Customer Service from the LOS police

[kittyboy]

As an infrequent visitor to LOS I have not ridden around much on a motorcyle.
However, this trip I was motoring about enjoying the sights and was stopped by one of Pattaya's finest.

Me: Hello
Police: You have license?
Me: No
Police: Oh...200 Baht fine said with a very nice smile.
Me: Oh...hmmmm...Ah...OK here is 200.
Police: Thank you and a sort of a wai with 200 baht cluched in hand.

Now that is efficiency and customer service. It took about 30 seconds to take my money and I have to say I have never had someone take money off me that quickly and with such a pleasant attitude.

Quite a good deal actually, only a 200 baht "fine" to ride around with no drivers license and no ID.
In the US I would have been arrested and had the motorcycle impounded. :)
Maybe a bit of graft is a good thing..or at least when you (me) are an ignorant tourist.

As an infrequent visitor to LOS I have not ridden around much on a motorcyle.
However, this trip I was motoring about enjoying the sights and was stopped by one of Pattaya's finest.

Me: Hello
Police: You have license?
Me: No
Police: Oh...200 Baht fine said with a very nice smile.
Me: Oh...hmmmm...Ah...OK here is 200.
Police: Thank you and a sort of a wai with 200 baht cluched in hand.

Now that is efficiency and customer service. It took about 30 seconds to take my money and I have to say I have never had someone take money off me that quickly and with such a pleasant attitude.

Maybe a bit of graft is a good thing..or at least when you (me) are an ignorant tourist.

Yes I know where you are coming from, but that kind of corruption is only the tip of the iceburg. Motor cyclist in Thailand are one of the main sorces of income for the police. Most kids might be legal but cough up anyway, otherwise its a trip to the police station in most cases.

You should of told him you were a wooly moof and offered to bend over forwards to help him out.

What are you crying about,he obviously stopped you for a reason,and then asked to see your licence.
You done something wrong,probaly flashing your bum or something and he s stopped you but of course you omitted that.

oF COURSE if it had been in a Western Country you would of acused him of picking on you because your a raving homosexual.

[danny99]

As an infrequent visitor to LOS I have not ridden around much on a motorcyle.
However, this trip I was motoring about enjoying the sights and was stopped by one of Pattaya's finest.

Me: Hello
Police: You have license?
Me: No
Police: Oh...200 Baht fine said with a very nice smile.
Me: Oh...hmmmm...Ah...OK here is 200.
Police: Thank you and a sort of a wai with 200 baht cluched in hand.

Now that is efficiency and customer service. It took about 30 seconds to take my money and I have to say I have never had someone take money off me that quickly and with such a pleasant attitude.

Quite a good deal actually, only a 200 baht "fine" to ride around with no drivers license and no ID.
In the US I would have been arrested and had the motorcycle impounded. :)
Maybe a bit of graft is a good thing..or at least when you (me) are an ignorant tourist.

IGNORANT is right! Or maybe Arrogant!

It is no accident that graft and corruption [both the highest level in Business and at the lowest level with tourists on the street] occur everywhere the third world has been invaded by Americans, who seem to live by the philosphy that the mighty $$ buys anything!

I have lived in many such countries [such as Iran, The Phillipines and now Indonesia] and whilst often asked [thanks to the precedence set by my American 'friends'] I have NEVER paid a bribe to a government official. BUT I have also had the common sense to always be legal, which means just finding out how to do that and not just relying on flashing dollars.

One such American friend [business man in Bali] once told me he never had any problems at the immigration counter at Bali airport as he always had a RP 50,000 [old days] inside his passport...upset when I told him that he was the type of creep who aids and abets corruption, for my money more guilty than the one accepting it]...I have never had any problem at the Bali immigration counter either, but then I have always been legal!.....why not do it legally, it is so easy!

Ever heard of an International Drivers License?

[TrongpaiExpat]

As an infrequent visitor to LOS I have not ridden around much on a motorcyle.
However, this trip I was motoring about enjoying the sights and was stopped by one of Pattaya's finest.


Pattaya has "sights"? The thing with motycys is that if your driving forward you should be looking forward. I see so many farangs going straight on but with their headsat a full rotation right or left and the sight is generally a Thai lady or boy. I also noticed that if your walking along the side of the road and a motocy is approaching you and there's a speed bump, he will drive off the road, right where your walking to avoid the bump. OK, if it's head on, you can most times get out of the way but dangerous if your getting approached from behind. You need to get in the habit to notice speed bumps when walking along with motocys not driving on the correct side of the road, on walkways and giving no attention to blind corners.