Are they really going to pretend this is something new?

[Gaybutton]

Who are they trying to fool? We all know this kind of tea money has been going on forever and will continue to go on. Now the powers-that-be are going to try to act surprised and indignant? The only one I feel sorry for is the police officer, who is only one among hundreds - perhaps thousands - but will probably lose his job for the sake of publicity.




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Police Officer Investigated for Extorting Tourist in Chiang Mai

By snoop1130

September 26, 2025

A video capturing a police officer in Chiang Mai allegedly extorting money from a foreign motorcyclist has triggered an investigation into potential corruption. The incident occurred near Chiang Mai Night Bazaar and was shared on Facebook by the page Guru Guroo Chiang Mai on September 25. The footage shows the officer in conversation with the motorcyclist, followed by an exchange where the officer appears to accept money, allowing the foreigner to leave without charges.

Locals have commented that such practices are common, claiming that officers set up random checkpoints near tourist areas to target foreigners unfamiliar with local traffic laws. Legally, fines should be processed at a police station with official receipts, suggesting misconduct since the officer is seen pocketing the cash. This incident highlights ongoing concerns over police conduct and accountability in tourist-heavy areas.

Jane Sopha, Director of the Traffic Department of Chiang Mai Provincial Police, confirmed that the officer has been suspended. An investigative committee will be formed to address the allegations thoroughly. Jane also advised the public to reserve judgment until the investigation concludes, and noted that the involved motorcyclist has not filed a formal complaint.

In a related incident, another officer in Chiang Mai was recently dismissed after demanding an illegal fine of 7,000 baht from an unspecified victim. The officer accused the man of carrying a weapon, initially demanding 20,000 baht, but settled for 7,000 baht. The victim's public complaint led to disciplinary action against the officer.

Looking ahead, the police in Chiang Mai are expected to face increased scrutiny. With public trust at stake, authorities may need to implement stricter oversight measures. This case could prompt further evaluations of policing methods, particularly in areas frequented by tourists, ensuring accountability and transparency.

Story, photo, and video: https://aseannow.com/topic/1374247-poli ... hiang-mai/

[Jun]

The only one I feel sorry for is the police officer, who is only one among hundreds - perhaps thousands - but will probably lose his job for the sake of publicity.

I don't feel sorry for him. Not even slightly.
They have to pretend to do something.
From what we read, they claim to have suspended an unnamed officer for an unspecified amount of time. He's probably back at work already.

When they catch criminals, they often publish their names, photos etc. Why not with the police ?

Also, ideally, they would pass severe anti-corruption laws. Such as specifying between 10 years & the death penalty for anyone taking bribes after the date on which the law was passed.

[Gaybutton]

Such as specifying between 10 years & the death penalty for anyone taking bribes after the date on which the law was passed.

Personally I would not want to go that far other than a prison sentence when it is flat out extortion. Over the years I have had a few times when I was stopped by the police - sometimes when I was really in the wrong and sometimes not. I've never been asked to hand over more than 400 baht, which was ok with me. It was hundreds of baht less than the fine would have been and saved me from having to go to the police station to wait in a long line, pay, and retrieve what would have been my confiscated driving license.

There are times when a little corruption and tea money works in our favor. Whether this was one of those times remains to be seen. The article did not say how much the police officer tried to get. If it was a few hundred baht, to me that's a "who cares". But if it was thousands, then I definitely would agree that a prison sentence and loss of employment would be entirely appropriate.

To me, singling out this one police officer for the same thing so many of them do - then either go after all of them or just drop it and let the tea money flow as usual.

Why do I have a feeling we soon may be reading about yet another meaningless "crackdown"?

[Jun]

Over the years I have had a few times when I was stopped by the police - sometimes when I was really in the wrong and sometimes not. I've never been asked to hand over more than 400 baht, which was ok with me. It was hundreds of baht less than the fine would have been and saved me from having to go to the police station to wait in a long line, pay, and retrieve what would have been my confiscated driving license.

There are times when a little corruption and tea money works in our favor.

In the UK, the last time I was stopped by the police was over 30 years ago. I was exceeding the speed limit and paid the fine via the official channels.
People who usually abide by the law rarely get stopped. One might argue that because Thailand tolerates corruption, there are more police roadblocks.

The moment you allow officials to collect bribes, the net cost to society increases.
For example:
1 Police will start trying it on with things that are not really offences & hence there are more stops

2 Immigration make the service slow, to try & encourage people to use agents

3 I'm also reading about you using an agency to renew your driving license, because it's such a pain to do it directly. Whereas in a low corruption country, such as the UK, people can renew online.

The price of corruption is also added to our drink prices at bars. Admittedly, if some of that tea money means they turn a blind eye to Cambodian & Lao boys, perhaps it works in our favour to an extent. However, I suspect all the money they suck out of the system might have contributed to bar closures.

[Gaybutton]

One might argue that because Thailand tolerates corruption, there are more police roadblocks.

If there are, I rarely see them. Even when there is supposed to be extra roadblocks during drunk driving "crackdowns" I have yet to ever encounter any of them.

Once in a while I do come up to a roadblock, but I and most cars just get waved through. It's pickup trucks and motorbikes that I see on the side of the road that got stopped.

The only time I was actually stopped at a roadblock was 8 or 9 years ago in Bangkok. It was in the wee hours of the morning when I was getting ready to drive back to Pattaya. I was making the drive at that hour to avoid all the traffic. When I was stopped, the police had me do a breathalyzer test. I had not been drinking, so after the test they questioned me about where I was coming from and where I was going. Then they let me go.

In Pattaya I used to see police stopping helmetless motorbike drivers very frequently. I don't know what happened to them doing that. There are still plenty of helmetless motorbike drivers, but it's been ages since the last time I saw police setups stopping them. For the past couple years, I never see police presence on the roads at all other than when they are investigating an accident.