I am not surprise as I have heard stories of this sort in Malaysia as well. I was with a friend and when the police stopped him, he asked " what's the going rate now". I was taken a back but kept quite. He spoke with them in Malay and I guess they are bargaining. Eventually a price was agreed and he paid. They do not have a 3 days pass like yours in Thailand. If a little money can help to make your trip less stressful and enjoyable, then pay them to prevent harassments. Probably their salary is so low that they are trying to make some easy money. Good luck to all. Take care when you are on the road.
Thanks for sharing @jackpot
You are viewing a single comment's thread from:
This sort of cash-grab seems to vary from city to city. The strange thing is that Chiang Mai tends to be more "by the book" than the rest of the country as it seemed to be a pet project for the new Prime Minister. It is really the only city that a lot of various "laws" are actually enforced such as the silly 2-5pm alcohol ban. This law technically exists nationwide, but this is the only city i have ever been in that it is widely enforced.
That being the case i was surprised to see so much police theft taking place. On the flip side it does make things like not having a license a lot easier. :P