Warning! Keep your "tabien loat" (car book) IN the car!

[Henry]

 This may be common knowledge to most, but it's new to me.


 I got pulled over at a police checkpoint the other day. I never worry because I always have everything in order. The cop looked at my license, walked around and looked at the tax sticker, and then asked to see the car book. (Tabien loat) I told him I keep it at home so I don't lose it.


 He said I should at least have a copy of it in the car and sent me off to the side to pay a fine.


 I've had this pickup truck for 20 years and been stopped many times, even paid a few fines, (Just last month for not wearing a seatbelt). I've never been asked for car book before.


 200 bht, no big deal, but a new one for me.

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[kowpot]

I got stopped last month in Kalasin. Same thing. Told him that I kept it at home.  400 baht fine.  My neighbor the cop said, he was right. In Thailand you have to have either the blue book or a copy of the owners information in the car..
  Now I have a laminated copy of my info in my glove box.

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[ting]

When I last had a copy of my Thabian Rot made the guy at the copy shop made a copy of the page with the yearly tax stamps too without me asking for it. Maybe that is something else the cops can ask to see.

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[fceligoj]

We've always kept a copy of the registration in each of the cars.  But seeing this, reminded me to make copies of my new Driver's License.  It is better to hand the police a copy and not the original, which they might keep and tell you to come to the station to pick it up.


The other interesting note, if there is a checkpoint up ahead, let your Thai wife or gf be in the driver's seat.  When she slows down to go through the checkpoint, have her down the window.  Seldom will the police stop a woman driver, especially a Thai one!


The only time it has happened, my wife was driving her friend's car with an expired registration sticker-unknown to my wife of course.  (The woman owner was in the passenger seat and made a big fuss over it.  She got fined on the spot and they could not move on until the police were satisfied on the whose car it was. They provided them with a temporary sticker.)

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[kowpot]

Frank,
I really like your idea of a copy of a DL.  But, is it acceptable? I would much prefer to give them a copy. As you say, if they confiscate it, they can just keep it. 

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[Kajornsak]

I always keep the blue book in the car. Who's going to steal it?

As for the DL, the original must be carried, by law. The whole point is that the police can keep it.

Police stop woman drivers all the time. My advice is for the foreigner to be in the driver's seat.

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[fceligoj]

To each his own, but from a very reliable source, it was seriously suggested to keep a copy of the DL in the car.  If the cop objects to it, he will then request that you come to the station with the original.


Same with women drivers, go through a 'sobriety check point, the farang will get to blow in the tube while a woman (Thai of course) is directed to pass through.  It has happened multiple times with my wife and me in the car, her driving.  When I would drive, I got to blow into the tube!

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[Red Parrot Fish]

To each his own, but from a very reliable source, it was seriously suggested to keep a copy of the DL in the car.  If the cop objects to it, he will then request that you come to the station with the original.


Same with women drivers, go through a 'sobriety check point, the farang will get to blow in the tube while a woman (Thai of course) is directed to pass through.  It has happened multiple times with my wife and me in the car, her driving.  When I would drive, I got to blow into the tube!

If you are not drunk you have nothing to worry about.

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[russell17au]

I always carry the original tabien loat in the glove box and always give my original license and I have never had a problem except at one checkpoint I was asked to get out of the car, it was before I got my Thai license and I was on my international permit. It was quite amusing when the officer gave his mate his mobile and he stood there with his arm around my shoulder holding up my international permit with a big grin on his face while his mate took a picture of us. He did his polite salute and a wai and away I went with no other checking.
I was waved through a breath test outside the fire station with again a very polite salute by the officer.
Maybe it's my pure innocent looks

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