Three Pattaya policemen have been transferred after Kuwaiti tourists accused officers of forcing cash-only roadside fines, issuing fake grocery receipts and taking them to secluded payment points. Secret videos are now part of the investigation.
A group of Kuwaiti tourists has accused uniformed police officers in Pattaya of operating what they claim was a systematic roadside extortion racket. They allege they were repeatedly stopped after traffic offences. They said they were taken to secluded locations, forced to pay cash-only fines of up to 5,000 baht and issued grocery-style receipts that other officers later dismissed as fake. The visitors secretly recorded several encounters and handed videos and receipts to reporters. They said the experience left them feeling police were “scarier than criminals” and prompted an appeal for senior commanders to investigate. Three officers have subsequently been transferred.
A group of Kuwaiti tourists has alleged that, during their month-long holiday in Pattaya, they were extorted by uniformed police officers after being apprehended for traffic violations. The visitors claim they were forced to pay large cash fines at secluded locations. They said officers refused requests to pay at a police station and issued what they later discovered were grocery receipts. They described the officers’ conduct as “scarier than criminals.”
The Kuwaiti tourists, aged between 20 and 30, reported that they had travelled to Pattaya several times over the past month and acknowledged committing traffic infractions. They said they had no objection to being fined through proper legal procedures.
However, they became suspicious of extortion after they showed a cash receipt previously issued to them to prove they had already been fined. The police allegedly rejected it, claiming it was fake and not an official police station receipt.
Nevertheless, on Wednesday, it was reported that three Pattaya policemen have been transferred to administrative duties as senior officers investigate the claims.
Tourists claim repeated cash demands and fake receipts exposed an alleged pattern after earlier fines
Despite this, they said they were subsequently apprehended multiple times and repeatedly issued the exact same type of unofficial receipt. Furthermore, the officers allegedly insisted they pay in cash only.
What was even more shocking, they said, was that officers took them to isolated locations to issue fines. The officers also refused their requests to pay at a police station. Consequently, the group decided to expose the matter to reporters. They provided journalists with videos secretly recorded during some of the encounters, along with the cash receipts as evidence.
Speaking through an interpreter, the tourists said they had travelled to Pattaya several times before. For this year’s holiday, they travelled as usual and said they were fully aware of the local traffic laws while riding motorcycles. They reiterated that if they were prosecuted properly according to the law, they would accept responsibility.
According to the group, the circumstances surrounding their repeated apprehensions were unclear. They said they did not understand the formal offences they were alleged to have committed. They said they were fined between 3,500 and 5,000 baht per offence. On some nights, they were stopped between two and five times.
Tourists allege secluded cash collections and threats of vehicle impoundment after repeated late-night stops
After being stopped, they were taken to secluded areas. They said that if they wished to avoid having their motorcycles impounded, an unidentified man collected the fines in cash while uniformed police officers stood nearby. They alleged that cash was the only accepted method of payment.
What further raised their suspicions was that when they requested to pay the fine at a police station, they were refused.
Instead, they were told they would have to pay at a vehicle impound facility in the Pattaya area. It was a location they could not later identify. They were allegedly told they would also have to pay towing and storage fees in cash. Bank transfers were not accepted.
If the tourists requested a receipt, they were allegedly charged an additional 500 baht. They said they were issued receipts resembling those commonly used by small retail shops. The receipts detailed the alleged offence and the fine amount. When they later showed them to other police officers, they were reportedly told the documents were fake.
One tourist said the group continued to be stopped and fined because they were uncertain how to challenge the process. Following one minor motorcycle collision, they alleged the same officers again demanded payment under similar circumstances. They said they still did not understand what offence they had committed.
Visitors say fear replaced confidence as they sought an enquiry and released secretly recorded videos
The tourists said they had visited Thailand, particularly Pattaya, many times before. They had always regarded the city as a safe destination with effective law enforcement. However, they claimed their experiences changed this year. They alleged this group of police officers rotated shifts to stop and fine them every night after midnight. They said the same pattern of behaviour was repeated each time.
The tourists expressed deep sadness and disappointment. They said they had become more afraid of encountering police officers than criminals.
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Following the incidents, the tourists decided to bring the matter to the media. The tourists wanted it brought to the attention of local commanders and senior police officials. The young men said they hoped the allegations would be thoroughly investigated. They also hoped strict action would be taken if any misconduct was found, ensuring transparency for both the public and visiting tourists.
In addition, the Kuwaiti tourists released video clips they secretly recorded during negotiations with an individual who claimed to process fines on behalf of the police officers. They alleged he demanded an additional fee in exchange for issuing the grocery-style receipt.
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