MOTORISTS in Pattaya are claiming that fake roadblocks are being set up in the resort to hand out hefty fines to drivers who fail a breathalyzer test. They also say that a farang wearing an official-looking outfit is sometimes in attendance to advise offenders to pay up straightaway rather than being arrested and taken to a police station.
One long-term Pattaya resident who was recently stopped by such a checkpoint told The BigChilli that the breathalyzer was able to register both his alcohol level and display the fine he would be charged for failing the test.
One long-term Pattaya resident who was recently stopped by such a checkpoint told The BigChilli that the breathalyzer was able to register both his alcohol level and display the fine he would be charged for failing the test.
“The machine indicated that I had to pay 20,000 baht. As this was the first time I had been stopped, I initially thought that this was the correct procedure, so I handed over the money which, luckily, I had on me at that time.
“Since then I have discovered that the courts normally set much lower fines for first-offenders. And that’s when I started to think there was something irregular about the checkpoint that stopped me,” he said.
“A foreigner at the roadblock was wearing a vest with the word ‘police’ printed on it. He told me that I should pay the fine there and then as it was preferable to being taken to the police station. I took his advice.
“Oddly enough, I was at no time asked to produce a driving license and after I had paid the fine, I was allowed to continue driving my car.”
Police checkpoints in Pattaya are normally set up on major roads. In this case, the roadblock was located on one of the side streets.
An American resident was recently stopped at another side road checkpoint and threatened with a fine because his pregnant wife was not wearing a seat belt. After lengthy discussion, he was allowed to continue his journey without charge.
