CHIANG MAI – A video clip of a traffic police officer has gone viral on Thai social media that appears to show a Chiang Mai traffic policeman taking cash from a tourist riding a motorbike near the Night Bazaar.
The head of Chiang Mai Provincial Police Traffic Division has since stood the officer down, set up a fact-finding panel, and vowed tough action if wrongdoing is proven, with no special treatment.
On Wednesday, a video clip surfaced on Thai social media that showed a traffic police officer talking to a motorcyclist. The rider, still wearing a helmet, then handed over an object that looked like a banknote. The officer had his back turned and reached behind to take it. They spoke again, and the officer familiarly patted the rider’s arm. The rider gave a wai, then rode off.
Social media posts claim the incident happened around the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar. They allege a pop-up checkpoint was taking money from traffic violators, focusing on foreign tourists.
Common offences cited included ignoring traffic signs at the Loi Kroh and Chang Klan junction. After the clip spread, comments poured in. Most were critical, with calls for a full inquiry and strong penalties if the act was corrupt.
Pol Col Jen Sopa, head of the Traffic Division, said he was alerted yesterday of the incident and said he had ordered the officer in the clip to stop duty at once and formed a committee to investigate. If the probe finds misconduct, punishment will be strict, and no one will be shielded.
He admitted the viral video clip spread fast and hurt the police’s image. He asked the public not to rush to judge the officer before the facts are clear. The committee will examine the case in detail. So far, no victim named in the clip has filed a complaint or report.
Police Corruption and Foreigners
Corruption within Thailand’s police force remains a long-standing problem. It damages public trust and harms the country’s image as a tourist hotspot. In Transparency International’s 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index, Thailand ranked 101 out of 180.
The score has slipped by 19 places since 2014, and the Royal Thai Police often tops lists of mistrusted bodies. A 2020 survey by Transparency International found that almost half of respondents had paid bribes to police in the past year, often for minor matters.
Reports of extortion, drug links, and patronage point to deep rot. Political meddling makes it worse. Promotions have allegedly been sold for huge sums, which encourages officers to claw back money through illicit income.
Foreigners, including tourists and expats, face extra risk at routine traffic stops. In busy areas like Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya and Chiang Mai, low-paid officers, some earning about 1 US dollar per hour, often target Westerners for quick “tea money.”
Language gaps and fear of detention make people easy marks. Complaints rose after the 2014 coup, as disrupted local graft pushed attention toward foreign visitors. Many tell similar stories.
Drivers are stopped for claims like not wearing a helmet or lacking an international licence, then told to pay 500 to 2,000 baht on the spot to avoid a trip to the station or worse, the threat of planted drugs. In Pattaya, expats say they are stopped more often, while Thai riders are waved on as “having no money.”
Some fixes are in motion, but progress is slow. A 2021 police reform bill stalled, and the English-speaking Tourist Police unit (dial 1155) offers limited relief. Travellers should keep passport photocopies, ask to pay fines only at a station, and avoid handing over cash at the roadside, since bribery is a crime. Until deep reform takes root, many foreigners will see Thai roads as a risky bet, where profit often outruns justice.
