to be another "Hua Hin thing".

[Big Boy]

I thought it was technically illegal to be without your passport in Thailand whether driving or not.

[JamesWest]

i am really discouraged by the personal attacks on this forum.
i think i have contributed many times to try to be as helpful as possible. i tried to make my posts humorous.

i try never to respond to attacks because threads go down the toilet.

i made a exception this time because my post was called "crap".

and even now the attacks go on...

so i have only one thing to say...

I am not sure I can trust Khundom1975 any more and there is only one thing he can do to fix it...

[Khundon1975]

No helmet, no licence, no passport, no seat belt, etc, etc - why do people complain when they are caught? With the exception of no passport, each of the above offences would attract a much more severe punishment in the UK, and I guess many other places.

Can someone actually confirm then that it is illegal to drive without a passport?

Highly unlikely the police in other provinces are pulling foreigners over for this - seems to be another "Hua Hin thing".

buksida Way back in 2000, I bought a new car which was on red plates.

The family and I drove down to Hua Hin and on the way stopped at a roadside restaurant in Samut Sakhorn for some refreshment. I was stood next to the car while the family were inside looking at the menu.

A police car pulled up and made straight for me. One of the officers spoke very good English and asked for my passport, driving license, and the travel log book for the car.

I showed him my passport, my IDL also my UK drivers license (both parts) and the log book for the car. Also, that I had first class insurance for the car.

I had been warned by my FIL, that this book was required to be filled out every time that I took the car outside of the region where the car was purchased and registered. When the new, white plates are fixed to the car, the requirement to fill out the log book stops.
Luckily, I had kept it up to date with all the journeys I had taken, since purchasing the car.
The officer and his mate started to get a bit shifty and started on about me driving the car at night (it was around 5pm) and went on to say that it was against the law, as I would not reach HH by nightfall!

I knew what was coming (tea money) but then my FIL saw what was going on and approached the other officers and showed his badge, that changed everything.
Their demeanor changed immediately, from shifty cops trying to fleece a farang, to ramrod straight, saluting and wahing every 5 seconds to all and sundry.

The outcome was, they jumped into their car and disappeared off into the setting sun.
It turns out, that FIL had given them the opportunity to volunteer for a move to another post in the deep south. Hence the quick exit.

To answer your question buksida Any foreigner driving anywhere in Thailand can be stopped and asked to produce the following. Their passport, their IDL driving license or, if they have one, their Thai license. Most cops will accept a color copy of passport if it includes your current visa, some cops won't and want to see the original, so best to have it with you if a long way from home.
As for the "log book for driving a new car on red plates" I am not sure that still exists, as even back then it was rarely enforced.
Someone, will no doubt post whether it is or not.

I realize this happened outside Hua Hin and may upset some on this forum but sh*t happens all over Thailand.
If you give some BIB an excuse to fine you then they will, others will wave you on. This applies to Hua Hin cops as well as cops elsewhere in Thailand.

[Khundon1975]

Nice one James
Just a couple of points on your post.

1. You posted the following "against the law for police to stop people without probable cause in my country. shame on you Thailand."
I think STEVE G proved that one wrong, with his link.

2. If, instead of posting what you suggested, you were to post on Twitter," if anyone is planning a trip to Thailand, then Google the laws on what documents are required to comply with their laws". Would that have not been a lot more helpful?

You see, ignorance of the laws is no defense.

That is why I classed some of your post as crap and I stand by that. Sorry if that offends you.

Please don't try to impose your countries rules on Thailand, there are enough problems here already. Look what problems this attitude has caused in other countries, when the US has tried it.

As for the video, I'm sure you can find a Ladyboy to carry out your secret desires. I don't think it is against the law in Thailand, so good Luck.

[STEVE G]

This seems to be a bit of good news:

Temporary police traffic checkpoints banned
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/nationa ... 70493.html

[Big Boy]

But what will the cameras do?

[STEVE G]

But what will the cameras do?

Well if they're for speeding it won't be much of a problem as the area doesn't have any roads good enough to drive fast on.

[hhinner]

^^ Well you can certainly see vehicles doing 100+ kph on Phetchkasem north of the palace. It's a 60 limit until the airport. Easy pickings for cameras along there I would think.

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