Attention, travelers to Thailand: Police checkpoint nearly leads to conflict—always carry your driver’s license when renting a vehicle

Reported by reporter You t
ru / from Thailand

Travelers to Thailand should take special note: when renting a car or motorcycle in Thailand, always carry your passport and an international driver’s license to avoid unnecessary disputes. On the 1st of this month (July), near the ancient city area of Chiang Mai, Thailand, a foreign tourist riding a motorcycle was stopped by police. Because the tourist did not have their driver’s license or passport on hand, the police asked the tourist to pay a fine on the spot. At one point, due to the police’s threatening attitude, a conflict nearly broke out with other tourists present. A Taiwanese tourist, Ms. Chen, told reporters: “The police were acting strangely—they wrote me a ticket but didn’t give a receipt, and even threatened that if I didn’t cooperate, they’d take me to the police station.”


▲ Ancient city area of Chiang Mai, Thailand. (Photo / by reporter You t
ru)

In Taiwan, people driving or riding a vehicle without carrying their driver’s license are not penalized, but when traveling abroad, it’s especially important to keep your driver’s license and passport on you. On the 1st of this month, the reporter was riding a motorcycle through the Saen Prung Gate area of Chiang Mai’s ancient city, turning west, when about five to six police officers in uniform stopped motorcyclists. Most of the tourists present appeared to be of Chinese descent. The police asked them to immediately show their passports and driver’s licenses for inspection. Among them, Ms. Chen, a tourist from China, and her boyfriend were visiting Thailand without carrying any identification. The police asked them to pay a 500 baht fine on the spot.

“What felt strange was that the police didn’t ask for any personal information from the tourists, but kept reaching for money,” Ms. Chen said. Although it seemed reasonable to be fined for not having ID, during the interaction with the police, she felt their attitude was very forceful, so she asked the officer for his name to confirm the charge. “Suddenly, the police officer flew into a rage, took the key out of my motorcycle, and threatened to take me to the police station if I didn’t pay up.” Ms. Chen said the situation felt quite frightening, so she ended up paying, but received no receipt for the fine.

According to Arte, a local homestay owner in Chiang Mai, there have indeed been many reports of police targeting foreign tourists for fines, which has upset locals working in the tourism industry. “There was an incident where a Thai person who tried to stand up for justice took a photo of a police officer issuing a fine on the street. When the officer noticed, he immediately let the tourist go,” Arte said. While it’s not unreasonable for tourists to show their documents for inspection, if you encounter a Thai police officer issuing a fine on the street without providing a receipt, you can suggest handling the matter at the police station. “At the police station, at least the fine is fixed and you’ll get a receipt—it just takes more time.”

The Tourism Authority of Thailand also reminds travelers that when visiting Thailand, you must carry your passport and an international driver’s license. If you are stopped by police and asked to show your documents, don’t panic. If the police officer on site says they cannot provide a receipt, it is recommended that you go to the police station with them to pay the fine. Once the payment is made, the police station will issue a receipt.