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Tourist Warning: Stopped at Bangkok Checkpoint and Forced to Pay 9,000 Baht to Avoid Jail
Bangkok/MiddleHi all,
Please don’t judge or give a verdict.
This post is purely for awareness. I’m not seeking advice — I just want to share my experience.
Sharing this for awareness so other travellers don’t get caught out.
I was on Sukhumvit Road having a couple of beers at a bar. Finished up and ordered a Grab bike to go for a foot massage nearby. I was holding the empty beer can because there wasn’t a bin around and planned to chuck it later.
On the way, we got stopped at a police checkpoint opposite a police station. They spoke to the driver in Thai, then told me to get off and pay him. Next thing, I’m being taken into the station through the back entrance.
They said I’d been drinking and could “influence the driver” by sitting on the back of the bike, and that I’d have to stay overnight and go to court in the morning. Possible jail or fine.
They searched my phone, checked my photos (even recently deleted), kept me waiting for hours, and basically pressured me into paying a “fine” to avoid jail. No receipt, no paperwork. After negotiating, I ended up paying 9,000 baht to walk out.
Felt like a proper shakedown. I’m from England and never experienced anything like it.
Just a heads up — be careful around checkpoints and don’t even carry an empty can. Lesson learned the hard way.
Anyone else had similar issues in Bangkok?
